Very cute blog post

Came across this and it was really cute. Thank you for posting!

http://littlebrookstitchquilt.blogspot.com/2007/12/things-i-have-learned-from-my-kids.html

Very cute blog post

Came across this and it was really cute. Thank you for posting!

http://littlebrookstitchquilt.blogspot.com/2007/12/things-i-have-learned-from-my-kids.html

Look at my Ebay wins

I have been spending more time on Ebay than normal lately, and have found some good stuff. I won these this week:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290192807616&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=019

Isn't this so cute? He is such an sweet little crow! I like crows now for some reason.

And this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130184340521&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=003#ebayphotohosting


I paid more for this kit than I really wanted to pay, but I have never seen it before, and for some reason, I MUST own every possible legal horse design. Especially if they are running, which is rather ironic, since (and I am about to share with you the deep dark secret of my life), I am afraid to ride a galloping horse. But this one was SOOO pretty.

You know, since I started back cross stitching, I have come to appreciate the days of yore. I can remember my early days of stitching, in the early 90s, when there was such a plethora of kits available. Once we decided that my 4-H projects for the fair would not be sewing, they would be cross stitch, Daddy used to take me to MJDesigns, later bought out by Michael's, and we would pick out my project. Anyway, it would take at least an hour to pick something out--this was my fair project, so it had to be perfect, you know (BTW, I never won more than a second in 4-H, but I knew the girl who won from 4-H camp, so it was OK)--but the thing was, they had SECTIONS of subject matter, not just a cursory selection of stuff you wouldn't really want to stitch, like now. I always hit the horse designs first, then expanded. The leaflet section was the same way; it took you TIME to look through everything to find the perfect project, and there was always a delightful selection that took several aisles. Not like that now. And a lot of stitchers shun kits. I like them. I think it's a good value for the money. But they were better back then.

Thank God for Ebay--that is the MJDesigns of the 21st century.

Pretty Freebie

Someone on 123 posted this. It is just too pretty. Wouldn't it be lovely on a sparkly navy blue, stitching in white?

http://commelacigale.unblog.fr/files/2007/11/lacrche.pdf

The Updated 50 List

In case you've forgotten, these are the projects off the 50 list that I still have to do:

Finish Stunning Irises
Summer Ball
Summer Quilt
Ghost Wind
Cat Lovers Too
Hummingbird Trellis Afghan
Sandy Orton--Autumn Sampler
Beachcombin—Salty Yarns
Like Feathered Wings
WWS The Arab
Halloween Bellpull
Stranger in the Woods
Raise the Roof-Happy Camper
I Like Winter Best of All
Is it Spring yet?
The Perfect Man
Bent Creek Winter Snapperland
A Cat’s a Cat
Summers To Come (Cricket Collection)
Calico Cat
All Hallows Eve
Lost Spirits
4 Season House
Bent Creek- Winter Row
Blossom Harvest
Christmas Village
Cat for All Seasons
Miribilia Halloween Fairy
AOY A Moment’s Rest
Janlynn Summer Sampler
Barnyard Kittens
New Fallen Snow-Glendon Place.
Will Work for Freezer Space
Winter Quilt
Autumn Quilt
Spring Quilt
Cat Sampler
Kitty Cat Row
Kit and Bixby—Winter Wool
Kit and Bixby—Summer Wool
Kit and Bixby—Spring Wool
Kit and Bixby Autumn Wool

The Terrible Turkey Tabletopper is DONE

I just finished it. I seriously did not think I would ever finish, but I did. Now, it's time to stitch for me.

I honestly have not been stitching much this past week. I just was getting prepped for the holiday and it's been such a drain. This is supposed to be the relaxing week, but it hasn't been, not yet. Last night, I wore my white coat, khakis, and my new Dale Jr tee shirt (Thank you, honey!) to work in the rain. I realized I couldn't wear the Dale Jr. shirt to sell tickets, so ran back down the hill to get my correct outfit, and SLIPPED. I have mud all over my white coat, my khakis are a mess, and I busted my cute pig keychain. But the new tee shirt was fine. Fortunately I had clothes in the car, or I would have had to leave. But we got off at 8 and I did get to stitch.

I should have some more time this weekend. Even though the never ending show is still going on. We have to clean on Sunday for his birthday Monday, but as of Monday, I just have to get his present and get my hair done, which was more drama. I have a beautiful empire waist shift dress, and I wanted my hair up. My hairdresser has apparently stopped doing updos. She did my hair for my senior picture, and it was up; I don't know anyone else who does good big hair--Yankees may consider Maryland the South, but just because we have a funny accent, and it gets hot as heck in the summer does not mean our hairdressers know how to do good hair like that, and I am the kind of girl who needs big hair. Anyway, so I have decided I am gonna have to have to go with big partially-up, partially-down hair. This may not work.

