Happy August!

August is my birth month-- yes, why celebrate for just a day! I try to keep it going for as long as possible.

For the monthly programs, I usually do something that is extra special to me-- in the past, this has been California quail, beach roses, ships in full sail, and caladiums. For Stitches of the Sea, it is definitely going to have to be a dolphin, and for the cottage-- it will definitely have to be a farmhouse, since the DH and I fell in love on his dad's farm. None of this has, unfortunately, made it on to paper yet, but with the blazing heat outside, chances are that it will today.

This a pretty shadow box I made with one of my August Mug Rug sets... I stitched on a lattice made of fabric, and added some ribbon leaves and little seed beads in the sand. DH made me a lovely frame from driftwood... We are so perfect together--  he does woodworking while I sew, and occasionally the two pasttimes meet!

This week, I did an experiment-- you may have seen it on Facebook or Instagram. I always wanted to visit the 50 states, and since that can't happen right now, we could stitch them. Alabama came out well, but before I start this, I'd like to get at least a little ahead, and make sure I'm good for all fifty! Originally, I was going to go in alphabetical order, but my customers from Wyoming and Wisconsin nixed that idea-- so I may just go with pulling names out of hat. It kind of makes it more fun that way-- you'll never know where we end up-- a crazy, mixed up road trip with lots of wrong turns is more like the one I would really have!

Halloween is my favorite holiday-- it's all about the candy-- and the only thing scary about it is how much I eat!!  I'm thinking of a cross stitch advent calendar-- a really small one. Here are some of the little pieces you would attach for 31 days-- these are sew fun and easy to do. It's no problem for me to think up 31 of these!

I showed you this-- it is my new morning hand stitching project. I bought this last year-- I saw these Mill Hill kits at a quilt show. I really recommend them-- they are well designed, and they even include beads and this one has a tiny glass pumpkin to stitch on. I'm making quick progress-- it is now time to backstitch-- I'm a little afraid of the beads-- I've never sewn them to a cross stitch project like this before, and I can just imagine spilling them all over the floor!

While cleaning up last weekend, I found a perfect little frame for it.

Don't you love when you can finish a project without buying anything else? It's supposed to be a magnet, but magnets are a thing of the past-- nothing sticks to these stainless steel fridges-- did you notice? There's also a second matching design with a black cat. It's wonderful to work on things that don't take six years to finish.

 

Sew in Love quilt-- one block to go and I am sad to say, no progress on that this week! Is this the point where I stick it in a drawer for 20 years? I sure hope not.

 

Instead of the annual quilt show, my guild is sponsoring a "Hang Your Quilt" out day-- it is next Sunday. I may just take a day to finish it-- working an hour at a time will sure give you progress, but I feel like I just need one big push-- a deadline-- to drag it over the finish line. We live in the woods, so if I Hang My Quilt, only the squirrels will see it-- but you can also take a picture and upload it to social media with the hashtag #capehangaquiltday. I definitely want to support them-- so I'll remind you, too, and we can see what people do and give them "likes."-- it will be fun.

So that's just a fraction of what is going on in the studio this past week-- thanks for reading-- now get out there, and enjoy this beautiful day!

xox

Carol