Out with the Old, In with the New

My resolution list is never long.  In fact, it normally consists of one single thing.  Can you guess what it is?  Lose weight?  Nope (although it should be a perennial resolution).  Exercise more?  Nah (again, should be, but...).  Stitch more?  O don't I wish.

My annual resolution is to......................drumroll please..............

CLEAN OUT THE REFRIGERATOR!

And I don't mean the "lick and a prayer" kind of clean.  I mean the "empty everything out and take the drawers out, scrub shelves, etc." kind of clean.  (out with the old, in with the new.) 

I know, I know.  Folks are always confusing me with Paris Hilton because of the glamorous life we both lead.  And our shoe collections.

This year though, I'm adding a few new resolutions to the list:

• Finish redecorating guest bedroom #1 (photos coming soon) before Halloween (out with the old, in with the new)
• Finalize planning for the 2010 Italy trip (ASAP)
• Lose weight before Italy trip (ASAP)
• Practice Italian lessons daily
• Stitch three pieces for guest bedroom (Ironwork of New Orleans, Assisi bird doorknob ornament, reproduction blackwork)
• Plan ahead in order to enjoy two major EGA meetings (WV in June and CA in September)

All in all, 2010 will be a very exciting and busy year for hubby and me.  Hence the Halloween deadline on the redecorating.  I've learned from years past that no matter what it is, if it's not done by Halloween, it probably isn't getting done until the new year. 


No matter where you are tonight, I hope you are warm and happy.  I wish each and every one of you a very safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!

a Flurry of Finishing and the Santa Saga

I've had the glue gun out again kids!  Got by with just 2nd degree burns this year.....Yay me! 

First up, my only new ornament for the tree this year:

Christmas House

freebie from Giulia Punti Antichi

I love that my EGA chapter strongly believes in offering educational yet manageable monthly programs.  This ornament was our December program.  I was very glad to be able to hang it on the tree this year.  My goal, every year, is to make a new Christmas ornament for the tree.  Sometimes it happens, sometimes it don't.  No biggie, but, I really was happy to get this one 'finish-finished' before the sands run out on 2009.

Next:

Last year, a dear friend gifted me this very cute stocking.  She left it unfinished so I could talk to it and find out what it wanted to be (she knows me so well).  You see, she wasn't born with the crazy gene that allows people, like myself, to talk to inanimate objects.  Anyway....as I was saying.....in late 2008, this cutie came to live with me.  It told me straight away that it didn't want to be an ornament, but it wasn't sure what it wanted to be.  So, respecting it's wishes, I just laced it onto some cardboard, for safe-keeping and propped it up against a small vase so it could be enjoyed in the stitching room. That was over a year ago.  

THEN, the other day, out of the blue, while I was sitting in my stitching room waiting for the laundry to do itself, the little stocking said, "Hey, you remember that awesome easel tutorial you saw over here?  That's what I want to be!"  So, with that information, I found just the right backing fabric (IMHO) and let the glue fly!

The only adaption I made was using stiff felt in place of cardboard for the back portion.  I simply applied glue to a strip of stiff felt, bent the felt in two places, covered with the strip with fabric, glued the seam in place, and tucked the excess on both ends in between the front layers. 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  

I love it very much and think of my stitching friend everytime I look at it.

Lastly, here is where we left off with the Santa "drawing board":

And, where he stands now (by the way, it takes 8 BIG Hos, ~ahem~  to do Santa):

I still need to chart something for the backside and attach the back panel to the Ho band.  It may be a bit too much for such a small ornament, but I have made a red and white "peppermint twist" tassel to attach to the bottom of this cutie.  I really can't wait to put the last stitch in this one!  It's been a challenge.

Finally, I want to share with you the "pre-oven" glamour shot of the best darn pumpkin dessert ev-vah:

OMG.  That's all I'm sayin'.  If you plan on having any more pumpkin anything between now and next October, I highly recommend giving this recipe a spin.  (click on "pumpkin dessert" above for recipe). 

Better hurry and make this one before Jan 1st, while

the calories are still "half off"!  ;-)

Another one in the books

Rejoice, Rejoice!

For unto us is born this day in the city of David,

a Saviour who is Christ the Lord!

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes , lying in a manger.

White Out

Momma's little helper

my work here is done. 

-Carmen

As we hunker down for a blast from the North Pole tonight, I had a little help in the kitchen.  On the menu for the weekend is beef stroganoff, chicken marsala, Italian sausage calzones and perhaps a hearty little beef stew. 

