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Sunday, December 31, 2006

Good-bye 2006

Good-bye 2006...I will not mourn you. I dubbed you the *Year of Tears* and indeed, you certainly lived up to your name. 2007 is going to be the *Year of Healing and Being Good to Myself and Others*.

I know it's that time of the year when you are to let go of the past and ring in the new with all sorts of resolutions tied to that *new* like ribbons on a package. I tried that...resolutions do not work for me cause they last about as long as a gnat's attention span. I am not a resolution kind of person, I guess. The same with lists, there is something confining about listing things, something regimental about lists, especially things that go along with improvement. Now, I know that is contrary to what I do, I believe that I make many lists, grocery lists, to-do lists for work, I keep an appointment book and a journal. And I do find that listing things tends to keep me focused and at task. But I do not run my life by lists...that's why listing goals for needlework and that 10-25-50 challenge that I jumped into failed about 24 hours after I posted it. Must be the rebel in me.

I do have some things that I want to work on during the new year. I will be 50 this year. 50! I do not know where the time went, in my mind's eye I am still in my 20's, I feel good most days, although I creak a little more when I get up in the morning. So, I do know that this year I will be taking a greater interest in my health and upkeep. That means flossing and moisturizing more often than I do now. Eating less chocolate and less snack foods, good-bye Doritos. It means submitting to a battery of tests, those tests that are recommended by your doctor when you reach this age. And it means losing the last 32 pounds and getting to my goal weight by the end of June. There, I wrote it. I am declaring that I will be at goal by June
30th. Keep me honest and cheer me on! I also promise to walk on my treadmill daily for at least 35 minutes 3 times a week and for 15 minutes for the other 4 days.

Financially, I am going to start to save a bit of each paycheck. We live paycheck to paycheck and throughout our 28 year marriage, my DH and I have been diametrically opposed on financial matters. He's a saver. I am a spender. Although I do not shop as much as I used to, I am known to blow through a good chunk of cash in a very short amount of time. Taking stock of what I have recently made me realize that there is little that I want or really need. I have some long term goals for my house, there is a dining room I'd like to furnish and a floor that needs to be installed. But I am not in a hugh hurry for either of these things. After all, I've waited 28 years so far, what's a little more time?
Since the DH will be leaving a relatively high paying job and going to a high school teaching position in the next 2 years, we have actually banded together and decided that we will be debt free by that time. That means no more VISA, paying off the cars and the mortgage. We'd like to be in a position where the only debt we have is the home equity loan and the college loan we took out for the Cadet. I guess this means that I will have to work out a REAL budget instead of the one that I subscribe to now, which is pretty unstructured.

Work---hmm-mm. Well, there are so many things that affect me that I can not control so I've decided that I would go with the flow but work on getting some outside education that will further my career rather than just getting by with what I know.
Even if it doesn't get me a raise or a promotion, I've decided that I have to get to know and understand what the latest business trends are (lean manufacturing and Six Sigma)because my company is embracing both these disciplines and my job depends on being able to work with them. Also, this year I am contemplating getting my ASQ Quality Auditor's Certification.

And then there's my leisure activities. Horse, stitching, painting. I am not going to obsess about the size of my stash, the amount of fabric I own, or the number of projects waiting for needle and thread. I also am hoping that I can resist jumping on the latest bandwagon and buying just for having the charts. But if I do, I will not feel guilty or beat up on my self. This is my hobby and I will have fun with it. My horses are doing ok, I lean on the Dh to take care of them most of the winter cause I am not a cold kind of person...and I live in Upstate NY. And painting...well, that's been bubbling up more and more to the surface.

So hello to 2007. I believe it's going to be a GREAT Year!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Pictures!

Here are a couple of pictures showing what I've been up to the last week or so...enjoy!

This is a Lizzie Kate piece that I started on Christmas Eve Day and finished Christmas afternoon. I painted the frame and the little cut outs.



This is the snowman candleholder that I painted up during the week. I had such fun painting it!



Do you like them?

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

You know, I could get used to this vacation thing...

Wow, I've been off about a week and a half now and I am just loving it. It's been one of the most relaxing times in recent memory. I decided that I would not bug the contractor for these 2 weeks, it was my Christmas gift to him to lay off the badgering. So, Merry Christmas, John.

What have I done with the last 10 days, you ask? Well...

