Stars and birds and words, oh my!

But a little housekeeping first.

I mentioned "Finish-it February" and Riona asked if that was a new challenge. It's actually something I heard about probably around when I started blogging. The idea was to focus on finishing something in that month. It was probably in 2007, though it may have been older. Remember, January was always "Guilt free January" so I guess the point was indulge in one month, repent in the next, but that was before the recession started and we all started making do with what we have, not starting new projects left and right. I'm probably the only one who still thinks about it, but it's a good practice for me, and I always wierdly think of February as "Finish-it February." Anyone is welcome in joining me.

I don't have a picture of my fair project. I realize I am bit anal about the planning and getting ready. I've always been a keen competitor when it comes to the fair, ever since those days when I, wearing my immaculately pressed white button-down, black skirt, Sam and Libbys, very large bangs (an accomplishment in the Maryland summer humidity, and my ribbon tie, paraded my dog on the end of a leash around the cattle show pavilion. I was a good dog shower (my beloved Dana and I took home either Champion or Reserve in every division we entered, and only lost Senior Champ overall because we didn't do obedience or the costume class. I knew our strengths), but I never won the cross stitch class. And so, I've spent my adult life pushing for the win. Funny how, til I get that best of show, I won't really feel vindicated. Perhaps I should have stuck with dog showing, but we did atrocious at the state fair; Dana decided she'd had enough of other people's opinions of her, ate some horse poop, sat down in the ring, and took fourth, and that, my friends was the end of our show career. Cross stitch, at least, doesn't eat horse poop and then try to lick your face.


So, this is what I worked so diligently at yesterday. This is my progress on Hope Perches, done on DMC marbled aida, with Hand-dyed Fibers in Robiness, Midnight, and Dragon something (I can't read my writing on the bobbin) with a brown from a detritus bag as the feet. It's coming along. I cut the fabric pretty small, but it's going to be made into a pillow like the chart cover, so I'm not scared.






The area of Betsy I worked on yesterday. The theme was stars and birds, because that's all I seem to have done. It does seem to be moving faster on this side. Why did I wait so long.



And the entire thing. I am not putting the loose thread between her needle and the flag. I like the effect of it without the thread. It sorta feels to me like she is raising her needle in defiant victory. She has finished this flag! Her sheep are content! Her stinky-looking flower is blooming! She has a peacock!



We should all celebrate the tiny, every day miracles: ribbons in a dog show we never thought we'd win, content sheep, even if they're just floss sheep, and snow days with warm cocoa and a snoring dog at our feet.