Hope you like black cats!!

Good morning, my dear friends! And a warm welcome to my new followers! I never post on Sundays, but with Hurricane Sandy making her way up to the north east, I decided to get this written because, yes, western Pennsylvania is in that highlighted red area you see on all of those weather maps. Hopefully, it is just high winds and rain (I'd even take some snow!), but you just can't be sure... Last week we enjoyed summer-like record-breaking temperatures and here we are just seven days later with hurricane warnings!  That Mother Nature sure is a fickle woman, isn't she? We are very blessed in the western Pennsylvania region to usually manage to escape nature's ravages...few tornadoes, wild fires, hurricanes, or any of the other devastating events that effect so many other parts of the country rarely hit us here. BUT, we were affected by Hurricane Ivan back in 2004. Our whole basement was flooded and I sure hope history doesn't repeat itself. My thoughts are with all of you on--especially those of you on the coast--as the storm approaches...

So, what have I been doing over the past three weeks? Well, playing with little black cats, of course! No, not real ones (unfortunately), but these sweet stitched ones. Yes, as many of you guessed, black cats is the theme for my October bowl of smalls. I love black cats because of the one and only cat we ever owned--my dear Shadow cat (more about him later!). Even though he's been gone for five years, I still miss him and since we aren't able to get another cat due to my husband's allergies, I have to get my "black cat fix" through my stitching. This month, I managed to stitch five new pieces featuring the fabulous felines and finish two of my unfinished-finishes that had been hidden away in a drawer for three years!

October 2012 Black Cat Finishes

This trio of grinning black cats marching along with their pumpkin heads made me smile the very first time I saw it, so I knew it would be making it into my bowl. This is actually just a small motif taken from the bottom portion of Prairie Schooler Book No. 165 Sweeping Cobwebs. I stitched this one on 40 ct. R&R Creme Brulee with DMC threads. It was the first time I'd worked on this fabric and I'll have to say, it wasn't my favorite. It was very loosely woven and almost stretchy--I didn't think the coverage (I normally use one thread on 40ct. fabrics) was as good as on other 40 ct. linens that I've used. I do like the mottled appearance of this linen, though, for a Halloween finish. The black and tan gingham and orange ruched ribbon finished up the little pillow quite nicely, don't you think?

"Sweeping Cobwebs" motif by Prairie Schooler

 

Next up is a finish called "Cat O'Lanterns" by Silly Snobs Gallery--a chart that I've had in my stash for a l-o-n-g time. It was published way back in 1993!! Again I used the 40 ct. R&R Creme Brulee for this piece, but learning from experience  on the previous finish, this time I used TWO threads for the black portions of the design and I'm much happier with the result. The cats have a lovely, almost velvety appearance. And how cute is that tiny gray mouse peaking out of the littlest pumpkin! I did end up changing the colors for the pumpkins because the charted colors were just too bright of an orange for my taste. This one is finished as a flat mount with miniature black pompom trim, a gingham bow, and tiny button as accents.

"Cat O'Lantern" by Silly Snobs Gallery

From the wonderful imagination of The Sampler Girl comes my next finish called "Quaker Boo." I'm really happy with how this one turned out--I picked the fabric colors after I'd finished the stitching, but they truly look like they were meant to go with my chosen floss colors. For this one, I used a combination of DMC, Needle Necessities, and WDW threads stitched over one on 25 ct. mushroom lugana. The chart is still available for purchase on Tanya's website . And how about those adorable black cat scissors in the photo--thanks again, Mary--I just love them! 

"Quaker Boo" by The Sampler Girl

I knew this freebie from Our Pioneer Homestead blog would be a perfect addition to my bowl of kitties. For the first time in a long, long time, I used 18ct. Aida for this finish.  Not my favorite to stitch on, but the color of burnt orange was perfect. I added another bat, a black star charm, and changed the border to finish this one. I wanted to make a black cording, but ran out of DMC 310, so I had to resort to whipstitching the back to the front which, boy, sure takes a lot longer than making a simple pillow and adding cording!

