what I got for my anniversary

pictured below: My Mark, “a little love”

Today I got a really sweet card and a pile of charts:

But the best gift of all (she said sarcastically) was the promise of surgery:

No wonder I’ve been feeling less than clever lately!

 

lovely stitching day + some stash

On Tuesday, a few of us gathered for a stitching day at Teresa’s house and made ourselves at home on her back deck… isn’t her yard fabulous?!

This super-cute LK finish was hanging just inside the front door and I had to post a picture:

We ate and stitched and talked and ate… all in all a very lovely day! Before heading over to Teresa’s on Tuesday morning, I had ordered a few charts and they came in today’s mail:

I don’t have any progress pictures, though I have been stitching… I’ve been working on new designs. September’s Fall TNNA Market will be here any minute and I won’t have anything new to show if I don’t focus! Oh-speaking of September, here’s the cover of the ornament issue if you haven’t seen it yet:

Looks like someone forgot to put my ornament on the cover (ha!) but just knowing mine is in there is exciting enough. I’m hoping my recipe/article makes sense. I was down to the deadline as usual (like 20 minutes away in fact), getting ready to hop a plane to see about my uncle who had been taken to the hospital in Albuquerque, after about 30 hours without sleep because my cat was missing… and I honestly don’t remember what I turned in. I will be as surprised as everyone else ;)

Just one floody tidbit today: a muskrat is responsible for the latest levee break. The evac sirens woke me up early this morning!

 

a tag + goodies

A tag from Karin:

Where I was 10 years ago: I was in Albuquerque, enduring what seemed to be my 17th month of pregnancy. I was in retail management, so I was working a zillion hours for about two dollars a week. My apartment building was located in one of the less-desirable parts of town and was home to several drug-peddling cholos. The one good thing I can say about those gangster boys is that they respected motherhood… my being so obviously pregnant meant that I wasn’t in danger. (I moved out of there just before giving birth, though… wasn’t gonna push my luck) Once, one of the guys parked his car just behind mine so I was blocked in. I had to get to work, so I went over and knocked on the door… I heard “what the f–” and the b-word bandied about but I knocked again and the door was ripped open by this big dude, who said started to say something about a “stupid b–” but saw my belly and stopped mid-sentence. When I launched into my explanation of how parking behind my car in such a way hindered my ability to get around, he apologized, yelled at his visitor to move his car NOW, and told me to have a good day. The dude who came out to move the car called me “ma’am” and promised it would never happen again. Really weird.

Five things on my to-do list for today: laundry, update Etsy shop, find dance shoe bag because class starts tomorrow, stitch on my Fair & Square exchange, and work on a new My Mark design.

Snack foods I like: grape tomatoes, microwave popcorn, velveeta & salsa with chips, butter bread

If I were a billionaire, I’d: Heck– I can hardly imagine being a thousand-aire but I suppose I’d pay off the house, pay for my parent’s new house, and hire a landscaper. I’d love to start a safe house for battered women & their children, one that provides counseling and employment training services along with a new wardrobe for starting over. And if I could buy more time, I’d do that for sure ;)

Places I’ve lived: Though I’ve traveled quite a bit, I’ve only really lived in 2 places: Missouri (in the greater St. Louis area) and Albuquerque, NM.

People I want to know more about: Lody, Pauline, Linda, and Michele.

I was feeling rabbity and bought myself some more of Nakisha’s artwork (on Etsy here) and a little purse for my daughter (found at this Etsy shop). Etsy is having a Yart Sale (a yard sale of art) until Friday… you can type “yart” into the search box and find some fun things.

I finally broke down and ordered these Dear Diary charts, and I got The Sampler Girl’s yummy new design in yesterday’s mail! I always enjoy Tanya’s designs, and she’s become a good friend as well :)

Well, I’m off to start on my to-do list… have a lovely day, everyone! Today’s random blinky:

 

Tuesday

Thank you for commenting about comment etiquette… it appears that we are all just winging it and we have several different response methods. I’m fairly surprised that some kind of standard hasn’t developed through the years, but relieved that I’m not missing something. I’ve been stitching (on exchanges, though) and working to make some more goodies for Studio Twenty so no pictures of that stuff, but I do have some recent mail pictures to share.

This is what happens when you have a look at a 123 member’s sale list:

I’ve become SO hooked on Vikki Clayton silks:

I know…Aida. But they are so pretty:

The last STO block swap theme was “garden”, and here’s the block I received:

On the PIF front, I’ve had 2 volunteers so there’s still a spot open! Teresa and Paula are in… who else?

edited to add: Sally has bravely stepped up to the plate for a PIF, so all spots are now full.  Thanks!

 

friday afternoon

This afternoon I finished the Freedom section of my Heart of America project, planted the bushes (mulching and beautifying to come after this next round of storms pass through), and spoiled myself with new Gingher Dressmaker shears and some glitzy Kreinik… nice day.

 

good mail days

Pretty pincushion, made by Mary Katherine, purchased through her Etsy shop. Paula’s newest style of scissors and a packet of Thread Hoops.

Crocheted bookmarks, from the Fortenberries Etsy shop.

Tracy’s designs, Hanky Psanky and Cirque des Cercles and Silks from Vikki Clayton:

I really like the Yawning Mountain silk… I’m planning to use it on Olive’s Peace Band Sampler. I want to finish up my squares for the next exchange (a patriotic theme) before I add a new start.

Thanks for all your comments about little Cheese… I showed them to my daughter, who was so happy that you liked her buddy! I may have to take Cheese along on another trip– thinking about posing him for pictures kept me from dwelling on my uncle’s hospitalization, my missing Katie cat, and the impending Needlework Show. Here’s one more Cheese pic for the road (so to speak):

Party animal that he is, Cheese never missed Happy Hour. Given Sonic’s boast of offering 168,894 possible combinations, it’s no surprise he took his time deciding.

 

a little stash

I received the Rainforest issue of Linen Scenes today. I have to say that snake on the cover creeps me out a bit, but it’s nicely done. My friend Angie puts these out, and it’s a neat idea…each issue includes 8 designs and comes in a PDF format. (You can see more about it here) I want to stitch up that frog!

I also got 2 more Americana designs that I ordered from Mary Katherine… I might need to employ model stitchers to get some of these done! I want to have a patriotic wall in my hallway, and I’m doing a great job with collecting the charts and supplies, but not getting much stitching done. Maybe I should just frame the patterns and call it a day :)