I am tied up in knots with empty nest syndrome but there is a light at the end of the tunnel

No photos today . . . DH took the camera to a golf tournament.

I am working on the bullion knots for the five roses on "Mother's TLC" -- I am hoping more practice will do the trick since they are looking pretty pitiful.  Once I get the knot down, I have to practice the rose shape (how many threads over, curving the knots, etc.).  I think it works better to start in the middle and work out, but would appreciate any suggestions from any one who has experience with bullions, especially using them in roses.

Our baby birds have flown the nest.  They have not gone far -- I have seen them in the trees and powerlines.  Hoping DH will pressure wash the porch on Friday morning - that corner has gotten pretty dirty.

DS will be marking a major milestone later this week.  Here is a hint . . .

Mardi Gras World

Had a great time on DS's field trip to Mardi Gras World!  It was really great to see some of the more beautiful floats up close.  The Beouf Gras float (center top) is usually shown surrounded by parade goers so you never see the sides.  Most of these floats were for Orpheus (Harry Connick, Jr.'s krewe), but there were also floats from Rex, Zulu and Bacchus.

We made it back and enjoyed a picnic before the thunderstorms started.   Great start to a busy weekend.

I have a little stitching progress, but will try for more stitching time before posting another pic.

There goes the thunder . . . time to unplug the computer.

Grab your waders and your pirogue, it is going to be a frog-strangler!

Checkout Jennifer's Giveaway

Need another pair of Ginghers for your collection
or do you, like me, want a first pair? 

Then checkout Jennifer's giveaway at Feathers in the Nest Mother's Day Giveaway.

Help, do you remember this . . .?

UPDATE:  Thanks Angela for identifying Lisa/Hockey Mom as the stitcher and "A Walk in the Park" by LHN as the design.

Walk in the Park by Hockey Mom (Lisa)

Does anyone remember which blogger stitched the dog memorial design and then attached it to a painted box to hold the dog's collar and other mementos? 

They stitched as a gift for a family member or friend who had just lost a dog.  It was in the last 3 months (that really does not narrow it down does it?).

Or if you know the name/designer of the pattern?  I have tried to look it up on Hoffman & Norden, but I am not using the right search terms.

Thanks for your help!

I have a notebook that I will keep nearby to jot down such tidbits in the future (and OneNote to save them electronically -- if I can remember to use it).

You Gotta Have Heart

I have finished the red heart on "Mother's TLC".  I will be stitching more of the phrase and the right and bottom borders.  Then to practice my bullion knots on some remnant fabric.

Looking forward to DS's school field trip this week -- they are going to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World.  I have never been, so it should be interesting.

As a bonus, I will be near one of my LNSs to make a little fabric and thread purchase for some upcoming WIPs (including Pemberley).  I refuse to look at any charts . . . except the LHN ornaments since I am behind on those . . . or a couple of must have charts from my wish list (that I plan to stitch for gifts).

Porch Bird Update

I have been a little worried about my porch bird family, I never hear any peeps or see any movement from the nest (except the mother coming and going).  Since the loss of one bird over the weekend, I was concerned about what I might find when I peeked in the nest today. 

I could never get a definitive count on the number of the birds.  Today, I could count three beaks and we lost one, so that leaves one egg for which I cannot account.  It does appear to be quite a tight fit a fourth bird may be in there.  They are growing and their feathers are coming in.  They seem more alert, so I guess everything is just fine, which I find amazing considering how DIRTY this nest is!  DISGUSTING!!!!!  I almost did not put the picture up, but my house isn't always "blog" ready either.

We will be power washing this part of the porch as soon as the last bird leaves the nest.

Have a great week!!!!

New Stash from the Sampler Girl

I saw this and knew I had to have it!  Hoping to make a LNS run for fabric and threads later this week.

I'd Rather be at Pemberly

Wonder if Tanya has anything up her sleeve for Delaford . . .

Stitching My Heart Out

There is a lot of AMAZING stitching going on out there!  I have been checking all my favorite blogs (that means yours!), but have not done much commenting.