"Black Cat Inn" freebie from

Our Pioneer Homestead

And finally, I dove into my drawer of unfinished finishes and pulled out these two cuties... In a way, I'm glad I didn't finish them way back in 2009 when I stitched them, because I've gotten much more confident in my finishing skills and had tons of practice on finishing smalls since then!

This finish is called simply "Halloween Sampler" and is from the book The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book by Helen Philipps. You may be able to find a copy of the book at your local library which is where I found this one... If you're interested in reading more about this finish, you can read more about it in this post.

To make the pillow, I chose the ghostly fabric displayed behind it and added a black cording and bow--quick and easy and oh-so-cute!

 

"Halloween Sampler" from

The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book by Helen Phillips

And finally (whew!!), the adorable "Halloween Spots" design by The Trilogy. You can read about my finish in this post from way back in October of 2009. I love that skinny-legged ghost, don't you? Reminds me of my boys when they were tiny. For the finish, I chose a plain black fabric and a black and white polka-dot fabric to sew the pillow. Just adding on stripes of orange and black checked ribbon and a little brass pumpkin charm makes this one of my favorite finishes of this year.

"Halloween Spots" by The Trilogy

Seven black cat finishes (including the Prairie Schooler one from my last post) are shown below. Which one do you like best? It's really hard for me to pick this month--I'm really happy with each one of them!

 October 2012 Black Cat Finishes

So, here they are in my wooden bowl... Ten months down, two to go!! This monthly goal has been such a good way to finally stitch many of the older charts that I've had languishing in my stash for so long. I highly recommend it as a way of stitching some of those "oldies, but goodies" that you might have in your stitching collection, too... 

  October 2012 bowl of finishes

So, are any of my fellow stitchers also fans of black cats? Are you wondering how my obsession with them come about? Well, blame it on this little guy--my sweet "Shadow" who was our one and only pet for 14 years. In 1993, he wandered into our yard as a stray when my three young sons were playing outside with their friends and quickly made himself right at home. He really was the perfect Halloween kitty--this photo taken back in 2001 is one of my favorites.

Shadow in October 2001

Shadow was a constant companion to my sons--a great confidante who probably heard more of their hopes and dreams than any human being. The photo below was taken on our front porch in Halloween 1998 with my youngest "mummy" son and my middle "detective" son. (No, that isn't my oldest son in the rocking chair--it is just a giant stuffed monkey dressed up as Dracula!). We enjoyed eight more wonderful Halloweens with Shadow until an intestinal tumor took him from us in the summer of 2007. I still miss him every day...

 Halloween 1998

I won a lovely giveaway from my friend, Anne, who blogs at Doll's Musings. The plaid fabric is just perfect for future Christmas ornament finishing, isn't it? She also included some pretty green ribbon and a skein of Watercolors thread that she thought would be perfect to make cording along with three packets of tea. If you haven't visited Anne's blog, please stop by and say "hello." I'm sure you'll be impressed with her beautiful stitching and finishing... Thank you so very much, Anne--it has been a pleasure to get to know you better this year!  

Giveaway win from Anne

We've had such a gorgeous fall here in western Pennsylvania. I was afraid the colors wouldn't be very vibrant on the trees this year due to our hot, dry summer, but I think they were the prettiest they've been in years. I took the picture on the left driving home from my parents a couple of weeks ago, the one on the top right on my way to work, and the one on the bottom right from the library parking lot. Western Pennsylvania is very hilly and I think that only adds to the gorgeous display. I can't imagine not living with four beautiful and distinct seasons like we have here... 

 

Fall Foliage in Western Pennsylvania: October 2012

My husband put out the old sunflower heads for our resident deer and they've been having fun feasting while we enjoy watching them graze. We usually see three to five almost daily in our back yard. The middle photo of the collage shows the three females. The antlered males seem to come by less often, but they are so impressive to see when they do grace us with their appearance. 

