Thursday, July 17, 2014

A summery finish

Hello! Hello! I hope each of you is enjoying your summer as much as I am. (Although at times I question if this really is summer--it was only 54° here this morning!). We just returned from a wonderful visit with our youngest son in Washington, DC and, although stitching seems to have taken a back seat for me this month, I am so enjoying the extra time spent with family that summer seems to bring. I did manage to finish a big (for me, anyway!) piece and framed a couple of older finishes that I'd like to share with you today. 

From the moment I saw the July Sampler chart by Prairie Schooler, I just had to have it. I think the colors were what first caught my eye, but it really has everything that makes summer so special: the quaint seaside scene with the lighthouse, sailboats, and long-legged seabirds (oh, and don't forget that adorable crab!), the juicy summer fruits, the patriotic fireworks and flags. And I always love the bottom borders on these PS monthly samplers, don't you?

Prairie Schooler "July Sampler"

For this piece, I used 40 ct. antique white Newcastle linen and most of the suggested DMC threads. I did make a few changes (as usual!): I changed the blue to DMC 311 and the dark brown to DMC 3031.  I also changed the grass in the main photo to a lighter DMC 3052, made the door on the large gold house, red, and stitched the door on the small house in the upper left, dark gray. I also made all the words brown except for July.  I think that's it... Oh, no! There's more:  I changed the white fireworks to gold so they would show up better and also filled in around the one bird with more "water."  I plan on framing this one--hopefully, by next summer, but I'm not the best at getting my larger things out of the drawer I put them in after I've finished stitching them.


But, surprise, surprise! I actually do have two framed pieces to show you today, too! The first is La D Da's "O Birdy" which I finished last November. If you'd like to read the details of my finish you can go to this post. I had this rustic looking black frame in my stash and thought it looked perfect with the primitive looking fabric. I have the fanciful framed bird perched on a bookshelf in my familyroom right now--not sure if he'll be staying there or not. I'm trying to find the perfect place to hang him.

 La D Da "O Birdy" framed

The other framed finish is one from last summer--another PS piece from Book No. 50 "Prairie Seasons." If you're interested in the details on this finish, you can read about them here. I used this same frame for the Spring and Autumn finishes in this series--all done now except the Winter design. And look at the bright summery flowers that are resting beside my finish--aren't they gorgeous? My husband is growing them for me inside his fenced in vegetable garden to keep them from being eaten by the deer.

Prairie Schooler Summer framed

"Grrr..." Unfortunately, something else other than the deer has discovered my husband's vegetable garden and just feasted and feasted while he was away on his biking trip out west earlier this month. Yep, it's our gang of "friendly" neighborhood groundhogs. Do you remember this photo of one that we had trapped a couple of years ago? Well, we should never have let his size or those pleading brown eyes fool us--he has "gone forth and multiplied" (many times!) because there is now a whole army of these giant rodents marching through our yard. They apparently crawled right up over the high wire fencing that surrounds the vegetable garden and their weight was heavy enough to bend it over so they could simply fall into the garden, get out their napkins and forks, and sit down to a tasty gourmet dinner. Dinners, plural, I should say, because all of the leaves of the sweet potatoes, beans, squash, parsnips, zucchini, and peas were absolutely devoured. My poor husband was so upset--all that hard work down the drain. We doubt that the vegetables will grow without leaves, but who knows... We may just end up with miniature everything this year!

Don't let that innocent looking face fool you!!

Luckily, we still have a few pretty flowers that neither the groundhogs or the deer or rabbits seem interested in...

 Masses of purple supertunias

 Our lone rose bush produced this yellow beauty!

 First time we've ever grown hollyhocks. 
Such beautiful flowers, but the leaves were 
all eaten by some sort of pest!

The ferns have just gone crazy with
the wet summer we've had!

And my perennial favorite--the beautiful blue hydrangea!

