Pretty Things

The weather has turned from three days of constant rain to bright sun, just as this day is ending. So I took the chance to photograph a few pretty things.

Do snails lie? Apparently mine does. He is registering -10 degrees F! Poor thing. I think he is purely decorative now. The plants are coming up and I hope the nights won't be too cold for them. I even got some branches to sprout and bloom inside.

Two cross-stitch finishes: My version of Home Spun Elegance "Fresh Spring". Stitched on 28 count tan Laguna with Olde Willow Stitchery thread #056 "Tropical Storm". I need to find a few little prim charms to go on this. I tend to be a bit bold shall we say, in my interpretation of Quakers. My colors are anything but subtle! I think they might better be called Quirkers because, let's face it, they are a little weird. The rabbit motif is from Prairie Schooler #152 "April" stitched on light blue 32 count linen (thank God for my magnifying specs from Walgreens!) using the suggested DMCs. I never seem to fiddle much with the DMC suggested by Prairie Schooler. They are just so right just the way they are.

Some socks in Red Heart Yarn Heart & Sole "Green Envy". I have made 12 pair so far, sticking to my very dull, but comfortable, freebie pattern from Red Heart. I have gotten rather brave lately and varied the sizes a bit. I made a large men's pair and I'm working on a smaller sized pair for my niece. I even gone so far as to order some hand-dyed yarns from Etsy. My attempt at "Cedar Grove Socks" in the very hard to find black and bright gold of my home town. My niece is a cheerleader there and I think these socks will go over well. My next Etsy order of yarn is bright yellow-gold with some white and black bits, sort of the opposite of this.

Have to throw a few pet snaps in for good measure.