I got to stitch. I stitched an entire Lizzie*Kate piece (Santa, We've Got Cookies) in 2 days flat. World's speed record for the fastest finish. It's very cute. I even painted a frame and added very cute handpainted gingerbread cutouts to the bottom of the frame.

I stitched Hinziet's Air Force for the Cadet. I am now waiting for the frame and hopefully (crossing my fingers) it will be framed before he goes back to school next week.

I also painted a very cute snowman candle holder. It's adorable. And I painted 8 Donald Duck ornaments for a lady who's son was robbed in Phoenix AZ the night before he was to move back to this area. The robbers cleaned out the moving van. That's right, the van was EMPTY when he found it the next morning. Among the things that were taken were his Christmas decorations...including his Donald Duck ornaments that I painted for his Mom about 15 years ago. So, I replaced them for her so that she could give them back to him this Christmas.
And I started looking at my painting books again but not to recreate the pieces but to stir up the creativity pot since it's beginning to bubble again.

It was very nice to be creative again. I sorta lost touch with that person awhile ago but she surfaced during this time and we got re-acquainted. I missed her. For the last 10 days, I strangely feel, well...WHOLE. Stitching is a lovely past time and I am very passionate about it. But there's just something about paint and brushes. It's this feeling of being able to unlock something from a piece of paper, wood or canvas that really get's me excited. Stitching is recreating someone else's muse, unless I change the design in some way which I do, sometimes. But painting is as individual as my handwriting.

Which got me to thinking...
I am truly toying with painting some things up and putting them out on Ebay. Sorta like sending up a trial balloon to see what comes of it. I certainly could use some extra cash and it would keep the creative girl from going back into hiding. I only have one problem and that's TIME. How do I fit painting into a jam packed schedule that includes a 50 hour work week, exercising, stitching and keeping hearth and home?

Well, I don't know the answer to that question but I think I may try finding out.

I just hope that going back to work to lead two disfunctional teams and working with a drama queen won't push these plans back into the dark.

I can only hope not.

Monday, December 25, 2006

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas!



Seasons greetings from the Roaming Gnome. The Gnome is the Cadet's mascot. In high school, he was known as *THE GNOME* because he was so short. But now he's just about 6 feet tall but the moniker stuck. This year, it was a Gnome Christmas for him.

To everyone who reads my blog, thank you for your comments and your friendship. I hope your day is filled with good food, family, friends, love and laughter.

Today, I will be spending the day with my David and the Cadet. It will be a quiet day filled with movies and food. Stitching too!

I hope that you found whatever your heart desired under the Christmas tree this morning!

I'd like to thank all who've visited this year and I hope you'll continue to do so in the coming year. I really appreciate all of you!

To all....Have a very, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas!

It's afternoon on Christmas Eve and I wanted to take just a minute to wish everyone who visits my world a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wish all of you a very happy holiday, and for those who celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the peace and joy of His birth. For me, celebrating His birth is what this season means to me.

And for the New Year, I wish all of you health, love, prosperity and a year filled with laughter, friends, family and STITCHING!!!! May the Giver of all good things, bless each of you and your families abundantly.

Today, I finished wrapping presents and putting them under the tree. Mike is off visiting his buddies from the Navy and from NYC, so he's gone for the afternoon. We will be going to candlelight services at 7:00 and then to our friends for the rest of the evening. I doubt that we will have an early Christmas morning, as the Cadet sleeps in - hopefully he will rise by 9:00. David will make our traditional Christmas breakfast, breakfast pizza and hash brown casserole. We'll have John Denver and the Muppets on the CD player and then we will open presents. I know I didn't get any stitching gifts this year, mainly cause I didn't ask for any. I do however, have some Christmas $$ so I am thinking of buying Maria Spence from Attic Needlework. Yes, another Quaker sampler. I plan on watching movies and stitching most of tomorrow, in between making dinner. Actually, I plan on stitching the rest of this afternoon away cause I have a last minute gift I need to finish. Isn't that the way? Always, one more!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Thursday, December 21, 2006

So...do you like my new look??

Well, continuing in the effort to chase away the Bah Humbugs, I decided to change my template for the season. It's got a snowman on it so it's good til Spring. Do you like it? LOL!!!

Not much to blog today, I am almost finished with the Cadet's AirForce piece, unfortunately, I ran out of GAST Blue Jay which prompted a trip to the LNS...aw-ww.
I picked up the thread and some fabric (SHUSH UP, SUE!). And I had to pick up a framing job for my husband and it's the shop right next door so I just couldn't go to the framers without stopping by the LNS right? Right.

