Hi!  I moved to Sun City, Arizona a couple of years ago. It's a nice place, my sister lives here, but I do miss my son and his family.  I'm a widow, my husband was in the Air Force, we met in Montana (my home state) and traveled the world over.  We lived in France for three years and on the island of Okinawa for four — loved both places.

I have embroidered since I was 8 or 10, as my mother was master of all she tried to do and she passed on her talents to her daughters.  However, I didn't begin counted cross-stitching until I was in my 50's (I was 77 yesterday), and I enjoy it most of all.  Two of my sisters are also Hardanger experts and I'm going to try that as soon as I finish my UFOs.  I am usually quite good at finishing the things I start, but I have two that remain on my "I'll get to that later" list –  The New World Map and Santas of Fable and Fantasy, both from the magazine, Cross Stitch and Country Crafts.  If you remember when Cross Stitch and Country Crafts became Cross Stitch and Needlework, you'll know how old these pieces are!

More later — I don't want to tell everything I know today.  

Edee

The New World Map isn't as large as it is intricate with so much backstitching.  I had a good start on it when my dog got it when I wasn't looking and chewed off part of one corner.  I figured it was ruined and just put it in with my other UFOs. but I got it out a few months ago and realized she had not done as much damage as I thought she had — she left plenty of room for me to finish it and get it framed.  It is a beautiful piece and I MUST finish it!

I vaguely remember the "sea trout" chart and I'll have to go through my CS&CC mags to see if I can find it again.  I'm also looking for a Shepherd's Bush chart, "Merry and Bright," that was published in Just CrossStitch in the early '90s, I think.  I know I had it, I copied it, but have lost the third page (the instruction sheet).  I have three large drawers full of CS&CC, Just CrossStitch, and CrossStitch and Needlework, so I'm hopeful that I can find them.  SB has also put out a kit, I think, called Merry and Bright, but they are not the same. 

Right now, I'm suffering from acute bronchitis, so I'm just watching the Olympics and doing very little.  Next week, I hope I'm ready to get back to stitching. . .

Edee