I'm baaaaack!!!

Hello, old friends!  Yes, I know.  It's been a very, very long time since I posted.  Life has kept me very busy.  And there just hadn't been time for blogging in all that craziness.  But I am here now, and I hope to go back to regular updates on my stitching, scrapping and traveling.

There is so much stitching that has been done since that last, long ago update.  Most of it, though, has been model stitching for Mom.  I hope to share some of that in a week or two during/after the show at St Charles.  Meanwhile, here are three pieces that I not only finished, but managed to get framed as well.  First up is Penny America by Tree of Life Samplings:

I stitched this using Weeks threads on a piece of Picture This Plus fabric.  I've forgotten the name of the color, but it has a lovely distressed tone to it.

Next is Christmastide by Pineberry Lane.  This one is stitched on a piece of Cauldron linen by PTP, either 36 or 40 count:

And finally, I have Feast of Friendship by Blackbird Designs.  This one is stitched on an old piece of 30 count R&R fabric, using the called for threads.  I'm really happy with how it turned out:

This past weekend, Mom and I headed up to Cherokee, NC, to listen to the Trace Adkins concert.  We played a few games at the casino, and then spent our Sunday morning visiting the Mountain Farm Museum inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Did you know that the GSM Nat'l Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?  Apparently, there is an amazingly diverse collection of flora and fauna in the region.  It is certainly a beautiful place to spend your time.  The area around the farm museum was beautiful, and the weather was just cool enough that you weren't uncomfortable walking around.  I liked the gourd birdhouses:

Don't you feel calmer just looking at this sweet little farmstead?

Of course, Mom being Mom, she hunted down the most important building right away...

So thankful we don't have to use those things anymore!  The farm is right next to a beautiful shady bit of the Oconoluftee River.  You could walk right up to the river's edge and dip your toes in, if you were so inclined:

 The sound of the water rolling softly over the rocks made me feel peaceful and happy.  I hope to visit again soon... and maybe spend a few days in this mountain wonderland.

That's about it for today.  I promise not to be such a stranger in the future.  Til next time, stay safe, and stay creative!