 Backyard deer: Autumn 2012

I meant to share more photos from our North Carolina trip with everyone, but I'm just out of energy and in a bit of pain right now. I've been having trouble with my right thumb and am seriously wondering if it might be carpal tunnel syndrome. Anyone have any experience with that? I'm so afraid I'll have to give up stitching... Anyway, time to get off the computer and rest it a bit. Typing really bothers it and it's almost impossible not to use the right thumb since that is the one I use to hit the space bar!! 

Thank you, thank you for your kind comments and compliments on my finishes. I'm truly honored to hear that I've inspired you in some small way or other--really... Another reminder about your questions--I'm happy to answer them if I can, but you must leave an email address in order for me to get in touch with you. Anyway, I hope you each enjoy the remainder of your week and for those of you who celebrate... I wish you a most enjoyable Halloween filled with chocolate galore! Bye for now... 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

Small Finishes and Fall Travels

Hello, my stitching friends! I'm in between trips here--just returned from our anniversary vacation to North Carolina this past weekend and will leave for New York to visit with my parents tomorrow. But, I wanted to pop in and say "hi" to everyone and share a few photos with you. Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my bowl of "squirrely" finishes in my last post. Whether you love the little guys or not, you have to admit they are very entertaining and (I think) rather cute. I also want to wish my new followers a big welcome--so happy to have you here and I hope you'll find something in my blog to make you smile.

I've stitched my first piece for my October bowl of smalls--the bottom scene from Prairie Schooler Book No. 132 "Autumn Leaves." Can anyone guess what my "theme" will be for this month? Here's a hint: it is something stitched in this little fall scene. I used the suggested DMC colors for this and stitched it on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle Linen.

 

I love how the autumn "leaves" spell out numbers in the grass of this tiny sampler... Reminds me of how we used to play in the leaves when I was a young girl. We would rake them into straight lines to form the blueprint of a house and then "play house." Does anyone else remember doing that or was that just something my friends and I loved to do? I then turned the stitching into a small pillow using two coordinating fabrics, some orange ric-rak,  and a pair of buttons...I'm very pleased with how this one turned out!

 "Autumn Leaves" by Prairie Schooler 

(lower portion only)

I also stitched a little birthday gift for my friend, Valerie. Valerie loves Halloween so I thought this tiny pillow ("Boo Web" by X's and Oh's) would be perfect for her. This is the second time I've stitched this one and the second time I've given it away. Do you think it's time to stitch one for myself? I just love that grinning spider waiting for his next "victim" down in the lower right corner and how the web itself spells out "BOO!" I stitched it over one on 28ct. evenweave and combined two Halloweeny fabrics with yellow ric rak and black cording to finish it off. Valerie seemed very pleased with it and I'm happy to have added a little something to her Halloween display.

"Boo Web" by X's and Oh's

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that our actual wedding anniversary (our 35th!!) took place back in July, but that my husband was 3183.11 miles away in Alaska at the time enjoying a bike trip with three friends. So, we celebrated a bit late by taking a road trip in early October. Covering six states (PA, MD, VA, TN, NC, and WV) plus the District of Columbia (where we stopped for a quick visit with our youngest son), we saw some wondrous sights. But, before we hit the road, we had a teeny-tiny problem to attend to! My husband had been packing the car while I made sure windows and doors were locked, heat was turned down, shades were pulled, etc. When we were just about ready to go, I walked into the kitchen and heard what sounded like a frantic chittering sound nearby. Figuring it was just two of those pesky squirrels fighting over an acorn, I peaked outside, but saw nothing. Then I heard the noise again--this time it sounded like it was coming from our sunroom adjacent to the kitchen.

