Pearls and Lace Thursday #82 A Few Finishes

I've shown you my now finished redwork (previous post) of which I thoroughly enjoyed working on.  I decided I was a big girl now and could graduate to a finer sized weave of material, therefore making the aida cloth no longer my favorite.  I feel like a child with a cardboard laceing toy with that aida now!!

But, before my official graduation, I wanted to show you what I finished in January.

I apologize for the terrible photography...more on that at the bottom of this post.

But, also sorry for the wrinkled pieces!  I have a hate/hate relationship with my iron.

I've also included a simple needle keep that I made out of an old bit of quilt.

I am having a problem with my vision it seems....every time I take a picture with my Nikon, I look at it from the screen on the back of the camera.  It looks clear and crisp.  THEN, I go to the computer, tranfer the images, and they look BLURRY!!!

What's the deal???  Is it me?  or could it actually be the Camera?

Maybe it's the editing software.  I don't know, but I'm depressed about it.

Do any of y'all have problems with your camera editing software?  In fact, could you please tell me what software you use?  I have this wonderful camera, a Nikon D5000

It's like putting a sports car into the hands of a 6 year old I know, but still, shouldn't I be able to take some good photos by now?  I mean, I've had it for over a year!!

I don't know how to use it to its full potential, but at least sometimes I get a few good shots.

What really makes my day go south though is when I 'think' I've taken some good photos and then I get to my computer. 

I've been using an old software edition from my old Kodak easyshare camera.  It was fine.  But when I went to try to use the Nikon software that came with that camera, I just couldn't figure out the editing.  No where does it let me crop, adjustments of photos are few, and I'm at a loss as to what to do.

So, my question to you is, what software is the least expensive, and the easiest to use???

I went to the office supply store near us (45 minutes away!), and Photoshop software made me loose my appetite.  Here I was all ready to shell out some big bucks (@50 of them), and lo and behold, they wanted my first born son and my right arm for the LEAST expensive version!!!

When I took the photo of the sampler above, the picture looked clear to me in the screen on the camera back.  I even showed it to my husband to PROVE that I could take a clear picture.

 I guess I'm just getting old.  These bifocals are a pain too.  I finally am getting used to wearing them, and I haven't fallen because of them (after a year and a half it's about time I am used to them!), but they are a real pain.

Well, enough of that.  If any of you have any suggestions, I would truly appreciate them!

If you'd like to join me for Pearls and Lace Thursday this week please add the url code of your post to the link below.  I've really had fun doing these, but I'm getting tired people.  I think this might be the last one for a while, so I'd like to thank you all for joining the party and making it so much fun to blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Blessings, Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday #81 Red Notions Love

After telling you all last week that my favorite color growing up was RED, I decided to do a post not only about red, but about what I've been up to lately!

I've been cross-stitching again!

I pulled out the flosses, aida cloth, magazines and books.  I found all my old hoops and needles, and a number of unfinished works (finished 2 of them!!), and now I've started the redwork sampler you see here.

I started this red sampler while I was waiting for an order of floss and material to come in so that I could actually get started on a DIFFERENT sampler.  I liked this one fine, but I can't wait to finish it so I can start the other!!!  Am I strange?

In the picture above, you can see a number of things that I've made over the years.  The smallest heart pillow, the plaid pillow, as well as the lacy pillow and crocheted roses!  The embroidered rose scarf was made by my dear birthmother.

Red.  Deep dark red.  Not that bright red, but garnet red.  Another favorite!  I have so many colors that I'm partial to...do you?  Or do you just favor one??

Be sure and have a look at the parties I love posted on my sidebar...I'll be joining with some of them this week to share this post.

Please join me now for Pearls and Lace Thursday!  It's time to add your url code to the link below.  I have been having a blast going by and reading each of your blog posts, and I've found some brand new friends along the way!  Also, if I have not left you a comment on your blog, it is ONLY because of the blogger problems OR there is no place to leave a comment!!!  I've loved each of your posts.   Thanks to each of you for joining me, and a hug to each of the newest followers that have come by to visit!

Blessings, Doni



Pearls and Lace Thursday #80 and a Beautiful Gift

Pearls and Lace Thursday Party!!
Well, it was my birthday last week, and my wonderful husband gave me some very lovely presents.

He took me to dinner at my favorite restaurant, and he had invited some dear friends to meet us there and surprise me!  They even brought a birthday cake!

AND, my friend 'L' brought me a gift she made with her own hands.

I fell in love with it instantly.

She knows me sooooo well!!!

I was so surprised!  It was wrapped up in a gorgeous box with a gold bow.

The lady at the table next to me said, "I'm sooo glad you opened that while you were still here...I was DYING to see what it was!!!"

I blinged it up a bit with some pretty blue bobbles, and it will receive a place of honor in my home.

This little picture is of me when I was just a babe.

Full of mischief!

Some of the first gifts I ever received as a baby.

Do you see the little face on the quilt under the stork picture??  My grandmother made that quilt for me.

I prize things that were so lovingly made just for me, or given to me in love.  Don't you?

Color plays an important part in my life.  When I was small, I was given a choice to 'pick' my favorite color.  Most of my clothes and decorating were picked from that favorite color.  Can you guess what is was???

It was RED.  Back then, red was IT.  EVERYTHING was red.  My cup, my clothes, the frame around my plaster of paris handprint.

Now????  I have a lot of favorites. 

I particulary love pastels.  But I love the way the primary colors look together too....

Well, I'm making something red right now which I will share with you next week.

