Don't forget to dream...

It's funny...I don't decorate with blue anywhere in my home anymore. When my son went away to college, the blue rooms were gone (his bedroom and bathroom). I ran across this pretty little cross stitch finish a couple of weeks ago. I'd had it framed in a blue marbled mat and a buttery yellow inner mat. It had been packed away for years.

When we decided at the last minute to go to my sister-in-law's ranch, I packed in it with our things. It makes me feel so good to know that my SIL loves and appreciates my cross stitching projects!

This piece looks so very perfect in her spare room/office. And it's the perfect reminder to us all: DREAM!

Bella's Baby Sampler...

I finally got a pic of the sampler I made for my niece's daughter, Bella, a two years ago when she was born.

The design is from Samsarah Design Studio and is called Sweet, Sweet Babe. I changed it up a bit, doing it on white linen over two. The colors just look so beautiful against a white background! (And they are really much richer than this photo shows!) I added two butterfly buttons (one purple and one yellow). My niece loves butterflies, and I thought they were so much prettier than the bee button! I also omitted the little round white buttons at the bottom of the original design.

It has a white frame and is double matted with a soft buttercream yellow and a deep purple suede mat.

Autumn Silhouette

I love stitching over-one...but I don't think I could ever do a really large piece that way! The details just come out so very beautifully and (as an extra side benefit) framing costs are less! LOL!

This is Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #10: Autumn Silhouette. I chose a darker linen with a cream-toned hand-dyed floss. I had to adapt the acorns that were done in a satin stitch, and I loved the way it turned out. I did this same design in a green over two on a much lighter linen, but the over-one is by far my favorite. Including the frame, this measures 6 3/4" x 5 3/4".

Pics of my State Fair ribbons!

We went to the State Fair of Texas today! We couldn't have picked a better day. It started out a bit overcast. Last year we parked so far from the gate that I actually dreaded parking this year. It was great, though. We parked right next to the gate!

I was able to get good pics of my First and Second Place ribbons! The Fourth Place entry photo came out terribly, so I'll have to wait until I get them back to take a pic of that one! It was so much fun to look at all of the other winners, and the displays this year were absolutely beautiful.

God Bless the U.S.A.

I thought I would take a quick photo of my Patriotic U.S.A. grouping. It is on a small wall right in our entryway.

Ironically, I was working on the Bent Creek "Flag" on 9/11. I cannot help but remember that every time I pass by it.

The very small flag was framed upside down when I had it framed (they put the hanger on the wrong end!). I had to explain to them that the stripes go to the right! LOL!