Fall Snaps and PS Round 4 Arrives

GR&DF here we are on Turkey Day Eve - gobble gobble - and are we or should I say am I ready....? Well, sort of - I started cooking last night, roasting off the yams, making cranberry sauce and cutting up the sour dough bread for the dressing. Tonight will be a bit more and tomorrow T-Day will be a big push to dinner at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Isn't it odd how we keep the traditions we grow up with. No other meal all year long, excepting for Christmas Dinner and Thanksgiving, are were served in the afternoon. For some reason these two meals where and I just keep repeating what I grew up with. I am trotting over to the farmers market at lunch to get some last minuet fresh veggies I will need - and to resupply my kettle korn bag - its running low.

Yesterday on the way home we ran over to Japan Town and I almost didn't bring my camera from the car - if you can believe that!! I am glad I did as there was some leaf colour in the gardens out front. We don't get much color here in the city due to the Mediterranean climate but this was especially fallish....

You wouldn't even know you were in SF looking at this - Here are some other Fall snaps that were inside the mall area -



Behind glass and inside make for not the best photos but these were lovely arrangements and the snaps are pretty. We went so that Rico could pick up some back massage stick things for a work colleague and I needed (notice how I used that word) to get some more incense. I wanted something to evoke the fall or wintertime and found some sandalwood/clove/spicy stuff that is very nice!!

Asakichi is just a hole in the wall little place but it is packed with some of the most delicious smelling stuff and I keep going back for more.

I saw on the PS Year Long Exchange Blog that the piece I made for Gwen had arrived. Here is a snap -

It is PS #25 - Up on the House Top - stitched on 32ct Vintage Sand Dune using the recommended DMC Floss. I love PS and thought this was really cute - and Gwen likes the piece so all is well!!

There you go sports fans!! Thank you for stopping by and for you kind comments!! Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!! I will be back on Monday.

Take care,
edgar

Round 4 PS Exchange Arrives and Soup's On

GR&DF how wonderful and warm are your comments!! Thank you so much!!! I do appreciate them - I need to say that right after I posted yesterdays Blog I got a call from the Rico-nator about the snap - but he got over it!! I did get a couple of questions in the comments..... Missy Ann asked about snoring and in my house, from what I have been told, I am the loudest snorer..... but I wonder if that is true as I don't hear it!! Marjorie asked about seeing Christmas Carol - I haven't yet but it is in the works to get out and see it. Anna V-S commented on the darker silk dots on the words in "Ellen Birdseye" - that is also what attracted me to the piece as I like that little details in the letters - that particular brown silk is HDF Kodiak Bear 5137.

Yesterday the mail brought my Round 4 Exchange for the Year Long Prairie Schooler Exchange. It was sent by Andrea and is just a wonderful piece. Here is a snap -

She made me a Mattress Pyn Cushion. The chart is PS Book 91 - Summer/Winter - "December." It is beautifully stitched and finished. Along the sides the wintry theme continues with little snowflakes -

and flipping it over one the back are our initials and a cute little charm -

I have stitched this particular chart at least twice for other exchanges and most recently for Shay. I was always going to make one for myself as I really like it but like many things just never got around to it - now I have one and it's a beauty!! Thank you so much dear Andrea!!

Last night I was again stitching on a really cute exchange so no snaps of that yet.

Nothing much else going on around here - the weather has gotten a bit cooler and we have been turning on the heat a bit in the evenings. With the fall here it can only mean soups and stews for dinner and last night Rico made some Albondigos Soup that was simply delicious!!! If you click the link it will take you to a pretty decent recipe. This is one Mexican soup I really enjoy. There is another Mexican soup that I do not like and that is Menudo - Rico likes it but I just can't even be in the house when it is cooking - the smell just gags me. It is a very traditional dish but just keep it far from me - it is kind of like when I am cooking collard greens - something you know I love!!! Rico runs from that - so I guess each to his own!!

There you go sports fans!! Thanks for stopping by do come again!

Take care,
edgar

A Busy few days - and a bunch of stuff!!

Dear Ones - please forgive the crappy post from yesterday, but I didn't want the day to go by without at least touching base. I had a very productive 3 day weekend. So where to begin..... Let's start off with some stitching stuff - I finished up a couple of exchanges and they are waiting to be mailed - so no snaps of them, but I did hear from Bonnie that the 2nd round for the PS Exchange reached her. Here is a snap of the Pyn Keepe that I made for her -

This is from PS Christmas Miniatures - book 29 - I picked out four of the 20 pieces from the chart that had birds - changed up a couple of colours and then stitched a border that I made up up et voici - I really like the way it turned out - except that the white swan just doesn't photograph very well - Bonnie is happy which is the main thing!! I just love me some PS Designs!!! The second stitched piece is a finish and frustrating framing of the latest La-D-Da - "Tis the gift" -

I just couldn't get this to sit straight in the frame so after the third attempt I just let it alone - I will go back and pop it out later and work on making it a bit straighter - I used one of the frames I picked up at some sale - I think it is from the 30's and fit this piece very well. I love how this turned out and I am super happy with the colour changes. This picture makes it seem that the floss connecting the little dots shows through but IRL all you see are the dots - I guess the flash let the thread leach through - oh well, more of my super photographic skills!!

I also received a super stitched penny rug from a dear friend - sweet Vonna!!!
I found a great place for it with some other things that are special to me....

It is really lovely and the colours are perfect - what a great treasure!!
Thank you so much Dear Vonna!!!!

It wouldn't have been the weekend if Dale and I didn't run around to a bunch of sales!! Here is a snap of the haul from Saturday -


The four hand coloured pictures where from a single garage sale - I really don't have the room for them - but a $10 a pop how could I pass. The 2 on the right of buildings I think are probably from the first half of the 19th century if not earlier. The two on the the left I think are late 19th century and are in period frames with "ormolu" mounts, as a group they have a wonderful look about them!! The guy I bought them from said he better not see me on Antiques Roadshow!! Here is a close up of the little things -

The turkey was brand new and in its original box - how great will he look at Thanksgiving - and the little "yarn" doll china bank is so cute. I got the pinking and little embroidery scissors along with the old thimble together for $2! The little Icon Dale found for me for a $1 - you just can't beat the prices!!!!

There was also a long list of flickers but I have droned on long enough today!!
Thank you all for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Exchange received and some stitching

Karen received the PS Year Long Exchange piece that I sent.
Here is a snap -


It is such fun working up a PS design - I am such a fan!!!!! Now for round two!!!

I worked on finishing up on my Winter Quaker piece and that is almost finished - It only has short distance to go so I can mail pretty close to the date.

The comments yesterday really gave me a giggle - as I think you either love 'em or hate 'em - and I am referring to Brussels sprouts - We get them beacuse I can't get Rico to eat a vegetable any bigger than a gnats eyelash - he is really picky and sprouts are one of the few veggies he will eat - I love veggies all kinds in fact every kind except zucchini - I just can't get that down (gag) - ever!! But, back to the sprouts - Margaret described exactly how I fix them and Rico will eat them - so delicious!!! The only difference is that I will use an iron skillet instead of a cookie sheet - when I can, I always opt for the black iron skillet!! The blackened crunchy leaves are just the best!!!! You can also do parsnips this way and they are so good!!!!

Last night the flick was "Philadelphia Story" - 1940 - starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart - such a good movie - and remade as a musical - "High Society" - 1956 - starring Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby - a good version with a few minor variations in the story.

Thank you all for the nice comments about the ABC piece - it is a really nice piece to stitch.

Once again my dears I bid you adieu - do stop back by tomorrow
......same bat time same bat channel -

Take care -
edgar