Short post, I promise more tomorrow, I have been painting Donald Duck ornaments for this lady that I did a home show for at least 15 years ago. They are cute but I am breaking eleventy-dozen copyright laws by doing it. Pictures tomorrow - I promise.

Off to the great WEIGH IN. It's going to be BAD. I am resigned. But the doctor read me the riot act on Monday, so...off to WeightWatchers I go.

Talk with you all later!

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

It's beginning to look like Christmas at Chez Humbug

Hello everyone!

Today we made great progress getting into a Christmas mood. We put John Denver and the Muppet's Christmas CD on the stereo and David and I put up the Christmas tree this evening. He actually hung a good number of ornaments on it too! Usually, he just hangs the lights and the garland and then he leaves to do somenthing else. He's never been one to help decorate, I think it's cause he felt that I never approved or appreciated what he did. I used to be very Martha Stewart about my decorating and there have been years where putting up the tree was a very sore subject between us. We used to get HUGH trees too, we'd go tramping around some tree farm and cut one down. Then it would be tied to the car or stuffed in the bed of the truck for the ride home and then the poor thing would be left out on the front porch for days until we HAD to bring it in the house. And that meant a mess, pine needles and dirt tracked through the foyer into the living room. The tree usually was between 9-12 feet tall, we have a cathedral ceiling in the living room and it was a chore to it straight in the tree stand. By that time, the poor guy had enough and wanted to be left alone. Of course, I would insist that he do the lights and the garland so let's just say we didn't always have a Hallmark moment.

But three years ago, after fighting with a tree that was almost 14 foot tall and as wide as the room, I decided NO MORE. Neither Mike or Dave were interested in shlepping out to cut a tree down, let alone decorate it. So the following Christmas, I ordered a lovely 7.5 foot artic spruce tree from Tree Classics. It came in a box that looked like a coffin. Mike was appalled that we were bringing a fake tree into the house but I reminded him that he was of driving age and that meant that he could be the tree chauffer that year. He quickly decided that artificial wasn't all that bad.

I do have many, many ornaments. So many they can not all go on the fake tree. But all of my ornaments have stories to tell and I make sure that those that mean the most to my family are hung on it. I have Hallmark ornaments that are dated as far back as 1975 when the DH and I first began to date. Each year, I bought a new dated ornament. Our horses have rocking horse ornaments dated with the year that they came into our family. Every pet we've owned in the last 28 years have an ornament too. Then there's Mike's gradeschool ornaments, the one's that survived anyway. There's my cross stitch ornaments that I've received in exchanges and painted ornaments that I've done over the years. We have handmade beaded ornaments from Dave's auntie and I have ornaments from my parent's tree that hung on their tree 50 years ago. This year, I got out all the shiney bright ornaments, I remember them on our tree when I was a little girl. And then there are my snowmen, many, many frosty fellows.

I am sorry that I waxed nostalgic about my tree. It's got to be boring reading about it but at least now I feel like it's Christmas. Tomorrow, if the light is good (meaning if we get some sun) I'll take a picture and post it so you can see what I am going on about.

I did some stitching tonight, just a little on the Cadet's airforce piece. I only have the letter *E* to stitch and then the borders. After that I just have to sew on the charms and viola! A finish. All that will be left to do is frame it and maybe if I am lucky the frame will show up by the weekend so I can mount it before Christmas.

So, thanks for putting up with my Christmas tree story. I hope you are having a good week and I am SO glad you stopped by.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Chez Bah Humbug!

Sorry I haven't posted in a week. It's been pretty ho hum here at Chez Bah Humbug so I decided that a little Christmas Cheer was in order. I decorated my sunroom, no big deal, a Martha Stewart feather tree and 3 little snowflake candle holders grace my console table. The nutcrackers are in formation on the kitchen shelf. The snowmen are still snug in their rubbermaid box. And the tree is still in the basement. But it's a start.

I wrapped all the pressies today. They are ready to go under the tree on the 24th. Just a couple of last minute things to get this week and I will be done completely.

