Carolyn, the Busy Bee

The LOLs don’t get together as often as we used to do or would like to do, but a couple weeks ago, Becky, Carolyn, and I all managed to take time off work (or already be off for Spring Break) on the same day! We met for a couple hours at the local bookstore’s coffee shop to catch up.

Carolyn was the big winner in the completed projects department. Not that we were having a contest or anything, but we do tend to bring completed projects when we get together so we can oooooh and aaaaaah over each other’s work. Becky and I didn't have anything to show, but Carolyn brought four completed projects! Woo hoo!!

I think I’ve mentioned before that Carolyn likes snowmen. She has snowmen stitched and displayed already, but she very recently completed this big project and brought it for us to see:

This is a Lizzie*Kate project called Six Fat Men. It is actually six patterns that can either be stitched individually or combined into one project. Carolyn chose to combine these fellows. Doesn’t the finished piece look great? Carolyn says she calls this project, not Six Fat Men, but Five Fat Men and One Skinny Dude. I think she has a point, don’t you? I think she’s planning to frame these guys, so I hope I’ll remember to show a photo of the project on her wall!

Along with all the talking and laughing, Becky was beading (she makes beautiful one-of-a-kind jewelry; see it at https://www.etsy.com/shop/baubleshandcrafted). I was stitching away on the 12^th – and final, thank goodness! – of a series of Christmas ornaments. Carolyn was working on “finishing” some of her stitched pieces into their final decorative selves. I am in awe that she can do her own finishing, and everything looks great. I have tried to finish my own ornaments and make a box or two, but all I ever ended up with was a tear-stained face, a sky-high frustration level, and a mess. Lisa now finishes stitching projects professionally (see some of her finishes on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/scissortailstitches/?fref=ts), but back in the day when she was an amateur (haha!), she would always offer to help me make my ornaments or boxes. Sadly, I was so hopelessly inept that she would get as stressed out as I was just from watching me struggle, and would end up doing all the work for me. That was just too embarrassing so I finally quit trying. Now I go straight to Lisa with my finishing needs, and it's a total win-win. 

Carolyn, however, is made of much sterner and more talented stuff than I and does her own finishing. She completed the Ho Ho Ho box at the coffee shop and ornaments at home later that day. I’m so impressed! Don't they look great?!