SAL galore!

It's been a pretty crazy week...but the good news is that I have finally had time to get some stitching done.  A feat I may not be able to repeat next week...

Let me start with my TUSAL or totally useless stitch a long.  If you are curious about this and want to know what we are up to check out Daffycat's blog and she will explain.  We are collecting orts...why?  I think it's a great way to show how much stitching you've been getting done.  I didn't think to separate out the threads for just this month, so I have all the orts (old ratty threads) since the beginning of the year.  I added some snowman salt and pepper shakers as decorations because even though it's supposed to be Spring...it's still snowing.  Even today it snowed enough that it made the roads a slushy mess at the mall, and it's still snowing as I type.  How can this be?  Tomorrow is opening day for the Baltimore Orioles...the boys of summer can't play ball in the snow, can they?  Anyway, here's my TUSAL...

I have to confess...it was an unwritten rule that we were supposed to be on a stash diet, using up things we had sitting around the house for projects.  I've fallen off the band wagon HARD!!  Scrolling through my favorite sites a month or so ago I discovered a Mystery SAL through Passione Ricamo and I just HAD to sign up.  I don't know what possessed me...then I had to have fabric, floss, specialty threads and beads etc.  I know....and the awful truth is that I haven't let the folks at Friendly Stitchers know because I know the abuse harassment good-natured teasing will never end.  Let's see how many Friendly Stitchers read my blog...LOL!!  Let the tattling begin!!  Here's my progress so far...

Here's another confession...I'm really a glutton for punishment aren't I?  I collected all the "sheep virtues" from Little House Needleworks last year.  I decided I wanted to stitch them all on banding and make a banner of them.  Before I could find the banding I wanted, I saw them all stitched in a "box" shape with another piece stitched in the middle on Facebook.  I searched until I found the pattern they used in the middle (Sheep in the Meadow by Country Cottage Needleworks) bought the fabric and the floss and yes...I started it this week in a weak moment.  I told you I fall hard when I fall off the wagon!!!  Here's my progress.  I'm stitching this on 28 count over one...I know...glutton for punishment...LOL

Gillie and I decided to start our own SAL to keep each other on track and try to finish up this lovely pattern from Rosewood Manner called Quaker Diamonds.  I don't remember the name of the fabric (I'm pretty sure I used the fabric they suggested, but I'm stitching it over one linen thread instead of two).  I'll be working on this on Wednesdays (though this coming Wednesday is going to be insanely busy) and hoping to finish one motif a week.  Wish us luck!!  Here's my progress so far...

I'll leave you with a shot of Marsha this week.  Astrid and I have been traveling in different circles lately.  We strong-armed a visit in Friday just so we could say hi, and Astrid could show me the newest member of her family.  I'm not sure what she named him yet, but Marsha has a new companion.  He's slightly bigger, and squeaks LOL!!  But I think they are going to be best buds just like Astrid and me!  Here they are reclining on her Trick or Treat Fairy that she worked so hard on!  Isn't she lovely?  

Gillie has signed me up for another SAL and as soon as I get the pattern I'll be starting that up as well.  I know...glutton...LOL

Off to snuggle up and get warm, it's definitely chilly today.  Hopefully it will be a bit warmer tomorrow...it's opening day for the Baltimore Orioles, so I guess you'll know where I'll be!!  Let's Go O's!!