Saturday 21 August 2010

My Family Sampler

I was so excited on Wednesday when I returned home from work. I had stopped at the post office on the way home and discovered that my copy of LHN The Family Sampler had arrived. I couldn't wait until I drove home. I had to open it right there in the car and have my first peek. Diane Williams has designed another wonderful pattern!
I've spent the past few weeks trying to decide just how to go about stitching this one. All three of my sons are from a previous marriage and since I've remarried we no longer share the same surname. So you can see my dilemma - their name, my name, hypenated names(too long)? Then I thought that perhaps I would stitch my own family instead. No, I've already stitched a family tree of my side of the family. So after much thought and discussion I've decided to stitch the sampler using the word FAMILY where the surname should be. Where the W is located in Diane's piece I am going to add another box on the opposite side. Then I will place the inital of the boys' surname in one box and my surname in the other. I can then add the three boys, myself and my DH to the sampler and it can be interpretated whatever way they want. The male in the picture can represent their father or my DH.
Where the pattern calls for "est. in the year..... " instead I would like to stitch "wrought in the year". I'm just not sure I can fit that in. If not I'll figure something out! What do you think?

The past week has been a whirlwind of activity as we prepared to head out on vacation . Between work, errands and packing I haven't had very much time to myself for stitching. I managed to sneak in one hour each evening when I finally sat down to watch TV from 10 'til 11. Halloween Cove was my main stitch and here's where I left off as of last night. I love the colours in this piece and they look really great on the fabric I've chosen. It certainly has felt more like fall around here this past week. The extreme heat and humidity seems to have departed. What we have been seeing are cool nights, warm days, some rain and the start of the changing. The changing of what you say? The changing of the leaves! Yup, as I drove to work I could see it in the woods. The cool nights are a signal to those trees and as a result small splashes of colour are showing themselves here and there. My favourite season is upon us! I've always been a fall kind of girl. Those vibrant colours, the cool evenings and sunny days seem to infuse me with more energy. All those homey (is that a word?) feelings show up and suddenly I've got the urge to bake, clean and you guessed it, stitch! I might even get sidetracked from HC with the arrival on the stands of the JC Halloween issue. Some of this year's ornaments look like a must stitch to me!

I saw pictures this week that had been taken last October at the Cranberry Festival in Bala, ON which is located in Muskoka. Seeing the fall colours, the apples, pumpkins and of course cranberries got me aching for both fall and Muskoka. Speaking of which, that's exactly where we're headed shortly! As I've mentioned previously, we are heading to Windsor to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. Following our week there, we have rented a cottage once more in the Bala/Pt Carling region. I have been looking forward to this for sooooo long! This is where I'm most relaxed, stitching out on the dock. I do wish though that there were some stitching shops in the area.

On a different note, I recieved a chart this week for my first Funky Flower. These adorable flowers are designed by Donna Bayliss of By The Bay Needleart. I think this particular flower, Annabelle, is one of the first of the designs. These look like such fun stitches to do especially over the upcoming long and dreary winter. They would certainly brighten things up! Donna has also planned a garden sampler for these flowers which you can find on her Funky Flowers Gardeners Blog. I'm planning on doing a layout of just three of the flowers. I figure I can use this layout many times over and just change the flowers within.

I'm hoping to blog while I'm away but if you don't hear from me for a couple weeks you'll know I'm having just too good of a time! I'll catch up with all of you once more in September. Wow, September! In the meantime, keep crossing those xs.

16 comments:

  1. The LHN Family Sampler seems to be everywhere! I look forward to seeing your version stitched up.

    Fall is my favourite season as well. The leaves have just started changing here (it seems early, but I guess Sept is just around the corner!) I looked out the window around 8:30-9pm and couldn't believe it was pitch black out already! I just wish we could hold off winter.... I'm so not looking forward to the snow.

    I love the Funky Flowers! They are really really cute.

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  2. Great progress on Halloween Cove. I like what you are thinking of doing on your Family Sampler. I think with this one anything works, its ultimately your own.

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  3. First, have a great vacation! I love what you are thinking for your famiky sampler. It will truly be your own. I love halloween cove. I have it in my stash and I will probably have to move it up. Fall is my time of the as well.

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  4. I love that family sampler so much! Your ideas sound great. Gonna hold of in case i end up with more kids one day (aaahh what a thought LOL)
    Have a lovely time away x

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  5. here's to a great holiday Lynn, and your thoughts on the family sampler are all ones to consider. Enjoy the fall coz we will soon have to get the shovels ready!!!
    Be always in stitches

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  6. I think your plans for the sampler sound perfect. You could abbreviate the word "wrought" couldn't you?

    Goodness you've built an entire house since we last saw HC! This is looks great!

    I hope you have a wonderful holiday! *hugs*

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  7. You had some great thoughts about the Family Sampler and I'm sure the outcome will be to everyone's liking in your family.
    I love the Halloween Cove WIP, and the Funky Flowers look gorgeous. I have seen some on another blog. They are just great. Enjoy stitching them!

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  8. Looking forward to seeing your progress on Family sampler - I'm sure that it will be wonderful - you have some great ideas on how to modify it!

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  9. Oh that sounds like it will be stunning ...can't wait to see it.
    WE Missed YOU!!!!!
    It was a lot of fun.
    Enjoy your holiday!

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  10. Your WIP is looking cute!

    Have a great vacation and stitch lots!

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  11. Isn't the FS just great! And I think your idea is just perfect for your sampler! Honestly, I really do! Are you going add any of your cats in yours? I thought about it and decided not to, but I thought really hard.
    I love, love, love, the Halloween WIP by By the Bay...isn't it darling! :) You'll love the JCS Halloween issue, I thing there are lots in there to stitch up, personally.
    In closing, I wish you a refreshing, relaxing, reinvigorating trip for body, mind and soul. And PLEASE get to and from safely :)

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  12. What a great solution you've come up with, Lynn! I'm sure it will look wonderful and I look forward to seeing your progress...

    I've never seen the By the Bay Halloween piece--that is adorable! Everyone seems to be stitching Halloween things these days--you're all very inspiring!

    Happy 80th birthday to your mom--enjoy your celebration and your vacation. The dock sounds like a perfect place to stitch!

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  13. Looking forward to seeing your personalisation on the Family Sampler and the Funky Flowers look wonderful. I agree totally with your comment regarding Ragdolls, Puddles has bought so much to our family, we just adore him.

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  14. I am looking forward to seeing your Family Sampler! Lovely stitching on your WIPs, too!

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  15. Lynn your idea for the Family Sampler chart is PERECT! Be sure to send me a photo with the stitched changes you've made!

    Diane
    LHN

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  16. I love your idea for the Family Sampler. I too am divorced and have gone back to my maiden name, so my 3 sons and I no longer share the same last name. Stitching the word Family in place of a last name is perfect!

    One thought about fitting in the word Wrought. The word "family" is to the left of Est. and I would think you would not want to stitch family twice, so I was thinking that you could stitch the longer word Wrought and stitch the word Joy to the left of it, since it is a short word. Underneath the word Joy you could choose some other word to replace Family, maybe Peace or Happiness or something else.

    I love your start on Halloween Cove!

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