I am looking for your input . . .

I do most of my stitching "in-hand" and my "holding" hand is beginning to ache after stitching, so I am considering purchasing a floor frame (possibly to use with Q-Snaps or a hoop).  I do have a wooden scroll lap frame for larger pieces, I enjoy using it, but it has some drawbacks for my personal use and I think I might like to try a floor frame.   

Every stitcher has their own individual stitching "style" (two-handed, travelling, high volume, etc.) and not every frame will work for every stitcher.  I would like to hear some pros and cons to get me started since it is a little like buying a mattress . . . it feels comfortable in the store during your 5 minute "test drive", but maybe not so comfortable when you begin sleeping on it for 8 hours a day, every day.

Thanks, in advance, for your comments.

Stitching Update - "Mother's TLC" by Theron Traditions

Got more of the red heart done . . .

Porch Bird Update

What DIRTY birds!!!!

One of the babies fell out of the nest over the weekend.  DH & DS gave it a proper burial.

Updates on (Almost) EVERYTHING (including a very fab giveaway)

TUSAL

Here is my April TUSAL post . . . lots more color in the jar this time around.

Porch Bird

Caught mama bird looking for food for her brood.  Missed the pic of the peeps with their open beaks sticking up above the edge of the nest.  Maybe tomorrow.

I took some baby bird pics, but they were not looking their best today.  I need to put something for perspective near the chicks when I do my next post, just hard to use both hands when standing on a stool and trying to avoid touching the nest.  The babies look large in yesterday's picture, but they were tiny when I saw their heads up during their feeding.

Watching, Stitching & Reading

I am watching the P.D. James Ultimate Collection (all 13 BBC produced series) while I am stitching.  Not really the best choice, since I keep having to go back over sections because I missed something.  I am currently stitching the big heart on the Mother's TLC, so there are no color changes, but I am trying to make sure I end & start the rows correctly.

Just started two new books today . . .

1. Glazed Murder: A Donut Shop Mystery ("A little sugar never killed anyone")
2. The Viper's Nest:  A 39 Clues Mystery (These only take me a couple of hours to finish, so they are a quick fun read - I highly recommend for 5th - 8th grade)

Eating

Went out to lunch with my DM and had my favorite:  eggplant pizza and salad.  Then DS & I splurged and ate dinner at Copeland's.  We even ordered dessert to-go -- Bananas Foster Cheesecake.  Since I had a $5 off coupon and we will split the dessert 3 ways, it is a smallish splurge.

52 Flea 400th Post Giveaway

Laura at 52 Flea is having a giveaway to celebrate her 400 post.  She always has such lovely posts and finds the most wonderful things.  Stop by to check out her blog, it will become one of your favorites, too --

Stitching Update ("Mother's TLC") and More Baby Birds

Did a little stitching on Mother's TLC, it is really taking shape.  The overlapped section of the hearts is stitched in the Claret / and then the \ in Victorian Pink, can't wait to see how that looks.

I took another picture of our "porch" bird peeps.  Are they not the cutest little siblings?  There were five eggs, but I am not sure if that is three heads and one body or five heads.  We have to take the photo above our heads (my camera has a swivel screen so we can see a little).  The photo in the previous post had three splotchs of green "goo" around the edge of the nest, guess that was food since it was gone when I took this photo (Yech!).   DS was hoping to save the egg shells, but I have a feeling they will be crushed to bits.  They have not started chirping yet, but I will keep you updated on their progress. 

Natalie,  We were not able to mount a mirror above the nest, but using a small hand mirror and a left over piece of PVC pipe, DS made a "bird-ocular".   Thanks for the suggestion!

Question:  Is my blog slow to "open"?

Thank you everyone for all your comments, I just love reading comments!

Porch Bird Update -- Happy Birthday!

Had hoped for another egg picture, but too late for that now . . .

Happy Birthday little ones!

