Thursday, July 23, 2009

Stitching and an outing

So here's the Country House Sampler so far.




I'll have you know I'd be much further along if I'd counted more carefully while stitching the windows and doors and front bushes on the house. Let's just say I had to rip all those things out and do them over again. Sigh. (I stitched those before I did the red fill in.)


But I'm happy with how it's looking. Too bad I feel like stitching something else while I'm happy. So much more to do!!!!




I can't remember if I've ever shown you what the whole thing looks like. Here's a picture of the finished piece from the Sampler Company website. See all that fill in that I have to do? And everything else?


Oh well. In other news, it was my birthday last Sunday! And so as a result I got to hijack my kids and have them for the day! Wow! They're always so busy that it's usually just hi and bye and can you drive me and such like. But for my birthday, everyone stayed home. :D The girl child got me a pretty pair of embroidery scissors from Toledo, Spain, the city where she did her study abroad month in June. I'm not even sure she knew I had a scissor collection!



We all went to the Nyack Street Fair -- which was great fun! A bit hot under the sun, but no humidity, thank goodness! And gorgeous weather! See the boy child enjoying himself?



Everyone got a little something. And the boy child bought me an Ugly Doll for my birthday! I'd always wanted one!




Isn't he/she cute? Here he/she is with my bears on the bed. The girl child thinks he/she looks incongruous there, but I like it! (Yes, it's the same Ugly Doll -- he/she has two sides.)



We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner, which was nice too. Oh, and did I mention my big birthday present? No, it's not a new sewing machine -- that will have to wait for another year. It's a new Kindle!! The new one. The Kindle II. Which is now called the Kindle. Anyway, I love it! And boy, is it ever easier to balance on the treadmill when I'm exercising! :D I think the girl child is more old fashioned than I am -- she doesn't seem thrilled with my birthday present. Hee hee! On the other hand, she does tend to have a few of her reading materials for college on her iphone. So there!

Well I hope the rest of your week is a good one! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know you're there!

34 comments:

KsMaryLou said...

Happy belated birthday! It sounds like you had a great day and received some great gifts.

Your stitching, as always, is looking fantastic.

Natasha said...

Well happy bleated birthday. Your daughter bought you a beautiful pair f scissors, how very sweet.

Sampler house is looking fantastic. I just love this design :)

Deb said...

Hi, Margaret, Just love that Ugly Doll!! LOL And, as one scissors collector to another..your new pair is awesome. Your sampler is beautiful, too. You're such a special person, I'm glad you enjoyed your day. Happy belated day! Hugs, Deb

Deb said...

PS: It's so fabulous that you got your new Kindle! I adore mine. My daughter thinks we ought to name them since they're such companions. So, she named mine "Stella," which stands for "Star Storyteller." Enjoy yours! Being able to download books (audible.com?) makes your KII even more awesome than my KI.
Hugs, Deb

mainely stitching said...

Happy belated birthday!! Love the scissors and Ugly Doll! :D A Kindle ---- oh, happy jealousy! LOL!

Jan said...

Gosh Margaret, you have done it again...enticed me, or enabled me, or something like that! I love this sampler, and yours is looking ever so delightful! Sorry you had trouble with that house, I do know how frogging and re-doing, seems that is all I have been doing of late!

Happiest of birthdays, glad you had such a great time with your family. Sounds like they love you alot for good reason!! Love those scissors, how unique!!

Unknown said...

Everytime I see your Sampler, I want to run home and start stitching the on mine - alas, I have to finish "Boo Club" before I start anything new.

Happy Belated Birthday - mine was on Monday. I love birthdays! It sounds like you had a wonderful time with your family.

Cari

Tammy T. said...

I love the results so far. Too bad you had to pull out stitches. That's always a bummer.
I've never asked anyone this before, I don't think, but gosh you seem fast, how often do you stitch or how much a day? I'm also kinda' new around some of these blogs so if you've ever mentioned that please forgive me.
Glad you share.
Tammy T.

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

Here's hoping you had the happiest of birthday's, Margaret! I love your new scissors and the ugly doll is so fun! Your sampler is gorgeous - so very pretty!

Happy Beleated Birthday!

Glenna said...

Oh, you do the best posts--so many things to feast the eyes on while I should be working. Hah! Happy birthday! Your daughter has good taste in scissors, and your son has good taste in stuffies! I love the Ugly Doll (who is sitting so nicely with what look like artist bears). And how cool to have the scissors all the way from Spain. I can't decide whether I want a Kindle or not, so I'll be interested in hearing if you love it or if there are drawbacks to it, etc.

As for Country House. I love, love the Sampler Company's stuff, but there's something more tiresome than usual about stitching them, which is why I haven't finished a single one. They look great, I buy them and get all excited, then I take some stitches and I think...yawn...what a BIG area there is to stitch. And yet they don't seem all that much bigger/denser than other samplers. And the ripping is always tragic....

