january 10 - game day

Today's the day of the "Big Game" - Oregon vs. Auburn for the BCS national championship. So everyone (or nearly everyone) in Oregon is a Ducks fan today. Can't wait to get home, grab a sandwich and settle in with my stitching and football! So today's start is Waiting for the Harvest from Blackbird Designs. I received a piece of black fabric and beautiful autumn colored silks in an exchange last year, and I thought they would be perfect for this design. We'll see how far I get tonight! My grandson spent a good part of the weekend with us, so not many stitches were stitched, but he is such a joy and we had a blast together. He makes me laugh all the time! On Saturday, my start was this Lizzie Kate design from the "boxer" series...Did you ever stop & think... Sunday's start was Olde Pewter Letters from primitivebettys. I love this design and have wanted to start it for quite some time. And finally, these are two blocks stitched for a block exchange with the Stitchers Timeout group. We do one block every other month. I wanted to get a head start on these because I knew I had signed up for these crazy challenges and would be busy busy busy. I actually stitched these two at the very end of last year. We can use any kind of fabric and threads we want...I stitched both of these on fiddler's cloth. January's theme is "chocolate" and this is a Lizzie Kate design. March's theme is Prairie Schooler.



Go Ducks! Thanks for visiting!

january 8 - bring on the weekend!

It is looking pretty gray outside...we are due for some nasty weather this week. I'm not a fan of snow and especially ice, so hopefully it will not be as bad as predicted.

For now, I have a few things to share. My Thursday start was 'Tis Better from La-D-Da. Here is what I accomplished right before bedtime. Please excuse the hoop marks!


And this is my Friday start..Ida Mae Crow from The Goode Huswife. I wish I had more time last night, but again...just a few stitches before bedtime.


And the reason I have not made much progress on any of my starts this past week...my first finish of 2011...Gabrielle Rose from La-D-Da. I am really pleased with the way this turned out. It is stitched over one with one thread on 25 ct. ecru evenweave and DMC threads. And the best part is that I finished it on time to mail it and have it received before the Christening...happy dances all around!


We are off to breakfast, and then late,r my grandson is coming to spend the night. I think there will be plenty of football, playing with trains and puzzles, and probably not much stitching...but my start for today will be one of Lizzie Kate's Boxers - Did You Ever Stop to Think - so I may get a few stitches in after all!

Hope you are all having a great Saturday!

Thanks for visiting!

january 6 - silver linings & a winner!

This post may be a little long because I didn't have time to post yesterday. This cold/flu/sinus infection/whatever has really knocked me out...again. And as a result I took yesterday and today off from work. So, in between sleeping...a lot...I have been getting in some extra stitching time this week that I didn't expect to have (the silver lining!) As a result, I am almost finished with the birth sampler! I've only had to do a little bit of frogging and readjusting a few stitches, but I love the way it is turning out. This is where I was as of bedtime last night. Sorry it's a bit crooked!



I also kept to the challenge, and put a few stitches in another project... The Lighthouse Teapot. This is one of the Silver Needle Night kits that I purchased a long time ago. I collect both teapots and lighthouses, so I thought it was perfect. It is stitched on 10ct. blue tula with mostly perle cotton threads. Everything was included with the kit.


And, in keeping with the challenge, this is my new start for today. It is another design from La-D-Da, the last one in the Stitch Your Heart Out series. I started out with the intention of buying all of these but it didn't end up that way. I did buy my favorites though (I think I even bought one twice!) and will just stitch those (eventually!) I may not post a progress picture of this one until tomorrow because I don't want to start it until I have finished the sampler.


And finally, the twelve days of Christmas are over, and I have put all the entries for my little giveaway into the basket. And the winner is...Bonnie! I just emailed you, but in case you don't get the email, please send me your address and I will get your package out as soon as I can get to the post office.

And now I'd better get back to bed!

Thanks for visiting!

january 4 - first new moon of the new year

It's the first new moon of the new year, and that means it's time to post our "Totally Useless SAL" or TUSALs. I emptied my jar from last year (which had pretty slim pickins!) into a larger container and am starting fresh for this year. With all the new starts this should start filling up pretty fast! You can still sign-up here, but you have to hurry!


