Road Trip

Arttie, Patty and I decided we were ready for a road trip.  

We talked about going to Stitchville but, I had looked up Country Sampler in Spring Green WI.

I was looking for a new stitch club to join and had seen the Schoolgirl Sampler Club they started somewhere....can't remember.  

I had been a Prim Stitcher from Dyeing to Stitch but, they discontinued the club.  

I thought I would try this one.  

Anyway, saw they have an apartment above the store they rent, $75 per person, per night, two night minimum...we went for it.  

We went this past weekend.  

Of course, Thursday it snowed five inches and then sleety rain on top of that.  

The local roads the next day were horrible but, the highway was fine. a little slushy at first but, eventually the roads were perfect.  

We had done research for places to stop along the way.  

It was about a 4 hr 40 minute drive to Spring Green.....but really took us eight hours.  

First stop was Fibre, a yarn store in Neenah. 

Victoria, is the young, passionate owner. 

It is a little tiny store but, packed full of wonderful yarns and gadgets.  

She looks for more local/regional indy dyers 

The brown turd looking thing is really local alpaca and to the left in the blue basket is yarn spun by a local highschool girl.  

In the next post, I'll show the treasures.  

We got back on the highway and stopped in Beaver Dam.

We had lunch before we stopped to shop.

Got to keep up ones strength!

Katy had told me about this shop, Firefly Fibers. 

She said it is on the Southern Wisconsin Yarn Shop Hop.  

Totally different personality.  

The women were young but, laid back.  

Great yarn:  Julie Asselin, Madeline Tosh, Lopi....full color lines in various weights.  

Got some yarn here too but, will post next time.  

We got to Country Sampler about 4:30 and did a quick walk around the shop just to scope it out.  

All the pictures I took, I forgot to take pictures of the  store.  

Here is  The Country Sampler Link.

We got the keys to the apartment.  

It sleeps seven has two bathrooms and is totally set up for quilters.

There are sewing machines, ironing boards, irons, cutting boards, rotary cutters and tables.

Kitchen with all the gadgets.  

The Work area

The Sitting area

One of the bedrooms

Arttie calling the hubby

Bathroom with wool applique angel....how cute is that.  

Another bed room with two twins

Look how deep the window are.  

View of the bookstore!

The third bedroom, two twins.  

Sewing machines stashed in a closet.  

That just amazed us all!

 

The laundry room.  

I'm telling you, I could live there.  

Once we got the car unpacked, we parked it in the lot across the street and were able to walk everywhere the rest of the weekend.  

There were restaurants and shops within easy walking distance.  

The weather the rest of the weekend was grey and cool but, manageable.  

It gave us a good reason to stitch when we weren't shopping.  

The next post will be about all the stash I purchased.  

It was a wonderful weekend....alot of fun!

Hope your weekend was good. 

Thanks for stopping and have a great week.  

Keep on Stitching.  

The Keeper of the Floss

I was stitching yesterday morning watching The Postman Always Rings Twice with Lana Turner and John Garfield.  What a great moving!

I had my floss on the arm of the couch and Buster rested his chin on it.  

Had to take a picture.  

Had to take a picture of his little paw when he rolled over.  

He has the cutest, softest feet!

Bob wanted to take a little road trip yesterday.  

I really didn't want to go because it was a VERY busy week at work since my co-worker was on vacation.  

Anyway, we went to Iron River and had lunch at George Young's Golf Course.  

Had a really delicious hamburger.  

Then we went to an Antique/junk store.  

It was more junk store than antiques but, didn't see anything I needed. 

We stopped across the street for a coffee at Contrast Coffee.  

They opened one here  just two months ago.  

I have fallen in love with their Magic Mocha.

It was some spices, primarily cayenne pepper .  

It is amazing.  

I got a double chocolate muffin for dessert.  

I brought a little stitching with me because adjacent to it is a fly fishing shop.  

The door to Dark Waters Fishing.  

He got a new fly rod and reel, smaller for his trout stream.  

I started working on Homespun Elegance:  There is a Graden with Victorian  Motto Sampler Shoppe threads.  

It is a super sweet spring design and a lot of fun to stitch.  

The only problem is I forgot to stitch the tail.  

It is suppose to done with french knots.  

I have no idea why I forgot the tail but, honestly he looks pretty cute without it.  

Hi have no intention of adding a tail now.  

Not when the back has been all laced up.  

He is just going to have to go tail=less. 

Started on BBD Merrily, Merrily We Welcome Spring.  

Not enough done to show you yet.  

