Winter Rears Its Ugly Head - an Update

Well, not too ugly - just freaking cold. None of the white stuff, though there is a chance for it in our area tonight, but since it's supposed to be 62 on Wednesday, it shouldn't cause too much panic. I have to say I have gotten spoiled having the last few weeks in the 50s and 60s; yesterday's 18 was AWFUL, and the wind on Saturday was brutal. Yes, I will admit I am a wimp - I did move south for a reason... And since everything was blooming here, we HAD to have a cold snap; poor trees & daffy-dils...



Saturday, we combed the area for a box to put Fireweed on; the music boxes I found last fall were a bust; they had no square ones, only oval and rectangles, which I didn't want to "make work". So I may be forced to order something from Sudberry House; wonder if anyone ever has them on sale? I just want something a little nicer than the do-it-yourself boxes I get from HL or Michaels, I don't feel like finishing a box for it, I want one already finished. So back to the waiting-to-be-finish-finished pile it goes...


So, got a little caught up last week in the latest craze, and came up with this little number:



Because, you know, have spreadsheet, will create :) Though I must admit, my iPhone had a little trouble with this over-1 on 28ct - might need to do 2 strands on 22ct for the next one. Because yes, there will be more :)

Of course, the main focus of the week was Tuscany Town Mandala, which I started on Monday, and worked throughout the week. Here is Part 1 completed, except beads:


And here is where I stopped last night, working parts 2 & 3 in conjunction:


I did some color changes to the blues on Friday night; since I am not using the NPIs, I took the DMC equivalents given, and didn't like the grouping of blues. I did NOT like the 3844 light border (not even close to the NPI it was listed for, which just so happens to be in MTM, and which I have a bit left over - but I wasn't going to use it and then run out, because I know they differ from dye lot to dye lot). So I picked a dark blue, 823, for the border, and worked that series of colors in - 820 was one of the other conversions which I left. So I have 823, 824, 826, and then 517 for the "peacock blue" one. Hopefully this darker border will work with the overall. I like it, I think, so far, everything works together okay. I just knew as soon as I picked that 3844 up that I couldn't use that - too bright for me! It goes in my World Tree, but I don't think so here...



And that was it for the week. About the same planned for this week - continue on TTM, and I'm not sure what for a travel piece, depending on if I go to stitch night tomorrow, or if I have to do something with DH for stupid Hallmark Holiday #1 :( On that happy note, good stitching to everyone this week - and bring on that spring!