The Calm Before the Storm

Happy Weekend to you all!

I've been stitching away on my flower sampler and will show you when I have more done after the weekend.  But I will spend some time today with a new start....the SDW Sampler SAL.  I saw Nicola's post on this beautiful sampler last week and it peaked my interest since I love German samplers.  

It will be so much fun to stitch this one with a group.   

I received my fabric just yesterday, 35ct lambswool, and while I would have liked to have splurged on silks for this big project, my budget was busted this week after getting Rolling Stones tickets :D
...it's only rock 'n' roll but i like it!

SO instead I am using DMC and love all the colors, especially that pop of red and blue!

SDW is a super loooooong one, over 44 inches long!  It will be a fun journey!

SDW Sampler

And I want to thank Nicola for this surprise thank you package I received this past week, with lovely pink fabric, a really sweet JBW pattern, threads, and a book with Cornish recipes :)  

Thank you so much, Nicola!  It was such a surprise!

It looks like Hurricane Sandy is headed this way expecting to hit around Monday.  It was exactly this time last year that we were also hit with a crazy snow storm, Winter Storm Alfred... on Oct. 29th, which happens to be my birthday!  Looks like another stormy birthday!  

The Alfred Storm really affected CT and parts of NY but this one coming looks like it is really going to be affecting most of the Northeast.  I know many of you live in this part of the country too, Margaret, Deb, Sue, Ma, Catherine, I am thinking of all of you, and I hope we all weather the storm safe and sound.  I am hoping that instead of taking a left turn it turns right and goes out to sea!

After dealing with loss of electricity for 5 days last time, I am all set with the batteries, blankets, lantern, and non-perishables.... I stocked up with some good things, like apples and bananas, and some better things like chocolate and wine! lol! :D

Have a good weekend everyone! 

I hope to see you after the weekend unless I have no internet for days, oh what will I do then?!

Happy Stitchings!

xxxxx

I had the best intentions...

...really I did!  

I had planned to stitch and stitch this past IHSW.

Well, sometimes the best laid plans just don't work as planned!

I did stitch a little bit more on SM 1678, but not much more than you saw the last time, 

this sunflower and small blooms are new.

The weekend just seemed to disappear, poof!, into thin air!  

I did take another fall foliage ride to the Litchfield CT area this time, it was a beautiful weekend to get out and about.  I did find this cute antique shop...no new finds but it was fun to browse thru...

And while it seems that most of the good color is already gone up North, 

I found some of the best foliage right in my own yard!  :D

...and some BIG crows too...

So time to get back on track!  and watch some Dancing with the Stars this evening too!

Hope you are having a great week!

Happy Stitchings!

xxxxx

And the Winner Is.....

Today is the day to draw the winner for the BBD giveaway! 

There were quite a few entries....

and I thought I would let Gigi do the honors...

....unfortunately, there were no treats to be found so she lost interest! lol!  

So I did the picking, and congratulations!! to 

Chris from Tot Hill Farm Stitches!

Chris, please send me a snail mail with your address and I will send out your

Feast of Friendship and threads!  :D

Thank you ALL so much for visiting and commenting!  

It has been fun getting to know all of you during this past year

and welcome to all my new followers too!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I need to start hermit-ing and stitching!!

xxxxx

A New Stitch and A Weekend Drive

Happy Monday!  Another new week is here!  

I have been working on a couple projects, a Christmas ornament which will have to stay a secret, and a new sampler, SM 1678, an old German sampler.  I fell in love with all the flowers in this one....

SM 1678, 32 ct antique white w/dmc

It is from European Reproduction Samplers, the complete design can be seen here.

The autumn leaves are starting to turn here in Connecticut... although still more in the yellow-orange color, I think it will be another couple weeks till it will be fiery, orangey-red!

This past weekend, I took a ride through Northwest Connecticut to see the beautiful colors, driving thru Kent and up to Cornwall.  Here are a few snaps I took along the way.....

There were some great covered bridges, which always remind me of 'Bridges of Madison County'

Bull's Bridge, Kent CT

 I stopped at beautiful Kent Falls State Park....

Covered Bridge in West Cornwall, CT

 I loved this statue in a playground in the village of Kent, this crow looks perplexed! lol!

Also during the weekend, I drove over to Hartford for the Stitches East Convention to check out the marketplace.  With a name like Stitches East, I figured there would be cross stitching, however, it was mainly yarn for knitting and crochet lovers..... more beautiful yarns than I could have ever imagined!!

Stitches East Conference, Hartford CT

 But I was super lucky to find the ONE!! cross stitch booth!!  :D

It was Scandinavian Stitches and they specialize in patterns/charts using danish flower thread.  

I found a cute holiday kit of a German village.

And I also could not resist some of the gorgeous yarn, this is to make a VERY simple cowl scarf.  

So needless to say, I am all pooped out!

Here is my Tusal for the new moon this evening, starting to finally fill up! 

Thank you for all the great comments on my last post.  

And welcome to all my new followers!  

I will be picking a winner for the giveaway on Saturday, 

if you haven't already entered please comment on my last post!

Have a wonderful week!!

Until Saturday.... Happy Stitchings!!

xxxxx

A Fall Finish and BBD Giveaway!

I want to thank you all for your wonderful comments on my Mary Wigham finish.  

It was fun to share it with you, I feel like you were all on the ride with me along the way!

Since my last post, I have been WAY under the weather with a head cold that just seems to not go away.  But I did get to do some stitching on the days that the sniffles were not so bad!  

It is part of a sampler from PS Autumn Samplers, I had seen this one done this way on Edgar's blog and I thought it was just perfect for these autumn months.....

PS Autumn Sampler
32ct mocha linen w/dmc

I changed up the color for the pumpkins to make them a little more orange-y.

Then I worked on a repair job!  

You see, I gave this bookmark as a gift to my friend Lori last Christmas.....

I adapted this design from a Ewe&Eye&Friends pattern. 

Well.... her cute little doggie, Betsy.....

....seemed to think it was QUITE tasty!  lol!

So I did some mending with a new piece of perforated paper and voila!

Good as new, well almost!  :D 

And now for the Giveaway info I promised!!  

For reaching 100 followers, I decided to giveaway the new Blackbird Designs pattern, 

Feast of Friendship, with ALL of the 22 overdyed threads called for the pattern!  

And an extra treat or two :D

I really thought this was a perfect pattern to giveaway, 

because it has an autumn feel to it and feast of friendship says it best, 

I have really enjoyed meeting all of my blogging friends and being a part of the blogging community.  

I feel like part of a stitching club and find all of your work so inspiring.  

It is wonderful to get to know others with the same stitching passion that I have too.  

I will draw a winner on October 20th!

No special rules, except to be one of my followers and leave a comment on this post.

Thank you again for taking the time to visit!

Enjoy your weekend and happy stitching!!

xxxxx