May Wrap up…..

First of all, I hope everyone is enjoying a great three day weekend and celebrating America and remembering those who have sacrificed to make this the land of the free and the home of the brave.    Here on the east coast of the US of A, we are on the third day of rain, rain and more rain and below normal temperatures.     No problem says I!   I can get some finishing done.

This month my WIPGO calls  were, first, Jeweled Baubles from Shannon Christine Designs.   I first saw these piece completed at my friend Diane’s.  I got on line immediately to order it.  This pattern is one of those that is definitely not captured in the picture.   Lots of color changes, half stitches, and confetti stitching, Kreinik and beads.  Most definitely not a take along piece to work on.

I put 5 to 6 hours of stitching in to this and met the WIPGO goal.  Four ornaments done and four to go.  It may look like a missed a lot of stitches but those spaces are where the beads go.   

 

My second call was Harvest Friends from Teresa Kogut.  This is being stitched  as a (yet another!!) Round Robin with two friends.  Each of us stitching the same ‘pumpkin head lady’ on all each other’s pieces and then rotating it back to the owner.  I put some time in on this piece doing the boarder outline.   I concentrated on getting the border done only to have outline not meet.   Out it came and I started again.   Another few hours and at least double the WIPGO goal but I am back on track.   The outline of the border that remains stitched IS correct.   You know how many times I have eaten the words I said to my daughters when teaching them to cross stitch…… “it’s not cross stitch if you don’t have to frog occasionally”…. Too many!

I did get my geraniums bought and planted in my pots.   I had to go with white this year as there were not enough of the reds I wanted.  Some vegetables are in but some more to buy.  There has been progress, albeit small.    I also planted an assortment of Coleus.  

This past week we had record breaking high temps but I did manage to weed some flower beds.   I paced myself, drank lots of water, wore a hat and took breaks.   I cannot believe Mr. W actually had the AC on before Memorial Day!   Then you get to this holiday weekend and it is 30 to 40 degrees cooler. 

I finished Primrose’s Star-a-day AND fully finish it.   Since I changed the number of Stars and Stripes I did not stick to the star a day assignment.    When I saw how my friend Ruth of  Spectrum Farms Needlework (floss tube) finished hers, I knew how I wanted to finish mine.   I am not 100% happy with my finishing work and I am debating about taking it apart.  Part of me is saying “from the top of the bridge it will look fine”  so it may stay as it is.  

I was able to keep up with HOD Patreon and stitched and fully finished this month’s ornament.  

Mid-month I attended the Creative Hands Gathering in Gettysburg, PA.    It was a great weekend.  Even though I pledged over and over again on the drive out that I was not buying anything that went out the window in the first half hour with all the fabulous choices.     I decided I needed to start including the wool kits in my X-Stitch ap under “Miscellaneous” and have already added the new patterns and my existing kits in stash to the X-Stitch ap.   Good news is that I have far fewer than I thought I did.  

Look at some of the Show ‘n Tell!

Our Retreat Gift was this lovely wooden box.

 

Each vendor designed a pattern suitable for inserting on the top.   It was hard to choose!   So I didn’t.   I selected one that was springtime like and a more fall theme.  Both are wool appliqué patterns.

Another goodie gift we received.

While there, I did stitch three perforated paper patriotic small patterns and fully finished them quickly once home.

 I am starting to fill up my patriotic tree.  These last three gave me 10 stitched ornaments.  

On the way home, we walked through the town of Gettysburg and visited the battlefields.  

 

 

The Pennsylvania Memorial

View from the top of the PA Memorial.  The arrows on the plaque indicate the direction and distant to other landmarks or cites.

We also visited Eisenhower’s farm.

View from the front yard.

View of the back of the home

Custom wallpaper that has the State Seals from all 50 states.

Chandelier over dining table where he hosted dignataries.

Much memorabilia was on display.

That squarish item at the bottom left of the round table is Ike’s remote control.    I am surprised it is not connected to the TV with a cord - IYKYK!

 

I am heading to Ohio later this week.   I am a member of the Western Reserve Sampler Guild and they are hosting a 25th anniversary weekend.  I think I will take the  French Alphabet to the retreat and dedicate all my stitching time to it because I have been neglecting it.    It seems like when I pick it up and start to work on it, I don’t want to put it down.  But then again, Harvest Friends could be what I take.  Hopefully there will be noticeable progress on whatever I take with me.  Lucky for me, these are my two largest WIP’s.

Thanks for coming along with me on my travels.   Thanks for stopping by and commenting.   Stay safe, stay healthy, don’t sweat the small stuff and keep on stitching.