Lee's June Stitch from Stash report

While you're reading this, I'm in Colorado and right in the middle of last minute wedding preparations. It's kinda crazy...

But I can squeeze in a quick Stitch from Stash post. It may be the only easy thing I do today!

I had $64 left from May and $25 for June's allowance to spend in June. 

I spent $0.00

I had a finish but I'll cash that in next month. 

So...not bad! Easy-peasy. 

Next time-wedding pics!

Lee's May Stitch from Stash report

I'm calling May another success as far as keeping within my budget. It would be a great success if I was actually stitching more, but I'll take my victories where I can get them. So here are the numbers:

$74.92 accumulated as of May 1
(21.40) Pin money kit. It was just too cute!
(13.61) Used Jeanette Douglas design with grapes. I'm a sucker for grapes.
$0.00 credit for finishing.
$25.00 May allowance

$64.91 carried to June

So...we arrived home safe and sound at the end of April.  It's been wonderful to be home again. And to arrive home in the midst of the most gorgeous time of year in Pennsylvania? Well, that's just perfect. There is nothing quite so nice as May and June in the mountains. I know some of you are autumn lovers, but for me it can't compare to Spring with it's longer days and brilliant greens.

But - once the leaves turn and the days become shorter and the skies turn Pennsylvania gray, I'll be happy to pack the car and head back to the Florida sunshine!

April Stitch From Stash report

$49.92     Starting balance
$  0.00     Purchases Mar 21-April 21          
$  0.00     Credit for finishes (pitiful, I know)
$25.00     May allowance
$74.92     Available to spend in May

Well, how about that??  A zero purchase month! But also a zero credit month, so I don't exactly know how to evaluate that.   I even had a birthday thrown in there with a generous gift certificate from the World's Greatest Husband, but I still held back from buying anything.

Does that mean I have reached Stash Critical Mass?

Nahhhh,  I have a one-day stitching retreat coming up soon and one of my favorite shops will be there, so I'm sure that every penny of my allowance will be disappear fast as a bolt of lightening.

Well, we have just one more week till we head home.  Florida certainly has been interesting, with its population that swells and deflates over the winter and all of the characters that come and go as a result.  My favorites are the very past middle aged men and their trophy wives.

Yesterday I was at the beach and watching this older gentleman put suntan lotion on his trophy wife's butt cheeks. She was wearing one of those those bathing suit bottoms that are not quite bottoms and not quite thongs?  It was part hilarious, part gross.  I looked at Dave and mouthed "trophy wife".  He smiled.

The beach was super windy yesterday, and it was impossible to lay down because you'd get blasted with sand.  But Trophy Wife wanted the beach chair, so Husband gave her the beach chair and laid on the towel and despite being battered by sand, he immediately fell asleep for over an hour.  I was astounded.  Later, as they were packing up to leave, I told Dave, "Wow, I can't believe he slept for that whole time."

Dave said, "That's because he was tired.  What he used to do all night now takes him all night to do."
I know that's a song lyric...I just have to find the song.  I mean...if I can find the time, since I'm so busy being a neb-nose at the beach.

Lee's March Stitch from Stash Report

First - the numbers:

 $13.60 carried forward from February
 $25.00 March allowance
($13.91) Crafty Framer shop (second visit - only purchased charts)

($11.77) Crafty Framer shop (first visit - charts and scissors)
$12.00 Credit for stitched area 44 X 199 of large sampler (equal to one page)
$24.92 balance at end of March
$25.00 April allowance - - - meaning whaaaaaat?
$49.92 Available to spend between now and April check-in!!

Second - the pictures:

The alphabets are done on my large sampler.  (The alphabet section is what generated my $12 credit.)  Next comes a nice row of flowers, birds and baskets - really fun!  Then the bottom half of the sampler has three houses and grass.  Lots and lots of grass.

And do you see my sweet scroll rod covers?  Like a dope, I left my covers at home, some 1,000 miles away.  So I had to make myself a new set, without the convenience of my sewing machine, which is also 1,000 miles away.  The nice lady at JoAnn's cut the fabric to size for me, because my sewing scissors are....well, you know....far away.  And then I hand stitched them.  It was actually very relaxing.

