August is rolling along

I seem to open each post with an apology for not posting often...

I do have stitching news.  I finally finished the Friendship piece by Prairie Schooler.  It's an old chart, but I've always liked this one.  I'm glad I stitched it.  Sorry the picture isn't the best...

I did make it to a nearby needlework shop a couple of weeks ago, and limited myself to some linen for charts I have that I want to do...  I was thinking I would start a Christmas ornament next, but instead I was inspired to stitch something I've had in my project basket for a few years... 

It is going pretty fast.  I already have the pumpkin in the middle done, as well as 'or treat' on the left.  I was in the mood for some halloween stitching, and I'm glad I started it.  It's going to be a fun stitch. 

I've been busy at work, we've just finished the budget for the year and I've finished the Annual Report for the library.  I'm glad to have those big projects done for the year!

I've just gotten caught up on blog reading.  You are all so productive and inspiring!  It's so much fun to see the pictures you post of your home renovations and of course all the wonderful stitching you're doing!!

I've been busy reading some good books also.  I am eagerly awaiting the new Louise Penny book, "A Trick of the Light".  It should be here by the end of the month.  If you haven't ever read any of her books, I encourage you to start with "Still Life", her first title.  You are in for a treat. 

Split Second by Catherine Coulter was the last book I finished.  Her FBI series is very good.  As you can see in my sidebar, I am on Good Reads.  If you enjoy books, it's a great site to explore. 

As I was taking the picture to post of the Prairie Schooler piece, I found my daughter had been using my camera....

I can only hope she won't be reading my blog anytime soon, or I'll be in trouble for posting this!

Minnesota Visit

Hello.  I don't know where the time is going, but it seems to be flying by at a fast pace.  I've been going to sit down and write a new post for at least a week.

We did get to my sister's house the weekend before last.  We had a great visit, spent lots of time enjoying their pool.  It was a lovely relaxing get away, just what we needed. 

We did go to visit some beautiful gardens in St. Cloud on Saturday morning.  They are the Clemson Gardens I believe.  The flowers were beautiful.  There were many beautiful fountains as well. 

Mike had a great time taking some pictures.  The gardens end up alongside the Mississippi river, with several benches and garden swings for sitting and enjoying the views.

Pink flowers are among my favorites.  These pretty petunias lined some of the walkways.

Another pretty fountain.  I didn't count how many there were...

One of the gardens was all white flowers.  They were so pretty amidst the green bushes.  But I think the hydrangeas were my favorite.  They had white, blues and pinks.

I promise to post again soon with news about stitching.  But I wanted to take the time to share these beautiful garden photos first.

Happy Stitching!

A Book related post

Hi All

I just had to share a few book updates. I just finished Bones of a Feather by Carolyn Haines.  A good cozy mystery series.  I think they are getting better as she goes. 

It sounds like we are in for some hot weather over the upcoming week. Think it will be a good opportunity to stay in the air-conditioning and do some stitching and reading. 

We hope to head North next weekend to visit my sister, brother-in-law and their family in Minnesota.  Hopefully the heat wave will have abated some by then. 

I stitched some last night on the friendship square by Prairie Schooler.  It is going to be cute.

I had an excellent surprise today.  I received a birthday gift from my son, a little late.  But am the happy recipient of some new charts and a beautiful new klemscott needle keep!  He knows what his Mom likes!

Thought I'd share a picture of some beauties blooming on our deck. We have enjoyed these colorful celoisa flowers this summer.

The pots of pink geraniums and lobelia have been pretty too. 

I also want to share a picture of Susie with her Autumn at Hawk's Run Hollow finish.  Since I was able to successfully upload my camera pictures, finally!  I love this piece, I'm thinking I will want to start it one of these days...

Happy Stitching Everyone, and Stay cool.

And the summer reading program is over....

Hi All.

I apologize for there being so few posts from my direction.  I don't know where the time is going.  It's definitely going by too fast. 

The summer reading program concluded at the library today with a "midsummer faire".  Wow.  All I can say is that all the staff were exhausted at the end of it, but pleased with how it all turned out.  We had a variety of games the kids could play, a face-painting station, a wild-hair coloring station and various food giveaways.  My dear daughter, was in charge of the hair-coloring station.  She did an excellent job giving each youngster a custom wild hair color look for the day.  All I can say is whew, glad it's all over. 

I have been stitching.  As you can see by the header on my blog I finished Americana.  It was a really fun stitch.  I then moved on to a trusted, favorite designer, Prairie Schooler.  I chose one of the friendship squares to do.  I have always liked those.  In fact, a few years ago, I did the 'road to the house of a friend' as a gift for a particular friend.  I also pulled the dmc colors for Cricket's summer chart. 

