Why is it that whenever you're close to finishing a project
the temptation to start a new project is all but irresistible??
I just have the top section of Winter Wind to stitch and it'll
be done, finished, completed. So am I working diligently
away at it, nose to the grindstone and all that??? Heck no!!

I started poking around in my stash a few weeks ago and
ended up pulling Sew Red (design by Carol at Istitch) out
and settling down to stitch it instead. This past week I had
a three day holiday thanks to three floater days that I chose
to use because the weather's been nice and my DH is off
for two weeks right now and because things at work have
been really slow lately. Because of that I've had extra time
to stitch and have devoted it to Sew Red. The picture above
shows my progress so far which is about half way done.

I will get back to Winter Wind. Maybe after Sew Red is done,
or maybe when I get to the point on Sew Red when I just have
half of the top line or the last bit of border to stitch. I do have
to make sure that I finish Sew Red this year though, one way
or another, because I've already stitched the year on it.

I think the highlight of this mini holiday is that I got to
meet another stitcher/blogger who doesn't live too far
from me. Jennifer from Seasonal Stitches was a sweet
heart and didn't mind the short notice invitation from
me to get together on any day of my three day holiday
that might work best for her and her schedule.

She came here on Wednesday and we spent a lovely
time getting to know one another and talking, talking,
talking. We went out for lunch at a local bakery in
Glen Williams and we visited a quilting store called
The Hobby Horse which is located on a farm a few
miles outside of Glen Williams looking for fabric
for finishing stitching projects.

Did I mention that Jennifer is a sweetheart??? She
arrived on my doorstep bearing gifts and spoiled me
rotten. Looky at the above picture. Two charts that
I didn't have in my stash, one of which was a Prairie
Schooler!!! And a new puzzle to feed my other addiction
(see previous post) which features some adorable Cats!!!

We got along like a house on fire!! The time flew and
we found lots that we had in common and we talked
until we ran out of time and Jen had to head home. So
sad. So we agreed that we'd really have to get together
again soon to talk some more and maybe stitch too.
I'm so happy to have met another stitcher who lives fairly
close to my little part of Ontario, and to have her be as nice as
Jennifer is is just icing on the proverbial cake.

I have one regret from Wednesday though. Somehow in all
the excitement of meeting for the first time and then going
out for lunch and stashing shopping, we both managed to
forget our cameras to take pictures! DOH!!!

Thanks for coming Jennifer and for driving us around
and for the wonderful gifts and for everything!

Here are the fabrics that I picked up at The Hobby Horse

on Wednesday. The first step towards perhaps finishing
off some of my stitching someday. I still need some of
those pearl headed pins, some pretty ribbons and whatever
else might look good on a pinkeep or a flat fold or a little
pillow. All in good time.

I got some new stash a few weeks ago that I have to
show you before I forget entirely. Of course I had
to get LHN's The Book Store which was newly released
recently and at the same time a few other charts jumped
into my shopping basket, as often happens when one is
shopping at a favorite on line store.

I've been finding a lot of designs that appeal to me
from My Big Toe and ordered three more of their
charts plus one from Lizzie Kate and one from LA-D-
Da. I also got the fabric to stitch one of the My Big
Toe designs. The other two charts were wins from
Ebay and are by a designer that I was unfamiliar with.
They're both very pretty, don't you think??

I did order one more chart in the splurge from the
on line store but it wasn't in stock at the time that
the rest were mailed out to me. I understand that
that chart is now on it's way to me, and I can't wait
because it's another one that I've been drooling over
since it came out during Nashville. Guess which one
it is.

Rose Quaker!!

******************************************************

Of course I've been reading whenever I can find the time
and I've finished three books recently that I highly
recommend to you, each one a different genre from the
others but all wonderfully well written with great stories.
I'll let you check out the synopsis of these books for
yourselves because this post will be way too long if I
tried to do it, but in brief here's what you should expect
from each novel.

This is the second book of Jennifer Donnelly's that I've
read, the first being The Tea Rose, which was the first
book in what will eventually be a trilogy (I think). I
suppose that you could read this one on it's own but
when books share characters and history I prefer to
read them in order so that I get the most out of them.

This series would be categorized as Romance I guess
but Donnelly has done a lot of research into the era
in which her stories take place (the early twentieth
century) and so you get lots of historical detail which
adds depth and color to her stories. I love how she
creates such wonderful characters, whether they are
the hero or heroine, secondary players, or those with
small parts.

I've also read Michelle Moran before and this is the
second book of hers that I've read. This is historical
fiction which takes place in Egypt during the time of
Ramses II and is about Nefertari, niece of the despised
heretic Queen Nefertiti. Another well written, well
researched book with memorable characters and a
enthralling story. A fascinating time and place in history
that I can't read enough about.

And now for something completely different. Tongue
in cheek, witty and wry, a comedy of manners and a
Supernatural mystery, all rolled into one. This is Gail
Carriger's first novel and she's done a fabulous job of
creating a unique mythology for an alternative Victorian
era England then the one we're familiar with. Lot's of
imagination and more then a bit of the eccentric went
into the creation of this delightful debut which I loved
from the get go. You'll have fun reading this one.

******************************************************

Went to a baby shower today for a friend who's new
daughter is just a month old. Lots of pink clothes, lots of
cute accessories and lots of sweet girlie things that we all
had a lot of fun shopping for. Baby slept through most of it.

Have spent a lot of time walking in the past month as the
weather has been mostly fabulous. I think we're about three
weeks ahead of schedule in the growing season with trees
that should only be starting to leaf out actually in full leaf now
and flowers such as tulips and hyacinth in full bloom when
they should just be starting to bud. The weather forecasters
claim that it's El Nino (pardon if spelling is off) causing the
warmer and dryer then usual weather. Whatever it is, we're
enjoying every minute of it. I keep forgetting to take my camera
out walking with me so that I can get some pictures of the crab
apple and cherry trees in bloom, as well as other pretty signs of
Spring around town, to show you.

So that's about it from me for now I think. I do have a pile
of new books that I will be showing off in my next post, if I
remember that is. There was a book sale in town today and
I was one of the first in line for it. Also got a stack of new books
from the bookstore that I've been anxious to get my hands on.
My library's shelves downstairs are getting full again. Oh Oh!!

Take care all and thanks for dropping by.

Cheers!!