And here are my stash purchases.  Just like last month, I found another nice shop.  This one is in Largo, called The Crafty Framer.  And wow....does this shop ever cram a lot of stuff into a small space!  You have to be ready for a real rummage, or else you'll miss things.  I'll bet I spent an hour in there the first day with my friend Nancy, and a good two hours the second day with my friend Pam.  

So when I shopped the first time,  I found this nice chart in a half-price sale bin. Who doesn't love a Welcome chart?   And who can resist pretty $5 scissors?

.

And I purchased the classic alphabet sampler for a ridiculous $1.97.  Really.

I met Pam (Stitching Between the Lines)  there a couple weeks later, when I bought that Picket Fence design (above) because it has an adorable garden alphabet, and these two Handblessings charts.  I can't wait to get back to my stash and use some of my overdyed silks on these little bunnies.

And what's a good rummage without finding a couple great Prairie Schooler charts?  I was familiar with Christmas Day, but had never seen Still Life before.  That's another one I can't wait to try.  I have some awesome dark linen and I'd dig it out right now for some of those cool fruit baskets, but as you can guess.....it's 1,000 miles away.  Oh...and another thing I should tell you is that Christmas Day was a whopping $3 and the kind shop owner threw in Still Life for free.

I understand that The Crafty Framer will be moving to a new and much larger space on May 1, so if you think you're going to visit, it's probably a good idea to phone and get directions to the new shop.  With this new space, the owner intends to start a regular stitch night in the future.  I'd be really happy if she did that.  I'm so lucky that I've had two stitching friends to check in with while I've been here, and adding a shop sponsored stitching night would be a nice thing, too.  As I've said many times before, there's just something about the camaraderie of stitching ladies!

Oh! I do have one little finish to show you.  Remember the PS chart I found at Silk Road Needle Arts?  I finished one of the Santas.  He's on perforated paper.

So that's about it from here.  In some ways, I'm counting the days till I get home, mostly because I'm so anxious to see all my friends and catch up with them and their projects.  And being able to sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen and drive my own car all will be such pleasures.  In other ways, I'll be a little sad to leave here, too.  I feel as if we're setting down roots, getting to know the area and feeling more comfortable.  I really need to live in the moment a whole lot more.  To stop comparing one place to another and just enjoy wherever I am.  So for these remaining days, I'll be enjoying this.

See you next month, friends!

Lee's February Stitch from Stash report

It's time for another Stitch from Stash report. How do these months fly by so quickly?

So first of all, I started with a bank of $20.50 left over from January.

And then I went shopping....

The good news is, I found a needlework shop very close to our winter home this year!  Or maybe that's the bad news.  As it happens, this fellow (shop owner is a man - kind of unusual, isn't it?) is more known for needlepoint canvases, so he has rooms and rooms of those and an excellent selection of threads, but his cross stitch inventory is rather dated.  Still - When I see a bunch of old stuff, I know that can mean that there are some Prairie Schooler gems hidden away, and ta-da!  Look what I found! Book #80, Old World Santas, which people have bought on ebay for anywhere from $37.99 to $8.50.  I paid the sticker price of $6.00. Hey Mel....is there any way I can get a $32.00 credit for being in the right place at the right time??  Come on, give a girl a break!

Chart + perforated paper + threads = $17.70

He also had this chart and I've been eyeing it up on Sampler World and Sampler Lovers over on Facebook.  So even though I've put Quaker charts on my "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LOVE IT" list, somehow this one squeaked in.  I have no willpower.

Chart alone = $14.50

So here's the math:

20.50 balance

25.00 February allowance
00.00 Earned for finishes

(14.50) Quaker Medallion

(17.40) PS chart and supplies

13.60 carried forward to March

And here's something fun! I won the January give-away from the Stitch from Stash group!  This lovely little chart was donated by Gillie, and she even included a couple skeins of floss.  Aren't those flowers adorable?  There's so much to see in this sweet design. Thank you Gillie!

