Pumpkin Hollow & the Real Pumpkin House

Have you seen this extreme cuteness new from LHN?

Love Love LOVE it!

But, have you ever seen the REAL Pumpkin House?

For more about our favorite Fall local spectacle, google Pumpkin House, WV.

Tis the season to be carvin'...

Calgon? Can you hear me calling?

Sweet baby Jesus, it's been a hellacious WEEK and it's only Wednesday!  Anyone working in the public service sector knows that the first of the month, with a full moon, 50 days to Christmas, with a weak economy is the perfect recipe for NIGHT-MARE.  THEN, just to push me over the edge, the postmaster calls this morning and says "MASS LOSS".  Well folks, next time I hear those two magic words in the same sentence, I'll march straight to my desk, pull out a leave slip, put my purse on my shoulder and head to the closest happy hour I can find.   I could go on, but I will spare you.  I only go down this road because it's my excuse for not having much of a stitching update for you.

However!  I do have a little someone special back from the framer:

As soon as I laid eyes on this frame, I thought it was perfect. 

"Expensive" warned the framer. 

Naturally.   I have a knack for that.

And here she is in her new digs:

Overlook the mess - please.

I would love to tell you I've been stitching away on my Autumn blackwork square OR my Christmas slipper sewing set, but alas, not much going on in that department.  My mind has just been too chaotic with work stuff to settle down at night and focus.  Pitiful excuse, I know.

There is however a lot going on outside:

And actually, this picture is two days old.  When I can get home before nightfall (stupid time change!), I'll grab a couple of new shots for you.  Lots of progress.  I wish I could say the same thing about either of my WIPs. 
Hubby is ecstatic!  Seriously.  I can't remember seeing him this excited in a LOOOOOoooooong time.  He's given up sleep and logged more hours at Lowe's and Home Depot lately than one would think healthy.  It's ok though because in a month, he'll be as happy as a hog in slop, in his workshop, with his man friends, drinking coffee, telling lies, and probably spitting and scratching, or whatever men do when they get together in their sanctuaries.

Lastly, in case you haven't heard already, Brightneedle has retired all it's designs and they are only designing teaching pieces now.  If you have any of their designs on your wish list, you might want to go ahead and grab them up while you can still get them.

That's all the news that's fit to print today friends.  Hopefully I'll have a great big fancy stitching update for you next time.

Welcome Friends

Little House Needleworks

"Alphabet Rhyme"

threads by Crescent Colors

I've loved stitching this piece SOOOOooooo much that when I finished the lettering last night, I just couldn't stand it so I frogged the whole word Friends and restitched it tonight!  And if you believe that, I've got some beachfront property in Arizona for sale!  Now don't get me wrong, I do LOVE the piece and the colors and the whole of it.  The truth of the matter was I had a BHI (big hairy idea) to change the lower portion of the design.  My BHIs are always ripe with danger.  I was very careful in charting, matching the font as best I could, spacing, counting, centering, etc.  BUT somehow I ended up stitching Friends off center.  Oh, what's that?  By how much, you ask.  How "off center" was I?  Two stinking stitches!  Go figure.

But, all's well that ends well.  I only have a couple of berries and leaves to go and this one is off to the framer.  That's right, I've made an executive decision that this one is going on the wall. 

Maybe I'll make a pillow next time (wink wink).

I just love it!

ABC progress

Just popping in with a quick ABC update.  The power was off here yesterday from 1:30 pm - 11:30 pm, so not only did I not get much stitching accomplished, I also have a little weekend laundry left over to catch up tonight.   AND my favorite quarterback in a Cowboy uniform, Tony Romo, is on the teevee tonight, so I must be quick!  (don't mention this to my favorite QB in a purple uniform - Brett gets so jealous).  The thudding you hear is me running up and down the stairs to the laundry room during commercial breaks!  (how 'bout that Cowboy stadium/palace? not too shabby)

Back to the stitching, I love Love LOVE this piece.  I've been luxuriating in the colorway. 

Bandana, Steamed Broccoli, Old Oak Tree, and Hickory Sticks seem like they were made for each other and for this linen. I snapped this pic quick with the iPhone, so it's not super great. Hopefully, it will be finished soon and I'll break out the "real" camera for her glamour shot. I'm still trying to decide on the final wording for the lower portion of the piece. And just so you know, I'm waffling (shocker) about whether to follow thru with my pillow idea (seam allowances scare me). I'd like to have the little pillow as we discussed previously, but I don't trust my lead foot! I also accidentally noticed how blank the space on the wall looks between my two lady chairs in my previous post. We all know how cute this little number is framed. Hummmm..... decisions, decisions.  Where's my life coach when I need him?

Mark your Calendars!!!  Big doin's this weekend folks:  the WV Pumpkin Festival is back in town!   I'll be standing in line for my pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin fudge and maybe even a new fall wreath for the door.

Then, one week from tomorrow, (cue the themesong Willie), we are on the road again for NATIONAL!   YAY!  But first, I must survive facilitating an all day training session at work tomorrow.  dread, dread, dread...

A LHN new start

Here's a little new start I've been working on this week.  It's Little House's Alphabet Rhyme.  The colors are so warm and wonderful and the linen, well, I'm in love with it.  I've strayed just a little from the recommended colors in order to more exactly match my "lady chairs" in the "drawing room" but they all are still Crescent Color overdyeds. 

When it's finished I'm going to try not to ruin it try to turn it into a tall, skinny pillow (with the, gasp, gulp, electified sewing machine).  I think the chair looks like it would welcome a corner propped up pillow.  Instead of stitching "Now I know my ABC's..." at the bottom, I'm thinking about something like "Welcome to the Drawing Room" or simply "Marnie's Drawing Room".

My only dilemma:  one pillow, two chairs.  Hummm....  Wonder if my disorder "sense of order" will allow that?