Framed!!

   I had been holding off taking Summer at Hollyberry Farm to the framer in eager anticipation of picking up the framing I had previously dropped off.  I called on Friday and she was just putting the backs on them so I went over first thing Saturday morning to pick them up.  I am so pleased with how both pieces turned out!!!

Close-up of the frame
Love this moulding!!

Harriette Coe is in the same frame, just a redder tone.  Both of these will be residing at my LNS for a while.  I will be picking up One Nation in December since it is for The Hubs for Christmas but leaving it at the shop until then ensures he won't see it until he's supposed to!!  He likes to peek!
  Well, I don't know why IH&SWeekend never seems to go like I plan but this one was certainly true to form.  At the time I signed up, I didn't have a thing on my calendar but by the time it rolled around I was up to my eyeballs in other things I needed to do.  I didn't get to stitch as much as I would have liked but that seems to be a recurring theme so I won't dwell on it.
   I managed to get that last line of verse in on Ann Bowers.  Yeah!!!!!  This is the last 4 lines of this section and I think you can read it pretty well.  I was a little worried about the method I was using to stitch it but if you're not looking at it with a magnifier, I think it's okay.
  

So, this is where I am now and the end is in sight!  I do have 2 more rows of over one verse to stitch but after what I just finished, it should be a piece of cake!!  And after the over one, that 45 ct over 2 is looking like burlap!!  Not really but it is a lot easier to work on than I remember.

   So, for the IH&SW report, I stitched the last row of over one verse above and I started one of those fall pieces that had been calling my name.  Not much to look at yet but I promise, you're going to love it next time.  I confess to taking liberties with the colors, again!!

Butternut Tavern Sampler Pinkeep
by Stacy Nash
40 ct Lakeside Maritime white
with GASTs

Well,  that's all I have for now.  Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

Making Up for Lost Time

   I haven't posted in so long I don't know if I remember how and so much has been happening that I'm not sure where to begin!!  Maybe I need to look at my last post and refresh my memory of where I left off.  Okay, I think I can catch you all up now!!
  After I finished the gift for my FDIL, I rushed it to the framer so I could have it back in time for her birthday, which we were celebrating at the beach.  This is what it looks like now.

(Sorry for the glare, it is under glass.  I love the frame on this and according to my framer, it is a molding specifically designed to match DMC colors.)
  Then I moved back to working on  Harriette Coe.  Every day I would say, 'Surely this will be finished in a couple of days and then I can post to the blog.'  And every day, it didn't happen!!.  I churned away and churned away until my stitching time became just about nil because I had to start getting ready for the beach!  I finally put the last stitches in  it just last night and I am so happy to have it finished!!

I stitched it on my usual 40 ct. so it is pretty small.  But it sure did seem to take forever!!  I have included the close-up below so you can see all of the animals.  The chart says all the eyes are to be stitched in the red.  There was no way I was going to do that!!  What are they then, Vampire animals??  Werewolf animals?? So, I just left the eyes blank.  It seemed like a much better choice to me!

   We try to go to the Outer Banks twice a year, in the spring and later, in the fall. We like the off season when there aren't so many people and not as much traffic.  We do, however, travel with an entourage.  This last trip there were only 7 of us but we have had as many as 18 in the past. We haul in all of our provisions like we are going to the wilderness or something. We carry in linens, food supplies, water, you name it.  That requires a lot of prep work.  Luckily, The Hubs has taken over the cooking so he does all the menu planning and food shopping for the week.  There is a huge perpetual list we work off of each time so the planning has already been done but the gathering, shopping and packing are a big, multi-day extravaganza.
   So, the week before the beach trip, I had my weekly stitch group on Monday, the regular EGA meeting on Tuesday, which left me with the rest of the week to get my act together for the trip.  Not just for the trip, but also getting the house together for guests since everyone congregates here before going on down the road.  I had already packed my stitching bag so the important stuff had been taken care of at least!!
    Wednesday morning, I woke up with a sore throat.  I did okay for the first couple of days but the 3rd day is always the worst for me and by then, I was feeling pretty wrecked. I haven't had a cold in a long time so I may have just been being a baby about it but no medicine helped and I was living on Advil and Halls cough drops. By Friday night we were talking about me staying home for a few extra days and driving down later in the week.  I gave it serious consideration but in the end, I wasn't sure I could make the 3 1/2 hr. drive by myself, even later in the week, so I went with the crowd.
  And so glad I did or I would have missed this...

