Where the Heck to Begin..........

I just realized that it's been about two weeks since I posted anything except my giveaway.  And again, congratulations to Jolene!!!  Jolene has a heart of gold and is a wonderful stitcher, so I hope that she really enjoys it!

I've got so much to share, but I don't think that I can do it all in one post so I'll keep typing until I run out of steam!  You know me, I always have a lot to say!!  LOL  But the kids are home today (start of Easter break), so I don't know how long I have before I'm summoned for chauffeuring service.  We've also been attacked by various illnesses around here.  Me for a couple days (the kind where you don't want to leave as you never know where the ladies room is) and my poor son with a massive chest infection.  I suppose that it comes with the territory with the fluctuating temps - it's going to be 80 here tomorrow - just about unheard of this time of year - but all I can say is, BRING IT ON!!!!

I actually had a stitching finish the other day.  That surprises me because after my last update of stitching, quilting, hooking, etc., the wind just went out of my sails, I came to a screeching halt and wandered around in some kind of stupor.  But I think we all go through that at some time or another, don't we?  But nothing appealed to me - I didn't feel like stitching - I didn't feel like sewing - NOTHING!!!  I went through stash, pulled things apart (you don't want to see my craft room/studio - it looks like a bomb went off in there).  But here is my finish:

Adam and Eve Sampler

The Goode Huswife

40 count Daily Grind Linen and DMC Threads

I don't think that I'm going to stain this one - I'm still on the fence, but after staining the last two I'm ready to have one in it's naked state - just like those two apple lovin' sinners.  So we'll see.  After I finished this, I went back and forth over what to stitch next.  I hate when I get that way.  I spent one night staring mindlessly at the TV (a waste of time in my book).  But after the kids went to bed, I wandered into the disaster zone and picked something else out.  Here it is 11:30 at night and I start whipping fabric onto scroll rods and taking some stitches.  And what do I pick - well, another A&E, of course - why are we all not surprised?

The 1807 Elizabeth Clayton Sampler

Handwork Samplers

36 ct. PTP Legacy Linen and DMC Threads

I'm loving this one so far - I like the brighter colors.  After working on the GH piece, I needed a lift!  Now, this brings me to a dilemma of sorts.  I've done a few of these in anticipation of my A&E wall, but have yet to have one framed except for this one:

So, I'm left with a pile of A&E's:

So, I think that it's definitely time for some framing!!!  I found a new framing store, but haven't tried them yet. I'm almost afraid of what it will cost, but I know the people who own it, so I'm willing to give it a try.  Maybe I can connive a discount out of them.  You get used to those Joanne's/Michaels/Hobby Lobby bargains, but I guess it's worth a shot.

Over the past two weeks, I was the recipient of more awards from Vinniey, Candi, and Mary.  Each sent me the Sunshine Award and I can't thank each of you ladies enough.  You've really humbled me. 

I also received a package from Tina.  She had a giveaway on her blog and I won:

I love the fabrics and the scissors and magnet, but I especially love the card that she sent!  I know that she had to have made it and it's beautiful.  I always envy people who have the patience to do those kinds of things!  Thank you so much Tina.

I've also managed to get out and do some antique and thrift shopping.  I found one antique place with 200 vendors.  I kept getting lost, but came out with some great things.  I have to go back soon because the day I went was the beginning, I think, of my not feeling good and I barely made it through the whole place.  Anyway, if I posted everything now, you'd be asleep at the computer screen, so I'll post a few of those silly frogs that I found on my first trip out and about and post the rest in my next update.  But I found some great things and at great prices too.

I can't believe that I found all of these in one place!  Well, actually there are more, but I'll post those later.  I'm seriously wondering about the pink one - if it's really a matched set as I think that I've seen that bowl quite a few times and it didn't have a frog on top, but the minute I saw it, I had to have it.  I think if you blow up the picture you can see etching on the rolled edge!  Anyway, be still my heart!!!  On the amber frog, the center hole is a candle holder.  I haven't run across one of those before.  And the frog on the left has twenty five holes in it - room for a lot of scissors!!!  My husband is really lifting his eyes at me so I think that I'm going to have to actually use these for their intended purpose here and there!  LOL  I know he thinks that I've about lost it.  His big question is, "Where are you going to put all of these?"  BTW, the one in the front is a repeat to me, so it just may appear as a giveaway item one of these days.

I've found all kinds of cool sewing implements and other fun things, but I'll save them for my next post.  I hear my kids rousing themselves so the games are about to begin.  DD needs clothes bad, so that will be my afternoon.  I'm going to have to take some Motrin before I leave though - the girl is a clothes horse and just exhausts me!  LOL

I hope that everyone has a peaceful and blessed Easter!