Taking Care of Business

   I am woefully behind in some of my reporting so I thought I better get to it!  I didn't get to spend as much time stitching this past weekend as I would have liked but my son and his fiance were home for the Easter weekend.  Seeing the family always takes precedence over all else so the stitching just had to take a back seat!
   This was the first time my son had been home since his birthday so we had to celebrate!!   I can't believe my baby is 27 now!  In honor of the big day, I made a 'birthday pie', a beautiful one I saw on Facebook believe it or not, called Strawberries and Cream Pie. It had an Oreo crust, cream cheese/cool whip filling, was topped with strawberry slices and drizzled with chocolate.  It was just as wonderful to eat as it was to look at and I have had several requests for another asap!  We'll be at the beach in May so maybe I'll whip another one up then.
  On the stitching front, I did manage to squeeze some in between activities.  I spent all of my IH&SW time working on Harriette Coe.  I think she is coming along nicely!

Harriette Coe by WTN&T
40 ct Lakeside linen w/ listed threads

   I have been feeling remiss in my SAL stitching, it's nearly the end of the month and I haven't touched any of them, so I spent some time yesterday working on the Quaker Medallion Sampler.  Since I'm stitching it  on 40 ct. it nearly fits entirely within my 11 x 11 Q-Snap!!

This is a close-up of the section I worked on yesterday.  I switched the colors over to Sampler Threads and the blue I used in the unfinished motif is an original one from a zillion years ago called Peacock.  I'm sure the new ones don't look like this and I just love this color!!

   The last bit of business I need to take care of is my Stitch From Stash report.  I wish I could say I have been good and didn't spend anything this month like so many others but alas, I cannot.  I had the opportunity to buy not just one but two pieces that have been on my long term search list during this month and I couldn't let that opportunity pass.  Just one of these charts put me over the limit.  So, in all good conscience, I have to withdraw from the contest.
   It was fun while it lasted and I was happy for the challenge but I guess for me, it was just not meant to be.  I am continuing to work on the things in my stash, especially the things I have already started but also continue to add judiciously to my stash.  I will continue to cheer you all on from the sidelines and will look forward to seeing who is able to spent the least in the end.  Good luck to you all!!

Catching Up

  I've been trying to get a post done for about a week now.  Every day it seems like something came up that prevented me from getting it done.  Today I saw a break in the activities and I am making a mad stab at getting this  posted.  Let's just say that my life has been interfering with my stitching time!!
  After I got the bargello section finished on Dorothy Walpole, I moved on to the piece I have been working on for my future DIL's birthday.  I've been carrying it around as my stitch group piece for a while now and it was time to get it finished, so I did!!

Lizzie Kate's
Cat Lesson's for People
40 ct. Lakeside Linen w/ listed threads

   As a replacement in the rotation, I started Harriet Coe.  I have had this one kitted up since the last week of December and I really wanted to start it.  I am working it on 40 ct. linen so it is much smaller than it is supposed to be but it is just so cute I can't stand it!!

Harriet Co by WTN&T
40 ct. Lakeside linen w/ mostly listed threads

 I did change the red from Pomegranate (all the skeins I could find were pink) to Ruby Slippers which is a limited edition from the last market. I really like this red and I'm glad I bought a bunch of skeins of it!
    Then, I decided to start something off my bucket list.  I have pulled this one out more than once just over the past year and each time put it back thinking the time wasn't right.  So, I made it the right time and just got it started.  I love this piece and although  it will definitely be a long term project, at least now it is underway.

  This is my progress so far. Not much yet but it will go into the rotation too and will see some work time on a regular basis, whatever that is!

The Red House Sampler by the Sampler Co.
40 ct. Flax w/ DMC

  Then, as if that wasn't enough, I decided to finish this piece for my Mom.  She is in a nursing home now and has little in her room in the way of decoration.  I thought I would finish it with an edge so she could use it on a table as a scarf.  As you can see, I've started it twice.  The first time, I used a linen that was too heavy and the pulled work didn't open up the way it was supposed to.  I switched it to a more open weave linen and I like the effect much better!

This is an EGA correspondence course our guild did last year and since I had the issue with the linen, I didn't get it finished in time for the review and it has languished ever since.
  So, that is what has been going on here.  I haven't worked on my SALs this month at all, except for Dorothy, so I am behind with those now.  And since I have added 2 more pieces to the rotation, something is going to have to give.  I think I will have to work on a couple of things until they are completed to get the rotation back to a manageable size and then play catch up with the SALs.  Sounds like a good plan to me!!
  It is IH&SW and I haven't been able to put fabric, thread and needle together yet so I think I will go do that now.  Happy Easter and happy stitching to you all!!

The End of the Bargello

   It's been nearly 2 weeks since my last post.  I didn't mean for it to be so long but I was trying to finish the bargello band on Dorothy before I posted.  Every day I would think, 'Surely I will finish today and be able to make that post.' but each day I still wasn't finished.  This afternoon I finally got that section finished and I am now ready for the big reveal.

If you remember from my last post, I still had most of the over one verse to finish as well.  I've done quite a bit of bargello before and I don't remember it taking as long as this did!  Given all the stitches in this band though, I guess it wasn't that bad!  I am very pleased with how it came out and so happy that Dorothy is officially at the half way point!! 

     Up next in the rotation is the piece I am stitching for my future DIL for her birthday.  I have been carrying this to stitch group and have made pretty good progress but if I am to have it stitched and framed by the middle of May, it needs to see some serious  stitching time!!  It is pretty far along though so it shouldn't take too long to finish. I think this is adorable!!

Lizzie Kate
Cat Lessons for People
40 ct. Lakeside Linen w/ threads listed

   Next up is the Needleworker's Sampler newly framed.  I apologize for the angle but my framer put glass on it by mistake and I was having a hard time getting a picture without glare.  I put one of my favorite moldings on it since it seemed to cry out for it.  This one is currently residing at my LNS.

    Last but not least, I present photographic evidence that spring has arrived here in the burg.  This is the entrance to my neighborhood and how it looked a few days ago.  Magical!!

   We are now having those much lauded April Showers so I hope the promise of May flowers is just around the corner!!