Thanks for all the lovely comments on the baby sampler. I really like the way it is turning out. I finished one of the birds last night and started on the flowers. Until this is finished, it will be my main focus, especially since I put myself on this ridiculous deadline...that was I thinking?

But I did make a small...well, tiny...start on a new project this morning...Pumpkins and Peacocks from The Goode Huswife.


When I say a tiny start, I really mean it...there are maybe thirty stitches here! But I don't think I like this fabric. It was a piece I had in my stash and I thought it would work, but I'm afraid the two green threads will just vanish into it. It's a very dark green fabric. You might be able to see a bit of it in this photo...probably not. So I can either change the greens or start over on new fabric. I'll think about it some more today.



And finally, I thought I should probably start on one of the UFO's, so I am starting with a small one...Flying Monkeys from Glory Bee.



It was so cold this morning...I still have a chill even though I've been inside for hours! Think I'll make some hot cider and take a break (I've been so hard at work!) and stitch for a bit before the library opens!

Thanks for visiting!

january 3 - the best laid plans

I was all set to start a third project from my list today, when I realized that I have less than two weeks to stitch up a baby sampler for a christening gift for my nephew's little girl. Ack! So I (luckily) found a perfect pattern that I already had, ran to Michael's on my break for some threads that I needed and will get started tonight. I wanted to stick with my challenge, so I just added this design to my (already too long) list. The design is called Gabrielle Rose and it is from La-D-Da.



I will be stitching over one on 25ct. ecru evenweave. so it will be rather small. I'm not sure yet whether I will frame it or finish it some other way. I guess I should just worry about stitching it first! This is as far as I got so far.



I also brought one of my UFOs to work on while on my break, but that didn't happen either. Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

Thanks for visiting!

january 2 - second start of the new year

Well, it is official. Now both my husband and I are battling this sinus infection/respiratory bug and it is no fun. The meds help me feel a little better as far as the congestion goes, but I feel groggy and a bit sick to my stomach at the same time. Icky.

We did some errands today and then I came home to watch football and start my second project.


This design is from Midnight Stitching. I am stitching it on a peachy colored fabric called Bittersweet Lite. The fabric was a gift and I am not sure who makes it but it a very soft jobelan and such a pleasure to stitch on. I am using Crescent Colours "Barn Door" for the thread.
The photo below shows my progress so far. The fabric color looks very pale in this scan. It is much more vibrant that that.



Thanks for visiting!

january 1 - part two

So...is anyone else having trouble posting to blogger? It seems like everything has changed overnight...the way I upload photos and move them around...color changes are not showing up, and I can't type where I want to. Is this just me, or is there a glitch somewhere here?

I hope it looks back to normal tomorrow!

Thanks for visiting!

january 1 - new year, new start

We took the outside lights down today, and the Christmas tree as well. I hated to see it go...it was such a lovely tree and it still smelled so good! But everything got packed up and put away until next year.

I did get a little stitching done. My first start for the "Crazy 15" challenge is Ellen Birdseye by The Goode Huswife.

And this is a photo of my progress so far. I am stitching it on a piece of 32 count linen in a stone color with DMC threads.

december 31 - some blog housekeeping

It's the last day of the year, so I guess it's a good time to take stock of what has gone on for the past twelve months! This has been a crazy and busy year and I am looking forward to some quieter and calmer days ahead, at least I hope so! 

When I look at my sidebars, I see that I have done quite a bit of reading this year...and not so much stitching. I did actually complete more pieces than are show...some ornies, and a few other small exchanges, but nothing really major this year. There just didn't seem to be that much time for stitching in my life this year.

But I, like so many of you,have embarked on not one, but two crazy challenges for 2011...starting and finishing 15 new projects and finishing an additional 15 UFOs/WIPs. Are we all crazy? Undoubtedly yes! But the journey will be fun.

Thanks to Annette's help, I placed some tabs at the top of this blog, and I have listed the projects I plan to do there. Of course,because I am so compulsive (I guess) there are more than 15 on each list.Maybe I am just optimistic, ,more likely, I am just nuts! 

Unfortunately, I am also starting out the new year with a chest and sinus infection...but I did go to the doctor's this morning and after taking some meds and sleeping most of the day I am finally starting to feel a little bit better.

Jeff and I just got back from a lovely dinner out. We always go for Chinese food on New Year's Eve and it was delicious. Plus, we have lunch for tomorrow!

