Ann Raynor - 1839

I'm late on last week's post and early on this week's post.  So, I'm consolidating them together.
Ann is still moving along.   I keep stitching and stitching and stitching some more and am no closer to seeing the end in sight.  At times, I look at it and feel I haven't made any progress, but I know that I have.

The lady and man, still remain headless, only because they are one thread over one thread.  I have been doing some of the stitching on the women's arm, but have been skipping around on stitching ALOT!  When I get tired of working on one color or on one particular area I skip to someplace else.
I guess that's the beauty of stitching samplers.  But the house!   UGH!  It seems to be never ending!  I don't know how my sister does it, since her sampler of choice, usually contain some sort of house!

Here are some pictures I took last week, which had I been a good blogger, would have been included in that post.

I am happy to report that my kit that I requested for Christmas from European Reproductions finally arrived.  Well over a month, it took to arrive here safely in Manassas.  The picture on the chart
(as chart pictures often do!) does not reflect the beauty of this sampler.   However, I hope you can see by the thread colors, what a beauty it will be, when I finally get around to this in my stash!

Made some cookies this week, cleaned a few bathroom, and as always, the never ending laundry, that even when it's now only two people is needed to be done quite often!

After searching for months, I finally got my grandfather clock that I have been searching for.  Very happy with my choice!  It's a Ridgeway, originally made in Va., but now made side by side, by Howard Miller Co. of  Michigan.  So.....I have both states that have become home to me.  It's not very tall, but that's okay.  The case was in really good condition, and the chimes is very soothing, and it keeps really great time.  The man, who sold us the clock, told us it was made in 1972, the year I graduated from high school.  Guess it was meant to be.  Not sure what the next thing I will be on the look out for! 

Now I can get rid of the hall tree that I have had for many years, that have become a convenient dumping ground.  Drives me nuts, especially since the hall closet is almost directly across from it.
Not sure, whether to donate it, junk it, or try to sell it.  You know what they say about someone's junk is another person's treasure!

Well, that's bout all this week.  Messed up about the Phil Vassar concert!  It's actually tonight, and we are leaving the house at 5:30 to make sure we get there, find a place to park and get situated!  Can't wait for him to sing Amazing Grace.  Not the church song! 

Until next week!  A very happy productive stitching to one and all!

Ann Rayner - 1839

Another update on the lovely Ann.  I could have posted last night and for some reason, just got side-tracked. 

Was so happy to have the second 1/3rd finished, so that I could move my scroll rods up.  Always makes me feel like I'm making huge progress, if I get to move the scroll rods.

Soon, I will be working on the whole farm, sheep scene at the bottom of the chart.  The thing that really drew me to this chart, when I saw it displayed at the Woodlawn Embroidery Show, many years ago.

I did a bit of going back on my blog, and discovered I only purchased Ann in 2014.  As a final reprint from Threads through Times before she closed her door to cross stitch charts.  So....very lucky considering this chart has been around since 1990.

Today, I had to ask for a refund from European Reproductions, for a kit, my husband ordered for me for Christmas.  Sadly, it has never arrived.  So....asked Paypal for a refund, and will now have to reorder, from Sabine, and hope I have better luck on the second order.

Speaking of ordering, over Christmas, I ordered what I thought to be 2 of those bathroom scrubber things they show on TV.  One for the rest of the bathrooms, and one for exclusive use by my mother for her bathroom.  I haven't a clue, how it happened, or exactly what I did wrong, but somehow I ended up with FIVE of these things.  After talking to customer service, they said, I could send them back.  Big FAT lie.  Only if I was willing to pay the $45.00 to mail them back.  So...my kids all get a bathroom scrubber, whether they want one, need one.

I got to see my daughter this weekend.  She surprised us by showing up late Friday nite, with her idiot dog Dopey.  Not his actual name, but what I call him, since he's got as many brain cells as a potato.  He's a nuisance.  Chews on everything, and if he can't chew on it, then he urinates on it! 
So, you can imagine that I spent some of my day, mopping the kitchen floor.  I'm sure my two dogs are all so glad to see him leave.  He's sort of a bully to them, with my dogs being both older and smaller.  And.....the house is quieter, since Dopey is also a howler!

On the agenda this week, is more stitching, and I get to see Phil Vasser in Alexandria, Va.  Tickets my hubby bought me for my birthday.  Other than that, it's gonna be a quiet week!  So...until next week - Happy Stitching!!!!!!