I want to share this yummy dessert recipe with you that I made for the 4th of July.  I saw it on the Balancing Beauty and Bedlam blog and immediately ran out to buy the needed ingredients. Although this recipe called for butterscotch pudding, I had to substitute chocolate. Oh, my--it was so decadent! Very rich and calorie-laden, I'm sure, but worth it! And although it tasted like it took ages to make, it was so quick and easy to prepare. I followed the recipe but added shaved chocolate and toasted pecans to the top to make it even tastier.  Give it a try for a special summer night's dessert and let me know what you think...

Easy Chocolate Torte

Our trip to Washington was so enjoyable, but very hot and humid, and, unfortunately, very tough on my Plantar Fasciitis heel pain problem. We did a lot of walking on hilly concrete streets as I had predicted, but let's just say, my 26 year-old-son's idea of a "short walk" is a bit different than that of myself or my husband who suffers from ongoing foot pain issues himself! Yikes!! I feel like I'm right back to where I started with the pain level over six weeks ago...The icing, stretching exercises, and general babying of my left foot have resumed.

We didn't really tour the monuments or most of the typical touristy things because we actually lived in the DC area for a year back in the late 1980s and also just visited the city in 2011 (you can see photos from that trip by clicking here). The only museum we visited this time was the wonderful National Museum of American History. We thoroughly enjoyed the "America at War" exhibition--so much to take in. I really could have spent the entire day just perusing that exhibit. The "America On the Move" exhibit which traced transportation in the U.S. from the Conestoga wagon to the electric car was quite enjoyable, too. I would have liked to have spent longer in the First Ladies exhibit, but just dashed in long enough to see Michelle Obama's gorgeous red inaugural gown. The guys really weren't quite into that whole exhibit, as you can imagine. And to see the 200 year-old flag (in the Star Spangled Banner exhibition) that inspired our wonderful national anthem and read about how the words to the song were written was truly awe inspiring. Did you know that the song itself was not written by Francis Scott Key? He simply wrote the poem and it was set to the music of a popular British tune called "To Anacreon In Heaven?" I was so surprised to learn that fact!

Courtyard at the National Museum of American History


The National Museum of American History

Entrance to The Star-Spangled Banner Exhibit Hall


My husband and I had never taken a boat ride on the Potomac River so my son suggested we cruise from Georgetown down to Alexandria, Virginia for dinner on Saturday night. You get a whole different perspective of the monuments when you view them from the water. I can't remember the last time I was on a boat and it was surprisingly relaxing with the warm sun on my face and the breeze in my hair--ahhh....

Georgetown Dock area

Potomac River view of the Washington 
Monument and The Lincoln Memorial

A perfect summer scene

I'll have to say we all loved Old Town Alexandria and wished we could have spent more time there. My son thought it would be a great place to live until he checked real estate prices there--I think they're some of the highest in the country!

Old Town Alexandria all decked
out for the 4th of July

Street sign for Captain's Row in Alexandria

Many of the houses on Captain's Row were 
built in the 18th century for sea captains and 
wealthy merchants. It was so picturesque with
the cobblestone street and Federal style homes
painted in patriotic colors.

I truly love the Washington, DC area and am a bit envious of those of you who reside in that part of the country. My youngest was doing his best to try and talk us into retiring there! You never know, do you?!

Thank you to all who commented on my last post--who knew a simple tin plate finish could get so many of you so excited! I'm glad I've inspired some of you to create your own plate finishes and have even received some photos from stitchers who have used that idea. I always love seeing photos of finishes from stitching friends who don't have their own blogs--feel free to email them to me! And I'm always happy to try to answer your questions--just be sure to leave an email address in your comment so I can get back to you.

I'm working my hardest to catch up on my monthly Christmas ornament stitching and I hope to be back by the end of July to share three new ornament finishes with you. Wish me luck! And wish me luck later today, too--I will be spending the afternoon cowering in the dentist's chair as he prepares a back molar for a new crown. I am, to put it mildly, a bit scared as I have never had more than a simple filling installed now and then. But, I suppose it's better than a root canal, right? Enjoy the rest of July everyone--can't wait to visit your blogs and see what you've been up to. Bye for now...

