A birthday.

Today is a birthday at my house.  Or, at the Boy Wonder's house!  

He is 24 today.  

Time sure flies.

Here he is taking a selfie...before the word 'selfie' even existed. I am going to guess he was 8.  

Happy Birthday! 

A picture...or 20... and everyone should have friends like this.

Where to begin.  It's only been a week or so since my last post but it's time to post about my October finishes and stuff like that.

But first...

I have to give a couple friends a high-five and a big thank you.

Yesterday I arrived at my Monday do-good community service locale close to 20 miles from home with a nearly flat tire.

The way things work in my house...in theory...is that I will iron the shirts and my husband will maintain the cars.  So, this city girl had little skills when it came to what to do aside from call AAA.  First I asked my friend Lisa to go get air with me.  Yeah Lisa!  She had the skills I lacked.  When it became obvious air wasn't going to solve my problem she hooked me up with a local tire repair shop and we took my car over.  Then, when the car wasn't finished after our day of good deeds...my two friends hung with me at the neighboring bar  coffee shop.  So sweet.  Everyone needs besties like this...can't thank you enough Lisa and Sally.

On to my October accomplishments.

My October small is Joy by Lizzie Kate from the 2007 JCS ornament issue.

Darn those dreaded corners.  If you don't put trim on the edge, no matter how accurate you are when sewing, the corners don't stuff or turn nicely.

My finish from my pile of unfinished pieces was this cute little Miss Crescent Colour's piece called Tick, Tack, Snow.  It finished up very nicely as an ornament.

I trimmed the edges with this bead-like trim.

I also stitched a Lizzie Kate that just called out to me from a basket of kits...Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle.  This piece gave my tons of fits.  While gently tugging a knot I ripped 2 threads in the fabric!  Oh, man!  There are a variety of possible solutions but I decided to put a piece of fusible web on the back...which was strong enough to hold the stitches... then I put a second piece on just to secure the stitches.  The 'Stitch a Gift' frame came with a piece of fusible batting that is also applied to the back of the piece.  Those stitches are not coming out.  I just couldn't get a decent photo to dare you to find the repaired area.  Because it's under the white thread the picture was just too blurry.

This finish also had to go into a couple of ice baths because first the green then the red ran.  The piece got a drop of water on it from my ironing board cover.  I tried to just work on that spot but then the red had to get into the act.  It was so close to going into the garbage.

I also took a couple finishes to be framed.  Lady Bug, Lady Bug came out so sweet.  I can't wait until summer rolls around again to hang it on the wall.

I think this dark green frame is one of my favorites. 

Since Christmas is coming I also took Country Cottage Needlework's Christmas Carol in for framing.

Love that light green frame and the little white insert.

I almost forgot two other little pieces I recently completed...

Liberty by Midsummer Night Designs.

And, Cat Tricks by With Thy Needle and Thread.

Poor kitty dressed up like a pumpkin!

That has certainly turned out to be a lot of projects finished all of a sudden.  Now I will probably go back to feeling like everything is taking forever.  I have quite a few large pieces in the works but am trying to take time away to work on smaller pieces now and again.  I've pulled several Christmas patterns that I hope to stitch in the next couple of months.

Happy Stitching.

Pam