Thursday, August 12, 2010

Summer of Love: Random Sample

Did you think I forgot? The weather here has been poopy, so Stella and I couldn't go to the dog park. Usually, wrestling with Max and Shakespeare burns off her energy, so we needed a new diversion. We took a little trip to Petsmart. I let her sniff every bag of food, including the bird seed and crickets. Her head was accosted by strangers on several occasions, and she handled herself very well. Anyway, my blogging time was interrupted.


Hillside Samplings Animal Samplings * Hillside Samplings Queen of Fragrance * Jean Farish Cottage Rose Sampler * Spirit of Cross Stitch 1995 Commemorative Sampler * SOCS 1994 Commemorative Sampler

The commemorative samplers quotes read "My Sampler 'tis of myself a part/It opens the gateway to my heart" and "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." The Cottage Rose sampler says, "And I shall build myself a cottage home and tend my garden of roses." And the Queen of Fragrance has this little ditty: "Queen of fragrance/lovely Rose/the beauty of thy/Leaves disclose."

I remember when I bought that last one, I was in the most depressing mall in America (actually Baldwinsville, NY) (actually located on Downer Street) where, in the center of the mall, where most places have those carts, they had used furniture for sale. The cross-stitch store was one of the most successful-seeming places in the whole mall. Anyway, they had stitched it on gray Jobelin with what I have noted right on the chart was 520s and mauve instead of...520 and 300s. (Not sure what the note means now.) But their version was lovely.

What the hell was I doing in Baldwinsville, NY you may ask? I needed to do some research in the Syracuse archives and Best Pal offered to drive me from DC to Syracuse for you know, the fun of being in Syracuse in March with a B&B proprietor who thinks we're a couple. (But who also made us fantastic pancakes and waffles.) On the way home, we stopped at three cross-stitch shops. It turned out to be a good trip.

To win, tell me, have you ever taken an unplanned side trip to stitching stores that turned out to be more fun than your main road trip? Drawing Tuesday.

5 comments:

Myra said...

I took a trip to Mary Jo's fabric store and found a wonderful little quilt shop along the way. I remember buying the most fabulous multicolor quilting thread there.

It sounds like Miss Stella had a great time. So much to sniff in those places. I would love to be entered in your giveaway.

Heather said...

I don't think I've ever taken an unplanned side trip anywhere. Wow, I'm even more boring then I thought I was...

Anonymous said...

When I worked for an airline I took a lot of unscheduled trips, but I always made it a point to find some sort of crafty store to visit.

My favorite sunscheduled side trip was just one in passing, I took a different route to the grocery store and bast Acadian Corner - all cross stitch. I pulled over and fell in love. It is my go to store now.

Anonymous said...

You are a very good dog mom.

Tina S said...

I was in Europe a few years ago and it was fabulous. I was there with my daughter for the experience and the sightseeing when I happened upon a darling needlework shop in Saltzburg, France. I spent so much money there and had a fabulous time. I am a sign language interpreter for the deaf so when the clerk was having trouble communicating with me I started to sign to her! Oh, well...it was the only other language I knew!