Just in time

I finished stitching my Halloween Topiary last weekend. Yesterday, I made a trip to ACMoore for mat board and found a fat quarter fabric there that was perfect for my flatfold finish. When I got home I just had to get to it and cut the board and fabric and do all the gluing. 

Here is the almost finished Halloween Topiary just in time for Halloween.

Don't you just love it? I am so happy that I chose to make this piece.

 I have to put some sort of edging around it still, but I can't decide. I would love your comments. Below are two slightly different yarns that I thought would look great on it, but Hubby thinks they look too elementary school. I was leaning toward the one on the right.

Either one goes with the fabric that I used. Isn't that fabric perfect?! 

I could make cording out of this Ecru perle cotton that I have. The pattern called for cording made out of a bright orange perle cotton, but I don't want to have to buy something when I have so many options in my stash.

I could also make a cording out of this vintage orange rope floss that I inherited.

Or I could make cording out of a combination of flosses.

I am not sure what to do. Please comment. 

Now I want to concentrate on getting more knitting done on my sweater. 

I think I might go back to working on the Advent Calendar that has been languishing since last October.

I am not sure I will be able to work on this all that much with my arthritic thumb, but I do want to finish it. 

I may alternate that with "Jingle as ye come, jingle as ye go". I am almost one-fourth finished with it.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. She is dealing with some thumb issues herself. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. It is going to be a miserably rainy day here on Long Island, so I will be working on one of those projects that I mentioned above.

Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Sunday Backstitching

I finally finished the cross-stitching on my Halloween Topiary. I am so glad to be done with the glow-in-the-dark floss. You have to use very short lengths of floss, because it frays as you are using it. It really does glow in the dark, but I can't get a picture of it with my point and shoot camera. You will have to take my word for it.
Here is where I am on the topiary.

I plan on finishing all the back-stitching that is left today. I have done one ghost and all three bats. There is still another ghost to back-stitch (can you find it?), the cat, tree trunk, pumpkin and a spider-web.  

I never mind back-stitching, because I think it makes a piece really come to life. It certainly allows you to see those ghosts. Wish me luck in finishing it today.

I also want to share a pretty table runner that my mother made in 2012. 

I was getting out her Fall decorations and I knew that she had some Autumn place-mats that she had made. In the same drawer I found several table runners that she had made when she was part of a church quilting group. This is all hand-pieced and quilted. The only machine sewing was done by me to attached the binding to the front of the runner before she hand-stitched it to the back. Isn't it beautiful.

I will be joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. 

Halloween Stitching

I was able to get a bunch of stitching completed on my four-day weekend last week. I have to stitch the ghosts and the back-stitching and of course complete the finishing. The ghost right above the pumpkin is started, but difficult to see in this picture.

I am hoping to finish the ghosts today and maybe start the back-stitching. I would like to complete the finishing on Wednesday when I have another day off for Yom Kippur.

I am so glad that I decided to finally stitch something for Halloween.

I have been adding a few rows here and there on my sweater. The color is off in this picture. It is really a dark maroon.

I really like the pattern. I am a little worried about the sizing. I seem to be okay width-wise, but I have too many rows for the gauge. I am hoping that I will be able to adjust when the pattern gives you inches for length. Otherwise, I may have to visit my yarn shop for advice. I am hesitant to do so as I didn't purchase this yarn at the shop. I am using yarn from ACMoore.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!

And now some photos!

My daughter is now a married lady! I haven't worked on any craft projects in a while, but I have participated in a beautiful ceremony and a great party! Here are some pictures from my daughter's wedding last Saturday!

On Friday we helped set up the venue. This is the building where the reception was held.

There was a decorating crew to hang the chandeliers and the strings of lights. That is the maid-of-honor, groom and a bridesmaid in the pic below also helping set up.

My daughter and her now husband made the centerpieces, painted the table numbers and made the limoncello that was the favor. Those flowers are made of a thin balsa wood. She found them on Etsy from Stella Designs Shop. 

