UPDATE!!!! UPDATE!!!!! UPDATE!!!!!!!

Been needing to do a stitching update for about 3 weeks, but things just were not cooperating, camera dying and spending several days with my Dad. So here goes.

This is the final part of a Christmas present for my adopted sister Mary. She already knows about it, so I don't feel so bad about it being late. Tried to do too many stitched Christmas presents and this one just did not get done in time and then some other things bumped in ahead of it. This is the first thing I have done in a long time that required backstitching. Forgot how tedious and boring backstitching can be. The photo turned out sort of yellow, because the fabric is white in real life. Mary loves Hawaii and I thought this was appropriate for her. They are flowers found in Hawaii. Ready for the framer. This was done before I went to my Dad's.

Aloha

CrossStitch and Country Crafts Magazine

28-ct White Cashel

Anchor Floss

Continue to work on the Blackbird Monthly Stockings. They are really fun to stitch.

BBD- Daffodil Stocking-March

30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

Recommended Fibers

This stocking was finished while I was at my Dad's.

BBD-Sweet Pea Stocking- April

30-ct Korty's Special Blend R&R

Recommended Threads

I think I mentioned that Anita, aka The Sunflower Seed, has been doing the finishing on the stockings. I just love how they turn out. She is just so precise on how she makes the curves turn out so smooth. I could never get them to look that good. You will notice that there is one unfinished in the photo. It is from the January ones- Auld Lang Syne.

While I was at my Dad's, I pulled out some old WIPs and worked on them after I finished the Sweet Pea Stocking. Did not have any design models to work on for The Sunflower Seed. I rotated between 2 different WIPs. First is Giving Sisters by Notforgotten Farms on 26-ct White Birch Heatherfield with DMC. In order to get really good coverage with the black am working with three strands. All that was done before, was the witch down to the waist the 1761 sign and a little border. Made lots of solid black progress and the pumpkin. I still really like this design, but the solid black can get a little boring.

Next I worked on a baby sampler for my niece. This has turned into a bigger project than I first thought. It has a lot of color changes and backstitching. Doesn't seem like I made much progress, but seemed like I stitched on it a lot of time. I added the light green blanket to the stack and started the little pink booties. The green blanket has about 3 colors of green, plus a blended needle in part of it. The booties have about 4 colors of pink. It is stitch a couple of stitches and change colors. This one that I have to color in the pattern as I work to keep the frog from coming to visit. This design is Precious Baby by BobbyG on 28-ct lambswool linen with Anchor floss.

There was another project I started and have since finished while I was gone, but it is for a birthday present and she sometimes reads my blog. It is ready for the framer and I will show pictures after her birthday in June. It was done with my favorite fiber Belle Soie silk. Go figure.

Last Saturday I went looking for a small project to carry with me to a KC Royals baseball game. I ran across this Snowman kit by Cross My Heart. It was dated as 1995, so I have had it around for awhile. Everything was with it and I had even done some work on it. Thought it would be a good thing to take with me. Tried to figure out where I was on it and decided that I did not like the aida that came with the kit that I had started using. So, I just threw it out and started over on some mystery light blue fabric scrap I found. Now my stitching friends that labeled me as a "fiber snob" have labeled me as a "fabric snob". I guess we could just say I am a snob all the way around. Here is my progress on this little guy so far.

While talking to Anita yesterday, she told me she was picking colors for a new design. I will be stopping by to pick it up today after my church ladies meeting. Have my Ice Cream Sundae Dessert ready to go. Hopefully, I can keep it frozen driving in and put it in freezer at the church to keep frozen before and after serving. Then will run a piece over to Anita when I pick up my new assignment.

Haven't talk to my Dad since I returned from there. Been in contact with my sisters and they have talked to him and one BIL took him to the doctor last week. So nothing new on that front.

Will continue to use Morris's camera for awhile, but need to figure some things out on it because it made some of my pictures look a little more yellow than I like. Old one makes things look pink and now this one make them look yellow part of the time. I guess I am hard to please. The car I was looking out is now off the table. It was too much for what I want to pay. It was a year newer than I thought, so that made it higher in price. I guess I will just keep looking. The one I have now runs good, but I know that someday it will start costing me a lot with all the miles it has on it.

In closing, I would like to give a shout out to one of my stitching buddies. Janet is leaving next week to spend the summer in Minnesota running the family's antique shop. We are going to miss you being with us each week as we stitch. We will call you and put you on the speaker of my cell phone so you can sort of be with us and hear our laughter. Be safe and hurry home.

Not sure when my next post will be. The next few days are busy and then we will be in South Dakota from Memorial Day til the following Saturday when we bring the 2 13-year olds home with us. Then I probably won't have much time to stitch or blog. Still trying to get my Google Reader back down under 200. Maybe I can get that done before we leave. Yesterday seemed like not many added, but this morning everyone had made up for yesterday and had about 15 added before 10:00 AM Yikes!!!!!!!!!

