Fiber Run and a Ship Hooked Rug Rescue

So Saturday we made a fiber run to Stitcher's Corner in Wiscasett. I had run out of WDW Bark and I needed it to finish the BoaF Mystery stitch. I am so close, working on the bird, then two sheep to go.

 Sorry for the poor lighting, Daylites good for stitching not for photos.

Any how we forgot our Maine Gazette map, lesson learned, NEVER leave the house with out it. They have a saying in Maine, I say they as we are from away, but THEY say,"You can't get there from here." It took me a few years to really understand the true meaning. Nothing is a straight shot in Maine except maybe I-95. Well, we do get around really well, with a map, and thought we could get there from here. NOPE. After an illegal u-turn just after a round-a-bout before a bridge and punching it to 45 in a 25 zone to keep ahead of traffic, to be pulled over by a city cop, who confirmed that my directions were right, whew no ticket, we still took a wrong turn and went an hour out of the way (so easy to do)we finally made it to the stitch store. I got my one skein of floss (did not want to wait for the mail), picked up a few patterns and off we head towards home. So what was to be "a get there by 10:00 when she opened, hit the hardware store on the way back to be home by Noonish" turned into got home around 3:30.

On our way home we visited a new junk/antique store near Augusta and saw this beauty. Love the details! I was surprised at the $20 price, WAAHAT! Really? After some discussion of need vs want we left without a purchase.



I dreamt about this piece and woke up the next morning mulling over coffee about the treasure this was and how did I pass that up for $20. So back we went, gotta love my hubby, he puts up with my craziness. It gets funnier as the weekend goes on. So back to the Augasta area we go again. We arrive to head straight up stairs, she is still there, right back to the register, no dilly dallying. Five minutes in, buy, out; bada bing, bada boom.

Now I have tried to research the Stratton table model folding rug frame, as it is printed on the base, to no avail. But still think it is cool. The project is almost complete as I found it, just need to finish the sky background. The strips are very, very skinny and hooked on what I believe is monk cloth(from what I have learned through research). It has the initials OS in the lower left corner, no date.

Calling on all Hookers, does any one recognize the pattern? Fortunately the heart of the design is done. Now the fun begins; trying to match as close as possible the soft colors of cream, rose and blues to fill in the sky. I look forward to finishing this beauty and hope I can do well by the original craftswoman and hook as well as she did. I am STOKED. I will be hauling this with me when I spend a stitching weekend with my girlfriend near the end of June. She is taking me to a local rug hook store, as I had wanted to get another project after I had finished the Blueberries beginner project; I posted pics awhile back. Looks like I got one.

So the rest of the weekend story; we had planned on some home improvement projects and did lay down the entry tiles as planned and I stained the trim to finish out the hearth. See below.

As my husband was surfing Uncle Henry's on my pad for something other than a garage door he found, you guessed it, a garage door still in the box for more than half off the original cost.





He got the call back and got directions....Seriously right back to RT 17 where we were on Saturday and Sunday, now Monday. So hubby did not think it so crazy for my return trip as we climbed back in the truck to now head back for his find. :-) Not sure when we will be installing it, that is another project on the list.

So as we work in the yard and garden, tackle home improvement projects and just plain enjoy the sunny outdoors my stitching may slow down. But as soon as I finish BoaF I have got to get my needle in gear on my HRH Christmas. That came to a screeching halt when I got sick the first time. Now that I am getting my mojo back it will be the only thing I am working on for a while. I got some catching up to do as I know Karri is kicking my butt on her HRH Autum for our SAL. Hope to have a progress pictures of that soon.

I look forward to hearing from you all. If anyone has ideas or suggestions on the rug please post. I know there are hooking experts out there among you, would love to hear from you.

Keep on stitching.
P.J.

Memorial Day

Remember those who have fallen for our freedom, support those who continue to fight for freedom and thank those who have served in the past for this great land of Liberty.

San Antonio, progress and a WINNER

First I want to send another big THANK YOU to all of my followers, now at 45; welcome Jen. Thank you for a fun filled year, it has been a pleasure meeting all of you through blogging. This is crazy cool! I have to be honest I really considered getting into blogging after wathching Julia Julia! I was like wouldn't it be cool to do that with my stitching. But, I didn't; not until my girlfriend shared with me the blogs she was reading, then it kicked in. I look forward to many more sharing moments for several more years to come. And I hope that I will be able to order a book of my blog as I have seen done on another bloggers page, great idea!

So on to mega photos. I really did keep the San Antonio photos to a few from the over 200 I took. You are welcome. :-) But I did want to share some great shots of our terrific trip to see our Navy Girl.

Me, hubby, Navy Girl, brother, sister-in-law, niece & nephew

At the ALAMO

COUSINS!


We also went to Natural Bridge Caverns.
70* year round 99% humidity, YEP it was HUMID down there.