Our stitch group met this past Monday at our house.  It happened to be just a few days after my birthday, so I served them all a dairy queen ice cream birthday cake....yum.  We had a great turn out!  Everyone was there including Barb from California, and Robin returned to our group, after being absent for several years.  We all had a great time, despite the warm evening.  Susie was happy to announce she had finished Autumn at Hawks Run Hollow.  What a big accomplishment!  We were all happy for her.  

Since I posted last we made a quick weekend trip to Graceland in Memphis, TN taking our daughter and her friend.  It was a hot weekend trip, but we all enjoyed our visit to Graceland and Beale Street.  It was an adventure.

On our way to Memphis, we were going to be travelling thru Metropolis, IL.  I asked that we make a side trip to visit everyone's favorite comic book hero...

So we got a few quick pictures of the superhero, and were on our way south again.  The trip was a quick one, since we wanted to be back in Illinois for the fourth of July celebration.  But, we made it despite the traffic jams, and busy pre-holiday weekend traffic.  Thanks to my dear hubby's superior driving skills.  We were glad we didn't let the two girls head off on their own, which was their original plan.  I think they were glad to have us along also.  So it all worked out great.

Next post, I promise I will have pictures of actual stitching progress.

Berit's giveaway

Hi again.  While reading blogs yesterday, I found Berit is launching a design company. Jaunty Fox Designs, and has offered a Halloween freebie.  Take a look at the link below.

She is also doing a giveaway of a pair of beautiful scissor keepers.

http://pathofpinsandneedles.blogspot.com/

Summertime summertime....

Hello all.  I am sorry it's been so long since my last post.  I'm a bad blogger.  I have been reading your blogs from time to time, but haven't had the time to do a post.

I have been reading and stitching tho.  I just finished the newest Janet Evanovich book the other day.  Her books are always good for a laugh.  If you haven't read them, you're in for a treat.  I enjoyed the latest Dorothea Benton Frank book, Folly Beach before that.  I have now just started Nancy Thayer's new one, Heat Wave. 

I am still stitching on the Carriage House Sampler piece; "Americana".  I have really enjoyed this bit of stitching.  I'm not sure what I will start next... I haven't decided.  Maybe "Summer" by Cricket Collection...  It's not like I don't have anything to choose from. ha!

My neice, Barbara from California is here visiting in Illinois for awhile.  We have been having fun catching up.  We had a movie night the other night. We saw "Bad Teacher".  It was fun.  After viewing the previews we decided there were a few more upcoming movies we would try to catch while she was back here.  Barb is also a stitcher.  So, we get together and stitch while she's here also.  Even though Barb is my neice, she is older than I am, due to her Mom being my much older half sister.  So, we share many common interests.  We always have fun together.

I was going to share some photos on this post, but my DH has installed lightroom software for his photo editing, and my camera pics have gone into that program after I uploaded them, and I've tried to import them from there, but not having much luck this morning with that....  Guess I'm going to have to have some help.  So, I apologize for not sharing updated photos of the stitching in progress.

I will share a picture of Joplin climbing the tree in the backyard.  This is her first summer and she is loving the outdoors.  So many birds to watch....

Happy stitching!

Hot...hot...hot

Summer is making it's appearance here in the midwest!  We've had several days in the 90s..  Also, with all the rain we've had we have a lovely crop of hungry mosquitos looking for victims...

I have been busy stitching.  I finished the LaDiDa Sampler.  It was a relatively quick stitch, and it turned out great.  I haven't gone to look in my stash of frames to see if I have something that will work.  I suspect that I will be able to find one.  One of these weekends, I need to sit down and work on framing.  I have three pieces that are waiting to be put in frames.  It isn't my favorite thing to do, but once I gather up the supplies and get started it isn't so bad. 

I am currently working on a patriotic piece by Carriage House Samplings called Americana.  It is coming along.  I tend to stitch seasonal things in the season we are currently in.  The fabric in the picture looks rather yellowish.  My fabric is a nice medium tan linen.  It is going along well also.  I almost have the blue pot at the bottom done.

I've been busy reading.  I'm currently reading an older book by Dorothea Benton Frank.  I've loved all of her books.  Her new one will be out later this month.  If you're a reader, I'd love to have you 'friend' me on good reads.  It's a great website to share books.

I've been struggling with my blog header.  The picture I choose to post ends up being huge, and if I remove it, my blog header and description goes away as well.  Please bear with me and I try to figure it out....  If you have any insights, I'd be happy to hear about them... 

I do so appreciate those of you that read my blog and take the time to comment.  It's so much fun to see what you have to say. 

Happy Stitching!