The rest of this week is going to be impossible as far as finding the time to
write up any new posts for my blog, so I'm doing it tonight when I have
the time, instead of stitching. I wanted to post a progress photo of my
Spot of Tea sampler. This is a weeks work, with much of it being done
over the weekend. It's interesting to see each motif come alive with
needle and thread. Especially the little animal ones. Too bad there aren't
any kitty ones in amongst the patterns.

Many thanks to everyone for their comments about The Bookshelf. I
wonder if this isn't one of LHN's most popular patterns, since so many
seem to love it, and the theme. Well, we all seem to love books as well
as our stitching, don't we?

Michelle, your suggestion to frame The Bookshelf, and then stand it up
on a shelf in front of my books is actually a great idea. But this is a tall
piece, even before framing. It wouldn't fit on any of the shelves that I
have, unfortunately. I have a x-stitched piece that my Mom did for me
awhile ago framed and just standing on a counter top in my kitchen. I
don't have any wall space in my kitchen to hang anything, so this idea
works very well indeed.

Now, perhaps LHN should work on a companion piece or two to this
one. Say, a bookshelf for modern authors that we all love. If they did,
whose names would you all like to see on it, and which books
featured???

Mmmmm. Let's see. Going for female, historical and/or romance
writers I would love something with Maeve Binchy, Diana Gabaldon,
Nora Roberts, Rosamund Pilcher, Kelley Armstrong and Audrey
Niffenegger. Books represented with a little image of some sort would
HAVE to be The Shell Seekers, The Time Traveler's Wife, Outlander,
and Tara Road. Now my favourite fantasy authors would be another
sampler altogether. Then a mystery writers sampler. Oh my.

Filling space. A little project from some years ago now, done at the home
of my friend Linda, under her expert tutelage, not to mention encourage-
ment. The bears were stitched on plastic canvas and I used a half stitch
to do them. The picture is a little dark. These guys are a dark rose
colour.

This is a picture of some of my Mom's knitting handy work. These are all
dolls that I played with when I was a child, back around the stone age.
Some of you may recognize Chatty Baby on the left. The middle doll I
named Ginger, and the doll on the right (which is the oldest of the three)
is Susie. They are up on a shelf, away from kitty cat paws and claws and
teeth and fur. You know how it is.

Karen asked me how Deathly Hallows was going. Oh boy! What a read.
It's one of those occasions when I keep picking it up to read "just a few
more pages" and then can't put it down again. I'm on page 220 or so and
it's zipping along. A riveting story that just motors right along. I know I'll
feel so bereft when the final page is read, and there will be no more to look
forward to in the future. Meanwhile, I'm trying desperately to avoid any
and all possible spoilers both on the internet and in magazines that I read.
It hasn't been easy.

First of the month this week means lots of hours to put in at work. But
once we're through to Friday I'm off on holidays for TWO weeks!!!
I can't wait. No plans of any significance. Just pleasures such as reading
and stitching and movie watching. And chores such as cleaning the
library. Ugh!! Takes forever because I keep picking up books and browsing
instead of dusting. It's going to be hot here this week. Wonder what it'll
be like next week.

Rupert says "Hey!". Have a great week everyone! Cheers