Good Morning Sunshine!!

Well, first off, I've been a bad blogger.  I don't think that I've read more than a few blogs over  the past couple of weeks.  Bad, bad!!!  Okay, busy, busy would be more like it and it's going to be this way for the next couple of weeks!  UGH!  I don't know if it's due to all the craziness around here, but I've been in the biggest crafty slump imaginable.  Not enough time, too many things I want to do (did you see Margaret's new start with SL's Jane Atkinson? - OMG be.......still..........my.........heart - BIG SIGH HERE) and I can't get there.  I think of all the things I can do and then go through stash, look at my WIPs (boring), but can't settle on anything or find the time.  But I finally settled on something - actually went down the path of least resistance.  Remember this monster:

Yes, Ann Medd shown here lying on the floor have an absolute fit from lack of attention.  Well, her screams were just getting too loud, so I gave her some stitching love.  First I stitched Mr. Sunshine:

Then I stitched a little more:

Very odd things going on in this section.  That bird-like thing looks like a oddly colored, nose-diving penguin.

The whole reason that I've resisted picking up this sampler again is the fact that most of the stitching in this section and the section below is ONE OVER ONE ON 35 CT FABRIC!!!  UGH!  Now there is no way on God's green earth that I could live through that - I'd be pulling my hair out, so this is my rendition of Ann - stitched two over two on 35 ct. fabric, and I will be a much happier, full haired and saner person for it.  It can work because the nutso penguin and the other things near the sun are done two over two on the chart, so this is going to work!  Yahoo!!.  Do you think that Ann will be mortified at what I'm doing - will she roll over in her grave?  Hopefully not because this is how it's going to be!!  BTW, this is two weeks of stitching so you can definitely see that I haven't had much time.  All the fill in is perfect for life right now - not much thinking - just stitch!!!  That is if my eyes are still open when I hit the stitching chair.

I've managed to do a little bit of quilting too when I could find an hour or so.  A couple weeks ago I spent some time cutting out blocks just so that something would be ready for piecing if I could find time (this is the time of year of school plays - yes I raise my hand to help - I've got to stop doing that;  track meets - did I raise my hand to be a timer or did someone lift my hand for me?;  dance rehearsals and recitals - oh dear, someone raised my hand again and now I'm a backstage mom; confirmations, etc., so it's hectic).  Anyway, I got those blocks sewn together that were sleeping on the cutting table:

And then a couple more - these four blocks are for the Women's Voices Civil War Quilt:

Then because you know that I just can't stay away from anything that resembles a Big A$$ed Project, I started this quilt:

The Farmer's Wife Quilt.  I know, I know, I must be nuts!!!  I really wanted to start the Dear Jane Quilt which would definitely make me certifiable, but I thought this one would be the lesser of two evils for the time being.  Dear Jane is still on the radar screen for a start soon.  Anyway, The Farmer's Wife is a Block of the Month that I'll be getting over the next 18 months - each month has 6 or 7 blocks to complete.  I got the first set cut out and the first block finished:

Autumn Tints

Block #2 - The Farmer's Wife Quilt

I can't wait to get to the rest of them.  They're so much fun to make.

Before everything got crazy and when I was able to get out and make some road trips, I managed to find some thrifty and fun things:

Okay, nothing spectacular here, but I just could not resist little Adam!  There was no Eve with him, but he looked so cute and was all by his lonesome, so I just had to bring him home.  The tins I use to store all my different sewing pins in.

Then behind the counter where I don't normally look, I found this doll!  Isn't she sweet?  She's signed and dated on the back and all of $12.00 at the good old Salvation Army!!!  $12.00 is usually way over my limit on the the SA, but I could not resist her.  She's slightly stained on her backside, but otherwise in perfect condition.  Now I need to make her some clothing!

Then at one of the antique shops I came across:

A bag of strawberry emery's, an old tin pincushion and a jar of buttons - all for $7.00.  

Then this sweet lady.  I had seen one identical to this in another antique shop, but in really tattered condition.  They wanted $60.00 for her.  This one in much better condition (although I think I need to add a little blue paint to one of her eyes), was $10.00.  Again, usually more than I would pay, but considering what I had seen the other one go for, I thought this was a great deal.

Then what would be a trip to the antique store be if I didn't find at least one of these?:

But I found two!!  The white milk glass frog is a good sized one, about seven inches wide.   The other one is quite a bit smaller.  I think that I have to stop buying these things - I'm running out of room and pairs of scissors to put in them.  But I suppose I could use them for what they're intended for - flowers!  Novel thought, right?

Well, that is it for me.  Have to get moving again.  If I haven't visited your blog, I'll get there.  I think I have today and tomorrow for some fun reading (and being enabled), so I'll catch up.  Thank you again for all your wonderful comments - I really love reading them.  Hope you have a wonderful week and stitch something fun.