How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row!  I had to look up one of the words in the lyrics to that nursery rhyme, and I had forgotten that it was based on Mary Tudor's reign in England after her father, King Henry VIII, passed away.  Finally.  Her reign was for a mere 5 years before her sister, Elizabeth I, came to the throne, but she managed to execute approximately 300 people during that time.

I digress.  European history just fascinates me...

As of yesterday, I have finally reemerged into the land of the living.  I have been SO SICK it's not even funny.  This z-pack is barely making a dent, although if I hadn't called the doc for it on Monday, I'd be in much worse shape.  Tuesday and Wednesday I couldn't even get out of bed, I was that sick.  Yesterday, I was finally able to sit upright and move around the house a bit, so I got up, and sat myself in the den for some bad daytime tv, and began to stitch.

I'm still working on Katie's baby gift.  I know, I know...I should be done this already!  I feel terrible, but I just can't bring myself to finish it.  I think because I'm so sick of all the pastel colors, it's deterring me from completing it.  I did work on it, but not as much as I probably should have.

Instead, I ran upstairs to my craft room to see what other project I could work on to decorate my house.  I had two finalists (I have an entire hanging file storage full of patterns...I'm sure most of you are in the same boat...), and I ended up choosing "Fresh Garden" from Little House Needleworks.  It was a release at the Nashville Market this past year, and I fell in love with it.  I did not get the pin cushion or needlebook -- I plan on making my own needlebook :-)  I'll post pictures, not to worry, but I have to assemble my sewing machine accouterments and get some threads before I can get started on that project...and many other actual sewing projects that I have lined up...

Anyhooter, since I was able to sit upright yesterday, I was able to stitch after catching up on 3 weeks of glee (yes, I'm a gleek, and I can't believe I missed 3 straight weeks!  Thank you, FOX, for FINALLY putting your shows on demand!!!!), and this is what I was able to accomplish --

Now, the graph calls for Light Mocha linen which is straight up B-O-R-I-N-G.  I am so sick of these designers having a love affair with mocha linen for fun pieces like this.  Spice up your stitching life, for crying outloud!!  Live a little!! I chose 32 count Mello from Picture this Plus fabrics.  I love it.  It's neutral enough, yet it has some streaks of a greenish hint to it. I thought this went well with the greens and other earthy tones for this piece.  Cool, huh?!  I think it kinda looks like a seed sack, which is perfect :-)  I'll keep you updated on my progress...

Next stop -- the rose bushes on the side of my house.  It was raining when I went to take the trash out tonight (as it has been almost every night this week), but I couldn't resist taking pictures of the roses that have started to bloom on the side of my house.  For those of you who don't know, I have huge azalea bushes and rose bushes all along the side of my house, but I didn't know what color they all were until they bloomed, since I moved in before blooming time.  Well, the azaleas have all bloomed (I have gorgeous pinks and a really vibrant coral, but alas, no purple), and now the roses have finally started opening their buds.

This is what greets you on the driveway between my house and my neighbor's --

How gorgeous are these?!?!  These are both from different bushes -- the one on top is a brighter pink than the one on the bottom -- and the one on the bottom appears almost velvety.  Beautiful.

Just stunning.  I'm glad my camera was able to pick up on the light interior of these petals, despite the dark and rain in the atmosphere.  So, so pretty.

 This one, however, is my FAVVVVVV.  It's peach tipped in pink!!!  How awesome is THAT?!?!!!  I can't wait to see this bush in full bloom!!!

That's it for now -- I need to go keep getting healthy.  I forgot how horrible it is to be this sick...ugh....

Do something creative today!! :-)