So I'm off to get my project ready for tomorrow. I'll try to post progress pics each day...at least for the new starts. I am really excited to watch everyone's progress on all the new projects.

Thank you all so much for visiting my blog and leaving comments. I have spent the past couple days at work finding lots of new blogs to visit (I know...I should have been working, but it's the holidays!) and I hope to have time to continue to visit with all of you.

I wish all my readers a very happy new year, filled with love, friends, family, fun, good health and peaceful times.

Thanks for visiting!

Tabs...can anyone help?

Hello again from the most dysfunctional blogger on the planet!
I have been seeing many of you adding tabs under your headers for new pages. This seems like a great idea and a way to get some content out of the sidebars, but I can't figure out how to do it!

I see "pages" under add a gadget, but I can't seem to move them, or be able to tell how they really work. For instance, how do you add content to your pages? 

I know you are all much more savvy than I am when it comes to this stuff, so I am hoping that maybe someone will be able to help.

Thanks so much!

Happy Christmas...and a giveaway

I have been so neglectful of my blog and all my blogging friends lately, but I couldn't let today go by without wishing all my readers the happiest of Christmases (and the happiest of whatever other holiday you may celebrate with your families). I hope you all find love, joy, good health and peace in the coming year.

And in the spirit of sharing, I would like to have a little giveaway. The actual items will be a surprise, but there will be one item for each of the twelve days of Christmas. The drawing will be open through January 5th and I will select one winner from the holiday basket the next day (or the next, if I forget!). Anyone can enter; if you are a follower that would be nice, but it is not necessary. Please make sure to comment on this post only, and please leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner.

Thanks again for visiting my blog...good luck...and happy Christmas!

november 17 - finally...a winner!

I am so sorry....I have been away from the computer for most of the past week and am very late in posting this.

There were 26 guesses for my duplicate design giveaway, and half of you were right! The design I purchased twice (this time!) was "Olde Shaker Tune"...although the more I think about it, I'll bet I have an extra copy of "My Sunshine" someplace as well...and if I ever find it I'll have another giveaway!

Anyway, the winner is...Jackie! I'll email you for your address Jackie and get the pattern right out to you.

Must get to work...thanks for visiting!

november 8 - a simple woman's daybook

for today....november 8

outside my window...it is foggy and damp
i am thinking...my warm cozy bed
i am thankful for...an unclogged nose
i am wearing...lots of brown (again!)
i am remembering...that work deadlines are coming soon
i am listening to...air whooshing through this huge vent over my desk
i am going...to take a break & enjoy a cup of hot tea
i am currently reading...Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
i am hoping...to get outside and enjoy some fresh air today
i am looking forward to...a short work week
one of my favorite things...freshly baked bread
a photo to share...my grand-puppy Coda...isn't he cute?


thanks for visiting!

november 9 - a small finish & a winner

So...I actually stitched a little this weekend! Something I realized while stitching...I am a very slow stitcher, and I also think I enjoy it more when I am that deliberate with each stitch. So often I am rushing to try and get something finished for a deadline, and I don't think I have as much fun with my stitching then.

Anyway, this little piece was stitched for a block exchange with Stitcher's Timeout. The theme is Christmas Trees, and this is an old Bent Creek design called "Happy Christmas". It is stitched on a scrap of shiny aida (there's a name for this type of aida but I can't remember what it is) with sampler and weeks threads. Sorry the picture is a little bit crooked!



And I did remember to draw a winner for the card making supplies. The winner is Peg C! I will be emailing you for your address and will get this in the mail by the end of the week. I hope you find some things that are useful in the kits.

Thanks for visiting!

november 4 - another giveaway

I was so excited to get the mail today because I knew there would be a small package from Joanne at 1-2-3 Stitch...three wonderful charts that I ordered the other day. Well...just to prove that, yes...I am getting older...it turns out that I already have one of the charts I so happily ordered! This is not the first time that this has happened (and I'm sure it will not be the last!)...,but hopefully one of you will get something good from my mistake.

So, here are the three charts. Which is the one I already had in my stash???
Please just leave a comment on this post with your guess (if you are interested in having the chart) and I will pick a name from all the correct guesses next Thursday.

