Catchin' Up . . . Again

This summer has just whizzed by.  Between those three weeks of subbing at the church office and a few other things, it seems like I've kinda missed the whole season. Better catch up quick the rest of this month!  :-)  Soon it will be time to replace all my Americana decorations with fall ones.  

So, some summer pictures.  First up one from June taken in an Oregon friend's backyard when Ann and Daniel visited for a few days.  The perfect picture of summer fun!

Next up, a couple of not the best pictures of our newest great nephew, Kirsten's little Luke Clay whom we got to meet a couple of weeks ago.  

And last, a finished picture of my Pumpkin Patch counted cross stitch picture.  I had such a good time stitching it!  Now to get it framed so I can hang it when I change things out for fall.  

And that's about it for today.  I'll be back in a couple for a kitchen update!  

Stitchin' Stuff

I'm making headway with the pumpkin cross stitch.  All the words are done, now I'm beginning on the stitch heavy scene that's the bottom third of the picture.  

Years ago I splurged on a tin box containing a package of Nestles chocolate chips.  I just checked online and it appears you can buy one on ebay for ten dollars.  Another site had ones listed for around seven but said they were sold out.  The listing says it was 1987's collectible tin.  

I have used mine for years as my cross stitch project thread keeper.  Here's a view of it for my current project, with my fancy envelope method of thread storage.  

Each color has an envelope with a small piece of the thread taped to the front next to its corresponding DMC color number.  Primitive, but it works great. I photocopied this project's thread colors and their symbols and keep it here, too, because the pattern is so large that the colors don't show when it's folded to the section I'm working on. Scissors and extra needles are also stored here.  

Since I'm a linear stitcher, I don't need a bunch of project bags because it's one at a time for me.  I have some small file containers where my whole stash of embroidery floss is filed in numerical order, so it's easy to find what I have and pull for each project as I go.  ♥

Busy, Busy!

Who knew when you get old-er (haha), working, even part-time, would leave one with so little time.  I'm still filling in for our church secretary but I think tomorrow will be my last day.  And I'm ready!  

We did spend Monday and Tuesday of this week in McCall visiting with Bruder Bear and family.  Niece Jennifer from Oklahoma with her two boys and nephew JR and wife Mariah, along with their two boys were all there, too.  They were camping, but we choose to stay in a hotel.  :-)  Ann and Daniel went along with us as Ann loves to get together with her cousins and Daniel and Jenny's oldest are just eighteen days apart in age.  We had a great time of visiting, meeting JR's baby Wes for the first time, and celebrating his son Bennett's second birthday. And even though camping, Karen came up with fabulous meals.  She's amazing!

I'm well along on my new counted cross stitch picture and I'm enjoying it so much.  Here's a shot of where I was a couple of days ago.

I'm down a couple more lines of text as of today but I'm too lazy right now to take another photo and upload it.  

This is all for now as I'm going to join Dan out on the deck.  It's smoky from all the fires around us, but not bad enough for us to miss a night out there just relaxing and reading.  ♥

Progress!

I finished my little autumn picture and it's ready to frame.  So cute!

I found an old package of 14-count oatmeal Aida cloth that will work for my next project and got it ready to go last night.  It's another Prairie Schooler design.  

I'm doing the big one on the left.  It's been a long, long time since I've done anything bigger than the one I just finished and it's like I'm learning all over again.  Right now I have it on a needlework frame which I'm finding a little awkward to work with.  I'll just keep plugging along and see how it goes.  There's always the hoop option.  

I got D's first pair of boxers made and delivered. He wanted them to be longer than the length on the pattern so I measured him and did a little pattern adjusting which, thankfully, worked out just right.  

I'm started on the second pair and hopefully will get time to work on them today.  I'm substituting for our church secretary while she's on vacation so my stitching time is limited right now.  

And that's it for now!  ♥

Amazingly, I'm Back!

The 4th of July weekend is upon us and it has cooled down from the triple digits to the nineties which seem much cooler in comparison.  We were even able to open all the windows last night, which I love to be able to do.  

