Meeting more Velveteen Friends

(My mother and I have this running joke that my internet buddies aren't "real"...or rather, they are only real because I think they are. So just to antagonize her, I refer to everyone I know online as velveteen friends - like the rabbit from the children's story that becomes real!)

So when I heard that Dani would be flying into the Syracuse, NY airport, about 2 hours from my house, and visiting A Stitcher's Garden, I decided it was time to meet up!  Dani and I have "known" each other online forever...I think I first heard of her back when the TWBB was quite active and Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams issued the Dragon Virtue challenge - where she would name a design after the first stitcher to complete all the squares.  Dani really is a sweetheart, and as an added bonus I also met a new-to-me blogger - Melinda from Family Business!  The 3 of us chatted a bit and shopped a bit more, poking around in all the bins and corners of that lovely little shop.  I was really impressed with the activity in there - especially mid-day on a Wednesday.  And having browsed the website a bit, I'm now feeling tempted by some of the classes she offers....sadly, due to an increase in my employer's health plan and the apparent lack of raises this year, I just can't commit to anything like that on a whim right now.

The 3 of us at the shop - thanks for sharing this, Dani!
(Also, I feel like a giant now.  LOL)

In terms of my stash acquisitions, I got:

• Shepherd's Bush "Mermaid" sampler (kit)
• a mermaid Kelmscott needleminder
• 2 pieces of fabric, one mottled gray and one flax
• some Newport linen and the JABC pack for SamSarah's "W is for Wizard" design, that I've been wanting to start for a while now

And now, because Dani told me I had to - my progress on the wee wizards!

I think they're just the cutest little guys.  And yes, there are changes... :D  I got white Newport linen instead of the red used in the model, and I've swapped out every color for stuff from my stash.  The purple is Carrie's Ultraviolet, the green is WDW Moss, the blue is GAST Peacock, and the yellow is Ozark Sampler Citrus Cooler.  The yellow does show up better than it appears in the picture...although it is definitely NOT the more orange-y "Pumpkin Pie" color shown in the model.  I still like it!  And I think this should be a pretty quick stitch.