With Christmas less than a week away, many things will keep me from blogging, but I am wishing you and yours a beautiful holiday filled with love and joy and warmth and peace, wherever you may be.

The Reason...

freebie design found here

by Giulia Manfredini of Giulia Punti Antichi

"Chicca's Christmas House"

Christmas exchange

My EGA chapter had it's annual Christmas party and exchange today and a good time was had by all!  The lunch was Italian style and I'm pretty sure it will be weeks before I need to eat again.  Mama Mia, it was good!

The gift exchange theme this year was "containers".  You know how we love our stuff holders!  Here is the candy container I made out of an empty risotto rice container.  Considering it was risotto, I figured I get "bonus points" for it fitting right into our Italian theme.

How darn cute are those peppermint buttons in the corners? 

 For anyone interested, the design is from an old hardback Better Homes and Gardens Christmas book.  I used 18ct Aida, folded under a top and bottom seam allowance and just ironed it.  No need to stitch or fuse the edges since it is laced corset-style through eyelets on the backside.  The new owner can easily remove the band and replace it throughout the year.  Hope they like it! 

 I think I need to stitch another one to keep. 

Maybe next year!

Random not so Mystery Give Away Winner is...

Big hugs to all commentors from November and December!  I shuffled all entrants off to the oracle and here are the results:

There were 37 items in your list.  Here they are in random order:

1. Vera
2. Sadie
3. Corinna

Congratulations Vera!  I know your Scottish heart will be a little warmer (if that is possible) with your tartan scissors cube close by.
 
Again, I've enjoyed these past few months of give-aways so much, I'm sure you will be seeing at least a few new give-aways in the New Year!
 
Be safe and warm dear friends!!!

How many Ho's does it take to do Santa?

Sounds like the beginning to a very bad joke, huh? 

Well, actually, I kinda wish it was a joke.  Instead, it is a very real question that I've spent a good deal of time considering lately.  You see, I'm trying to figure how many "Ho Ho Hos" I would need to stitch on a band to go around this extremely cute little turkeyworked Santa in order to make a mattress style pin cushion ornament.    Wouldn't he be just adorable with a "Ho Ho Ho" band all the way around him?  Maybe a tassel at the bottom and a twisted cord hanger at the top?

Sounds simple enough, right? Measure the perimeter of your ornament, multiple by the count of your fabric, divide by 2 and there you go, right? One would think so.  BUT, just about then, I had a math flashback to 7th grade where we learned Pythagorean theorem or the rule of right angle triangles, you know, "A squared + B squared = C squared". 

Since the Jolly Ol' Elf was set up perfectly for a diamond shaped ornament, I said to myself, WAIT JUST A COTTON PICKIN MINUTE HERE.  I think I've seen this before on a Math Field Day test....from the tip of the ornament to the left most point is 1.5 inches, but that does not equate to 21 stitches on my 28 count fabric (1"=14, 1.5"=21).  NO SIREE BOB.  Let's see here, yep, looks like the math points to 16 stitches!  Okay, so 16 stitches per side, four sides, that makes 64 stitches.  So I need to chart a band, 64 stitches long, with Hos on the right and Hos on the left and an eyelet in the center for the twisted cord hanger.  Right?  Wrong.  I'm not stitching the Hos on the diagonal.  If I were stitching the Hos diagonally, that calculation would be right.  However, I'm stitching the Hos on the straight, so I need 6 inches of Hos altogether, which on 28 ct (over 2) amounts to 84 stitches or 42 to center for eyelet.  SO (shaking head).  How many Hos does it take to cover 40 or less stitches?  It depends on whether you're stitching big Hos or little Hos.  Big Hos can cover 8 to 10 stitches, while little Hos might just cover 7.  

The worst part about this whole thing is that as busy as the hubby and I have been lately, I haven't been able to sit down with pencil and paper and chart this out, so at night, instead of visions of sugarplums, you guessed it, I'm having visions of Hos!  What I know for sure is that I'll be lacing an 84 stitch-long band into a border of 64 backstitches around my Santa. 

How many Hos Santa will actually end up with is still a mystery, but the fewer, the better, (just ask Tiger).  Oh yes I did! 

As good as done!

Awoke this morning to a coat of freshly fallen snow.  It was quiet beautiful.  But, like most Saturdays in December, I was rushing around and did not get to enjoy it for long.