I just got word that Lisa received my ornament exchange on SBEBB. I was really getting worried about it cause sending things overseas really, really make me nervous. But here's a picture of what I stitched for her along with the little gifts I included:



I began some Christmas stitching this week too. No pictures yet, maybe tomorrow or Monday. I began a Chessie and Me ornament from the JCS 2004 magazine, it's the little kitty with the candy cane tail. It's going to be my 2007 tree ornament. David picked it out cause it looks like his Sweetie-Girl. It's 1/2 way stitched. Tonight I started Hinziet's AirForce for the Cadet. I've had it in my stash for awhile and while looking for something else, I stumbled across it. It's a fast stitch, so no problem getting it done before Christmas. I ordered the frame too but I doubt that it will get here before Christmas so the Cadet will have to wait for it framed and hopefully, it will be framed before he goes back to school. Last minute gifts, gotta love them.

Tomorrow, I am going to my girlfriend's house for the 3rd annual cookie exchange. Really, it's just an excuse to eat and drink for the afternoon. I'll come home with 5 dozen cookies as a bonus. So, I will only have to make the obligatory sugar cookies, chocolate chip and peanut butter blossoms for the Cadet and the husband. I haven't made my exchange cookies yet, I am going to make Russian Tea Cookies. They are my favorite and I am glad that I won't have them hanging around the house as I am trying to lose the 5 pounds that I gained over the last 2 months. :-(

Last night was our Quality Engineer's Holiday get together. The QE manager hosts it at his home. We have nibbles and drinks. He always does the 12 gifts of Christmas. He throws everyone's name in a hat and then draws for each of the days. I won the 9 ladies dancing pressie which was a nice bottle of wine and a pair of Dr. Scholls gel inserts for my shoes. I had to do the *Dance of Joy* for the wine. The party was pretty fun. We have a good group and have a great time together. It makes it so nice to work with such a friendly bunch of co-workers.

I officially have to work 2 hours next week and then I am off until January 2nd. My plans are to get some of my house put back together as I have been extremely lax in the housekeeping department since the construction started. Oh, we may have windows in February. The contractor went to the Pella store on Wednesday to discuss *arrangements*. The Pella guy needs authorization from his home office in Syracuse to process the *arrangements*. I am waiting for confirmation from the Pella guy that he placed the order. I am still frosted that the contractor had the money for my windows 5 months ago but spent it on other work and now since he's in a serious cash flow situation, he doesn't have it. We are very anxious to get this project wrapped up and be rid of him.

So, I just wanted to check in and say hi. Hope you are having a great weekend and are snug stitching on your favorite project. Thanks for coming by!

Monday, December 11, 2006

I do this to myself every year

You would think that I would know by now to plan ahead! I've been blog hopping and many of you have posted ornaments that you have stitched or have gotten in exchanges. ALL of them are so gorgeous and it made me think about how I covet all the ornaments that I've received through the years from wonderful stitching friends. But you know what? I haven't really stitched any ornaments for myself! I've made a few, but haven't even put them together! What's up with that?

So, I am thinking that for the rest of the year, yes, I know it's only 2 weeks, I will concentrate on stitching some ornaments. And then continue stitching them throughout next year too.

I think that's a great plan, don't you?

Care to join me?

Saturday, December 09, 2006

It's A Deal

Good Saturday to you!

Sue (Red's Thread) and I will be doing a SAL of Carriagehouse Samplings, My Home Town. The catch is that we will not begin until I finish one of my Wips. I could have chosen something tiny or something I am almost finished with, but to be fair, I told Sue that I would finish John Foster.

I have a new photo of my darling that I took today to show you my progress. I spent this week ripping out and re-stitching the right side of the sampler next to the Quaker medallion. All of it came out because I had mis-aligned the vine and that threw off the small motifs beside it. While I was removing some of the motifs, I did find a few other errors. I do not know why I am so mistake prone with John. Right now, there is a color error in the center of the Quaker medallion. I am still debating whether to leave it brown or pull it out and stitch it in grey like the original sampler.
This sampler has been a source of joy and irritation over the last 9 months. Honestly, I didn't stitch on him for quite awhile after I realized that I had made a HUGH error when I began him. But I was smitten by him and when I saw a finished John Foster sampler that was stitched by Danielle (The Peacock's Feather) and I knew I had to finish him. If it had been any other sampler, I would have cut it up and thrown it in the trash.