Now, here's my February stitching.  No finishes...I had hoped to finish one of those Santas to get some kind of credit, but, well, no.  

I've been working on a particular sampler named Plenty and Grace.  I can't give you too many details, but I'll tell you this much:  It's a biggie.  

Isn't this little thistle motif adorable?  I wish you could see the colors better.  I like alphabets, but I couldn't wait to get the thistle.  So cute.

OK, I'm off to start supper.  It's stormy here tonight.  Maybe I'll stay in and stitch!

Lee's January SFS Report

Month:  January 2015
Spent:  $4.50
Earned:  $0.00
Balance at end of month: $20.50

This year I decided to join the Stitch from Stash Group.  It's not that I'm against stash enhancement...That would be too sad for me to even think about.  It's that there are so many gorgeous projects in my home and they are always calling my name.

"Lee, don't forget about me!  I'm still here!  You know you have feelings for me....And we're so good together."  My stash was starting to sound like a whiny ex-boyfriend.  Well, without the creepiness.

So I think if I really, really try hard at this Stitch from Stash thing, I'll make some headway into the 50+ kits I have at home.  Yes.  I admitted it.  I have over 50 completely kitted projects.  And we must report in monthly, so that's the purpose of this post.

We had a lot of changes and goings on this month, so I haven't had very much stitching time.  Not enough for a photo at all.

And what did I buy?  I can't resist older Prairie Schooler charts, and although I'm not doing the whole alphabet (like my ka-razy friend Sue), there are a few of these alphabet charts that I particularly like.  So I picked up V-W-X on ebay for $4.50.

Samplers and Quakers

I always dither about framing, but I think I've discovered a wonderful framer in Pittsburgh, who is not only reasonable, but also has a great eye for what goes with what.  I think I love her.  And I think I'm going to declare 2014-2015 "The Framing Years".  There are things happening in my life now that make me want to clear out closets and boxes anyway, so I'd like to stop spending money on stash (because it goes into a box) and start spending it on framing (because it stays out of the box)

Well....that's my plan.  I'll let you know how it works out.  Because I have other things I need to spend money on in 2015.  Like a wedding.  Or two.

Here's the Jan Houtmann Tree of Life sampler I worked on for 5 years.  2007-2012, to be exact, then two years to get up the gumption to frame it.   It's on 36 ct. white linen, with Au Ver A Soie silk. I can't remember the color numbers and to tell you the truth, their dye lots vary so much that knowing the numbers is useless.  Let's call it red and light red.

And boy, did I ever beat the heck out of that pattern.  Have you ever had a chart that is totally unusable when you've finished with it?  I kept the fabric and thread pristine, but the chart looks like it's been through a war.

That's a stone wall in the interior of my home, and that's where it'll hang.  But right now it's on the floor.

Here's a cute little Quaker you've seen before, but now it's framed and on the wall in my entryway.  It's a Goode Huswife design:  Quaker Four Corners, with HDF BeRedded silk on PTP Doubloon 32 ct. Jobelan.

And this has been around for a while, too.  I love the mat and frame choices my framer gave me.  Really perfect for this sweet little alphabet.  It's La D Da's "ABCD" done on 40 ct linen with Belle Soie Mer Blue.

Finally, here's my blue Quaker Samplings, by Ellen Chester of With My Needle.  I'll bet it's the first Quaker design I purchased long, long ago.  I loved every minute of stitching this, and I made some minor adaptations, pulling out some of the hearts and adding my family's initials and the year instead.  I think the design used Belle Soie Chester's Blue, but I chose Blue Lagoon silk. (Colorworks silk now).  I'll be sending this to the framer's very soon.

Ok, now I've stitched a red Quaker, a blue Quaker, a rust Quaker and a green Quaker.  What's next?

I'm thinking gold.  Or purple.  But probably gold....

