Weird happenings in TX and some stitching too!

I am still a little bent out of shape over what happened a last weekend.  Maybe if I post it to the world it will get out of my head like some bad song you can't seem to stop singing.  Anyway, it was rainy here but we were out of groceries, so off to the local store I go with DD in tow to supposedly help me.  What teenager is ever helpful?  but that isn't the point of the story.  I have a long list in hand, plus my favorite umbrella because I know we will have another downpour just as I open my trunk to load things up.

So we happily finish perusing the produce and baked goods and are about 1/3 of the way done with shopping.  In goes the biggest turkey breast they have for dinner that day - YUM!  Sweet potatoes to go with it - YUM!.  DD wanders away at this point since she is vegetarian the meat aisle grosses her out.  See - Helpful!  So I stop by the chicken breast that are on sale and pick up a few packages.  Turn back around and my half full cart of groceries is gone!  GONE!!!  Who takes someone else's buggy that is half full of groceries? I even moved it to the opporsite side of the aisle against a display case so it was out of the way. I start wandering down the aisles and can not find anyone with my cart.  Boy are they lucky.  So I go up to customer service to have a look see and no cart there.  So now I have to start my shopping all over again and am out my grocery list and my umbrella.  UGH!  Let me just say the person who took my buggy is lucky because I would have let loose a little Jersey justice on them for being so inconsiderate!

Oh well - said daughter is no longer my shopping buddy since she abandoned my buggy in my time of need.

Well, despite the trials and tribulations at the grocery store, I have managed to stitch a little in the past few days.  I signed up for a class from Amy Mitten.  You can see the project here.  There were three different options and I chose the Vierlande style.  I have never stitched a motif sampler and am enjoying the project so far.  I am such a slow stitcher but that is ok, I am looking forward to learning some new techniques that will be included in the finishing.  The braided edge and pinballs are things I have never done and will be a new skill.  Here is a snap of my progress so far

I am about half way done with the largest piece, so good progress for me.  One of my goals this year was to take a class and I am doing pretty well with my goals.  Margaret has her whole Quaker Winder stitched and it is really wonderful.  Go take a look at her wonderful work.

I enjoy the stitching but not finishing so much.  I decided that I should enjoy some of my pieces and have hired someone to finish some of my favorite ornaments.  Over the years I have stitched 7 of the 8 Sheperds Bush Christmas ornaments that appear in the JCS Ornament issue.  Here is what they looked like before being sent away.

I will let you know how they turn out.  I am so excited to have something finished and I am sure they will be fabulous.  Well, it is lunch time here and I really need to hit up the corner Starbucks so I can last the rest of the day and get the kids to games after work.  Hope you have a wonderful stitching day!

Kerri

2011 Ornament Finish

Work has piled up lately and before I let too much of the year slip away from me I wanted to show two finishes I was quite proud of.  My new monitor arrived last week, so I was finally able to download my photos.  Everything is right with the world once again.

I had purchased custom Name Tree ornaments from La D Da around 2009 I think.  It was the year following the appearance of the first one in the JCS Ornament Issue.  I stitched that tree and loved it.  That one still lingers in the "Box of Shame".  But I was determined to get these ones stitched up for my lovely kiddos this year and I did finish the stitching by August of this year.  They were then forced to serve a short sentence in the "Box of Shame" until I could find some appropriate beads and backing fabric.

Since I have not completed the stitched stockings I had intended to, I decided that I would make these two little treasures into flat fold stand ups for my mantel.  I must thank the very talented Twisted Stitcher.  Without her wonderful instructions from Learn to finish with The Twisted Stitcher, I would never have attempted this.  I followed step by step and think they turned out "practically perfect in every way" as Mary Poppins would say.  So a huge thank you to Vonna for her help.  She has a wonderful blog too and you should stop by and say hello.

Here are my finishes.  Both stitched over one on 32 ct Coconut Macroon Legacy Linen.  Backing fabric is shown behind.

I struggled finding backing fabric with a Christmas theme for the first one to match the dark blue overdyed thread.  I finally stumbled on this Batik at my local quilt store that I think is a great match. 

What do you think?

I also wanted to share a snap of my girl, Zoe.   It is incredibly hard to get a good photo of a black dog and this one came out pretty well.  I don't know what this expression is for but it cracks me up.  Maybe she is thinking "Duh - of course I want what you are eating!"

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a great day!

See y'all soon!

Kerri