Several Things

 It's been a while so I'll try to get somewhat caught up.

I finished stitching the Holly 'n Hardanger Christmas ornament from the 2005 Just Cross Stitch Magazine. I did notice that I didn't do the backstitching on one of the holly leaves and got that done.

Last Saturday I had the stitchers over for a stitching day and got the threads snipped for the Hardanger bit in the centre. I accidentally snipped the threads in one of the squares where the Algerian eyelets go but I salvaged it by spreading a thin layer of white glue which, after it had dried, was easy to stitch through.

Then I added all the 'bling' - clear and red crystals with my HotFix tool and a few cream beads.

Now to back the Hardanger with some fabric that I'll also use on the back, cut the mounting boards and put the thing together. I'm using DMC 815 #8 Perle cotton for the cording.

I was able to acquire acceptable fabric to start the Hello From Liz Mathews pattern, 'Santa's Night Tree' - another of her 'tree' patterns. I had hoped to get a 36ct or higher because I really do prefer to stitch with one thread (no tedious railroading required) but I was thrilled to find this piece of 35ct Blue Jeans linen at Kim's sale last week.

I signed up for the Jingle Ball and Liz Mathews' class on finishing her trees. There's no way I'll have it finished or possibly even started by the first weekend of December but I love the pattern and have it all kitted up and ready to go. 

Speaking of my stitch day, the ladies have been to some very cool stitcherly events since we last were all together. 

Marilyn showed us the swag she got when she attended the Hobby House's Primitive Primer event a couple of weeks ago. All the participants got a lovely wicker basket crafted by a local basket maker. It fits project bags and has leather handles. What a treasure!

Marilyn also showed us some of her completed stitched pieces. 'B is for Bunny' designed by La-D-Da.

'Spring Quaker' designed by Lila's Studio. This one is on my 'to do' list. Even just the center motif would be an excellent piece to stitch.

'Penny Autumn' by Plum Street Samplers. I particularly love those sunflowers.

I showed off a vinyl-fronted project bag I made using the checkerboard squares.

Poppy brought us treats from Boston and Ireland. The yellow box is for mounting a piece of stitching. From Ireland we each got a mounted card, a little embroidery on Irish linen, and a needle minder.

During lunch, we surprised Jeanette with an early birthday celebration. And she really was surprised!

We have so much fun getting together to share ideas and admire each others' stitching. A couple of us still work so it's hard to find a day when all six of us can get together, however, Sunday seems like a good day for all of us, barring other obligations that may arise.

At our guild's meeting this month we started a 'leaf' project where we will try out 6 different kinds of silk threads using the Scotch stitch and reverse Scotch stitch. I haven't started mine yet but this is the model.

Last week, Skip and I got our COVID booster shots with the new strain's Moderna's vaccine. While we were waiting the 15 minutes after the shots at the first location, I booked us appointments to get our high dose flu shots at a second location, the SuperCentre Pharmacy where a former student, Nick Reynolds, works. I went first then waited for Skip. My arm only hurt at the injection site for a day and only really when I rolled over onto one side or the other in bed. No biggie.

I need to get cracking and get my shingles shots since I only have a few months for our government to pay for it. I have a couple of other things I want to see the doctor for so need to add that to my list.

And finally, I completed some outdoor tasks I've had hanging over my head. I got the garden ready for winter (filling 4 yard waste bags and 2 compost bins) and hauled a pile of wood from one side of the house where it has been stored and seasoning to the other side of the house where I can easily access it this winter for cozy fires.

I had my mother's words going through my head as I only loaded 10 - 12 logs into the wheelbarrow at a time. "Do a little at a time and rest frequently". Those little loads really made it manageable - no heaving and actually no 'bad language'. I think I'm actually getting more fit having to do more strenuous work around the house on a regular basis. It was a beautiful, sunny, coolish autumn day - a joy to be outside. I found yanking the annuals out of the ground (herbs, flowers, and veggies) more strenuous than loading, hauling and piling wood. There's a bit more I can add to the pile so I may tackle that on another day it's not raining.