This is the latest photo of John taken today:



I also wanted to post my Christmas ornament from the ornament exchange on the Stitching Bloggers Exchange BB that I received from Cindy (Adventures in X-Stitching). It's very, very beautiful and will hang in a place of prominence on my Christmas tree. Cindy also included a piece of holiday fabric, a set of snowman note cards, a Christmas List notepad and a handmade (so creative) Christmas card that had 3 skeins of DMC in Christmas colors tied to the inside of the card. She certainly spoiled me!



I haven't stitched today though, David and I went to Lowe's and Staples this afternoon and I put out some of my Christmas table decorations in the sunroom. I am pushing myself to decorate. I have no Christmas cheer this year. I believe it's cause our house is not finished and next week, David is calling a lawyer to see what our legal rights are. I am so sad about this whole affair. I got a call from the Pella store and the rep said that the order for the windows has to be placed by the end of the month because the prices are increasing January 1st. If I can't get the contractor to put in the order, then I believe that all bets are going to be off and we will be going to court. I can not believe that what was to be a gift from my Dad could be such a nightmare. It has been a year since we signed the contract. I am sorry to write about this but I feel better when I share it.

So, I hope you are having a great weekend, filled with stitching! Soon, I will be getting cozy with John Foster.

Thanks again, for visiting!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

A Tempestuous Relationship - Indeed

John, John my darling, why is our relationship so tempestuous?

We have been together now for almost a year. I have stitched your motifs on John Foster 1885 using beautiful colors of DMC. Are you unhappy with my choice of fiber? Do you think that you are worth silks when your original stitcher used wool? Are you unhappy that I am using a limp linen, one who's color is grey flax and not a warm toned lambswool? Alas, I am heartbroken over our love-hate relationship.

Now, you have thwarted my efforts of stitching happiness because last night I discovered that all the work I did on you over the last weekend was for naught. The right side of the Quaker medallion is off by 3 stitches and the doves, dovecote and the words, Foster 1885 must be removed and restitched in their proper locations. I have stitched the upper portion of your sampler 2 times now.

Why oh why, John are you being so cruel to me?

Sunday, December 03, 2006

It has to be contagious

The DH is almost back (HA) to normal. He's still taking it easy but pretty much he's doing what he loves which is taking care of the horses and bringing in firewood. He hasn't done anything strenuous, other than pick the horse's stalls. And (for once) he's doing it slowly and carefully.

I have picked up most of the heavy work in the barn. Which basically is hauling water. 5 gallon buckets of water to fill up the 5 gallon buckets hanging in the stalls. There are 2 each in each stall. Fortunately, the horses only drink about 5 gallons between the morning and the afternoon chores and then just about the same over night. I don't have to haul 30 gallons of water 2 times a day. But I still have to haul water. Which brings me too....DUM, DUM, DUM, DUM-M-M!!!

I HURT MY BACK.

Yes folks I twisted my body just the right way when I was hoisting a 1/2 bucket of water to top off Peaches' stall buckets. I didn't feel anything right away but tonight, my back has gotten stiffer and stiffer. The big muscle on the left side says Ow-wie when I move and it is beginning to ache. Guess who's become my best friend? THE HEATING PAD!!!

Just goes to show you that after 27.5 years of marriage, you share everything. Even back pain...pff-t-t!

I did get a lot done stitching wise this weekend! I am really happy. I didn't do any house cleaning (S-h-h-h...), I only cleaned the bathrooms and tidied up the kitchen. I did laundry too. But...I stitched....John Foster on Friday & Saturday night. On Saturday afternoon, I picked up my paint brush for the first time in, umm, 5 years and I painted some Christmas ornaments for a lady that I did a home show for about 15 years ago. And, I painted a paper mache box for Secret Garden. First I decided to sponge paint it and it ended up looking like granite. Pretty cool but it really didn't go with the stitching. So this morning, I repainted it and distressed it, antiqued it and varnished it. The box looks like very old wood. It's pretty nice and I am happy with it. However, I am not so happy trying to mount the stitchery to the top of the lid. It's not cooperating. So I gave it a go and put it up for now. I'm going to have to come up with a different plan of attack.

This evening I picked up Prairie Year I and stitched June. I got the border done and the leaves and stems before I couldn't see anymore. I am very pleased with my progress and the stitching looks pretty nice for Miss Perfectionist.

I got to talk with Sue (Red's Thread) today. She called me to *chat*. I had a lovely conversation with her and I was very pleased to hear from her. Thanks for calling, Sue, you made my afternoon!

Well, I gotta go to bed. I can't believe the weekend is over.

