Red & Green and Redbird Sampler(s)

Here's an update on Redbird (Thanks to Jolene :). At some point, a Red Bird (It's a cardinal, right?) will appear. This is on the same piece of linen as Fox Forest, BTW. When unfolded, it's like they are opposing armies lining up for battle. I completely love stitching with the Juniper (is it CC or WDW; can't recall, sorry!) on this Meadowlark. It's pictured in a crocheted basket from Ikea, one of my 3 or 4 "Happy Places". Annemarie ID'ed it last time as being from their Hallowed Halls Showroom, and it is only my desire to finish Redbird this year that is restraining me from waxing long on their wonderfulness. :)

Meanwhile, my enormous blog hasn't made it off the presses, but I want to go ahead and share my joy at the wonderful surprise I received late last week in the mail! Feast your eyes, Dear Reader, upon



Rosewood Manor's Quaker Diamonds

BeckySC hosted a GENEROUS giveaway of this amazing piece, I think, because she is enjoying her work on their Quakers and Quilts pattern (which is a "sister piece" to QD and uses the same Valdani Floss. Now, if you followed that giveaway (who didn't?) you'll know that I didn't win. Yet, Here it is with me. I COMPLETELY wanted to win (how greedy, having won from Vonna in December) and must have been too open in my admiration of the piece! In truth, I feel a little guilty--but only a little. ;)



These Valdani perle cotton balls are one of my favorite things about this piece--I've never done x stitch in perle and so wanted to try it! I never expected, however, that Becky would send them too along with the chart--I've been SPOILED! I love-love-love them! They are so tiny and perfect; brings out my cat nature and makes me want to pop one out and bat it around with my paw!



Oop! There goes one! I quickly put it away before I succumbed and batted it all around the room. Wouldn't want it to get dirty! (=^.^=)

I'd LOVE to start it right away, but I have to finish my Arbor Day exchange (loving it; hope my partner does, too!) and do the finishing on my Easter Exchange. I picked up the materials for that this weekend, so all should go well. Also, I don't have a suitable cut of 28 count linen. The chart calls for 28 ct Cashel in Mello from PTP, and after seeing a piece of it in 32 at the LNS which had come in on special order, I've pretty much decided to stick to it--pretty! For those of you who use PTP, where do you like to/is the best place to get it? I'd love to get some without having to wait for them to dye it, but I think that may be a pipe dream!

So, where's this Red & Green Sampler?



BlackBird Designs has seen fit, in their infinite wisdom, to release this little gem as a freebie!

I am head-over-heels for the colours, and have been since they blogged a sneak peek a while back. It is a reproduction of the antique sampler that Barb fell in love with which inspired their creations for Market this year, and I think Market-Exhaustion has overtaken these poor ladies because they've titled it "Now I Know My ABC's". I don't know about you, but that title goes over with me like a lead balloon! I sure am desperate to have this beauty, though! Wonder how I should finish it. What's that? Finish A WiP first?

Okay, I'm off to ferret around in my stash to see if I can find the fibers for NIKM ABC's work on Redbird and prepare for dinner.