More Good Mail and a Small Start

Canada Post delivered the 'Live on Little' pattern I ordered from 123stitch. 

I love so many things about it.

• the mermaid looking at herself in the mirror
• the whales, fish, and lobsters
• the floral border
• the sailboat flying nautical alphabet flags with the designer's, Paulette M Stewart's, initials

In the pattern is a page charting all the nautical alphabet flags so the stitcher can use their initials.

I LOVE the brickwork on the house. It will be fiddly changing colours and jumping around but the effect will be amazing.

I have recharted the flag appropriately.

I got the flosses I was missing at Kimat Designs on Friday, as well as the 40ct fabric.

Yesterday I started it and got this far. Then had a lovely visit with my niece and her husband who are on their way for a holiday down east. Scooter is coming for a visit in about an hour.

I usually start in the centre when I have fabric with only a small border for framing (in this case, 2"). I was concerned that this house outline was the same colour as the fabric but it is further outlined in a darker colour; so phew! No worries.

On the pattern the sea and ocean colours aren't filled in but the instructions explain that they are outlined in the correct colour and to continue filling in as required. This is a good move so the waves, mermaid, fish, whales, and lobsters stand out.

I'm not going to grid this. I may live to regret that choice but as finish a section, I fill it in on my working copy with a coloured pencil. That should help me keep my place.

As there is so much filling in, I don't expect to finish this before this time next year. I'm also not a monogamous stitcher so I hope to come back to it fairly frequently. I can do a lot of filling in at my various stitching events and during my online Crafternoon chats.

The last couple of days the Black-Eyed Susans have been putting on a fabulous display. This iPhone photo doesn't do them justice.

They and the echinacea have really inspired me to do some more watercolour painting.

The bees and monarchs have been enjoying feeding on them.