And The Winner Is......

Well, I am back and have done the drawing for my 100th post prize. I used the random number generator to determine the winner. And the winner is Vonna. Congrats to her. I will get her prize in the mail as soon as I can. Thanks to all who stopped by to read my blog and comment. I wish I could give everyone a prize. Several of you commented on the Snippet/Ort Jars that Anita had painted. We are out of them, but I am thinking of doing another giveaway as soon as she gets some more painted. Stay tuned.

This week is a semi-busy week. Am hostess for my church ladies on Wednesday afternoon, so I need to make some type of dessert. Oh darn!! Right now it looks like an ice cream sundae type dessert that you prepare in a 9x13 pan and cut in squares. Still need to do some grocery shopping for that too.

Also, am preparing to be gone to South Dakota most of the next week and when we return we will have 2-13 year olds with us for a week. At the end of the week, the parents will come after them. Not sure what all we will do with them here, but I am sure we will have lots of fun.

Spent from Thursday to the following Tuesday with my father. He was much better when I got there. After I got there he admitted that he was doing better, but I still stayed for several days. He likes someone to cook and pick up after him. Just like about every man. Got quite a bit of stitching done, but have either not taken pictures or downloaded the ones I have taken from the camera. Thought I would give a quick update without photos and then do the photos later in the week. One of the main things I stitched on is a gift, so you won't be able to see it for a while. Actually pulled out a couple of WIPs and worked on them. There was some progress on them too.

Vonna commented as to what kind of camera I was looking at buying to replace my dying one. I was looking at an Olympus FE25. Have always had Canons, but in reading reviews, I decided to go in another direction. However, Morris told me I could use his Pentax for a while. He is thinking of getting a digital SLR, so I have put off my purchase for a bit. Now I am sort of on a new car binge. My current car is a 2001 with 118,500 miles on it. Never have I had that many miles on a vehicle or ever kept one this long. Who knows what I will do. Camera..... Car..... Camera.... Car. That is quite a debate. LOL!!!

Before I went to by dad's, I had made quite a bit of progress in blog reading. Am further behind now. The local city library did have computers, but you were limited to 30 minutes at a time. By the time I got e-mail read, e-bay checked and a few blogs read, my time was up.

Off to do some more stitching. I promise I will get some pictures up later this week. I still owe you the big rundown on our Stitching Retreat. Several of us were at a Graduation Party on Friday night and were laughing about some of the things that went on at the retreat.

Happy Stitching!!!!!

Out of Circulation

Well, Anita and I survived the Shop Hop. It was a busy 3 days. I went into the shop to open on Monday morning while she went to the follow-up meeting and to draw for the prizes. Before I left home I received a call from you nearly 89-year old father. Said he was not feeling well and wondered if I could come spend a few days with him and helping out. Told him I would need to rearrange some things, but would call him back with when I could come. Had obligations at church on Sunday and my Thursday work day at the LNS. After numerous phone calls and talking to Anita, I got the church stuff covered and figured out how I could get one day of work in to give her a day off and still make it to my Dad's.

The plan was for me to trade days and work Wednesday instead of Thursday. So I am leaving after lunch tomorrow to go stay with my Dad. It is about 125 miles away. This allowed me to get some grocery shopping done for him and to leave for Morris, do some laundry and get my stitching stuff lined up. Surprise! Surprise!. I plan to stay until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Will look into a few things regarding to help make life easier for him. I think he really is just feeling lonely and depressed. He has never been one to handle being alone. My step-mother has had to be moved closer to one of her daughters out of state for care. She was in failing health too and it was a struggle for them both to take care of each other. I think my Dad will do better just having to care for himself, but he does get very lonely.

Have packed up all my stitch projects, my crocheting, a book and my Ipod. After living in a city of some size since I graduated from high school many, many years ago, it is difficult to go back to the community where I grew up. It is a VERY rural and poor area of the state. For most things you have to drive 30 miles, that includes the grocery store. There is a very small grocery store with basic items, but not much else. I have done this before, but it is always hard.

Since I won't be back until mid-week, the drawing for the giveaway for my 100th post will be delayed until my return. There will be no computer access while I am down there. I might be able to go to the library, but not sure. If you want to sign up for the giveaway or read about it go here. Have finally gotten my Google Reader to just under 200, but it will be back up to a high number when I return. I really try to get caught up, but it just does not seem to happen. So, I am mostly reading and not commenting. Sorry about that. I am seeing some awesome stitching, but just don't take time to comment, so I can move on to the next one. I just don't want the blogging and reading to take up too much of my stitching time.

Not much stitching news here, but I promise to do an update when I return. I have finished the "Aloha" piece that was a Christmas present. Getting it to the framer will have to be after I get back. When I get back I will work one day, go to a graduation party, go to a Royals baseball game and usher at church for the first 4 days after I return. The rat race continues.

Happy Stitching to All and will post when I return.