snapshot saturday // playing with lego

Oh boy. It wasn't so very long ago that I would bring work along on vacation and get tons done and love it. Now I've been home for nearly a week and I'm still barely back into the swing and everything is in pieces.

In fact, you've probably noticed the scarcity of posts around here. Because of that, you'll be shocked to learn that I had time to play with Lego.

But you see, this came home with me from Orlando, FL, and it's been sitting in a box since early in the trip and it just HAD to come out. It wasn't possible for me to resist building that sewing machine and the rest of this sweet sewing studio.

I'm sure you understand.

the scariest stitching I've ever stitched

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you may have already seen this photo and heard the story. If you have, please forgive and indulge me as I recount my harrowing tale once more.

This photo represents the scariest stitching I've ever stitched.

It doesn't look so very scary, but looks can be deceiving. It was a beautiful night. The sun was starting to go down, but it was still bright. I decided to go sit on the front porch/patio. (In my PJs, naturally, because I'm a blogger and this is common work attire.)

I was happily stitching, admiring the sky, and sipping some coffee too. This summer didn't include much outdoor stitching, for various reasons, so I thought I should document it with this photo.

No sooner had I posted the pic, but I looked up to see a skunk making its way across the patio and into the landscaping. It was a couple yards away from me.

I knew that startling it would end badly, and every noise in the neighborhood raised my heart rate. He kept coming closer, and I held as still as possible, praying that he would just move on. And finally, he did. Not before walking right past the screen door where our cat was sitting, and I got one last dose of fear.

As soon as he was out of sight, I went straight inside.

The moral of the story? Never go outside.

Okay, maybe not that, but do consider the time of day when you head outside, and watch out for wildlife that may cause your embroidery to really stink! Now I think I may need to stitch up a little project to remember this occasion...

snapshot: backseat stitching

Throughout the summer, I did a lot of backyard stitching. It was relaxing and enjoyable to sit outside and work on embroidery and hexagons! Earlier this week I did something that I didn't think I'd ever be able to do: backseat stitching.

Working or reading in the car doesn't usually work for me, but I decided to try it out on a short road trip. Smooth roads for long distances made it possible! So I happily stitched while we drove from Illinois to Kentucky where we visited the Creation Museum (and I got an idea for stitching medieval comet drawings while learning about comet ISON...we'll see where that leads).

How about you? Do you stitch on the road?

snapshot: my grandma's embroidery

We found this a few days ago, though I've seen it many times through my life. It hung at my grandparents' house, and I'm pretty sure that my grandma stitched it. When I look closely I can see that the pattern came pre-printed on the fabric, and I pretty much love that the stitches aren't perfect. It makes this piece...well...perfect.

snapshot: lunching for relaxation

Yesterday, my sister and I went out for lunch.

It has been months since we did this, because I was busy, she was busy, I was busy again. Mind you, we live in the same house, but going out is different. In fact, I'm still busy, and wasn't sure that I wanted to go. When I get overwhelmed, it's easy for me to get depressed, though, so I went. And I took some of the stitching that NEEDS to be done with me.

We did a little shopping first, and as I walked through a few stores, all I could think about was the work waiting for me at home. And then it started to melt away. By taking time away from my work, time to relax and chat with my sister...my friend, I felt more at peace. We ate lunch, and I never even pulled that stitching out of my bag.

I need to do this more often.

snapshot: supplies in candy colors

After a mishap (where the cat dumped a bowl full of supplies and WIPs), I organized and tidied up a bit. This pile emerged, and I couldn't help but love the colors and textures and symbols and shapes. It looks like spring, but they're actually more like with the candy-colored Christmas things I'm working on right now!

snapshot: delicious new fabric

Yes, I referred to this new fabric as delicious. In fact, I may have overcooked the chicken last night because I was looking through what the mailman delivered. My family only gave me a really hard time about that. Kidding. Sort of.

