Summary of completed projects from the weekend

The weekend was a very nice and productive weekend! On the "year-end-projects" for school side of things: "light at the end of the tunnel" is shinning bright for Robert (older son, 7th grade). Over the weekend he completed 3 projects, which only live one on his "to do" list - which doesn't look like it will involve DH or my assistance (YAHOO!).

On the "stitching" side of things (my favorite part): as posted on Saturday, I finished my PS exchange. I downloaded the photos I took of it, which I will save & post after I hear that the recipient received it. Saturday, I made it to the UPS Store in order to get it in the "airmail" so that it will cross the ocean safely in hopes to be there 7-10 business days (so hopefully around June 12 or 15 the PS exchange will arrive at its new home). Being that this was my first exchange and my first finish using my new sewing machine, I am very happy with the way it turned out. And, as a requirement of all exchanges...yes, it would be something that I would be very happy to display and to have - so, I hope that my exchange partner likes it, too.
Another "happy dance" that I can report is a finished heart on Diana's Friendship Sampler RR. She included floss in the colors of her choice and had marked each with their coordinating symbol (i.e. converted the DMC chart with her color selection). The heart I chose used an overydye of a lavendar/pink combination with more pink showing. In her instructions, she requested we "do not stitch more than 5 stitches in a row...making a block design in the heart". While the color changes in the floss I used was very subtle, I could see the blocks. This design stood out more in the hearts which used an overdye with color changes that were more drastic. I enjoyed stitching on her Friendship Sampler and very happy with the way my heart turned out. In fact, Diana's sampler is really growing with hearts and love from all the hands that touched it! (You can see how her sampler is coming along and a photo of the heart I stitched...the pink is really not showing through very well as the heart has taken on a more purple tone...that is the camera's fault).




















Saturday, after the stop at the mail store, Matthew (younger son) and I drove to Hockey X which is the best and largest hockey store in the Bay Area...located in Oakland. Post season, usually means time to get new equiptment and the earlier in the spring/summer we get it the more broken in it will be before tryouts for the next season (which is mid-July to early August). The goal of this visit to the hockey store was to get Matthew a new pair of hockey skates. We hit the store on a good day because we got wonderful service, which is important when getting hockey skates because you want them to fit right. Not only do they measure your feet and then try them one (having the child walk around on their padded floor) - they "bake" the skates for 5-10 minutes in a skate oven and then put them back on the child, tying them tight so that it takes the form of the foot (especially where the ankle area is located). Since I can hear everyone gasping horror..."OMG, that child's feet are going in a hot skate" - let me put your fears to rest. The boot of the skate is warm, but it doesn't burn the child's foot. In fact, my boys enjoy this because typically they have cold feet. Without boring you any further, Matthew walked out of their with our newest investment for his hockey passion.

And...since we were already in Oakland, we drove a little further into the East bay area to my "not-so" LNS (which is more of a LNS when at the hockey store...lol). I had a list with me of the fabric and thread I needed - restart my Friendship Sampler RR (new fabric) and start a couple of L*K exchanges (the thread) - so I didn't expect to be there very long, which was good news to Matthew's ears. Needle in a Haystack does have a little corner of toys and videos for kids to entertain themselves, but I knew that he really didn't want to be there. By having a list of the colors I needed I was able to put him to work finding them (kind of like a treasure hunt for his mother). With fabric and thread in hand, we checked out and walked down the main street through the farmers market and purchased some french bread to nibble on while we drove home. It was a nice early afternoon for Matthew & I...it also gave DH and Robert a chance to get some of their work completed before we got back home.

Sunday, was the day I got Diana's RR done...also had a quiet house from 7am-2pm when all the boys were at hockey practice. Even took the opportunity to get the bathrooms cleaned. So, it is now Monday - and I start a new week as well as a new month. But I will stop here, thanking you for your visit and your patience of this long summary of my weekend accomplishments! I hope that you have a great start to your week and remember....
Live, Love, Laugh and stitch often!
Lisa