monday, monday

Today Jose was home because of MLK day and it snowed all morning long, but did not stick. The high was 34, but luckily I didn’t have to be out in it. There were a ton of birds in our backyard this morning while it snowed. I can’t figure out why all these birds invaded our yard. Jose grabbed the camera and took this video. Sorry if it shakes too much ~ Jose is no pro. Cameron got a kick out of all the birds too. It was pretty amazing to see all these birds change their course and switch places around the yard. Cameron giggled a lot.

Next project...

This afternoon I ironed interfacing onto two projects and am still in the process of whip stitching the floss tag from Saturday night. (I’ll have a photo soon.) I am in the process of collecting materials for Sarah’s ABC Pincushion sampler by Blackbird Designs. I don’t have the called-for linen so I called up mom to see if she had something antique-ish and so dad was coming here to take Jose to a movie and he brought over 4 different pieces of linen for me to chose from. So that is marked off my list and I’m ready to begin. Aren’t moms great?? aunts too! :o) I'm staying in the called for count of 32 using R&R Cafe Kona. It's really pretty, but the picture doesn't show how over-dyed it really is. And I love the silk called Kelp ~ it's so pretty!

I am oh so excited about some things. I signed up for the Stacy Nash Club with Country Sampler in Wisconsin and the kit is scheduled to get mailed this week to all “girl club” members. I am so excited ~ you have no idea! This is an exclusive club with an exclusive kit that won’t be sold in stores or through any other avenue. I feel so privileged! The design is a sampler heart that has such cute motifs and on the back is a patch to hold scissors and needles. I cannot wait!!!! I’ll post a photo as soon as I get the chart. It’s so primitive and unique.

Another fantastic goodie is primitivebettys My Favorite Kitten Pinkeep pattern which I ordered through her Etsy shop last week, and she said it will be mailed out come Tuesday. I am so excited about this as well!

Then to top all this off, me and mom board a plane on Friday morning and head to St. Augustine, Florida for a Susan Greening Davis weekend retreat at the beach. I’ve been keeping tabs on the weather and it won’t be warm-warm, but it won’t be cold and that’s all that matters to me. It isn’t shorts and t-shirt weather, but the weather says it’ll be in the upper 50s and into the 60s. I can soooo deal with that. Two of our stitching pals will be there; Sally and Susan. They were at moonlight stitching as well. I just love those gals. And Pat who is the owner of the LNS will be there contributing and cooking. But the whole reason for going is that I get a little vacation away from my boys and home. I need this break. I technically haven’t had a break in years, let alone a vacation. This doesn’t constitute a vacation, but it’s better than nothing and I’ll take it without complaint. :o)

Cameron decided to do a little rearranging of my kitchen. I have video, but can't get it to load. It's really loud too. All the banging around with pots, pans, pie molds, muffin tins, etc. that he did. The moment flung me back to the past and it reminded me of my grandmother in her kitchen ~ she was never quiet. Our saying is "What she doin' now???" with a total crabby-scratchy tone.

Lots of good things to come! Just think, when I get back from out of town I’ll have stitching gifts waiting for me. Ahhhhh, now that is a way to end a good trip, don’t you think? Post later…

Monday’s Stitching: finished make-it and take-it heart floss tag; start on Sarah's ABC Pincushion
Watched Monday: Snatch

what's up?

What is up these days? I've been watching movies and taking care of household things the last few days, more like this past week, which isn't out of the ordinary for me, but I haven't had a lot of stitching power lately. I stitched a little bit the night before, but not a lot of progress was made on anything. I just finished watching Dexter; 24 started this week; and LOST will be next week. Friday we're going out to dinner with a friend of ours and his daughter. Saturday afternoon we're being visited by a high school buddy of mine along with his ex-wife and their newborn baby. Yes, I said ex-wife and their newborn baby, for a few hours. Afterwards, me and my mom are going to our Moonlight Stitching evening at the LNS. We always attend these stitching nights at the shop. It's so much fun! It's also a nice thing for me so I can get away from ALL the boys and be around stitchers and women. Moonlight Stitching is from 4-10 pm. We eat, stitch, giggle, chat and we get a make-it and take-it project. This time we're making floss ring tags which I will enjoy since I'm familiar with them and have done one myself. It'll be fun!

Then the real exciting news!!! One week from Saturday me and mom will be in St. Augustine, Florida for Susan Greening Davis' stitching retreat at the beach. DH is on mommy-patrol from early Friday morning until late Sunday night. I did this 2 years ago before Cameron was born and I had a really good time. The best was just being with mom away from home and having all that time for ourselves. This year it will be even more fun because 2 of our stitching buddies (Susan and Sally ~ no blogs) will be there and we get along with them so well. They also attend the Moonlight Stitching evenings and we always sit together. They were also at Celebration of Needlework in Louisville, KY and we did a lot together then. In addition, Pat who is the owner of our LNS is there every year. She adds to the stitching dynamic and she does all the cooking, which never disappoints. It's just going to be a lot of stitching fun! Winning prizes! Playing games! Auctions! Buying goodies! Shopping in historic downtown St. Augustine! Oh yeah...and the beach!!! It's really cold right now so the beach will be a very welcoming relief. And just spending time with mom is my favorite part of the whole trip. It's so much fun in our hotel room at night. We stay up late watching Forensic Files and stitching and eating chocolate and downing caffeine drinks ~ nothing sweeter!!!! The only downside to the trip is flying. I used to love flying and now I dread every part of it. I don't mind the checks and waiting in line. It's the flight itself that I'm afraid of. I'll have to take one of those wonderful pills called Xanax! That ought to do the trick. They'll put me out of my misery and I can handle that :o)