Tools for the post menopausal

I don't know about you all...but I have SO MUCH to remember these days.  My memory is usually pretty decent, but sometimes it just gets overloaded.  They say that being post-menopausal doesn't help and maybe that's true.  Personally, I think maybe it's not so much because the synapses are so old...but because at this stage of my life I always have so many things that I need to squeeze into a very short time.

You would think that having the internet at my fingertips most of the time would solve the problem, but in some ways, it also creates the problem.  

Used to be that I chose books by what jumped out at me from the library shelves.  Now I take a list of books recommended for me by several different websites.  I don't want to forget a single one.

The meals I cooked were tried and true and usually the result of supermarket weekly specials.  Now I take lists of ingredients for dishes I've seen on Pinterest, Facebook and recipe websites.  (Except I'm not such a good cook and sometimes I wonder who I think I'm kidding)

I'd go shopping for a new needlework project by visiting shops and browsing stitched models and choosing what was available (because even back then my closest shop was 50 miles away).  Now I go to a shop armed with lists for needlework I've seen on your blogs.  (I'm blaming you all for my crazy spending this year).

And obviously my brain can't deal with so much clutter.  Especially if I'm going grocery shopping, visiting the library and going to a needlework store all on the same day.  My head might explode.  Luckily, I've found some great list and list-type apps that I can always have handy on my phone, my tablet or my computer.  So I thought I'd share a couple of them with you, just in case some days your head feels like it might explode, too.

I think the most important thing about a note/list app is its ability to be used on all of your devices, even if they aren't all using the same operating systems.  For instance, my home PC, my laptop and my work PC all run on Windows products.  My phone is an Apple product.  My tablet is an Android product.  Not all apps will work with all of those systems, so keep that in mind as you shop for apps - you want something that will run on ALL of those.

Sometimes I want to keep a list handy for a long or indefinite length of time, like my friends' favorite colors, books I want to read, verses I'd like to use in a sampler some day, quantities of food I've bought to feed large groups of people.   When that's the case, I use Evernote.  I can look at and edit my notes from my phone, my tablet or my PC and it's super useful.

For instance, I can be out and about and a blog post idea will come to mind.  I can type it into the Evernote app on my phone.  Then, 2 weeks, a month, 3 months, 4 months later, when I'm sitting at my home computer and searching for something to write about, I can log into Evernote and read whatever idiotic ideas I thought I'd like to remember!

Sometimes, things you want to remember are simply WAY beyond using a note or a list.  It needs its own file...or even its own folder.  Maybe you keep a spreadsheet of the threads and fibers you have in your stash.  Maybe you keep a big, giant list of all the charts you own in a Word document.  Maybe you belong to a stitching club and you like to keep your club-member directory handy. I think Dropbox is a perfect place to keep those things.  Put your file into Dropbox.  You can see (and even edit) your file from anywhere.  (Except if it's a PDF.  Most of us can't edit those anyway)

For quick, on-the-fly notes, there are several Sticky note apps out there.  Like if you are headed to a stitching retreat and you need to bring a couple snacks.  Once the weekend is over, you're done with the note.

I still haven't come across a sticky note program that works well across all my devices, but I since I use the note for such a short time, I haven't really looked hard for one.  And of course, there is always the iPhone note app.  With sticky notes, you can see several notes at the same time.  Not so easy with iPhone notes.

So...that's my two cents on how to remember stuff you don't want to forget.

And as for stitching stuff - mostly I've been working on one of Ellen Chester's With Thy Needle Quaker designs.  I'm using Colorworks (aka Belle Soie) Blue Lagoon silk on 32 ct lambswool linen. I have to say...I'm enjoying every single stitch.  I'm also super excited to personalize this for my family.  That will be the really fun part.

I'm off to a stitching retreat this weekend, in the beautiful Ohio Amish country.  Who knows...maybe I'll stop socializing long enough to make more progress in this sampler?  

Hello Friends!  So...yes, it's been a while.  It seems like so many things get in the way of my visits here.

First of all, there's LIFE.  Just plain ol' everyday life that can suck up your time and creativity like nobody's business.

