And the Heat Goes On!

I love the summer but I'm really ready for this one to come to an end. The heat has just been endless lately. Has it been that way for you as well? We did have an unexpected respite last night - it rained nearby and the temperature dropped to a balmy 83 with a nice breeze about 6:30. We had enough of a breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay for awhile. I think that was the first time in weeks that I have been able to sit on the patio without being driven right back inside by heat and mosquitoes. It was wonderful!

There has been more reading done around here lately than needlepoint which is why you didn't hear from me last week. I finished several books in the last couple of weeks. I loved The Help by Kathryn Stockett and can't wait to see the movie. The book was excellent and from what I am reading about the move, it will be as well. Hope to see it this week sometime.  I also finished The Dog Who Came in from the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith. I've told you how much I love his books and this one is no exception. Can't wait for the next one in the series. Another quick read this week was Marine One (the author's name escapes me for the moment). It's a legal thriller about the deadly crash of the President's Marine One helicopter. It was one of those books that you can't put down and stay up way too late to finish it.

My stitching progress has come in fits and starts lately. I am currently working on the July (Ruby) ornament in Kelly Clark's Heritage Ornament series. The other two ornaments were very quick stitches but this one has taken more time than I had expected. I have to say that I did not enjoy any of the red lattice background stitches on this piece. It was nothing but compensation the entire time and it took most of the week to finish the background. I'm ready to start the gold stem stitches for the vines and the french knots for the tips.

Despite my feelings about the tedious background, this will be a beautiful ornament when finished and worth the effort on the background. Isn't that always the case?

I'm also still working on Laura J. Perin's Garden Gate project. I've completed the fence and brick walkway portion of the design. The missing fence areas are left open so that the area can be filled with all of the flowers that Laura has planned for us. We won't have to be stitching over already stitched areas of the canvas. This morning I began work on the grass while watching Yard Crashers on HGTV. Appropriate TV for this project, don't you think? I would love to have Ahmed crash my back yard and work his magic. Maybe I need to hang out at Home Depot more often!

Laura has created a lovely summer project in Garden Gate. Her instructions, graphs, and photos are excellent. This has been a fun change of pace from painted canvas.

I was looking through the canvas stash the other evening and pulled out the "BOO" canvas from &More and its stitch guide and threads and the Witches Hat Apple by Kelly Clark. I think those two are next in line once I have finished the Ruby ornament.

Hope your stitching is progressing more quickly than mine these days! Have a wonderful week!