Still sneaking in a stitch or two on my Autumn square whenever I can. I feel certain that I'll be putting the finishing stitches in this baby in the next 24 hours.  I CAN'T WAIT to get it to the framer!!!  She has some very interesting options already picked out for me to consider.

please click on pic for better view

"Autumn"

Indigo Rose

with Splendor and Thread Gatherer silks on 32 ct. linen

And I'll leave you with a little Christmas cheer...

Hope you all are enjoying all the gifts of the season!

Slower than molasses in January

Both my Autumn square and the man-tastic workshop are inching closer to completion:

phone picture (again), better quality later...

As you can see, the offending yellow leaf has been frogged.  But, I swan, every time I go off the reservation and attempt to modify color schemes, projects take me twice as long as they normally should, which is forever and a day at my best rate!  Why must I fritz with perfectly good patterns?  Why?  Is it just me?  Do they make pills for this? 

Minor stiff neck has put an early end to my stitching tonight.  Bummer. 

Took two tablets and hoping for the best!  :o)

My November Random Mystery Giveaway Winner is...

List Randomizer

There were 2 items in your list from November 23rd.

Here they are in random order:

1. Carol R

 

 

Congratulations Carol!  If you'll send me your snail mail address, I'll pop your surprise in the mail this week!

 

My final give-away winner will be announced (on the random secret lucky day) in December.  Remember all commentors from November and December will go in the magic hat for the tartan Ginghers and scissors cube. 

 

 

 

When I read your comments, they feel like warm sunshine on my face and I wish you all the BEST of LUCK in my final give-away of the year.

 

Autumn progress

I was fretting over the 'something's missing' element in this Most Excellent Autumn/Blackwork piece.  Then out of the blue, it came to me.  I realized while it had almost ALL of my favorite elements (fall colours, blackwork, silks, acorns, Rhodes, rice and queen stitches),  it had no hand-dyed (or overdyed) threads.   I KNOW!!!  What took me so long to figure that out?!?  Well, I hopped over to the LNS quicker than you could say 'coffee break' and picked up some Thread Gatherer "Autumn Honey" silk.  Can you see where I worked it in?

"Autumn"

by Indigo Rose

various Splendor silks and Thread Gatherer "Autumn Honey"

If I double up on the caramel brulee triple lattes, I just might be doing the happy dance before the week is out!

Giving Thanks for Traditions...

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, today I'm giving thanks for Traditions.  The turkey is on order, grocery list complete, table is set, Christmas cards secured, and I'm counting the hours till the house swells with family and I'm tuning in the MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE!


The Virgo in me springs to life with the careful planning and structured activities of the holidays.  As a working person, in order for me to preserve what precious little sanity I have left (don't laugh) AND enjoy the holidays, all preparations/festivities from November through Jan 1 must be scheduled with military like precision. 


Holidays are to be enjoyed, right?  Therefore, One.Must.Plan.


Designing menus, scheduling the grocery shopping (as you all know, if you need crushed pineapple or canned whole cranberries, you better know where to go and when), selecting gifts, decorating the house and updating the Christmas card list are all "fun for me" holiday activities.  However, one of my favorite memories of the holidays is from the early years of my life as a new step-mom.


When my youngest stepson was little, we did lots of crafts together.  When I cross stitched, he cross stitched. When I decorated cakes, he decorated cakes.  We really had lots of fun together and came to know each other better through crafting. 


One year, around the holidays, we thought it would be fun to make candles together so for some reason or another, the day after Thanksgiving became our "candle making day".  We used old Tupperware parfait glasses as molds to make tree-shaped green wax candles, then whipped white wax which we randomly applied to the green candles making them look like they were snow laden.  If we hadn't eaten all the silver non-pareils (who remembers those?!) by the time we got around to making the candles, we'd stick some of those into the white wax before it set, you know, to spiff them up a smidge.  Then, when our little forest of candles were cool, we'd carefully store them until Christmas Eve evening when we would light the family room with nothing but those candles and the Christmas tree.  The glow was so beautiful!

Even though our post-Thanksgiving candle making sessions have long gone by the wayside, I'll never forget the fun we had making them and beauty they gave us on Christmas Eve.

What fun, crafty, maybe atypical, holiday traditions do you and your family enjoy?

I plan to pop back in with a stitching update between now and Thursday, but if I get crazy and don't, I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with love, comfort, family and tradition!