But I managed blog visits before, didn't I?  So I guess for my second excuse, I'll mention Facebook.  It's very easy to trade in the quick hit of a Facebook post for the meatier version of a blog post.  Except for this...I've made great friends and strong connections through blogging.  Facebook?  No.  Not really.  In fact, no new friends at all.  So I want to drastically reduce the number of times I look at Facebook, and spend more time creating blog posts.

Maybe you're feeling the same way?  If you are and you're thinking of giving your old blog a good kick in the pants, read this article, aptly named, Why Blogging is Better Than Facebook.  I like all of Cathy's reasons, but I like the Get Creative paragraph best.  

Now all I need to do is follow through.  As many of you know, that's not my strongest suit...

Anyways (or Anyhows, if you're from Pittsburgh), the last time we met here it was mid April.  Since then it has been an absolutely gorgeous summer in Pittsburgh.  Dave and I have enjoyed two of our favorite summertime things:  Outdoor concerts and baseball games.  Even though our Pirates seem to be spiraling downward, there are always the Pierogi races to give you a lift.

Best between-inning entertainment around!

I've also kept stitching through the summer.  Last year Dave and I bought a home in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Pittsburgh - a cozy little townhouse off the beaten path, and I've entertained stitching friends there a few times.  We've had lovely days with lots of laughs, and I've even accomplished some stitching.

Finished in February, but framed this summer

La D Da freebie - Flag City

Finally finished and framed our anniversary sampler!  Moira Blackburn's Scottish Love sampler, stitched on PTP Doubloon.

In family news, it looks like our family will be growing soon, with BOTH our children announcing their engagements.  We couldn't be more pleased!  Weddings are planned for summer 2015 and winter 2016.  It seems like the distant future, but it's really not that distant if you think of it in "stitcher's time".  (Thanks to Nikki for coining that phrase for me!)  I think I have a design picked for my son and his wife-to-be (very cool and non-traditional), but my daughter's design is puzzling me at the moment.  I think it's one of those times when a design simply has to hit you between the eyes, you know?

Sounds like a good excuse to go shopping, doesn't it?

Till next time,
Lee

Stitch night topics

One of the things I enjoy about my stitch nights is listening to the conversations as they swirl around the room.  We talk about so many things - some serious, some silly.  But it's always interesting.

It's interesting because we are all different people, living in different situations and with different sensibilities.  Some of those differences might divide us in other environments, but not when we're in a stitching room!  So conversations flow and it's never dull.

And sometimes we re-visit old conversations.

For instance, one of our stitchers recently retired.  In the months leading up to her retirement date, she was wondering what it would be like when she didn't have to dress for work every day.  And since I am a fountain of unsolicited advise, I told her about the Fly Lady philosophy:   Schlepping around at home all day in slippers or bare feet makes you feel less ambitious.  You should put your shoes on every day because it will make you more productive.

Well, Nancy retired and then went South for a couple of winter months, so I didn't see her for a while.  But we were sitting across from each other last night and she told me that I was wrong with my shoe advice.  "Lee", she said, "It wasn't about wearing shoes.  It was about putting on a bra.  I was much more productive if I put on my bra."

Hmmm.  I think she's right!  Putting the girls where they belong tells me that I'm ready for the day...And setting them free at the end of the day tells me that I'm DONE.

What about you?  What piece of clothing or accessory tells you you're ready to get down to business?

Rounding the corner towards 60

I had a birthday last week.  It was Number 56.  There's something about passing the midpoint of a decade that gives me pause.  Sometimes it's super depressing.  Turning 36 sucked because there was something about turning 40 that blew me away.  Sometimes it's fun, like when I turned 46 and knew I had four years to plan a blow-out 50th birthday and 25th anniversary party.

But 56?  It was completely unremarkable emotionally.  Is it because 60 doesn't feel like a milestone?  Or am I just not seeing the milestones that lay ahead? Dave and I are already partly retired, both of us working part-time, so full retirement doesn't feel like a big deal.  I don't see weddings or grandchildren on the horizon.  But even if they were...those aren't my milestones.   So I guess my goal at 56 is to coast towards 60 and hope it's just that.... an easy coast.

