Stash Cabinet - Kentucky Sampler Inspired and HRH CM progress

I am so giddy! Yesterday I was at Roller Rink Antique Mall and I came across the sweetest cabinet. Funny how it hit me when I saw it. A while back in December (12/20/11)  and in January (1/23/12) Peggy at kentuckysampler.blogspot.com posted  pictures of a beautiful, large cabinet she bought for her stash. When I saw this cabinet yesterday, I was immediately drawn to it and thought I could use this as a stash cabinet.  Our Gambrel is a small but quaint home; it was the perfect size to fit in my stitching closet. Eventually it will go in my stitching room, once the Navy Girl moves her things out (someday).

I made my small under $10 purchase of this sign,

  I know my husband was impressed that 

 I was brave enough to bring home.

 I told the hubby that I wanted to take him to the Roller Rink to show him what I found and get his "approval". :-) So after our trip to the "dump" (transfer & recycle station) we took the scenic route to the antique mall. It was a beautiful drive this morning with all the trees covered in snow.

He liked it too and the 30% discount didn't hurt either. I showed him a really, really nice secretary that I absolutey love, wish that could have come home with us too! It is has got so much character!

May need to work on that, going back tomorrow to give it another look see.

I am just so thrilled with this piece and it matches my drawer cabinet we bought a few years ago.

A little fuzzy

Love the worn corners, adds character

Isn't that just the sweetest latch....

Check out the hinges and the tones of the wood

Glamour shot, just the right size.

It will hang out in the master bedroom until the reorganization of the rooms takes place.

Progress Report!!

This was my start on Block Two (aka Governer's Palace)

Keep on stitching.

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P.J.

A New Winter Coat

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Woke up at 6;30 this morning  to the sound of the neighbor's snow blower, a sound not heard much this winter. I am strange, I love that kinda stuff. All snuggled in under the down comforter, the still of a snow blanketed world, then to hear the gruff, low rumble of a snow blower, mmmm. So I popped up out of bed to get some early morning pictures of what Mother Nature dropped off last night. Then I shuffled back inside to get that pot of coffee going. 

Enjoy the flurry of photos. :-)

A Stone's Throw with her new winter coat

Libby the Basset Hound in the snow

The side yard and orchard, love the silver-blue sky

The Barn and three pines

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**EDITED**

Thank you Darlin'

Finis Block One on HRH CM & Birthday Wishes

I love getting up early when the light is just breaking on the horizon and having that first cup of coffee, listening to the birds morning chattering and cooing.

I am off today, taking sweet Chewie in for her spaying surgery. So once I drop her off this morning, I will put some stitches to block two.

And here he is, THE PEACOCK!! I finished this cocky bird Monday night.

I am licking my chops to get started on block two. It reminds me of the Governer's Palace, Williamsburg, Virginia. I grew up in Virginia, we visited many of the colonial and historical sites during our life there. My mother actually worked at the Governer's Palace in the formal gardens at one point in her horticultural/groundskeeper career. The majority of that period in her career she worked at Gunston Hall, Lorton, Virginia. I spent several summers as a volunteer and earned a paycheck my last summer. Block four makes me think of Gunston Hall. I think that is why I was so drawn to this piece, it brings many memories to mind. I will share some of my associations for other blocks as I get there.

Today is my baby, now Navy Girl's birthday. It is her golden birthday, she is turning 23 on the 23rd. My wish for her is to continue to be the strong and funny woman she has grown to be. She amazes me in all that she does and the things she knows. We are so very proud of her. Tonight I will be curled up with the photo album looking at all those cherished baby photos to celebrate this special day. A lot of memories surrounding this day in 1989. Two days before her arrival I was doing one of those historical site seeing trips....My mother and I were giving my first husband the perfect President's day tour. First stop Mount Vernon, President Geoge Washington's home on the Potomac. Then into D.C. we went to visit the museums and the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and we got to see a rare exhibit of a full body sculpture of George Washington, in just a drape. G was a physically fit man, mm, mm. Wow, I got carried away. Any who, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Seaman Recruit, Sydney Lynn!!!!

I need to share an update on my girlfriends progress on her HRH Autumn. She had started on block five, beginning in the center. She had quite a bit of the lettering done when We visited her in mid January for a little get together for the Navy Girl. We are planning a stitch weekend soon, so I will try to get some pics of her progress. This has been an exciting challenge between great friends. Kind of like having a work out buddy. :-) Keeps us motivated.

