Why, hello there!

That is all the stitching that has been done in ever so long - I almost didn't recognize it! All the way back in January, I signed up for a BAP with this Bridget Powers sampler. I obviously have a B-A-way to go! I was stitching it while watching an older miniseries on Netflix about Edward the VII. I thought it was quite appropriate.
We celebrated my birthday last month with a chocolate cake with peppermint butter cream frosting made by my sister. It was every bit as good as it looks and sounds!
Easter Day dawned fair and bright.
We celebrated my niece's birthday. This year my sister's got squished in between.
false indigo is beginning to bloom...
It's cloudy out, so maybe I will be able to stitch today. There has been so much to do in the garden lately!

Howdy!

Just a quick note to tell you I am still around: still driving girls to dance and still stitching whenever I get the chance!
Renaissance Garden - Goode Huswife 40 ct (Angel Hair?) with DMC

On the Third Day of Christmas...

I know today is the 4th day of Christmas, but yesterday, on the 3rd day, I went to a LNS!!!! I told myself I was only there to buy fibers and fabric, and that's what I did. It was difficult, but it helped that 1. I had purchased a rather large pattern of the Bridget Power Sampler that morning (here's a link to a great photo http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2597435540085030495BtHxGk), and 2. as I looked around the shop at all the stock in the store, I began thinking my stash was... well let's just say competitive.

So I settled on 4 patterns to "kit up." My husband had taken the girls with him to spend his REI gift cards. Boy, did he regret that! While I waited for him to try on every pair of 5-finger shoes in the area (with negative comments from his children), I sat down with the lady at the shop and stitched. I started "Dear Friend," a Reward of Merit by Blackbird Designs. I had to pick out every stinkin' stitch because, apparently, I cannot count! When I returned home, I started "Stitcher's Prayer" by Barrick Samplers. I have been wanting to stitch this for ages, but I couldn't find colors I liked for the flowers. Now, I'm a DMC girl, and I planned on using the DMC conversion, but 522 and 524? Sea foam flowers? I don't think so. But 931 & family weren't right; neither were 926 & family. So I told the lady at The Stitch Store, "I need heeeeellllpppp!" We pawed through and rejected the called-for Needlepoint Silk, then WDW, Gentle Arts, Caron, and Crescent Colors, and FINALLY I settled on Needlepoint Silk Williamsburg Blue 323 and Jade 522. I am willing myself not to fall in love with NPS!! ;)
Hector, my little Cookies and Cream, says hello. Why do I have a Coleman sleeping bag on the couch? Who knows?

I will leave you with a few of the pictures I have taken during Christmas. Now to get back to "Stitcher's Prayer!"

Boo!

I am slowly and gratefully getting back into a groove. For about two weeks I was sick with "a little" pneumonia and a sinus infection. I'm not convinced the sinus infection is gone, but I am feeling much better. So many things went undone; I missed a masquerade party, several of the "parent observation week" dance classes, school work, housework...

I did manage to throw a Halloween "Dessert and Charlie Brown" party. Somehow I got the house clean and went on a baking spree (I was on antibiotics, so the cookies were safe!). We did not watch Great Pumpkin; the children were too busy running around, and the adults had plenty to chat about.

There has not been much time for stitching. There has been plenty of running around making sure costumes and hair were perfect for Halloween!

We had a great Halloween! We usually go to our town square for trick or treating. We always run into so many people we know, see all the kid and pet costumes, and do not have to worry about cars and children in the dark. The "group" we were trick or treating with changed throughout the night, and our dinner reservations fell apart, but we had a great dinner with a great group of people in the end. We were seated outside, and we just about froze - thank goodness for Irish coffee! :)

I keep thinking that now Halloween is over things will slow down and get back to "normal." A quick glance at my planner shows birthday parties every weekend, orthodontist appointments, Latin quizzes, holiday gatherings, and, at some point, Christmas shopping! Somehow I need to find time for that Solomon's Temple sampler on the new SANQ!

Dance Shoes, Stitching Blues, and Other News

The other news first: My dining room looks as scrupulously clean as it will ever be. I just wanted to document that. What is not pictured is the odd assortment of jumbled items I removed from the table. I still don't quite know what to do with that.