Anyways....I had a wonderful birthday month.  It started with a fantastic trip with stitching buddies to Woodlawn Plantation to see the annual needlework exhibit.  And to do some shopping at In Stitches, of course!  I wish I had some show photos for you....but the folks at the needlwork show are very stringent with their No Photographs policy. And although I don't understand why - they never put photos of the winners online. I'll tell you, if I had won a ribbon, I'd want it plastered all over the Internets!

Then Dave and I took a 10 day break from a never-ending Pennsylvania winter with a trip to Florida.  It was just what we needed and we enjoyed every single minute of it.

We were home in time for a week long celebration of my birthday.  Let's see...there was a Robert Cray concert to kick things off.  Dinner and a comedy show with a good friend one night, an excellent Italian dinner with my husband another night, and then finishing a fun weekend by going to the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day.

My mailbox celebrated my birthday, too, bringing these gifts from my dear-heart of a friend, Sue in Kansas.

Here they are a little closer.  A lovely LaDDa wooden box

An extra special cake

A project bag, and Sue stitched the sunflower onto it!  Does this girl know me, or what?

As for my stitching?  I've been stitching small stuff through the month.  I think you've seen one of these LK Flip It Bits - January - already.  But last month I finished February.  And I finished my name tag to wear to one of my stitching group meetings.  I'm really enjoying the Flip Its...They're easy and relaxing.  

Some close-ups

And that's about it...till next time!

Blog Stats

Do you ever check your blog stats?  I try not to get caught up in that trap, because I know that writing a personal blog isn't about popularity and numbers.  But sometimes I'm curious.

So recently I looked at my blog stats and in particular at my most popular posts - in terms of page views.  Hmm.  The statistics really surprised me.

I've written 1050 posts, and the most viewed post of my blog was just last summer, when I wrote about our trip to Myrtle Beach.  Really??  I didn't write a single thing about stitching and there's not a even one photo of stitching, but it had 2214 hits.  I think the lesson is:  If you want lots of hits on a post, just write Myrtle Beach in the title.  Maybe the term "Flying Cloud" got hits from Airstream enthusiasts, too?

The second most popular post I've ever written was under 30 words and posted on January 23, 2011 when the Steelers were in a playoff game. I also added a photo of a Terrible Towel.  That had 878 views, which seems measly when compared 2,214, but still....

So if I'm ever feeling unloved in the blog world, I'll write a post and title it:  "Driving the Airstream Flying Cloud Trailer to Myrtle Beach While Waving the Steelers' Terrible Towel".

More work on the Love Sampler

The weekend retreat to Villa Maria was the perfect time to make some progress on my Moira Blackburn Scottish Love Sampler.  You know the saying, "Eat. Sleep. Stitch"?  It's pretty close. Throw in "Walk" for some of us, and "Nap" for others, and lots of gabbing and laughing.  That's kind of it in a nutshell.

As you can see, I'm getting close to a finish here.  

Most of my weekend was spent in the lower right corner.  That border takes a crazy long time to stitch! 

And also in the theme of LOVE, it's so interesting that every person who had a comment about my Watson vs Sherlock as a boyfriend question chose...Watson.  Well I'll be darned.  I wonder what that says about us?

Sherlock or Watson?

Like many of you living in the Eastern US, we had another weekend of awful weather.  And I worked really hard to put off clearing the driveway Saturday.  I had to really psych myself up to get out there and move more snow....

So how did I prepare?  I snuggled down in my chair and watched the last season of Sherlock, one show right after the other.  Like a pre-reward for a job I didn't want to do.  Boy, do I ever love that show.  I love a program that has me thinking about it long after it's over.  And Sherlock gave me things to think about as I mindlessly pushed snow around.  

Mostly what I thought about was...who is hotter?  Dr. Watson or Sherlock Holmes?

Who does it for you?  The icy brilliance of Sherlock?  A handsome genius who gives us glimpses of his flaws...and one of those flaws his loneliness?

