Hello? Is anyone out there?

I am sorry that I’ve not kept up with my blog recently. I promised myself that I would post more often than once or twice a month but as usual, my execution of that promise produced less than desired results. I am glad though that you continue to hang in there with me and continue to check up on my world. It’s really appreciated and it makes me glow because you and a few of the needlework forums that I visit are really my only connection to the cross stitch world. There really isn’t anyone to share my stitching with, my friends admire my work but wonder why I would want to spend all my free time making little x’s on hole-y cloth. Sharing my interest in stitching with them is not the same as sharing my passion with fellow stitchers who are as in love with and are as passionate as I am about stitching.

Honestly, I haven’t stitched an awful lot in the last few weeks. I worked on an Ewe & Eye & Friends piece called Liberty House in the late evenings because I wanted a new patriotic piece for my house. It’s ¾ of the way stitched but it won’t be made into a pinkeep before the Fourth. And I’ve worked a tiny bit on Where My Heart Blooms. Progress on that sampler is negligable though, I re-stitched what I frogged out, the border and and a few strawberries. So now I am right where I was before I found the mistake and had to pull out most of the right top and right border out. One step back...two steps forward. Story of my stitching life.

Mainly, I’ve filled my stitching time with my horses and my birthday and our anniversary. Also, throw one full day in Saratoga to attend the Jazz Festival (no, I am not a fan but was gifted a ticket along with a whole hearted attempt at conversion) and the result is my stitching time dwindled to almost nothing. In fact, the most time I’ve spend any extended stitching in the last 2 weeks was on the trip to Saratoga (2.5 hours in the car one way) and that’s where I re-stitched the borders on Where My Heart Blooms.

My birthday was June 24th and was spent pretty quietly. I worked and once I got home, the David took me out to an authentic Mexican restuarant which was scrumptious. I got a very nice gift card to a favorite store and a beautiful diamond pendant which was a complete surprise from him. We visited Mike the weekend prior to my birthday and he gave me a windchime for our front porch. We spent the day with him, we took him and his buddy, Charlie to lunch and grocery shopping.

Our 29th anniversary was on June 30th and we spent the evening working in the yard and grooming horses. We will be going out to a nice restuarant on Saturday to celebrate our marriage. It’s amazing to think that I’ve spent more than ½ my life with this wonderful man who loves me in spite of my faults (which number more than a few!). I wouldn’t trade him for all the gold in the world and I’m so blessed to be loved by him.

I need a break from the big projects that I have going now and seem to be taking forever to show any progress at all. I have 2 small finished pieces that I plan on finishing as pinkeeps in addition to Liberty House. I am in a "smalls" mood, small patterns that can be stitched and finished quickly. It shouldn’t take but a few hours to assemble them. They’ve been stitched for a long time and have languished in a dresser drawer just waiting for the time to see the light of day to be finished. My pieces are: The Trilogy’s, Liberty, which was an old freebie, and The Drawn Thread’s, Halloween Spot. I bought all the finishing stuff, backing, ribbons and trims. Now just find the time to put them together. Plus, I can mount 2 smaller pieces to be framed. I’ll take photos the minute I get them done.

Speaking of photos, here’s a tease for you. My friend Sandra made me the nicest bag from beautiful toile fabric, trimmed with antique lace. Sandra also made me a Stacy Nash pinkeep. I promise, promise, promise to take pictures tonight after work of these beautiful items. Sandra, I absolutely love them and I will cherish them always.

The next couple of weeks will be busy at work, we are auditing our business for a new Quality standard. Hopefully, I will not be too tired to keep up with hearth, home, horses and stitching!

So, to all my American friends, please have a safe and happy July 4th!!!! I hope that you spend time with those you love at a picnic and at the fireworks. That's where David and I will be at dusk, watching the fireworks from our little blanket on the lawn of the Presybterian church. The best seat in the house!

HAPPY JULY 4th!!