How I've Avoided the Thanksgiving House

As Linda mentioned a few posts ago, I've been in desperate need of instant gratification. Luckily for me, we found this cute yarn store at our weekend birthday celebration & I picked up yarn for some scarves. As you can see there are 4 here & I have yarn for quite a few more (knitting, too, affords an opportunity for stashing).

I also finished this next canvas in a series I did last year for my perpetual calendar.

I see that Linda's box came from Amy's, & I got an email that my box was shipped today. I will finish this last scarf, for now, & go back to the House. I have done nothing in kit 2 except for mounting the canvases, reading the guide & sorting my threads.

I am loving Amy's creativity in the guide & the Facebook Thanksgiving group is fun, but I don't think I'll do this kind of project again. It's been a great learning experience & I know I will love the House when it's done, but I've also learned a lot about what I like to do in stitching & what I don't.

Busy weekend & week ahead.

Denise

Box from Amy

Today I received a box from Amy filled with wonderful goodies.

Kit 3 to the Thanksgiving House was part of the box. Now the fun is going to begin.
I just wish I was ready for it. I am still working on the front of the house.


As you can see I have finished the black band and the roof shingles. I am now working on the walls.




Here is a picture of kit 3 with threads and identi-pen. We have small square sequins in the kit and cannot wait to see where we use them. I really have to stop cleaning and start stitching.



Also in my box was the curved serrated embroidery scissors by Kreinik and the Beadazzled canvas by Maggie that I ordered from the June trade show. I do know if I should bring this canvas or Jake's Santa canvas next Saturday to Sharon G's canvas embellishment class. Any opinions would be welcomed.


Here is a picture of the canvas for Jake.

I also got a new tool that I will tell you all about next week.

Off to quickly dust and then stitch.
Linda

What Have Denise and Linda Been Doing

Since our return from our spa weekend Denise has been knitting. She is making these beautiful lacy look scarfs. After the Thanksgiving roof, Denise has been in the need of immediate gratification and knitting is doing just that. She can finish a scarf in one to two nights. I think she has made at least four. I have to ask her to post pictures of them for you all to see.

I have been in the closet literally. I spent all last week cleaning out the closets and organizing them. I will not even tell you the stuff I have gotten rid of. Waiting for Big Brother and Sister to come pick up the 20 HUGE bags I have for them. I also cleaned out my needlepoint stash. I sent a 17.5 pound box off to Fireside Stitchery to be sold on eBay. The box was filled with canvases some with stitch guides and threads. You would think that I would have really put a dent into my stash but I did not. There may still be somethings I will sell but right now I am not ready to part with them.

I have done some stitching on the front of the Thanksgiving House. The roof is almost done. I just have to do the trame. Once the front is done I will move onto the back and then the sides.

Here is a picture of the yummy threads that Karen and I picked out for my Colors of Praise belt. I purchased the threads from The Enriched Stitch. Silk n Ivory was on sale for 30% off.



Linda

Thank You

I want to thank everyone who followed our spa/needlepoint adventure. I appreciate your taking the time to read our blog and all your wonderful comments.

Ashley, Denise, Jen, Karen and I had a wonderful time. We started our adventure with a visit to The Enriched Stitch. You should go visit this needlepoint store. It is filled with wonderful threads and canvases. They offer great classes both for beginners and more advanced stitchers and they also bring in nationally known teachers like, Julia Snyder. I will definitely go back for a visit.

Not a lot of stitching was done since we had to much fun at our little cocktail party.
Needless to say we probably would not have been able to find the holes in the canvas.

I got the most wonderful gifts. Denise and Karen gave me a gift certificate to have a family portrait done along with a gift certificate to have my hair and make up done for the picture. I decided that the portrait will be of Jen, Jake and myself. Ashley gave me a very generous gift certificate to Talbots to get an outfit for the portrait. These gifts mean so much to me. The portrait will be a reminder of the special friends I have and the wonderful trip we had.

I also want to thank everyone who played a very important part in helping me fulfill my dream for the party favors. You know who you are and you know that I cannot thank you enough.

One last picture from our trip.


This was my dessert last night.

Linda

Party favors

I woke up remembering that Linda had wanted you to see the beautiful scissor fobs she made for Ashley & I. Ashley has the pretty pink canvas, with the adorable pink & green fob with lots of Swarovski & other bling. My canvas is the orange canvas, & the fob has large Swarovski & hand painted beads. Each fob has a cute ender; Ashley's, a butterfly, mine a friends charm. As always, Linda went all out for us & we hope she's enjoying her weekend!

As you can see, neither Ashley nor I stitched a single stitch last night. We were too busy enjoying the White Peach Skinny Girl Margeritas to give any intelligent attention to Amy's spending guide. Tonight...

But today----exploring & shopping after breakfast!