Cautiously, I walked into the next room and immediately spotted a tiny bird perched on the ficus tree in the far corner! Oh, dear, what to do? Well, as every good blogger knows--the first thing you do is run for your camera, right? (thank goodness it hadn't been packed in the car already!)... The poor thing didn't want his photo taken and immediately began flying around and around the house in a circle between the sunroom, kitchen, and family room. He finally landed on our wicker couch where I snapped this photo. (Does anyone know what type of bird this is? I've never seen one like him before). By then, my husband had heard my cries for help (it's actually a bit scary when a bird, no matter what size, is flying straight at you!) and he came running. He had me open the double doors at the far end of the sunroom while he approached the scared little bird from the back. Finally, we were able to coax him out the door and outside into the fresh air. Now, I ask you, what would we have found if we hadn't heard his scared chirps just as we were leaving for vacation... He would have been loose in the house all week and who knows what mischief he might have gotten into!!

Crisis averted and we were soon on our way to the enchanting mountains in the Asheville, N.C. area... I'm planning on writing a longer post on all that we saw and experienced in the future, but for now, I want to share some of the highlights of our trip with you...

We visited The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.

A little touch of France in the Carolina countryside!

 

We hiked some gentle forest paths...

and also some steep, rocky terrain!

We marveled at the changing colors along 

The Blue Ridge Parkway

And were awed by the view from Grandfather Mountain

 in northern North Carolina. (Yes, that's my husband 

being a daredevil--I held back a bit!!)

We admired some lovely West Virginia quilts...

and wondered at nature's beauty. 

We saw a rainbow of gardens...

and hiked miles to see West Virginia's incredible 

New River Gorge Bridge.

And then we came home...ahhh...There is nothing like coming home again, is there? I am such a homebody and as much as I enjoy traveling different places and experiencing new things, I truly love my time spent at home. But, the road is calling again with another five hour drive tomorrow to visit my parents in New York. I'll do my best to catch up on everyone's blogs very soon. Until then, I hope each of you has a lovely week with many, many moments that make you smile. Bye for now...

Stitching a Scurry of Squirrels

Good September morning to you my friends! And here we are sprinting toward the end of yet another month. I know some of you have been wondering if my September bowl of smalls would ever be done and I'm happy to say...yes, I finally finished five new little designs for it. I've stumbled upon a new "addiction" so to speak, though. I finally discovered what many of you have been raving about: Downton Abbey! Over the past week, I watched the entire first and second seasons on DVD. That is a total of 16 hours of television viewing--which means lots of stitching time, too. It was a bit harder to stitch during this program, though, as I hardly dared turn my face from the screen for fear of missing those wonderful period details and the telling expressions on the actors' faces. I am so envious of my British friends who have already had the pleasure of beginning Season Three. Are you enjoying it? I can hardly wait until January 6th, 2013 when it will be making it's way to American television! I know many of you (probably most of you!) have already seen it, but for those of you who haven't, I highly recommend it...

So, I know you're not here to listen to me prattle on about Downton Abbey, are you? No one was able to guess what my theme was for my September bowl...Many of you guessed apples or pumpkins; both good ideas, but in the end I went with...squirrels!! Here in western Pennsylvania, we have an abundance of squirrels...red squirrels, gray squirrels, even an occasional albino squirrel! I so enjoy sitting in my kitchen watching their antics as they try to figure out how to break into the bird feeder and scamper away with the birdseed. So, in honor of these entertaining, sometimes annoying, little fellows...here are my five September squirrel creations...

September 2012 Squirrel Finishes

The first squirrel creeping into my September bowl is "French Country Squirrel" by JBW Designs. I love this design that is made up of tiny autumn-themed motifs. Can you spot the pumpkin, the owl, the acorn, the bird, the basket, the heart, and the miniature squirrels? So creative!! I stitched this one over one on 25 ct. mushroom lugana with WDW's "Sweet Potato" thread. I found a tiny brass acorn charm in my stash so I gave that to the squirrel to hold rather than stitching the acorns that were charted. I then added a pretty orange ruched ribbon, backed the circle with the fabric shown, and called it a finish!

 "French Country Squirrel" by JBW Designs

This Trilogy piece called "Autumn Tree" is my next finish. These little trees must really appeal to me because I've now stitched their "Cheer" tree as well as their Spooky tree. I used 40 ct. flax Newcastle linen with an assortment of autumn colored overdyeds for this one. I thought the leaf fabric picked up the colors of the leaves on the trees really well so I sewed a simple pillow with some orange ric rak peaking out. A very quick finish!