Call the Midwife is back on with a new season.  

I love this show, so does Bob.  

Hope your weekend was spectacular.  

We may be getting another snow storm this week.  

Much of the snow is melted....this is the last thing I want!

May your week be uneventful!

Keep on Stitching!

Monica

I Can Smell The Roast Beef!

Business:  Here is a link to Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe  latest gorgeous giveaways

Was all excited about the Rump Roast for dinner tonight.  

It smelled divine while it was cooking.  

It was medium rare....perfectly cooked for us!

But, it was shoe leather!

I hate that when it happens.  

Even the gravy turned out great!

We were going to have beef sandwiches Wednesday for dinner.....shoot that idea.  

I have a really busy week at work since my co-worker is on vacation.  

Now I have to come up with something else....BAH!!

We got a lot of cleaning this weekend.  

I figured I had to do it this weekend while there is still snow and Bob can't go out to the property.  

Got him up on a ladder to clean fans and the tops of the kitchen cabinets.

I washed the decorative baskets and glassware that are displayed up there.  

I also rung out the rag and handed it back to him.  

I got Ed to wipe the baseboards, he has young knees.....his parents do not.  

When we were done, we had a little lunch.  

On the way to the grocery store, we stopped at a new coffee place.  

I had a Magic Mocha, it was a Mocha Latte with the spicy kick of cayenne pepper.  

I think that will be my drink there. 

I did putzed in the sewing room today.  

I got a few things put away.  

I bought some square frames at Hobby Lobby last weekend I thought I could use to re-frame 

La-D-Da's Spring Hare.

I used the frame it was in for something else.  

Of course the frames weren't quite the right size so, I took it off the board, cut it and re-attached it.

My lines aren't exactly the straight.....heavy sigh....I have difficulty with lines and framing.  

Now for the Sarah Braizear update.  

I even ironed it so it would photograph pretty.  

I think this is pretty much the area I worked on this week.  

I wanted a close up of the vase

The center section

I am going to put it aside for a while.  

I want to work on BBD Merrily, Merrily We Welcome Spring.  

I also want to work on an Homespun Elegance There is a Garden I got from her Etsy shop.  

It is a small piece that I picked some Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe thread that looks fabulous.

I will post it next week.  

It isn't on of my stitch 9 challenge list but, I don't care!

I will come back to Sarah but, I need a break.  

She is large and complicated since I'm doing it on 40 count.  

I hoping for a smooth week. 

It will be busy.

I hope I can stay awake in the evening long enough to get a little stitching done.  

Hope you had a great weekend!

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Sarah Braizear Update

I have been working slow but sure on Sarah Braizear.  

I think I have made some good progress since I picked it back up.

There is a lot of counting on this since there really is some space between motifs.    

Try as I might to orient the section I'm working out, it just won't cooperate.  

Midwest Living keeps sending me magazines along with a bill of course.  

I haven't asked for the magazine, didn't subscribe.  

Not going to...mostly ads. 

But, I did find an interesting recipe that I may have to try.  

I drink tumeric/ginger tea I get from Trader Joes that is pretty good. 

To make this, I just need to get some ginger.  

I think the organic coffee house charges $6 for a tumeric latte and its probably the same thing.  

Bob and I took a road trip to Escanaba yesterday. 

We are looking for some new patio furniture, so checked it out at Menards.

We stopped at an antique store and found a cast iron griddle for his shed. 

I also found a large pyrex butterfly gold, now I have the whole set.  

You can see what I mean: Pyrex Butterfly Gold Nesting Bowls.

I have a butter dish I use all the time and some small casseroles  

Its just fun to collect it...like treasure hunting.  

Then a new Hobby Lobby just opened there so stopped and picked up some square picture frames.  

I put a La-D-Da in one and hung it in the guest room.  

The weekend has just gone by too fast...as usual.  

Hope your weekend went well!

Have a great week!!

Keep on Stitching!!!

Monica

And--POOF-- He Was Gone!

Don't let this innocent face fool you.  

This guy is a criminal.  

I let the dogs out in the back yard...fenced in back yard.  

Henry came back in and Buster did not.

With the snow banks as high as they have been, we often don't see him in the paths.  

I waited a couple of minutes and called him again....no Buster.  

Then I looked up and saw him across the alley at the neighbor's garbage can.  

It's icy from melting snow.  

I got in the car and drove to the alley, got out and called him.  

Of course, he would not come.  

I drove to the neighbors and rang the door bell and asked if I could go through the house to her patio.

I told her he got loose but, now he was back on the other side of the alley.  