Talk with you soon!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Whine, whine, whine...

I would like a little cheese to go with that WHINE...omg, my last post was SUCH a WHINE!!!! I am so sorry that I invited you to that pity party...really, it was fatigue that was talking and take it from me, I am one tired puppy. I have only been sleeping about 3-4 hours a night since Dave hurt his back (this is from a girl who NEEDS at least 6 hours to be functional). Not that I am not DEAD when I go to bed but once I am there, my mind takes off and all the thoughts I've suppressed during the day just gush out and I can't turn them off! And 5:00 shows up really fast. So, most of the week, I feel as though I am in a fog. Thursday night, I fell asleep on the sofa at 9:00. I slept like the dead. But when I woke up, I felt like I hadn't had a restful night. I know this will pass once things pick up here.

David's back is getting better. He has overdone it these last few days and of course, I am annoyed at him. He's so frustrated that he can't do the things he normally does around here. So he tries and then pays for it. He's only got one muscle relaxant pill left..this will be the test. Will he go back into spasms or is he truly mending? EEK...stay tuned.

I worked on John Foster last night for about an hour. I stitched the word Foster, 1885. I really wish I would have started him over on a different fabric. I so dislike the fabric I am using. It's just limp. And with the varying thicknesses of the horizontal threads, it's a pain to count to be sure I am truly over 2 and not over 3 threads. But he's 1/2 way done so I don't think I'll be starting him over. In spite of the fabric, he's coming along nicely and I really LOVE him. I am smitten. I am hoping that I will get a lot of him stitched during my Christmas hiatus (yea! 2 weeks from work!!!) and either be done with him or almost finished.

I have put some thought into what I'd like to stitch next year. I know it's going to change, but do you want to hear my plans? I pulled out a bunch of patterns that grabbed my attention when I was filing things away during my Thanksgiving break. I have WIPS to work on too, and these are the ones that I'd like to concentrate on.

WIPS:
The Castle - Theresa Wentlzer
Normally, I do not stitch her patterns. But Mike asked me to stitch the dragon for him a few years ago and I started it for him. Really, I have it 1/2 finished. But see, I am not into dragons so I am having a hard time working on it. But for the sake of the DS, I'm going to give it another go.

Sarah Tatum - a hugh Quaker Sampler.
Sarah is my first Quaker. I've been collected Quaker sampler patterns ever since she became the rage last year. I love her too and I vow that I would finish her. I don't know if I will frame her cause I'll have to take out a loan to do it. She's a big girl!!

Beatrix Potter - another Quaker.
Beatrix is slated to go into my new room. I am stitching her with this glorious terra-cotta AVAS silk. She will look stunning in the room as terra-cotta is an accent color in there. I don't have a lot done on her, just a few motifs.

Prairie Year I - Prairie Schooler
This started as a SAL. I am stitching this pattern over one thread, my very first attempt at over one. I am on May. Got bogged down on all the color changes in the flower. I don't know how you ladies do HAED's over one. Saint-hood for YOU!

John Foster - of course.

And the wish-list patterns:

My Hometown - Carriagehouse Samplings
I am trying to entice RED to join me in a SAL. So far, she's tempted but hasn't committed...Come on Sue, you KNOW you want to stitch this with me next year!!!
(A little public goading may just do the trick...hee-hee!!)

Peaceful House - BOAF

Two Red Houses - Little House Needleworks
This is slated as my next over one project. AFTER Prairie Year is finished.

Armada - This is a french sampler
A memorial sampler for my Dad

Nellie's Garden Revisited - Homespun Sampler
A memorial sampler for my Mom

Elizabeth Pusey - Chester County Collection
Forever, I have loved this pattern. It's a safe bet that I'll start Elizabeth after I finish John.

March Hare - A Fine Collection, Blackbird Designs
There is something so whimsical about this leaping bunny that I need to stitch him.

Farmer Bunny & Mrs. Farmer Bunny - Fanci That
Another whimsical rabbit couple that's been on the list to stitch for forever. They are just too adorable and I'd like to stitch them together so they look like the couple in American Gothic.

I know there's more designs to choose from that I pulled out of my stitching closet but right now, I am somewhat brain dead and can't remember them.

There are an assortment of little things too that tempt me, and I am in one exchange this spring. And of course EVERYTHING is subject to change (and they probably will).

So what do you think of my plans?