Feels like fall

We had very late starts to both spring and summer in Wisconsin this year, and now we're already getting a taste of fall-like weather, so that's a bit disappointing. I could almost go out and get started on trimming/cleaning up the landscaping already, and I haven't even finished all of the indoor deep cleaning I've been trying to get back on top of since last year. 😬

Since I don't want to think about all of the chores ahead of me, I'll make stitching plans instead! I've been working on Any Town Tiny Town by Heart in Hand in between cleaning spurts, and should be able to finish it this week:

I've had some trouble really focusing on this one, I think because I've already stitched a personalized version in which I switched out three of the buildings for local ones, but now I'm far enough along that I know it will be done within a few days.

I have a couple of new starts lined up, one for me and one for a friend. Mine is going to be Nora Corbett's Indian Ocean Mermaid on this great fabric orphan from Ship's Manor:

I'd been looking for a mermaid to stitch on this fabric for a few years now and had even made a start on one that was the "best fit" for it that I had at the time, but then this mermaid was released and I knew she was meant to be on it. I spent some time this weekend removing the stitches I had made and pulling threads, and now this project is ready to go when I am. I might even be able to have it done by the time the Mirabilia retreat rolls around in October, depending on what work stitching comes in.

The other new start is going to be a black Lab design for my friend Stacy, who just picked up their new puppy this past Saturday. Ten years ago I made this ornament for her for her previous puppy's first Christmas:

Sadly, Cinder developed kidney disease and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge a few months ago. Stacy's husband is a duck hunter and fisherman and trains his dogs to be working dogs (as well as much-loved companions), so I've decided to stitch the puppy with the bobber from the same book that I previously used, which is "Lab Puppies" by Tara Moore for Green Apple Co.:

Hopefully I'll have time to stitch it and make an ornament before Christmas this year. I'm sure there will be sadness when they hang Cinder's ornament, so I'm hoping one for the new puppy will make it a bit less painful.

Hope everyone has a great stitchy week!