I continue to work on my autumn cross stitch picture and here's where I was earlier today:

Isn't that just the cutest house?  As I mentioned in my last post, simple but with details that take it a step above primitive.  

And here are a couple pictures of the completed Christmas tree quilt top.  So glad to finally be done with it! I do like it very much in spite of the fussy nature of all the triangles.  

Of course it still needs to be quilted, but I can wait on that.  Now it's on to making Daniel some new boxers for his jammies.  They're all cut out and ready to go.  

Maybe I'll get going on them tomorrow. That sounds like a good 4th of July project!  Too hot to be outside much and my sewing room is air conditioned.  :-)  

And that's it from the resort today!  ♥

Meanwhile . . .

Yes, April came and went, and so did May and now we're on the last day of June.  Boy, time sure flies when you just puttering along!

So what did I do?  Just the usual.  Cooking, cleaning, baking, you know, the usual household chores.  And reading.  Lot and lots of reading. I've always loved to read and having that Kindle Unlimited subscription just put lots of fun books at my fingertips.  So I indulged.  I'm a fan of cozy mysteries.  A few murders, but no gore, ugly violence or bad words.  Just entertainment.  And I was entertained.  

So now I'm slacking off the reading a little and working on some counted cross stitch.  A number of years ago I did three little Prairie Schooler seasonal scenes and I found the fourth one last winter. Unfortunately I had to buy a booklet that included the ones I had already made to get it. It's an autumn one so I decided to get cracking on it so I'd have it ready when fall comes.  Guess what?  It's as much fun as a cozy mystery!  

Here's a picture showing all of the four seasons:

I'm working on the one in the lower left and here's where I was earlier today:

These little designs just make me happy.  Prairie Schooler is the company that does the yearly St. Nicholas's I have been stitching out for years.  I love the colors they use and the simple yet detailed designs.  Primitive but not excessively so.  (And I love borders!)

The weather here has been hot.  HOT I say!  It was over 107° today and yesterday, and it's supposed to last through the weekend.  I'm so very thankful for air conditioning!  

And finally, what about that Christmas tree quilt I started last winter?  Well, I finally got the last of the top pieced today.  Hopefully I'll be back to share about that soon!  ♥

Hello!

Well hello there!  Here it is, Presidents' Day weekend and Valentine's Day all in the same few days.  How quickly February passes.  And today is the birthday of one of our nieces.  Party on!

It's been a beautiful day.  Snow was forecast overnight, but it didn't begin until about daybreak.  It's cold, very cold as in the teens, and so even though it snowed almost all day, we got maybe three inches of very light, fluffy snow. We are supposed to get more over the weekend so we'll see how it goes.  

I don't have a lot of Valentine decorations, but I did make that runner last year with a kit from Shabby Fabrics so this is its first appearance.  I do love it!

I still use the four red hearts on sticks that Daniel gave me when he was five.  They warm my grammy heart each year when I get them out. Treasures, that's what they are.  

And of course, we must have the appropriately colored peanut M&M's in a bowl.  

I'm continuing to stitch away on my counted cross stitch.  I ordered a few more patterns for the Prairie Schooler Santas from more recent years and they came.  I saw a framed piece someone from the Instagram group for the Santas did and I'm hoping to do something similar.  It will probably take me a year or so though, so don't hold your breath!  :-)

And last, I ordered a new Instant Pot cookbook by the Six Sisters and it came.  I think it's going to be a good one!

Hope everyone is keeping warm!  This cold seems to be affecting a large part of our country.  But it is winter! ♥

What Have I Been Up To?

Well, what have I been up to lately?  Usually January is knitting month, but not this year.  I pondered a new project, but then declined.  I've been back at my counted cross stitch.  Apparently cross stitching is having a big moment.  Maybe the virus?  At any rate, it's a big deal crafting wise, and there are all kinds of related things tied to it.  Flosstubes?  What in the world?  Turns out it's videos on YouTube featuring ladies who stitch, either professionally or just for fun, or both.  I've finally watched one or two.  Interesting, but I don't think I'm signing up for the full stitch deal.  

