WIP's and ribbons

I hope you all had a good weekend. I have to say mine was busy and productive. I even got a bit of stitching done.

For the moment my stitching on exchanges is finished so I can get back to my regular (okay, kind of regular) rotation. I am currently concentrating on three pieces. BBD's Awake the Dawning Day, LHN's Rose Sampler for the limited edition thread pouch and La-D-Da's Lauren's Voice. I just love the sentiment on this one.

My rotation consists of S-M-T I work on Lauren's Voice, W-T-F it's the BBD piece and Saturday and Sunday daytime is the Rose Sampler. So unless something else yells loudly from my to be stitched basket I might even have a finish by the end of the month.

Sunday was Rory's big day. His first dog show. On Saturday I spent a few hours grooming and bathing him. He actually did pretty good in the bath. I only got a little wet. Okay I did have to change afterwards. Sunday we drove to the place the show was held. So far so good. We walked around and I showed Rory off to some setter people I hadn't seen in years. According to the schedule Rory should be going in the ring at 12:30. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Delays and a judge who decided to change the schedule meant that we stood around waiting until almost 3PM before we went in the ring. By this time Rory was a bit tired from all the new sights and smells. He stacked for the judge very well but then decided he wanted to play rather than gait properly by my side. Now he does this nicely in our Tuesday night handling classes and when I practice at home but........... Oh well, he's just a puppy and it was supposed to be fun.

Oh, he did win his class. First place puppy AND he won Best of Breed. Wooooooo HooooooRory and I and his ribbons

Oh wait. Rory was the ONLY Irish setter entered.

Too tired to even play with the ribbons.

I don't care we still came home with the ribbons. As time goes on I hope we are able to add to the collection.

Stitching and a dog show, yup, I had a pretty good weekend

Until next time..................................

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

Finishes, weekend plans and TGIF

I'll start with the last. TGIF. Yup, it is Friday for me. Tomorrow is a company holiday. A bonus day off called the company Birthday holiday. Nice, huh? I know I will be very busy getting normal Saturday chores done. Things like grocery shopping and other errands. I am also planning a mega laundry day. You see I am running out of towels. Why, you ask? Well, I don't have a clothes dryer and I hate line dried towels. So that means taking them to the laundromat to dry. And I usually put that chore off as long as possible. Like once a month. So that's tomorrows big deal.

Last weekend I sent off two exchanges that are now at their new homes so I can show you photos of them. I am really pleased with the way they turned out.
The first is my Lizzie Kate Exchange that I sent to Susan. I stitched Good Things over one on 25 count using a combination of DMC and Weeks Dye. I finished it as a scissor fob.

The second one is an ornament for the July Ornament exchange on the BBI yahoo group. This one went to Louise D. (I don't think she has a blog.) This pattern is by Homespun Elegance. Sttiched on 28 ct linen using DMC, Fuzzy Stuff and Weeks Dye.

The rest of my weekend plans involve Rory. Of course. Saturday I need to groom him and give him his first full bath. Why? Sunday is his first dog show!! Now don't get too excited. It is only a puppy match show and there are no points involved. But it is his first show and I hope the experience will be a good one for us both.

Showing a dog is a team effort and I hope I don't trip and fall or otherwise make Rory look bad. I am a little excited and a lot nervous. (I have to make sure I don't let Rory know that.) It has been a while since I have been in a show ring. A number of years ago (like 20 something!) I did do some showing with another setter of mine, Kara. (She never won much and really didn't like it. But I loved her anyway.) My next setter, Maggie, was supposed to be a show dog also but that didn't work out. She did do some therapy work instead. And now it is Rory's turn. It has long been a dream of mine to show Irish Setters. So if you think of it could you send good thoughts our way on Sunday around 12:30 PM eastern time? I would be in your debt.

Other weekend plans? Well, in between the above and other yucky stuff like cleaning house. I hope to find a few moments to stitch.

So until next time have a wonderful weekend and wish us luck.

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.

PS. Rosie is feeling much, much better. So she sends meows to you all also. And will go back to the table top to get away from that pest Rory.

Just another Monday update

It's Monday again. Wow, that was a fast week. And over all a pretty good week. The week started with a surprise in the mail. Some may have read either here or here, that Carolyn and I were lucky enough to meet face to face when I was in North Carolina for a family vacation at the beginning of July. She had mentioned that she was making a little something but hadn't had a chance to finish it before our get together. Well, it arrived this past week and it is ADORABLE! I love it and isn't is the cutest reminder of our short visit and my first trip to the Outer Banks of NC?
On Friday I came home from work to find another package on my front steps. I was in a bit of a rush to let Rory out and catch poor Rosie. I had to get her to the vet since she had been sneezing and Thursday night had started coughing. Not a good thing for a cat. I didn't have a chance to open it until rather late that night. I couldn't figure out what I might have ordered and forgot about. Well I hadn't. It was RAK from Carolyn! The BH&G Christmas book with the pattern of Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming. I had been wanting this ever since I saw it stitched first on Vonna's blog and then on Edgar's. Thank you so very, very much Carolyn.


