The berries across the top of the Royal Persian Blossom project are done. And that's ALL I've gotten done in the last week. Between rearranging my studio and playing with the design for the plate project (as yet to be named), I haven't put needle to fabric for as much time as I wish.Padded satin stitch, french knots and buttonhole wheels are the three different stitches used in this part of the design along with stem stitch for the thin branches. The only stitch I had to adapt was the buttonhole wheel. Again, I made a few short straight stitches to fill in any gaps and it worked perfectly.I really like the colors used in this part of the design - especially the dark blue berries which are nearest to the base of the branches. The lightest blues are used on the tip and the gradual change in shade from dark to light leads the eye along the sweeping curve of the branch.The next bit is more long and short shading with many shades of blue in a relatively tight space. I haven't started this section yet and was thinking today about why I'm reluctant to begin. I thinks it's because I feel like I need a big chunk of time to do it all at once. I'm afraid if I start and stop I'll lose the flow. I want to be able to work slowly and thoughtfully.We begin a two week fall holiday on Saturday and my plans include lots of stitching. We're staying in Berlin and doing all those little jobs that need doing and never get done and enjoying our home and our hobbies. I'm so looking forward to it. Stitching is the perfect way to relax and I'm not getting enough stitching time lately. When I don't have (or take!) enough time to embroider, I feel restless and unsettled. Embroidery calms my mind and centers me. Although I love my work, there are many days when I honestly wish I could be home for half the day to stitch. Maybe it's because I'm getting older or maybe just more introspective. I need time to work quietly, get immersed in the rhythm of the stitch and the beauty of the threads. Only two more days.