Maybe I'll just go back to my childhood and pull out the red stuff.

Or not.

It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!!!

Because of the blogger problem and not being able to get to other blogs, (I tried and gave up....), let me tell each of you here right now how MUCH I appreciate your efforts to share your posts with me for Pearls and Lace Thursday!  I will catch up with you all as soon as possible, but for now, please go ahead and join up with me again for this week's party.

You can attach the url code from your POST to the link below.

Thanks to you all for visiting me!  And a huge hello to my newest followers!

Blessings,

Doni 

Pearls and Lace Thursday #79 Crocheted Edges

Hello Everyone!

Hope you are all safe and warm.  The sun is shining brightly here, and last night was cold, but today and the rest of the week we are warming up.

For all of you who are slushing through snow, I really feel for you.

I would make you a hot cup of chocolate and sit you near the fire so you'd be cozy and warm!!

During December I stayed busy making some small stuffed hearts out of a piece of embroidery I found at a garage sale.  I met the little lady who had spent so many of her days working with her hands to make these squares for a quilt. 

She was moving, and all of her sewing items were having to be sold.

I always have a feeling of sadness when I find things like this.  Especially if I've met the woman who made them.  But this time, I think she was ready.

I ask myself the question too...will I someday be ready to give all my prized sewing items up?

I think it will be easier if I know they are going to someone who will cherish them as much as I did.

I hope she would think that I did a good job of carrying on with her work.

While I was in the crocheting mood, I grabbed my favorite heart pillow from the guestroom bed and decided it needed a crocheted edge as well.  I think it's just what it needed!

I loved the pastel colors of these roses so much that I couldn't give it away!

And I've see so many of you talented ladies making these little strawberries that I thought I'd try some!

The crochet thread and hooks are put away, and I'm doing something now that I haven't picked up in years.  Can you guess what I'm working on now??

I have a question for you.  If you have cases of DMC floss, how do you prefer to order them in the cases?

I started with one box, so easiest to do was by number.  Now I have ALL of the DMC floss colors (thanks to my dear birthmother) and she ordered them by color group according to DMC.  Hmmm....seems like I can't find the right color very easily.  Should I go ahead and redo ALL 10 BOXES?????

It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!!

Please know that I have tried to get to each of your blogs this week and leave a comment.  Many I have had to do with my iphone!!  My computer keeps freezing up on me when I open a new page (argh!!) so it's very hard to get to your blogs!!  I'm trying all kinds of things on my end to fix that!

I am in love with so many of your blogs!  I am enchanted by your talents!  And I'm so fickle.  I go from saying, 'oh I love that', to 'oh...I love THAT' so many times it's silly!

Y'all have made my week too by so many of you joining me!  I'm so excited!  And honored!

Many many thanks to each of you, and a warm welcome to the new followers!

Please join me again this week and add the url code from your blog post to the link below.

I hope you all have a marvelous week!!

Blessings, Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday and Variation #3 on a Pink Theme

Y'all are soooo sweet!  Your comments the last few weeks about my pink dyed laces have been so wonderful!  Thank you all for taking the time to visit here and for participating in the Pearls and Lace Thursday!!
The Party will continue!
The Last of this Pink Theme Party are the closeups that I took.

I always have so much fun trying to get the best shots!

Let me know what you think!

All this pink, just because of some AVOCADO PEEL!!  Be sure and check out the previous Pearls and Lace parties where I tell you how I did it.  Have any of you tried this yet??? Let me know!!

It's time for the Party.

Be sure and add the url code of your post to the link below!  I love seeing what you are doing!!

And do you see the list on the right of my blog page?  The one where it says Parties I Love?

Well, I'm going to be joining up with a number of them!  Be sure and head over there and see all the lovely parties and join in too!

Hope you all have a lovely rest of the week!

Blessings, Doni



Pearls and Lace Thursday #77 Variation #2 on the Pink Theme

Variation #2

I showed you these same materials on my last Pearls and Lace Thursday post here, after I had dyed them with the surprisingly usable avocado peel.  The different shades of pink are so pretty, I decided to carry on by adding some pretties to help show them off.

I added layers of tatted pieces and pearl necklaces, buttons, and lace roses that I made last year.

I love the way the pinks are enhanced by the colors of the tatted pieces and the luster of the pearls.

Some of my favorite pearlized buttons are scattered among the layers, and a length of vintage ecru colored ribbon adds some shine.

My dear friend gave me some cockscomb last fall that she had grown.  I dried them and the dark pink looks so good with this collection that I will be trying to grow some of my own this coming spring!

The chintz vases were next....I'm still on the fence about whether I should have added them.

This pink pincushion begged to be part of the photo shoot!

And ironstone just belongs with the whole group and gives some anchoring to the busyness.

Next week I will show you the last of the theme (for now) with some closeups of the collection.

I hope you enjoyed Variation #2 on the Pink Theme and will now join me for Pearls and Lace Thursday!

I have really enjoyed doing this party, and will continue it for now at least.  Perhaps in the future I'll quit the party, but continue to share pearls and laces.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest, and there are so many other parties out there!

Speaking of other parties, I will going over to join up with some myself!  The list to the right of Parties I Love are a wonderful collection of blogs that host parties each week.  Be sure that after you join this linky party, you go over and check out the other parties!

Please join me by using the url code from your blog POST, not your blog, and please no sales items of any kind.  I truly appreciate each of you who have joined my parties in the past, and I'd like to welcome each of my newest followers!  You people are awesome!!!

Many blessings to you,

Doni