More dancing sheep, please.

Because we all need more dancing sheep in our lives. This kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it?

 

This is a Mosey 'n Me freebie available here. It's stitched over one on 28 ct. mushroom evenweave with Weeks Dye Works Azaleas, Dutch Iris, Fiesta, and Moss. The sheep is DMC 310 and Wisper W88. The braid it's trimmed with has been in my finishing stash for years and years and years, just waiting for the perfect project. I think this was it.

Hope you have the kind of day that sees you leaping joyfully over the meadows, trailing brightly colored ribbons in your wake. If you can't swing that, milk and cookies around 3 o'clock is an acceptable substitute.

Raiding the Finish Box

I've been digging in my finish box again! You know, that box (or drawer) where all your unfinished finishes live. I'm supposed to be having a finishing day once a month, but naturally I've missed the last couple of months. But I'm back on track... at least for this month. 

I finished a couple of smalls but I can only show one. The other I can't show until Tuesday, so come back and check... it'll make you smile! This one is a little design called Bird Bath by Hinzeit. I used one of my favorite techniques for trimming it. I use two colors of 1/4" wide picot ribbon and simply pin and twist all the way around. It's quick, allows you to bring out a couple of colors in the design, and looks fancy but is easy to do. 



 

I also did some framing. This first piece has been framed for a while but I hadn't photographed it. It's an out of print design from Redbird Designs called Texas Home. The chart was graciously loaned to me by Sandi in Texas. The frame is Mill Hill.

 

Here's another Redbird Designs piece you'll recognize from my blog header. It's called A Texas Garden and it also is out of print. The designer has resumed designing after a lengthy break, but as far as I know, she isn't planning to re-issue her old designs. The frame is one of my do-it-yourself projects. I bought the frame at A.C. Moore and the star applique at Hobby Lobby. I used white paint mixed with a staining medium to create a whitewash effect.



 



 

And that's what I did today! I'm making a pretty good dent in my finish box, especially when I don't count the 12 (of 14) Button Up Birdies I have stitched or the 4 (of 7) Woodland Babies I have stitched. They don't count because I haven't decided yet how I want to finish them. That's my story, anyway.

 

Happy Finishing!

A Furry Little Fan

The Washington Capitals just clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Mr. Wonderful was at work, but Tiger Lily and I cheered them on to victory.

Actually, the cheering was a bit subdued. It's hard to cheer when you have a cat on your chest.

GO CAPS GO!!!

Hey! Remember us?

Remember way back in January when I was whipping out those little Victoria Sampler Woodland Babies? Fox, squirrel, bear? Well, I finally got back to those and just finished the baby racoon. Isn't he cute?

In keeping with the others I've stitched, I used brown buttons instead of red for a more woodsy--less Christmasy--look. There are three more in this series. They're such a quick stitch, I have no excuse whatsoever for why I haven't gotten all of them stitched yet.  

The Wolves of Speedwell Forge

Mr. Wonderful and I just visited the Wolf Sanctuary of PA. What an experience. They currently have 44 wolves, divided into packs and housed in large woodland enclosures. We spent 2 1/2 hours with a guide, visiting the packs and hearing stories about their histories and behavior. It was fascinating and well worth the trip. The highlight was when the guide coaxed the pack into howling and the other packs joined in. Beautiful and slightly bone-chilling at the same time. Here are a few pictures of these magnificent animals. We hope to return in the winter to see them when they are at their peak weight and in full coat.

If you are within driving distance, they are having a fund raiser on 18 May, details on their website and Facebook page. We wanted to go, but Mr. W will be busy saving the world that day so we can't. Great trip, and the bed & breakfast on the property is lovely. 

SAL Update: Main Mast Finished!

I really should have gotten more done since my update last month, but even slow progress is still progress, right? Right.

Happy Stitching... even if it's slow!

Honey Bunny and Friends

Every spring I put out my little bunny collection, so when I saw Just Nan's Limited Edition Honey Bunny, I snapped one up before it sold out. But why have just one bunny when you can have, well, more? In more colors. Y'all know how I am about fiddling with colors. I decided what color bunnies I wanted and then pulled my favorite bright spring colors to come up with a color scheme for each bunny. Here's my palette for this little project.

And here are all my bunnies stitched up and waiting to be finished.

Ta-da! Bunny outbreak!

Here's the color information for these bunnies:
Black: 28 ct. black Brittany; DMC 208, 209, 210, 743, 906, 907
Beige: the original colors on the chart
Brown: 32 ct. chesnut; DMC 743, 744, 745, 906, 907, 3609
Grey: 32 ct. cobblestone Belfast; DMC 340, 350, 351, 352, 3346, 3347

Happy Birthday, Tiger Lily!

Look who's seven years old today! Most adorable kitten ever. She still looks at us like this. It's the face she uses to get treats. It works.

All grown up, with two people to take care of (well, one to take care of and one to keep in line) and a whole house to run.