Stitching the Straight and Narrow

Happy Monday!  Who doesn't love a 3-day weekend? 

Let me start be saying I'm so happy to have several new followers lately, I can't tell you just how tickled I am about that . Welcome!! 

As for me, I've taken my 2 year, New Year's resolution and stuck to the plan.  That means focused concentration strictly on Ann Grimshaw, nearly to the point of obsession.  Why is it on these big girl projects that the closer you get to the ultimate finish, the slower the progress seems to be?  I could swear I've stitched a million miles and at least that many alphabets on her the past two weeks. But when I look at the picture on the chart and try to estimate how much more there still is to go, it feels like I'll be working on this behemoth for another hundred years.  Sort of like by the time she's done, this Ann will also will be an antique sampler?

I had the notion that this bottom alphabet would go quickly because it just wasn't very large.  What was I thinking?  Yes, there wasn't as much stitching in it, but for that very reason, it also didn't take up much real estate on the linen.  Turns out, eating up the space is what it's all about for me at this point.

See what I mean? That larger lower case alphabet that's now underway actually seems easier and less cramped to work on,.probably because it consumes more of the linen surface area.

Fortunately, these two little beauties were straightforward and quick,  More importantly they are the last two motifs on the left side.  A milestone of sorts!

 

So I hope you all will hang in there with me as I keep slogging away at Ann.  I would dearly love to have her finished by the end of February.  Maybe I'll do a giveaway as the grand finale approaches?

I forgot to mention a little something about this a few posts back.  I bought a little gifty for myself - Scarlet Letter's "The Knox Family Sampler".  Merry Christmas to me!

 
 
I've wanted to do a Scottish sampler for a long time now, and the houses and barns are enticing. Also, since I grew up an Knox County Illinois and graduated from Know College, the name itself has a strong connection for me.  So while I've sworn to stitch the straight and narrow path until all three of my endless big girls are completely on their own, having this one next in the queue seems like extra motivation for showing them the door. 

So I'll stop here and head back to more time on the endless Ann Grimshaw,  Will have to remember to come up for air from time to time.  Thanks for stopping by!

I Mean It This Time!

Happy New Year to you!  I think the moment I became an official southern girl was the first New Year's Day that Jim and I actually cooked up a batch of Hoppin' John and collard greens with corn bread.  Where we grew up in the frozen north, these dishes were unheard of, much less served on New Year's with as much tradition as turkey and mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving.  Well, time changes all and now here I am to show you what was our good luck dinner on the first night of the new year..

What fun it's been to see all the "year in review" and "stitching plans for the new year" posts popping up this week!  All of you have done some very impressive stitching last year.  I was thinking I would do something of the same, but it seemed difficult to begin without looking back to last year's new year's post as a starting point  Imagine my horror to see that I started off 2013's stitching with the exact same goals I still have for this year; that is to

1. Finish Ann Grimshaw
2. Finish Frances Eden; and
3. Finish Hannah Pepper 

No new starts, no ambitious undertakings, or even major purchases mentioned, just to get 'er done on these three loiterers.  So how can it be that here it is a full year later and I've got the exact some agenda? Surely I got something accomplished?!

But then I remembered....I did have some side trips this past year.  Like to the Hemingway House in Key West:

...and that little excursion around the Gulf of Mexico on the Atoche.
.

Oh yes,this little piece took a short jaunt to North Carolina for a visit with our friend Faye.

 

Shall I even bother to mention those lost weekends spent dallying with some fruits?

 

So strictly for the record, let me repeat that I only have 3 big stitching goals for 2014. and they are to:

1. Finish Ann Grimshaw.  I spent New Year's Eve with this wench. repeating the alphabet over and over again.

 

 

2 Finish Frances Eden.  This poor girl has waited long enough. It's time for her to earn some respect.

 

 



 

And last, but certainly not least is goal 3 - to finish Hannah Pepper.  This school girl has played hooky from my line up for far too long.  As soon as things got tough with those tiny little mid piece over one motifs, she skipped town and hasn't been seen since.  Well, she's going to get finished this year - I mean it!

 

So there you have my stitching goals for the upcoming year - short and sweet.  I swear on a stack of Bibles that they'll be finished by this time next year or I'll have died with a needle in my hand trying. No distractions, no Scarlet Letter challenges, no Praire Schooler Santas, certainly no spur of the moment wild hair ideas for new projects will steer me off course.  Please dear friends, hold me to this resolve, no matter how much ranting and whining you may hear from me!

On that note I'm off to disassemble my Christmas tree and buckle down to work.  Here's wishing all the very best in the bright new year!