Nick's Summer Vacation

Well, summer vacation has just started for Nick and he's been busy already. He went fishing with his dad last week and caught his own dinner. It wasn't very big but it was big enough to bring home and eat. I'm a mom. I'm so proud of him!

Then, this week he went to King's Island with his class. He had a great time and spent most of the day in the water park. Now, I said I'm a mom, but I didn't say I was a good one. I did not make him take or wear sunscreen. (You probably know where this is going.) He came home with a sunburn. Dad is applying lotion. After taking the photo I got out the Motrin for him. Today is Friday and he's doing a lot better. Maybe by Monday he'll be pealing and on the road to recovery.

No new stitching photos to post. I've spent most of my time working on the Feed Bag Buddies. I've outlined the bird and finished the complete lower half of the design. I still need to finish a few leaves and then do the background. I'm so close I can taste it!

Retreat Power Stitching

I was a mega-stitching, power-stitching, needle moving mama this weekend! I learned how to create a very pretty fabric-folded project. I'm not sure what I will use them for yet but I have several ideas in mind. With a bead added to the center I could make a dressy pin to wear on my blouse. One lady placed hers on a totebag and did embellishments to make it look like the bloom on a flower. A small one could be the end of a bookmark with a tassel on the other end. The possibilities are endless.

While I didn't get any project "finished" I made a lot of progress towards my goals. I worked on the Feed Bag Buddies and used the weekend to fill in all the spaces where there were only two or three stitches in one area, end and cut the thread and off to the next area where there is only one or two stitches, end and cut, etc. Each area that was filled in made me so anxious to get to the next that it is nearly finished. There is a small section of the seeds that need to be finished and then I'll add his whiskers, finish his head, finish the bird and do the background. The end is in sight!

When I took a break from the big room and headed off to the quiet of my own room, I worked on some small items. This is the front of a 3 inch ruler that I will finish into a thread bobbin or scissor fob. I had started a blackwork design for the back the night before but on the second night, after drinking a wine cooler, I found that I had made a mistake. I had also worked on two squares I had hoped to make into a biscornou only to find out that instead of squares I had rectangles. Maybe I should drink the wine cooler BEFORE I stitch? Who knows?

Well, I did get some new patterns at the retreat so I have more items to add to my TO DO list. Blackwork is my favorite type of patterns to stitch so after I finish a few of the current items on my list I will start on a blackwork three-story victorian house. I don't know what color I want to do it in, though. The design is in green but I may change that to match something in my house. I guess I should decide which room it will go into first.

The guys were happy to see me. I made spaghetti for dinner so they were actually VERY happy to have me home. Should I tell them that I've already made reservations for the fall retreat? No. Let's keep that between us. For now anyway.

Stitching Retreat

I'm leaving this afternoon for the retreat. I've been counting down the days to this for months. We have two of them every year. One is in the spring and the other in the fall. I usually take several things to work on and spend a bit of time on each one. This year I'm doing it a bit different. This piece is called "Feed Bag Buddies". I'm making it for Nick. TANA is having an exhibit in October and I need to finish it before then so I can put it in the show. So, this is it. I'm really close and I'm hoping that the weekend will be enough to put the finishing stitches in it. That's why I'm putting it on here, to help motivate me to have the finished piece to photograph and post on Monday. Wish me luck!

I'm rooming with Marnie this time. We've roomed together before and she's a great lady to spend time with. She's one of those people that I can share things with and know she isn't going to be judgemental or pity me. Tonight is the season finale of Grey's Anatomy and since that is the only show she really likes I know what I'll be doing from 9-11! I did bring a few hand held stitching pieces to work on in the room so I can do those then. Last night was the Lost season finale so I got my TV fix then.

So, I'm out of the shower, packing the last of my things, then heading off to fill up the tank and run through the car wash and on my way to stitch! I'm looking forward to all the great food, spending time with my wonderful friends, eating, stitching, eating and having a fun weekend. Did I mention there would be food?

Show and Tell

Besides education, show and tell is my favorite part of the TANA meeting. (If I have something for it anyway.) This month I have four things. These are three and the kiss needle book is the fourth.

I'm not sure what I'll start now but I should just finish a couple of the things I have going. Last month's education piece should be at the top of the list. There is also the June monthly mania that I just hope I finish before June. Then, there is the Aztec Bookmark. It was a previous education piece that I missed but Liz was kind enough to bring me a kit at the Heritage Farm Stitch-In. I've finished all 246 four-sided stitches and am about halfway finished with the blackwork around the edges. I've seen the finished piece because Liz finished hers and had it at the stitch-in. It is beautiful. Let's hope I can actually do the Aztec stitch evenly. I guess we'll see.

The largest project I'm working on is the Feed Bag Buddies that I'm doing for Nick. It's probably about 3/4 of the way finished. I'm taking it to the retreat this month and hope to finish it there. I want to put it up in our show this fall. I also have a Mirabilia Winter piece that is my Promise Piece. I've only just started it but the plan is to take it to Share a Stitch and work on it during Studio Time. I'd like to put it in the show as well since I have to have it completed by November anyway.

Maybe I should put pics of them up as wips. That may encourage me to keep working on them and keep updating the photos.

Decorating

Spent the morning hanging up some flea market finds. We've been here since December but haven't put many things on the walls yet. I don't want to just put a bunch of nails in the walls so I'm trying to select just the right piece for just the right place. It's been a good housekeeping kind of weekend all around. Yesterday, I did a lot of organizing. I organized the CDs, DVDs and books and then made sure that most every "thing" was in its place. I know it's kind of anal but I just feel better when everything is in order.

I also made a list of all the stitching patterns I have. There aren't that many yet, but I have on at least three occasions bought the same pattern twice. They will make good gifts!

I have also got some stitching done. I'm working on a Christmas piece and as soon as I finish the hem around the edges I'll put a pic of it here. At least it will be done by the meeting tomorrow.