"My Sunshine"
from La-D-Da


"Olde Shaker Tune"
from Homespun Elegance


"Sachi the Elephant"
from La-D-Da

Good luck! and thanks for visiting!

november 2 - an exchange, a ? & a giveaway

Looking out the window, I see people wearing t-shirts...it's supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow. Is this really November?

Several posts back, I posted a photo of a square I stitched for an exchange with the Stitcher's Timeout group. The theme was pumpkins. I was lucky enough to receive this adorable sqyare that Shannon stitched..."Autumn Blackbird" by Waxing Moon Designs. I think it was a freebie too!


My question...is there any way to automatically translate blogs into English? Sometimes I will see a "translate" button on individual sites, but I was wondering if blogger has some sort of setting that will do this all the time. Does anyone know?

November is my birthday month, and this year is one of those big "0" birthdays, so I thought I would have a few little giveaways throughout the month to celebrate. This first one is for anyone who is into card making. I used to have a co-worker who did some designing for the Cardmaker of the Month club, and she talked me into joining. But after a few shipments I realized I would probably never get around to making the cards, so I quit. Anyway, I have a couple of those kits to give away. There is card stock, and lots of embellishments, as well as instructions, included.
I know that many stitchers are also into making beautiful handmade cards, so if you are interested, please leave me a note on this post to let me know. I will leave this open until the weekend, and pick a name on Sunday.


Thanks for visiting!

november 1 - a simple woman's daybook

for today....november 1

outside my window...it is dark and very wet
i am thinking...about having a nice hot cup of tea
i am thankful for...an end to this horrible cold I have been suffering with
i am wearing...lots of brown
i am remembering...that the dishwasher needs to be emptied
i am listening to...the World Series celebrations
i am going...to brave the rain and take the dogs for a walk
i am currently reading...Paper Thin Alibi by Mary Ellen Hughes
i am hoping...to get some stitching done this week
i am looking forward to...seeing my grandson this weekend
one of my favorite things...chicken udon soup
a photo to share...the original Batmobile...very cool!


thanks for visiting!

october 31 - october round-up

Happy Halloween!


I can't believe this month is over...mine has been pretty much a blur. My daughter came to visit from Boston on the 6th. We had a really wonderful visit, and she got lots of time to spend with my grandson, which she loved. Then she went home and the month just went downhill from there! I got a bad head cold and it has just hung on all month. I finally went to the doctor last week - my boss literally threw me out and told me to go home! - and I think it is finally starting to clear up now. I've taken the meds, used my Neti pot, done everything I'm supposed to.The doctor said I had very bad congestion and a sinus infection. I'm still a bit stuffy and so tired...I have literally spent most of the past three weekends sleeping! Hopefully November will bring healthier times!

It is actually a beautiful day today...crisp and clear, no rain. Temps are supposed to hit 70 mid-week. Usually Halloween is very rainy here, so this is a nice change.
I have not been stitching at all, but must get busy soon as I have several exchanges to get ready in the coming weeks. I have spent some time reading in between working...it is safer to fall asleep with a book in hand then a needle...trust me, I've done both! I've read some fun additions to some of my favorite series...they are listed in the sidebar on the left.

I've also been catching up on some blog reading...I am continually in awe of the wonderful projects all of you are completing. My wish list just keeps getting longer! Maybe I'll have some finishes to share soon too!

So, until next time...thanks for visiting!

october 4 - a simple woman's daybook

for today....october 4

outside my window...my cubby still doesn't have a window :(
i am thinking...about a friend who has had too much sadness in her life lately
i am thankful for...a wonderful husband who made it home safely after a long trip
i am wearing...a bright pink sweater
i am remembering...trips to Radio City Music Hall with my grandma
i am listening to...the loud, steady hum of air blowing through the vents
i am going...for a walk soon
i am currently reading...Fiber & Brimstone by Laura Childs
i am hoping...for dry weather all week
i am looking forward to...my daughter's visit
one of my favorite things...autumn in the Pacific Northwest


thanks for visiting!

october 2 - saturday - short & sweet

Today was a beautiful fall day here in the Pacific Northwest...temps a little cooler, humidity gone, leaves starting to change...it was so quiet early this morning when I was out with the dogs. Quiet, crisp and beautiful!

