It is autumn vacation here, meaning I get to work at night after the kids are in bed (thankfully I have a job that allows that!) and spend the days with the kids doing their stuff. Today Max and I took a shopping trip to Ikea to prepare for Christmas. Among other items, we came back with a real haul of frames. They have nice, simple, wood frames in a variety of stains and paint colors at a great price. Max was once again wonderful at making inspired color choices - his selection of what frame fit which cross stitch piece was much better than my own. After we got home I called a local hobby/art shop to ask if they would cut matboard to size so I can mount and frame my own work. They do, but will have to check the prices. This way, I can mount the pieces on a padded backing, which looks so much better. I've cut matboard myself, but I only have scissors, which makes it impossible to get an even edge. The framing shops want a fortune (to offset the fact they aren't getting the framing job, I suspect) and the only framer I have found here who does a decent job will NOT mount on a padded backing, and they are very vague on whether they use acid-free supplies. So... I will be framing this week! I'll post pictures as the projects roll off the assembly line. LOL.

For stitching, I have totally finished my Halloween mailart envelope which I am just DYING to post but can't. I have also been working on a little something that is coming together so very nicely. I just hope I don't wreck it with the finishing. It is a gift for a cyberfriend, so I can't post that either!!

For general feel-good stuff, today I received an envelope from BeckySC containing lovely, fun M Designs charts. Thanks so much Becky! You're so generous! The mailman has been really nice to me lately - I have received some wonderful LHN freebies and WDW floss from Cathy, fabric and floss from Silkweaver, towels from Charles Craft (via my mom, the Mail Fairy - thanks Momsie!), and other wonderful good stuff that makes me feel all fuzzy inside.

So, pictures are coming - hang in there with me!