Hope you have a happy day.

Keep on stitching.   P.J.



Presidents Day - A house,a hound, a cat & a peacock

Happy Presidents Day!

I am celebrating our forefathers, by stitching, cooking and watching my silly critters here at A Stone's Throw. I hung our holiday flag up in the door this morning in honor of these two fine presidents.

 President Washington and President Lincoln,
wish you were around, we could use your wisdom and ethics.

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Crazy Kitten Antics

What the heck is that CAT doing??

Peek-a-Chew

This is MY chair.

Ooo, la, la, laaaa

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And for stitching news, a peacock update. I hope to get this block just about done today. But my struggle is that there are
SOOOOO many details and color changes, so I am taking the slow and steady approach. Less frogging. :-)

Keep on stitching.
P.J.

Cracker Jack prize

My FIRST blogoversary is coming up in 85 days. Wow, has it really been almost a year?! So this is a challenge for me, as I have never done a give-a-away. I had better start putting together something. What shall it be?? Like a secret toy surprise in the Cracker Jack box? Although as a grown up I prefer Fiddle Faddle, but there is no prize in the box. :-(

This will be a special moment for me, so I want to make it special for my followers as well. I have a little time to come up with something. But I need to keep an eye on the calendar since this year has almost passed before I knew it. Maybe I will make a Maine themed package, ooh yeah, the ideas are already starting to percolate oh wait that's the coffee pot in the kitchen. No, but really, I just started to think of some fabulous prizes for my Maine give-a-away. So stay tuned and keep posting; keep a watchful eye on my blogoversary counter. I will be sure to move it to the top of page for easy viewing. You never know what the secret toy surprise will be.

Keep on stitching. ==+++XXX+++==

P.J.

Letters to the Navy Girl,Two Birds and Peacock Progress

I meant to post something last weekend, but it got away from me. I've been busy writting letters to our girl at Navy bootcamp.  The first letter we received about a week ago was the standard typed official notice from the Navy with fill in the blanks for the recruits. Of course our girl has still got her sense of humor, it was addressed to the dog; Dear Libby. Thursday we got four letters all at once!! She loves the food and the swimming complex is amazing. She finished first out of 84 females for her first Physical Training (PT) test. She is hoping the compartment will start to come together soon, into their 3rd week and most of them still cannot march. She was hoping for a better bonding experience in bootcamp; but there is still time, 5 weeks left.

This is her BooBoo Bear. Libby misses her girl.

And cute little Chewie at 7 months old. The kitten our daughter brought home for me back in August. She is growing into the most gorgeous cat. She keeps me and the hubby entertained; she plays fetch with her mouse and will bring her mouse on a stick right up in our laps for us to play with her. Still miss my girl, but these two keep us smiling and laughing.

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Anyway on to stitch talk. I have been slowly gaining ground on this project and still loving every stitch of it. Here are a few progress pictures. I generally work on this during my lunch break at work; saving the weekend stitching for my HRH CM over one project on 32ct.

Leaves, leaves and more leaves. I was getting tired of the leaves....

 Then the tree was done!

Two birds in the tree with some ABCs. I have been anticipating stitching birds. I just love, love the color combination. Do you ever get tingly when you get to stitch that one thing on the project you've been waiting for, that you just absolutely lust over the colors. I am sure you know what I am talking about. I could not wait to stitch these two guys. And then I looked at part two and found there was a THIRD BIRD! Triple the pleasure!

I am excited to get to Part III, I have decided to add the initials for my husband, my daughter and myself in the grass in place of the flowers. I thought of it when I realized there were three birds. The three of us! Can't wait to get started on that section.

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HRH CM - Peacock Progress

After frogging the RED words and restitching the BROWN words, as well as correcting some green issues here is what I've accomplished before today. I am still working on it today. I just love over one work,  my favorite!! But since this is such a big project I am only working on it on the weekends. As you can see above I am trying to get my BoaF MS finished.

Have I touched any of my other WIPS, NOPE! But hope to get some stitch time on those once I finish BoaF MS. It is only February, I've got all year. Speaking of February....a block a month on HRH CM is not happening yet. We will see if I can make up some time on the more solid blocks, lots of counting with all these tail feathers.

Back to some quality stitch time in front of the blazing fire while watching the Grammy Awards.

Uh oh, the fire is dying guess we need to fix that.

Until next posting, stay warm (it's 1* out tonight) and keep on stitching. P.J.