Making some stitching progress!

Thought I'd update my blog on some stitching progress:  

First up:  Flowers for Hannah (aka Jane Atkinson, from The Scarlet Letter).  I've been working quite a bit on Hannah's sampler.  All the stitching on this sampler has been very satisfying to me!   I have submitted the verse I chose for charting.  I did choose the 2nd verse she wrote, which I put on my last blog post, about how Hannah loved to spend her life making others happy.  I love thinking about her while I stitch.  She was a fabulous woman and I thank her for her sacrifices so that I could have the life I have.  As you can see, I have many more stitches to take, a long journey to enjoy!  

 

Next up, taking a break from Hannah, while on our trip to California in September, I enjoyed stitching "A Red Cottage" by Plum Street Samplers.  This was very fun to stitch.  I've ordered the frame that Paulette used.

Now just to find out if it's coming or not since the company has changed hands recently.  

This weekend I started "Manor on Peacock Hill" by Brenda Gervais, a new sampler released at the latest market.  I'm enjoying this piece, although because I didn't order the flosses for this piece from Brenda at the time I ordered the chart and linen, I had trouble finding the Valdani floss colors...so I've improvised with the help of my dear sister...who provided me with the DMC equivalents.  Thanks Cari...gotta love a wonderful sister!!!  This piece has a beautiful blue peacock in the center, along with a stately house in the background.  This is just the upper right-hand corner. 

Thanks for taking the time to check my blog...life has gotten so busy...and with the time change making it dark so early in the evening, I have to resist the temptation of a nap after work.  Before I know it, it's 10 p.m. and I've slept on the couch all evening and wasted my stitching time!!!  

I'm hoping for a long, chilly winter to spend stitching to my heart's content...however, today I have several chores to complete...like housework...but I did get a few hours of stitching in first!!  

I do have my priorities!

Flowers for Hannah...

Back to stitching...I've been working on Hannah Cornaby again (aka Jane Atkinson) from The Scarlet Letter.  I've stitched quite a few flowers since getting her out again and I am loving it.  Love the colors and how they pop off the linen.  I am using the called-for AVAS silks on 40 ct linen, forgot the name of it, but could most likely be Vintage Light Examplar from Lakeside.  Here's the verse I'm contemplating using, coming from Hannah's own pen, of course:  

The prayer is breathed, that on each path

Truths own pure light may shine, 

Brightening the sombre hues of earth

With radiance divine. 

Onward and upward, clear and bright, 

May it direct our course

Back to the fountain head of light, 

Its own eternal source. 

Or...I could use this one...

I scarcely dare to think that God

Would give to one so small,

Aught that could cheer another on, 

Or help His cause at all.

But oh!  I prize above all else, 

The power to chase away

Sorrow or pain from those I meet

While trav'ling lifes highway. 

These poems were taken from her autobiography originally published in 1881.

I'm leaning towards the first one...what do you think?  I have plenty of time to think about them.  I'm having a stitch friend chart the words for me so that makes me really happy that I don't have to do that myself!  

Last year my brother and I had the opportunity to submit Hannah's life story to Deseret Book Company for inclusion in their series Women of Faith in the Latter Days, volume two, 1821-1845.  Her story was accepted and I was honored to write her biographical sketch.  The book was released last November and it was so exciting to see her name among other lovely women with Mormon pioneer heritage. 

Well...that's about it for now...wondering if I'll wait another 6 months before updating??  Maybe...maybe not.  In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer...I'm just about done with 100+ temperatures here in Utah this year...ready for some cooling down...how about you?  

Don't faint...

Yes...I'm updating my blog...what a concept! I guess I've play hooky long enough. Life has just been busy, and really, I think I've nothing to say at times. Stitching has definitely taken a back seat (like I knew it would) when I enrolled in school and took on new employment! That being said, I do have a tad bit of stitching to show. Over the past 5 months I haven't stitched much, but I did attend the Merry Cox Weekend at The Attic last November. I didn't get much prestitching done, but no matter, I did use my time wisely in Mesa and did some of the finish work on the two classes I took. It was really wonderful to meet lots of friends there and put faces with names of fellow stitchers I have known for a long, long time! I took "so dear to thy heart" and "Palais Royale" which were so very much fun. Merry, as always, was a fabulous teacher, and even though she has health challenges, she was at her best and I enjoyed every minute of her classes. Jean Lea, as always, was a fabulous hostess! Here are a just a few of the pictures I took:

My inside of box, Palais Royale

Merry's Palais Royale

Merry's "so dear to thy heart"

Fabulous Jean, announcing that our lunch was ready. 

I'm really glad I had the opportunity to attend!  

Wayne drove me down to Mesa in my new car, Ms. Scarlet.  

What a fun car she is...

Next up, I've been working on my Scarlet Letter piece that I started last year, Jane Atkinson, aka Hannah Cornaby.  Here is my progress as of last night...I think she's going to take me a while, but I've loved every minute of stitching her.  I absolutely love the colors in this piece!  

Jane Atkinson/Hannah Cornaby stitched on 40 ct Vintage Light Examplar with Aver a Soie silks

 

 

Lastly, I loved this saying yesterday when I was out shopping, 

so I bought the piece to hang somewhere in my house...

we all should be a little kinder to ourselves during this new year!

Hopefully I won't wait so long to blog next time...