This week's progress

Friday is finally here, and I don't know about you, but I'm glad this week is over. March has truly come in like a lion, if not so much in weather, it's an emotional lion.

I did manage to get some work done on Icy. I know now that one strand of Marlitt would have given adequate coverage on my 28 count, but I've got so much done in two strands, I have to keep going. Fortunately, I ordered more from Sewandso in England. It's on its way, so I think I'll be OK on that.



He is so large that pictures that fit all the piece don't show the detail, and the "pretty" of this is in the detail.



I also worked on LHN's Cardinal's Winter. I am substituting some of the colors out so it coordinates better with a particular backing fabric I have, and also because I didn't have one of the CC it called for. I switched out Roasted Chestnut for Bunny Honey, and I think it works well with the cooler colors. I know the border is GAST, from one of those Loose Thread packs they used to sell. I had been holding onto those threads for a long time, but, as part of my general push this year to be a better steward of my many blessings in life, I decided it was time to use the threads, and not keep them in a bag, without purpose. I am not sure which color it is. I used another color blue for the word Tweet, but I think I'm going to frog that and use the border color.



It's stitched on silver sparkly aida from Charles Craft. I think it's turning out pretty well, all in all.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Hopefully, next week will be better than this.

Another finish--He's a Flake

I finished this last night. I think this has been my favorite of the three LHN ornaments I've done so far. We're watching Life on the Discovery Channel and it's hard to stitch while watching this wonderful series, but I got it done. I did figure out that the backing fabric I bought will not work, but I have other fabric I can use, so I'm not worried.

It was a busy weekend. We headed over to Lowes for a new garage door to replace the one that broke--it literally broke. We have been needing one for a long time--we had to have a work-around since last spring, when one of the springs let go. I was home alone before work when it happened, and the house SHOOK. I thought, not quite logically, either someone shot the house, or there was an accident, but couldn't see any damage. Now I am just glad it didn't do that while anyone was in the garage, or even when the dogs were in there. We found this new one for a reasonable price, it's lighter and better insulated. The only thing is that it doesn't have windows, and I told DF that we need to have a light on when we put the dogs in the garage during the day, or their eyes will go bad. He said that was a good idea--I'm sure the savings because of the insulation will offset the cost of the light.

We also got some flowers. I have a planter on the front landing that we put pansies and things in. It cheers up that area, it's a splash of color, and it's something that I can say I contributed to the house. This was a rental house before HTB bought it, and he's not a flower man, so there are no flowers, just some trees and the ornamental grasses to give privacy for the dogs. I found some calla lilies in a peachy salmony color, which will look nice, so I planted those in my box. I told HTB I will get more flowers in a week or so, just to warn him, we shall have color! And I bought a lavendar plant. I miss having it, and, even if we don't stay at this house too long, I wanted some. It's just heavenly in the summer, when the sun warms it and releases the scent. I was so happy to find it, I was smelling the leaves; I am sure the neighbors now think I am crazy, huffing lavendar, but that's life! I wanted to find tomatoes, but they didn't have the upside down planters and I need those, so I'll hold off til I find them. We usually plant tomatoes in May anyway.

I even got my Mother's Day shopping done. They had a new series of yard decorations by Jim Shore, really cute stuff, from a bird bath to wind chimes to little stake things. My mom loves Jim Shore stuff, so I figured this was a good idea, and they were fairly reasonably priced. I know how popular his stuff is, and decided I better get the windchimes now, because they will NOT be there in a few weeks. DF wondered why I was buying windchimes; he seemed a bit better about it when I told him what it was for, but I'll have to find something just as nice for his mom.

We were a'planting and a'installing all afternoon. It was kinda nice. I'm excited to see what my lily bulbs turn into. I'm happy in a deep-down way that I have lavendar now. And so stoked about that darn garage door! I even cooked last night!

It was a very productive day!