WE HAVE A HOBBY LOBBY!!!!!!!

(requires shouting it from rooftops, but from the blog will have to suffice)

Not that we lack craft stores in this area. There's Joann's Fabrics, Michaels and A.C. Moore nearby, but NONE of them is a HOBBY LOBBY!!!!!

I just love Hobby Lobby. The last two vacations I took were in the vicinity of a Hobby Lobby. Coincidence? Why, yes. Yes, it was................not! teehee I like the mix of fabric, finished knick knacks, frames, mat board, ready-made frames, and cross stitch. Not to mention the wonderful Christmas area (ornaments, swags, ornaments, wreaths, ornaments). I saw a wonderful Santa-in-a-sleigh-with-a-reindeer glass (drats!) ornament. As long as I have goofy cats (and aren't they all?) I'm staying away from glass ornaments. Every year it's a bet on not whether the tree will be toppled by a cat(s), but how many times the tree will be toppled. (My guess is three times this year.)

But here's the funny part. The first HL I was in I spent over $300 in less than half an hour. The next two times were similar, but took longer to fill the cart and not quite as much spent. The last time was around $80. This time I walked around, browsed, picked up things and didn't buy ANYTHING. How bizarre is that?!

I do have to say that the guy behind the custom framing counter couldn't have been more bored if he tried. That was quite a bit off-putting. If (see, I'm already saying "if" instead of "when") I go to get something custom framed and I get attitude, I'll take my pieces to Joann's or Michaels who both do terrific framing jobs. AND I'll have to mention it to the manager.

But back to the important bit: there's a Hobby Lobby nearby!!!!! :)

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Other finishes

This Thomas Wool Whimsey is a recent finish by Heart in Hand. My buttonhole stitches are so much better than back in the late 1980's. I have the piece hanging in the living room and I'm the only who knows/notices that the buttonhole stitches are done backwards! I find it charming.



I also recently finished this Make-Do from Shakespeare's Peddler. I chose the bird color in this one.

Hexagon scarf

I picked up Plymouth Yarn's Encore D.K. in 11 colors at Sea Needles in Bethany Beach. They were so helpful. I'd picked out two colorways: my usual brights and a muted mix. We chatted it out and I decided that since I usually go to the bright colors, the scarf in the muted colors would be a welcome change. She explained that having two really dark colors rather than one was a good choice for balance.

Here is what I finished while at the beach:



It is a chain of 10 hexagons. The 3rd row is the joining row. I like this idea because once it's done, it's done! I didn't have a yarn needle with me and didn't remember to buy one at Sea Needles or Salty Yarns (or the Michaels I was near!) so all my ends still have to be woven in. I'll save that for a day when I'm too tired to stitch but want to move forward with my project.

This was fun, but time consuming. It occurred to me that if I stitched a bunch of hexagons with the first two steps done, it'd be quicker in the long run. So I've completed about 30 of the two-step hexs. Here's a photo of a few showing the 11 colors:



The inspirations for my scarf are the hexagon scarf and afghan at Garnet Hill. Googling this gave me a pattern for the scarf and a how-to for joining hexs while in progress.

I have a ton of Vanna White's yarn (Lion Brand) left over from the crochet reef project. I think I'll make a hexagon afghan out of that. I can combine the leftovers of this project in the afghan to enhance the mix. We'll see.

I decided that sewing the hexagons in a row then doing the next row on top and the next row on top of that is a good strategy.

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Thanksgiving in Ocean City

What fun! We spent four days at the beach. Temperatures were in the low 70's (very warm for the last full week in November for this area). I didn't need a sweater and wished I'd worn short sleeves. In a touch of irony the reason I go to the beach off season is because I sunburn so easily. That was why I couldn't believe it that first night back at the hotel when looking in the mirror: I had a light sunburn! SIGH.

I treated myself to a couple of new charts and the supplies at Salty Yarns. I bought yarn for a scarf I want to make at Sea Needles in Bethany Beach. I visited the Christmas Store in Rehobeth Beach and bought a few cat-proof ornies. Used my restaurant.com certificates at 2 separate restaurants. Found quite a few places serving a good breakfast (Decatur Diner in West Ocean City, Dough Roller and Dumser's). Went into a Marshall's for the first time since 1977! Bought a pink sweater and a copper covered Sugar Maple leaf (sold as an ornament, but I put it on a necklace like the ones I saw at the Sugarloaf Craft Festival last weekend). Have to add that I saved $90 by finding the leaf at Marshalls. The Spinning Wheel in Fenwick Island, DE was gone. I always found something there to purchase.

Thanksgiving dinner was at The Victorian Room at the Dunes Manor Hotel. Delicious! We knew it would be because we were there for Thanksgiving three years ago. They served a wonderful cinnamon muffin then and this time an orange (?) flavored corn muffin. Very tasty! The turkey, dressing and veggies were yummy!

The Winterfest of Lights was wonderful! Seems to be more on display this year. No lines to speak of because we went on Wednesday before Thanksgiving rather than the Friday after Thanksgiving (3 years ago). I like that the boardwalk tram takes everyone around the park at 123rd Street. The only negative was the flavor of the hot chocolate (without marshmallows). Yuck!

If I'd known beforehand, I'd have planned to go on the artist open house tour on Friday. I must remember to look up the work on John Donato of Bethany. Very whimsical.
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Jesse dog tricks

Now to train my cats.....

Working like crazy on Lizzie Kate's ABC Halloween

I have the rest of the skeleton and three more rows to go to be done. I'm averaging about a row every 3 days. My plan is to send it to Jill Rensel in Ogden, UT, for mats. I can send it with The Mermaid and the Sea. When they get back I can frame them locally.

I was going through a box in my closet and came across a bunch of boring, old cross stitch charts. However, in amongst them, was a partially stitched SB ornament (wisemen) from one of the annual JCS ornament magazines. I even had the sterling silver charm with it! It is now in my soon-to-be-finished pile.

Next up is a Blackbird Loose Feathers design from a couple of years ago. Although I can't recall the name of it right now, it's the one with the three different fabrics that are sewn together after stitching and then embroidery is done over the seam.