Happy Dance!!

For all of those who've asked if I got a chance to stitch last weekend, the answer was a resounding YES!!!!

Oh happy dance!!! I finished Drawn Threads, Welcome Spot sampler. I got bogged down with the satin stitched roof. I made an error while stitching on it and got frustrated so it went in the UFO pile. But it's done now! I was inspired by Danielle who decided to pull out some of her WIPs and complete them. I have 3 pieces that fit in that category now...and when I looked at them, I shook my head and said, why didn't I finish them?

For a variety of reasons, obviously.

This is the list of *almost dones* and the reason why they aren't finished:

Real Roses - The Drawn Thread - I decided to personalize the sampler at the bottom with our family. On the sampler, there's a lady and a girl and a boy. I thought it would be cool to have a lady, a man and a boy to represent our family. I recharted the man but he looks like a clown with balloon pants. I don't want anyone to think that my DH is a clown, now do I? So into the UFO pile it went while I worked out what to do with the man. Additionally, there is a hugh error in color on the band with all the Queen stitches. I mis-read the pattern and stitched 2 full rows of those icky stitches in the wrong color. I decided not to rip them out cause I absolutely abhor them. It's not like the original so another reason not to finish this gorgeous sampler.
What's left? The spiderweb roses in the tree and the last band with the figures.

Twined Heart - Shepherd Bush - For the life of me, I don't know why this is left undone. The bands are less than 3 inches wide. I do know that I struggled with withdrawing and re-weaving the threads on the first section of withdrawn work. That put me off so it was retired to the UFO pile. All that's left is the beading and the 3 sections of withdrawn work.

Charmed Hearts - Shepherd Bush - The center hearts, the top floral vine border and 1/2 of the rice stitched white border are done. All that's left to stitch are 3 sides of the rice stitch border and the floral vine border and the beads...this will take longer than the other 3 I've listed but I think it could be finished in a weekend.

So what's next? Right now, John Foster 1885 Sampler is calling to me. I've frogged and restitched the bee-hive and the finished off the floral baskets at the top of the design. I subscribe to Ellen Chester's, With My Needle, newsletter and this sampler is being done as a SAL. I really am not that far away from being caught up with the group. I would have to complete the Quaker motif, the dove cotes and the personalization. They have stitched the entire border first and I am stitching it as I go. It would be really nice to finish this sampler off this year. I would like to try hand graining a frame for it...wouldn't that be cool?