Another lovely package in the mail this week contained my exchange in the Lizzie Kate exchange. My partner was Cindy Mae and she stitched me one of my favorite LK pattern's, Live, Laugh, Love. She used pastel colors and made it into a pillow. I love it!! Thank you so very, very much Cindy Mae. It will look perfect in my Mom's old room which is lavender. Oh, and doesn't have a goofy, clumsy four footed chewing monster sleeping in that room. LOL Because the pillow would also be perfect in my room which is pink. But I do think it is safer in the other bedroom. Don't you?

Aren't stitchers just the best people on the planet?

I did have two finishes this week. Both are exchanges. One for the Lizzie Kate Exchange Blog (and I believe that it is now open for second round sign ups) and the other for a yahoo group, BBI, ornament exchange. I am pretty pleased with the way both of them came out and should be able to post photos as soon as they arrive at their new homes.

I did manage to get a little stitching for myself in this weekend. I started Lauren's Voice by La D Da. I have been aching to get this one stitched ever since I won it in Sherry's giveaway back in June. I didn't get that much stitched, only the word Your, but it is a start. And speaking of Rory. He continues to make me smile. I only wish I could really capture some of his silliness on film. Such as trying to catch an airplane or a helicopter. Yup, while he will often freeze and "set" a bird he absolutely wants to catch one of those noisy HUGE ones up in the sky! He will run from one end of the yard to the other, up the deck and, if he could up on the roof following one of those noisy "birds." And Canadian Geese? Well, they have a flight path that goes directly over my house. Quite often just after sunset they will fly over on their way to where ever. Have you ever heard geese flying overhead? They honk and call out to each other continually and they are NOT quiet about it. And Rory? If he happens to be in the house I better get up and open the door fast! Well, he goes ballistic trying to jump up and catch one. It is just too too funny.

Until next time.......................

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

PS. The vet says Rosie has a respiratory infection and I should continue with the two antibiotics. Her sneezing has eased a bit, the coughing has stopped and she is eating. So she will soon be well.

How was your weekend?

I can't believe it is Monday already. The weekend went by so quickly. Too quickly.

I did manage to get some stitching in. And I have actually finished the stitching on both my exchange pieces! Now to finish them off so I can get them in the mail before the deadline which is this Saturday. I know, I know, nothing like waiting until the last minute. (Sigh.)

Of course I had good intentions of starting the two pieces while I was on vacation. Now I realize that was not very realistic. I'll know better next year. I hope. I so enjoy exchanges. Getting stitched things from someone who stitched it just for you. And stitching something for someone else. I think I enjoy choosing the right pattern more than the stitching itself.

Speaking of exchanges I received my ornament from the BBI yahoo group Christmas in July ornament swap. Mine came from Charlene in SC. Isn't it beautiful? I love it. Thank you very much Charlene for this. It is perfect and I can't wait to hang it on my tree. Now this exchange was a secret and, no, Charlene is not my partner. I won't say who since I haven't mailed her ornament yet. Soon.

And I found another exchange to join! This one is a Little House Needleworks design exchange. One of my absolute favorite designers!! I can't wait. If you would like to participate the blog is located here (LHN Exchange Group) and if I read it right you have until tomorrow (Tuesday the 28th--my niece's birthday! Happy Birthday Val!) to sign up.

As you can see Rory is getting bigger. He is up to 40 pounds already. Our handling class went well last week. He stands very well. The moving part is another story. Rory wants to bounce, jump and run instead of the nice pacing at my side. We have worked on it all week and we'll see if there is any improvement tomorrow night. He is doing well in basic obedience as well. Though we still have to work on his pulling on leash and his tendency of jumping on people.

So I'll leave you all with an amusing Rory tale. This past Friday morning I ended up chasing him around the backyard to take away the dead mouse he found. Yuck! I did and of course he really wanted it back. Not happening. As I am trying to hold the dead thing by the tippy tip of its dead tail Rory is jumping higher and higher to try and reach it. All this just minutes before I had to leave to catch my train to work. Needless to say the adrenaline was pumping Friday morning. :) Then this am was another new one. I was getting my lunch together and heard a thump behind me. I turn and there is Rory on TOP of the kitchen table!! (The thump was a book falling off.) I guess he figured that Rosie (the cat) is allowed up there so he must be too. NOT. I guess we will have to work on that one as well.