Hubby and I strolled down the lane to the water during one break in set-up and I took some pretty pictures.

There is a nice walkway along the water in this small private community in Rhode Island.

That afternoon we had the rehearsal in the chapel nearby. This is a candid shot that the maid-of-honor took of the happy couple. Katie used the bow bouquet from the shower in her practice walk down the aisle.

On the big day, the bride, bridesmaids and both mothers had hair and make-up done in the bride's hotel room. 

We set up the bridal bear and the bridesmaid's bouquets for a little picture. Yes, those flowers are all made of wood.

Finally, the ladies were on their way to the limo.

The ceremony was wonderful in a little chapel just around the corner from the reception venue (and across the street from the groom's parents' home).

It was a beautiful ceremony.

Here is the whole wedding party after the ceremony outside the chapel.

And here you can see some of the pretty chapel.

The happy couple had their first dance.

Father/daughter dance.

Mother/groom dance.

Cutting the cake.

And some pretty shots of the bride and groom.

Sunset.

Finally, another beautiful shot from the photographer  - Shannon Matos Photography - on the lane leading into the private community.

It was a beautiful day and a wonderful party.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching and to share my joy. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. I will be getting back to stitching on this four day weekend from school. (We get off for Rosh Hashanah here on Long Island)

Thanks for stopping by!

We had a wedding!

There will be pictures to follow once we get home.

Thanks for stopping by!

Slowly

I am slowly adding leaves to the Halloween Topiary. I have managed to finish the right side and I am hoping to finish the top and start the left side. 

I had the wild idea that I would finish all of the leaves last weekend, but alas that was not to be. I use the needle minder to hold up the cloth on the left side so I don't get it dirty while I stitch....I use my left hand mostly to stitch.

I have been adding one or two rows to my sweater on a couple of evenings when I am not too tired. I am so happy with the way this is turning out. The pattern is so easy to follow and I think it looks great. Somehow I think the wedding day is going to be too busy for me to manage any knitting. LOL

I am hoping to get a bunch done in the car ride to our daughter's wedding at the end of the week. Maybe work on it during some free time before the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner too. 

I am gathering items to bring with us. Katie wants the crocheted bear at the wedding as well as some of the decorations from the shower so they are waiting by the front door until we pack the car later this week.

I can't believe the wedding is almost here already. Wow!

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!

It got better!

I am talking about the book I was reading. 

I finished it and I have to tell you that just about a third of the way through I began to really enjoy this book. I didn't want a book with angst as well as marriage and family strife, but the book evolved and became a really thoughtful book about couple and girlfriend relationships. I was hooked and I will definitely read more books by this author. I am very glad that I stuck with it.

Last weekend we celebrated my MIL's 86th birthday. 

That's her with Hubby and our son, Matt. She is looking good after a recent health scare.

I made some progress on the Halloween Topiary last weekend. 

Not much has been happening with it since then as school started this week and I have been exhausted. 

The only crafting I have been really doing during the week is knitting my sweater as I can just complete one or two rows here and there even if I am tired. 

I think it is looking very nice. The pattern is easy to follow and I think it is pretty.  I am looking forward to wearing it. Right now it seems like it will be the correct size.

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. I want to add more leaves to the border of Halloween Topiary today.

I am also planning on making a bunch of food that we can just heat and eat this week for dinner. We are eating dinner at 8:30 and 9 o'clock or later at night, because we work late. really don't want to come home and cook at that time, so I will be making some Spaghetti Sauce with Sausage and Meatballs as well as Red Cabbage Slaw and Tomato and Mozzarella Salad. I want to make a big batch of mashed potatoes too, because I can keep some for us and also give some to my mom to heat up during the week. I might cook up some Chicken Tenders to heat up also. I don't want us to be eating junk food just because we are tired. This past week Hubby made Scrambled Eggs and English Muffins on our first late night and boy did that taste wonderful. I really want us to have some real dinners most nights though I am not averse to breakfast for dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!