Did get a little stitching done last night and doing a little more now, so back to it. : )

Still no stitching : (

But today I . . .

• spent the afternoon with family
• hid eggs for a belated egg hunt (is it mean to hide pink eggs in the azaleas and green eggs in the tall grass?)
• enjoyed the first barbeque of the year
• rolled tamales
• cut DS's hair (only to have it "fixed" by my SIL stylist -- will be taking lessons this summer)

I know I will have some stitching time coming up on Wednesday and Thursday, but I may have to set aside one hour tomorrow to do some stitching, I miss it too much to wait until Wednesday.

Hope you got some stitching in since I will be checking your blogs after this post.

Please visit again later in the week, not only do I hope to have some stitching progress to share, but I will have new chart acquisitions and a TUSAL post.

Stay-cation Update

Our porch bird is still caring for her eggs. 

We keep listening for the sound of chicks.

It is the height of azalea season,
guess all that cold weather was good for them.

That "bush" is almost 2 stories high!

 

Knock-out roses by the dozens in all shades of pink and happy-faced pansies.

What a beautiful day with wonderfully mild temperatures!

I brought my stitching with me, but it never made it out of the bag.

I even tried to stop by a LNS,
but arrived 30 minutes after it closed.

Still had a wonderful time! 
I highly recommend a stay-cation, all of the fun - none of the fuss!

Wishing all my blogging buddies and equally beautiful weekend!

A Little Progress . . .

I made a little stiching progress on Mother' TLC by Theron Traditions . . .

A Louisiana Stay-cation

Looking forward to making this week's school break into a mini-staycation (with some spring cleaning mixed in for good measure).  Thinking of taking DS to the French Quarter to do some touring -- 

St. Louis Cathedral

Cabildo Interesting Fact:  The Mansard roof (3rd floor) was a very recent addition (mid 20th century) to provide additional storage space for the museum.  While the Quarter is called "French", most of the French architecture was lost in the fire of 1788 and the city was rebuildt using Spanish style architecture including the Cabildo (note the Spanish style arches on the 1st & 2nd floors).  Most local historians (and I would assume architects) cringe at the sight.

Presbytere (also "topped" with a Mansard roof)

1850 House (inside the Pontabla Buildings - they flank Jackson square)  The Pontalba buildings are mostly filled with residents (I alway wished I could live there - just for a year), but the 1850 house is decorated to show how the "apartments" would have looked when they were first built.  Interesting Fact: The iron scroll work balconies have the initials AP included in the design for the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba who had them buildt

Maybe even the Riverfront Tour.  I would love to take him on the riverboat, but may save that for the summer.  These are all located on/near Jackson Square and so is Cafe du Monde so beignets are a must!  Poboys for lunch and a snowball for the ride home.

   

May also do a little "sightseeing" in the Baton Rouge area.  DS is studying Louisiana history this year and has expressed interest in visiting sites he is studying.

Does not sound like I have left much time (or energy) for that Spring cleaning I mentioned earlier (or even any stitching), but some things are best done before we reach 98 degree temps with 100% humidity.

BTW, the snowball stands are now open --

I will save that for a future (very yummy) posting!

Y'all don't mind if I wax nostalgic about New Orleans for a few posts, do you?

Blog Background - I like changing my background/theme, so here I go again . . .

Goodbye to the Easter Background

Hello to the new "flavor of the month (or week or day or . . .)"

Happy Easter

Alleluia!
He is Risen!

A Joyous Easter
to you and yours.

Got Eggs?

We do!

We took a peek in the nest of our porch bird and found five beautiful blue eggs.

I think the white-ish fluffy stuff is the stuffing from my yard swing.  Yesterday, caught a squirrel red-handed with a mouth full of stuffing for it's nest, too! 

There is now an almost 12x12 hole in my swing seat!  ARGHHHHH!

We have some of these eggs, too.

Have not done much stitching this week and am suffering withdrawal symptoms.  There is no school next week so my stitching prospects look bleak, but looking forward to spending extra time with DS (and no homework).