projects and projects!!

Oh boy, do I ever have a ton of finishes to show you. Not actually a ton but ... pretty close.

 I will start with the finishing of finished things. Scott framed Warm Winter Welcome - the lighting is off but it really is cute.

 I painted a paper mache book and put the Spirit of Holiday Baking by Brooke's Books on it.

I used Christmas paper to line the inside. Scott is going to write or paint something on the spine when he gets a chance - something like recipes or cookies, I haven't decided yet, he has better handwriting that I do!
Next is the pattern I bought in Orland IL at Country Cupboard - Threadwork Primitives - Beggar's Night I don't think I would have bought the pattern but the shop had one done on 18 count raw linen (15x18) and stitched with pearl cotton - loved it!! I changed the pattern a bit - took off the number 31, the word OCT and the upper border. There are two leaves that are a different shade of green but when I ordered the thread I ordered size 3 instead of 5 on that one skein (doh). It was too much shipping to order just one - I didn't want to drive an hour and a half round trip to go to my LNS so I just did them all one color - I don't think it matters!  I also added fabric and lace to my pillow

the original pattern - picture from the Threadwork blog

mine

I can't get the lighting right on this picture - I tried a few times. The back fabric matches the dark front fabric - not this strange color!

It was easy to stitch this in the car on our Colorado trip because of the fat fabric and the fat thread!! I had started Jardin Prive Dans Mon Jardin biscornu just before the trip but all the color changes made it hard to do in the car (and airplane) and it's so delicate that I had a hard time. I finished it when I got home

went from this....

to this

  The Jardin Prive site is awesome - not only are the prices reasonable, the patterns are cute and you can get them sent to you as a PDF so no waiting and no shipping!! Love it!!

Scott hung my flag quilt on the garden door - I love that door! The hand came from my mom's! It has a few magnets so you can change what it says

 I said I would post some pictures of the stuff I got in Colorado from my mom. Here is a sign I just love!!

Before

After

close up

I failed to mention that my friend Sharon gave me a fabulous hutch  - just before we left for the trip she had posted on facebook that she was giving away a hutch - I said I wanted it and she said you have to come get it, haha! So we picked it up while we were there!

Isn't it perfect! The wooden bowl hanging on the wall to the right came from my mom's house, as did the pitcher and bowl, the cow on top and the baskets!

The table, bowl and tray also came from my mom's house! That is just some of the things - more pictures as it gets placed!
Scott went on a business trip to Minnesota recently and he sent me a picture of a place there called Stitchville USA so I have to go visit soon! The place looks great! I called the shop and ordered a few things - she said it was good to call because the online catalog doesn't have everything but she has TONS of stuff! I used her color idea for an Alessandra Adelaide pattern (Maple leaf) and I can't wait to show it to you! Here is a picture of what I got....

Oh I'm so excited!! There are beads instead of french knots and Florimell instead of DMC - very pretty!!
One more thing I am excited about - I have been wanting to make my own yogurt but I was afraid to. I mentioned it to my mom and she said she had just bought a yogurt maker at a thrift store that had never been used - still had some wrapping paper on the box even! We were going to make some while I was there but we didn't get to it. Mom let me bring the maker home - yay!! I just made some today so I can't tell you how it went yet - next time!!

 This baby raccoon figured out that he could eat the bird seed from the top - it is so darn cute!!

Mo is on the dryer because he was looking out at the baby raccoon - what a pretty boy. When we went to Colorado he went to kitty camp but if you ask him it was kitty jail. He lost some weight and behaved a little weird when he first came home. He is back to his obnoxious, loud-mouth self now though. Last night I told Scott that maybe he (the cat, not the husband - although.....) needed to go back to jail to get his attitude straight - ha ha. 
I have to go do homework. I just started school today - it's an 8 week anatomy and physiology class. It is normally a 16 week class so they are going to cram my brain full of stuff - you may not see much of me for the next 8 weeks. Happy stitching and hope you stay clear of the tornadoes!!