I really didn't venture out all that much this weekend and the one time I did on Sunday, it poured rain! I slept a lot and went through some of my needlecraft magazine collection. While I'm actually culling, I'm finding adorable little girl things that I have yet another chance to make now and I was reminded of things I DID get to make for my now 17 year-old-granddaughter. For instance, a pillowslip. I embroidered the crinoline lady and added a crocheted skirt. Loved doing that. I think I cross stitched Taz and a few other looney tune characters on pillows and shirts for the boys. I didn't cross stitch much - that was pretty much the extent of it. It was also before I learned to tat so most of what I made was knitted or crocheted or sewn. I crocheted her a beautiful tooth fairy doll with a bag too. Gosh, I hope I still have those instructions.

I've been strongly drawn to other forms of stitching the past year or so and much of it is along the line of embroidery although it is a lacy embroidery that I pursue. I've been especially intrigued with Karen Ruane's Contemporary Embroidery, and recently jumped at the chance to buy one of her hand embroidered silk purses. And I did jump! She had only mentioned them in her blog that day and by the time I got there, only one was left. I wanted one with color in the embroidery but I love this one too. If both had been available, I would have had to choose only one since it's a little pricey for me but what a treasure!

I'll have more views on my lace blog if you're interested but I wanted to show it here too. It's on silk and isn't it exquisite?

Can you imagine some tatted lace in very fine thread being in those circle centers? I'm thinking of all those bits and pieces I have just laying around....if you check her blog you'll find all kinds of inspiration!

I did tat the last version of the butterfly body bookmark although if this had turned out, it was going to be a bracelet since it's beaded. I tried bridging the two motifs in the center with an additional chain loop but it threw the symmetry all out of whack so I decided I was DONE with this and it's time to put it away.

I still have those committments I've been procrastinating on to do. The lining for the tatted bag and 6 more tree ornaments, plus I wanted to do some RPL for the exhibit. I'm going to a bobbinlace program with the L.A.C.E. group next weekend so I have to get ready for that. At this point I also need to mow outside again and I have flowers waiting for me to get them in the ground! Between the heat and rain and other activities, not much is getting done outside.