Stitching on Goal

Monday afternoon, I resumed frogging and stitching on my Holly and Hearts Sampler. I managed to complete all but a tiny bit of the bottom row of tracery ... just a bit of the upper right corner of the row needs stitching. The first photo shows progress made on Monday and the second photo shows progress made on Tuesday morning. It is my habit to start my day on a relaxed note with an hour of stitching before getting ready for work. I am almost done with the beading. Then, it will just be a matter of completing the three specialty stitches and, voila, my first class project finish for the year! I am hoping to finish this piece by Wednesday.

I have also enrolled in a Scissor/Scissor Keep exchange and have been checking out the scissors available at 123stitch and The Silver Needle. I have a $45 gc from 123stitch coming my way in payment for a chart I sold and I am planning on buying fabric for a band sampler [from SANQ] that I wish to stitch and perhaps the scissors, as well. But first, I'll have to check the Stitchery Row website. So far, The Silver Needle seems to have the most interesting collection of scissors though some of their more appealing selections are way above the suggested price range. It seems only sensible to buy the scissors first so that I might then design a scissor keep the right size and with an appropriate theme and colorway. Most of the participants seem to like dragon designs, clearly not a hardship for me to stitch given my abiding love for dragons. I already have a few ideas in mind but shall wait to finalize them once I have been matched with a partner.