My American Beauty

Yesterday I made one more start for January. I would have included this in the Crazy Challenge, but the dates were wrong. I'm stitching DeeBee's American Beauty rose mosaic in memory of my grandmother who would have 102 yesterday. She passed away quietly in her sleep five years ago a week shy of her 97 birthday. We didn't have a formal service for her, but instead had a birthday party. Complete with a birthday cake that had a lobster on it!

My Gram was simply amazing. At 95 she finally gave up driving. She still rode her three wheeled bike, gardened, did volunteer work, and had a very active social life. Doctors were always amazed that the only medicine she took was an occasional aspirin. She loved to play cards, to fish, and she really could not stop moving. 

Gram is the person who taught me not to rely on someone else when you want something done. Just do it yourself. She'd move rocks. Hang wallpaper. Make a 1770s era dress without a pattern. 

We were so lucky grow up right next door to my grandparents. She'd rescue me when my mother made pea soup. I'd go next door to see what my grandmother was making. She taught me to knit and crochet and basic sewing. 

She loved her roses. The only thing she didn't like about living in Florida was she couldn't grow roses. So Gram - this rose is for you!

I barely got this started last evening. Spent a tremendous amount of time trying to get this canvas straight on the stretcher bars. It stretched more than any other canvas I've used. Can you see the lovely bee needle minder that one of my friends just gave me? It's perfect on this piece.

Eight different stitches done is eight different overdyed cottons. This is going to be fun! And check out my scissors! The day before I had seen a pair of these and was with my friends saying how much I wanted a pair of these and lo and behold, one of my friends gave us all a pair of these scissors with a scissor fob she stitched for each of us!