ladies I love and some who annoy me, and some changes

I guess I shall start with the obvious. My repeat visitors (if any there are) will notice that I changed the name of the blog. This I did because I belatedly thought of a name a liked better, but was too lazy to set up another blog. Also, A Twisted Stitcher was too close to the name of Vonna's blog, The Twisted Stitcher (not that Vonna seemed to mind too much, she was very gracious about the whole thing, but I was rather annoyed with myself for my unintentional lack of originality). OK, The Pumpkin Patch Stitcher is not terribly original either, but it suits me better because:

1. I grow pumpkins

2. I stitch pumpkins

3. I decorate with pumpkins

4. I cook with pumpkins; and therefore

5. I occassionally look like a pumpkin (but I am not putting a picture of that on the interwebs).

That being said, if anyone out there in blogland knows of another Pumpkin Patch Stitcher, please don't tell me.

On to the ladies. The first is my newest finish, The Sampler Lady from Little House. She was part of my recent and very self-indulgent stash haul (please forgive the pics. I am camera-challenged today).

I switched out some of the colors for the GAST threads I had on hand--I'm trying very hard to stick to the stash diet by avoiding the LNS at all costs (there are a ton of new Halloween-type charts out which would be just too hard to resist). I didn't do the border because it seemed a little boring but I thought about putting a row of spools (not boring) along the top to balance it out a little. What do you think?

I actually finished another WIP last night right after The Sampler Lady

instead of immediately starting something new--Trix or Treat from Blackbird Designs (it's actually a few stitches away from completion in this photo, but I was in a rush this morning--still haven't figured out why I have less time for stitching, and everything else for that matter, now that the kids are back in school, than I had when they were home in the summer). True, it was almost finished, but still--I don't often have two finishes in one day.

Unfortunately I now have to do something with a lady I'm not too crazy about.

I started Jasmine over the summer, and as I mentioned in a previous post it was intended for a friend's daughter's birthday. Well, said birthday is Sept. 27 and although I have only about a week to get it finished and framed, I just can't get into it. I suppose I'll force myself, otherwise it'll be sitting around for another year.

And here is the final lady who's giving me fits, Mary w.

I still love this project but the vastness of it is overwhelming sometimes. This is why I so admire those of you who tackle HAEDs or the like that take years to complete. Anyway, I did decide on a recipient for it, which will hope will keep me on track. I plan to change "Ackworth School" to the name of my kids' school and gift it to said school when they graduate. We will have been at the school for about 13 years by the time my youngest graduates from 8th grade, and they love the school (originally a Quaker school when it was founded many years ago) so I figured it might be a good "thank you". Or, I'll finish it and stuff it in a drawer to be company for my numerous other finishes.

Speaking of finishes, and since I am very wordy today, I thought I would show a few of my finished finishes. Sometimes these things sit around for years before I decide what to do with them, but this week I completed some older pieces...

I found these small unfinished wood trays at Michaels, painted or stained them and fitted a few smalls inside. These are now in my kitchen. Finally, I stuffed Ida Mae Crow (the Goode Huswife) which I stitched at the beginning of the year into the top of my floss storage box.

For those who have managed to stay awake this long, happy stitching! Thanks in advance for comments, I do appreciate them.