70 comments:

  1. Oooh another lovely post from you :) It looks like you had a fab time away.... Sorry to read about the veg garden. I hope some will still grow. Don't panic with the dentist, I'm sure it will all go well :) Hugs xx

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  2. Oooh another lovely post from you :) It looks like you had a fab time away.... Sorry to read about the veg garden. I hope some will still grow. Don't panic with the dentist, I'm sure it will all go well :) Hugs xx

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  3. All three of your samplers are beautiful! Your flowers are too - we also have blue hydrangeas. Thanks for sharing your photos of Alexandria and DC - my old stomping grounds!

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  4. I have never been to DC, thank you for sharing. :) I am so sorry to hear the pain is all back again though. The pits! Hang in there and rest, rest, rest! You just have to. I should know. ;)
    Love your stitches! Especially the patriotic PS. :)

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  5. Your trip to Washington D.C. looked like fun! It has been a long time since I've been there. That's too bad your heel pain started up again. Alexandria looked very pretty too. Too bad it's so expensive.

    Your finishes are lovely. I was gratified to read I'm not the only one who lets finished pieces languish in a drawer... I'm very guilty of that. I have the July piece you did in my finish drawer.

    That's too bad about your garden! Darn critters!!

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  6. Loved your photo tour of your DC trip, Carol! Sorry to hear that your foot is back at square 1; hoping it feels better soon! Your finished July piece and your framed pieces are grand.

    Robin in Virginia

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  7. Hi Carol!
    Greetings from heat wave UK - well, at least that is what the media tell us!
    Such lovely stitching - as always - where do you find time?!! My time seems to fly out of the window all too quickly!
    It is always such a joy to catch up on all your news and read your latest posts.
    Take care of yourself, and have a wonderful weekend!
    Much love,
    Lynda.

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  8. Beautiful post! Your samplers, flowers are lovely and the trip too!:)

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  9. So unusual to see 3 larger pieces from you in one post. The PS July looks so bright a cheerful. I so rarely stitch on white fabric anymore that I forgot what a great background it can make for bright colors. Very nice framing job on your other pieces as well.

    So that groundhog can not only fail at predicting winter's end, but he's a vegetable thief as well! Send him back to his hole in the ground!

    That plantar fascitis can be resistant to healing. Guess you have to be really careful and get to know your limitations. But sounds like the trip to DC was a big success. Nice to have a good tour guide!

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  10. Hi Carol,
    I always look forward to your blog updates. The finishes are lovely as always. I know the hours these can take and appreciate how many you can finish is such little time. That groundhog would have tugged at my heart too. Little rascal. So sorry that your plantar fascitis is still acting up. It seems to take forever to heal. My husband has had it on and off for awhile now. I did manage to find him shoes online that have helped. They are called Vionic with Orthaheel. They make them for women too. They really seem to help. I found them at Zappos, but several online retailers have them. Hope you are better soon.
    Hugs,
    Lisa

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  11. Hello, I'm new here but enjoying your blog. Your yellow rose looks perfect (I love roses so much). And for all that I'm not a fan of 'primitive' style, I am strongly tempted to try and find the Prairie seasons - yours look so lovely.

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  12. So happy you had a great visit with your family , now you must rest your foot.

    Beautiful stitching Carol love the red white and blue.

    Also some beautiful flowers they are so pretty.

    All the best with your visit to the dentist.

    Lots of hugs & xxx.

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  13. Sorry about the garden, but at least they left y'all some pretty flowers to admire! Looks and sounds like a lovely trip/visit with your youngest. It seems there's always something missed or at least a new perspective in the DC area. Too bad it hampered the healing progress of your foot. Put them up and stitch away, I'd say! Nice finishes, and I'm sure you'll get those ornies knocked out in no time! We have a little break from the high temps here, too. Whew -- nice!

