Give Thanks

I took a break from the blog last week to enjoy a fun weekend with my son and daughter-in-law. Anna and I attended a class at our favorite store, Cudos, to learn a little more about creating holiday tablescapes and decorating mantles for Christmas. We have taken a similar class in the past but it is always fun to watch the professionals work their magic. It was a fun morning followed by an eagerly anticipated afternoon at the movies to see Skyfall, the new James Bond movie. It was excellent and I highly recommend it to you. I may have to make another trip to the theater to see it again - it's that good!

On the needlepoint front, my Give Thanks canvas is coming to a close. I started the beading this week as I wait for an additional thread from Amy to finish up the last stripe.  I love the beads that Amy Bunger chose for this canvas.  They are from Sundance - #462D - and are a fabulous mix of copper, gold, rust, teal, and sometime a flash of purple.

 These &More designs are such gratifying pieces to work on. I have three more in the stash just waiting their turn- Sweet Dreams, Laugh, and Believe. You must visit my stitching friend Linda's blog where you can see her big finish on her &More Friends canvas. The stitch guide she used is by Amy Bunger. Linda's stitching is perfection - check out all of those incredible roses!

My little finish for the week is the Kelly Clark ornament in her Heritage series. This is the March Aquamarine ornament. I have a few more canvases of this series in the stash as well. I've stitched the April, July, and August ornaments and look forward to adding this one to next year's Christmas tree. Kelly's new Heritage series is calling my name and I may have to give in and sign up for the club that A Stitch in Time is offering for these ornaments.

This week I finally received two projects that I had ordered in early October. The Patchwork of Peace book and canvas (unpainted) arrived from In Stitches and the Broom Parking canvas, stitch guide, and threads arrived from Quail Run. Broom Parking may move to the stash. I may go ahead and mount the blank canvas for Patchwork on the stretcher bars and get started on the flag. This will be a long term project that you will see from time to time but not a project that I will work on exclusively.

Well, it's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is this week! I think my &More canvas says it all - Give Thanks. I am thankful for all of you that read the blog each week and leave such kind and encouraging comments here at the blog and on Facebook. Although I only know the majority of you through the blog and not in person, I'm glad we have this shared passion for our needlework. In this busy week of traveling, cooking, and visiting with family and friends, I hope you find a few precious minutes to pick up your needle and thread and add a few stitches to a favorite canvas!

Wishing you the best Thanksgiving ever!

It has been a quiet week on the stitching front. I could basically show you the same photos from last week as there is little progress in the last few days on any of my projects. So, I'll wait until next week to show you the works in progress and maybe have more for you to see.  Hope you will enjoy looking at my "turpunpkin" header photo during the month of November!

A box from Amy's arrived this week which is always a highlight of any week! Inside was this project from Labors of Love -

I have never stitched one of their birds before but I am so looking forward to stitching this eagle! Amy has written another wonderful stitch guide that certainly does justice to this majestic bird. If you have followed the blog over the last year or so you know that I have faithfully watched (via live nest cams) a couple of eagle nests - one in Norfolk, Virginia and one in Decorah, Iowa. Sadly, the "powers that be" in Norfolk decided a few weeks ago that the eagle nest at the Norfolk Botanic Gardens posed a threat to air traffic at the nearby airport and the nest was torn down. The pair of eagles that would have nested there will be "encouraged" to nest elsewhere. What form that "encouragement" takes has yet to be seen but could involve fireworks and paintball guns. It has been a very emotional few weeks for the followers of the Norfolk nest.

With the loss of the Norfolk nest, I knew I could always watch the eagle nest in Decorah, Iowa. The pair of eagles there have been followed via nest cams for quite a few years. This year new cameras were added giving better views of the nest during the day and at night. The male eagle has already been seen bringing in dried cornstalks to the nest. He does this each year and it is something that only he does. Guess he has a thing for dried cornstalks! But, wouldn't you know it, the day after the cameras went live for this season, the eagle pair decided to start building a new nest in another tree! While the new nest is just down the road from the old nest, the folks at Raptor Resource Project (who manage the cameras) have decided not to move the cameras to the new nest and disturb the nest building that is already happening at the new site.

I will really miss watching the eagles this winter and spring! I've got to investigate some other possibilities for camera viewing. If I find anything, I'll let you know. But, until then my only eagle watching will involve my Labors of Love eagle canvas!

When I ordered the eagle canvas, Jill Wilensky at Amy's said, "I can't believe it took you so long to order this canvas!" I have to mention Jill in this post because we found out through Amy's newsletter this week that she has been offered one of those jobs that just drop into your lap and cannot be turned down. I had a chance to speak to her on Friday and could just hear in her voice what a gut-wrenching decision it has been for her to leave Amy's. As hard as it is to say "until the next time" (we agreed not to say goodbye), we can all understand with today's uncertain economy that with one child in college and another soon to be college-bound that sometimes you just have to do what is ultimately best for you and your family. As sad as I feel about Jill leaving, it must certainly pale in comparison to what Jill and Amy must feel. Jill promises to help out on Saturdays when she can and to help with the Home Study projects. So, maybe we will still get to see those handwritten notes from Jill on some of our future orders that always add that special touch. The company that Jill is going to work for is so fortunate to have her and they were wise to choose her. Jill, I will miss you but I wish you much success and happiness in your new journey and I know that our love of needlepoint will always keep us in touch with each other!

Have a great week ahead and don't forget to VOTE!