Giving Thanks for Indian Summer...

Good Great weather has given us ideal building conditions this past week.  Rain coming soon, but no complaints.  We could use a little rain with some many dead leaves floating around.  As you can see, the garage concrete floor has been poured and the deck off the workshop has been built.  I took a quick spin through the Dave Cave this afternoon and was very impressed. 

I think it's going to be exactly what hubby has been wanting.

Giving Thanks for Starry Nights

Warning:  If you're not in the "turning lemons into lemonade" kind of mood, just move on. 

I've read about it everywhere so it's no revelation to anyone that the shorter days we are experiencing here in the upper hemisphere are downright depressing.  However, the long nights do have one magnificent thing to offer.  Nooooooooo, not THAT!  I'm talking about starry starry nights. 

While I was outside Thursday night (on a work-night mind you), around half past midnight (wait, it gets better), chasing down my evil, run-away, skunk scented d.o.g. (yes, you read right), I lifted my head star-ward (so God could hear me better), and after saying a particularly "special" and long prayer, I opened my eyes and almost couldn't believe what I was seeing.  The sky was lit up like a gold digger on New Years Eve at a Boca Raton retirement home. 

Constellations like Orion, Cassiopeia, the Big and Little Dipper have never failed to captivate me with their unaltering perfection. 

Last night, they all danced like diamonds on an inky blue velvet canvas. 

I think I shall try out the night photography setting on my camera tonight.

Footnote:  Gently used (stinky), house-broken, ten year old K9, FREE to a good home.  Act now and you'll also receive two scrub brushes, a case of pet shampoo, 80 lbs. of prescription dog food, a years supply of skin allergy medication and one doggie rain coat.  Don't delay!  This offer won't last long!!!

Giving Thanks for Freedom...

My gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with all the men and women of the Armed Forces today.   When I begin to consider all they have given me, it is hard to take in.   My father, husband and now youngest step-son have all worn a soldiers uniform. 

I thank them and all veterans today for my freedom.

Long may she wave.

Giving Thanks for Saturdays

Tis the season to be thankful and I am sooooo thankful for the gift that was today.  Hubby and I slept in then went out for brunch, and enjoyed the warm, sunny, breezy beautiful day.  I didn't step foot inside of a grocery store or a Wal-Mart.  I actually stitched a little this afternoon while I caught up some laundry.  

See.   Progress:

As you can see, I still haven't decided what to do about the yellow leaf in the middle of it's band.  What I think I'm going to do is stitch the rest of the rows in the colours I'm sure of, then go back and fill in with whatever colours make sense.  I do love this piece and can't wait to see that big leafy/acorn blackwork section all the way finished.  After that part is done, the rest will be a cinch. 

I also recently took the time to dress up one of the threadboards I brought back from EGA National:

It was "naked" when I bought it, so I added a little felt to one end, a little tomato pin cushion to the other, button-holed a 'strap' for the pointy end of the tiniest scissors you've ever seen, and whaaaa-laaaaa!  Now we're cooking with gas.

Speaking of cooking with gas, the contractors have made excellent use of the good weather lately. 

I think they should be right on track for a Thanksgiving ribbon cutting ceremony.

Until next time, here's hoping you're having a wonderful weekend. 

Give Thanks!

Calgon? Can you hear me calling?

Sweet baby Jesus, it's been a hellacious WEEK and it's only Wednesday!  Anyone working in the public service sector knows that the first of the month, with a full moon, 50 days to Christmas, with a weak economy is the perfect recipe for NIGHT-MARE.  THEN, just to push me over the edge, the postmaster calls this morning and says "MASS LOSS".  Well folks, next time I hear those two magic words in the same sentence, I'll march straight to my desk, pull out a leave slip, put my purse on my shoulder and head to the closest happy hour I can find.   I could go on, but I will spare you.  I only go down this road because it's my excuse for not having much of a stitching update for you.

However!  I do have a little someone special back from the framer:

As soon as I laid eyes on this frame, I thought it was perfect. 

"Expensive" warned the framer. 

Naturally.   I have a knack for that.

And here she is in her new digs:

Overlook the mess - please.

I would love to tell you I've been stitching away on my Autumn blackwork square OR my Christmas slipper sewing set, but alas, not much going on in that department.  My mind has just been too chaotic with work stuff to settle down at night and focus.  Pitiful excuse, I know.

