Twice in one month!

Hopefully this is a start to getting back to my pre-slump blog posting - something about a journey and one step...

We have definitely taken a step towards autumn, the tulip popular trees have started turning yellow/brown - not very pretty but a sure sign of the changing seasons.  The other sure signs are the horde of hummingbirds have started their migration south.  There are still a couple that are coming in but nothing like the two dozen we had a couple of weeks ago and the blue jays have returned.  I am definitely looking forward to the slower pace of autumn and winter this year.

One advantage to the length between my posts is that I have a lot of stitching to show in each post.  So here is my "lot of stitching".

This is Snow Girls from Country Garden Stitchery:

Before:

And after - the colors in the "before" picture are much more true to life:

County Garden Stitchery's Snow Girls
Stitched on Silkweaver's 28-count Mulberry Mix with GAST

 

This is Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden:

 

Before:

 

 And after:

Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden
Stitched on Silkweaver's 28-count Carol's Meadow with recommended fibers and beads

 And this is Blackbird Designs Summer:

Before:

And after (these colors are much more true):

Black Bird Designs' Summer
Stitched on R&R Reproductions' 30-count Irish Creme linen with recommended fibers

 I plan to finish filling in the flower and then spend the rest of the weekend working on Ink Circles' 99. 

Enough all ready!!

No, not stitching but this heat and humidity!  The yard and "gardens" are looking very sad but it is just too uncomfortable to be out for more than a few minutes at a time.  I will have ask that you all remind me of my tantrums about the weather this winter when I'm complaining it's too cold and according to the Almanac it is supposed to be a very bad winter.  DFIL told me he read a report saying that the weather patterns are exactly as they were three years ago when we had that crazy, snowy winter - the only plus if it turns out the same is that we now have a 4X4 and would be able to get out of our driveway!

First - welcome and thank you to my new followers!  Given my sporadic and rather whiny postings recently, I am surprised that anyone is even stopping by anymore, but I do appreciate it. 

Speaking of previous posts, I finally figured out that my mojo was still hanging around but it was being overpowered by my stitching ADD.  Fortunately, I seem to be overcoming it, as I was able to sit and stitch for almost two hours the other day yes in a row with no interruptions!  I know, for lots of you, that's nothing, but for me in the last few months it's a miracle!

Second - hop on over to the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe blog for an amazingly wonderful giveaway.  I should warn you that Nancy has some beautiful fibers and trims as well as patterns.  Please do not hold me responsible for any uncontrolled stashing that may take place just saying. 

Now that I have said my stitching ADD is getting better, I suppose I should show you.

This is Papillion Creations Eightsome Reel.  It's stitched on 28-count Chai Tea Jobelan with HDF silk conversion.

Before:

 After:

 

This is a Mill Hill Buttons & Beads kit Tree Farm.  It's stitched on 28-count Natural linen with DMC and Mill Hill beads.

 

Here's where I started:

 

 And here's where I stopped:
The fabric color in the "before" photo is correct.

 

Next up is Carriage House Samplings Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow.  It is stitched on 40-count Sand Dune from Lakeside Linen with NPI silks.

 

Before:

 

And after the colors are more correct in this photo: 

 

And finally, Blue Ribbon Designs Countdown to Christmas.  It is stitched on 40-count Magnolia from Lakeside Linens with Gentle Arts Sampler Threads.

 

Before:

 

And after unfortunately I have reached the boring part on this one as all that is left on this part is stitching the grid for the calendar.  

 

 
Country Garden Stitchery's Snowgirls and Chatelaine's Secret Victorian Garden are on the stand for this weekend.