I read blogs all the time. Everyone is so neat and everyone inspires me to some degree. I've never been a part of a RR and I'm still intimidated to do an RR with someone that I'm not familiar with. It isn't anything against the other stitcher(s). I don't trust myself. I definitely plan on doing a RR with other stitchers, but it'll have to be in the future. BUT, and that's a big 'but', me and my mom have decided to do a mother-daughter RR, just us, on the Carriage House Samplings Shores of Hawk Run Hollow seen here:

My mom is a model stitcher for the JCS magazine and has recently finished a project for them so a little time as opened for her to stitch on something from her own stash. Mom started on the first block this afternoon and once there is a little more to show for she'll take pictures and I'll post them here. It's going to be a lot of fun stitching this RR with my mama. Besides, it is my first RR, but my mom has done this several times. She's been stitching a long time. I just can't wait until it's my turn at SOHRH! We figure that she can have custody of the finished piece half the year and me the other. Everyone wins!

I said before that I haven't had a lot of stitching power lately. A couple days ago I started on something for Valentine's Day. Well, for me and DH really. One of my goals this year, and for many years to come, is to stitch more pieces with family in mind. I don't stitch enough of those. I went to the library a couple weeks ago and checked out 2 cross stitch pattern books. I found a really cute, quaint pattern called Lovebirds. I don't know who designed it and technically the pattern is done in one color and I'm sticking to that, but I'm using DMC 3685 (I think that's the color); done on 32 ct Antique White linen. The size is small; I think a mere 2.5x2.5 or maybe 3 square. It's small, but my thoughts are to make it into a pinkeep and lay it in my basket. I may try and put our initials with the birds ~ not sure yet. The pattern itself is a bit Quaker/folk artsy. It's cute! I'll post photos when I have a little more done.

Tonight I'm going to try and stitch. I haven't stitched since Monday. I did go through all 10 years of the JCS Christmas Ornament issues to make a list of things to stitch. Not necessarily for this year, but just in general. I got that done at least. I've pretty much organized my WIP and Current Rotation baskets, but I'm still lagging on the stitching goals list for 2009. I need to get this list compiled or I'll lose myself...again!

I'm going to go for now. If me and DH can meet in bed at the same time I think we're going to watch "The Brave One" with Jodi Foster. Hopefully, DH will be able to stay up. He's such a lightweight! LOL

Today's Stitching: nothing yet ~ night is still young :o)

counting down

I am counting down the days... And not for Christmas! On January 23rd, Mom and I are headed to historical St. Augustine, Florida for a weekend-by-the-beach class taught by legendary designer Susan Greening Davis of "Still Stitching with Susan." I cannot wait!!! Not only is this my one and only opportunity for a vacation away from ALL my boys, but it's a time to build more wonderful memories with my mom and to be taught by a spectacular human being, Susan herself, along with her forever-friends Sally Criswell and Pat Embree. Pat is the owner of my LNS. She does all the cooking and offers goodies from her shop as well. She's such a good friend, and Sally is a hoot.

Learning from Susan is one everyone should experience. When conversing with Susan it feels as if you've known her a century. She makes the learning process comfortable, fun and easy. I always feel so welcome and at home in her presence. I would love to have her as my neighbor. I have no fear of questions because Lord knows I have many. LOL Since St. Augustine is notorious for pirates, what's more appropriate than to see 20 or so stitchers dressed or singing like pirates. :0) It's quite a scene. There's always 'booty' to be had during class, auctions and other fun games and activities. It's just so much fun and the beach is right outside the window. Unfortunately, the class is SOLD OUT, but there's always next year so grab a seat for 2010.

Sunday afternoon is the last session with Susan and afterwards mom and I are heading to downtown St. Augustine for some must-do site seeing and shopping. We'll probably meet up with our friends from Nashville, Susan and Sally (two totally different Susan & Sally ladies) for a quick bite. Two years ago mom and I were in St. Augustine. We visited the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which is haunted might I add, and then ventured to the Fountain of Youth where I bought myself a little bottle of the Fountain of Youth water and then rubbed it on my hips as soon as I got home. LOL

my companion

I use this "device" for everything. It goes where I go. I never leave home without it. I was at a stitching weekend retreat a couple years ago and the lady next to me had the exact same thing with slight differences. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It had everything that she'd ever need right at her finger tips. Just as quickly as it opens it can quickly close, which I love, because you don't have to necessarily put everything away when you're done for the night ~ it can all just get rolled up into one little package. I love my needle nook! It's a Susan Greening Davis design. I had to improvise though in its finishing. It came with the chart and the pink linen. I went to Michael's and found a piece of felt for the inside and I decided to finish my edges with fabric so I bought a fat quarter at Michael's as well. The design did not call for binding, but I didn't want a raw edge so I put my quilting skills to work and hand sewed binding to my needle nook. I purchased the buttons at my LNS and the little 'doo-dahs' (a Susan term) I purchased years ago from her. Everything else I had.

Needless to say, I was very proud of myself on this one. There were no instructions on most of this design, except for the stitching and one way to sew the felt on. Other than that, everything else was truly Julie's creation.