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  14. Lovely finishes, Carol! Do you do your own framing 'coz it sounds like you do.

    That rascaly groundhog (& company)! He does look kinda cute, reminds me of a beaver's face. That's a shame what they did to your husband's garden! Your husband's very sweet to grow flowers for you!!!

    Lovely trip to DC. Sorry your heel problem has flared up again. I hope you feel better soon.

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  15. Your PS is so cute. I am not usually drawn to PS designs, but every time I see how you change up the colors I end up really liking them. The framed pieces are lovely.

    Sorry the rodents have attacked your veggies. Your flowers are so pretty. I had to give up my flowers and lawn this year in favor of showers and clean laundry since we are in drought conditions this year.

    Your trip to D.C. looks great. I have never been. I can see how your son was drawn to Alexandria, the homes look so quaint and peaceful.

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  16. I love your latest finish. I have that one in the stash somewhere too.
    Great frames for your other stitcheries too!
    It looks like your trip was fabulous. I'm so sorry your garden was destroyed! There is nothing more frustrating. We have been fighting deer for years but groundhogs are not in or area. Thank goodness! I hope your garden grows back!

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  17. Hi Carol, I like to watch your pictures so much .I't s very interesting to have a look at things, places or even animals I've never seen or known...
    Your finishes are gorgeous as always- my favorite is " O Birdy" this time .

    Your roses are very beautiful and the blue hydrangea ...!!! beautiful, beautiful

    Have a wonderful day!
    Éva

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  18. my dear i hope your foot get better soon..
    your stitching is so beautiful and beautiful photos..glad you had a fun time.
    big hugs x

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  19. Beautiful stitching! I adore the PS stuff, now I've gotta go get that July one! :)
    Looks like you had a fab trip to DC, Georgetown is my fav of all the areas there, I think it's the cobbled streets and old buildings...and the shops, too. Aww his face is so cute...Bad Groundhog!...but he's so cute. Your flowers are so lovely. Thank you for this burst of summery sunshine...looking forward to seeing more of your stitchy finishes. ((hugs))

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  20. When I saw the blogpost in my reader, with the sampler picture, my first thoughts were "She stitched a big piece!" and I was right! Love your finishes (old and new) and great framing. Have to do some investigating for framing soon... I have only been to DC one time, tho I live only a few hours away! THAT was about 10 years ago, and THAT was when I learned the museums were all FREE admissions! I always thought it cost, having come from other places that do charge for every little thing... And by then, my kids were grown and no need to really go for a visit. Glad you had a good time, despite the foot issues! Hugs!

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  21. Hello, Carol,


    I´ve seen your finishes and they´re perfect. I am Andréia. from Brazil and I love cross stitching. I started my own blog about it. I can say you are na inspiration for me.

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  22. Wow - Carol!
    Love your finishes and what a great stroll via your pictures. Thank you SO VERY much -
    xxx

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  23. I love love love your photos from your trip. I didn't know you could ride down the river and see all the monuments. Our son was back there on a business trip and took some wonderful photos of the monuments, I love seeing them. The flowering trees and flowers are beautiful. So sorry about your garden, I know all the work that goes into preparing one and then having the little creatures munch away! Please tell your husband how sorry I am...
    Your stitching pieces are wonderful, you know I love the PS July piece! Hope your foot is much better soon!!!

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  24. I have thoroughly lost track of all time the past few months and am trying mightily to get caught up on reading my blog list...but alas...futile. I so enjoyed your trip of the DC area. Two years ago Katie and I traveled there and it still remains a vibrant spark in my memory. Gorgeous area, lovely land, it really was a wonderful trip! Crowded though...so I don't know if I'd want to retire there :) But maybe in the burbs it wouldn't be so densely populated...however I'm probably a cow town here as compared with the eastern portion of the US :)
    Love your PS sampler finish. July is my birth month and I have this one and have always wanted to stitch it but...you know...
    Can't wait to see your ornaments!!

