Checking in...........

I know I've been ignoring the blog but it's been for a good cause.

I've been very busy volunteering for DS's HS marching band. I "work" every practice and also am in charge of ordering/buying/packing all their food and drink for both games and band contests. (for 300+ of my "closest friends")

We won second place overall in last Saturday's contest which advanced us on to State competition which will be in San Antonio on Nov. 2.

We're all so proud of the kids who've worked very hard to get this far.

After next week my "normal life" returns. I'm already thinking how much I'm going to miss those kids since I've seen them almost every day since early Aug.

It's been a while........

Same story...busy with band. The show is coming along nicely. I'm always amazed at what these kids can accomplish with all their and the directors' hard work.

I feel like this week has been a cheater week for my stitching. I had some almost finished wips that I finished up this week: sewed a button on Trilogy's Friendship, finished some leaves, tendrils, and lettering on a CEC piece from the Gentle Harvest leaflet, did some French knots and straight stitches on CCN's Season of Love Ornament, and finished the bat's ear and face, some spiders, and over one lettering on a piece from Hillside Samplings called "Come in for a Bite". For having so little stitching time, it sure feels good to have some finishes.

We have the weekend off (no football game) so I'm looking forward to getting some catching up done around home and also more quality stitching time. Everyone have a great weekend!

It's marching band season not stitching season

It's not cooking or cleaning season either. lol!

Part of me thinks I'm getting too old for this....volunteering nearly every day with DS's marching band.....doling out lots of TLC, band aids, ice bags, lugging water coolers out to the practice field, riding the hot "yellow dogs" (school buses), climbing up and down the bleachers during games, staying out way past my bedtime on those long away game nights, etc.

But.........I love these kids and am always amazed at what the directors can get them to acheive. Too soon our youngest will graduate from high school and this will all be a memory. Plenty of stitching time after that.

I did manage to finish the stitching on a couple of small pieces, Trilogy's Friendship (still needs a button or a charm) and some pinecones by Prarie Schooler.

Not much stitching time this week

DS's high school marching band camp started Monday. Since I volunteer there every day, my stitching time has been much impacted. lol!

It's been unbearably hot and humid but the kids have been tolerating it as well as expected. Part of my "job" is to help them cool down, make sure they have plenty of replacement water for their camelbacks (which we've required this year...I think they're being able to nearly constantly sip water has made a big difference in how they tolerate the heat.)

To add to my decreased stitching time, a woman backed out of her parking place and hit my minivan on the driver's side. I clearly had the right of way and she's not trying to deflect blame but it will be a hassle (and consume more of my time) getting the repairs done. We're blessed that nobody was hurt so I'm trying to stay positive about it.

I managed to finish stitching a LHN ornament called Red House in Winter. I love the color of the house on this design.

Did I mention that it's really hot here? lol!

Friday update

Summer is pretty much over. Percussion camp started yesterday (I spent the am scrubbing out band coolers. Luckily I had some great helpers so it was done much sooner than it would have without the help.) Full band camp starts Monday so I'll be there every am helping out.

I worked a bit on One Nation.

I picked up my neice's birth sampler again. Note the date...at least I hope to finish it before she starts high school. I started with a base design and made a lot of changes. I wasn't happy at all with the lighthouse I tried to design so frogged it all and just stitched the original design's lighthouse. I'm awaiting some buttons I ordered and will stitch on a couple pairs of mama and baby fish and a sea turtle on the bottom. I need to stitch on a shell button in the beach section and then I think I'm finally finished.

I have a small finish...a teapot from a CEC leaflet. It's for the teapot theme at the Brides Tree Ornament sal blog.

Until next time.....happy stitching!

2 finishes and progress

Despite it being hot/humid down here (who knew it would be hot/humid in SE TX in the summer?!) I've been keeping up with my 3 mile walks. It's great having a walking buddy to "keep me honest".

On the stitching front, this week I finished La D Da's My Sunshine. We were joking around in one of my stitching groups when a friend stitched a piece that was a song...the joke turned into starting a sing-along stitch-along so this is the piece I stitched for that. I actually cheated...it was in my wip pile...but a finish is a finish.

I also got a bit more done on One Nation. I'm loving this one...the fabric and floss are great, the theme is great. I'd better keep on loving it because it's a huge project.

And almost forgot...I did my first ever "no sew cube" finish on a Glory Bee freebie recently. It was an easy finishing technique...don't know what took me so long to try it.

Keep cool, everyone, in every way. :-)

More Patriotic Stitching

Now that I've finished CCN's Liberty Lane, I started One Nation by ByGone Stitches. It's easy stitching but LOTS of stitches.

I hope everyone enjoys their July 4th weekend and takes a little time to reflect on all the sacrifices made by others to benefit our freedom.