Check this out! A good friend has written a book and it's featured on her agent's website right now: here. I can't wait to get my copy.
Yesterday I took a day off. It was an insane thing to do at this time (work is very busy) but much needed and it was a wonderful day. First I spent way too long at the allergy doctors, picking up new vials. Then it was on to fun!
Before hitting the doctor's in the morning I ran into Trader Joe's for almond butter. They gave me a box of apples--they weren't selling so every customer that wanted one, got a box. I should have put something in the picture for scale. This is one Mammoth apple (probably why they weren't selling--they're waaay too big). It's at least a pound. When we got back to my sister's house, we sliced two up and made yummy baked apples with cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and nuts. Vanilla ice cream added the crowning touch. 
We spent the rest of the afternoon finishing projects. I worked on felting this reluctant-to-felt entrelac bag. It flattened out enough that I can finish it once it's dry. We measured (three times, I think) the placing of grommets on a shirt. They're all done now. I sewed the last button on a knitted vest and overcast a couple of buttonholes (made by s-i-l for her dad). I sewed handles on a knitted purse (also by s-i-l). I worked on an embroidered ornament of mine. My sister worked on some needlefelting and a fleece top. S-i-l stitched a couple of zippers into knitted garments. At the end of the day we all felt very accomplished and pleased. 
When she was getting her stuff out for finishing, my sister ran across this piece. I remember mom making it--it was a huge struggle for her to stitch on the velvet with the tiny beads. The note was tucked inside. Mom would really enjoy the sight of the three of us carrying on the family tradition of sitting around the table with our hand work.
My run of finishing a lot quickly has ended. Mostly because I'm working on more complex things now and also projects that aren't already nearly completed. I made some progress on my pears.
I've been feeling a bit disorganized and despite having some time at home this weekend, I'm just feeling a bit discombobulated. So I took an extra hour this morning at home and got some things sorted. I feel much better. And by the time I left, it was bright enough to take some photos of the WIP pears. They're 2/3 of the way done (each stuffed pear will have three panels).
So here they are, "paired" off. This has been a great carry along project because I only need to bring one fabric panel at a time, a bit of floss, scissors and a needle.
I didn't make it out to see Pat's classroom this weekend; something came up. I did get to lunch with my friends:
We visited and caught up with each other's lives (we get together maybe twice a year). Ate ourselves silly. And all in all had a great time.
On Wednesday night we went to the opening for a show of art by a long-time friend. It is at Calumet College in Whiting, Indiana and features a series of posters for soaring safety and other aircraft and flight-related designs, posters and art. My hubby and the artist both went to Calumet college.
This is my hubby, sporting a lumberjack look, catching up with another old college friend in the gallery.
And here's the artist, on the right, with his mentor and former teacher at the college. We were really pleased to see him--he had a very great impact on many of the students' lives, including my husband's.
And this if from today--two very good friends and I met for lunch and a mutual birthday celebration (two of our birthdays were a while back but one is tomorrow!) We don't take breaks like this from work often so it's a lovely treat. We had Thai food and great conversation.
I got the kits for these wooly lock Christmas trees from Esther's Place. I sat outside on Halloween passing out candy and needlefelting the trees. My hubby thinks they look rather like a gnome on a bad hair day. They're, hmmmm, interesting. They were fun to do and a bit more difficult than they looked at first. Silly and fun.
I spent the morning today stitching on my Japanese Embroidery piece. (if you're in the Chicago area and studying JE, come join us. First Thursdays at the Hyde Park Art Center (9am-noon))
My little brother turned 50! (youch!) We feted him this weekend. We had roast chicken, mac&cheese, veg, lovely crisp baguette (brother baked) and the important part: chocolate brownies (the "birthday cake"--he baked them himself), chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chocolate-chip ice cream (are you noticing a trend here?) and I brought a really good pumpkin cake roll with a cream-cheese ice cream filling.
We planned a "girl's day out" for the 12th. I can't wait!
I finished two leaves and began the flower--slow progress made. I compare what I'm doing to the sample designs and I'm want to do each item over again. I am learning a lot, however, and using it as I progress, which is the point. (I'm feeling like I'm showing the same wrinkly cloth over and over but I do add things each time. really.)
These are the cool beads I found at Beads Amore in Indianapolis the previous weekend. I'm not sure what I plan for them. I think they would make nice jewelry, with fine chain or perhaps pearls, but they would also work stitched to an embroidery, such as a crazy quilt. My immediate thought upon finding them was bracelet--they seem sturdy enough. More stash.
On Saturday I got two cool packages from Lelia. The first was this great Halloween card with some lovely designs--a thread winder and some cool spooky images that will make great bookmarks.
The second package included this head, which was a prize she won. She very sweetly shared the bounty with me. It's pretty cool and I'm thinking about all sorts of things she could be.