Or does Dr. John Watson turn you on?  Not brilliant, but smart, loyal, dependable...yet with a streak of bad-boy/tough-guy that appears from time to time and that can be pretty hot.  Not quite but you'd call handsome, but still attractive.

As for me, I honestly can't say.  Probably Watson, because I think men like Sherlock come with too much drama.  And really....who needs drama?  

And Sherlock seems more like a project than a boyfriend.  And the last thing I need is another project.

Speaking of projects, I've been working on an older Lizzie Kate series, Flip It Bits.  I finished January a couple weeks ago, and I'm almost finished February.  Just for fun, I changed a thread or two in each Bit. I used a fuzzy pink thread instead of an overdyed for the snowman's scarf and mittens.  It's hard to see in the photo, but in person it looks kind of cool.  

And my local stitching group has decided that we should all wear name tags, which I think is a great idea for such a large group of women, because it's much easier for new members to get to know us if they can know our names.   It's so uncomfortable when you don't know all the names...So I've been working on one I've cobbled together from another design.  I should finish it soon, unless blindness sets in from working over one on 30 ct. evenweave...

I'm off to a much-anticipated stitching retreat this weekend, and believe it or not, I'll be taking the SAME project I took last year.  Let's hope I spend a little time stitching and a little less time talking and eating this year and then maybe I'll make have a nice progress pic to show for it.

Till next time, thanks for stopping by!

My Valentine gift to you

My daughter got a stitched gift. My son got a card with cash. But you, my dear stitching friends, get our favorite sexy man, Ryan Gosling! 

I plan to wear a slutty gown with sequins, a slit up the side and a plunging neckline.
Anyone else have their dress picked out?

One of my favorite pet peeves.  Or calling it quilting.  Or crocheting.  I wish I knew their favorite hobby so I could call it by the wrong name.  But...oh...wait.  They usually don't have a hobby.

Enough said.  Get 'em, Boyfriend Ryan.

I could totally substitute Dave's face in this photo.  Ryan's sexy, but my Dave is a prince.  And he still makes my heart go pitty-pat. 

Phew.  Hotness.  And now that I'm feeling the love, I have to go find Dave and give him his Valentine gift.  

Happy Valentines Day to all you crazy blog readers!

Thanks to Robin!

Remember how I told you yesterday that I had changed the colors a bit from the original My Big Toe Christmas ornament design to make it more like a Valentine?  Well, Robin (no blog, but a dedicated blog reader) shared this photo with me.

Isn't her blue version wonderful?  It was a Valentine gift for her husband and I think it's absolutely perfect.  And framed beautifully, too, don't you think?

Thank you Robin, for sharing this with me and for letting me put your photo on my blog!

Every year...a Valentine!

(If you are following the Smalls SAL, you may have seen this post already.  I kept it hidden from my front blog page until my daughter received her gift in the mail)

If you've been reading here for a while, you know that ever since Colleen went away to college, I've sent her a stitched Valentine. My first Valentine was very Valentine-y, but then you'll see that I went with designs that could be out year-round.  I'd choose something with a heart theme, though.

And now this year - well, she's a college graduate, starting a grown-up life out in Colorado and more or less on her own.  So I decided this year maybe she needed a Valentine more than ever.  (Or maybe I just needed to send her a Valentine more than ever.  That may be closer to the truth.)

Anyways, this arrived in Colorado yesterday and...Yep.  She liked it.  The design is by My Big Toe and was published in the 2011 JCS Christmas Ornament issue.  Back before Christmas, another blogger had stitched it and I knew right away that all it needed was a bit of recoloring to make a perfect Valentine.  So right away I typed it into Evernote so I'd remember it when February rolled around.

FYI - it's not very small if you stitch it over 2.  If you want it small, either use 40 ct fabric or stitch it over one.

I have to tell you, ever since I found out about Evernote, I'm a whole new woman.  I don't know if it's that I'm getting older or that there is SO MUCH MORE to remember, but let me tell you...that tiny little app is a tremendous help to me.