When called he did climb up on the snow and walked across the top to use.    

How did he get loose?

I believe this is his egress. 

Because of the thawing and re-freezing, the snow gets crusty and he can walk on top of the snow.  

He walks up the snow bank, hops over the top of the fence and walks down the bank on the other side.  

Bob knocked down the bank today.

He was at a fishing banquet last night.  

I had him on a leash all night whenever I let him out.   

The Stitching Bee had their Market Day yesterday.  

Arttie and I went.

She had some of the patterns I ordered: 

Needlework Press:  Maria Davis 1823.  

This one I may do in silk since it is one color.  

She hasn't gotten everything I wanted yet.  

 I was glad to see she had a copy of Blackbird Design.  

I didn't pre-order this but, I was very happy to get it.  

 I don't know if this was new at Market but, I have seen this and really liked it.  

It will be a very fun small!

 Shakespeare's Peddler:  Jenny Beane For the Parlor.

I got the first part at the Stitch Niche in Fort Worth and had Kendra get the parts available.  

I picked up much of the floss, she didn't have a few of the colors.  

I don't need it right now but, figured I would get what I could.  

It calls for R&R Wren:  a skinny quarter of 32, 36 or 40.  

I will probably do it on 36 or 40 count.  

It turns out to be the same size as And They Sinned.  

 I think there are going to be eight parts.  

 We stopped at Joann Fabrics and I was looking for circle templates for making needle drums rather than spit balling it.  

It is for cutting circles with scrap booking paper but I figured I could scribe if nothing else and then cut it with a scissors or knife.  

Just didn't get around to taking a picture of Sarah Braizer.  

Had a busy day and had company for dinner.  

Made corned beef, cabbage, red skin potatoes and carrots for St. Patrick's day.  

I have never cooked a corned beef, talk about easy peasy and delish!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  

The weather was great and snow is melting!

Have an amazing week!

Keep on Stitching!

Monica

Slow, Steady Progress

I am making slow, steady progress on Sarah Braizear .

I really don't have that much time to stitch, something always comes up.  

Now, I'm trying to decide to satin stitch now or wait.  

I think I will do the satin stitch in the main body of the sampler.  

The vase of flowers has satin stitching in the main bloom and the buds.  

I think I'm going to wait with the border.  

The basket of fruit also is satin stitched.  

I think I will do that also.  

I'm afraid I will miss something in the main body.  

I had missed a few small motifs in His Eye is on the Sparrow.  

I couldn't believe I did that!

We did have another two inches of snow last night.  

After tomorrow we are suppose to have some warmer sunny weather.  

Let me tell you many parking lots and side walks are truly a safety hazard.  

The side streets and snow and ice covered.  

Its dangerous pulling out of our driveway.  

Converted the DMC for a project to overdyes in my stitch nine challenge.  

I plan on going to the Stitching Bee on Saturday and she should have the new market offerings.  

I told her to hang on to my order if she has it and I will pick it up then.  

There was a lot I liked from market but, alot that just wasn't my style.   

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend.  

Weather has been bad all over the country and stay safe.  

I'm sure its going to be a wild spring.  

Have a great week!

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Snow Fatigue

Okay, I'm sure you are tired of me blogging about the weather.  

It has been record breaking.  

Local snow fall records have been broken.  

Marquette has been discussed on the Weather Channel.  

The backyard.  

The snow goes to the top of the fence.  

Buster has gone over the top in the past.

I don't know that he will now.  

I don't think he can jump high enough to get on top of the regular banks to climb over the fence.  

The backyard.

The chimnea is nearly buried.  

Got a good pic of the boys.  

Henry collects the toys at the patio door.  

Bob and I at the bottom of the driveway with the snow banks there.  

Nearly six feet.  

The house next door banks are even higher since the plow has pushed everything back  just in case.  

We are suppose to have a cold week.  

-11 tonight.....No chance the white stuff is going to melt.  

We haven't had snow like this in forty years, at least,

I have finished the border of Sarah Braizear.  

I have to do the satin stitching but, saving that for the very end.  

I am very excited to be able to start working on the main body of the sampler.  

I have ordered a few pieced from Market.  

Gigi R Mary Knowles  1824 Finding Moses

Needlework Press:  Maria Davis 1823

Needlemade Designs:  Agnes Outterson's Sampler

Fox and Rabbit:  Botany Bay.

Hope you aren't getting too bored with my ramblings of the weather.  

It is still better than the tornadoes in the south.  

Hope you are all safe, warm and dry!

Thanks for stopping.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica