HAPPY DANCING!

FINISH

Absolutely no lie the HAPPY DANCING started at 4:45 pm Friday afternoon right after I put in the last stitch on the Mystery Sampler (Birds of a Feather) by With Thy Needle and Thread.  It so deserved a happy dance.  I started this a couple of years ago but put the thing down as I was finding working with a color pattern was making me absolutely nuts.  I had wanted to enter it into the 2013 Iowa State Fair but that dream was quickly squashed only half-way through the top border.  

I found myself early in 2014 determined that this one was going to the Fair in 2014 or it was going into the trash.  Once again pulled out the project and found that by cutting the pattern into horizontal strips only about 20 stitches vertically I was able to move along pretty quickly.  I know it is such an offense to cut up a pattern but trust me it was the only way I was going to get through this one.  

As I chose a fabric so far from what the designer chose it necessitated several color changes.  I did keep to the designer's palette as much as possible and just changed intensity and hues to compliment my fabric.  All in all I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out and am looking forward to displaying in my home after the Fair - that is if I can find a place to display.  I've started having to rotate pieces from display to storage at this point.

FRAMING

My son and I headed out to StitchnFrame on Saturday after our run to the coffee shop for our vanilla chai teas to pick and frame.  These are just 4 of the dozen or so I tried on this piece. 

It became clear as soon as this one was pulled it was the right one for this piece although we did try another 4 or 5 to make sure we didn't miss something.  I can't wait to see it all stretched and framed.  I know it will look amazing!

DEER

Thursday morning about 9:30 when I went to leave the house to run a few errands I happened to glance out my back window and saw this lovely nibbling on the grass.  I'm thinking how pretty and send a picture to my husband at work and he's thinking "don't let it eat the flowers".   I snapped a couple of photos and then I stepped on the creaky board on the deck.  This was enough to send lovely on its way.  No flowers were harmed in the taking of these photos - LOL!

ROAD TRIP

Although frantically stitching I still managed a quick road trip on Friday to Pella, Iowa with a friend to check out the "under new ownership and name" quilt shop called the Quilted Windmill. 

It was a delightful little shop with a selection of fabrics clearly different than what is carried at my local quilt shops.  The shop was set up in a very appealing manner and had really nice lighting. 

I did come away with a few 1/2 yard cuts of fabric.  You all know how much I love winter and the snow.  I spotted this array of snowflake fabrics all from the same line called Crystal Palace.  I immediately envisioned a table runner as well as a table topper for myself.  Yes, I said for myself as every runner and topper I've made have gone to other homes with the exception of my Halloween topper.  It will go nicely in my holiday theme as my Christmas tree is done in all white, silver, crystal and as it is snowflakes it will work all winter long.  

I also couldn't resist the fabric with the white background and splotches of color that are butterflies.  I see a portion of this turned into a square fabric box using the techniques I learned making the sewing boxes I made recently.  There will be plenty left over to make something else as well.  It is such a quick little drive over that I plan on making another morning of it in July.

FLOWERS IN BLOOM

My Tiger Lillies bordering my downstairs deck are all in bloom right now and in such a rich and vibrant orange.  I thought you might enjoy a little peek at them. 

NEW PROJECT

I managed an entire 24 hour period without a needle in hand.  Amazing!  However, here I am on Sunday and in keeping with my 2014-2015 stitching goals I have pulled a Prairie Schooler design from my stash called Harvest Time.  I am currently working on the village in the top picture.  I have chosen to stitch it on a piece of 28 count Copper Penny Jobelan from my stash using the called for DMC colors with the exception of the church.  I just can't use the gray green colors and have pulled a couple of different grays with more white in them for the church.  As stitching progresses, I will know if these are the right colors to switch to or not.  

I also anticipate stitching the Thanksgiving turkey in the bottom photo as well but will not stitch the entire piece.  Instead my plan is to stitch the turkey in the center with the word Thanksgiving and some sort of border around the entire piece.

BOOKS

I am reading several books at the same time right now.  They are Abdication by Juliet Nicolson, The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern, A Higher Call by Adam Makos, The End of Night by Paul Bogard, and Hitler's Furies by Wendy Lower.  Just because I thought I should make it an even 1/2 dozen I downloaded onto my Kindle Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon to start later today.