November 2013 – Plum Street Samplers

November 25, 2013

He’s Baaack.

Those of you who know me or have been reading my blog for a while know that I abhor board/bored games.

Mike was out of town for the past 5 days at a big board game convention, and since he's been home, he's been regaling me with stories of game play-by-plays, superior strategic moves on his part, hot-off-the-press game release news, and celebrity sightings (apparently one of the stars of Mad Men is a huge board gamer himself). In addition to this rousing entertainment, he's presented me with at least 114 photos of different board games (they all look the same to me), and begins each oral caption with the words, "Here's the basic gist of the game…"

Everyone in our family knows that when Mike starts out a sentence that way, we'd better have a comfy chair and pillow nearby.

Okay, so it's no different than when I come back from a retreat, I'll give him that. But I don't usually bring home souvenirs for him. Here's what he got me this time, and laid it sweetly on my jewelry box:

I'll be sure to wear it proudly the next time I need to attend one of his formal police department functions.

It is nice to have him home though, and I'm very happy he's got a hobby he enjoys doing so well; his board game collection is nearly as large as my cross stitch stash. I don't mind his board games laying on various table tops in the house, and he doesn't mind my stitching hanging on the walls.

And since he doesn't mind my stitching hanging up everywhere, maybe he won't mind either that I'm thinking of converting this to a cross stitch chart:

When it's finished, I will regale him with stitch-by-stitch accounts of how the piece came to life, and I'll take about 114 progress pics along the way as well. And when I hang it up, it will probably go right over my jewelry box.

November 24, 2013

Mary’s Sampler, Finale

Knock-knock.

Who's there?

Mary.

Mary who?

What do you mean, Mary who? Where have you been for the last 9 weeks?

🙂

And so we arrive at the last section of our Sunday Mystery Sampler. I hope you've enjoyed yourself, and that the pace has been manageable for you. And if not, then I do hope you're able to find some time for yourself to sit still and stitch a little on something that brings you joy… stitching is certainly a lovely therapy for this bustling season we're in, and I thank The Lord for allowing me the pleasure of it.

HERE ARE YOUR FINAL LINKS FOR MARY'S SAMPLER I:

Download Week 9 Scripture
Download SMS Week 9 PRINTOUT

AND HERE ARE YOU FINAL LINKS FOR MARY'S SAMPLER II:

Download Week 9 Scripture
Download SMS II Wk 9 PRINTOUT

ETA: On Mary's Sampler II, you'll find a misplaced symbol in the flower. Just move this symbol down one square, and you'll be all set. 🙂

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I had quite a fretful time waiting for Mary to arrive this week, as it was temporarily lost in the mail system… in the end, however, it turned up on my doorstep, and I was thrilled with what Sherri at Total Framing had done with it! I asked her to surprise me, and she chose to use this elegant gold lip (gold, a gift for the King!) surrounded by a rich, distressed wood (suggestive of the rugged cross God's Lamb would eventually face). Thank you so much, Sherri.. you have outdone yourself yet again.

And I thank you for spending your Sundays with me these past 9 weeks. This sampler "journey" has been a delight for me, and I'm so grateful to you all for your kind words and for sharing your progress with me each week. I hope you've enjoyed stitching this little sampler, and that when you look at your finished piece, you'll remember that He is the Light of the world – not just at Christmas time, but every day of the year.

May you have His joy this season.

Love, Paulette

November 20, 2013

Bean and Co.

Sabrina came home a few weeks ago and we attempted to take her picture with the pets of the house, which is no easy task. Those of you who have tried taking pictures with your pets – particularly those of the feline variety – probably know what I'm talking about.

We couldn't find Tilly-Roux anywhere in the house, which gave each of us a bit of anxiety, but we kept telling ourselves that surely she was holed up somewhere, not wanting to be disturbed.

So we forged ahead without Miss Tilly, who was probably secretly gloating that she didn't have to be a part of this nonsense…

(Is it my imagination, or are Sabrina and Effy Thimbles are starting to look alike?)

We did find Tilly eventually. She had crawled into the dresser, and I had shut the drawer on her, not knowing she was in there. It was Effy who gave us the clue, by laying on top of my dresser – which is something she never does. We were all very happy to see sweet Tilly-Roux again, but not nearly as happy as she was to see that she'd missed the photo session entirely.

November 18, 2013

An Announcement for 2014!

November 17, 2013

Mary’s Sampler, Part 8

Hello to you on this fine Sunday morning! Can you believe our last week is next week? Next week! How exciting!

HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR MARY'S SAMPLER I:

Download Week 8 Scripture
Download SMS Week 8 PRINTOUT

HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR MARY'S SAMPLER II:

Download Week 8 Scripture
Download SMS II Wk 8 PRINTOUT

ETA: There is a misplaced symbol on the flower in Mary's Sampler II. Just move the symbol down one square, and you'll be all set. 🙂

We can do this! Keep on stitching! I'm cheering for you (and me)! See you next Sunday – same time, same place. 😉

November 10, 2013

Mary’s Sampler, Part 7

Oh my, this is exciting! We're almost there…

The verse for this week really struck me. It seemed like the softest thing that God was acknowledging about Mary. It doesn't change anything about what happened before or after Christ's birth; yet, it's there, right in the middle of everything that's going on… like something The Lord paused for, just for us to know that Mary, indeed, loved her newborn baby – God's gift of Himself to the world.

HERE ARE YOUR LINKS TO PRINT OUT MARY'S SAMPLER I:

Download Week 7 Scripture
Download SMS Week 7 PRINTOUT

HERE ARE YOUR LINKS FOR MARY'S SAMPLER II:

Download Week 7 Scripture
Download SMS II Wk 7 PRINTOUT

ETA: There is a misplaced symbol on the flower of Mary's Sampler II. Just move the symbol down one square, and you'll be good to go! 😉

I'll see you next week for Part 8. We'll be in the homestretch!

November 9, 2013

Cinnamon Stars

This is releasing as soon as your shops get them! 🙂 The shops on my auto should have them on Tuesday (because Monday is a no-mail day – God bless our veterens!), and distributors will have them later in the week.

Cinnamon Stars

Stitch count: 168 x 100

Fabric used: 35 ct. Chamomile Tea by R&R Reproductions
(This fabric is a wonderful neutral color.)

Threads used:

The Gentle Art in Mulberry, Raven, Cinnamon, Brandy,
Wood Rose, Walnut, Wheat Fields, Piney Woods, Gold Leaf,Srsaparilla,
Fudge Ripple, and Wood Trail.

Weeks Dye Works in Tiger's Eye, Sage, Galvanized, Chrysanthemum,
Molasses, Copper, Straw, and Rum Raisin.

Please note:
Although I do have Weeks Dye Works listed in the color key and in the suppliers information, the
top row of the key simply says "Gentle Art." This was an oversight, and I apologize for any
confusion. However, it is clear in the key's remaining rows which brand of fibers you'll need.

All stitches are full crosses using 1 strand of cotton over 2 linen threads.

The model stitching was done by these sweet ladies: Prudence Goodspeed and Sharon Schutjer.
(Thank you so much for your speedy stitching!)

The fabulous frame was, once again, done by Sherri Berkman at Total Framing in Fairfax, Virginia.
(Sherri, you're amazing!)

As I was walking the cat yesterday in the back yard (yes, they do make fun little cat harnesses that will make you howl with laughter as your cat gets used to it), I noticed all the beautiful red and orange leaves were already blown off of our maple tree. It made me really sad that one never knows how quickly the seasons will pass, regardless of what the calendar says.

Having said that, I'm trying not to rush this season of thanksgiving… department stores are always ready to usher in the next holiday – especially Christmas! So unless you're giving stitched gifts or having an ornament-fest, settle in with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy all those scrumptious browns and golds and reds of the this glorious season. Even if your trees are already naked and freezing.

(This was our maple back in 2011, from my Focus on Today blog.)

November 7, 2013

Chucky 2.0

When I asked Sophie this year if she was going trick-or-treating, she said she wasn't, because she was 13 and none of her friends were going. Truth be told, I was relieved, because I wasn't really up for the task of making a costume.

Two days before Halloween, Sophie changed her mind. Some friends of hers were, indeed, going trick-or-treating, 13 or not, so she was joining them.

"I want to be an evil doll," she said, and rummaged through her closet for something that would work. We made a quick trip to WalMart for false eyelashes and fake blood, and this was her presentation for her door-to-door soliciting of candy that night:

The girl does love keeping in character.

Even Big Papa was no match for her focus.

So Big Papa turned his sights on other unsuspecting innocents.

Oh, but that wasn't enough for Big Papa.

I imagine the Yorkie was having a field day.

Happy belated Halloween! 🙂

November 3, 2013

Mary’s Sampler, Part 6

It's the best time of year! Halloween is past, and it's time for the real fun to begin – with lots of baking, decorating, and counting down the days to Mom's turkey and Honeybaked Ham's ham and Dad's punch and Bre's (and Josh's?) sweet company and Sabrina's snoozing-while-everyone-is-cleaning and Sophie's speedy texting and Mike's hollering at the tv because Tony Romo has made him very, very angry. I'm so excited!

Welcome back to the Sunday Mystery Sampler! Your printable links are below.