Late but still appropriate....

Yes, I was hoping to have this in the shop on the 1st, but since I didn't start it until last night...well, anyway, better late than never I think...just one day late.

September-Year of Celebration

I'm so excited to have finished 9 of these projects stitched, finished and in the shop.   I'm up to date and only have 3 more to finish the series.  I'm sensing a trend here...I did the entire Scary Apothecary Series (9 total)  and now I know I'll be finishing this series....I've become a series stitcher.  First let me say these are fast and fun to do.  And secondly I have only done one a month so I didn't try to get all 12 done at once so it was really easy to stay on track.  I also use the Hornbook to model them so I just take the prior month stitched piece off and put on the latest month so you don't have to purchase frames for each or anything else to display them.  One and done!  Then I don't have a lot of finishing to do on them, so that's an easy finish.  Fabulous! And now I move on to more Halloween and Christmas stitching.   Hope you had a safe and fun holiday weekend and now for our children in Ocean City, it's back to school time.  Izi spent time with me today playing games knowing that our summer of fun has come to an end.  Although we do have weekends and he reminded me that he gets half days sometimes and. then a whole day off, so I'm sure we will be having some game days in the future, but I know it won't be long before he won't really want to hang out with his grandmother anymore.  And he's my last one.  The other boys have already moved on to friends.  They grow up too soon.  I'm trying to focus on the positive, this gives me anywhere from 3-5 more hours in the day to stitch!  Hmmm, so it's not too tragic is it?  Have a great week.  Sara, Mary and I are busy preparing for the Jackie DuPlessis classes this weekend.  And after that  we have the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild retreat, followed by Stitchers Jamboree...whew...we are going to be working like dogs here for the next 6 weeks.  But we're up for it so bring it on!  Hope to see you soon!

Scary Apothecary Series Done!! Have a Wonderful Labor Day Weekend...

Yes, Scary Apothecary by Hands on Design is done and I couldn't be happier and more proud that I plowed through and did all nine designs (I've started many  series and I don't think I've ever completely finished one, so this is a personal accomplishment.)  Wouldn't you know, While thinking I was on the final push on Cackle, I found I made a counting error and had to frog the word Cackle...ugh.  I found it amusing that this one piece was the one chart of the entire project that had a frog on it.  I refused to go to sleep until I had finished it, but by 2:30am said screw it and finished the final stitches this morning  I also decided to switch out the green cording I hung the designs on originally for display.  I took a second look at the Halloween Garland I purchased last year from Michaels or Hobby Lobby, and after attaching one Sara and I both decided it was the perfect ending.  So the final design, Cackle Lozenges,  is complete, shown below along with the previous 8 which are already on the Halloween garland, shown 2nd.

Today I hope to start and finish September-Year of Celebration.   While I'm disappointed I didn't get anything, other than the small Year of Celebration done for September specifically, I'm going to definitely be ready for Halloween.   Now I can get on with my challenge project and the Brenda Gervais Halloween pieces, oh, yes I can't forget the Sampler Santa which I started a month ago.  Well, now I'm ready to proceed.  Since Labor Day marks the end of summer for us, I took time to reflect on my summer.  2019 summer has been my best ever since I was given so much time off.  In fact even as we go into Labor Day weekend I'm only on the schedule for 1 day...Saturday.  So thank you, Sara, for giving me so much time off, especially since I was disabled due to the broken ankle from February and only got the boot off at the end of April which meant I wasn't working at all during the months I'm on the schedule 4 days a week.  I promise to be more careful starting after Thanksgiving when we go on Winter schedule.    Yes, this summer was the best time ever!  We are also having the best Labor Day weather this year than I can remember having the last few years.  Not a rain cloud in sight and the temps are in the high 70's, low 80's and although the humidity is high, I've turned off my a/c and I'm using just a fan.  It's heavenly and the crowds (it's crowded down here as hotels are booked solid) are relatively quiet.  Last night, Saturday night, you could hear a pin drop after midnight....no whooping and hollering going on which is almost unheard of on holiday weekends.  And of course, tomorrow it will be a ghost town until the following Thursday when the town fills up again, and of course, we have Jackie coming for classes so we will be working it.  By the way, in case you haven't seen the notice, we've gone to winter hours, open 10-4 although we are still open 7 days until Thanksgiving and then we go to 4 days.  95% of our foreign staff have returned to their home countries and the few remaining at this point will be leaving soon, so Sara decided to close at night (I'm not sure if this is a lack of employees or Sara's need to get some rest, but since we're dealing with the passing away of a close cousin, it's been tough this week and will be tough next week so I think she needs some break to deal with it.)  I feel guilty talking about our lovely Labor Day when so many of you are suffering from the anticipation as well as what comes before and after hurricanes.  I'm keeping all in my prayers and since I've lived through many I do know what you are dealing with. Stay strong, stay indoors and if you can leave, perhaps you should.  Better be safe than sorry.  Don't forget to take your stitching with you.