Cathy Lloyd said...

Oh! Happy Late Birthday Margaret! Sounds like your day was just great! Your new sampler is coming along just great!

Cindy F. said...

Happy Belated Birthday Margaret!!
Looks like it was a very good day:)
Your sampler is amazing!! Beautiful progress! and I love the scissors your dd gave you! and the Ugly Doll is just too fun!!

Cari said...

Oh my gosh Margaret....what a fun post. Happy Birthday girl. Looks and sounds like you had such a fun day. And...have fun with the Kindle. I have one and I love it. The boy child...so cute and in his boy bubble... love it! And your daughter buying you scissors from Spain. How cool is that? Just when we think they don't have a clue...they surprise us. Your sampler is coming along nicely. It's just beautiful. I am always loving your stitching projects. Have a great week! Hugs

CJ in OK ;-) said...

Wow a Kindle II I am so jealous. Love the UglyDoll and those scissors are beautiful. Happy Birthday, CJ ok;-)

Melissa said...

Happy Birthday, Margaret! How sweet of your girl child to get you the beautiful scissors. And I think it was very clever to get you to doll - very funny!

Your Sampler is looking great. You'll have it done in no time!

Siobhán said...

I'm glad you had such a good birthday, Margaret! All the gifts are lovely but I think the most impressive gift was that your daughter thought to pick you up scissors in Spain. Wow!

Your Country House looks great!

Loraine said...

Happy birthday! Great scissors and what fun, a kindle!
Stitching looks great!

Anonymous said...

Many late happy returns! Sounds like a great day. Great going on the sampler!

Mary said...

Happy late birthday! I really love that sampler you're working on. I'm just getting back into stitching - I'm usually a quilter but stitching is something I can do on a summer evening when quilts are just too hot to work on. And I have to say, the selection is now a lot better than when I did them in the past. Yours is just lovely!

Sharon said...

Hapy Birthday to you Margaret, wow what great gifts you got, thats wonderful enjoy. Your sampler is just so beautiful, it looks incredible.

Erica said...

Hi Margaret!
Sounds like you had a fun day in Nyack! Although I live only 5 miles away, I never seem to get to this fair!
Your stitching is beautiful!

Nicole said...

Beautiful progress on Country House Margaret! Congrats on getting a Kindle II - hope you enjoy it!! :)

woolwoman said...

Happy Belated Margaret - you snuck that one by us ! Great scissors but I'm thinking your poor bears are tramautized by that "ugly doll" - they are looking at him like he is an alien in the midst LOL - tooo funny! I have a friend who loves that Kindle - hope you enjoy it - Your BK design is wonderful even though you had to frog you are still making great progress. I don't have this one - think maybe I need to stash this chart - I have a few of her designs and love them all. Happy stitching Mel

Paulette said...

What a lovely day you had, and very well-deserved! LOL about the Ugly Doll... I've never seen one, but it made me smile! Your sampler is GORGEOUS... aren't Sampler Co charts a pure joy to stitch?

Paulette

Cathy B said...

Happy belated birthday Margaret! Really sweet of your daughter to get you a scissors!

Your sampler will be finished before you know it; you have made great progress on it!

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

OMG. I have always wanted a Kindle 2. That's on my wishlist!

Jennifer
http://www.feathersinthenest.blogspot.com

Kim said...

Happy belated birthday, Margaret! I LOVE that Ugly Doll! I've never seen those before!!! Love it!! The scissors are beautiful, and who wouldn't love a meal at the Cheesecake Factory! I hope your day was fabulous!!!

Karoline said...

Happy birthday Margaret, it sounds like you had a lovely time and you got some lovely presents.

Country House Sampler is looking gorgeous

Sherry said...

Margaret, a very belated Happy Birthday to you! I am so sorry I missed it. I was called out of town for a while and have to catch up on my blog this week.

I love your stitching. It is just beautiful! And all of your presents are great! The boy child did a great job picking out your gift!

The Scarlett House said...

What the heck is a Kindle?

Marsha said...

Happy Birthday. I love the ugly doll with the bears. the incongruity is what makes it cool.

Solstitches said...

Happy belated birthday to you.
What a shame you had so much to frog on your beautiful sampler. I can see how much work there is in it but oh how worth it this will be.
Gosh, your ugly doll is...........well, ugly LOL.
I love those scissors and maybe need to visit Toledo as there is nothing remotely stitching related here.

Margaret

LIttlebit said...

Happy late birthday!! What a wonderful present--I am green about that Kindle! Love, love, love your sampler--it's absolutely beautiful!! If you can believe this, I have that exact pair of scissors, a gift from my pastor, who went to Spain many years ago.

Dona said...

Your Country House is wonderful. Now I really am sitting on my hands to keep from ordering it!

It sounds like your birthday was wonderful.