Easter

I hope that everyone is having a good Easter day.

We are dog-sitting. Our daughter and her family took off for Spring Break. They headed to Hilton Head Island and a week of beach fun. While they were gone, Rick celebrated his 50th birthday. We are expecting them to pick up the pups later today.

I am feeling very frustrated with my stitching right now. Not that I am in a slump or anything like that. I just managed to complete two bands on the Loudoun Sampler Guild band sampler. I put it down ... I guess I forgot that I had dogs here ... because I put it where the inquisitive beasts could find it. When I went to stitch again, I couldn't find it. Then I spotted it on the floor, picked it up, and cried. I had a very nice little (and little is a very relative word) snag in the fabric ... right in the middle, about halfway up the piece of fabric. I thought about pulling out threads and reweaving, but the damage was more extensive than I was willing to rework - both vertical and horizontal threads. So, I took the 'easy' way out. I simply got a new piece of cloth and restarted. I did make some changes in my colors on the first band. All in all, worse things could have happened. I had been mildly unhappy with at least one color choice, so I was given a chance to fix those, and I am now about halfway through it. Picture next time I post ... I'd do it now, but I need to buy a new memory card because the one I have now is full.

Meanwhile, I have finished one more of the Christmas ornaments. The Lego symbol. The picture of it was the last picture the card would hold. With no further ado, the Lego block.

It's almost Easter, but I'm stitching Christmas

I have been moving along on my ornaments for the grands. I have one of them done completely, and the others are at least sketches.

I started with the easy one! Meri will get a Santa Claus. I selected a chart that included a sleigh because I loved the picture Barb posted of Meri in a sled that Bill made for the kids when Becca was a baby. You can't see it in this picture, but the fabric has little gold sparkle in it.

I have the Lego symbol for Xander started, but there is a sea of red in that and I am working slowly.

The little girl Karate Kid and the archer are taking shape, at least on paper. I found some free clip art that looks enough like what I want that I can take it from there. I am not an artist, but I am finding these adaptations to be workable. Bryce is proving to the be hardest. I have made baseball oriented ornaments for a number of years and frankly, I am tired of baseball. I have done his swim team emblem, his dog, and a little gentleman dressed in colonial garb holding a parrot (his mother hasn't forgiven me for that one yet - when he saw it he decided he needed a parrot!). His big interests are baseball, lacrosse, his dog, and his newest ... girls.

One of my guilds (Loudoun Sampler Guild) is working on a year-long project. Our talented members are designing a band sampler and presenting it to us one band each month during 2013. As usual, I am behind. I have almost completed the January band and when I am through, I will post a picture of it. Betsy Morgan designed the first band -- actually, she designed two bands and we had to choose one to stitch. It was a hard decision. I finally went with the more traditional version with a house, horse and tree. The other choice was a large bird house complete with birds perched on it and a bird flying through the air. Donna LaBranche designed the second band - a pretty piece of bargello with an almost quote from Claude Monet 'color is my obsession, joy and torment'. I didn't make it to the March meeting, so I have to wait to see who designed what for March.

Rick continues to do well. Well enough that the family is heading to be beach for Spring Break. The dogs are  also getting to make a trip for the break ... they are coming here. It will be a full house next week when the LI family heads down.

Woodlawn

This year marks the 50th Annual Woodlawn Needlework show. As you might expect, this show was an extravaganza. Many, many beautiful pieces of needlework. And something I hadn't noticed in past years (though they may have been there) miniature stockings and bundles of Christmas ornaments. Miniatures abounded. My husband who accompanies me each year remarked on the number and variety of miniatures. Traditional samplers were in abundance. There was goldwork, needlepoint, Reticello, Zentangle-inspired, fun pieces and serious pieces. In short, there was something for everyone.

I fell in love with a piece that I don't think got any ribbons, but I absolutely loved it. A traditional sampler, and yet non traditional, complete with alphabets and people enjoying old-fashioned pursuits. I liked it so much that after we left Woodlawn, I headed for In Stitches Needlework in the hope of finding the chart. I am happy to report complete success. I started describing the sampler, and the lady helping me knew exactly which item I was looking for. A few minutes later, I was a completely happy camper, clutching my brand new Story From The Past Sampler chart by a mon ami Pierre.

Of course, no trip to the Woodlawn Needlework show is complete without lunch with the Nellies Needlers. Their menu doesn't vary too much from year but why mess up a good thing. I look forward to my Chicken Salad Plate and Lemon Tart. Our waitress was an old friend from the Needlers, and while we were eating, several of the cooking staff came out to say hello. Nice to see everyone!

Oh, and I got an honorable mention for my Christmas Rules. Too bad I don't have a picture of it, but when it comes home, I will take its picture and post it.

I'm going to be absolutely positive in this post. Rick (son-in-law) is doing marvelously. He is even back to work. He did not get back into the trial. Can't say that I am upset. The oncologist suggested that he go back on a drug that he was taking while in the trial ... just not the experimental drug. He is thriving on it.

I am working on Christmas ornaments ... a bit in advance, but I need to give my finisher time to do her magic and she is planning a big Christmas in July. I try to do an ornament that reflects something that is going on in each grand kid's life. So, this year the ornaments will be:
Becca - something to do with archery. I found a great free clip art site that has some neat choices.
Bryce - haven't decided on his yet, but it will probably have something to do with lacrosse since I have run out of baseball ideas.
Xander - his mom suggested a Lego symbol since he loves Legos.
Eme - she is on a special team for her karate (she has earned her blue belt), so a little karate kid seems just right.
Meri - too young for special interests yet, so she is getting a Santa Claus.

I'll post some pictures later ... when I take some.