What's that you ask?  Well, pricey fabrics to stitch on.  Hand dyed flosses, some in silk.  Fancy ways to store your flosses for the project you are working on.  Oh, and project bags to store your in-progress works.  I kinda feel old school with my old tin box filled with envelopes marked on the front (some in my daughter's middle school handwriting) with the color number.  And I haven't spent $10 for a magnetic needleminder as running my needle through a corner of the (not pricey) fabrics works just fine.  As a matter of fact, I think I'm taking perverse pleasure in my old school ways.  

On the other hand, I have found some lovely ways to finish my work and that pleases me.  There are some very clever and talented people out there and I'm so happy they are sharing their talents.  I have been stitching the Prairie Schooler yearly Santas for years. I framed four of them years and years ago and now have eight, almost nine that are stitched but homeless.  They deserve to see the light of day for the two months of the year that my house is decorated for Christmas.  Ideas are forming!

This first one is now finished.

And this one below is now in process (note needle stored in upper left corner).

I love the colors used in them and I think of them more as St. Nicholas's rather than Santas, regardless of their titles.  (Rest assured, the one just above will have two arms when done!)

And other than the usual home chores, that's what I've been up to lately! ♥

Sunday Evening

Well, I just remembered that I'd better pop on and at least say I'm here! It's been a lovely, relaxing day with snow falling throughout.  They said we'd maybe get half an inch, but at least three are down, and since it's still snowing, maybe more by morning.  Dan plowed this afternoon and I napped.  Sounds like a good balance of effort, doesn't it?  :-)

We stopped at Subway to grab a couple of subs for lunch after church. I've found a new one I really like--teriyaki sweet onion.  I get a foot-long and save the other half for lunch the next day. Rats, now that I'm thinking about it, I want to go and eat it now.  Must.Be.Strong. Must.Be.Strong.

Tomorrow I need to get serious about beginning my Christmas baking. Think I'll start with a couple of cookie recipes, one that needs refrigerating, and one I can bake right away.  Now that I've written that, I'll have to be accountable.  

Here's a closeup of the top of the china hutch featuring a little counted cross stitch scene, also designed by The Prairie Schooler. 

Stay warm out there!  Winter seems to have arrived in all its icy beauty. ♥ 

Stitch, Stitch

I've decided counted cross stitch is the perfect antidote to soggy late winter days.  The steady in and out of the needle is soothing and the whole process is somewhat like painting a picture.  A boon for those of us with absolutely no talent in the painting department.  The fabric is blank, like a canvas, and as the thread colors fill in the squares, the picture emerges.  The picture just keeps growing, and in the end, I'll have a new piece of art to display.

Happy soggy day!  ♥

Christmas...in February

I used to do a lot of counted cross stitching.  Then as time went on and I started having less energy when I got home from teaching, things began to fall by the wayside, and cross stitching was one.  A few weeks before last Christmas, something spurred me to dig into a basket and pull out a tin I knew contained little cards for St. Nicholas type Santas.  And there I found one in process, started I don't know when.  I decided it would be a good TV project and began to stitch again.  

Counted cross stitch is another area where I prefer primitive type projects, and a company called The Prairie Schooler was the source of my favorite St. Nicholas designs.  They published a card every year with a new design and somewhere back in the '90's, I chanced upon them and began collecting. I don't have them all, but I have quite a few!

I have several framed that I have used for probably at least twenty Christmases, but in the tin I also found two completed St. Nick's in addition to the one I began working on.  They are the two on the bottom and I finished the top one today.

I've discovered two things.  My eyes are older!!  I need to use reading glasses and take out my contacts.  If I do that, the stitching is easy; if I don't, not so much.  And the fabric I use, 18 count Davos in khaki, is proving very hard to  find.  I have enough for one more, but there are all those others!  I've found one source on line, but I've not taken the plunge yet.  Scratch that.  With Dan's blessing, I just ordered a yard.  A very expensive yard.  

Merry Christmas!  ♥