Halloween Stash & the Dallas LNS!

A quick visit to the new-to-me Dallas LNS proved very pleasant!!! I love how open and spacious the store is and how they display their special floss.  Each color for CC, GA & Weeks has it's own spot on the wall which makes choosing a color MUCH easier.  The Kreinik is either in braids on a rotating stand or in beautiful wooden drawers by shade. They are kinda low on fabric but they do have some beautiful choices I hope to explore on my next visit. And they are just getting started!

Picked up some Halloween stash - JCS Halloween edition & a small black bat needle minder! So cute.  Also got a couple threads and a Mill Hill Christmas kit.

The store was playing country music loud enough to hear it but not too too loud. Ya know? AND they had guard puppies! Who doesn't love a store with cute critters.  The Westie is the more active guard puppy... also keeping the Mom on the ball with cookie time.  The Scottie is more laid back and content to nap under a table. But, should someone walk past the store without entering, she can be called upon to bark her disappointment! It was an awesome fast trip! And it's always fun to recognize someone and be recognized in return! I fear the closeness of the location and the ease of dropping in may damage my budget.  We shall see!

Also... Tora likes to help stitch by chewing on the fabric and frame! Managed to snap this shot before she did any damage to the fabric or my calm. We talked and she laid stretched out along my legs for the rest of her shift as helper.  Progress, slowly but surely! Crazy cat...

 Now... off to pick favorites from the JCS Halloween issue & compare notes with the Stitchy Cousin!

Spring has arrived!

Ok.. I know spring officially started a while ago but at my house, spring is here when the turtles wake up.  They pay no attention to the weathermen and wake up several weeks after the last freeze.  We are supposed to have another cold spell at some point but no more freezes until winter.  Seasons in Texas don't play by any rules! 

A couple weeks ago on the way home from our favorite cafe, we passed a creek that we have come to call turtle creek.  These turtles do not hibernate and can be seen on any warm day regardless of the date.  But... we have never seen this many at once!

This morning our turtle pen was undisturbed but sometime mid-morning, Dad noticed 3 new round holes.  After we dismissed burrowing aliens, we looked for the turtles.  It could happen... you don't know! ;o)

Two were hiding under their terrace.  The terrace was a late addition to the turtle pen and was immediately their collective favorite spot.  In fact, Dad could not even finish building it without them trying to get under the nifty tin shade.  A near constant dance of removing the turtles to the far side of the pen and trying to get some work done before the speed demons came back lasted a whole afternoon! 

Perhaps because they were still waking up, but neither turtle had any curiosity about their water dish nor their food plate newly filled with their favorite food.  One brave turtle eventually made it to the fancy blue plate to dig in. What is their food of choice? Well, surprisingly it's turtle pellets -- Rep-Cal Box Turtle Food to be exact.  Something they refused to eat at their previous residence. 

The other one is not to sure yet and kept backing up to the terrace.  But the first one is enjoying his first meal of 2013.  I would be too!

This one is a bit blurry because I was zooming in... every time I walked close, they would run.  I guess they will have to get used to me all over again. Joy.

And in stitchy news... stash for the April freebie on the 123 Stitch Freebie SAL is all ready. Hope to get it started soon! 

Floss, floss & more floss!

A little over a month ago, a very kinda lady who frequents the cafe I also frequent had to give up cross stitching.  She debated for a long while on what to do with her considerable stash collected over many years.  Finally she asked a crafty chick who works there if she knew anyone who cross stitched.... my name came up! 

It took only a long afternoon to sort the magazines and charts.

Next came the floss... a huge fabric bag full of little baggies of floss. This small bit is the next part I'm working on. (Yes.. I said small!)

I got some new large boxes to organize the floss and am working my way through the bag slowly but surely.  The first box is now full!

And onto the next... :o)

Market Stash!

I enjoyed looking at the Market stash online last year but didn't find too many things I *needed.* This year however, was a different story! My LNS had a Market One-Day Sale today and I had a TON of fun looking at all their loot.  For the first time in ... well... ever, I actually had to limit my purchases because there were so many items I wanted! I'm still mostly a rookie, remember. (Online, however, is a very different story!)

My NEW Stash! 

Can you tell I like Sue Hillis??? I got the first 2 of her new Dessert of the Month series.  I love how with the small squares you can complete a "month" and count it as a finish and come back to do another square later! I also got her Gingerbread Street and the Patriotic & Snowflake Santas from her annual Santa series. Also included was Ravenmoon Hall from Praiseworthy Stitches.  Every time I look at this one, I see something new. It's my favorite of the Manor House series, at least for now!


I should not look at the fabric section but I was walking by the table and it'd be rude not to check it out a little! I'm a sucker for the cheap little packets of fabric so I got small cuts of White Opalescent Cashel, Grey/Straw Gingham, and New Port Natural/Cream (the larger square piece) all in 28ct.  There were more packets of PTP Solar - I adore that fabric but my willpower won and I let them keep it for now!.  The floss is new from Weeks Dye Works called Tatanka and is a rich dark brown with very little variation.  I was looking for a good brown with some variation and came up empty so this one was too pretty to pass up.

And for my aunt who loves the Santa series from Sue Hillis... She now has all the ones she wants from this series and is done collecting them until #9 comes out!

I think my first Market sale was a complete success and I hope my LNS is still operating and goes to the Nashville Market again next year!!!