Happy 4th of July!! YeeHoo - A Few Days Off!!!

Happy Independence Day to my U.S. readers - and Happy belated Canada Day to those to the North of me!

 I've never seen the Statue of Liberty, but it's on my bucket list.  There are so many things in this good 'ole USA I wish to see...

Picked up a bit of framing.  This is Margaret Cottam by La-D-Da.  (there really isn't a crease in the upper right, it's the reflection-I didn't notice until I transferred picture). 

 Boy, this was a fun, quick stitch.  It was a focus project for the sampler guild I speak of often.  I had already decided to stitch it and had started...didn't change a thing either...quite unusual event, not changing at least one color.  Here is a close-up of her frame. 

We have had rain, rain and more rain.  I can't believe the amount we've had when so much of the nation is dry.  My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the firefighters in Arizona.  My heart just hurts watching/reading the news reports.  My Dad was a firefighter for as long as I could remember and I remember even as a small child being afraid he wouldn't come home.  I knew it was dangerous...

Remember my BEAUTIFUL roses?  This is what they looked like before the rain - only multiply the bloom clusters by about three - this year it was spectacular and like no other year...

Here are at least a third of the blooms now.  There are still lots on the bush, but they look tired and sad.  It is so waterlogged, the limbs were almost laying on the deck during the three or so days of rain.  It is still pretty, but only from a distance now.  I don't know if  it will perk back up as it drys, time will tell.

 I have shopped just a bit...picked up two pieces of linen from my LNS.  They were on sale.  One is Iced Cappuccino and the other a tan color - can't remember the name; both are overdyed.  My LNS had a "kit it up sale" during the month of their birthday sales - I had them kit Christmas at Hollyberry Farm by Stacy Nash Primitives.  I am still waiting on the linen but the fibers and pattern are gorgeous.  I also picked up a BBD and then the new Lidya book - yes, the corrected copy.  I love the snowpeople on LHN's Season of Love and the newest designer I'm loving - The Nebby Needle - that's her Heritage Sampler on the bottom right.  I am thinking on the cocoa linen in Margaret (above)...with some of the same colors - hanging them together...what do you think?

Also picked up some silk for a JBW sampler design; now I just have to find the pattern again.  The scissors in this pic were a finishing gift for the focus project - Margaret Cottam.  The little pattern is a quilt pattern I just couldn't pass up - thinking batiks, dark background with bright, popping colors!  Don't you agree?  It's called Confetti, perfect name, I think.  I am thinking I will do the Silent Night as an ornament...on small count linen.  I also picked up a quilt kit - Paris Flea Market with fabric of the same name by 3 Sisters.  It's is full of soft colors and has a country cottage feel.  I forgot to take a pic...I will be sure to post some progress as I think I will be starting that one soon.

See the rose petals - after I sat on the deck to take these pics, I had them stuck to my shorts, my legs, my feet.  My poor dog is dragging them in on his feet and his nose.  When he sniffs them, they are sticking to his nose and then he sneezes.  Hopefully with the sweeping I did this a.m. (before the humidity creeps to unbearable), some of that will stop. 

Sorry no stitching update pics.  I post next time.  I have been stitching but part of it was ripping out A - H on the Maryland Inspiration sampler, I was off by about eight threads - Grrr!

I am doing a bit of housecleaning this a.m., hitting the parade, making lunch preparations for tomorrow.  I took a much needed vacation day and a couple friends are coming over to stitch.  The group of about a dozen women get together a couple times a month at each other's houses and since my husband works nights, sleeps during the day, I usually can't host.  I decided to take advantage of his absence and invited my pals.  Unfortunately most of them are busy with traveling, family, etc. with the holiday weekend...but a couple are coming and I can't wait. 

My husband went to Virgina to visit his sister and her family for the week.  Michigan is humid, too much for me most of the time.  I elected not to go Virgina for a few reasons (work was one) but knowing it would be much more humid than home in the summer, I was not going.  He comes home Saturday, so I will be heading to the airport that afternoon.

Sent some items to Faye for finishing this past week.  I am excited to see her creativity.  I only had specifics for part of the items, the others I asked her to use her thoughts and such.

Well I have to get a cake in the oven before it's too hot and vacuum this house (rose petals and dog hair abound)  and take off to the parade.  I hope whatever you choose to do today, it makes you happy!  If you have a long weekend, enjoy!  I WILL!!  Thanks for stopping by.

Stitch lots,
Sherry :o)