Why Does Life Keep Getting in the Way?

I guess that life just happens regardless of what we plan. 
Deb, I am very sorry I never posted your comment on my last entry. 
I had hoped to make an entry to show you what I am doing once a week.  Let's start again. 
We have had several baptisms at church during August.  There are two more on 30 August.
I was stitching one from the beginning and have it ready to back.  I am just waiting for the second one that someone else is stitching to finish  them both at the same time.
Here is the one that I stitched.

Just the other day, I received in the mail, a partially finished sampler.  It is Heirloom Wedding Sampler by Thea Dueck, Victoria Sampler. 
The owner of it is having some health and vision problems that are preventing her from finishing the stitching.  Thea suggested to her that I might be able to finish it and so I am finishing it. 
It arrived rolled on scroll bars making it not especially easy for me to show you the entire sampler.  What I have to do is finish the Hardanger section at the bottom and finish the floral heart garlands at the top and then stitch on all the pearl beads.
I have stitched this sampler twice already so I am ready to go. 
This is the first one I stitched. 

                                             This is the second one that I stitched. 

This is the one that I am going to finish.
Tonight, I am going to try to match my stitching to that of the owner by working the remaining diamond eyelets that surround the three rectangular cartouches at the top of the section. 













Now I want to tell you about Nancy's fabulous give away. 
Her threads are lovely; just take a peek.

Go to her blog to register for her give away. 


And that's all folks for this week. 

A Little Bit of Life

This week my stitching has been to make a baptismal banner from the cross stitching to the backing.  We have a baptism Sunday, 23 August and now I will back it.  When it is finished, I can begin making one for 30 August. 
The mats and frame were ready for the wedding sampler and I thought that you might like to see the fully finished sampler. 

It is time to think about my personal stitching.  It should take me a week to make the second baptismal banner. 
We had a nice time at the cottage last Saturday.  I did pick up Row by Row license plates at the quilt shop in Wahkon before we went on to the cottage.  The license plates are Fabric Fishing.  I guess that I will be making totes before I pick up my personal stitching.  It just gives me longer to mull over the decision.  And that, in itself, can be fun. 
This morning before the sun rose, as soon as I could see colors I was out in the garden.  Tuesday I got a new weigela bush for the hummingbirds and 5 new perennials for the garden.  This is the one that I got, My Monet.  The online information states that it is hardy to climate zone 5.  The garden center, a very reliable one, indicates it is hardy to zone 4.  I guess that I will have to save the receipt in case it does not make it through the winter.  I also got a gillardia; this one, Arizona Sun, a coreopsis, Sunray, and a leucanthemum, Real Charmer.  The three look very nice together and their heights should be complimentary. 
The last two perennials are a pair of campanula, White Clips and Pearl Deep Blue, just because I like these little flowers. 

I missed posting last week.  I have been busy what more can I say?  It looks like life may begin to slow down a bit for a couple weeks. 
I have more pictures of the wedding sampler for you.  Actually I finished it a week ago and went out to order its mats and frame.  You should see the whole thing; until then, this will have to do. 

This is what you saw last, two weeks ago. 

Here it is finished with the needleweaving, beads, French knots, and silk ribbon work. Quite honestly,  I can take little credit for it.  I understand the colors are perfect.  I knew from the moment I put my hand on the fabric I was channeling other energy.  The sampler has a life of its own.  Now for a little more eye candy. 

During this week,  I have been working on a banner for a baptism at church.  I thought that I was seriously over extended when I discovered that the one I am working on is due 23 August and not 16 August.  We do have two due for 9 August but I only have to back them. 

Just to make certain I am not at loose ends, I have made four tote bags, one for each of the Nelson girls.  Two were born Nelsons and two married into the Nelson family.  I used the Row by Row license plates from All in Stitches in Zumbrota, MN.  My husband's father's family farm was in Zumbrota.