First I want to start off by saying I had a wonderful weekend at
Ann's! I left work on Friday pretty tired, worn out, bone weary, and sore (did I forget any descriptors?). The last thing I really wanted to do was hit the road for yet another weekend away from home. Deep down inside I think I wanted to stay home and hide in my bed! However, I have enjoyed the ornamentifcation tradition Ann and I have kept going for a number of years. So I packed the car (again) and headed out after work.
There is something about visiting with Ann and Dan that is just so re-energizing to my psyche. I went there exhausted and sore and I came home this evening feeling like myself again. There is something about going there that makes me truly rest and relax, maybe its because Dan makes me laugh... a lot!
Friday night I arrived after 8 PM at Ann & Dan's, Ann's shop sign Knowledge and Needles was a warm, welcome beacon on the dark road just outside of town. I got out of my car to be greeted by the girlie dogs, Paddie and Mollie! For some reason this weekend they wouldn't stay still long enough for me to get a good shot of them to share with you this time! It was nice to settle in in front of the wood stove and visit with Ann before an early night (well early for me).
Saturday we had to be up early, to drop off my car so that my winter tires could be put on for the season. Dan took me up to see a house he was paining in Brighton, it had the most amazing view of Lake Ontario! I could of easily sat on that deck for the rest of my life and snitched away! Every room in that house looks over that view, the architect/planner was a genius with this house! Before Ann and I could get to Ornamentifing we had to do some running around.
Once we did get started though, this is what Ann's sun room looked like with just two of us making ornaments. How we did this in the past with 4-6 people together I don't know! It was nice for a change, just the two of us (and less stressful). We were both surprised when we found it took us the entire day to each put together about 7-8 ornaments each!
Here's Ann's bounty of ornaments.
For mine, I used Ann's trees in her backyard for a little creative photography.
Victorian Lace Ornament
1992 Santa
Partridge In a Pear Tree
Santa Stick-Up 1
Santa Stick-Up 2
Holly Ornament
Prarie Schooler Freebie
After Saturday's finishing frenzy, I now have a total of 11 finished ornaments for Christmas 2008. Its not as many as I'd like to have, I guess I'd better get stitching once my obligations are done!
Today Ann and I had a relaxing day with some stitching, and of course lots of chatting!
Now onto something that just makes me sick! Ann is the owner of Knowledge and Needles, a little shop in the back of her home. When you go into Ann's shop you are entering her home, always warmly greeted by Ann and the dogs. Not only does Ann have a great selection in her little shop, but she's always more than willing to help stitchers, to teach you, to help you find something that's no longer in print or that you don't know where it came from. Ann is happy to take her own time track it down and get it for you, there is never an extra cost, just a smile.
This is why I'm just DISGUSTED on Ann's behalf! If you
go to her blog, you can read about how several stitched items have gone missing from her shop! Five pieces that Ann knows about (several tea towels and a cushion) that were on display in her shop are gone, stolen! This is upsetting! What is more upsetting is that two of the towels are Christmas gifts for her family, Ann had these on display in her shop to help sell product and someone took them!
This is someone who has been into her home, who has spoken with Ann, has been greeted enthusiastically by the dogs and served with a smile. This is a stitcher, and I've often said there's a stitcher I haven't met that I didn't like, never one that has given me that feeling that they couldn't be trusted. Perhaps stitchers aren't the rare breed I thought they were.