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  25. So pretty Carol. Sorry about your foot. I can't belIeve the garden. How upsetting. Your trip looks nice. Boat ride wad a good idea. Good luck at the dentist.

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  26. Looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time Carol. Congrats on all the lovely finishes. I have the PS July sampler started.

    Linda

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  27. I love your finishes! And hooray for spending time with your youngest DS in DC! Love seeing the sights. I'm going to have to try that recipe!

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  28. You always have the most fabulous posts, I love reading all the things you show.
    That chocolate temps me, lol

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  29. Hi Carol,

    What a joy to see your post tonight. The July sampler and framed pieces are lovey. I know what you mean about larger pieces going into the drawer...I do the same thing. Currently I have about 6 frames ready for things in the drawer. I keep telling myself to get it done, but that remains to happen.

    Thanks for the pictures of the garden and especially the DC trip. It has been many years since I visited DC. I love everything historic and patriotic. I think I would really like the boat ride on the Potomac.

    So sorry to hear about the set back with the heel. Hopefully it will start to feel better soon.

    Oh that pesky rodent!! Ofcourse he would invite family members!

    It has been such a lovely summer, a bit cooler than usual and a bit more rain than usual. But the yard and plants look beautiful. We have been able to enjoy many meals on the patio.

    Until next time....enjoy.

    Judy Heartland stitcher

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  30. Well, hopefully by the time you read this the dentist will be a thing of the past. Too bad the foot pain couldn't be gone as well! Your stitching is lovely. I always like the color changes you make. You have such an eye for color! I hope you'll get a few veggies despite your uninvited guests. At least the flowers are pretty!

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  31. Love the July finish, it's one of the PS designs that caught my eye too :) Lovely framed finishes, your garden looks beautiful despite the critter! Loved the photos of Washington DC, it looks like a wonderful place to visit.

    I'll look forward to seeing your ornaments :)

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  32. I just love your posts they are very newsy. First, the changes you made in the PS July look just right. Your framed pieces turned out really good. I so enjoyed the photos of your trip. I miss seeing old houses.It does sound like a wonderful time! I am sorry to hear about all the garden issues. Some people up here also fight the deer. So far, I have been lucky. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

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  33. Welcome back from Waschington DC, Carol!
    Nice to hear, that you enjoyed your stay there (despite your heel pain) The pictures are so great and I really hope I will get there one day again (and then I am surley going to visit the Old Town Alexandria too.

    Your finishes are so lovely again. It is always the same: I am sure I have seen the "July Sampler" already when it was published - but when I see it finished here on your blog, I want to stitch it too immediately.

    On the TPS-Summer it is different: I do have this beautiful chart in my stash since years.

    Thanks for sharing all this wonderful finishes with us.

    Hugs
    Hilda

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  34. Great and unusual photos of DC - enjoyed your non-touristy tour of the city. Your frames are great - do you use glass or are they framed glass-free? Really like your newest PS stitch.

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  35. Wonderful stitching! Both of the new framed pieces are lovely. Perfect frames for each! Loved your DC pics,looks like you are really enjoying your summer! Have a great weekend!

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  36. Loved all your photos.

    The framed pieces perfect and so is July with your choiced threads. Wonderful flowers from your garden and the groundhogs is indeed look innocently cute.

    Good to know you enjoyed your trip to DC and time spent with the family. Have a good weekend.

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  37. Love, love, love the PS piece. I will have to add that pattern to my collection. I don't know why I don't like these until I see them stitched. I'll have to dedicate an entire year to just patriotic pieces!

    I wish I could manage the higher count fabrics but I just can't get neat enough stitches to make me happy.

    Sorry about your foot. It's hard to live without putting pressure on our feet so those types of problems are so hard to over come.