 "Autumn Tree" by The Trilogy

I've had this piece of gold-toned Jobelan in my stash for the longest time and I'm thrilled to finally have found something to use it for. I wish you could see the true color--in the photo it is looking a bit washed out, but it really is the loveliest golden autumn shade. Midnight Stitching is the designer of this piece called "Quaker Acorn I." I believe this is the first time I've stitched one of their designs and I truly enjoyed it.  I used WDW's "Mocha" thread and finished it with a simple edging treatment of coppery brown beads.

 "Quaker Acorn I" by Midnight Stitching

Next we come to the design that ended up taking most of my time this month! Wow! I had forgotten how much time a single block of Hawk Run Hollow pieces can take!! This block is from Carriage Hill Samplings "Autumn At Hawk Run Hollow," but if you've stitched it yourself, you'll notice a big change. In the charted design there is a big white sheep under the left side of the tree. Well, we don't see many sheep in my part of the world--let alone in the woods! So, I substituted two little squirrels sharing (fighting over?) a single acorn.  I also changed the color of the grass to a darker shade than charted and left off two of the acorns on the right side. I'm very pleased with how it turned out even though the over one stitching on this one about drove me crazy. It is stitched on 28 ct. light taupe lugana using DMC threads and the fabric shown behind it is what I used to back the small pillow.  If you look closely, you can spy a tiny heart carved into the tree with the first initials of my husband and myself...

 

 Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow (Fourth Block)

And finally, a design from one of my favorite designer's... Homespun Elegance, called "Joyful Autumn." This stitched up fairly quickly on 28 ct. cafe mocha linen. Again, it is stitched "over one" using Crescent Colours "Hazelnut" and DMC 3787 for the squirrel. I did make one change and flipped the squirrel so he was facing into the design rather than away from it. Using a black and tan gingham fabric I finished it into a simple pillow and adorned it with two tiny acorns hung from some gold cording (leftover from the cording on my pillow shown above). Isn't that wooden squirrel adorable--he is part of a pair that once belonged to my dear grandmother. I think of her whenever I bring them out for fall decorating...

 "Joyful Autumn" by Homespun Elegance

Here is a closeup of the acorn embellishement for you. I found these wee acorns at the library one day when I was walking into work amidst piles of normal size acorns. Aren't they cute? I never dreamed I would end up using them in a finish, but here they are! I enlisted the help of my husband who drilled a hole in the top of each acorn cap (after I separated the cap from the acorn) with a dremel tool. Then I simply slipped in the cording, tied a knot so it wouldn't pull through all the way, and glued the acorn cap back on. Simply add a wooden button and you've got a unique trim for your finished fall pillows...

 

 Close-up of acorn embellishment

And here are the five finishes all together? I think my favorite is the block from Autumn At Hawk Run Hollow, but the French Country Squirrel is a close second. How about yours?

September 2012 finishes

And what would a squirrel do without some acorns to keep him happy and healthy? I found this tutorial for making little fabric acorns to be most helpful. We don't have an oak tree in our yard, but, luckily, the ones on the grass at my library are free for the picking! These stitch up very quickly and I think they add a playful touch to my display.

 Fabric acorns

So, nine bowls down...three to go! When I began this "monthly bowl" journey in January, I really wondered if I could come up with enough new finishes every month to fill the bowl. Well, it looks like I might just achieve my dream... IF I can get through the next three very, very busy months. I am so appreciative of all your supportive comments and suggestions along the way. They make me want to keep creating! Below is the final September bowl along with the Prairie Schooler September squirrel that I finished and framed a few years back...

 

   September 2012 bowl of finishes

 Here is a closeup shot for you...

 

 And another...

