Been Awhile!

First off - happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you had a lovely time with family and friends, and didn't pig out on too much delicious food. We went to my brother's house, and had a feast. If you took a little of everything (not including the desserts), you would need more than one plate! There was so much food - and everything was delicious!

I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since my last update. It seems like I've been running non-stop since my last post. Finally, this weekend has brought some peace and quiet, and I've been enjoying staying home. Yesterday I did nothing, except veg out. It was lovely! Last night after everyone went to bed, I pulled out my stitching and stitched away until 1am. Then the guys got up at 4 needing breakfast, coffee, and sent off for their day out in the woods for the first day of deer season. So after they left, I sat down with a cup of coffee and stitched some more. I have a small finish to report - started it last night and finished and framed it this morning. It's Lizzie Kate's December Flip-it



It's done on a piece of unknown 28ct. evenweave with the recommended GAST and DMC threads. I changed the heart charm to a yellow wooden star. I thought it would bring a bit more color to the piece, and tie in the yellow hanger on the ornament. The scan makes the star so much darker, but its almost the same color as the hanger.

The Flip-its go above my sink. I bought a frame (with glass to keep the water splashes off the needlework) and all I do is change the flip-it each month. I didn't do any lacing or anything fancy like that. I just cut the piece to fit in the frame, and up it goes. Then all I do is just change the piece every month. LK's are cute, but I won't go to the expense or time to do a good job framing them. They just go in a cheap Walmart or Dollar Store frame.

Dragon Dream's "Late Knight Snacking" is all finished except for the lettering. I put it aside to work on my breadcloth that has to be mailed out on the 6th. Late Knight is just so adorable! I need to get to AC Moore's and find the perfect frame/mat for it. As for the breadcloth, I found the cutest pattern on the net for it at Cross Stitch Treasures. The pattern is called Gingerbread Deer, which I thought was different. You always see gingerbread houses and men, but not deer :-) I'm about half way done. I don't care for holding the piece in my hand, though, so I don't work on it a lot at one time.

I'm waiting on a model to come. Yup - I'm back to model stitching again. I like the designer and her designs are fun with attitude. I can't wait to tell more, but you know how that confidentiality stuff works - so, I can't tell much now - but soon!!

On to more personal homelife stuff.... I had two really neat things go on here these past 2 weeks - first DS had his braces removed. He's a handsome boy with a beautiful smile now. It's funny, because he has to learn to whistle all over again. He was wonderful at doing bird calls, then he got his braces, and couldn't. He was just at the point of being good at doing them again, when the braces came off. Now he's has to learn again! LOL

Now for the other news. This is bittersweet, really. DH's great aunt died a couple of months ago. She didn't have any children, so all the things were to be left to DH's mom. She called DH and his brothers, and said she wanted them at his great aunt's house to pick out things they wanted. They had to tag what they wanted, and the rest was to go to auction. The following week, DH picked up the stuff he picked out. I didn't go, as I felt it wasn't my place. It's uncomfortable enough dispersing a family member's things, but to go into a complete stranger's home and taking would be totally wrong. I never met the woman before. Sadly I didn't get to find anything out about her until after she died. Anyhow, when DH came home, he had the most wonderful gift for me that he tagged.

As many of you know, I LOVE Paula Vaughan's work - makes me think of my childhood and my grandmother. As I get older, I want to add more of the older things to my home. I have a beautiful roundtop trunk and a have wanted to add a handmade quilt and a treadle sewing machine to my "collection" for quite a long time now. Well, when DH came home, he had a beautiful 1889 Singer Treadle sewing machine that was his aunt's! Not only was it in great shape, but it came with a stool, a wooden cover to protect the machine, a puzzle box full of attatchments, and even the owner's manuals for the machine and the attatchments!! The best part is, is the machine works!! I've cleaned it up, and after talking to a furniture restorer, I am now using Lemon Oil since the wood is so dry. It is looking better and better as I work on it. I still can't believe that I got so lucky!!!

On the topic of Paula Vaughan, I'm so close to completing my collection of her leaflets! I have 3 to get that are still in print, and "PV in Miniature". That one may never make it in my collection. It always goes out of my reach on auction. I asked DH for the 3 in print leaflets, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed he'll get them for me for Christmas. He's usually pretty good at getting things that I love and want :-)