Happy Labor Day - an Update

Well, it's Labor Day, and if you've been in our house the last 7-8 years, that means tournament. Finally, the Big Kid has won through to the Finals, which takes place at 10:30 this morning. It would be such a boost to them if they could win - if they play like they played their semi-final yesterday - and no one gets red carded - they ought to. They have the talent, they just have a little problem with finishing, and stellar bad luck with reffing. Big Kid won it some years back as a Shark - it was very exciting, but didn't mean as much as it would now, as this is their last year...

(this picture from the tourney 2 weeks ago, when we got the inches & inches of rain & tainted Taco Bell)
(they hate the new baby blue uniforms btw - they have a black kit, too - but I wanted to put this one up on their profile, give competitors a false sense of security :) )

I had a few less things on my plate last week, but didn't get as much stitching in as I'd planned or hoped. But I did get some, so here we go.

First up, Secret Garden. I worked through most of my lunches last week - you know when you have a day off scheduled, work really makes you earn it. But I was able to get a bit done on SG, and did more in between games yesterday, as we are having an unusually mild weekend, so not too hot to get the stitching out - though the sun was SOOO bright, I got a headache after a while, I thought my eyes were melting, shades on or no. Didn't quite get the center motif done - there's an over-1 fountain there in the middle, and different flowers in each of the diamonds - but I should get it finished up soon, and move on to the bottom half.


I began work on Nancy's RR choice for me, M Designs Snowflake, which I discovered is over-1 on gorgeous but dark PTP Gothic! I had to give my eyes time to get used to it, then made pretty decent progress, after I rigged up a new under-light (the little lamp on the floor I used for MMM03 - too much trouble); I took a bathroom nightlight, with the plastic cover over it, and plugged it into an extension cord, which I then draped over my floor stand to hang where I needed it to show through. It probably looks ridiculous, but it works! LOVE the Gloriana white silk, of course, though it's brightness on that dark fabric made taking a picture difficult at best.

Lastly, I worked on Celtic Banner again. I can't believe last December was the last time I worked on it. It was due to see some time, and I think I'll keep it out a bit longer - maybe long enough to finish the alphabet section. I've seen one with runes instead of the alphabet - sure wish that would have occurred to me....

Today, after the game is over, I'm heading to the Stitch Store for the day and evening - the last evening stitch in, I guess. I have tomorrow off, too - I knew I'd need to recoup from this tourney, and wanted a day with no one here to do it :) I'll keep Celtic Banner out for a bit, but I may also try to get 6 Bats finished up - I am ready to break out the Halloween stuff, and I have 3 waiting - Murky Manor, Sleepy Hollow, and Halloween Quaker. I now have a copy of the new GP Ghool School, and it has to have the JABCO buttons - MM has it charted to either have the buttons or stitch them, and I had planned to stitch them. The buttons are cute, but a tad too cartoonish for me. Ghool School is charted so you HAVE to use the buttons :( And I want both pieces to match, so I guess I'll be getting both sets of buttons, dammit.They'll be cute, just wanted to use higher count fabric, keep 'em smaller :)

Anyway, that's the news, Guess I need to make the Athlete some breakfast since I'm up early (thanks to the alarm going off over at the garage on the corner). Happy stitching this week!!