Squirrels were even included in my gift-giving this month! One of my very first blogging friends, Myra, celebrated a birthday last week so I wanted to send her a new ornament for her lovely Halloween tree. I fell in love with Fancey Blackett and The Harvest Dance last fall when I saw it on several blogs so I chose to stitch just a portion of it for Myra. The dancing duo just make me smile each time I see them. Can't you just picture a lively group of skinny witches and giant squirrels dancing the night away in some distant forest? This Pineberry Lane design is one of my favorites and I hope to stitch the entire piece for myself next year. Myra's pillow was stitched with the suggested DMC threads on 40 ct. flax Newcastle linen. And take a look at that orange fabric on the bottom...it is adorned with the cutest little black paw prints. Perfect for Halloween and for my dear friend Myra, who is a huge animal lover. I wish you a most happy year ahead, Myra, with lots of stitching time thrown in...

 Gift for Myra:
 Motif from Fancey Blackett and The Harvest Dance

A SPECIAL THANK YOU... I was so pleased to receive a copy of her new book, Cozy Wool Applique Pillows,  from my friend, Liz, who blogs over at Sunflower Fields Pattern Co.. I've been following Liz's blog since she first started it and am just enthralled with her little wool applique creations. Her book is filled with such creative and fun little pillows--I love it!! I'm not sure I have the talent to create one myself, but I hope to get up my nerve and try my hand at wool applique some day. Her book sales are doing very well and she is now planning another one for children as well. Go check out her blog and tell her I sent you--you'll love her adorable creations! Thanks so much, Liz, for sharing your book and your friendship! 

Gift from Liz: "Cozy Wool Applique Pillows"

Whew--I was certainly long-winded today, wasn't I? I'm so sorry for writing a "book" here, but I sure hope you enjoyed my "squirrely" post.  I'll be out of the loop for a while now due to our upcoming belated anniversary trip to Asheville, NC and also my trip to visit my parents up in New York State in October. I will miss all of you, but will catch up with everyone when I return. Thank you, as always for all of your wonderful comments, emails, and friendships--you fellow stitchers are the best!! Bye for now...

This and that

Good morning, my blogging buddies! I hope this post finds you enjoying September in all of it's glory. I am loving this cooler weather and the sounds and smells that only autumn can bring. I took a stroll around our yard and gardens yesterday and, even though things are slowly withering and fading away, fall has a beauty all its own, don't you think? I just love the way the light shines in autumn--there is something so appealing about the way it streams through the windows and illuminates the house in a softer, quieter way than the harsh rays of summer. The world of nature is slowing down and preparing to rest for winter and that slower pace of life is so appealing to me right now...

I've been stitching a bit--not as much as I'd like, but I've still managed to get a few things finished... I've also started on my monthly "bowl" finishes for September, too--any guesses as to what my theme will be? My Christmas ornament for August is this winsome snowman. I mean really, who can resist that face? Doesn't he resemble Winston Churchill a bit? Well, I think that is what the designer intended as the name of this chart is "Winston the Snowman." It is a Trilogy chart which I stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen using the recommended overdyed threads with a couple of small substitutions.

I did make some minor changes to the original design; I added little snowflakes (Smyrna stitches) falling around the snowman and also added a handle to his umbrella. Winston is backed with a blue checked fabric that picks up the colors of his scarf. I then finished him off with blue cording and a wire hanger made by simply stretching out a spring--a super easy finish!

"Winston the Snowman" by The Trilogy

September's ornament is a companion piece to my December 2011 ornament which you can see about in this post. This is simply the motif at the top of the "Woodland Peace" sampler from the February 1993 issue of Leisure Arts Magazine. I wish the true color came through (my camera is wonderful, but reds always tend to look a bit "off" for some reason)--it is more of a cherry red than this fire engine red that seems to be showing (on my monitor at least). I used DMC 304 and stitched it over one on 28 ct. white evenweave.

