Sometimes .....

Sometimes your convictions blind you of the truth.

Spent a lot of time on an ornament. It is Chessie's Tree from the Ornament Magazine 1999. The cat looks cute - tree ok -- then I stumbled. Ended up with red beads on the ends of the tree branches. I just thought it needed more color. Stitched the year - per pattern; took it out; stitched the year again closer to the edge (this is over-one). Still didn't seem to have much charm. Got out some 902 DMC floss and stitched the long arm cross all the way around. Ta Da - what am improvement.

Started the finishing of a Shep Bush freebie pattern - I put it on Hickory Heatherfield & it is a joke to use. Think old man's winter trousers -- and somehow I thought it would be great. Looks like dirt for the garden theme poem. Everything I stitched, I changed to lighter colors. Eventually, I've got it ready for finishing. Not sure if it does the pattern justice ... I should have used a natural linen or something. This may be a learning piece nobody sees ; )

Did struggle with the cord. Used 6 skeins of floss (multiple colors) and it was too darn ugly. Went to 2 stores for more DMC & found 6 skeins of one color -- made a new cord & struggled mightily with tacking it on & burying the ends -- what a project. Now I know why my cord drill stays in the drawer...

I won a $25.00 gift card for Barnes & Noble. The librarian phoned & said my name was chosen from the Summer Reading program. I am thrilled.