Vacations Over

Mr. W. Returns home today after eight weeks on the road.  I saw that he had made it from Indianapolis to Somerset PA area by 6 a.m. this morning.   I am sure the next few days I will be regaled with his adventures and misadventures ad nauseam.  It is not that I am not interested a wee bit but he will repeat the same tales all week while he decompresses from his version of running away and joining the circus.  Also during this time will be the vowing to never again go on tour.....that will change by the time next year's tour starts to take shape on the drawing board.  Buddy Cat will also be thrilled for sure to have his pal back.

Yesterday D#1 and I spent the day together.  We planned to go to Lititz, PA for the largest craft show (700 vendors) on the east coast but alas, we ran amok.  We started the day early with a great breakfast out, visited Fireside stitchery in Fraser, PA and then hit a bunch of consignment shops before managing a visit to The Container Store.  We ended with a fun stop at the Trolley Car Cafe and their ice cream stand.  Yum.  Back at her house I managed an hour of stitching while she sorted fat quarters by color to store in her new containers....poor baby thinks she can tame her stash......I was not going to squash her spirit.  Craft show or not, we always have lots of laughs and fun together.

I drug along Corsica River, protected for the road trip in a king sized pillow case.  For stitching, I have made great progress on Corsica River this week.   I am not yet up to the current assignment but I am still really happy with the progress. Another two weeks like this and I think I can finish this row.  That thought is nice but the execution is doubtful.  ((remember my wallpaper removal project to work an hour a week that has gone the wayside and the quilt a seam-a-day project?))

Last week 

This week.....really can see the Assisi work *pop*

Remaining liriope all nasty in the background.

As for consignment shopping, I had success.  All summer I have been wearing my thinking cap for a vignette I wanted to create in the side garden.  I planted liriope several years backs but I must be growing the red-headed-step-child version of the plant.  Mine does not, never has, never will resemble that lovely compact variegated variety with pretty purple spikes of flowers that you see lining mall entries or the perfectly manicured landscaping around a professional building.  No, mine is more like the unruly hair of.....dare I say,  Cousin It.   And it is a son of a biscuit to remove.  Worse, yes much worse, than ivy.  Anyway, I have been slowly removing it over the course of the summer.   I thought I wanted to put up a fence section, hang a window box or maybe prop an old bike with a basket up.  Everyone wants a fortune, or at least more than I am willing to pay, for a rusty old non-operating old Schwinn.  So I bought this flower stand yesterday.  I went out first thing this morning, cleared the area, and just dry set the flag stone pieces I had on hand.  And although I paid the price as marked I think I got a steal.   The coco lining and flowers alone are worth the purchase price.  I may still add a fence section for effect.  Maybe once Mr. W. recoveries I can enlist his help...and maybe not

I also finished the stitching for the waxer bag of My Stitchers Heart.  These smalls are easy take along pieces.  Love these colors.  I started the pin cushion.  I hope to at least have the smalls and the box painted and papered by November when I have a class with Cathy Haberman of Hands On Designs.

I am also close to the final stitches in my Longaberger apple basket.  The back stitch is actually harder than I was anticipating as I have a mass of threads on the back side due to the 'confetti' stitches throughout the basket.   I am not sure how I want to finish this one.  Frame it, make a flat fold, make it a pillow and use it on a project bag......hmmmm...tbd

This week I will be getting ready for a visit from my son and his family.  Thank goodness for FaceTime that we use in between visits!  I need to get the beds made up, stow my crafts, get the dog crate out and do major  grocery shop.   So that's what up in my little corner of the USA.

Have a great week, thanks for stopping by and happy stitching all!