I'm Still Stitching...

just not as much because I've been working outside. We have so many bushes and trees, it's difficult to get around to them all, plus plant flowers, and it has been so unGodly hot! Today was the first day in awhile that it was not terribly uncomfortable.

I'm still trying to get caught up to date on my SAL's, although I have no pictures of my progress since last time - not yet anyway, except for the Tree of Stitches:

This is through part 8, and number 11 was just released, so I've still got a bit of catching up to do I also joined an off-shoot of the Tree of Stitches SAL group, The Stitch Specialist Yahoo group, on which several girls were discussing Chatelaines, so Abi, the designer on the group, started TSSChatelaineSAL Yahoo Group. I joined because I have Mystery II, Convent's Herbal Garden, purchased from European Cross Stitch, probably 5-6 years ago and have never started it! This new group has quite a few seasoned Chatelaine stitchers in it, ready to help if I run into snags. I won't be starting it for some time yet. Several of the gitls are joining the Yahoo class for the new Chat, Herbularious. Personally, I don't care mush for it. I see others I like much better, and mine is my all-time fave.

An old friend of mine, Vikki Gable, is busy these days making fobs and stitch counters for an exhibit with Vikki Clayton, who makes the wonderful hand-dyed silks many know & love. Vikki Gable offered to make owl fobs for those participating in the Owl SAL of Oakhaven Designs Yahoo Group and had them pictured on her blog with the price list, along with the other things she was making. I ordered a tiger's eye owl fob, a shorter blue crystals cat fob, and 2 sets of stitch counters from her, which I received today. She knows how I love her stitch counters, so she tucked in a set of her clay heart stitch counters as a surprise for an old friend. You can see them all below:

I just realized how long is has been since I last posted. Where does the time go? I totally wore myself out in the yard today and have no yearning to stitch this evening. I feel a tad guilty not stitching. I pulled out a couple of stitching stands that were in hiding in the abyss under the basement stairs and put them together to try once again doing two-handed stitching. I still find it awkward, but I'm really wanting to give it a good try this time. We'll see...