Ahh Sunday - Ahh Autumn!!

Greetings everyone!!

I know, the title is forgetting that summer always rears it's hot head again in September or October here in Michigan...but we are starting to have the tease of our next season; autumn is my favorite time of year so I am welcoming it with open arms! I picked up some Macintosh and honey crisp apples at farmer's market (more on that later) and am going to the orchard next weekend for other varieties. Always a sure sign Autumn is near!!

My banner shot is one of my many, many Halloween items. I finished this late last year and love it. It's from Raise the Roof, I believe. Isn't it sweet?

Before I get into what's going on in my silly life, I wanted to say THANKS for those who have taken the time to comment on my blog - your comments make me smile and I love to hear that people actually read my babbles...A couple I forgot to address with my last post (it was so long anyway):

• Welcome to Madame Samm. I am glad I could pass on the flower frog quest. I wish it was my idea to use them for scissors, but I have seen it from many people - both blog or in person. The search took me a bit for the frog itself (received my first from Jennifer), then it seems I have found many more - maybe it took just one for the flower frog karma to hit me...and the bases take a bit of time to find, but it is fun to search. Good luck!
• Siobhan - It's nice to know others experience the same things, isn't it? I hope your daughter is enjoying her internship. I really know what you mean about most interns not paying - that's how mine was oh, so many years ago. And I agree - sometimes that dreaded basting is a necessary evil!
• Diane - thanks for the thoughts on the JJ petites. I am still using them on a couple pieces to "test" whether or not I like them...so far, they are taking a little getting used to but they are easier (for me) to do the sewing method with, when stitching in q-snaps.

Okay on to the pics...I spent Friday evening with my bff Mary. I am fortunate to have two LNS within one hour - we went to the one closer to her that sponsors a stitch-in evening once a month. When I arrived at Mary's, she presented me with a project case. Eons ago, I gave her some of my matching fabric for my basket - remember it from a precious post?

It is a basket designed by a member of Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild. I changed it up a bit, and have plans to work on the smalls inside - some are basted, just not stitched yet. I love the rich color of the browns and reds in my lining fabric...don't you? Well Mary took some of my fabrics and when I arrived Friday, gave me this:

Doesn't it look great in there - now on to the smalls! I think that may be a goal to complete by the end of this year - I have only one done - the biscornu...stitching them will be the easy part but the finish/finishing will be the challenge...



Here's a shot of it opened up. Two pockets are on the top portion, with a buttoned pocket on the bottom. I love it - thanks so much Mary!

While at the Friday night gathering, the shop owner puts all attendees' names in a basket and draws one for a prize - I won. I received this scissor case kit - isn't it sweet? How lucky was I Friday night - friends, good potluck food including cookies and a prize.

I enhanced my stash with one pattern - I also pickup some fibers but didn't photo...the pattern is the snow globe. I thought it would make a great ornament. The wool didn't show up that great in this photo. It's felted wool I picked up to do as a quick finish. I plan on working on it today (actually starting it) and this week so stay tuned and I'll take pics of my progress... The other book in the photo was a recent purchase for my library. It is a great resource book for sampler motifs and alphabets! My friend Peg ordered them for a bunch of us in the group I hang with - thanks for the legwork, Peg...I love my book!

Back to the apple crisp - DH and I had BLT's last night with what is probably my last better boy tomato...and they were delicious! I still have other varieties of 'maters coming in - yum! So the macs I picked up at farmer's market were chanting to be made into a crisp - while baking, the smell took away the bacon smell that permeated the house. Why do certain things taste so yummy, but the smell lingers and doesn't smell so good later? Off track again-back to the crisp- put a bit of vanilla ice cream, still warm from the oven and can you say "yum"! It certainly tastes best in the season, doesn't it?

Here's my BBD progress....gotta give equal time to the other house. Maybe will do some on that today too...boy, the list is growing, as I want to square up my nephew's quilt and get the backing complete so I can drop it off next weekend. Plans were to do that this weekend...

So, time to get the last laundry shifted to the dryer (and folded later) and stir the chicken noodle soup already in the crock pot...then maybe stitch a bit before a shower. Once I work on the quilt today, I need to run to JoAnns for the batting...Happy Sunday! Have a good week...

Stitch with a happy heart,

Sherry

Catching Up - Warning - picture heavy

Hi and welcome to my lengthy update!

I've been a bit, been very busy and believe it or not, I am actually stitching some and quilting some and getting things done. I will start this with a pretty picture - my rose bush blooms in ready to "vase" bunches. Sometimes it blooms in the early summer and others late summer. One year we had blooms starting in October and the early November frost took them away quickly. This just popped out this past couple weeks. Very thorny, but also pretty. I am not much of a gardener so things that take care of themselves are welcome to my dirt...this is one of them - not a fussy rose at all!

Remember the basting that I had to do to get ready for the friendship sampler with the great (did I say GREAT) group of friends I hang with...well here is my band on my sampler before passing it on. I love the way it turned out with the overdyed fibers. They are rhodes hearts with a line of van dyke stitch below it. Hope everyone likes it when I get it on their band...

