A Little of This and a Little of That

Like Karen at On Beads and Needles I had one of those "hero" co-workers and am home today with what I am hoping is just a cold.  I suppose, to be fair, most people are contagious before the actual symptoms appear so they don't know they're sick, but this could not have happened at a more inopportune time of course colds don't seem to care about your schedule.

Looking back, it's been a while since I posted, so there is a little catching up to do which if I am honest could really be done in a very short while but it is my blog so I am going to blather on a bit...

Before I forget, take a peak over at By the Bay Needle Arts' blog. Donna is hosting a free, four part, summer mystery SAL.  She has a fuzzied up picture of the finished project so you can get an idea if you squint and twist your head just so of what it will look like. Even though I need another project like I need a hole in my head I'm on for this one. Especially as I am fairly certain that I have everything I need in my stash and I do love Donna's designs. If you look through my stash you'd probably be surprised by that, as her designs don't really "fit" but there is just something about them that appeals.

I have been very lax in my stitching the last couple of weeks as other things just got in the way.  For the first time in I can't remember I did not put needle to fabric last weekend, instead I did a girl's weekend with a couple of friends from the office.  One of the ladies owns a townhouse about 10 miles from Ocean City, Maryland and agreed to host and she was an *amazing* host.  We had a great time - no stress, no must-dos - just food  if you are ever in Lewes, Delaware and have a hankering for Mexican food I highly recommend Agave - it's a first-come-first-served restaurat so the wait could be long but they do take your cell phone number and call you when you're table is ready so you can do some wandering around downtown Lewes, laughing, reading and a fair amount of b&tching discussion- we were all destressed and ready to tackle the world by Sunday afternoon.  I even managed a quick trip to a new-to-me yarn/needlework store in Bethany Beach.  If you are in the area Sea Needles is packed literally with yarn, patterns, and supplies for the knitter and oodles of patterns and supplies for the cross stitcher.  I wasn't able to spend a lot of time in there but I did enjoy the time I had.

The hummingbirds have finally returned!  I am not sure where they have been as I usually see the first one in late March/early April.  No pictures yet but once they settle in a bit I'll give it a try.

So, you ask, has there been any stitching in the last couple of weeks?  Well, yes a little.

Here is where I started on Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden:

Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden
Stitched on Silkweaver's 32-count Carol's Meadow with recommended fibers and beads

And here's where I finished stitching the backstitching of the gate and that silver bit above the smoke took FOREVER.

Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden
Stitched on Silkweaver's 32-count Carol's Meadow with recommended fibers and beads

I have a four day weekend coming up Friday is my off-Friday from work and Monday is Memorial Day.  I am hoping to get out on the boat despite the fact that there will be soooo many people taking theirs out for the first time this season and the area will be crazy busy but if we don't I have 99 by Ink Circles this will make a perfect addition to DSon's mancave apartment and Holy Night from Shepherd's Bush just waiting for a little attention.

Back Home Again from Indiana

As I was traveling for work for a good portion of last week, I did not get a lot of stitching done. I did take a kitted up ornament with me, but it is definitely too much effort to stitch while traveling by plane as there is not enough room in the cattle car economy class to breath stitch comfortably.  Thank goodness it doesn't take much room to read. I was very pleasently surprised by the location, the meeting was held at the Potawatmi Inn at Pokegon State Park in Angola, Indiana.  The only down side is that I didn't have time to be able to take advantage of any of the walking or biking trails, but the park is definitely on my list of places to visit again.

I got a little time last weekend and yesterday for stitching.  Last weekend Blue Ribbon Designs' Countdown to Christmas was on the frame.

I started with it here:

And finished with it here:

Blue Ribbon Designs' Countdown to Christmas
Stitched on 40-count Lakeside Linens' Magnolia with recommended fibers

I am at the "push through" phase on this portion of the project now.  All that is left is the grid that makes up the calendar and that is going to be very boring stitching. I may have to work the little ornaments into the rotation so that I have something to look forward to maybe something along the line of one ornament for every two blocks stitched.

I started a new project yesterday - Liz Turner Diehl's Flamingerge Egg.  It is a bit outside of my usual, but I have a thing for flamingos although I do tend to keep it in check so there are no flamingo decorations in my yard or my house although I do have a fair number in my cubical.  The entire kit came in this box: 

And came with all of this:

 The only thing missing is the styrofoam egg for the finishing.  And here is what I stitched yesterday:

Liz Turner Diehl's Flamingerge Egg
Stitched on 32-count Antique White Belfast with Madeira fibers

The colors are more coral and turquoise than the orange and blue that are showing in the photo. The piece came with Madeira cotton and silk fibers which I had never used, but do really like stitching with them. The packaging is interesting and keeps the fibers clean and easily organized but it is not ideal for storing leftover bits.

Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden is on the frame for this week. 

Whole lot of stumbling and tuning going on

Thank you to everyone that drops by and reads my posts.  I am still a bit mystified about the whole "blog thing" but I am certainly glad I took the plunge and started writing. 

I almost completely lost myself in iTunes and StumbleUpon last weekend.  I had wonderful plans to start Chatelaine's Serengeti and make progress on Carriage House Sampling's Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow. instead I listened to lots of music and found some really amazing ideas for home decorating, gardening, crafting and food.  It was almost as relaxing as stitching and I really don't feel too bad about not meeting my weekend stitching goals.

Not that I totally flaked on the stitching, here is where Autumn was when I put it on the frame Friday evening:

And here's where it is as of tonight:

The colors in the "before" photo are much closer to true.  Despite my apparent indifference to this piece, I really am enjoying the stitching and the big bite mark is finally filled in.

Blue Ribbon Designs' Countdown to Christmas is going on the frame for this weekend.  I am still working my way through Midsomer Murders, Queen's Another One Bites the Dust has started running through my head every time the music changes to a minor key that's a dead giveaway (pun intended) that someone is going to die, but I saw that Sherlock Season 2 will be on Masterpiece this Sunday, so some competition is in the future a development I am sure you are all grateful for.