Dont you love progress?

Fridays and Mondays always seem to be the fastest days to get to in the week-- what do you think?  Before you know it, the weekend has blown by and there are still 25 things still on the must do list.  Friday comes along, and your head is still spinning from Monday morning.  Where can the time disappear to?  At least over the week, I feel I made some serious progress.  Brought some things to the framers, and made some decisions that I am excited and nervous about.  I am sure they are going to look terrific.  But, as my framer said-- you have stepped 1 toe out of your comfort box, it wont be that bad!!!! LOL.  He knows me to well!!!!!! 

Sorry the above picture is sooo horrid.  This is small progress on Weeping Tree, which is coming along great.  I am looking forward to more progress on this piece in the coming weeks.  However, there is another pressing piece at hand.  Remember on January 1st I showed a picture of the new start I was supposed to 'start'? The Drawn Thread Toccata 5?!!  Well, the most progress I made on it that day, was putting the linen on the scroll rods and taking a picture.  I put her down so I could continue on Rosina.  Well, a few days went by, perhaps a week or 2 and I decided I better get started on T5.  I pulled it out and opened the pattern.  Lets recap-- I have never done a piece like this.  Not hard right?  It doesnt look hard.  The pattern on the other hand was a bit overwhelming on how many threads to go over.  Some are 2, some 3 and even 4.  Some look like over 1.  Starting on the top right hand corner as usual, I began.  I stitched the first step over 1 and it looked way to small.  Redid it over 2 and it looked better, but was it right?  Pulled it out yet again-- realizing some mistakes and redid it over 2 again for the 3rd time.

By now, you can see I am a bit more confident-- with the help of my friends telling me a few tricks and things to watch for.  Now, each one does seem to get a bit easier, but lucky for them, I am still pulling steps out numerous times.  Am I happy with the progress?  Yes.   Am I happy with the project?  Yes and no.  But being the first drawn thread piece that I have done it; I am happy that I will have a bit of variety on the sampler wall.  But I am not positive that I will do another one.  I know, it is early in the game yet.
What I would like to do is remove this piece from these rods, and try those blessed q-snaps.  I know, I know.  Many of you think the world of these things, but I am not thrilled with them.  I think it will be better and perhaps I should have listened to my Friend in the first place and bought those instead, but this is how you learn right?!  LOL No worries.  I think it will help overall the way this piece is stitched and completed.  And, I know that if I continue on this path with the rods, I will never get this piece done :)

I received a very special gift this week from a new friend and I cant believe she thought of me with this hand embroidered pin cushion-that she made herself-- even better!!!  Isn't it wonderful?  It is absolutely perfect.  Thank you so very much, you made my day for sure!!!!
I wanted to share 1 of the few things of stash I got this week, and I know, this is the year of the WIPs.  And I think of Ann Dale....(working on the colors still) but Plum Street Samplers A Colonial Garden.

Of course, it has been out for a bit, but finally I took the pattern home and some linen of course, but not sure yet what I am going to decide at the end to stitch it on.  Maybe when I am done with Weeping Tree and T5, I will reward myself with this cute little start.  What do you think?  Any one else pick this up?
Well, off to another busy and exciting weekend!!  Anyone going to their LNS for Superbowl?  How exciting!!!!!!! Go Giants!!!!!!!