Normalcy

Finally, I feel back to normal.  My eyesight got back to normal on Wednesday night.  Up until then, I was having difficulty focusing to stitch.  I had to use my boosters that magnet onto my glasses.  Its like wearing a pair of cheaters over your glasses.  

I finished Mary Miller 1842 and am really pleased with it.  The finished size is 9.5x13 inches.  I got a premade frame at Hobby Lobby that is 11 x 14.  It won't be evenly spaced  but, its close and decided a rustic wood frame I paid about $19 was worth the quarter inch difference on the side.  I do love the colors!  I know a lot of folks like red on their samplers.  I like red houses too but, I think that is why I really love this one, the colors are not typical.  

A few close ups of some of the motifs in the bottom section.  The birds are just so quirky!

I have started looking for areas where I can put my initials in or sometimes, if the alphabets are single colors, I will do my initials in the alphabet in a different color which is what the girls often times did.  I did them over one. 

Feeling normal again, I took a trip to Green Bay.  I was going to go with my lovely husband but, that changed.  He was going to take Henry to his camp on Friday but, Ed was having car problems.  We went to help him jump his car on Thursday but, it wouldn't start, the gauge said the battery was fully charged so thought maybe the fuel line was frozen.  It was -14 at 7 am and his car is parked outside at his apartment.  We took him to get some Heet.  He only lives a couple of blocks from where he works and he walked to work then got a ride home on Thursday night.  We had to get to a Tax preparer appointment.  He was up early on Friday and tried to start it, still no success.  Bob went over there and they took the battery to an auto parts store, had it tested (it was dead) and bought a new battery.  Working just fine!  Because he was did all that, when I asked him if he still wanted to go to Green Bay he jumped at the chance not to go.  My friend Arttie was going to GB to get her step daughter to sign her tax returns and her husband didn't want to go either.  Long story short, we went together.  I dropped off some of my picks from Nashville Market, picked up a project (like a I really need one) and visited with Kendra.  We went to lunch, Hobby Lobby and Barnes and Noble.  Quick trip but, spent a lot of time in just a few places.  Usually, we get hustled through these places. 

I picked up With Thy Needle and Thread/Brenda Gervais Quarker Sewing Tray, the thread and I had some fabric at home.  Currently, I have a little basket on the table by my chair but, I have to usually dig around it too much.  I don't really want to order the tray from her website because you get three trays in different sizes and I don't know that I will use them all.  I'm not even sure I really like  the way those trays look. I know we were going to Hobby Lobby and could look for something there. 

I found a napkin holder that will work perfectly.  There was another little wooden box that matched it that will probably be good for something.  I picked that up too.  There were 50% off so only cost me $7 each.  It feels like chalk paint.  I will sand them down a little, paint them and then Briwax them.  I took the leather piece that said "Napkins" on it, super easy.  

I'll excited to start this but, going to wait until the end of the week.  I want to work on Sarah Braizear for a week or so.  

That's pretty much it for now.  Got some energy back.  It doesn't hurt that the weather the last two days has been wonderful: sunny and in the 40's.  

Hope you had a great weekend!

Keep on Stitching!

Monica