Is it the Change in the Season?

Gosh guys, I've missed you!!!  I've been so remiss on reading blogs lately.  I think that the changes of the season must do things to people, right?  Well, it definitely has done something to me.  I've been in the worse stitching/quilting slump that you can imagine!  I have a million things that I want to make and then I look at them and walk away.   Probably because after the crazy summer we had around here, I'm still playing catchup.  But it also usually means that I need to look for a change of pace, and I think that I've found it, but I'll get to that in a bit.

Since I last posted anything of substance (which was over a month), I've made some progress on Ann Hall:

I was happily stitching along on dear Ann and then I got bored!  How could I go that when I was getting to the part where I could stitch in Adam and Eve?  Well, I don't know what came over me, but I went on to And All Was For An Appil (another Adam and Eve).  But you're not going to see a picture of that one because after a few nights it dawned on me that in less than two months is my annual trip to New York (insert a Woo Hoo here) to see my sister.  Now I've been promising my sister that I'd make her another Mirabilia mermaid, and being the procrastinator that I am I've been putting it off and putting it off, but I figured that I better get going on it.  So I dumped AAWFAA like a hot potato and picked up Deepest Love by Mirabilia.  Not my normal stitching fare, but I do like her:

Then I worked a little bit on a scarf that I started last year and hopefully I'll finish it this year:

An entrelac scarf using Noro Taiyo yarn.  It's fun to work on but I've only gotten that last row on in the past few weeks.  I figured this would be a great "take-with" project while my daughter dances now that her dance hours are later and I can't get into too much trouble in the malls (darned it!).  Another thing that has really caught my fancy are these babies and I think these are the change of pace I needed:

Photo curtesy of Ravelry (Love!!!)

Cute pincushions (More Love!!)

Crocheted Hexie Afghan (Even more love)

About the hexie afghan - yes, yes, I know - I was working on some quilted ones a while ago and they're still here, but there is something so soothing to me lately about the thought of crocheting.  You know, cooler weather, football game on the TV and the warm feel of wool.  So obviously I'm going through some changes like the seasons.

Oh, before I forget, my friend Di, who is the most fantastic stitcher, quilter and just about everything else person, set up a new blog and you have got to see her hand pieced hexi quilt (among other things), so check out her new blog and say "Hi Ya" when you have a chance:  On My Needle.  She does some remarkable things.

And I have to make a confession right here and now - all those pictures of knitting/crocheting are courtesy of Pinterest.  Have you taken a look at that sight?  Have you been sucked into the vortex of pages and pages of things to do, decorating ideas, food, photography?  Unfortunately, I have to confess that I have and I couldn't be happier that I've found all those wonderful things.  If you haven't taken a look, you're in for a lot of inspiration and a lot of time sucking!  Believe me on the time sucking thing!!!  I have a link on my sidebar (I think it will take you there or to the general site).  Take a look, and then put the coffee pot beside you and some provisions - you'll be there for a while!!!

Okay - back to reality!!  When I've been wandering around trying to figure out what I wanted to do, but couldn't get myself to sit down, I messed around in the craft room a little bit.  In fact, I'm changing the whole room around once again (enough already you say - get to sewing and quit messing around!  LOL).  I finally got a quilt rack up after trying to figure out how to do it (the wall was bowed in the middle - basement walls are not always the flattest) and this is the result:

A few of my children's vintage sewing machines and pincushions.  The quilt still needs to be quilted, but thought I'd just hang it up for effect.  I'm working on the last wall in my room as we speak, but it's going to take a while as one piece of the necessary furniture won't be here for a week or so.

In the antiquing finds category,  I'll show you the frogs I've accumulated since the summer up to about now:

The amber frog on the top right was a gift from Terri for my birthday, and the other ones I found here and there.  I was surprised to find the pink one in the lower middle, as I've usually only seen them clear like the one on the bottom left.  Here's a better picture of the two latest:

And last but not least, I got two surprises in the mail last month and I was just tickled.  These were from Mindi who had just started a blog.  I was her first follower and she sent me these absolutely wonderful things for being her first follower:

I was so surprised when the package appeared in the mail.  Thank you so much Mindi and I'm glad that I was your first follower!  And I just realized that there was a fob that matched the pillow that I didn't take a picture of.

There is it - and on the back is the initial "D".

And my dear friend Loraine sent me this package:

An adorable Welcome pillow which will hang from my craft room door, a marking pen that disappears (perfect for quilting) and The Angler 2.  I was complaining to her about the millions of half-square triangles I had to make for the Civil War quilts and she said that she had just the thing!!  I can't wait to try it out.  And she also sent a piece of wonderful fabric.

Well, I think that's about all for me today.  My son came home from school again this weekend.  I'm not sure if he came to see us or came home because the football game was away and he needed clothes washed (probably the latter reason), and DD is getting ready for the Homecoming Dance at her school this evening.  I'm still having a hard time believing that she's in high school, but I think that we've all experienced that feeling before.

I hope that everyone is having a great weekend, and I promise not to be a stranger now.  I've really missed reading blogs and seeing what everyone is doing!