IHSW and Not IHSW

Between my telework day on Thursday, my non-work day on Friday, the weekend and the President's Day holiday, I almost feel like I have a normal life! I leave the house at 4:45AM and don't get home until around 7:30 most week nights so have very little time to do, well much of anything during the week.   I did a lot of stitching, found a new to me show, DCI Banks, and watched every episode I could find, and read.   There was some boring housework and cooking thrown in there too - oh and my car had to go in for some repairs - fortunately *that* wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

We also had a minor invasion the last few days.  Two or three times a day we hear birds, LOTS of birds chattering in the trees around the house and then a black cloud descends on the yard.  Here's just a small portion of the yard just as they are starting to land, by the time they are all landed, there is hardly any grass to be seen just lots of twigs and leaves being thrown in the air as they look for food.  They're grackles, which I think are rather pretty birds, and don't mind them in ones or twos which is what we usually have but I am not so fond of the flocks as they chase all the other birds away.

Please excuse the trash can..

So stitching wise - I have two sets, all that I did last week the non-IHSW and all that was part of the IHSW.  

My non-IHSW piece was Dimple Designs' Twilight of the Tsars.  Here's where I left off last time it was in the rotation:

And here's where I left off Thursday evening:

Dimple Designs Twilight of the Tsars
Stitched on 32-count Belfast with recommended fibers and beads

This project is getting to the point that lots of stitching time doesn't equal lots of progress as the large sections of color are mostly completed so I'm down to confetti- and back stitching.

For IHSW I worked on two different projects, an ornament and my Just Nan.

Here is my progress pic for the ornament:

The Nutmeg Company's Oranges and Lemons Gingerbread House
Stitched on 14-count yellow Aida and 18-count white Aida with DMC and Mill Hill beads

I finished the roof, one side wall and the front wall, and made a start on the second side wall.  I don't think I'm going to get this one finished for the ornament SAL, but I do still have a few days until the end of the month.

My second IHSW project and still on the frame, so hopefully there will be more progress by the end of today is Just Nan's Christmas Elegance.

Here's where it was a few weeks ago:

And here's what it looks like now:

Just Nan's Christmas Elegance
Stitched on 32-count Antique White with DMC and recommended beads

The "Christmas" was all over 1 and took the better part of yesterday afternoon thank goodness for my Mighty Bright magnifier - not affiliated just a very happy customer - and new glasses.  I am hoping to finish one band today.  If I can do that, there will be two bands and the beading to finish next rotation.