Halloween Fun

It is the night before Halloween and all the creepy, crawlies, scary, go bump in the night things are out and ready to party tomorrow. Sunday my LNS had a come and stitch with us and have some fun. The owners and some of the regulars cooked. There was chili, cornbread, cupcakes, and treats. Each stitcher was able to choose a goodie bag, you got several pieces of candy and also a coupon good for Sunday only with anything from 10 to 50% off. Mine had a 20% coupon. There was also a lottery draw for any in shop canvas $200 or less. I was trying with all my might to be good, but my so called friends kept telling me to get it AND when I asked my hubby what he thought he said if you want it get it. Well my will power was weak and I did it. I bought this canvas of Santa. I love his look and the animals and oh just everything about him. He is a painted canvas by Sandra Gilmore called Bless the Beasts, it is going to be massive as it is 28X22 but I can not wait to get started.

 Since returning home I have done some catch up stitching. I have 1/2 of Pumpkin Splendor complete. That is my table topper. I finished the Antique Shop on my Spring Village by Stoney Creek. It is so awesome to see patterns come to life when you get the BS added. The only difference from the 2 pictures of the shop is I added the backstitching. Loving it.

The other thing is I started and finished the Lighthouse pattern I bought while on vacation. I will add the charms on in the location I have them set-up and then mount it and ta-da instant Christmas gift. I think my daughter will love it.

A much shorter post this time. I hope I did not over whelm you all with the last post.

Enjoy your stitching and will be on in a few weeks with a November update.

Back from Vacation

WE had a wonderful time. The weather was good for the most part. HUMIDITY But it was great to see the kids. Went and explored the area........so much fabulous AMERICAN History on the east coast and especially this area. Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Kitty Hawk, Cape Hatteras, Fort Raleigh and the Roanoke Aquarium. So much to soak in and we could have seen even more with more time.
So Williamsburg this is what they cal the Governor's Palace then the colony commons and there was the Ox drawn Cart

 

Jamestown had this wonderful Glasshouse. They blow glass on the site where an original site was set up and they use an oven and tools as if you are in the 1500's very talented and a blast from the past.

Yorktown had a great Museum that houses a tent that George Washington used during the Revolutionary War. Impressive!!!!!! I did not get a picture it is on hubby's phone. But got a photo of the memorial of the place Cornwallis surrendered. And the view of the bay.

For the week end we traveled to what they cal the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Of course we could not pass by Kitty Hawk without stopping. If it were not for Orville and Wilbur we would not be have the business we do. The Monument to then is at the op of a small berm and looks over this beautiful field. And a nice area with cast iron statues depicting the historic event.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest Brick lighthouse in the US and the 2nd tallest in the world. We walked up and had a look around. Glad is was a cool day or else not sure it would have been quite the same.

Moved on to Roanoke Island were the Lost Colony was established. There is another museum we visited that gives lots of information and has artifacts they have recovered and a gorgeous botanical gardens. Named the Elizabethan Gardens this statue of Queen Elizabeth greets you as you explore 16 acres of flowers, trees, plants and birds and butterflies. Beautiful even this late in the seasons.

 And finally the aquarium all local species next to the bay. At first we thought this white alligator was a statue but then one of the employees explained no he is really. He is not a true albino as he has some pigmentation just not alot. I do not recall the name they said but regardless he was a bit creepy.

Of course I have many more pictures but this gives you an idea of the trip. I actually took 2 projects to work on, I was not sure how much time I would have but I knew the flight would be some time. I did well and worked the shoes on to this piece to compliment the hat I had stitched last year. The shoe was a freebie from the Sullivan Threads site last year.

I found 2 Stitching shops One in Virginia Beach named Dyeing to Stitch, what a great little shop the ladies were very friendly and welcoming. I got several patterns and threads from them and spent a good hour just looking around and visiting. The other shop was in the Williamsburg area and I was looking forward to visiting as the reviews and recommendations I had received made it sound wonderful. It was called Haus Tirol-Stitching Well I must say I was very disappointed. The store was larger but the variety of charts and fabric was much less then the other store and not nearly as welcoming. We were not greeted at all,  even though when we first came in the store was empty. I was looking through the fabric because I wanted to buy a piece for an up coming project I have in mind and had decided that I would get it from them as a fun thing as a memento. I found a piece I liked but it was not the right size so I had to track down an employee and asked if they had any larger pieces. She said they had pieces they could count and what size would I need I told her and she huffed over to some drawers behind the counter. They did not have that color so she asked what I was going to use it for, I showed her the pattern and she immediately tells me that the fabric I chose is not good for that pattern. She would never stitch it on that color and how a better color would be darker and on and on. She then pulled 3 colors she said she liked for the pattern and asked which one I wanted. I did not like any of them and when I told her that she huffed at me again. I said it was ok that they did not have the fabric I wanted I would just have to try to get it elsewhere. She did not like that at all she said she could order some and made several other suggestions on colors and I just said no thank you I would find what I wanted later. That really put her nose out and she said well if you really want that piece I could order it for you. I said no I am from out of state and only stopped in because they were recommended and I thought it would be nice to buy it but since it was not available I would figure it out and I left. I get that shops like to help with fabric choices and all but to tell some one they should not use that color because that person does not like it I find rude. So I did not buy any from that shop and I made a second trip to the first shop and gave them more of my business. First picture is the pattern with the fabric I will use to stitch them al are gifts for my daughter. Next is a pattern with the over-dye threads I will use to stitch it. 3rd picture the fabric I wanted for the pattern that the lady told me was not a good option. 4th 3 patterns that will be worked up for myself. And finally some pretty over-dye thread and a pattern booklet of smalls for Halloween. 

I mentioned in a previous post I was doing a self  "Stitch from Stash" with the patterns and fabric I bought on vacation you might think I had a major fail. Well here is my thought, these are not things I would have bought if I had not gone on vacation so I am giving my self an exemption. I traveled more then 500 miles from home with I will not do on a month to month basis so those purchases that I made at a physical store I am not going to count against my accounting. However for September I did buy a few things online that I must account for and I also bought from my LNS that also count. At the Start of September I had $21.68 rollover I bought patterns, fabric and thread for a project hubby asked me to stitch for him (and a couple extra I had been watching) wink wink.... that came to$188.15. I had finishes and progress on WIP's that came to $44.00 and the $25.00 that I get for each month. After all the adding and subtracting I come to -$97.47 Al in al it was a bad month for staying in budget. I hope to do much better in October. 

Well if you made it all the way to the end good for you. This has been quite a long post. I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I will catch you latter this month hopefully.