Stitches, stitches, stitches!

I have just returned from a lovely visit with my Dear Friend Sharon and a workshop with the Carolina Sampler Guild. Catherine Theron taught her Flowers and Berries Band Sampler.

On the left is a life-size photocopy of the sampler. On the right are the luscious colors of silk, and my start. I thought I did rather well, considering that the outer two strawberries are detached buttonhole with return, and the center is trellis stitch worked back and forth. I can do spiral trellis with very little difficulty--I have a hard time getting my back-and-forth trellis even. I have decided that some strawberries appear to have been pecked by hungry birds and move along.

Sharon is a delightful hostess, and I got to spend some quality time with her kitties, Winchester and Winston. As a matter of fact, I spent one night with a gentleman caller curled up at my feet. However, the second time he stomped up my chest and looked in my face in the wee hours of the morning, I disinvited him from my boudoir. A lady can only be expected to withstand certain attentions from her callers!

I did carefully check my suitcase before I closed it up. I was a little concerned that Winston, my midnight caller, was going to decide to come home with me. He didn't, but I did bring home a couple of projects that I'm going to stitch for Sharon's company,  Thy Needle's Worke. You'll see more later.

Anyway, sadly, after a wonderful two days with some of my favorite people and a teacher whose classes I love, I trooped home.

DBE was here when I arrived. As luck would have it, the local Greek Orthodox congregation was having a fair today, and we went for souvlaki, pastitio, dolmades, and baklava. And we found out they have a holiday bake sale. We were thrilled. Our tummies were even happier.

And I had mail. Good mail. Stitching mail.

Christmas came early--from Inspirations, a pattern for a set of stitching accessories and the new Design Collective book--all Christmas designs. I don't do much seasonal stitching, but I do love Christmas designs.

The Western Reserve Sampler Guild had a meeting devoted to Scarlet Letter samplers, and there were door prizes. I was happy to receive these two charts

You'd think I have more than enough to work on, but, no, I need to finish setting up my hoop for my Deep Dive into Whitework class--and then I'm heading to Sassy Jack's for three classes with Jackie du Plessis.

And in between, I'm going to continue unpacking stash boxes.