Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  My blog is looking a little more like Christmas than Halloween.  I have had a big couple of weeks of stitching but my picture taking is more limited than my stitching.  On Saturday, my Guild had a stitching day at the Oak Park Library.  My friend that finishes for me was there so I wanted to get this ornament done.  I don't care if she has it done by Christmas but it gave me a goal to get the stitching finished. 

 The same goal applies to Hog Wash but a week later.  Next Saturday is our Libby Sturdy, Windy City Santa class and my finishing friend will be there so I want this one done by next Saturday.  As you can see from my current picture and how it looked two weeks ago, I did get a lot done for me. 

Currently

Two week's ago
I have also been working on Frog Stew and my Long Dog Sampler but I had an early morning meeting and did not have a chance to take new pictures of my progress.  That is fine, because it will give me an excuse to blog about these projects. 

My weekend was filled with stitching and very little else.  This should be a good thing but I did go a little stir crazy just hanging around the house.  I have three trips booked between Thanksgiving and New Year's so I should take advantage of this down time.

Enjoy your Halloween and the little Ghosts and Goblins that will hit the streets tonight!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Happy Monday morning!!  I feel like I have already put in a full day and in reality it is not even lunch time yet.  DH had early morning calls with Asia and another with Europe so we were up early.  Actually, I stayed in bed and read while he was getting ready.  I will finish A Discovery of Witches today.  I am really enjoying this book and I have heard others say they enjoyed it as well.  It is a 600 page Vampire/Witch book so be prepared to spend some time with these creatures. 

Speaking of Witches, Frog Stew is coming along.  We had a very quiet week and weekend last week so I got a lot of needlepoint done.  Last week, I finished her vest, hat, Frogs (other than beaded eyes and back stitching which is done at the end), the moon other than the lower left hand side still needs to be couched and the cauldron which also needs to be couched.  I think I will continue to work on her through Halloween and see what I can accomplish. 
 Hog Wash got a few more knots.  I did some of the pink flowers in the boarder and some more grass. 

 On Friday's, I typically work at home.  I had our bed torn apart and I was washing the bedding.  I had the sheets done and was waiting on the blankets to dry.  I walk into the bedroom and laying on my bed pillow at the end of my chase lounge was my little old man enjoying the down pillow.  He is 17 years old so he gets to do what he wants and I have mismatched pillow cases on my bed this week.  It is good to be the King!
Have a great stitching week.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Be Merry and Be Happy

Hi,  I am happy to report that the last couple of weeks have been pretty big stitching weeks for me.  I worked on my French Knot Pig.  Since the last time I showed this project, I finished the sky, all the flowers at the pig's feet and some more of the green, grass.  I love doing the FK projects!! 
 Windy City Santa has been around for several years.  I know I am going to look like a kiss ass, but this is going to be a class I am taking with Libby Sturdy at the beginning of November.   For some reason the top part of his lapel was confusing me.  I wanted to get this in before the class because I knew I could do it if I would think about it a bit.  Since the project was out, I finished the bronze stitching along the bottom because it was about half done.  Then I did the shoes because that was mainly basket weave and up right crosses.  I started the mittens but I think I will put this away until the class.  I will be well behaved in class and work on the beard if I am ahead of the others.  The beard is not done because I am not sure if I am doing it right.  In Libby's picture you can see the gray outline.  If I use all that thick wool, then the outline will not show so I am at a loss.
 I got a couple pieces back from the finisher.  Be Happy was finished into a scissors fob and Be Merry is a little stand up.  Both turned out so cute.  



Last weekend was the Windy City EGA Chapter's 30th Anniversary party. We had a very nice lunch and several former members were able to join us. We even got a couple of the ladies to come back to the Guild after a few years. Most were still stitching or working at their other art forms.

My weekend should be fairly quiet. I have our regular Guild meeting tomorrow and Sunday is the Chicago Marathon. I live at the half way mark so it is easy to get out and cheer the people on. I have no desire to run a marathon but I have a few friends running. After most runners are through mile 13, Bloody's and Mimosa's will be served. It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. It may be our last really good one until Spring!