I write everything from grocery lists to sampler sayings I want to remember.  From lists of books I want from the library to a list of the quantity of food I ordered for a holiday luncheon.   I list charts that I'm getting ready to stitch and I make a list of the supplies I need to buy before I get started.  LOVE.  IT.

Maybe some of you have a favorite smart phone app.  Why not tell us about it in your blog?

Three Christmases Ago

That's how long ago I started this sampler.  I'd work on it through the holidays and maybe I'd continue into January, but I have to be in the mood to stitch Christmas things. And by February my mind turns to Spring and bunnies and pretty pastels and Easter eggs and anything that's NOT Christmas!  Well, this year it's finished!  And even though I only worked on it seasonally, I really enjoyed stitching it.

Hey...I've been meaning to tell you all about a weekend Dave and I spent in Bedford PA last fall. (See what happens when you don't write in your blog for a long time?  You forget the good stuff you've done!)

You might remember that I told you my husband recently started working as a floating pharmacist for a Very Big Chain Store, and sometimes they get into dire straits and need someone to work in a store rather far away from us.  Meaning that it requires a hotel stay for a night or two.  So in the fall, they asked Dave to work in Bedford PA.  He agreed to go, and then we Googled the town and decided to make a getaway of it.

I dropped Dave off early on Saturday morning and then spent the day wandering around downtown Bedford, where I was SO pleasantly surprised to find lots of great antique shops and small boutiques and cafes.  Now ladies, if you know me in person, you know that I am NOT a shopper.  I'll do anything to avoid going shopping, (unless it's for needlework supplies, then lock me in and throw away the key).  So when I tell you that I spent hours in Founders Crossing...you know it had to be good!

I was delighted to find a bunch of paper needle books - My dad used to keep one with his Navy uniform and bag for when he'd go away on his trip with the Reserves each year.  His had airplanes on it.  Anyways - I gave all the needle books away as gifts, but I kept one for myself.

I also found a handful of glass "frogs" and a couple pretty teacups to set them in to make a lovely scissor display (I gave all those away, too).  I also found some Jewel Tea pieces...they always remind me of my mother-in-law so I keep my eyes open for nice pieces to add to the small collection I inherited from her.  I found a couple Jewel Tea custard cups, and I was so pleased to see how my scissor frog nestled in. It makes me happy just to look at it!

Then I wound my way to one of the two quilt shops on the same street.  Unique Stitches Quilt Shop is a very nice, very new little shop, with everything you'd expect to find in such a place.  And about three blocks away, there is another very interesting shop called Mary's Quilt Shop, home to Mary Koval's Antique Quilts.  What a very cool place!  If you're looking for antique fabrics, it's THE place to go.

And not only that...Mary's Quilt Shop also has a wonderful retreat center just above the shop...perfect of quilters or stitchers or knitters. One of the ladies took me upstairs to view the space and let me tell you...it was wonderful.  The bedrooms were lovely, most having twin beds. (So ladies...you don't have to share beds)  The living area was cozy and the kitchen/dining area was bright and beautiful.  And the lower level had one of those rooms with a huge table for pressing or assembling quilts of any size.  The rates were reasonable.  I think it was $75 per bed per night.  So if anyone is thinking of planning a stitching retreat - Mary's is an excellent option to keep in mind.

Bedford is home of the Omni Bedford Springs Resort , and it's gorgeous and fascinating and historic and way beyond our budget for a one night stay..but it costs nothing to go there and wander around.

Which we did.

Instead, we stayed in a wonderful little Bed and Breakfast in the heart of town, The Golden Eagle Inn. Our host was wonderful, our room was warm and cozy and the breakfast was perfect!

The owner has great photos of the interior on his website, so visit there if you want to know more!

We also had a great meal across the street at a tiny little bistro-style restaurant called 10/09 Kitchen, because we had read great reviews on Yelp and Urban Spoon.  I'll tell you...If I could have given it 6 stars instead of 5, I would have.  Excellent and fun.

So there you have it...our weekend in Bedford PA.  I hope we get to go back soon!

Oh - Also!  Go to the Victorian Sampler Blog and sign up for her giveaway! Click here.