This is a perfect example of how you can turn a very simple design into something a bit more special by adding various fabrics and trims. Isn't it cute? I love those miniature bells and the engraved silver button--I think they give the piece a nice, old-fashioned appeal. So, I'm now caught up with my monthly ornament stitching--whew! This has obviously been a year of stitching smalls for me and I'm so proud to say that I've been keeping up with my finishing for a change. (Of course, I still have a drawer full of things I've stitched, but not finished, from years past--I wonder if I'll ever find the time to get to them?).

"Woodland Peace" from an old Leisure Arts magazine

I stitched a couple of birthday gifts for friends last month which were well received. For my sweet friend, Linda, I made this small pin pillow. "Blessed Be" is a freebie from Plum Pudding NeedleArt which you can find right here. This is the second time I've stitched this one and the second time I've given it away! The third time will be one I keep (I hope!). It is stitched on 40 ct. flax Newcastle using DMC threads. I used a gold colored fabric (from a cloth napkin) and a bit of black ric-rak to finish it off quite simply. Linda told me she'll be displaying it in her office along with some of her own lovely stitching this autumn.

For my dear friend, Lois in Northern Ireland, I made this Homespun Elegance design ("Crows Treat" from the Tiny Stuff II booklet). If this looks familiar, it's because I made another similar one for myself which I showed you in my last post. Can you spot the differences? I simply made hers into a long pillow with the gingham fabric on the bottom and mine is a wide pillow with the fabric on the side. I also stitched the buttons on Lois's with a gold thread and used black on mine. This one, like the one I showed you last month, was stitched on 32 ct. dirty linen using good old DMC threads. I'm so glad you liked your birthday gift, Lois--I wish you a most happy year ahead!

Another special stitching friend sent me a delightful package of goodies this week--all the way from England! June, one of the most generous people I know, surprised me with this fun sewing themed tote bag along with some pretty fabric (in blue and yellow--my favorite color combination, no less!!), and ribbon. The bag will be so handy for storing charts or fabric--we stitchers can never have too much storage, can we? And I just love the little handmade cards you included, June!! What a talented person you are--thank you so very much! If you haven't visited June's blog, please stop by and say "hello!" She is always so warm and welcoming...


So, are any of you beer lovers? I'm not in the least, but all the guys in my life are, so in an effort to do something as a family, we all attended the 6th annual Steel City Big Pour beer tasting event on Saturday. In addition to my husband and three sons, we were lucky enough to have my youngest son's girlfriend from Washington, D.C., my brother-in-law from Indiana, and my nephew from Kentucky joining us. I was the DD (Designated Driver), but I didn't feel like I missed out on any of the fun. There were some tasty and unusual food samples from local restaurants and even home-made sodas--the root beer was my "drink of choice" that evening. I've heard there were over 2000 people in attendance--a bit many for me as I tend to do better in small groups, but I had my "posse" of men with me so all was well!











This was a charity event to benefit a Pittsburgh organization called "Construction Junction" which recycles used building materials and household items. The beer-tasting was held in their warehouse so the decor included rows and rows of used sinks, doors, windows, and (ahem) toilets just waiting for new homes. A true handyman's dream!! I loved the names of the different craft breweries--so fun and creative: Dogfish Head, Duck-Rabbit, Flying Dog, and by far the most interesting name: Smuttynose! Who thinks of these names anyway? While most of the crowd was male, there were also a fair number of females in attendance. There were even a couple of craft booths which I missed, but my son's girlfriend did manage to stop at one and make him a cute beer koozie all decorated with his name and the Pittsburgh Steeler's logo. Hmm... now that I know she's crafty, I might just have to introduce her to cross stitch! What do you think?


I'll leave you with a little beer-themed humor (in the photo on the right) that I've seen popping up on the internet lately, but perhaps it's new to you. Apologies to the men in my life, but this just cracked me up...

Whatever you have planned for your weekend, I hope it's filled with things that make you smile. Thank you all for your comments and emails; even though I've never met most of you, I consider you true friends and I'm always so happy to hear from you! I'll be working at the library ALL weekend, but I plan on finding some time in the evenings for stitching. Hope you find some, too! Bye for now...