    I'm off to your old home town area today for college orientation.

    Pam

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  38. I love all your projects, the bird is so sweet and the framed PS is adorable.
    I used to have a problem with deer but put out cut hair from the salon I go to around my bushes and flowers they stay away, I even put it around my veggie garden, as for the groundhog, we put a cement base around the garden about 5 inches deep they still cannot get in, I hope you find a solution.

    Blessings
    Catherine

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  39. Lovely finishes Carol. Love your framed pieces.

    Looks like you had a wonderful trip. The photos are lovely.

    Sorry to heat you had visitors in your garden and not of a nice kind.

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  40. Wow Carol! Congrats on your fantastic PS finish! If I were American I think I'd love it too!!!

    Your framed pieces are beautiful!

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  41. I recently stumbled on your blog as I'm getting back into cross stitch after quite a while. I've read through from the beginning and really enjoyed seeing all of your small finishes. I've shied away from small projects in the past because I didn't know how to finish them besides framing, but your blog has given me some great ideas. I really loved your O Birdy as well. That's definitely on my to stitch list now!

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  42. Beautiful stitching! I am working on the same PS July Sampler and love your finish!

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  43. It's a bit TOO hot for me, but I;m enjoying the summer so much!!
    Beautiull the July sampler
    The framed pieces look so beautifull too.
    Your house must look so awesome!!

    ow my your veggies.. hope you dealed with it all!!
    And hubby si happy again!!!

    But your garden looks awesome.. so many beautifull flowers!!
    The Hydrangea.. awesome!!
    Mine are burned by the sun.. yours is so beautifull!!
    you 4the of july dessert looks awesome!!!
    ow so beautifull it looks at your trip!!
    Awesome!! you must had a aweesome time..
    All good with your son? no problems any more after surgery?

    happy stitching!!!!
    Enjoy your gardenw ith this weather

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  44. It certainly is summer here in the UK, dare I say it, it's too hot! I'm sure things will cool down soon though.
    It's lovely to read about all the adventures you've been having with your family. Thank you for sharing pictures, it's so interesting for people like me who have never visited the USA.
    Great stitching as always Carol, your framed pieces look perfect.
    Best of luck at the dentist, I'm sure it will all be fine.
    Best wishes.

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  45. Hi Carol - what a fun post from you! It's always a happy fun day when we get to read and see what you have been up to lately. Your trip to DC looks so fun - I'm happy to read you enjoyed your trip & visit with your son. Sorry that your plantar fasciitis is not better - that's not so great, is it?

    I love your stitching too. You always have the best projects to share with us.



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  46. Well it's hot here in the UK!! :)

    Wonderful photos from your trip to Washington DC.

    Sorry to hear about the foot again. I suppose there is no getting away from the fact that we have to walk and use our feet. Rest when you can and as often as you can. I hope it will ease some day for you.

    Great stitching. Love your framed pieces.

    Oh dear hope you have some vegetables left. Animals aren't stupid, they know where the food supply is. Same with our pesky squirrel. Three times today! He's cute but not that cute!

    Hope you have a good weekend.

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  47. Beautiful finishes as always! I love the July sampler a lot! So many wonderful photos from your vacation! You have had a busy and fun month! Happy stitching!

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  48. Beautiful stitching Carol, as always. I have never seen a groundhog before, he does look deceivingly cute.
    Shirley
    xx

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  49. Carol, I'm so sorry but I laughed at your description of the groundhog sitting down with his dinner plate and napkin! Your poor vegetables!
    I had to look up supertunias. We have petunias and surfinias in our garden but no supertunias! I will have to remedy that. We have harlequin petunias in our hanging baskets and rhubarb and custard petunias in our planters. They're fabulous this year. :0)
    Beautiful stitching as always.

