A Blanket, a Cross Stitch Start, & a Couple Birds

I decided it's about time for me to share a photo of my crocheted blanket progress which I've promised to do a time or two recently.  These photos aren't great.  Maybe I need a new camera?  Please try to ignore any mess that is so obviously apparent.

As you can see, I have quite a ways to go yet.  I thought I was about at the half way point, but not quite.  I haven't really been doing much in the way of crochet this past week thanks to the miserable temperatures we've been having.  It's been in the 80s already!  BLAH! 

   

Since crocheting has been out, I decided to begin a new cross stitch project.  I did finish the one I was working on last week, but I can't show it to you since it's a gift, & the person it's for will undoubtedly see it posted here & immediately know it's for her, & it's a surprise, & well, there you have it.  I can, however, show you my new start which is Plum Street Sampler's Christmas Tea.  I've been wanting to stitch this for a long time. Although I've stitched various things on osnaburg many, many times, I have never stitched anything on 40 count linen.  I am enjoying it very much although it would not be possible without the aid of my Daylight magnifying lamp!  This is also the first time I've ever used silk threads.  I am liking them so far.  The colors in my photo are showing very strangely.  The linen is the suggested Vintage River Willow which is kind of a mottled green.  I'm looking at the photo now & the linen is showing up like kind of a blah gray.   

My photo is not the only color discrepancy that is puzzling me.  There is quite a difference between the suggested silk thread colors & suggested linen color per the designer, & what shows in her model photo. The model appears to have a very light blue background, dark blue lettering, & a dark blue bird on the left side with a red bird on the right.  It is beautifully showcased in a navy blue frame.  However, following the designer's recommendations, I've got a mottled green background with black lettering & a black bird on the left side.  I think the answer is obvious ... designers (some, not all) like to play with our minds.

Despite the sadistic bent of some cross stitch designers, I recently ordered a bit of stash from 123 Stitch.  Prairie Schooler came out with a few new nursery rhyme leaflets.  I love nursery rhyme anything.  I also got their Cranberry Christmas leaflet.  I was very happy to see the last 2 parts of the Cherished Stitches Feathered Friends series finally available ... November & December. My goal is to stitch all 12 of these & display them in a nice basket.  I have been able to find all the 35 count suggested fabrics I'll need for 11 of the designs.  The fabric suggested for the December chart is 36 count Lakeside Sea Storm.  I have not been able to locate it anywhere.  Does anyone know where I can find this?

An odd bird came into our yard recently. I've also heard an unusual, but very pretty, bird song.  I had no idea what I was hearing or seeing, but this is it ... a Western Meadowlark.

It is quite striking!  I also got this nice photo of one of the downy woodpeckers that come to visit us.  This is Roberta Downy.  Her husband, Robert Downey (get it? ... tee-hee-hee!) enjoy our feeders & cakes.  

We have a red-bellied woodpecker that comes to see us a few times a week but I haven't been able to get a picture of him yet. We named him Gregory.  Gregory Pecker   : ) The only kind of pecker we haven't seen around here is a pilated woodpecker.  We enjoyed watching them when we lived in Tennessee though.  They are huge!

I came across some interesting info online yesterday to back up my opinion of the devil's playground ... the results of a survey conducted to rank states on the basis of the happiest ones in which to live on down to the saddest ones.  Hawaii is #1.  I can sort of understand that.  Quite possibly my favorite state, Montana, came in at #7.  Want to know where Kentucky came in?  I'll bet you think I'm going to say #50.  Well, no ... Kentucky is #49.  It's hard for me to believe there's a state sadder than this one, but there is.  It's West Virginia, #50.

Happy weekend to all of you!