August 28, 2013

Stitching My Way Home...

 I've been working on "Sunny Days" at random moments in the Flying Cloud. I
don't start until after we've "dropped the hook" for the day and we've eaten dinner.
 I traced the pattern using my Frixion™ pen this time. (It will disappear when
I iron the back of the finished pieces.) The tracing was all finished on Tuesday
evening, and then I started stitching after that. I'm further on the piece now, but
this is to show you my progress from Tuesday evening. It really trips right along!
 I basted the fabric a little crooked onto the scroll frame, but I do put tension
against the fabric when I stitch, so the design isn't stitched "puckered". It
really will lie flat when it's off the frame. (You'll see when I'm all finished.)

You may notice that I roll my fabric onto the scroll frame with the back of 
my fabric facing out on the rollers. The needlework sits inside the frame.
There's a reason for this that I'd like to share with you. If you're a seasoned
needleworker, you probably already know this, but just in case...

When you roll your fabric onto the frame (or into a hoop) with the back of 
the fabric to the outside - you'll always be handling the back of the fabric. 
This will keep your work cleaner on the front. I never eat snacks when I'm 
stitching, but believe me, when I had my shop, I saw more than a few dirty pieces
of needlework come through the doors! This is an easy way to keep things clean.

I also wash my hands first whenever I plan to sit and stitch, and because I hoop
this way, I'm always handling the back of the needlework, rather than the front.
 If you haven't tried it before, perhaps you'll give it a go.
"Here endeth the lesson. "
(hee hee)

We'll be pulling into our yard later today, and we're ready to be back home.
Tag has had enough of riding in the car, Handsome's sick of driving, and I
can't wait to get back into my studio (after we unload the Cloud, of course)!

 I love traveling, but it's always good to be back home again.
DonnaAcornSignature

August 27, 2013

Sunny Days...

 One more set of family photos to add to our Wisconsin travel album for this
year! I can't forget to share these sweet faces with you...my great-nephews,
Preston and Dean.
l-r: Dan's lady, Amanda, Preston, Dean and Daniel
 They're my nephew, Daniel's, two boys and they're completely adorable!
And, in typical boy fashion, they are two live wires. Just look at those faces.

We visited for a while in the Flying Cloud, and then Daddy and Amanda
took them up to the bounce pillow in our campground for a spot of jumping.
I have lots of photos of them playing to edit, but suffice it to say there was a lot
of giggling, falling down and popping up in the air whenever Daddy bounced!
 I asked Handsome to take one more photo of all of us together so that
I'd be able to add it to our travel album. I create an iBook every year 
after we return home from our travels. This year, it will hold faces of
people more than places, but I think that's the best part of our trips...
to fondly remember all the beautiful hearts we were able to see each year.
 The next project I'll be working on will also serve to remind
me of all the wonderful things about this past month...
"Sunny Days" from the Sweet Stitches collection. I'm smiling already!

DonnaAcornSignature

August 26, 2013

Tuesdays With Tag - It's A Wrap...

 Hi, Everybody!
Egads! It's been a crazy busy, whirlwind trip to Wisconsin this year!
Mom and I have tried to keep you up-to-date with all we've been doin',
but really, there was so much goin' on that I'm sure we've missed somethin'!
 Before we close out our travelogue this year, I have to share a couple of
pictures of our favorite grandson. He's one cool dude, and we have a 
great time together. We like a lot of the same things, even!
He likes rough-housin', and so do I!
He likes playing ball, and so do I!
He likes eating snacks, and so do I!
He likes givin' Wet Willies, and so do I!
See what I mean?
He's so much fun.
 He stayed overnight with us last weekend and we really had a fun time.
He wanted me to sleep in Dad's bed with him, but I could only stay up
there for a little while. Did you know that boys smell funny? Yup. No lie.
 I'll look back on this trip as a keeper. I got to meet lots of new people
and got to see our grandkids again. Mom, Dad and I spent a lot of quality
time in the Flying Cloud - and in my truck - as we traveled cross-country.
I'm really lookin' forward to our next outin'. I promise to tell you all about it.

As for this trip...It's a Wrap!
'til next time...
"More Waggin' and Less Barkin'!"