Spring Fun Stuff

It's been rainy, damp and cold here in New England.  As much as I'd like to see the sun and warmer temperatures, I know that this drizzle-like rain we've been having is good for the seeds that have been planted in the garden.  Plus, it gives me a good excuse to relax in the evenings and get some stitching done!  I just stitched this very pretty piece by Danybrod, Wheat Is In The Ear, a saying for April.  It was a free-for-the-asking design.  It is a piece to be given to a newly married couple on their wedding day to wish them happiness and prosperity or can also be a gift wishing good luck in the home. I still need to finish it up in pillow form.  I plan on using the pretty material you see pictured, using the buttons for closure.  I will post a picture as soon as I get it done.  I hope to finish it up this weekend.  Maybe if the rain holds out...LOL...    

As you can see, I'm still working on my Victoria Sampler Ort Bag.  I have nearly three sides done with one more to go.  I'm really enjoying working on this piece! It's just lovely; the stitches are fun to do and the colors are so soft.  I plan on diligently working on this one until it's complete... no side-tracking, which is really, really hard for me to do!

It hasn't been all stitching, though!  Every May first my kids ring a few neighborhood doorbells and leave a goodie at our neighbors' steps.  I have been doing this with my children for 25 years or so.  Just one of the advantages, I guess, of having a large family spread over many years!  Their delight in making these simple gifts, putting them on a doorstep, running and hiding and then waiting for the receiver's reaction is such a thrill for them!  Our neighbors seem to be quite happy and look forward (I think) to each May first!  This year the kids made cards by cutting and glueing flower pictures from old magazines.  They also  made Tie-dye Fruity Cupcakes which were quite cute.  They made the little  bags to hold the cupcakes by cutting the top off of a paper lunch bag and glueing on pictures from the magazines.  To round out the little gift, they used tin food cans with the wrapper removed and a glass mason jelly jar as vases to hold store-bought flowers.  There isn't much in bloom right now, so we had to resort to buying flowers.  I think it's a valuable activity that emphasises, "Love thy neighbor"!