Hubby is home, safe & sound. I got to the airport just in time...his plane was actually 1/2 hour early! He's still not feeling great, which worries me, but I think once we get a handle on the diet and meds, he'll be feeling much better.

I'm almost through Season 3 of "The Closer", finished "Wicked Appetite" by Janet Evanovich and ready to start something new. Must admit, I was a little bummed that no-one signed up for my PIF, but I'll try again some other time.

Don't forget the "31 Days of Halloween"...and thanks for visiting!

october 1 - some fun giveaways

There are some really fun giveaways going on right now in blogland.

Now that it is October, you can join in on Missy Ann & Annette's 31 Days of Halloween. Just click the picture at the top of my right sidebar for more info.

Then scroll down a bit and check out the other great blogs and giveaways listed.

Have fun! and thanks for visiting!

sept. 29 - and so it goes

Well...hubby has been gone for 4 days now, and as they say...the best laid plans...

I did tear my closet apart, but half the stuff is still all over my bed (which is why i have been sleeping my 2-4 hours a night on the couch. I have made myself so tired by not sleeping that I haven't got much energy to do anything but walk the dogs and sit glued to the tv. My daughter got me hooked on "The Closer" but I have five seasons to catch up on, so that is what I have been doing. I'm halfway through Season 2. Normally I would be stitching while watching, but for some reason I just don't have the energy, so not one x has been crossed so far this week. I did get a package from "Stitches n Things" with my order from the Labor Day sale...some wonderful Blackbird Designs patterns and several others. I'll take a photo later if I can find my camera under all the mess in my room. I am determined to get the rest of the clothes put away or bagged up for Goodwill tonight.

I haven't even been checking emails or blogs because hubby took my little laptop with him, but I did have a few minutes this morning here at work, and when I checked Patti's blog I realized that I was one of the people chosen for her PIF. I am really excited about this, and in the spirit of paying it forward, I am offering to do the same here. I participated in one of these once before, and I must admit that I was a little late sending out one of my PIFs (due to a very stressful situation here at work and my total lack of memory), but I have since begun writing everything important (and what is more important than stitching?) in my datebook, so that won't happen again. So if you want to take a chance...

Here's how it works - the idea is that 3 of you join my "Pay it Forward" and then I will send a handmade gift (made with love!!!) to each one of my THREE participants within the next 365 days! Each of those 3 people must also agree to host a PIF on their blogs and ask for 3 people to join their PIF's - To Pay It Forward - and so on and so on and so on. So, this is me, asking for 3 people to join my PIF. Please leave a comment on this post if you are interested. If more than 3 stitchers comment, I will take those names and draw three. So...if you are interested, please post here. It's Wednesday, so I will check back on Friday, October 1 and see what happens.

Thanks for visiting!

sept 23 - short and sweet

I'm trying to get some things taken care of at work before I take off to get my hair colored...a long overdue appointment, I might add. That little skunk streak just keeps getting bigger and bigger!

Anyway, not much stitching has been going on. That seems to be my theme for this whole year and I must admit that I am getting really tired of it. I just don't seem to have the mojo lately. I know it will come back, but in the meantime I feel a bit like a slug!


This little piece is "Blessings" from Heart in Hand. It was stitched on a piece of melon evenweave with the called for threads. We have a bi-monthly block exchange at Stitchers Timeout and this month's theme was pumpkins. I think this is the first block I've stitched for the exchange this whole year. December is "trees" and I already have a design picked out.


And these are the newest scissors I've added to my collection..."Sonia". They are reddish with little flowers and really quite pretty.

I have worked a little bit more on "Acorn Autumn" but I don't have a picture to show.

My hubby will be going away for a conference on Saturday and will be gone a week. Last time he did this I had great plans to stitch all week, and ended up tearing apart my craft room instead. This week, I have to clean out my closet, but then I think I am going to try and finish up a couple of these little projects that have been hanging around forever! My LNS is having it's annual "open house" in a few weeks and they will have lots of the new market pieces. I am really ambivalent about going this year though. There are many designs that I really would love to stitch, but I also know that I won't have the time to stitch them in the near future. Maybe I should just make a list....Besides I just got an email that an order I placed over Labor Day is being shipped today...I am ashamed to say that I don't even remember what I ordered (but I know they were all things I really wanted!) I think there is a pattern here but I refuse to admit to it!

