Stitching again...and a PSA

Now that our daughter's wedding is over and we're back to empty nesting, I've begun to start stitching again.

Here's current progress on a PS  bunny design (book 111):

Next up is LHN's Old Glory.  (I'm participating in a LHN patriotic sal.)

I dug out a long-standing wip/ufo (bowing my head in shame) from Hinzeit...Sweet Land of Liberty and stitched a bit on it this week:

Since the picture was taken, I stitched an elephant below (left side) the whale.  Funny story about this one.  I was on my way out the door after buying some stitching stash at a LNS in Berlin, OH when I spotted this one as a model.  I immediately turned around, asked where it was in the shop, and bought it.  Maybe I'll finally finish this one this year.

Now for a brief PSA:  I visited a new dermatologist (previous one retired last summer) shortly before the wedding to have some AK's (actinic keratosis--precancer lesions) frozen off my face.  Since it was a new dermatologist, I showed her a mole on my leg that I've always had.  She got a little excited, biopsied it, and it turned out to be a melanoma.  Thank God an early one!  I hadn't noticed any changes in it since having it checked the last time and almost didn't show it to her.  I had it resected and danced at DD's wedding with 15 stitches in my leg.  I just had the stitches removed and the pathology report showed that they got all the cancer out.  Get those skin checks done, everyone!

Happy stitching!

Wedding!

I haven't been stitching much lately but for a very good reason.  We traveled to San Francisco for DD's wedding.  We don't yet have the photographer's pictures but here are a few snapshots of the wedding and related activities:

DH and me:

Groom's parents.  We enjoyed getting to meet them "in person" (previously "met" them on Skype).  What lovely people they are!:

First dance:

Bride and Groom, Bride's parents, Groom's parents at dinner the night before the wedding:

Men in Kilts:

Wedding in the woods.  It was a beautiful spot and also smelled beautiful:

DH and me atop Lombard St. in San Francisco:

Beach picnic:

Preparing for the photographer to take pictures.  Bride and groom with bride's brothers:

Groom's mother, sister, and sister's boyfriend:

Bride chose this for me to stitch for them.  They love hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities so this seems perfect for them.

Jordan almonds wedding favor made by my SIL and me:

We also celebrated bride's grandpa's birthday at beach picnic the day before the wedding:

Birthday boy (my Dad) and me:

Pizza party for bride's and groom's family hosted by us...DH made the pizza's and I made apple and lemon meringue pies:

We stayed at an airbnb apt. in Noe Valley (our first time using airbnb...won't be our last!) and these were "our" cats in the courtyard.  The one on the left is very friendly and named Magillakitty.  Unnoticed, he snuck into the apartment one day but I noticed him when he jumped on my face at 2:00 am that night.  lol!

I haven't done much stitching during the festivities.  I hope to have some stitching pictures to share soon.

Happy stitching!

Progress Report

I'm stitching away on a model and hope to finish it by the end of next week.

I took a little time out from model stitching for this wip (I was inspired by seeing someone's finished one and realized that I haven't very many stitched things for Easter.)

PS R is for Rabbit

After a grim news week (Baltimore), it was nice to see the happy news about the birth of a royal daughter in Great Britain...and the news that the new Longmire series is now on Netflix.

The weather here the last few days has been glorious...and yet here I sit inside at the computer.  I'll have to set up a stitching nest outside later.

Happy stitching!

Storms, Stitching, and Wedding Prep

We've been experiencing some strong thunderstorms lately in our area.  A week ago Friday, a really violent thunderstorm with torrential rain, hail, and strong winds (up to 72 MPH) came through.  We had a lot of branches and trees down in our yard, the lake behind our house is up into our yard, and our poor PC was fried.  Luckily a friends' DH who, I discovered, is an IT guy was successfully able to diagnose and treat it.  He refused to take any money for helping us so we had him and my friend over for dinner last night.

Wouldn't you know it, another strong storm went through this am too.  This storm wasn't as bad (although I found out after the fact that we were under a tornado warning) and aside from the lake level rising even further, the PC is OK.

Nikki from Country Cottage Needleworks released one of the designs for which I stitched the model...Seasonal Celebrations-Summer.  I really enjoyed stitching this one.

I'm stitching another model now but took a little time out to stitch this cutie from Homespun Elegance...Patriotic Home.  It's a gift to the Star Spangled Stitchers group on Facebook.

Our daughter's wedding is quickly approaching.  I'd been shopping unsuccessfully for a dress and starting to get a little nervous about finding something until Tuesday night when I finally found the dress.  The next day I found shoes and now just looking for accessories.  I'm not much of a shopper so this has been an annoyance for me.  lol!  We're all getting excited for the wedding and looking forward to seeing family we haven't seen for a while.  The groom is from Scotland and will be wearing his kilt.  We "met" his parents (in Scotland) via Skype and are looking forward to meeting them in person.  The week before the wedding, they've invited us for dinner at their airbnb apt and we will be hosting them and their family and ours another night.  DH is "famous" for his pizza so it will be a pizza party.  I'll be making pies....our future son-in-law strongly hinted that they should be lemon meringue so lemon meringue they shall be.  :-)  There will also be a picnic on the beach the day before the wedding, dinner out the night before the wedding with the happy couple, the groom's parents, and DH and me, and a BBQ the day after the wedding.  DD's idea was that the picnic and BBQ will give everyone a relaxed time to spend some time together.  I think it's a great idea!

Happy stitching!

Friday Finish

Rotted But Not Forgotted by Paulette Stewart for JCS.

I'm currently working on another model.  One that I stitched will be released soon so I hope to be able to show it next week.

Happy stitching!

A Finish and a WIP

I finished a small LK freebie called Freedom for an exchange block for one of my stitching groups. 

For my April tombstone theme for the Halloween ornament sal group, I'm stitching Rotted but not Forgotted by Paulette Stewart.  (Sorry, it's so crooked.)

I also just started Lucy Redd but there's not enough done yet to even take a picture.

I'll be devoting most of my stitching time this week to a model.

We spent the past weekend in Austin visiting with and making a cookie/pie delivery to our sons.  The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and black eyed susans were beautiful along the roads.

Happy stitching!

Hetty Child Sampler and Hoo Hoo finished

I finished Hanna Child by The Sampler Company this week.  I really enjoyed stitching her and was almost sad after putting in the last stitch.  I haven't signed her yet.  I'm debating (with myself) about whether to do my regular initials/date in the corner or to stitch a bit more in the margin that will be covered after framing.  I'll think about it for a while.

My next sampler will be Lucy Redd (Homespun Elegance).  I'd love to have sal buddy on this one.

I also finished Hoo Hoo by Hands on Designs.  (It appears in the 2014 JCS Halloween issue.)

Happy Easter!

Happy stitching!