I'm back! Two blogs I highly recommend you visit.

Let me begin today by saying, where in the world did August and September go!? Is it just me, or did those months seem to fly by this year?  I am long past due for a blog post, and today I would like to talk about two blogs which I highly enjoy.  I hope you might take a minute between counting stitches this weekend to check them out.  (Just click the titles below to visit them.)  I probably have mentioned these two before, so forgive me if I'm repeating myself, but they really are worth a look.

First up is Blacksheep's Bit of the Web which is a quite popular blog that you may already follow.  If not, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Edgar's beautiful stitching (and his travel pics, the mouth watering goodies he likes to cook, and his adorable pooches!)   I should warn you, a visit can be a little enabling if you're a shopper - and what stitcher doesn't like shopping, right?  Maybe I'm just very easily tempted to add to my stash when I see his gorgeous work!  If you stop by today, please remember to wish Edgar a Happy Birthday!!  (Hope he doesn't clobber me for sharing that info!)

The other blog I hope you'll visit is by the award-winning designer Theresa Baird, and it's titled Heart's Ease Examplar Workes.  I am already drooling over her latest design, "Norfolk Diligence," which is due to go on sale sometime this month:

What do you think?  This is DEFINITELY making its way to my stash ASAP! I should note that Theresa also stitches her own models, and I think you'll agree she does beautiful work.  I'm a huge lover of samplers with a well designed house in the design, but I really love the border on this piece (isn't that checkerboard border that transforms into the floral border neat?)  I also love the floral bands in this design, as well as that sun and moon on either side of the house!  

I think I own all of her published sampler charts, and I have started stitching "A Maryland Inspiration," which I love (let's face it, I love ALL her designs!) If you go back through her blog, she has been leading a SAL of "A Maryland Inspiration" with suggested stitching for each month and tips for stitching each section -- I'm behind (of course) but I do love having her previous posts to refer to as I work on this piece.  Here's a pic of Theresa's model and the ribbons she won for this design:

I won't spoil the joy of taking a look at her blog by posting ALL of her model pictures here, but I do hope you'll take a minute to browse the border of her blog where you'll find photos of her models and some pics of future releases. I tend to love Christmas designs (and Halloween!) and I'm really looking forward to the chart for "Belsnickle's Victorian Christmas" when it is published.  I'm sure you'll agree it's going to be one you'll want to add to your own Christmas stitching collection: 

Hope everyone has a great weekend full of stitching and blog hopping!  Kevin