Girls Day Out

What a great day of laughs over a leisurely lunch and shopping. The day got off to a bumpy start-keys locked in the car -but once that was resolved off to meet two very good friends. We had been planning this day for quite some time but holidays then an anniversary away and on and on seemed to always delay us. We had a great lunch at SpringCreek tea room complete with flea market for shopping.

We each found some great things we just had to have.... raspberry jalopeno spread, a crocheted wrap (beautiful!) and my find.... this decorative cone shaped hanger. It was de ja vu for me. I had just looked at a website this past week and admired this but wasn't sure where or what I'd use it for. Well, just couldn't pass it up today and guess what-it looks great in my bathroom. Perfect colors and just the right spot. Don't you love it when that happens?

On my way home was sad to see that one of my favorite shoppes is closing its doors. Today everything in the store was 50% off so just had to stop in for a look. Couldn't resist the monogrammed linens and great little linen bags. Love the motifs which may be gift bags or may just show up in a CQ block sometime soon.

So now just resting and relaxing and debating which project I should be working on. I think it is time to finish the block begun this fall at the Victorian stitchery retreat. It is going to make a great throw pillow. Stay tuned....

Missouri Weather

From Spring like weather to ice, sleet and snow. We have had it all this week. The cardinals mixed with woodpecker and sparrows were fighting to get on the feeder one morning this week. So cold and hungry, they didn't even move while I took aim and snapped some photos. We fared well compared to our neighbors to the South and East. Still many thousands without power.

Project Complete!

I have enjoyed working on this block and will be anxious to see
the finished piece with all blocks brought together. As I have stitched I have
thought about our friend Dee, remembering her sweet smile and quiet spirit. She
will be missed and will not be forgotten.

Hello again! I have been absent from blogging for awhile but I have returned. Playing catch up after taking time off during the holidays has been rough. Then took a long week end to celebrate my 29th wedding anniversary which was January 19th. We had a great get away to a cabin in the woods in Northern Arkansas. Beautiful country and a very relaxing and refreshing time. No TV for three days-yes, we did have electricity and running water. A great chance to do a little stitching. This project is almost complete. Just a few finishing touches. As always, I just began and the project just evolved along the way. So many ideas-if I had more time I would probably do a second block with ideas that came to me along the way with this one. Wanted to include a dutch motif and did find some windmill buttons on ebay. On the way home from Arkansas browsed a flea market and found a container with some great buttons so had to include some in my block.

My smaller pendant project became a total disaster. Very disappointing. I had my stitching completed and glued it to the bead only to have the fabric soak up the glue and ruin the ribbon embroidery and even some of the stitching. Live and learn-right? I do plan to give it a second try and find a better choice of adhesive.

Stitchin In the New Year

Two projects currently in the works. Am I the only CQ'er who seems to have more than one thing going at a time? I move from one to the other as inspiration comes to me.

The small project (the piece measures 2"x3") will cover a bead and become a necklace when completed. For more information and instruction see Pat Winter's article in CQ magazine Vol. 7, Issue 4. Thanks Pat for the inspiration and great idea.

The larger block is being made to go into a memory quilt for our friend Dee who lost her battle with cancer this last summer. Thanks to all who answered my plea for sites with Dutch motif. Dee is from the Netherlands and traveled to the States to attend the Crazy Quilt retreats in Omaha.

Stitching daily has been great but it is back to work tomorrow after 12 days off which may slow my progress. I so look forward to more leisurely days when I can stitch to my heart's content.