A Finish, A WIP and a Plan

Here is my first Jane Austen finish,

"At Pemberley"

The Sampler Girl

Stitched on 28 count Cashel linen in Light Mocha

over 2 using the recommended threads

I ordered fabric from The Sampler Girl to complete the finish and frame.  I found two thrift store frames, I might use to frame this piece. 

This one was $2.50

This one was $1

The frames are pretty distressed, so I might paint it a dark chocolate brown.  What do you think?  I am open to ideas.  Since it is so humid here, I think I will do the frame without the glass.

I finished this one just in time, The Sampler Girl is releasing "At Delaford" on Friday.  You can also sign up for her "At Delaford" giveaway.

I am in the home stretch of Lizzie Kate's "Dogs Leave Paw Prints".  I am using the recommended colors, but I might change the Liberty thread (the heart and the words "on your").  It is a very bright cherry red that almost glows on the fabric.  I will stitch it and if I still do not like it, I will frog it out and make a replacement.

Remember this one?  Lizzie Kate's "Sons are a Special Joy".  I have decided to use a standard 8x10 frame with the addition of some coordinating fabric.  The distressed blue frame was a 50% off sale item.  This will be my first self framing project.

I will begin stitching three of the LHN 2010 Christmas ornaments when I have finished these WIPs (unless I win the "At Delaford" pattern).  Maybe stitching Christmas designs will help me to "think cool".

I have been looking for the Just Cross-Stitch Christmas Preview issue and cannot find it -- is it out at the newstands yet?  Looking forward to stitching the LHN & CCN gingerbread ornaments (among others).

Today started very dreary, but the clouds and overnight rain kept it cooler today (we have been having heat indexes over 100 - ugh).  We went into the city to run some errands, visit the cemeteries for Father's Day and have a little birthday fun for DS.

For his birthday, DS adopted Cinnamon, who will join Brownie and Honey (seeing a pattern?) in his animal menagerie.  Build-A-Bear sent DS a birthday card for a free bear (up to $12).  I could not let him come home naked, so since he was free, I bought him a t-shirt.

DS had an electrifying birthday party.  After going to Toy Story 3, the weather turned stormy and we had to replace the outdoor water slide with an indoor Wii tournament.  About an hour into the party, lightning struck two trees next to the house.  One tree exploded sending huge splinter all over the yard.  Both trees show tracks where the lightning raced around the tree ripping open the bark as it headed toward the ground.

One more thrift store find, this cross-stitch book for 50 cents.  It will make some nice holiday smalls.

Don't know why Blogger thinks these photos are landscape, but here they are.

Hope your are having a super Summer!

More Progress on Pemberley

Did some more stitching on "At Pemberley" today.

Our beautiful pink sky from last night.

It is only Tuesday!

I was sure it was Wednesday when I woke up this morning. Yippee! I just got an extra day in the week.

A stitching update . . .

Gimme a B (and a little more border)! 

"At Pemberley"

by The Sampler Girl

Stitching using the recommended threads over 2

on 28 count Cashel Linen in Light Mocha

We are two weeks into hurricane season and our first potential hurricane is being monitored in the Atlantic. This cannot be good for the oil spill situation.  All we can do is pray.  A hurricane that would push oil into the marshes, bayous, lakes and rivers would exponentially compound the environmental damage that is already taking place and would likely displace entire communities, many of the same communities that have already spent the last five years rebuilding their lives, homes and businesses from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Now, time for a blast from the past . . .

Anybody having an 80s flashback yet?

DS got new shoes today and I am now looking forward to DH's reaction when he gets home. We had to go to the adult shoe section to find a size to fit - ACKKKK!  When did that happen??

BTW, DS is ecstatic to have made the blog twice in one day ; )

A Little Post from my DS

DS wanted to share one of his school projects on my blog  (he is always asking if I put him in my blog post).  So I am turning the blog over to him . . .

My class read "Because of Winn Dixie" and we had to design a shoebox diarama of an event from the book.  I chose when Winn Dixie ran through the Winn Dixie.  This is were Opal meets Winn Dixie for the first time and she takes him home.

It was fun making all the clay fruits and vegetables for the produce department.

My Mom made the lettuces, blueberry baskets and watermelons. 

(Note from Mom:  Don't you love the little creases in the peaches and the spiky tops on the pineapples?  DS did a great job!)

Winn Dixie is also made of clay, the manager and Opal are wood.

To my dear DS (who is watching over my shoulder while I type this post),

I may not mention you in every blog post I make, but I love you more than you can imagine and grow prouder of you every day. 

I love you forever and always and all the time! 

<3  Mom

Summer Stitching

Looks like the long, hot summer has started.  Our temps are nearing (and sometimes breaking) 100 and the heat index has been as high as 115 since the humidity has stayed in the 90s.  I hope you are having more enjoyable weather where you are.

I am behind on my blog hopping, but have seen some beautiful stitching and wonderful giveaways.  I have left a few comments, but hope to catch up my viewing and commenting soon.

We are in birthday mode here as DS will be having a Toy Story 3 party.  Dollar Tree had lots of Toy Story themed merchandise and I found some reusable shopping bags with the little green alien on clearance at the Disney Store so the goodie bags & prizes are done.

As promised, here is my long overdue stitching update . . .

Lizzie Kate's "Dogs Leave Paw Prints"

Stitched using the recommended threads and fabric.

(I have stitched and frogged the blue on the dog house TWICE due to miscounting the over 2, but it is a beautiful bright blue so I guess it wasn't too bad spending the extra time working with that color.)

The Sampler Girl "I'd Rather be at Pemberly"

Stitched using the recommended threads on 28 count Cashel linen in Light Mocha

(This is really wonderful to stich. I was worried about the large blank spaces, since I often miscount, but it has been great.  The recommended fabric was 32 count, but that was too small for me, so I will have a larger finish, but I am loving it.  This will be my first Jane Austen finish.)

Little House Needleworks "Home of a Needleworker, Too"

Stitched using the recommended threads and fabric

(I was hoping to be further along on this one.  I used this as a take-along project during one of DS's after-school activities.  I will take it back up as an at-home project since it is too hot to stitch away.)

Funny for the Day

In Louisiana,  we take our golf course water hazards seriously . . .

Yep, that is a gator taking a leisurely swim at the golf course,
now that is a serious water "hazard"!

Stay cool and keep stitching!

Thinking Cool Thoughts

It is the hottest day of the year so far, 94 degrees with a heat index of 109 degrees and the fan in the central A/C stopped working this morning.  Fortunately, a repairman was able to come out right away and he is on his way to pick up the necessary part as I type this post.  However, this repair turned into an episode of "Wild Kingdom" with disturbed bees near the A/C unit and a snake heading to the bayou for a swim.  (Wish I was with Merlin watching from the safety of the helicopter -- is that too dated of a reference??  What about this one -- "Snakes!  Why does it always have to be snakes?!?")

Needless to say, there will be no stitching today (although I maybe be in desperate need of a little needle and thread therapy tonight).  I do have a new start from this weekend, Lizzie Kate's "Dogs Leave Paw Prints".

I visited my favorite LNS and purchased two new LHN ornie charts "Winter Sheep" and "The Merry Skater" and some new linen (Dirty Linen, Old Lace, Antique Ivory, and Latte) and some WDW, CC & GAST threads.

Hope you are all having a cool and pest free day.