Catching up!

During a recent visit to Arizona I managed to make it over to Needler's Nest located in Surprise. What a delightful shop with helpful yet not hovering staff. I'm standing with Bettelou who specializes in cross stitch. I hope you'll visit this wonderful store if in the area. The day I was there they were having a 25% off everything sale.  I could have really gone crazy with that type of discount, but I stuck to only a few vital items. Apparently like beauty, I believe that vital is also in the eye of the beholder. :) I found these two little charmers below which are going right into my queue for the coming year. Unfortunately they didn't come with stitch guides, but given the patterns on their clothing, looks like I'll be doing basketweave. Yikes did I say basketweave? Well just for their outfits; the background and hair will NOT be basketweave, not after that rooster episode.

These are relatively small so they'll work up fast. I already have vintage bamboo frames for them. Next year I think I'm going to focus on projects that tend to be smaller in size. I just had too many biggies in my queue this year and I'm looking forward to not having to deal with a cumbersome canvas on my floor or table stand. Yes, I think something I can mount on my "straddle paddle" will be the perfect size! LOL! Remember that? I like using it, it's just so.....different.

I sure tend to do a lot of painted canvaswork, don't I? I love to needlepoint, but I also enjoy and admire stitching done on evenweaves, linens and other types of fabric. But painted canvas seems to be where I land most of the time. It makes everything more costly, but it can't be helped. These are works of art in many cases. With that I'm going to go play in my stash closet, getting my new projects kitted up. Love that term, kitted up. Thank you for visiting today, I hope you have a wonderful day filled with stitching.

P.S. Still can't find spell checker in this blog mode.

Gosh I've been away long enough to have undergone and recovered from a face lift, full body liposuction (is there such a thing?) and hair growth rivaling Rapunzel. I wish. Unfortunately nothing quite so exciting as those life altering events have kept me from my blog and friends and stitching and life as I know/like it.

No, it took a stay in Sedona where, due to the heat, I had the life zapped right out of me for half of August and without a computer and sporadic cell coverage no less! Or was it that hideous eye infection complete with ointment that kept me from stitching, driving, or going out anywhere. Cyclops is what came to my mind each time I peered into a mirror. Yes, I did see the doctor for an antibiotic and realized first hand that this type of treatment isn't really effective for what ailed me. It's gone, mostly, I'm now presentable.

There were a number of other unexpected "situations" that cropped up all taking their sweet time to resolve. Like the hail storm of catastrophic magnitude (dubbed by the insurance company) that surely centered itself over my home causing all kinds of damage and mayhem. And the aftermath/onslaught of roofers, painters, adjusters, etc. to help us through the calamity. LOL! It all sounds insignificant now, but at the time everything seemed to be happening at once, or at least needed immediate attention. August will never be the same for me, for one thing it's my last time to go to Sedona (in August). It was hotter than the center of the sun or turkey pot pie right out of the oven! No kidding. Sedona is beautiful but if you can't go in the winter...get a postcard! Yes, it's cooler than Phoenix, but not enough to say so, except at night, it does cool down I have to give them that. It's just an annual trek I take with an elderly relative who would not go otherwise.
Stitch-wise I did very little. I managed to finish this ornament for a Christmas in July exchange (pre August events). I finished it myself which allowed the inclusion of these other goodies shown here in my mailing. I also worked on the next Cozy Toe ornament and embellished the Spaniel pillow mentioned in a previous post. These things will be posted later today. So I have stitched a little, but not nearly as much as I wanted or needed to. I am waaaay behind on my queue.
While in Arizona I did make it to Needler's Nest in Surprise. They were having a storewide 25% off everything sale which I was not about to miss, Cyclops or not. I'll soon have photos ready for posting and of some of the fun things I found in that great shop.

Well that's about the gist of why my blog and stitching haven't been the priority lately. I know you all know how much I missed it. Thanks so much for bearing with me over these last weeks and thanks to those that have written to inquire. Take care.