Stitching Post

 I haven't talked cross stitching in too long. Mostly, because I am in a harder season of life and have had less stitching time. Less stitching time for me = Big need for stress release it provides. I simply must find a way to do more of it!

I have been stitching on two things for the past few weeks. I finished one and made some good progress on the other.

The finish was from Scattered Seed Samplers and is called "Gathering Together." It is meant to be a pinkeep. I, of course will not use it for that purpose. I haven't decided if I am going to stuff it with sawdust or fiberfil. I will sew it together this weekend and just see how I feel about that.

This is the stitch and the backing fabric.

My other stitch that I have worked on a good bit is Thirsty Hart. You may remember I am changing all the colors and wanting to personalize which as I near the end I will share more of my thoughts on that. 

I think all the color changes and flying by the seat of my pants on this has slowed me down on this one, but I know it will worth it down the road.

Thirsty Hart by Heartstring Samplery.

It is not that I don't like the pattern colors, but it is this personalization thing that is making me choose the bright colors. It has far more to do with the verse and the church I attended as a child.

I finished stitching down the left side so I know how long it is going to be. My pictures are a bit dark, but my time is limited and I just had to go with the time of day it was. Morning and a little cloudy.

I took this close up of the top to show that I am having trouble finding just the right color to do the center lines of the yellow flowers. The left is a wee bit light but the right is totally wrong. I am hoping to come up with something like I did for the blue flowers down the side.

My butterflies are all going to be very colorful. Like I said, I am stepping out on this one.

I am thinking I am going to stick with Thirsty Hart until I finish it and just do a few smalls in between. I have a Halloween stitch, a duck and a schoolhouse that are small that I really want to stitch this summer while working on Thirsty Hart. 

Now, here is where Sandy really fell off the wagon and bumped her head. I have been pretty much a monogamous stitcher for my entire stitching life. What came over me I have no clue!!!???

I have three very large projects going and had four until I finished the heron. I think I am going to stick with Thirsty Hart mixed with a small for immediate fun until I finish and then I am going to work on The Shepherd's Song.

The Shepherd's Song by Plum Street Samplers.

I love me some pink people. Everyone needs more pink in their life!

Isn't that little sheep so cute?

Motivation to get moving on Thirsty Hart so I can do this one next.

Then there is the tablecloth sampler as I have dubbed it. It is 24 inches wide and I am not sure how long it is yet.

Let Freedom Ring by Lila's Studio.

I debated even showing this one again since I haven't touched it in a while. I fear this one will be a multiyear project. Well, I know it will.

When I get the other two samplers done then I will make a plan to get back to this one and finish it. It may not come out of its project bag until 2023.

Speaking of project bags...

There are 12 there. Some you can't see in the stack and yes, they all contain something I REALLY want to stitch. 

I mean I really want to get started on some of them, but I am going to try and stick to my above plan.

I do have something to share that I stitched way back in the 1980s. It was a pillow and at Mother's house until she moved down here 7 years ago. I decided to cut it out of the pillow. Some of you may remember the hopscotch pillows. It had a very flat fiberfil pillow insert in it with lace around the ruffle and screamed 80s and better days. My initial thought was to make it a new pillow without any of the green hopscotch fabric showing, but I am thinking I may just frame it. 

I am really undecided at this point, but it is going to need some cleaning too. It is all DMC floss so that should not be an issue. I sort of think an oval mat around him would be cute. Thinking on it, but going to move on it soon.

I will hold off from showing all the bags since that would be like showing stash and until you do something with it I am not one to bother with that.

BUT, there is some mighty good stuff in them.

One might think stitching is an obsession, but it is truly just my favorite hobby and I love doing something with my hands while sitting. Couple it with a good book read to me (my only thing about that is I wish they read faster) and you have a perfect evening for me.

I am anxious to pull out all my patriotic stitches this week, but a little hesitant to put away some of my spring. There are only so many places to put my stitching. I need a room devoted to all the stitches.

A Little Day Trip and Daylilies

 Jeff and I did manage to do our little day trip that I had planned a while back. I taught 4th grade for many years and took students every year to Tallahassee for a field trip. It was always a fun trip and one the students looked forward to all year. I have said for ages that I would love to go again without students. Over the years, we did several different things but the trip that settled in as the favorite was a trip to the old and new capitol buildings, a downtown museum within walking distance from the Capitol and then an outdoor museum that gave the students a wonderful nature walk with a look at plants and animals as well as lots of exhibits of life in early Florida.

I also really wanted to go in May. We always took the students in May so that we could do a mock vote in the House of Representatives. They would be thorough by the last 2 weeks of May and we could be assured of having that experience.

We recreated everything about the trip except going in the new capitol building which is the tall building below. It is closed on the weekends. The old Capitol is the smaller building in front of the tower. It is restored to the 1902 building and is a museum. 

Photo taken from Wikipedia.

I don't have a photo of my own because there were protestors out front. I love the red and white striped awnings. We ran through the edge of the protestors to get inside and enjoyed out visit immensely.  I need not have worried that Jeff would enjoy it too, because we both had such a fun time. Slow and easy --no hurry.

I thought this filing cabinet was so pretty.

Me in the old Senate chambers.

After this, we walked over to the museum. I love this museum and have always wanted to visit it again. I used to tell my students it was like walking through their Florida History textbook. It was a good museum because it always help their attention.

I always remember the large mastodon who some of his parts were found between here and Tallahassee.

And a tusk...

This is just a small diorama in glass but man it is so realistic and so perfectly north Florida...

I had Jeff take my photo near an exhibit of a Pensacola Civil War Camp

I always carry a sweater to wear inside because of overzealous air conditioning, but I didn't need it all day. No one had the air turned down to the extreme.

We then had a wonderful lunch and then headed out to the outdoor museum. Of course, I wanted to see the Florida panther so we headed out on the nature walk. It was as beautiful as I remembered. 

The painter is on the second level laying down. 

Here is Jeff for the day.

It was a nice getaway for the two of us. Him from work and me from a very hectic previous week which is kinda still going that way for me. 

I am trying to get all that home health set up and on a somewhat regular basis. I think this will help me a lot when it gets somewhat routine.

I have not missed all those roses I dug up in the front flowerbeds with the day lilies I replaced them with. They are just a delight to drive into the circle and see. 

Some of my latest blooms...

I will leave you with the cutest picture of my two sweet grandsons taken on Saturday by Lindsay.

Tucker is looking out for his little brother.

Stitching post coming soon!