Anyway, I hope to have some more progress to show soon! Thanks for visiting!

Sept 5 - Surprises, Stash, Saturday & a SAL

Once again I have had a month go by without blogging. The scary part is that I don't have a clue where that time went! So a bit of catching up seems to be in order.

Saturday was the start of a lovely long weekend, with really no special plans. We spent most of it at the annual "Art in the Pearl" exhibit in Portland. There were many wonderful artists and pieces to see, but most (if not all) were way out of our price range. Sometimes I wonder how these artists make a living...their work is beautiful, and I understand the time that goes into everything, but how many people can afford it? I guess more than I think, because they come back year after year and the galleries are always full. There was also music, and we spent a lot of time enjoying some cajun/zydeco tunes. And the weather was gorgeous, so it was a great day!

Last week, I had two surprises, one good and one, no so good. The good one was a RAK at the coffee shop...the gentleman in front of me paid for my morning chai What a lovely surprise! I have heard of this happening to others, but it never had to me. There was no-one behind me, so I will have to pay that one forward another day. The not-so-good surprise? There was a roof leak in the building where we are storing most of our library books. Luckily, there was a custodian in the building at the time and he heard something and went to investigate. What he heard was the roof giving way. They are doing construction to replace the existing roof and I guess the roofers didn't anticipate the rain (in the Pacific Northwest...are you kidding me?) Anyway, had it not been for him, the damage would have been much worse. He was able to gather the troops and get some things moved. We've been over twice and will be going back again this week to keep going through everything and really surveying the damage.

I have been trying to be good about not buying too much new stash, but when I saw this on sale I just had to have it. This collection by The Goode Huswife contains the "Ellen Birdseye" design that I have been wanting forever!


And then, yesterday at JoAnne's I found the new Gingher scissors - "Ella". They look a bit more mod and I really like them. Here is a closer look.


Unfortunately,(or fortunately, depending on how you look at it!), I also did some damage at the Labor Day online sales last night as well! I'll post everything I bought when it arrives, because to be honest, I don't even remember what all I ordered! Once I got going, it was hard to stop!

Finally, last weekend we had an Autumn/Halloween SAL with the Stitchers Timeout group. Asher was here last weekend, so I knew I wouldn't get much done. But after he left I started filling in the acorn. I didn't have the called for Silk n Colors, but I did have another Autumn shade so I started with that. But about five rows in I decided there was really too much purple in it, so I took it all out. The I found a cotton thread that I received in an exchange and I thought it would be perfect...again Autumn shades. I used two threads, but after looking at it this morning I decided it was too bulky and the colors looked way more vibrant that I wanted them to. So out it all came again (but this timer I was about 12 rows in). So now I am trying it with this same thread, but only one strand, and I like it much better. I think. For now. We'll see. Anyway, this is where I was before the acorn frogging the first time. It is "Acorn Autumn" by Cross-Eyed Cricket designs.


Back to stitching! I hope everyone is enjoying a fabulous weekend.
Thanks for visiting!

august 6 - starts & finishes

I haven't been stitching as much as I'd like, but I do have a few things to share.

These are two Lizzie Kate designs that I finished into pin pillows -- both for stitching friends. The first is "Prayer Connection", stitched over one on 25 ct. evenweave with DMC variegated threads.



This one is an old freebie called "Freedom". Since it was a summer exchange going to the UK, I changed it to say "summer". It is stitched on a piece of "water lily" jobelan with the called for threads (mostly). I substituted an anchor thread for the gold color.



I also stitched two "doodles", but I can't show them as they are part of a surprise gift.

This is "This Too Shall Pass" by My Big Toe Designs, stitched on a piece of peach colored linen with Valdani floss. I received both the fabric and the floss in this years "Calendar Girls" exchange on Friendly Stitchers. I had never used that type of floss before and it was really nice to work with and the colors are beautiful. The piece is finished as a no-sew cube.


This second no-sew cube is "Marion the Librarian" from La-D-Da, stitched on natural fiddler's cloth using the called for threads. I stitched this one years ago, but it has been languishing in a box with other stitched, bit not finished pieces. I finally have a place to put it in my office/cubby at the library, so it has been saved!