Ann Rayner - 1839

Little late on posting (yet again!).  No good excuse this week.  Have been stitching my little heart out on Ann.  I really just love the colors!  At this point, I'm about a 2/3rds done.

I was able to help out another stitcher this week, as she really wanted this chart.  I was able to locate a copy at In Stitches.  I try to do this, as much as possible.  Just like when all the people were looking for the Mon Ami Pierre  Renouveau chart.  I just happened to go to In Stitches and realized they had 3 copies of the chart.  I was able to go back through my FB post and find 3 stitches that were specifically looking for this chart. 

Perhaps that makes up for the flack, that some stitchers,  feel if you have the audacity to sell your used charts, or charts that you never stitched, and were never going to stitch.  Then you were doing something really bad.  Some of the quotes were "piracy, stealing, etc." Believe me, for a long time I didn't sell my charts.  Just held onto them.  But....there comes a time, when you have quite a bit of money sitting there.  Where, if you divested yourself of these charts, you could actually buy a few newer charts, or fabrics, or threads. 

Making sure first, by checking with my husband, the patent attorney, to ensure I wasn't doing anything wrong.  I got quite the education on copyright law, and First Point of Sale Law.  I'm glad for several reasons!  I know that I am not doing anything illegal, and maybe, just maybe I help educate some other stitchers, that the Copyright police are not going to come to your door and drag you away, should you decide to sell a few charts.  Plus, what really makes me get rid of my used stash, is the women that I remember, who became cross stitch hoarders, and then passed away, leaving their families to sort through and deal with all the stuff.  In fact, my sister just sent me a whole box of Cross Stitch back issue magazines, that I can dispose of how I feel fit.  Definitely will try to sell those, and what isn't sold, will go in the recycle bin, so I can save a tree or two!
 
Am still waiting for one of my Christmas presents from European Reproductions.  My husband ordered a kit for me, and according to Sabine, it was mailed on 12/15.  So far, it's a no show.  I anxiously await the mail each day in hopes that it will have arrived.  But...if it's anything like the chart I mailed to someone in August and didn't show up until December, I may have a long wait!

All the decorations are down, and stored away for another year.  It went by so quickly.  I haven't a clue when the next time I will see one, or all my children.  They are grown and have their own lives and are just busy.  I do get a text once in awhile from one or all of them.  Lets me know they are thinking of me. 

Bout all for this week, Happy Stitching!

Ann Rayner - 1809

A very late Merry Christmas, and pretty much on time Happy New Year!

As, soon as Loara was off my scroll rods, I was already pulling the threads, prepping the fabric and getting everything ready for my first official start of 2017.

Ann Rayner - 1839, Threads Through Time, on 32 ct. Light Exampler and using DMC.  I fell in love with Ann when I saw her at the Woodlawn Embroidery Show! 

I have managed to get some stitching in between all the Christmas activities, and Holiday Meal prepping!.  Lots of wrapping.  No wonder, I haven't been able to squeeze much time to even update my blog.

I had a wonderful Christmas, with my kids.  My daughter wasn't able to be with us, due to her job as a shock/trauma nurse.  She was low man on the totem pole, and therefore had to work throughout Christmas.  My hubbie, being the great dad, brought her presents down to her on Christmas Day, and brought her food.  However, we did manage to surprise our daughter with something she wasn't expecting for Christmas.  A cork holder.  Looked at them in stores, and they were smaller and kind of pricey.  So we bought a shadow box from Michaels, drilled a hole in the top, and I ordered the motto from someone on Etsy.  Now I will admit, that we may have messed up the first one, as when my husband drilled a hole in the box, it broke the glass.  But., 2nd time was a charm, and it took over an hour to peel off the motto off the backing paper, due to the fine font.  But we were all happy with the results!

Did I get any more cross stitch for Christmas?  Of course!  My husband ordered a new chart from European Reproductions, which sadly has not arrived yet.  But it's okay, since I have plenty to stitch!
Along with a gift card from In Stitches, and.....a gift card for Michaels.  I'm a happy camper.

This week, I will start taking the candle lights out of the windows, and taking the ornaments off the tree, and it will all be over for another 11 months. 

I hope every one has a wonderful, joyous New Year, filled with plenty of love, laughter, friends and family, and of course - stitching!  Until next, week Happy Stitching.

Loara Standish Finish

Very Happy to report that I was able to finish, Loara Standish before the end of 2016.

Close up of the last several bands, and a final finish picture.