Exchanges Ready to Go

This is a picture of my SBEBB House Exchange project. I had a really hard time picking something and kept coming back to this design again and again. I think I was drawn to the bright colors - not something to be seen around here for quite a while to come. The recipient lives in equally winterly conditions so I hope it brightens up her day. It's a design by Brown House Studio stitched over one on 32ct Ice Blue Belfast. I made it into a little needle book - I'm so not creative or talented when it comes to finshing. I'm just waiting on some delayed stash to send out the package which should have gone today. I hope she doesn't mind the extra day or so.

I've also got my SBEBB Valentine's Exchange package ready to go to the post office tomorrow. I can't show the photo just yet because the recipient knows I have her for a partner! Sorry Su but you'll have to wait until it reaches Cumbria! I will post a picture once it's arrived.

Now it's finally back to some stitching for myself!

When in Maine

Last winter my boss decided that I needed to experience a dog sled ride - a very Maine thing to do according to her. Well we never ended up doing it but the Christian radio station I've been listening to was advertising that they would be broadcasting live at the Mushers Bowl on Jan. 20th. So I checked it out and it was Bridgton's Winter Carnival weekend and they had dog sled races, dog sled rides and a bunch of other wintery type events planned. We haven't had much snow and a lot of the ice still hasn't frozen enough to be safe so they postponed the races until February but you could still take some dog sled rides. So I signed my boss and I up and away we went to Bridgton which is in the western part of the state about 2 hours north of where I am.

The weather has been really cold and Saturday's temps were about 19 with a pretty fierce wind. We got to the apple farm where they were doing the rides and here are some photos of our adventure. It was neat but not something I ever need to repeat. Loud (dogs barking constantly), stinky (dogs pooping on the run) and bumpy (not enough snow cover and frozen ruts) not to mention wicked cold. The poor pups got really tired trying to pull us -we offered to get out and walk we felt so guilty! There was just not enough snow for it to be easy for them to pull. But they were really sweet and all of them were super friendly. Don't they look tired in the photo on the right? This was taken after we had gotten back to the starting point and off the sled.


But my boss and I had a good day out, a nice lunch afterwards and a meandering drive home with a little shopping in Portland on the way back. All in all, a great Maine experience!

January Weather Wierdness

This morning I walked Cowboy in just a sweatshirt and exercise pants (on me that is!!) and today's high is supposed to be in the 60s. Now mind you it's January in Maine!!! Sure gives some credence to the belief in global warming. I heard birds singing yesteday. This is so not normal and I fear we will be getting snow in May at the rate we are going.

I don't have any photos to show for a bit as I'm nose to the needle trying to complete two exchange pieces due for the end of the month. These are the last two exchange committements other than a birthday group I am in this year that I'm going to have for a while. I have not worked on any of my own projects since probably the end of October. And at this rate, I'm never going to be able to buy any new stash because I don't even have one project on my 25 things list anywhere near completion. I have not been counting exchange pieces as they really haven't reduced by stash of charts, etc. so I really need to get some personal stitching time in.

I am going to work very hard to get caught up and back to a routine of regular blog reading this month. Things have slowed down quite a bit thankfully and I hope to get back to a more regular blogging schedule. Hope you have all been well and thanks for stopping by!