Sneezy Report

File yesterday under you've-got-a-brain-why-don't-you-use-it? 

In the late afternoon, as they were predicting rain, I decided that I would sweep off the deck. Which meant starting at the top and I lifted my broom to knock all the crap off the umbrella and right on to me. I didn't stop sneezing for a good 30 minutes even though I went straight into the house and washed.  Live and learn is a good theory. Now to practice it and now make that stupid move again. 

I did finish sweeping the deck finally after picking DH up at the Park n Ride. Not good driving while sneezing as you do close your eyes when you sneeze. Fortunately it's a quick trip. The predicted rain has arrived and when it clears later this afternoon I might be able to stand being outside. 

So here are promised photos of sampler progress:

This is Pamela Darney's Pennsylvania German sampler. For this challenge, we were given a chart in sepia and told to put the colors where we wanted them. She planned on us stitching two toned letters, but I put in three and took them out and made them solid. (I've also seen two finished projects which had an effect on this decision.) See all that open space? It gets filled. I'm stitching with one strand of silk on 36ct fabric. And I've been making other decision, too. I'm stitching my DH's initials with eyelets instead of cross stitches.

Color in photo not very good - way too warm. But you'll see more of this one as it progresses.

Here's my progress on R. Le Tellier by Queenstown. I showed Barbara that I was working on this one at the Loudoun Sampler Guild meeting and she went right to the left side to make sure I'd paid attention to the original stitcher's errors in the border. I love this red alphabet.

Now for something completely different:

Yesterday a friend and I went to the framers, i.e. a road trip to visit Clive at the Brit's Gallery. You should go and check out his photo gallery - lots of photos of framed needlework. 

Amanda was bringing in her Stars stitched with Halloween Confetti by Silk n Colours.

I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but she stitched a basketweave border around the outside of this piece. There are these little pointy diamondish stitches in the center of the outer border. These are the stitches I decided to eliminate from my version so as not to have a framer swear at me. 
Amanda chose to stitch around them rather than potentially leave open canvas. 

Wow! This is going to so much fun to see framed and hanging! The metal frame is a deep purple. I spent my time admiring the six squares that I haven't stitched yet. Very inspiring!

Not to be left out of the framing fun, I brought my Mirabilia Halloween Fairy in for the treatment. I haven't looked at this since I finished stitching her in 2007. I believe I named her Priscilla. I'll be quite happy to have her hanging up next fall. My first, and thus far, only Mirabilia.