Blackbird SAL

How many of you have stitched or are working on the Blackbird Designs SAL (it was a freebie on Alma's Blog May 4th)?  It started out quickly for me and then those darn eyelet stitches started giving me fits! (I see that Alma did those letters in Smyrna Cross instead . . . why didn't I think of that?)  I wound up ripping two different letters out.  They're not easy to frog!  How did they get so out of whack?  Are my eyes going . . . was I too tired . . . distracted?  Now . . . the border!  Thought that would be a breeze . . . have taken out the left side twice now and I still see a mistake . . . one more time!  If I ever get this completed I plan on making it a pillow.  I chose my colors based on this Blackbird Designs fabric "Harvest Home".  I see now that I should have also picked up the blue . . . too late.  Wish me luck!

In between ripping out stitches on this piece, I've finished stitching one piece for the St. Charles Market and have started another.  I hope to have 3 new designs for the mid-August Market . . . time is passing a little too quickly for me . . . better hurry!

The last (and my first) Market was in February in Nashville.  It's actually held in Franklin just outside of Nashville.  Franklin is a really cute town and we had dinner there one night during Market but, didn't get a chance to go into Nashville.  So, the hubs and I spent an extended July 4th weekend there.

Country music fan that I am, I really enjoyed it!  "Honky Tonk Highway" on Lower Broadway was blocked off for the 4th celebration complete with an outdoor stage . . . music, kids activities and a (late starting) fireworks show.  Seems every bar/restaurant in this several block area had a different live band playing and with the outdoor stage . . . sensory overload!

We stayed right in downtown and were walking distance to most things.  We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum, Country Music Walk of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum, the Parthenon Replica (yes, they have a full scale replica that's an art museum with their interpretation of what the Athena Parthenos statue must have looked like . . . it's 42 feet high!) and the Grand Ole Opry (what a great show!).  There's an outlet mall across the street from the Opry . . . we did our fair share of walking and shopping!

 The skyline of Nashville.

 The Country Music Hall of Fame Museum.

 The Johnny Cash Museum . . . never a fan of Johnny Cash, but this was very interesting.

 Ate here one night . . . I had a coupon!

 Having seen the actual Parthenon in Greece, this was fun to see.

 This thing is HUGE!

 The show was very good . . . Mel Tillis, Danny Gokey, Connie Smith, 

Little Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill to name a few who performed.

Back to work . . .  ~*