Almost Ready to Begin...

The floss colors and linen have been chosen for the Ann Dickinson sampler. I've chose a linen that best matches the feel of the original piece. The count is one stitch larger, but I felt it was important to use a linen that looks & feels most like the original sampler. So the reproduced piece will be a tad bit larger. I've stitched sample stitches, regular cross stitches, petite cross stitches and satin stitch on the linen of choice as a test. These are the 3 stitches that will be used in this sampler. It looks like the linen is a go...after a gentle bath in walnut ink crystals. I will also over dye my threads with walnut ink before beginning. This will give them the "time-worn" look of the threads in my antique sampler...toning and fading down the colors of my new flosses.



And all good things must come to an end...
Today is day 12, the final day of the Home for the Holidays Blog Hop. Make sure to hop on over to Stacy of Buttermilk Basins Blog for a darling wool mitten pattern and a sinfully delicious cookie recipe that she is sharing with you all. I'd like to say a big "THANK YOU" to Stacy for organizing and inviting me to be a part of this fun holiday event.


We enjoyed a 40 plus degree day yesterday, so the dh and I got the outside trimmings put up on the house last evening. The 5 fresh wreaths are waiting for bows and then they will go up on the front of the house over the weekend. Today the dh and I are going Christmas shopping...I have one day to get it done...eekkk, nothing like pressure or anything?!!! Hopefully the tree will come into the house sometime over the weekend. The following weekend will be spent decorating the inside of the house...and then it's just a week and Christmas will be here. Where did December go?? We are in a blizzard watch for the weekend, starting tonight. Sounds like it may be a weekend of snow & stitching...