Denise

Cocktails

Ashley, Jen & I had lovely massages this afternoon, while Karen & Linda went into town for shopping.

Here we are, in Karen's room, for cocktails.

'Nuf said.

Denise

Linda's and Karen's canvases

Linda's with matching scissor fob


Karen's with matching scissor fob

Denise, Ashley and Jen's will be up next.

Linda

The Room

Here are someone pictures of the room.


Jen and my beds


Sitting area in front of fireplace


Desk area


Bar area

Denise and Ashley are coming over for cocktails and to stitch.

Will post pictures of everyone's canvases and marching fobs.

Having a wonderful time with all the people I love.

Linda

Lunch and Canvas

You cannot believe this place totally amazing. All our mouths dropped open when we got into our rooms. Pictures to come.

Here are pictures from lunch.


Ashley and Denise


Karen and Jennifer (my daughter)


Jennifer and me

Here is a picture of my canvas and scissor fob. Everyone got the canvas, scissor fob, stitch guide, threads and bag as a party favor. I made the fobs and they have a friends charm on the bottom

Linda

Our First Stop

Linda's birthday weekend has begun. Our first stop is at The Enriched Stitch, in Wilton, CT. Linda is picking out some threads for a belt; the rest of us are enjoying the Ewe & Eye trunk show & the thread sale that's going on here.

Denise

Bags are Packed

Well it is time to get ready to leave. Just wanted to let you see all the bags that are going to the spa with me.



Will post more once we get the cars loaded and from the needlepoint store.
Linda

New Accessories

My UPS man just delivered these beautiful leather stitching accessories.
I ordered them the other day from Ruth and was hoping they would arrive in time for this weekend. They are by a company called Rowallan. The color is beautiful and the leather is like butter. I have a case for my scissors and laying tools, another for my needles, magnets, etc. and the smallest one for my beads, bees wax and beading thread. I am going to so organized this weekend. This company also makes leather snap trays. Guess what - I had to order one. Hope to see it before Friday but am not to hopeful since I just ordered it yesterday.


Don't you just love them?


Here is a picture of them open.

Friday is going to be a very busy day. My day starts with getting my hair done at 7:30 AM. Then we leave my house at 9 to meet Denise and Ashley. We are using two cars since I tend to overpack both for clothes and needlepoint and Denise informed me that all my stuff will not fit in her car along with everyone else's stuff.
Our first stop will be to The Enriched Stitch, a new needlepoint store, in Wilton CT.
They are having an Ewe and Eye trunk show and also a sale on threads. How lucky is that? We will take pictures of the store to share with everyone. Once we leave The Enriched Stitch we will continue on our way to the Spa. The Saybrook Inn and Spa will take about an hour and twenty minutes to get to. Stops along the way could include the outlets and the quaint town of Saybrook with more shops and of
course lunch.
We will be posting pictures all weekend to share our spa/needlepoint adventure with you.
Linda

A Break From THE House

I have finished (for now) the Thanksgiving House roof. We have been told in the Facebook "House" group that there will be a few more stitches on the roof in kit 3. For me, finishing the roof means I have completed kit 1. I need a break!

I was able to get in some serious roof stitching time while watching a fascinating show that has apparently been on PBS for the past 2 years called "Downton Abbey." How did I not know about this excellent imported soap from Great Britain? I watched the first year on Netflix & the second year on a 1 week free subscription to Hulu Plus. Honestly, I really recommend watching this in the empty summer TV wasteland. I can't believe I have to wait until January to get my next fix of Downton Abbey!

Anyway, now that the roof is (mostly) done, I am ready for a break & some instant(ish) gratification. I have therefore gone back to my calendar flowers which was a club from A Stitch in Time. I have 5 more of these to complete; I have had the first 7 canvases matted & am using my perpetual calendar. I should wrap this canvas up by the end of the week.

It's a good thing I will (hopefully) be done by the end of the week, as we will be off to a weekend celebration of Linda's Big Birthday. Linda, Karen (our stitching cousin), Jen & Ashley (the stitching daughters) & I are off to a spa for our party. Some of us have massages & other spa luxuries scheduled; others are just excited to work on the "Friends" canvas in our specialized colors with custom Amy's stitch guides. Stay tuned for party updates during the weekend....maybe. After all, there may be a bit of "what happens at the spa stays at the spa" going on.....

Denise

Happy Dance

The roof is finished and now I am onto the front of the house. It took almost three months to stitch but was worth all the time it took. Amy came up with a wonderful combination of stitches and threads for the roof. It is totally amazing. I am so happy with the way it came out.


Since we are having a heat wave in the north east, I am putting up a picture of Jake
enjoying some ice cream. As you can tell, he really loves his ice cream.


He had to get every last drop.


His smile says how much he enjoyed it.

Off to do a few chores and then relax working on the front of the house.

Linda