SAY IT ISN'T SO !!!!!!

Is it really time for the first Pumpkin Spice Latte frenzy of the season at Starbucks !

 Sad thing is mine had to be "iced" because it's still in the mid 90's here in the deep south. Never mind all the blah blah about the zillion calories and the fact that nothing in it is real flavoring.  I just don't care - give me my PSL and iced is just fine thank you !

In an effort to post more to my blog - I wanted to show you my finished distelfink.  I posted this on FB also and I got some inquiries about the pattern which is a Lori Brechlin folk art piece reproduced with her permission by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Rug Studios in Michigan.  It is hooked on linen with a 6 cut.  I am so pleased with how my bird came out.  I added some detail to his wing because it was too plain and boring.  The dots were drawn in but I think adding some colors from the tail feathers brought him to life. His body is really a great color in person, a cool plaid.  It was a rainy Labor Day weekend in the deep south so it was fun to sit and hook and watch a movie I've seen a dozen times.

This is my progress so far on my "Sailing KAL"  - the White Gum DK yarn is hand dyed by Meg the designer of Atelier in Australia.  I ordered the yarn off her Etsy site and there will be more in my future.  It is just lovely to work with just slides off the needles like butter.

I'm sure I've shown this pillow before - it is one of the Mirabilia Mermaids stitched by my dad.  It made a nice accompaniment to my "come sail away" shawl.  My DH is eyeballing this shawl - he said is that a woman's shawl???  I said well almost everything can be unisex these days, hummm - Maybe I should have said Oh yes and it's for *ME* !

 

I have started at least 4 stitching projects in the past 9 days.  I feel like I was let out of jail when I was released from my camp loopy knitting obligation the end of August.  I have started the Little House Needlework SAL on FB with Vonna's group.  I ordered Acorn Hill an older pattern and got some beautiful vintage Lentil linen to stitch with Belle Soie silks.  yummy!  I started a cute Halloween ornament Pina Ghoulada from the JCS mag and ordered the supplies for 2 more in that same issue.  I found more I liked in there than in the Halloween JCS.  I started the BBD Away we Ride - another Halloween-ish design.  A new SB piece that just came out.  I have been on a buying frenzy and it has GOT to stop !

 

Have any of you been under the influence of "fall feelings" lately?  Have you been finishing up fall things or starting new ones?  I'd love to hear what you've been up to.  Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog,  it's always great to hear from you !

SUDDENLY SEPTEMBER !

Tried my best to make this post yesterday while it was still August.  I was actually ready to bid farewell to August.  I had some fun in August with a vacation to the Smoky mountains in Tenn. and my mom's birthday to celebrate and a partial rug hooking workshop.  I'll highlight some of the fun in photos for you.

This is Peace and Plenty - A Not Forgotten Farm design.  I had started it years ago and lost some of the wool when we moved.  I also found out the bird was a distelfink not a turkey and my whole color plan fell apart.  It was rolled up and put in the wool cupboard for years.  I really got a nice boost from Carrie Martin at a recent rug workshop.  I rehooked all the tail feathers, started the bird body and hooked the sunflower which I like very much.  The squirrel, urn and Plenty was hooked in a prior workshop.  I will now be able to happily continue on with it.  I got a lot done in 1 day, I was leaving to go on vacation so I missed 2/3 of the workshop.

This is my Old Glory finish - It was a SAL on FB with the LHN group.  It was the patriotic SAL which bled over into the summer SAL.  Just no time for stitching this summer because all my spare time was taken up with Camp Loopy knitting challenges.

Here is my beautiful perch on the balcony at the condo in Tenn.  This is where I put the last stitches in Old Glory.

Gorgeous view of the Smoky mountain range  - Wish I was there now.  We actually didn't sit on the balcony much.  It rained a lot but at least it was a break from the oppressive heat and humidity we've had in NE FL this year.

Here is my dear ones at the Apple Barn.  See the beautiful apple tree and barn in the background.  Always have to pay a visit to this place and pick up some jellies, jams and apple BBQ sauce. oh and fried apple hand pies. 

This wool pincushion was a "taste of " wool applique project in our duClay EGA chapter .

It was led by my DF Katie and each pin cushion was completely different.  Almost all 16 people left that day with a completed pincushion.  DF Becky made the beautiful beaded pins for each chapter member to adorn their pincushion.  We have some great gals in our group, so giving and so willing to share.

I have a love/hate relationship with this project.  This is an early photo of my Camp Loopy project for August.  This is the beauty that killed me and kept me from finishing my 3rd Camp Loopy in  a row.  My other friends all finished theirs and August just didn't go my way.  This was a beautiful well written pattern by Laura Aylor called Woods in Winter.  You might not can see too well but the whole border has a row of staggered leaves.  It is a 37 row repeat and every single row is different.  I had to use highlighter tape and still mark every row.  I did not mess up but it became apparent after vacation I was in danger of not finishing but I kept pressing myself to stay on task.  some nights a row or two was all I could muster and this past week, there were several nights no progress was made at all.  The outcome was eminent - I was not going to finish this year.  I was very disappointed but I have decided what is past is past and I'm ready for some fun fall stitching and hooking.  I'm going to give this project a rest for a while and pick up my Sailing KAL - I'll show a photo next time of the gorgeous bright blue yarn I purchased from the designer down under.

Here's my dearest buddy after having lunch one day on vacation.

He wanted to stop by a stream on the way home but it was too slippery and too steep for him to get down in the water.

 

I hope to come back more often, I see more and more people not posting to their blogs any more. I enjoy mine and I enjoy yours too.  Thanks as always for visiting and commenting.  Hope you have a simply marvelous September !