Working backwards...

The sun is warming me this morning...

it's warm rays coming through the window are so deceiving on

this frigid second day of the New Year.

Bird chores were done early this morning.

You know it's not good when you check Weatherbug on your phone

and there sits an igloo by the days forecast...

~brrrrrrr~

I am still patiently waiting for the stores to get their Russell Stovers/Whitman's heart boxes in.

I make trips each day, and even visited a Target in a larger town,

 in hopes of finding them there.

No such luck.

I asked a clerk and she said two more weeks.

I must have had the "TWO MORE WEEKS!" look on my face,

as the clerk gave me,

"WHAT'S YOUR RUSH LADY, IT'S ONLY JANUARY!"  

look on her face. ;)

Last year at this time I already had some stitching started for the heart boxes.

I had boxes in hand and chocolates were long gone...

I've made daily checks to  russellstover.com and no Valentines there either!

Am getting nervous...

don't they know we've got candy to nibble and stitching to do?

Usually, I focus around whatever heart box I choose and begin there.  

With no boxes in hand yet, I am working backwards this year.  

Tentative plans are for the 2014 Valentines Sampler chart to be that of a young schoolgirl's work,

the year is 1822,

her name is

Mary  B. Valentine.

Small samplers, redwork, stitching needfuls and reward of merit projects.

 Each project will have a theme of love,

but not too

 "Valentinesy"...

something that can be kept out

 and 

enjoyed all year.

The tentative color palette...

Soft, 

subtle, 

and

 faded

for a time-worn look...

Stay warm,

Brenda