Sunset over Frisco, NC  Sunday night

  So, I laid low for most of the week.  I read and relaxed and gradually got to feeling better.  I went shopping with my son and FDIL and had a lovely lunch out.  We didn't make it over to Ocracoke and we never made it out to dinner, 2 things we traditionally do every trip, but we had fun none the less.  And I got to wake up to this every day!!

The view from my bedroom

   Toward the end of the week, I did finally feel like doing a little stitching.  I got back to work on Harriette and wouldn't you know it, I ran out of the color I needed to finish!!  I took it as a sign and moved on to something else.  The Red House Sampler saw a little work.  Not a lot, but some.

Such a gorgeous piece and really in need of a slot in the rotation.  Not really sure what has happened to the rotation either but I need to get that worked out again too!
   Then,  last but not least, I started the Blackbird SAL piece last night after I finished Harriette.

I kind of went my own way with the colors, brightened some up and toned some down.  It will be interesting to see what everyone winds up with in the end!!  Its a small piece and shouldn't take too much time to finish.     Then, I guess I need to get back to the rotation, whatever that may look like now.  I am several months behind now in a couple of the Year Long Sals I joined and I, maybe unwisely, joined a couple more recently!! I have vowed to not add to the UFOs this year so completions are what's called for!
  Recently, I was looking at the list I made at the beginning of the year of my stitching goals for the coming year. Some of the things in the 'to finish' section still haven't seen the light of day.  It's nearly June, half the year gone already!  I need to get busy!!

Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

I think this post falls into the continuing disasters category!

    When last we met I was planning to work on a piece for my mother's birthday.  I had decided to finish the cream colored piece for her since a) the pulled patterns were showing up more nicely and b) it was farther along and should have been quicker to complete.  Needless to say, that didn't happen!!
    I got the rest of the pulled patterns in and had moved on to the satin stitch flowers in no time at all.  I was confident that I would be able to wrap it all up in just a few days and be able to move on to the next project I had slated for completion.  Then, out of the blue, things started to go awry.  I can't even tell you what the problem was because even though I ripped out the 3rd petal three, I said THREE times, it still wasn't right and couldn't figure out why!!
    It didn't become a fireplace piece, although I did give that serious consideration.  Nor did I throw it in the trash although that sounded pretty good too!  I took it off the frame, folded it neatly, and put it all away.  I don't know what will become of it.  I may go back to it later and try again.  I may decide to change the flowers in the corners to something in cross stitch, I really don't know at this point.  All I can say is my mom didn't get it for her birthday and since this is was her 75th, I don't know if she ever will!!
     After all of that drama, I managed to get myself into 2 other SALs.  I think I have a mental illness where this is concerned! I get caught up in the excitement of the group (Group Hysteria??) and wind up signing up for more projects than I really have time for. But, I guess that's fun too and spurs me on to get other projects finished up.
    Since I have signed up for more SALS on Facebook, plus I plan to do the new Blackbird one that will be starting on the 12th, I decided I needed to reduce the rotation.  I am trying to NOT add to the UFO list so a couple of finishes are in order.  I managed to wrap up the Quaker Medallion Sampler last night!

40 ct Lakeside Linen w/ my own
GA Sampler Threads conversion

This is a current Facebook SAL so I can cross this one off the list now and add a new one.  A very pretty sampler and one that was in the stash for quite a while.  I bought the chart twice so I must have REALLY liked it!!  No trip to the framer for this one. It is destined to be a birthday gift for one of my stitchy friends!!
     I have also been working on Harriette Coe.  Not as much work done on this one but it will be the subject of some intense  attention over the next week or so and will be the next one I finish.

It is such a pretty sampler and once again, on 40 ct, almost fits within the Qsnap!!
     That's about all for now.  I have to go kit 3 new projects and see if my can make some further progress on Miss Harriette tonight.  Should have a guaranteed 3 hrs. plus to work on her since we'll be watching baseball. Wish them luck! Our Indians are currently in the basement in their division and need all the help they can get!!

Stitch On!
Laura

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!!