There is however a lot going on outside:

And actually, this picture is two days old.  When I can get home before nightfall (stupid time change!), I'll grab a couple of new shots for you.  Lots of progress.  I wish I could say the same thing about either of my WIPs. 
Hubby is ecstatic!  Seriously.  I can't remember seeing him this excited in a LOOOOOoooooong time.  He's given up sleep and logged more hours at Lowe's and Home Depot lately than one would think healthy.  It's ok though because in a month, he'll be as happy as a hog in slop, in his workshop, with his man friends, drinking coffee, telling lies, and probably spitting and scratching, or whatever men do when they get together in their sanctuaries.

Lastly, in case you haven't heard already, Brightneedle has retired all it's designs and they are only designing teaching pieces now.  If you have any of their designs on your wish list, you might want to go ahead and grab them up while you can still get them.

That's all the news that's fit to print today friends.  Hopefully I'll have a great big fancy stitching update for you next time.

What did you do with your extra hour?

Autumn is my favorite season and blackwork is one of my favorite needlework styles, so needless to say, I am totally loving this piece.  Stitching with a single strand of silk is such treat.  However, I'm pretty sure the yellow leaf in the middle of it's row is going to have to be frogged.  It's just a bit too, mmmm, yellow.  I've photoshopped two additional leaves (#1 and #7) to illustrate what the row will (sort of) look like finished.  I've only just begun the largest section, in the left hand corner.  It's going to be a lot of blackwork, which means FUN. FOR. ME! 

Stay tuned.  More to come....

Happy November friends!

Revealing the December Mystery Giveaway...

O what fun it's been hosting my monthly random mystery giveaway these last few months.  Letting Random.org do most the work and select my lucky day each month, and randomly select a winner from those leaving a comment on the lucky day.  Commentors don't know which day is lucky or what the prize might be.  It's been a blast for me!  But, rules were made to be broken, right?  So.  I've been plotting my final (December) giveaway for a while now.  I knew I wanted to give away something a little extra special, like a pair of the Mia Gingher scissors:

since they are so perfect for Christmas.

BUT WAIT, there's more.......I started having visions of a matching scissors block. 

What's that, you say?  A matching scissors block?  You've never heard of such? 

Me neither!!!  Neither have I seen one anywhere except in my head, so I've been scurrying around and fritzing around with this idea for weeks.  While I'm really good at visualizing the final product, the "how to" steps are always a tad harder for me to figure out.  But, after shopping for just the right fabric, a little trial and error, I've come up with this tartan (5 scissors) cube.  Hope you like it.

Are you ready? 

Brace yourselves:

the front

pockets on sides

And the backside is the perfect poke place for pins.  As you can see, the base is a styrofoam cube, covered in felt, wrapped like a Christmas present to create the side pockets, fastened with gold buttons.  I've really learned alot in making this little cube, like when you iron over styrofoam, you should stop before the crackling noise starts.  And how to use a curved needle to sew buttons on to awkward places. 

One of the really neat things about this project is, if you tire of the tartan, all you need to do is clip a couple of buttons off, unwrap your cube and rewrap it in your new favorite fabric! 

How great is that!?!

The lucky winner will also receive 4 extra gold corsage pins (like on the front) in case the owner would like to push them into the bottom and make "feet" for the cube. 

So, here's the deal.  I will still have a November give-away as usual.  In December, I'll still let random.org select a lucky December day but that day could be as early as the 1st so all commentors from November and December will go into a hat and one lucky winner will recieve the Mia Ginghers (new in box) and the matching scissors block.  And who knows, maybe there will even be a matching scissors fob by then!

Happy weekend everyone!

Halloween offerings

The Witch

There once was a witch of Willoughby Wood

And a weird wild witch was she;

With hair that was snarled

And hands that were gnarled,

And a rickety, kickety knee;

She could jump they say

To the moon and back,

But this I never did see.

Freebie from My Aunt's Attic:

Hope everyone has a ghoul-free Halloween!!!

For the BIRDS

This has probably never happened to any of you, but just recently I took note of something that apparently has been going on at my house for a while now.   I noticed that I had a thing for birds.  Mind you, I KNEW I had a thing for cardinals...........and swans........and peacocks.  But in looking around my house, I noticed a decidely bird-y thing going on in general.   Cardinals and swans and peacocks for sure are in a special class, but one of my favorite cross stitched pieces is of a robin perched on the edge of her nest (see below).   I have several Hallmark collectors plates featuring nature artist Marjolein Bastin's birds.  My Christmas dishes are covered in birds of all sort.  And, I just discovered that I have a pretty good collection of bird ornaments.  So, I did what my BHGTVDD* Kitty Bartholomew would do and pooled those pretty little feathered things together and re-did a tabletop. 

