Oh... I so need a stitching weekend!

I am really looking forward to the small amount of time I'll have this weekend to stitch. It is a three-day weekend, but I will be spending the majority of my time with the youth in my church/ward at a youth conference. We'll have a speaker/dinner and then dance on Friday night, service projects, workshops and a late night at the recreation center on Saturday, and then we're heading up to Salt Lake to be at the Mormon Tab broadcast early in the morning on Sunday. Afterwards, we'll have a lunch and there will be a special speaker. I do enjoy the time I spend with the youth. They are great. I'll be really tuckered out when it's all over though!

I finished my mom's little Valentine gift late last night. I found a cute pillow/insert pattern for her at Gardner Village last Saturday. She was thrilled. And, she said, "Wow, this was a sacrifice for you... to stitch on that kind of fabric." You see the kit came with 18 count Aida cloth. I didn't switch it out, because I didn't have a Jobelan or something more substantial than linen that would hold up in the little pillow insert. So, she knows me well. It was a sacrifice. My fingers will appreciate stitching on linen once more this weekend.

And, she surprised me this morning in my lunch (don't I have a great mom... I really am an adult, but it's so nice to have her around still). She put in a handmade card, and a little handmade paper box that was filled with chocolate. And, she asked when I'd be home tonight from school. She has a nice steak dinner planned!

Who needs a husband? Okay, well, I know having two women in the house sharing the same kitchen can sometimes be hard... but if I have to go it alone and be a single person, I'm sure glad she's around to help me out! And, it works out for her too. She is retired and I am able to support us.

Oh, and I'm so excited! I am trading a chart with Jacque in Missouri. She has DT's Holiday Hearts, which I've been looking for and I am sending her DT's American Spot sampler via Elegant Stitch. I just completed the order. Of course, I had to add a few more things for myself from market. When they arrive, I'll report on my new stash! I did also order a little late Valentine's day present for a friend who's been away from the stitching world for too long. While shopping on Saturday, she saw a chart she liked, so I am having the ES magic ladies send her the chart with threads and fabric as well. She'll just have to start stitching a bit more now!

Sorry no pics today. I'm away from my camera. And, my home computer is on the blink a bit. I hope to fix that tonight for good!

Help Me Decide

With Nashville Market releases making me all excited for new stash, and recent purchases of the Mary Busby quaker repro and other fine things, I think I need some help in determining just where I'll put my money first. I really shouldn't order everything at once! So, I borrowed a trick from Melissa and have added the following poll:



Vote and help me decide what my stash purchasing priorities ought to be. Know that I usually purchase the threads if there is a package discount. But, what I want to know is this: what would you pick to purchase for your stash first? I have too many WIPs right now, so although I'll be tempted to start what I buy, I will try to have some self control in that area. Oh, and I guess I was typing really fast and re-named the new HRH chart in the poll. I wonder what CHS would come up with for SHORTS of Hawk Run Hollow? Could be pretty funny...

Let me know by voting!

Outta Control

Okay, I did attend the Swan meeting a few weeks ago. And, it was the start of something BIG. First, Emie Bishop was there to tell us all about her latest sampler. And, she mentioned that several of her charts are near extinction... so, I whipped out the checkbook and ordered three charts.

Then, I heard there was just one more silk kit for Spanish Wine, just a few miles away... and you know I've wanted to join in on this. Lynn was her usual, helpful, enabler self. I didn't blink an eye before she had pulled out her cell and called Carolyn at the shop to reserve it for me. So, I trucked on over to The Craft Center after the meeting. Of course, I also picked up a few other things, and asked them to order the chart for me. The linen is 40 count vintage navy bean, and it arrived at about the same time I was able to pick up the chart last week. I'm itching to start this.

I had already ordered several Prairie Schooler charts from ES via their Hoffman sale, and the Sampler Sweet Bag chart by Nostalgic Needle to prep for the June Swan project. Of course, I decided that I should order the small skeins of AVAS to go with that project. When I picked up the Spanish Wine chart, I also saw several other things I've wanted for a little while. So, here's a bit more of my stash binge.

In total, I have added 19 new charts, two skeins of Gloriana silk (Schoolhouse Red and Cranberry), the Spanish Wine silk pack and Lakeside Linen, 13 small skeins of AVAS for the Sampler Sweet Bag, a cut of linen for the sweet bag and two odd skeins of overdyed cotton I needed. Whoa!

And, next Saturday I'll pick up my two kits by Ellen Chester at the May Swan meeting. I'm taking Ellen's "A Needleworker's Sampler Huswif" class, and have also ordered her "Friendship in Stitches" kit.

Methinks I need to go through my old stash and have a cleanout! Maybe? Maybe not. I sure am going to enjoy my summer.

Oh, and I added a new pic to the top of my blog. It's a wonderful lilac I have in my yard. I have four varieties of lilacs, and they're all blooming. I love spring too!