Sunday, April 29, 2007

On the hunt

I decided this week that I HAVE to have the Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler. So, I have been searching all of my favorite online stores to find one and can you believe that I can't find any? Of course you do, you are all smart stitchers that bought every last copy while it was available. I do realize that they are a limited printing and once they are all sold, that is the end of the story...but I thought for sure that there would be one squirreled away in a shop somewhere.




When this came out (was it last year?), I didn't think much of it. And that is making me wonder if I shouldn't snap up the Companion piece that was released while the shops still have it. The Companion doesn't totally grab me and I wonder if it would grow on me after a while.
Anyone have any leads for me? I looked at Wyndham Needleworks, Elegant Needle, Emli's, DSL, 123Stitch, Handcrafts Online...
Peace.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Lots of Stash and a stitching question

So, I have been spoiled by Jenn recently. She sent me another package with a new book in it (which I started yesterday) and 4 Lizzie Kate charts. Thank you so much, Jenn! I have a few ideas in mind on how to repay your generosity...stay tuned.
Lizzie Kate 12 Blessings of Christmas Flip It's Charity & Joy
Lizzie Kate Flip It Bits January & February

While we were at home, I got a chance to stop by the LNS "Needle & I" in Rockford, IL.
4 My Boys A Cabin, A Moose and A Fish, Hitch Your Wagon to a Star and Comfort & Joy

And, we went to a LNS in Green Bay "The Stitching Bee" when we met Kim and her DH. Lots of LHN models on display. And, they have HOHRH on display that was done over one on 40 ct. silk gauze. This thing was incredible!!! I wish I would have taken a picture of it. I would have gone blind doing it on something that small. Bent Creek Zipper Kit Sand Man
JCS Magazine
LHN Home of a Needleworker
4 My Boys Cluck & Doodle, Americana Blooms, and My Very Bestest Friend

Since I have new stash to put away, I have been trying to organize. I bought more page protectors while at home and have been putting things away.

This has led me to the realization that I have TONS of freebie charts. More than I will ever stitch even if I live to be 762 years old. Then I had an idea...anyone interested in a freebie pass-along? The idea is that I will gather all the freebies that I will never stitch or I have duplicates of (how did that happen?) and send them to one stitcher that wants them. Then that person can go through them, take what they want (or make copies), and add any that they no longer want and pass the packet along to another person...and it would keep going. Any takers? I just hate to see these go into the recycling bin.
Also, I have 2 of these:

Prairie Schooler Christmas Village, book 79 OOP. One recently sold on Ebay for $20 without shipping. Anyone interested in it for $20 including shipping?

My email address is mhighfill@gmail.com if you are interested in the PS book or the freebie pass-along.

Peace.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Miss me?

We went home (Rockford, IL) for a 3 week vacation, and got back last week. Crazy how we can leave Chicago at ugly 30 AM on Monday and not arrive in Saipan until almost 9 PM on Wednesday. I will forever miss Tuesday April 10, darned International Dateline.









One purpose of the trip was to have Connor baptized. Two of my cousins also had babies, one before Connor was born and one after, so we had all three baptized at the same time in our family's church. The babies were angels through the whole baptism, church service and communion.










We got a chance to spend lots of time with Mom. You may recall that her breast cancer has metastasized and is in her spine. Well, it is in lots of other bones as well. She started going to the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Zion, IL right before Christmas and they have truly worked a miracle. They put her on a regimen of heavy duty drugs, including one called "Xeloda", and she is doing great. We went with her for a treatment and let me just say that if I ever have cancer, this is where I want to be treated. Wow. Treatment like that doesn't come cheap though. Her medicine for 3 weeks is around $1400 and each treatment at the center is almost $33,000 according to Mom.

We took lots of day trips.



Went to Green Bay to meet up with a blogging friend, Kim. Kim & her DH Brian were on their way home from a weekend wedding and Lambeau Field made a great meeting point. Kim & Brian were just exactly like I had pictured them, they are such a nice couple. I am so glad to have finally met them in person! We had lunch at Curly's Pub inside of Lambeau and then took pictures outside of Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau's statues. Then Kim dragged took me to The Stitching Bee in Green Bay. Cute as a button little shop. It is so nice to see models stitched and finished, really inspires a stitcher. I didn't do much damage...mostly hit the sale bin. I will post a picture of my stash acquisition later.






We then went to Sturgeon Bay, WI. Door County. We are hoping that we will be moving there next summer when it is time for us to rotate. *fingers crossed* While there, we went to a winery for a wine tasting and tour. I highly recommend the "Hallowine". If you like apple pie and wine, you will love this. It is served warm. Yum! We also went to a Maritime Museum...it was nice, but sucked that they didn't give a Coast Guard discount. Sturgeon Bay is really nice and I am trying to not get my hopes up too much.

We also took a day trip to the Museum of Science & Industry with my Dad K and my little brother. DH had never been there before. We whizzed through there in record time. It is the kind of place where you either spend a few days and see everything or you whiz through and skip lots. Looks like we will have to go back again sometime. We also went to a hoity toity tapas bar downtown, Quartino's. It isn't everyday that you have a bathroom attendant with a full supply of perfumes, hairspray, gum, mints, etc. at your disposal. But they were lacking a baby changing station. I am going to go out on a limb and guess that they don't get many families with small babies.



We took a day trip to Monroe, WI to get Landjaegers and cheese. Went to an awesome market, Brennan's. Will go back there for sure. Brought some strawberry rhubarb jam and natural peanut butter with Wisconsin honey and chocolate bits in it home to Saipan from Brennan's.

(Connor- I see you trying to throw out the gang sign there... I prolly ruined your cred' by putting your burp rag over your head, making you look like a Babushka. Sorry.)


The last day trip that we did was to Galena, IL. General Grant's house is in Galena. If I could chose one place to live in the States, it would be a toss up between South Louisiana and Galena. I think that Galena would win though just because it snows regularly there in the winter. We hit the candy shop, the popcorn shop, another winery, the canning company (got some awesome corn relish), and a bunch of the little artsy fartsy places.




We stayed with my BFF Stels (the popularity queen) and her DH in their new house. I miss them already. They rock as hosts. While there, Connor got some serious bonding time with Maisie, their Guinea Pig. aka "Piggers".




I also got a chance to snap a photo of a little stitchy present that I made for them last year. I sent it to them unframed and the framer that Stels took it to did an awesome job on it. Cost a fortune, I am sure. It is Bent Creek's "I Do" stitched on 28 count evenweave with DMC threads. I think that I substituted the colors for the rings though. It is stitched over one. The soda can is for reference.



Yeah, I also fell in love with a new soda, "Cheerwine". It tastes like cherries. I about fell over when the store had 12 packs of 7-up products on sale for $2.48 a 12 pack. We pay like 3 times that amount here in Saipan. Or, if you are really splurging, you could always go to Costco and buy a case of Coke in the bottle for $25 like my DH did. Silly guy.




Connor raises his head off of the bed while laying on his tummy now and he holds his head pretty steady while he is being held. He is back to sleeping for a good 7 to 8 hour stretch at night again. He will be 14 weeks tomorrow. Wow.


Peace.