The little tiny framed piece in the front is a Twisted Threads freebie cross stitch "Home of a Stitcher", featuring a silver sparrow charm on a cross-stitched nest.  The framed piece on the wall is "Aim High" by Crossed Wing Collection.  It is, to the best of my memory, one of the first pieces I stitched on linen.  It was no looking back after that!  Not in this picture is my copy of Charley Harper's Birds and Words art book.  If you are a bird lover too, you should check it out.  Some of his prints have been charted for cross stitch too, but you really have to hunt for them.  Brrrrrrd Bath (Harper)

They make me smile.

And I'll leave you with a poem by one of my all time favorites, Emily Dickinson:

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune--without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

Here's wishing you a spot of beauty and a reason to smile today!

*BHGTVDD = Best Home and Garden TV Decorating Diva

October's Random Mystery Give-Away Winner is...

Jan!  Congratulations Jan.  You, Sadie and Siobhan dropped me a comment on the 10th, my lucky October day, so in the hat you went and YOU were the lucky duck that floated to the top of the list:

List Randomizer

There were 3 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1.) Jan

2.) Sadie

3.) Siobhan

If you will be at the November TANA meeting, I'll bring your little gifty to you there.  If not, let me know and I'll drop it in the mail.

Congratulations Jan and thanks for stopping by so often.  I love reading the comments you leave me.

Two more chances to win a random mystery gift from me.  I'm working up something special for December, so be sure to stop back by between now and then.

Have a great day friends!

a mild case of startitis

Fall always does it to me.  I get "in the mood" to start stuff.   Do you think at 38 years old I can still blame the school year for this phenomenon?   At any rate, I've started two small-ish projects to work on between now and Christmas.

The first is this terrific little sewing set from GPA:

Giulia sent this pattern to me as a gift when I had ordered some other things and I've been dying to get my needle in it ever since.  The stitching will go fast;  the finishing, well, not so sure...  We'll see.   This is the first time I've stitched on Weeks linen, 35 ct in "Parchment", and let me tell you, it is super nice.  I'll be using this color and count more often.  Instead of cotton overdyed thread, I picked out two Belle Soies for this project, "Collard Greens" and "Cranberry".  You can't tell much about the thread in this photo, but trust me, it is gorgeous. 

Secondly, a seasonly square from Indigo Rose:

Again, I'm going with Splendor silks for this piece.  I love all the blackwork in it.  This piece finished out to be fairly small (5 5/8" square), so I think it will look nice framed and on an easle on my desk at work.  The richness of the color palette hooked me the minute I saw it. 

And I'll leave you with the first published photo of our family friend, Fred: 

I was beginning to get worried about him because it has been a good while since we've run into him.  I think he was on his way to check out the man-cave construction this morning.

Have a great weekend folks!

A penny, a plaid and a play-place

Just finished this little ditty - one of my chapter's education projects.  We've been having a lot of fun with our monthly education projects this year by exploring needlework from around the world.  The penny rug program was representative of American folk art.  I'd never tried my hand at these puppies before and must admit, it was a lot of fun!  Don't look too close, but I will point out that each "pile" or penny is composed of a small grey circle atop a red, atop a black.  Isn't it neat how the thread color makes each penny look so different?  I'm thinking of putting together a little OSU themed gift basket for my BMRTSA*, who was born in Ohio and thus has the scarlet and gray gene/affliction.

And, OMG, Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia, have you all seen the new Ginghers exclusively at Jo-Ann's?  For some unknown reason, they named this design "Mia".  I've seen all the other designer Ginghers and honestly, could pass.  HOWEVER, this little plaid pair was too much for me to resist.  But you want to hear the greatest part? You can use the 50% coupon.  That's right.  AWE-SOME! 

So, that's the penny and the plaid, what about the play place, you ask?

Hubby has started construction on his place o'manly things.  More exactly, the contractor has started digging and pouring and whatever else contractors do.

I'd say round about Thanskgiving time, he'll be hosting a ribbon cutting.  Let me know if you have any man-types who'd like to come!  Progress reports to follow.

*BMRTSA= best motorcycle riding, tattoo sporting auntie