Stash Shopping Day

I figured it was time that I started Veronica's Neighborhood RR.... I saw in Bea's blog recently that she had stitched up The Tea Room by Country Cottage Needleworks, and it occurred to me that it would be perfect for this RR. Veronica had written in her note along with her project that she and her husband often take a walk in the countryside and stop at a tea house... and she mentioned wanting a lamp post too... this design has one! Since Veronica is not online, I asked Su, her daughter, if Veronica would not mind a building that is not a house - she said sure! I didn't have a lot of time today to stitch, but I did manage to get the bottom part of the tea house done... I will stitch most of the elements from the chart plus more...
As I mentioned last night, Mike is so overjoyed with his new car that he suggested some stash shopping for me today. He took me to see Sue at Colonial Needleworks this morning. I picked up some linens... a cut of R&R 30 ct Americana Blend from her box of small cuts, as well as a 17" x 17" cut of R&R 40 ct. Antique Cotton that I need for a Brightneedle project, and a fat eighth of Lakeside Linens 36 ct Pear... so pretty.... I also picked up LHN's new Pear Tree Inn and a chart I thought might be decent for one of the Neighborhood RR projects at some point called No Ewe 2 by Finger Work (I totally don't understand the title of the chart - sure, there is no ewe on the lawn... just a cat and a crow on the roof... but does that explain the title??)....and I picked up a skein of DMC I needed for Veronica's Neighborhood RR, since I knew I planned to start that one tonight...

Mike and I then had to drive back to the car dealership in Amesbury, Massachusetts to pick up some forgotten paperwork. That is near the beach, and Mike then totally surprised me by taking me to Yankee Cross Stitch in N. Hampton, NH too! I haven't been there in ages for several reasons: 1) I am now so lucky to have Colonial Needleworks close to home - and a good friend there; 2) Yankee changed ownership recently and their stock has been low for a while now; and 3) with gas prices as they are now, it is hard to justify that long drive any longer... But it was a nice surprise, and I did manage to find some things I wanted - I got Blackbird Designs' Tokens of Friendship book, Barrick Samplers' Sisters of the Heart, and a stunning pair of italian embroidery scissors that feel soooo good, and are sharp and precise... I don't know what the brand is, but I do adore them! Yankee's stock is still very, very low....
This is for Karen (sorry, can't enlarge, Blogger decided to revolt and not add this one, had to use Photobucket...): I went to my mailbox to put in some outgoing mail this afternoon and had my camera with me to take some flower photos... I saw a dragonfly lazing about on a daylily bud by the mailbox and thought you might like to meet him :-) Sorry I am not a good photographer.

Stitched on today: The Tea Room on Veronica's Neighborhood RR