The roses on the table were tokens from my parents for my two ballerinas. Buttercup danced three numbers in each of two performances, and Nutmeg danced 6 in 2 and 8 in 2 others. I think. My body, mind, and spirit are still trying to recover. What with the costumes, shoes, drama, hair glue, drama, fast food, and did I mention DRAMA, I am still trying to process the weekend. Here are a few pictures. Just know that I could make this an extremely long recital post, but I am saving room for some stitching.

And this is the piece that has given me the stitching blues. This lovely design is the reason I have not stitched in weeks. (besides the fact that I had a nasty incident with the food processor blade last weekend.) I started with a new skein of Sea Spray and it is too green. It just makes me feel sick for some reason. I have become paralyzed and unable to work on any project now.

Surely I will get to a needlework shop before the end of summer. Surely they will have a slightly less green Sea Spray. Surely this will not be the end of my stitching life. (Surely I will be more careful around the food processor in the future.)

Cart Before the Horse

I have been working on 'Scottish Alexandria' by Tanya, The Sampler Girl. I love this design! I have been drooling over it on Tanya's blog for some time. It looks good wherever she puts it.

Instead of just finishing it already, I frequently take the unfinished piece around the house to see where it should eventually go. Here are the top three sites I picked today.

1. My bed with the Ralph Lauren comforter I have had since I was 17. Ahem.

(My mom bought another several years ago, but RL has obviously made a dye lot change, so I prefer the old ratty one.)

2. (Well, this is actually #3) the red chair in the front room, aka "The Library"

3. (this is actually #2, maybe #1) This antique chair in the corner of the dining room.

Of course, if I would just finish it already and actually pick out the backing fabric and, oh, I don't know, have it made - we might be able to make a better decision!

In other news, my baby got her ears pierced! It was traumatic - for me. I have done everything I could to protect this child since the day I got the positive pg test. I say "Look left, right, and left again!" in my sleep. And then I drove her to a store and paid someone to poke holes in her ears. It was barbaric.

Look at that smile.

Hmmmm... I still think it was barbaric.

Weekend Stitching & Giveaway Reminder

Here is my weekend stitching on 'Lady Love.' I am really enjoying this design.

Nutmeg is reminding you to 'stay on your toes,' and not forget to enter my Giveaway! Scroll down to the previous post, leave a comment there, and become a follower of this blog! :)

Fickle

During the snowstorm, I was happily stitching away on Agnes Scott. When the girls' activities resumed, I told myself I needed a smaller projected to carry around in the car. I started the intriguing Unna von Bergen. Well, today I decided I really need an even smaller project to carry around. I mean really - I now love Unna too much to expose her to the same perils I would not dare expose Agnes to! And Valentines is right around the corner....

So I whipped out this ancient Prairie Schooler leaflet. It seems like they will be perfect for an afternoon of ferrying the girls to music and dance class.

I do feel the tinsy-iest bit ashamed. I have been on a blog-reading-binge lately, and I know most of you would already have Unna finished, framed, and hung! Call me the poky little puppy!

I wonder if I could finish all four little PS designs in time to hang from my mantle for VD? Perhaps you all could encourage me? Should I promise to show you a picture of my craft closet if I don't get them finished? No, my mom saw my craft closet yesterday, and she would probably drive over and finish them for me to spare the family shame!

Yesterday was a baking day. There was a LOT of this...

A pinch of this...

And, well, yes, some of this:...

Snow Days

I have marveled at the bright reds and greens on Scottish samplers for years now. Those are certainly cheery colors on snowy-cold days. I have made some progress on 'Agnes Scott' by With My Needle while listening to the wind try to out-howl the children. This is more snow than the girls have seen in their lives, and they are thrilled to be living in a neighborhood with young boys across the street. We have had to put a stop to them chunking ice at each other more than once. I suppose they were thinking, "If snow ball fights are fun, then ice chunk fights must be terrific!" Hmmmm...

This is NOT normal winter weather for us! I want them to enjoy it as much as possible while staying as dry as possible. Hot soup and cornbread is the perfect fare this week!