Anyway, the fun Comma charm packs are becoming a baby blanket, which I just finished laying out with my mom. She loves making simple quilts with all squares and you can imagine her delight that these are all cut! And the fat quarters? Those are for some special projects that I'm making this fall...which allowed me to justify the purchase.

Where charm packs feel like an easy purchase, fat quarter collections often come with an overwhelming price tag! (Thank goodness for Etsy and sales!)

snapshot saturday // shiny

new silver and gold thread. waiting for a project needing some shine.

snapshot saturday: losing a friend

When I was a baby, my parents planted a tree for me. Over the years it grew to be much larger than our house. But for a while now, we've known that it was being infected by Emerald Ash Borers.

Last week, it was decided that it should come down. It wasn't dead, but it was on its way. So we took a few last photos. And I cried.

Now it's just a tall stump, which will get a tree house built on it. And a new tree is planted nearby.

snapshot saturday // vintage stitches

We have lots of vintage pillowcases with embroidery like this. They've all been used and washed a lot, but they still have keep their charm over the years...I'm thrilled to have them.

Speaking of vintage embroidery, if you like stitching vintage designs, you NEED to check out the Summer of Vintage Stitchy Love contest! But even if you aren't up for entering this time around, go take a look at the group...there's some fantastic new embroidery with vintage patterns!

snapshot saturday // up close and personal

I have learned that taking step-by-step photos often involves detail shots. After cropping my photos in close for a while now, this week I broke down and bought a macro lens. Now, I'm in close up heaven. It even makes dragon toys look pretty!

PS: It's thanks to you that I could justify treating myself to this! As in, I NEED it to take pictures so that my readers can make things!

snapshot saturday // piecing it together

Lately there has been a lot of making going on behind the scenes. No sharing yet, but this is a peek at things in the works.

snapshot saturday // best hoodie ever

Many years ago, a friend gave me a copy of My Neighbor Totoro, and told me to watch it whenever I was feeling down because it would help fix that. He was right, and since then Totoro has brought much joy (and even some of my most favorite friends!) into my life.

Now, I am ever so happy to be the proud new owner of this Totoro hoodie! I spotted one on Kelley's blog when she approached me about sponsorship, and I wasted no time in asking if she could make an adult size version for me. And she has!

I love, love, love it!

(Please don't mind my bare face and tired eyes...I was so excited when this arrived, I just had to take a pic right away!)

snapshot saturday // photo assistant

Earlier this week, I had some photos to take, so I covered a box with batting and a sheet, then set it up on a chair near the front window. It seems the cat wanted to help, so she hung out under the box for several hours, peeking out the window from time to time.

snapshot saturday

I came across this bit of vintage stitching the other day as I was hunting down something on this mess I call a desk. It was so simple and pretty that I had to take a photo to share with you!

snapshot saturday

Yesterday morning I did a bit of drawing while drinking my coffee. These are some of the faces I was trying out for what is soon to be a new embroidery pattern. It kinda makes me all squealy!

snapshot saturday

Remember how I said that I was going to need to make a little cover for an egg before Easter? I did! I think the part I love the most is the pompom, especially because this is a handmade one, and I'm quite happy with how it came out. Wool yarn does wonders for pompoms...

snapshot saturday

This week, the flowering tress started...flowering! It wasn't a bad winter, but I'm still very happy to be welcoming spring!

snapshot saturday

I'm not Irish, but this week I felt pretty lucky! Within two days, I received my Stitch Swap pack (amazing!), the cutest stickers from a blog reader (Thanks, Maureen!), and postcards to promote the book that I contributed to! Happy Mail indeed!

snapshot saturday

Last Saturday at church we got together and made some things for a local nursing home, and among those things were some travel tissue covers. My 18-year-old brother decided to make one, and let's just say, sewing isn't something I've passed on to him.

He did try, but a running stitch proved too difficult. Or maybe it was that he had about a yard of embroidery thread and it kept knotting. I think I can safely say that manbroidery isn't in the near future for him!