My first Olympics finish: SB Fear Not

Not only did I start and finish the stitching during the Olympics broadcast, I completed it into an ornament as well!!    I've now started the snowman by Amy Bruecken called Sandra Lea.  It's patriotic and I didn't get it started for the 4th of July so now it's on my Olympics stitching list.  I'm stitching it on WDW Straw 30 ct.

Finished SB freebie with button: Flower Power/new purchases

Saw it framed with what has to be a Jill Rensel design in bright pink with two 3-D funky flowers.  In Stitches framed it in a white and then a bright pink frame to match the matting.  It's so cute!  I stitched it in less than a week and took it back to be framed (6 - 8 weeks) when I went to pick up my Woodlawn pieces.  I had bought the same design, kitted at Stitching Post and I plan to make it an ornament for the spring.  Yes, I know it's almost the 4th of July.  Is there a point here??! LOL

I picked up the pattern and fabric for Jane Tindall 1864 by Needlework Press.  It calls for Confederate Gray, but the fabric cutter said she saw it on Lakside Linens' Vintage Tundra so I bought that.  This should be nice.  I just adore the bottom of the piece; the rectangular patches of grass and all the animals.  Not enough time to get it completed AND framed before fair season starts in August.

I also picked up Rachel Ellicott by R&R Reproductions.  Ellicott City is not far from me and I've seen the original hanging in the Sandy Springs Museum (local girl does good).  This is the second copy I've purchased.  Maybe now I'll stitch it. LOL 

From the recent on-line Needlework Show I ordered Caroline Adler 1828 by Cardan Antiques and Needlework.  It's very bright and seem to have a lot of fushia and orange (an underused color combination IMHO).  Once again, this chart has the "typo" of using 40 count fabric. 

Did well enough at Woodlawn!

My Mermaid and the Sea by Examplar Dames got an Honorable Mention and was very well displayed! My fractur alphabet got nothing, but was also well displayed. It was my tuxedo cat part of a Janlyn chart that received a Third Prize!! Yippee!! This cat face looks EXACTLY like Shannon, one of my first kitties, and my first tuxedo cat. I'm so pleased!

Stitching finished in 2011

*quilted horse weathervane by Jean Farish *2 kumihumo cords *4 SB Easter Eggs framed together *4 SB Easter *Honfleur Sampler from SANQ *knitted Easter Eggs *Shannon cat from Janlynn kit *French Country ABC's by JBW Designs Jan 2011 *Warm Heart by Shepherd's Bush 1/26/11 *Busy Bee by Shepherd's Bush 1/20/11 *February by Ewe & Eye & Friends 1/18/11

2012 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

I was 8th in the souvenir line! An all time record! It was nice to know that I would be able to purchase whatever I wanted because the other 7 people would not have bought it all. :) I bought 2 shirts and a tote. (Gotta have the tote even though I'd brought a tote with me!) Sheldridge Farm (http://shelridge.com/) had the most beautiful assymetrical sweater kit! It came in greens or blues (online I see it is also available in browns). I bought the blue, but I may have to get the green. I also bought another sweater kit in autumn colors on teal. Just gorgeous!! My favorite place of the hundreds of booths. Lunch was welcome, especially the refreshing drink. The weather was sunny, but mild. A beautiful day for the festival. I got tired early on so I didn't stay nearly as long as I usually do. Went with Pat to the Stitching Post afterwards. That was nice and meant that Sunday was free to do other things. I'm currently reading White Horse. It was compared to The Hunger Games, but other than being set in the future, it has nothing in common with The Hunger Games.

Goodness!! Has it really been this long??

I'm surprised I haven't posted since August! But I've been fighting back pain since mid-August, and for quite a while sitting at the computer was not a high priority.

Thanksgiving was at Alexandra's Restaurant (now remodeled). Delish! I went to the emergency room for the pain in early December. We saw ICE! at Gaylord National at the end of December when I could move easier.

I've discovered the author Tim Dorsey and his wacky serial killer character, Serge A. Storms, who is in love with all things Florida. I read his books as I found them; that is to say, all out of order. This has made it interesting: people alive who are dead, and relationships not recognized that are known. Out of all his books I've only found one I didn't want to read.

I love the book The Hunger Games and wish I had tickets for the movie opening this weekend. I'll go in 3 weeks when it's less crowded. I'll enjoy that more.

I'm stitching on By the Bay's Spring Cove which I call the heron piece. This year for some bizarre and unexplained reason I am stitching on one thing, finishing it and THEN moving on to the next piece. Never did that before. :)

I picked up a small latch hook piece of a cat that looks like my brown tabby, Mindy. (I hate latch hook.) I've got four rows done and it seems like 70,000 more rows to go. Since its 12x12 when done I know that it's not quite that many rows. (I hate latch hook.) I'll like the finished piece, but getting it finished may take longer than I'd like. (Did I mention how much I detest doing latch hook??)

Woodlawn was postponed until May so submissions aren't until April. I hope they send out the brochure this year like they have in previous years. I have a couple of pieces I may enter for the grins of it. They won't do well in competition as I don't have any dog hair stitched into the designs.

I joined a gym. I was a member of a gym in the 90's, but too many gym-rats were there. This gym is more neighborhood oriented so there are all ages, shapes, sizes, and skill levels. I feel quite at home as I do my 15 minutes of walking. I go later this week for my appointment with the trainer for a fitness test. Nothing to do but improve, I'd say! :) I'm proud that since I joined on Saturday, I've gone Sunday and today.

Entries to the fairs

So far I've entered 3 fairs and all my pieces have won a ribbon! I'm tickled about that. I saw my needlepoint at the State Fair (second place), but none of the other things yet. Probably will go on Saturday to see how they've done.

On Saturday the 20th, I bought a sale kit of a needle felted bee applique. The next day I started and finished it! I entered it in Bee Related Arts and Crafts at the state fair. I'm hoping for second or third. Someone made a huge wooden bee hutch with a tin roof that opened, engraved with scenes of horses (in pastures, working and riding). I'm pretty sure that got first even though I've never judged bee things! LOL

And if any of you take pictures.....Focus, people! Focus. Although submitting out of focus pictures makes my job infinitely easier.