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  50. A very lovely finish Carol, the changes you made to it suit it perfectly.
    You've been real busy, I hope your foot is healing again. Fingers crossed all went well at the dentist for you...not my favourite place either.
    Yummy dessert.
    Poor hubby, I know the look my DH has when his garden has been invaded by bugs etc,
    Love and (hugs) x

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  51. Hi Carol,
    I really enjoyed reading your new blog entry! Most of all I was impressed with La D Da "O Bird". The rustic frame suits perfectly! Well done!
    Tatiana

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  52. Wonderful post and lovely finishes! Love hearing about your trip. Sorry to hear that the groundhogs have enjoyed your garden. Hopefully you'll still get some veggies. We have tons of bunnies that are really enjoying my petunias.

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  53. I do love a lighthouse. And I adore that O Birdy. There's more than a few La D Da pieces I like. Have you seen "Love Spoken Here"? That would be a nice match to the birdy, especially if you changed out the colors.

    Those rotten little rodents!! My husband has been lamenting the loss of some of his veggies from the rabbits around here. We've seen a groundhog occasionally, picking the berries the squirrels and birds haven't gotten to yet. How incredibly frustrating for your husband!! :-(

    Sorry to hear about your foot. What a bummer! Guess you'll have to sit around and stitch instead of cleaning. LOL

    Great idea about the boat ride - bonus points to be boy for creativity.

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  54. Your Prairie Schooler finish is just perfect for summer! You did a lovely job on your framed pieces too. My sister always plants a large garden each year and I know she has had similar problems with the groundhogs. Frustrating for sure. Thank goodness they've left your beautiful flowers alone! Probably too full from all of those delicious vegetables. :) Your Washington trip sounds wonderful. I would love to go back ~ just need to pick the right time of year. Hope your heel is feeling better ~ also hoping your dentist appointment went smoothly.

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  55. Congrats on your framed finishes. Gotta love a little comfort stitching that is Prairie Schooler. Sounds like a fun trip too! Have a good week.

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  56. Carol, your stitched pieces turned out so well! Love the Prairie Schooler. It looks as if you covered a lot of ground while in DC. It is pretty and much to see, but terrible traffic. I am battling chipmunks in my gardens. They've tunneled under many of my plants, so their cuteness is not welcomed. Also, your hydrangea is gorgeous! They are a favorite in my garden as well.

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  57. Love the new PS finish! It's got all the things I love for summer: lighthouses, sail boats and ocean. Very good job picking out the frames as well, they both look lovely. I always fret and fret when it comes to that part. So many choices!

    That's terrible about your garden. :( I would be upset as well. That is a lot of work! You're the first person I've heard of having their gardens decimated by groundhogs. It's always deer, bunnies, or moles. What the heck do you do to get rid of groundhogs?

    Ooooo, Old Alexandria looks so quaint and lovely! Reminds me a bit of parts of Salem, MA. Sounds like a great trip overall. Bit of something old (museum) and something new (boat ride). :)

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  58. Hi Carol! I love your PS piece! I have added that to my wishlist! I love everything about it!!!

    Your older pieces are lovely too!

    We have a lot of groundhogs here too. They are so cute, but I am sure that they are a menace to gardening!

    Your pictures of DC are lovely. My daughter went in May with friends and loved her time there. We haven't made it yet. Hopefully soon. :0)

    It has been such a lovely summer. We have enjoyed the cooler temps. It's a scorcher here today. How about there?

    I hope you are having a lovely week.

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  59. Thank you for sharing your trip to Washington. I love your July sampler and the colours changes seem positive. Interesting post.

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  60. Oh wonderful, your Prairie Schooler July finish. You just name all the things that I love with PS designs, they are my all time favourites and I can always stitch them. And I have to add another treat - they are all charted for DMC threads. So whenever I want to stitch one I just pull out my DMCs and half an hour later I can start. No ordering of fancy threads that don't arrive even after four weeks, no difference in dye-lots etc etc. You know what I mean.

