Slow Sunday Stitching where almost everything is a work in progress...

Well that was a busy week that just whizzed by... it took 3 days to install the windows and enclose the porch... and I LOVE IT!!!  I've gained 70 square feet of living space with the porch enclosure.  Now to move onto putting up the new mini-blinds in the house (starting tomorrow when my handyman comes over)...and looking at new porch furniture (saw something I think I'll like at IKEA) and a new rug for the floor of the porch...maybe this carpet tile ...click here... at Flor... and need to order mini-blinds for porch...will measure tomorrow.

So here is a before shot of the house taken last summer...

and here  is now...

porch enclosed and new windows in first and second floor.

Another view of the porch where the front door is now located...

Side view of house...

New back door creating a breeze way. I got the same storm door on the porch and here since you can see them both when looking at the house from the side. I really like the door...it feels solid and I like the grid in the door which repeats the grids in the windows. See that rectangular panel at the bottom of the door?  I'm going to have my handyman paint that cream so it will mimic the garage door and the shutters.   Hadn't thought of that when I picked out the door but as soon as they installed it I knew I wanted it painted.

So it the house is still a work in progress but that's ok... I just realized I bought this house 5 years ago... it doesn't seem that long ago...time just flys!!

I had installers in and out of the house M/T/W... Thursday I spent at the car dealer having new brakes put on my car... Friday I ran around catching up on errands... Saturday I took my son and his friend to an anime convention and dinner.  Which may explain that I didn't get near as much stitching done as I would have liked...but then I would always like to get more done than I do, so I guess this past week wasn't any different than any other... oh well.

Here's what I worked on...

With Thy Needle & Thread's In Santa Claus Land... I got Santa's suit and pants filled in...that took quite a while but I'm happy with the blotchy-ness of his suit. Now I have a phantom deer to fill in...he must be Rudolph cause he has a red nose.  Good work to do while I watch college basketball... at this moment I still have 3 teams to root for...University of Cincinnati, Xavier University (I got a degree from both of these schools) and Purdue (my older son went to Purdue for undergrad and to Univ of Cincinnati for law school).  Keeping our fingers crossed that they go far.

And as I went to photograph Delivering Posies by Homespun Elegance I realized that not only does it need its button wheels but I need to fill in that band at the top of the cart... I'm planning on doing a satin stitch...

I've been dithering about what to stitch next... I've got a couple...several...ahem...a whole LOT of new charts coming my way.  I got a couple of Lizzie Kate's and some With Thy Needle & Thread and some Blackbird Designs and other assorted pieces. Part of me wants to be stitching Spring-y stuff but another part want to jump ahead  to Summer, Halloween and Christmas...and I have charts that cover ALL of those bases.   Tonight I'll work some more on In Santa Claus Land because I've convinced myself that I have more than half finished with Santa and the deer... but I may be conning myself.  I have 2 Halloween pieces I want to play with... this one from Lizzie Kate

 and this one from WTN&T...

I painted some linen for the WTN&T piece but I'm not sure I like it... I used the green/purple/orange tones I did last year but used a more golden yellow than light yellow and now I'm just not sure that's what I want for this piece.  Perhaps I'll just concentrate on the Santa piece and wait for a nice day to get outside and paint more linen...Spring has to come soon, doesn't it??? We had snow squalls while they were installing the windows and while today is lovely the forecast for the upcoming week is nothing to brag about. I know it is waaay better here than on the East Coast but if I didn't complain about the weather...well.... I wouldn't have anything to complain about...LOL

And I have one project to show that isn't a WIP...this wreath I made for my new front storm door...

I saw this idea on Tatertots & Jello's blog...you can see it here.   The wooden bunny and the wreath are from the Dollar Spot at Target... bunny was $3 and I think the wreath was $5... now the gal on Tatertots & Jello didn't paint her bunny but I thought it made it pop... just used some inexpensive craft paint... the ribbon is left over from some pieces I Priscilla-fied and the button was in my stash.  Now I did hot melt glue the wreath on the back so it would stay put and I made a hanger from a soda can tab to attach a string and get it on the wreath holder.  She said her project took 5 minutes and if you didn't paint or hot melt glue I think that is all it would take...but even my version hardly took any time at all.

I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts today...and maybe on Friday I'll have some knitting stuff to show... I have two pairs of socks going using my Opal Advent Calendar yarn...and I have 2 socks done...except they aren't a pair... but I'm close to making them each a mate... keep your fingers crossed.

happy stitching-
carol fun