So until next time...........................

Love and stitches,

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

Stitching and catching up

Sunrise on the beach

Some of the Kiley gathering at Outer Banks, NC

Catching up? Ha! I wish. I have been trying but 11 days without a computer during my vacation and then 3 days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) of being home where I seem to have less time to spend online have made me fall so far behind reading everyone's blogs. And after all the lovely comments you all leave for me I feel awful that I haven't gotten to your blog yet. I will. Sooner or later. I will.

Now for some stitching news. I have been neglectful in letting you all see the gorgeous biscornu that I received as my giveaway prize from Lynn. It is really adorable and the card she made is just too pretty. I love the little ribbon flowers. It arrived just before I left for vacation. But without a computer I wasn't able to post it.

Thank you so very much Lynn. The biscornu is beautiful and I LOVE it!





I have been getting a little stitching done this past week. But two of the things I have been working on are for exchanges so no photos. I do have one with the little bit of progress that I've made on my BBD, Awake the Dawning Day. At this rate I might get it finished by Christmas! (Sigh.)

I also managed to scan some more of the photos from my vacation. Including a couple of my Rory. He is getting so big. Don't you wish they could stay little forever? I am hoping to start his handling classes this Tuesday. My knee is pretty much healed and I can kneel on it so it's time. I am hoping to show him. And since I haven't done any myself in a long long time we both need the classes before he is ready to start showing. And that will be soon. He's four months old now and I can start showing him at six months.

Watching sunrise from the top of the dunes.

Now back to work and catching up on all the finishes and starts in the stitchy blogging world.

Until next time.........................

Love and stitches

Kathy

and licks from Rory too

Back from Vacation

The view from the top deck of our beach house.

And it was wonderful. It was the first away-from-home vacation for me in a long, long time. What made it fabulous was being able to take my Rory with me and seeing so many of my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, in-laws and a couple soon-to-be in-laws in a happy setting. We shared laughs and drinks and long walks on the beach. Sunburns (even with sunblock!) and watching sunsets from the deck of the beach house. There must have about 30 of us staying at the beach. (I gave up counting heads after 20!)

Above: Captain and Rory

After digging for sand crabs

Rory had the best time of all. Playing with two of his four-footed cousins, Zuzu and Captain. And every walk on the beach took triple the normal time with all the people he had to stop and be petted by. He just adored the attention. Many others who stay in the other beach houses also brought their dogs. More playmates for Rory. Romping in the sand and getting knocked over by the ocean waves. That part he didn't care for so he kept his distance after that episode. But he loved pointing and trying to chase the seagulls and the kites.

Zuzu and Rory on the beach

One of the highlights of the week was getting to meet Carolyn B from NC. Carolyn and I have known each other a while now from the online yahoo groups we belong to and our blogs. When she found out I was going to be in North Carolina for vacation she suggested that we meet face to face. That sounded great to me. But I knew she lived a bit of a distance from where I was going to be staying. But that didn't stop her from driving close to four hours just to meet me and, of course, Rory! (Or is it the other way around? LOL) Well, it was like we had known each other for years. When she called to tell me she was almost there and needed the last turn to find the house I said to her, "I'll be out front." She answered with okay. Now it didn't hit me until later that she doesn't know what I look like!! But neither of us even realized and just figured we would know each other on sight! Good thing I had Rory with me or she might still be driving around looking. LOL We spent a lovely afternoon chatting away, admiring Rory (he is so spoiled now!) and finally having lunch before she had to head home.

I only have a few photos at the moment. My digital camera wasn't working and I still have to develop the film. I hope that by the weekend I will have more to show you.

A few members of the Kiley clan

Stitching? Oh, yeah. I think I was able to spend about an hour stitching. Not much progress to show of anything. I did get a small fob finished that I gifted to Carolyn. But that was it. Now that I'm home and recovered, trying to get back into a schedule I should have more stitching to show the next time.

Now to go see all the wonderful stitching everyone else has done in the last week and get inspired.

Until next time...................
Love and stitches,

Kathy

and licks from Rory too.

Vacation time.

In just a few hours Rory and I are off to spend a week at the beach. This is the first vacation I have had in a long, long while. And I am really looking forward to it. I am all packed and just need to catch a few hours sleep. We are driving down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

I'll take lots of photos. See you all soon. Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July. And a fabulous week!
Until next time ............
Love and stitches
Kathy
and licks from Rory too.