Spring has sprung

....finally.    And with it lots of stuff to do.   One thing is enlarging our deck and pergola.   The existing pergola is a baked aluminum one from Lowes that I love expect for the scraping and painting part.   The new one with be out of the trex decking and in addition to being larger, will be maintenance free.   Now I haven't decided if I am a contractor's dream or nightmare....I'll let you know after I share my before and after drawings with him on Monday.

I went to the 2nd Annual Needlework Emporium put on the by the Women's Club of Bethesda MD.   Well worth the trip.   Lot's of vintage pieces, lots of buttons, lots of pin cushions.   I scored this vintage file box.  Shout out to Stasi at BeeMused and BeeStitching.   Check out her post.   She thought to take pictures at the show.   It was a great day with two great Stasi's/Stacey's and me!

We pulled the drawers out and bagged them separately to made the walk to the car easier.   It wasn't until I was putting the drawers back that I saw papers wedged in the back.    Well the Nancy Drew in me has her interest piqued but I wasn't sure how I could get them out.    Good old gravity did it.

I turned it upside down and after a few good shakes and twists everything came out.   There was just enough room at the end of each drawer slide for the papers to wiggle free.

The papers are dated 1934, 1946, 1949 and 1976 with locations of Roy, Indiana and Flemington, New Jersey.   What a story this file box must be able to tell.

 My other treasures today included the small red and white bakelite buttons, a sock darner, a half round drum button, more ribbons and trims and 5 old chandelier prisms which I can't wait to hang outside with the sun with catch them.

 And look what fits perfectly in the draw.   I am going to have to move a couple of things around to somehow manage to get this beside my stitching chair.   It will be the perfect place to set my shaker tray of scissors and notions.

 I am on the Hot Mess Express with me huck embroidery project.  I am too far in to want to start over.  I am just going to stay in my lane and keep moving forward.    This was taught at our last EGA meeting.  It actually is quite easy if you don't try to create all your own motifs and use every single row available!   Restraint!  I need to show restraint!  Just do it, don't over do it!

My focus project has been my EGA Challenge Piece No. 4   I have made great progress since picking this back up and can actually envision me finishing it......but maybe not before the new Challenge No. is chosen.

 It's all the darned 'bleeping' eyelets!  I think I have 9 more letters to do.  Ugh.   In between the torture of the eyelets I have been completing the lower rows.   I know how my analytical brain works and I'll conjure up some mathematic approach to the letters..... kind of like those old grammar school problems....if a car leaves Chicago, traveling east at 60 mph and a car leaves Pittsburgh at ....... stitch a letter and a half and then treat myself to stitch a row and both be done at the same time. 

I hope to be able to post again soon with some updates on other projects as well as life in general.    Now off to check off a few more items on the to-do list!

 Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.

My Folly is Over...

Mr. W.  will be rolling in sometime tomorrow afternoon following eight weeks on the road......

So let's have a catch up on what I have been up to!   My daughter gave me this adorable squirrel sweater.   My family has this crazy obsession with squirrels.  It is what all the best dressed teddy bears will be wearing this season!

 I took a vacation day Friday and my sister and I went "junking".    It is always fun for sisters to get together and share and laugh.    I found this adorable miniature dress form.   I have no idea what I will do with it but it was one of those things that I knew if I didn't buy it, I would regret it.

 OMG!  Got this Christmas table runner for $4!!!   This is how it was folded on the table in the consignment store.   Being a stitcher, I knew without peaking what the other side would look like.

 Not only that, I am a sucker for needlework I find in consignment stores.....I know how much time and effort I put into my pieces so I know someone did the same here.

Overall it is 48 inches long.

Another $4 find!  This is about 11 x 18.    Couldn't find this when I was looking.   Back then, all I saw were tons of January and no July (birth month)

And a $1 find.   This chicken wire shoe.   The bow and flowers will come out and I am not sure what I am going to do with it but it was another too good of a bargain to pass up.

Today I managed to make my monthly guild meeting.....I have missed the last three months and even though it was just  stitch in it was so good to go and see everyone.   I've been doing a lot with my non-profit board so little stitching has been going on.  It's minimal but here's my progress on my class piece.

I am going to have to frog a teeny tiny bit.   I put in two too many stitches in the center of the heart below the flag.   Not a terrible amount of frogging.  I think I will survive.

After my guild meeting I picked up my BFF and we went to a local guild's quilting show.   Of course, I needed nothing but got this R-W-B fabric for a table runner pattern my sister gave me.  The show was not as nice as the bigger shows but I think it is important to support the local guilds.  Beside some of the bigger national shows can be overwhelming.

 I got this fabric last weekend in Lancaster PA with my daughter.    I am so drawn to 1930's retro fabrics.    I think I finally have more than enough to complete the string quilt I started.

I ended my jammed packed day with the afternoon and evening at the Havre de Grace Seafood Festival.   Yummo!  Seafood sampler platter, corn on the cob, crabs, cold beer, live bands, craft vendors.....it was a fun afternoon and evening for Deb and I.

I got some great shots of the lighthouse, the park and the water on my phone.

We strolled the promenade along the river.   I love exploring new towns and cities and finding their hidden gems.  Things the locals probably take for granted.

Check this out.   I bought this fab messenger bag.

 Close up of the button decoration.

Look when you flip up the front flap!!  Double wow.    It is made from real jeans.   The pockets will hold my favorite pen and cell phone and my keys are on the belt loop.   Inside it is super roomy.   There is room for my pocketbook, my lunch and a place for files but it will house a zipper mesh bag with a stitching project for me.  Perfect for work.

I am off to rearrange everything from my old tote bag to my new messenger bag.