    Your framed pieces look gorgeous, too, a great choice of frames. I shoul start doing the same because my finished big pieces all end up in a drawer, wound up on a tube so that they don't get crinkles.

    It's a shame that the grounghogs ate all the vegetable leaves. But I know from my father's experience - he once had a very big vegetable garden - that some animals can't be kept out of the vegetables, they always find their way in. But good to see that your wonderful flowers survived.

    Great pictures of your trip to Washington. I hope that your foot is a bit better by now. And I hope that your appointment at the dentist's went fine. And believe me, everything is better than a root canal, lol.

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  61. Your PS finish is great and your framed pieces are lovely.

    Sorry to hear that your vegetable garden got invaded, what a pain

    Your trip sounded fantastic, love the photos. Hope your heel recovers soon

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  62. Hi Carol! What a lovely trip to Washington! I am sorry about your husband's garden but the groundhogs are sooooo cute! We used to have lots of them when I was growing up but rarely see them now.
    I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed the Blueberry Buckle from the recipe you shared earlier this summer. It was amazing and so delicious. I made it for dessert when one of my sisters and husband were coming to visit and they also really enjoyed it. I think I will have to try the one you posted today as well (I will wait for company or I will eat it all myself as my husband doesn't have much of a sweet tooth!)
    Your July PS sampler is stunning! I love the memories that patterns can trigger. Your seasonal series is gorgeous as is your O'Birdy. Did you frame it yourself?
    I was so excited when the Facebook Group Prim Stitchers Society, posted the Live Simply by Hands to Work freebie that you stitched. I love blackbirds/crows and when I saw your piece, I immediately went searching through my freebies but did not have it. I am looking forward to stitching it.
    Happy stitching (and I hope the visit to the dentist went well). Thanks as always for being such an inspiration.
    Hugs, Wanda

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  63. Carol, Carol,
    Your handworks are all stupendously beautiful as always. Prairie Schooler never fails does it?
    So sorry about the vegetable garden. The flowers do look amazing as do the Torte. I need to make that for the girls. Thanks for posting the link.
    I liked the photos of your DC Visit. I had a visit there many years ago and I enjoyed that visit as well. I would like to go back for another.
    TFS and I will have to check the simple tin plate finish in your older post.

    Take care and hugs,
    Jackie:)

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  64. I have neglected blogland and have been spending more time on FB in cross stitch groups. Loved your photo heavy post. When we had holly hocks the Japanese beetles had their way with them, so we gave up. We also didn't put in a garden this year because we were so involved in our house remodel. We too had vegetable stealers every year. I saw the flag in DC at the smithsonian? I'm sure it's the same one. Under special lights so that the threads are protected? The river cruise sounds nice. A very different way to see the memorials for sure! Enjoy the rest of your summer. Hope the foot heals again! How's your mom?

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  65. What a wonderful post! It has everything--beautiful stitching, flowers, yummy dessert, a bad "critter" and travel! What else is there?? I've always loved DC and have taken the boat ride you talked about--a fun adventure! Can't wait to see your beautiful ornament finishes!

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  66. Great post and fantastic finishes. I think I would have fallen for those cute groundhog eyes too. X

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  67. Carol, your blog is such a balm to the soul!

    Love the stitching pieces - that La D Da has long been a favorite of mine. Sorry about the fertile groundhog. :P

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  68. Hello Carol

    What a lovely post!
    Your stitching is beautiful and gorgeous photos too.
    Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog.

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  69. Precioso reportaje, muy bonitas las fotos. Espero que hayas superado el miedo al dentista y que todo esté bien. Yo he pasado una temporada tremenda. Un implante y tres empastes...
    Besos.

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  70. Another lovely post Carol.
    I enjoyed the pictures of the Washington trip.
    What a shame the problem with your foot was giving you trouble.
    The cake looks amazing - so good.
    Love your PS sampler finish.
    Hugs,
    Margaret

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Carol