A co-worker of my DH's "does" flea markets quite a bit - he told her about the elusive flower frog (aka scissor frog) and she found this one - really clear and clean. Added it to the collection of those awaiting bases.

So I did these pieces years ago, but with the cooler (thank goodness!) weather and the passing of Labor Day, I put out the fall stitched/framed piece with all the pumpkins and changed the one hanging on my door back to the pineapple welcome. I have an 8x8 frame that I switch out the seasonal ones - I think most of them are by The Trilogy - "Treat" series (I think). The door knockers are done by Bent Creek and I love them - they were pretty quick stitches and even the finishing was a fairly easy.

I have been doing a little reading - lookey, lookey what I received in the mail over the last week or two. Love the JCS Ornament Issue and my "now no longer new" love of quilting is fed with reading the Love of Quilting just before nodding off!

My niece, Amira, spent the night over the Labor Day weekend and we made tissue paper flowers - she left me with this one to put on my basket. She was very interested in learning sewing and I showed her how to take scraps, square them up a bit, thread a needle and then we worked on pillows. What a good time we had: movie, sewing, dinner with my sisters and all the kids and their husbands...the next day we spent the afternoon (which was pretty cool) at my Mom's and had dinner. We were going to do a boating afternoon - but it was pretty windy too. Ahhh, love the change in weather!

I have been working on quilting a bit. This is my nephew Ashton's quilt for Christmas. It's all put together now. Hopefully I will be finishing up the backing tomorrow or Saturday morning so I can take it to the quilter. Now what to sew? I have plenty to move on to, that's for sure.

So in the stitching realm of things what have I been doing, you may be wondering? Well remember the group I belong to - Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild? If you remember me mentioning them, you may remember the focus project for June 2011, BBD Remembering Me - we can stitch any one of the series...well I still can't decide. I started both Merry Christmas, Ella Vaugh (pinkish house) and My Missouri Home (greenish house) and I wanted to see which I enjoyed more, using that for my focus piece and then finishing the other later. Well I can't decide. I like them both equally. Here is my progress - and I know, there is more on the M.C . Ella, but I really wanted to work on the tree to the left of the house. I will be working them again soon; they have been really fun stitches thus far.

I also couldn't resist a new start - how about you? I always love that first row or two of new colors of x's on the fresh linen. So this...

is now this...

I love this and it's been fast and fun! It's Photobooth Frank'n'Boo by Bent Creek. I also have the snowmen in the photobooth series and have wrote about those earlier. It's my late at night, go to project, of the moment.

Besides all that, my DS has started his senior year in high school and he's doing okay so far. Open House was last night and meeting the teachers (and visiting previous teachers) was, as always, nice to put a face with the voice/email and to my son's responses to questions I have for him daily regarding his day at school. He has been hanging out with friends and enjoying his senior year socially, so far! He also is learning quite a bit at his new job and I believe loving having some of his own cash.

Of course my work is just that, work - I say "drat that work" sometimes for getting in the way of the quilting, stitching and reading. But, I have to work to help out with the household expenses, and to pay for these habits - hobbies, whatever you want to call them - my passion! Now don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining; I know that I have a great job, work doing what I like to do (most of the time, as Human Resources is fine, but like any job it certainly has it's moments). I also know I am very fortunate to have a job that helps with these passions!

So I have blabbed quite a bit - wonder now if you have all gone glazzey-eyed (yes, it's a made up word but I know you know what I mean)...but I did have so much to tell you. Well - gotta get to bed - work tomorrow. Whatever you are up to, whatever has you smiling, hope it's peaceful to your heart! Thanks for stopping by and reading. Welcome to newbies and hi the regulars! Your comments mean so much to me and seeing my followers go up is a thrill for me....

As I started this post, I will end it - with a pic from my flower garden.

Stitch happy,

Sherry

Always Remember...

As we close this day in this great United States, nine years ago I remember hugging my son - who was in elementary school and reassuring him that I would do all in my power to keep him safe! I remember desperately trying to feel that I could do that,without much success. God Bless this world! God Bless the men and women who fight for our safety and defend us no matter what. Sleep tight everyone - and I'll be back with a post and pics soon!

Labor Day - no update pics yet - soon, tho

Well, I have no pictures - just wanted to say for those here in the U.S. - Have a wonderful, safe Labor Day....I did get some quilting done, some stitching done and have dinner in the crock pot, cake in the oven and as soon as I finish another chore or two, I am going to stitch my day off away! Check back soon for progress pictures.

Have a great first day back, for all those students who are returning to school. My son will be a senior tomorrow - yikes! And YIPPEE!!

Hi to my new followers - I have picked up a couple more...it's been almost six months since I started blogging and it has produced new friendships, new stitching projects and is much more fun than I imagined. Thanks to ALL of you who check in to see what's going on in my life every so often - I actually think some of it is rather boring...but I do like it that way sometimes...

Til next time - stitch happy (or quilt happy)....

Sherry