"The Hunt" by Homespun Samplar is the round robin that my Quaker round robin group is doing this time. This is not my piece, but I love the three different blues that Jinger chose.


I was much more boring and stuck to just one color, but I think all three pieces will look great. I haven't seen Clare's piece yet but I stitch on that one next.


I also stitched Lizzie Kate's "Friendship Grows" for a challenge on the Lizzie Kate Lovers blog, but I can't show that until the challenge is over.

********************************************************************

But my startitis has not subsided, and here a few pieces I have recently started...all in various degrees of "startedness" (huh??)

"Love Lives Here" from Erynne's Red House Designs:


"With My Needle" from PrimitiveBettys Designs:


"Flying Monkeys" from Glory Bee Designs


"Green Flips" from Lizzie Kate Designs (this is a SAL that I started way late):


"Tea with Jane Austen" from the Sampler Girl:


Whew! It looks like I have my work cut out for me!

Thanks for visiting!

august 5 - Grandma Bragging

It's hard to believe that Asher is two years old!

Last Friday, we took him to the County fair and he had a blast. It's a real county fair --more animals than carny rides--and he had so much fun running through the different barns & recognizing all the animals. Of course, he's never heard a cow moo quite so loudly before! There was a play area and a sandbox type thing filled with corn...he really loved playing around ion that. Most of the children were his age and they were having a ball. There were a couple of older kids and the little ones had fun burying them in the corn kernels!


So grandma went a bit overboard with the Thomas toys, but he is crazy about those little trains! He seems to always have one (or more) in his hands & the first thing he says when he wakes up is "toot toot" (translated..."where are my trains?")


Happy birthday, sweetie. Two is going to be lots of fun!


Thanks for visiting!

august 4 - getting back to "normal"

We're finally getting settled in at the new/old library. It's such a beautiful building, but just so small. We only have about 20% of our collection here...the rest is all in storage until the next move. It breaks my heart! We do have Wi-Fi though which is why I can be posting this now!

So many of our patrons have such wonderful memories of the last time the library was housed here in the Carnegie. We've got some wonderful old photos that we had framed and will be putting up soon. We're hoping to do some kind of historical project so people can share their memories.

It just feels like I am busier than ever, but that's ok.

We have a vacation week coming up toward the end of the month, and we're looking forward to that. We were going to take a road trip but my husband has a broken rib, so I think we'll stick closer to home this time. We can just relax and maybe take a couple of day trips to the coast instead. Maybe even get some stitching done!

I'm thinking again (always a dangerous thing!) about starting a rotation for my projects (again). Since we've moved the library, I go in to work later (8:30 instead of 6 am)...which means I can stay up later, assuming I don't fall asleep on the couch! So I should be able to get at least a few stitches in every day (at least in theory!)

I'm wondering how many of you have some kind of rotation -- or plan -- for your stitching time. It seems like I'm always making lists of what I want to do when, but then something usually comes up and the best laid plans & all that.....So I'm thinking, maybe work on one project for each day of the week....it's not like I don't have enough different projects to choose from!

Must think on this one....

Thanks for visiting!

july 11 - some fabulous giveaways

I've been trying to catch up on blog reading, and have come across some wonderful giveaways! Please check out the links in my sidebar (on the right)...these are all great blogs to read...enjoy!

Thanks for visiting!

july 2 - just do it!

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted on this blog! Well, I guess I can believe it actually, because life has been one frantic whirligig for the past couple of months...but, the library is in its new location, and we are slowly getting things together here. I finally got a lamp today, so now I can actually see what I am supposed to be doing! Right now I am waiting for our book return to be delivered...I hope it comes today! We're using an old voter's mailbox thingy right now! I haven't even had a chance to check email here at work since we moved in...and our computer at home had to be sent in for repairs...it just kept turning itself on and off for no apparent reason! But we are getting it back tomorrow, so I am happy about that. All my pictures are on there!

I do have some things to share, but they will have to wait for another day. I have been stitching very seldom, but managed to get a couple of small things finished. Right now I am working on a special surprise project, so I can't share about that yet.

I am looking forward to the next three days off, and hoping to just relax and do lots of nothing (except stitch and read). The weather is supposed to be beautiful too...I am almost feeling giddy about it all!

So why did I post at all? I just wanted to check in and say hi to everyone! I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Thanks for visiting!