Harshbargers Hosta Club

Like many other crafters, my artistic interests seem to be many and varied. My daylily friend Wanda had introduced me to a wonderful group of ladies that loved hostas and I found myself a member of the rich and lustrious Harshbargers Hosta Club.

Judi, the President did a masterful job of scheduling garden tour and we had a fabulous time.

I need to figure out how to add streaming photo's to this blog since the photo are so much better at showing you the grand time we all had.

Good for me

I'm giving myself an atta-girl :)

I've received my grades and made 3.97, an A
so I am very happy about that and I have just sent
one belated item to the recipient that has been long
overdue.

I could bash myself with what has yet to be done
but for this moment, I am going to relish the accomplishment
of reaching out to a friend with much love AND proving
that at any age, it's so lovely to be rewarded with stars
and A's.

Blessings to all!

Mindy

And yet another purchase -

I couldn't resist!!! I couldn't resist!!!
So many designs, so little time :).

I have just purchased Chatelaine (Martina Weber) Japanese Garden
and discovered how wonderful the instructions are. After a bit of
trial and error printing out the pdf to a size large enough for me to see,
my surprise was very pleasant indeed to see how clear the instructions were.

So another little box charting the progress or lack thereof of this wonderful pattern.

Will be ordering the crystals from http://www.europeanxs.com/ and the fabbie/threads from my own favorite LNS. I love to keep her in business where I can fondle away. So for your salivating purposes, here is Chatelaine's Japanese Garden. It's lovely, even on paper :)

http://chatelaine-design.de/newweb/cgi-bin/detail.pl?CHAT049

Simple tracking tool

I have started on my Christmas projects, the first being Angel of Love for my SIL. I've found a neat progress tracker at so will use that to make sure all my presents are completed. I did complete Quaker Game board in time for my MIL's birthday but don't have the box made.

I am also very late in sending out the packages that I promised to send out. I really, really need to do that!

2009 Gardening

I've been been trying to keep busy so I don't tear my skin off. Having problems with hives and every time they back off the prednisone, I break out again. Talk about chipmunk cheeks! Anyway, gets old and more itchy if I think about it so have been busy getting my garden up and going.

These poor kale seeds have been rolling around in the back of my trunk from last year. It's been beyond freezing here in Iowa and yet they still came up when sown inside. I put them in a plastic bag, you would have thought Christmas had come round again with how happy I was to see the first emerging radicle. I can't believe how tenacious they are. There is nothing prettier I think than these little leaves. Can already taste the Zuppa Toscana.

I was so excited, I planted another seeds also but I can't remember what in the world I planted. I did sow a bunch of Aquilegia people sent me from Daves Garden but I don't think that's what this is. It will be a mystery for sure :)

Specimens of Needlework

If I had a spare $9,000, I would LOVE to purchase this book: http://www.samplings.com/catalog/mercerletitia Not having that kind of spare change at the moment, I have decided that I needed to create my own Specimen of Needleworks. A while ago, when my days were very dark, my friends created many exquisite cross stitched smalls and put them in my treasure box. Of those gifts, some I believe I will include in this book. In the many postings online about needlework, I know that it's so nice to know about the stitcher so I will ask the gifter to include a small bio of themselves which I will take and scan in so I can stitch it in silk. My decisions about my book so far has been thus:

1. Stitch everything in silk and leather although I notice the above book was created in the 1800 and still remains lovely. Kathleen and I though went to Chicago where textiles from ANCIENT civilizations survived. I have no idea where my Specimen book might end up but I pray that it will always be handled with knowing and loving hands.
2. I'm thinking about a larger size book, like those old map books. That way I could include the bio and the stitching on one page or of sufficient size that a sampler could e stitched within it.
3. I've decided that I am quite simply mad to start another project but the journey towards certifiability is always such a rush lol

Now, if YOU love samplers, please DO go to Finkel website. I've never seen a more wonderful collection of needleworks and from all reports on other yahoo groups, this family has customer service second to none! Click here to go to it:
http://www.samplings.com/index.html



Pictures used with permission

We appreciate that you asked our permission and you're welcome to have it on your site.

Amy Finkel

M. Finkel & Daughter
936 Pine St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.627.7797
www.samplings.com

Rotation

I've been so busy working and being outside, I have had no time to update this blog. When I get on the computer and do something other than work, I tend to be more of a blog viewer than doer. I did decide that it was time to list the 2009 Stitching projects I want to work on. I will post their progress here as I do them.

I've been working on SPML: In the Cathedrals of the Forest. I will be working on my second block of 100. I've been diverted by the knitting I've really enjoyed doing. I need to get back to this and have bought oodles of needles so I can stitch faster hopefully.

The hard frost is now here in Iowa. Here is how it looked 7am this morning. Isn't it gorgeous against the morning sun? I'm sure there's a lucky clover in there for me if only I didn't have to rush to work!