Sampler Houses

Lots of foliage. Again, I lost the light before I shot the photo.



I was out wandering through Fredericksburg with my camera, enjoying the fresh air today and taking photos of some of the homes in the historic district. I look for interesting sampler-type houses, particularly if they are dressed for Christmas. Let's start with this one, although it's not exactly dressed for Christmas. Perhaps it's dressed for Valentine's day or a really raucous New Year's--the kind where you need to get out the Pepto Bismol the next day. Yes--Pepto Bismol.



This is a very nice classical brick house with a nice metal roof. I think the wreath is too small though. I like the way the basement windows meet the sidewalk and have little half shutters, as if the whole thing is being swallowed by the earth.



Here's a cutie. There are several of these, painted different colors. This guy is maybe 15 feet wide


Pink wants to know what's wrong with having bright pink shutters--he thinks every house should have some pink.


Happy week ahead!

Happy Thanksgiving from Us!

Happy Thanksgiving, all! Instead of assembling scenery and props for the Rabbits' Annual Thanksgiving, I was snoring (lesson--when wanting to accomplish something, do not lie down for "just a few minutes to rest my eyes and think about the project.") Since today we're off to my sister's for dinner, there's no time, so we'll do it next year instead.

Here are some updated results of my holiday stitch butt--Catherine Metcalf. There are 66 flowers in the border. I don't object to the flowers, but I'm not liking the endless ropes of greenery that connect them. TWO colors of dark green and lots of little jutting twiggy things.


The tree of life is fun, but it is not entirely symmetrical, so I have to pay attention. I don't get to stitch a round yellow thingy on the left and then count over and repeat it on the right necessarily.


The Rabbit Peeps and I wish you a merry Thanksgiving. Enjoy your family and friends.


Give someone a little kiss.


And a snuggle.


And most of all--my favorite--spoil your dinner with snacks!

Up the Stairs, Down the Banister

Yesterday, the first weekday of my vacation, was all about the errand. So it was up to Arlington for bloodwork and a Dr.'s checkup and flu shot, then down to Alexandria for a little stop at In Stitches, then on to Fredericksburg for groceries and further on to Richmond to pick up my car since it inconveniently lost its transmission on the way to work last Tuesday a.m. Thankfully, the manufacturer covered most of the cost of the $3800 repair, even though my car is 8 years old. And I got to drive the nicest loaner in the meantime--not a small thing when you commute 130 miles a day.

I had the best time at In Stitches, and I purchased this. I've wanted to try needlepoint for a while, and they had this little painted canvas hanging up next to all the fibers, kitted up on a ring (so nice, since I don't know doodly about kitting up a needlepoint project and so clever of the ladies to make it so easy to succumb to temptation). Ellen gave me a quick tutorial on needlepoint technique (stitch up the stairs and down the banister) and off I went with my new project (and a half dozen skeins of AVAS for Catherine Metcalf). What a cutie:

I've started in the top right corner. I think I will frog out the brown on the right side and go with the color to the left of the teepee. I was up until nearly 2 a.m. doing this. See the sparkly snow?

And I didn't neglect Catherine Metcalf either.

And a little something I picked up from In Stitches also. I had heard good things about Bohin needles, and they're every bit as nice as I've heard. So silky smooth.


From Thanksgiving two years ago--Elvis having a little chat with a turkey.

See you Thursday for the third annual Rabbits' Thanksgiving.

Thankful for Vacation

Happy almost-Thanksgiving! I am on vacation this week, my sister is the cook on the day (I'm in charge of the cheese and olive platter and the deviled eggs), and I haven't planned much of anything for the week except for a doctor's appointment tomorrow, a little drive by In Stitches for more thread (I looked right at the instructions for purchasing thread, and did I even notice that some of the colors call for three skeins of AVAS and other colors require 2?) and a massive case of stitchy numb butt. I have been worn to a nub and didn't even blog last week because I had nothing to show--so rare! But I have a holiday tradition of starting something new to maintain, and here it is--Catherine Metcalf.

Not a great photo of the true colors of this sampler--I stitched away the day and then lost the light just as I got out the camera, so this is by lamplight. Scarlet Letter's Catherine Metcalf done on 40 count Lakeside in navy bean with AVAS threads.

Pink, taking the tag off a towel prior to chewing holes in the towel (bunny lace, we call it around here).

And from last year, the rabbits' Macy's day parade:

More pictures coming up later in the week--see you Thursday!

Fall Back

A local radio station did a survey of what people planned to do with their extra hour this weekend. I was going to stitch (not one of the categories), but I wound up napping instead (about 19% of respondents said they'd sleep) since I seem to be coming down with either a cold or a sinus infection. I worked some on Elizabeth Sheffield this week. The "strawberry" band is all over-one; the blue line beneath it is composed of eyelet stitches. I'm enjoying the heck out of this (as well as Mary Western).



The three buns decided they'd sleep, rather than watch a movie (13% of the radio listeners were going to watch a movie). Here are Peaches and Pink curled up for a nap--Elvis is just out of camera range, napping on the rug.


Happy week ahead!