Vickie from Reading and Stitching

This week's Blogger of the Week discovered my blog last September and has been an enthusiastic participant in a number of my Blog Hops already.  So it seems right that she should be as enthusiastic about this latest venture!  She's one of those crazy people doing the Year of Starts so there's always lots to see on her blog and plenty of inspiration.  If you don't like the project she's stitching today, hang around, there will be seven more by next week!  She's also quite keen on Disney as one or two of the other Bloggers have been.  Please welcome Vickie from

Reading and Stitching

1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

My name is Vickie Hartwell. I live in Bella Vista, AR. which is in the northwest corner of the state. I have a wonderful husband who I met on the yahoo dating site over 14 years ago.  We have 4 furbabies, Brigen a 12 year old yellow lab, Gibbs my 7 year old lab,  Bert, 6 year old cat and finally Tiger Lily, 1 year old.    I am a high school special education math teacher and I just started my 20th year of teaching.  I have always taught special education and I love it.  I love Disney!   Cinderella's castle is my happy place!!

Inspirations

2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?  

I started stitching when I was 12.  My grandmother had a set of the Days of the Week tea towels that I started embroidering.  We stayed at her house every other weekend so I worked on them while I was visiting.  We went to Wal-mart one day and I found a cross stitch goose pattern that she bought me.  My love of stitching started with a goose.

3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  

Is there a story behind your blog title?  I first started blogging when Yahoo had their Yahoo 360...then in 2007 I moved over to blogspot.  My blog title “Reading and Stitching”  is a combined title of my two favorite hobbies.   You will always find me with a book.  I love to listen to audiobooks in my car as I drive to work.  My go-to genres are Historical Romance and Murder Mysteries.

4. How would you describe your stitching style?  Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?  

Right now I am attempting the “Year o Starts” from the Stitch Maynia group on Facebook.  I am starting one new project a day for the entire year.  So far I am doing well on the goal.  I am however, focusing on one project, my HAED Faery Tales.  I work for 30 minutes on my new start then move to my HAED.   I guess I am organized due to the year of starts but you couldn’t tell it by my sewing room!!

Mill Hill Christmas Village

5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?  

I am drawn to Disney designs, and as I call them “Fancy Lady” patterns.  I love to stitch people in period dress - the Victorian dresses are so pretty.  

Happiest Celebration

6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?  

My favorite piece is my “Eye of the Tiger” piece by Cross my Heart.  I actually had this hanging in my classroom, until I was moved to a smaller room.  My second favorite piece is my “Summerball” by Sandy Littlejohn.  I just feel like I am at a ball with Jane Austen’s characters.

Eye of the Tiger

7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?  

I was working on the HUGE Sistine Chapel design. I followed the pattern for over 30 pages when I found some areas were not matching up.  I counted, recounted and there was no mistake. When I contacted the designer about the possible error….I was told to keep going it would eventually match up.  Ummm...No….so I tossed the whole project.  I loved that project!!!  

8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?  

I am a terrible finisher.  I would love to learn to finish something that looks great instead of like a two year old finished it!

9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces?  Or is everything FFO'd?  What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I have a HUGE box finished but not FFO’d projects.  I want to finish them but they all just go in the box!  My favorite way to finish is a project is to frame it. Boring,  I know...but I like things framed.  When I finally frame them, they go up on my wall.

Augusta 12th Hole

10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?  

I think the one project that represents me is my “Cinderella’s Castle”  I have always loved that story, and my favorite place to be is sitting on main street, staring at the castle.

Mirabilia Cinderella

11. Tell us a secret about yourself.  Or a joke.  About anything!   

My husband and I lost our marriage license after the wedding. He thought I had it and I thought he did when we checked out of the hotel.  Neither of us had it so we had to drive an hour back to the town we got married, get another copy of our licenses, FedEx it to the preacher, and have them FedEx back to county courthouse!  We still laugh about this!!!!

Amazing Grace

12. Anything you would like to add?  

Thank you so much for allowing me to share my stitching story.