Summer's End

How was your summer?  Seems like it came and went for me Ü
And, it's Indian Summer now... and this is my favorite time of the year.  Right when the air gets crisp and the days are clear, and you might need a sweater or a light neck scarf to take the chill off... the leaves start to turn, you get the soup recipes out... 

This is the soup I made yesterday-- it was sooooo yummy last night and even better as leftovers for tonight's supper Ü

I know it's been a while since I posted...  shame on me ;-/   
Geez!!!  I haven't posted since MAY and now it's OCTOBER!!!!!

I've had a ton of company and have been traveling as well and those are the biggest reasons why I've "been away" from you.  Ü

I had so many things I wanted and needed to work on and now the summer's gone and I didn't really accomplish all that I planned-- I hope y'all did better Ü

Lately though, I have been back to stitching and hooking A LOT --I'm on a mission to make up for lost time Ü

I managed to "finish" a few projects that just needed that final touch.  I finished hooking my "I Do" rug.  The photo doesn't show it "complete" but the hooking is DONE Ü  Only the binding left to do and now I think I've decided to call it something else.  I also decided not to hook the words "I Do" on it and instead hooked another phrase.  The photo looks over-exposed (Read, I NEED a new camera!!) I hope y'all like it Ü

BTW, any ideas for a new name on this one?  I'm stumped (as usual!!) Ü 
I'm going to need names for a lot of my new projects so please get your thinking caps on.

I went to "Fiberfest" in West Virginia with Susan Feller in August.  (She had great advice for me on my "I Do" rug Ü  I love how it turned out!!)
The drive out there was SO beautiful!!  Totally sunny and you could see the ridge of the Shenandoah Mountains off to the east as we drove...  then, as we got closer there was a clear brook along the road too.  It was prettier than a post card and I didn't take a picture.  Can you believe it?????  I ALWAYS take pictures!!!!

I had such a great time that day reconnecting with friends I hadn't seen in a while and getting in some valuable hooking time.
While roaming the room and seeing what the other hookers were up to, I came across Keri Sue and her spiral chair pad.  I thought it was a fun way to use up odd worms and would fit in with just about any decor.  I have a TON of worms in bags and this looks like the perfect project to put them into Ü

This was Keri Sue's bowl of worms-- I see lots of creativity brewing in there!!  Ü

I have done a little bit of cross-stitching too...

This is a tiny sampler I did for dear friends from the UK.  They have a farm there and Penny shows horses drawing a carriage.  She and her husband Ray dress up in period clothing and go through a challenge course.  The horses and riders are graded on every aspect of the course and how they navigate through.  I would love to see them compete one day!!  This sampler is added to my "need to frame" pile...

This cross-stitch design I did with my daughter Jordan.  It's a design from Kathy Schmitz and we each made one.  Jordan's colors are gorgeous (deep blue with almost a neon pink thread-- looks SO cool!!!) and she's a little over 1/2 way done with hers.  I worked on this exclusively from May until about mid-June and I love love love how it looks!!!  The whole bird is stitched with the motifs left undone-- I really like the concept of reverse intent Ü
This is really a huge design, I want to say maybe 15" or 16 " across and it was a beast to stitch...  I won't lie.  LOL
I'm going to add a pretty piece of fabric to one side of it and then off the to framer's it goes!!

I've also completed a couple of other punch needle projects Ü  Ive decided to bind these like I do my rugs.  It's a different look and I like it Ü  It does take forever to do, especially on the larger projects but the look of it bound, really tailors it and I feel makes it even more versatile with so many different home decors, be it primitive, modern, traditional, etc.  It's cool!!

As you can see, the one with the watering can on it has been around a while without finishing or a name ;-(

I have the hardest time "naming" my pieces...   I need names for these three projects-- the acorns, the watercan, and the little basket with the owl.  I put a call out on my Facebook page for the one with the house on it and I got a few good ones to choose from.  I finally settled on "Hills Prairie Home". My mother grew up on a farm in Hills Prairie, Texas.  I saw the field where the farmhouse was once and it was so beautiful...

Please feel free to share anything you think of Ü

I did my Friendship's Offering rug as a punch needle also.  I did this one with 6 strands of floss as well as the one above with the house on it.  They're both pretty big pieces and they feel so heavy and wonderful... like super heavy mats.  I LOVE THEM!!!

I'll post more pictures when they're ready Ü

Until next time,
keep your needles threaded up-- you never know when you'll get a few minutes to stitch!!

Debra <3