UFO Challenge

Last night was my ANG chapter meeting. It marked the end of our year long UFO Challenge.

We had some rules - details not important.

Let's just say I did finish 4 out of 6 pieces.
One was a shamrock heart that I finished last March. Two was my Fenwick canvas.
Three is Ruth Dilts' Mystic. Of course I changed the colors. And eventually changed a stitch,  too. I think my color changes sort of violate some of the original intentions of the piece, but it is still an attractive piece. What it comes down to is that I like it.

Four is my Pacific Coast Collage by Laura  J. Perin. I'll be toddling off to get this one framed soon. Loved living on the Central Coast. And my little otter will always bring a smile to my face and remind me of those happy days.

Monday Morning Progress Report

Quiet and productive. That's how my weekend was. House is officially dechristmasfied. A few things still out because I like lighting candles. But the majority is put away till next November and the house feels cleaner and less cluttered. 

And in the less cluttered vein, my son spent the weekend moving out and moving in with friends. When he finally clears his room, we will have a bona fide guest room. And then I can solve my studio problems by simply moving the papercrafting stuff out and into his room! In a week or two with a little bit of effort I'll be ship shape. (There has to be some benefit to "losing" a child - I'm gonna miss him.) He's not going far. I'm sure he'll be by for regular feedings...

I'm sure that my Sunday evening was spent the way many of you spent Sunday evening - watching Downton Abbey. For some reason, I don't think the men in those show are as compelling as the women. I can't take my eyes off Violet, Cora, Lady Mary, and Anna. Even Edith is proving interesting.

So while watching, I managed to stitch a bit more on my Pacific Coast Collage.

Though Ms. Laura J Perrin recommends stitching the boxes first, I just can't do that. I'll just be bopping around as it suits me. I realized I hadn't read everything before beginning the watery background behind the otter. (Note to Bonnie:  read everything first paying attention. Bad me.) Now I'm going to continue along the path I have chosen because I like how the water is looking even after one thread. 


In bigger stitching news a WIP has reemerged from the darkness:

Yesterday we got together again to work on Stars. Several people are approaching the end with only sashing and borders to go. 

This is my Gregory Peck. He started out looking very light and then suddenly went all dark on me. How delightful. He's square number 8 and I have all the border finished except the on the bottom. 


I'm ready to make a serious stab at finishing this piece. Seriously. I am.

Stitch N Pitch

Tonight is our turn for Stitch N Pitch at the new Nationals Stadium in Washington D.C. This year we get an interleague game as the Texas Rangers are in town.

This means I've set the DVR to record the Red Sox pregame show and the game as St. Louis is coming to Boston for the first since the 2004 World Series and we all know how that series turned out. Plus the Red Sox will be saluting the Celtics Championship team.

Ah. Baseball.

And in stitching news:

I've picked up my Monkey Works project - In the Sea - for the first time in a year and chose it as my project to bring to tonight's game. I, of course, changed the colors and will post a progress pic sometime this weekend.

Also spent 2 hours yesterday afternoon outside with my newly rechristened "in the midnight hour." (Which for those not paying attention is Laura J. Perin's Amethyst Dreams.) I've got like 80% of my divider lines stitched. DH thinks it looks weird. Okay. Whatever. Will look beautiful soon.