The River Walk is even better than when I was here in 1988 for my Air Force basic training. And that was 20 years after the 1968 Hemisfair - World's Fair held in San Antonio, the purpose behind most of the development in San Antonio. We learned quite a bit on our River Cruise that we took with hubby's Uncle and Aunt.

Here are a few shots of the River Walk I took throughout our visit.

This is the little Ampitheater on the River Walk at La Villita

They had beautiful dancers here on Cinco De Mayo, but the family was getting tired of my shutter bugitis. Just imagine girls and ladies dressed in beautiful brightly colored Spanish attire, swirling and twirling on the stage. Gorgeous, isn't it. :-)

The night of Cinco De Mayo they had a Light Art festival - Luminaria

This is The Tower of the Americas lit up.

 The lights and colors were moving and constently changing,
 it was a fun challenge to capture this.

Just some funky light art. Overall it was a cool event,
but a bit artsy and deep for me. Glad I saw it, but don't need to do it again.

Lunch with my hubby at Casa Rio on the River Walk.

I was so enamoured by this piece of art, I have many photos at different angles,

but this one was a big winner for me, with the Tower of the Americas in the background.

La Antorcha de la Amistad

(The Torch of Friendship)

Sculpted by Sebastián

Then we sprinted over to Austin to see hubby's other Aunt and Uncle.

They took us out for BBQ at The Salt Lick.

It was PERFECT; great food, great company and some after dinner live music.

 Adios from San Antonio!

Now on to some stitching updates and a Winner. But first a couple of pictures from Mother's Day.
I usually get flowers for my planters for Mother's Day; we can't plant anything until then anyway due to the cold, so it is always a perfect gift I can enjoy all summer and fall long.

And we mulched the flower beds, this is the main bed in the front yard.

And now for what you really came for, stitching updates and a WINNER.
The supsense is killing you I know. Hehehe.

The hill and most of the house

Finished the house and started on the second tree. ALMOST done.


Using the clever and Stinking Cute tool caddy my magnificent mother made I had hubby draw a name.


Drum roll please......

 And the WINNER is.........

 Peggy Lee! Of Kentucky Sampler.

I will get your package in the mail sometime this week, it may be on Saturday depending on my schedule.

Thank you to all that left such nice comments and for following me along the way.

Keep on Stitching.

P.J.

HaPpY BLOgAVerSAry to Porcupine Needle!

I cannot believe that I have been blogging for one year already! My how time flies when you haven't a clue. Hehehe. A big thank you to those bloggers who gave me support and advice in the early stages of this creation. With or without the help of blogger along the way, hum hum. A big shout out to my girlfriend that turned me on to reading the stitching blogs to begin with; this really all happened because of you. I read the blogs and I was like, I can do this and who better to share my crazy addiction (all though a bit tempered lately) to cross stitch than with other crazy, addicted stitchers.

I have been impressed, inspired, encouraged and enthralled with what has been shared by the bloggers I have been following and by those who are following me. This has been an exciting adventure and look forward to more to come. I am so thrilled to have 44 followers for my lil' ole blog within my first year, thank you, thank you for your wonderful comments, advice and encouragement.

I been moved by many stories of joy and sorrow in these electronic pages. We have touched each others lives in more ways than just stitching. I think one way that really is endearing are the foster kitties we get to read about from some of our sister stitchers. I have to be honest Theresa of Shakespeare's Peddler gets at my heart strings every time. My girlfriend is also a momma to be kitty and kitten foster mom and I just think it is awesome what you folks do for these innocent creatures. I know our furry and feathered friends are a big part of our lives and we should feel blessed that they share their unconditional love with us.

So in celebration of being part of this wonderful world of blogging and for you putting up with my ramblings more or less about stitching with other bits of life thrown in there I am having my first give-a-away for my first blogaversary!! I am really tickled about doing this (like it has not been done before). Since I am new at this I am going to follow the lead of other bloggers and ask that you leave a comment on this posting. I will not torture you too long in suspense and pick a lucky recipient on this coming Sunday, May 19th; also Armed Forces Day. How appropriate as we are also celebrating our Navy Girl's graduation from Master at Arms A-School and she is heading to her first duty station, Norfolk Navy Ship Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Way to go Pumpkin!!

Thank you again for welcoming me into this blogging community. I look forward to sharing many more projects and other musings.

Keep on stitching! P.J.

Home again, home again

We made it safely home on Tuesday night after a wonderful visit with our Navy Girl in San Antonio. We also visited with some of hubby's relatives from his dads side and moms side of the family and we got to see my brother and his family. The weather was beautiful, luckily the rain held out until our departure day on Tuesday. Then I caught the stomach bug on Wednesday. I have had the stuffin' knocked right out of me.

I stitched a little in the San Antonio airport, on my BoaF project. Progress is progress, got more done on the little house on the hill. Hope to post some pictures of that and from the trip this weekend, when I am feeling up to it.

Only three more days until my blogaversay! I need to gather my goodies for my give-a-way, nothing crazy, but fun. I am so excited about one of the items, donated by my girlfriend. :-)

Ciao for now.