I guess I am lucky if my worst problem to end 2007 is that I have to look like Brigitte Bardo, not Audrey Hepburn, LOL.

You have to wonder about my commitment

to not buying more stash when I open a magazine, see this and wonder if that saying, "I would give my right arm to have this," is just a euphemism. But I like these. They scream, you need to stitch us:

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran2508-0.html

Aren't they cute. Aren't they just absolutely the most adorable mice you have ever seen?

Hope Everyone had a Happy Christmas

I had a wonderful one. No stitchy gifts, but that's OK! I was happy with what I got.

I do have to share this, as it really touched my heart. My BF wasn't sure if he wanted to come to my house to spend time with my family, because of the length of time we've been dating. He has been wanting a set of canisters for a while, but a nice set. Anyway, I told Mama he wanted them and she sent me to get him a set, the admonition being, "Don't spend too much." Well, I found a really nice set for a reasonable price, including a big flour bin. He said he didn't want to come over last night because he didn't have a gift for my parents. I said it didn't matter, because in the end, it doesn't matter. Christmas is about family, or "fambly". I wanted to have a night with the people I love around me. Anyway, I wish I could put into words how his eyes lit up when he opened that canister set. He said, "Someone must have told you that I wanted it." I told him it must have been a Christmas elf. I don't know, something about finding a present and granting a wish, however small it is, for someone you care about, and seeing joy, that to me was my favorite gift, not just for him, but for me too. My mom will not know how wonderful that gift was, but I do.

So that is that! OHHHH, and I found out that Stoney Creek is releasing a class kit from last year's (2006) CATS that I wanted to take. It's $115, so going to take a lot of budgeting (and probably a lot of no lunches) to afford, but I want it.

I am locked out of the craft room

I went last night to hide my unwrapped gifts in my craft room at SO's house. The door was locked! When I asked, he said it was because my gifts were in there. What the heck did he buy me? His stocking is in there. I have all these gifts to put in the stocking and it's in there. And it's not like I can even get in today. He's shopping today while I am working. I will not have access.

I got up this morning and wrapped a couple small gifts, then laid on the couch and looked at the Christmas tree. Even with the paltry few gifts I had wrapped, I felt like a good provider. I even made sure "the boys" have presents. It's hard to shop for pit bulls, I do have to say, but I got them the healthiest cookies that I could find at Petco, some rawhides, and some chewy cookie things. They look so cute under the tree.

I concede temporary defeat

I will not get the snowmen done for the holiday. But I am OK with that. I was setting a high goal for myself. I have too much to do over the next 4 days. I finished decorating the tree last night, and gathered together my presents to wrap, now I have to take them to SOs house and wrap. Then tomorrow is work (BTW, they extended the show another freaking week--I am all for success, just starting to think we are going to have this show forever, and I really do need some time off next month.) And Sunday, do the grocery shopping.


I have been pondering my goals for 2008. I do have some. My New Year's Day start is going to be the Stoney Creek Winter Bellpull. I've had the supplies for almost a year, and I saw this at CATS, so it's time to start it. I want to finish 10 UFOs and WIPs, and keep working on the 50 list. I want to finish the 50 list this year--this is asking a lot, but I can try.

Otherwise, stitchy related, but not stitching, I want to win Best of Show at the county fair. I found a really beautiful Hardanger design in the newest New Stitches, and I am going to try to get that done. It's a fall design of acorns, not HARD really. Hardanger looks a lot harder than it is, so this should be fun. I also want to get rid of the unwanted stash I have. Whatever I can't sell is going to be given away at the Sue Hillis GTG on Memorial Day Weekend. I can't have all this stuff. And, as part of my general financial redirection, I will cut down on the amount of stash I buy. I really do have a lot of stitching treasures that need to be done, and keeping adding to the pile lessens the chance of them getting done.

Starting the year in review a little early.

Can you believe in less than two weeks, it will be 2008? Where did 2007 go? I started this blog last December, and I can not believe how important it's become this year. A year ago, I wouldn't have had the courage to put ANYTHING I wrote out for public perusal, and here I am, blogging happily away.

I wanted to start by saying how much I enjoy the company of my new blogosphere friends. I love reading your writings, and am so appreciative to anyone who reads my little meanderings on the world of stitching.

2007 was a great year for me, stitching wise. In addition to starting this, which I can honestly say is probably the longest-lasting thing that will come out of my stitching life this year, I learned Hardanger, which I have been wanting to do FOREVER, and won lots of ribbons at the fair. I was so honored that my HOHRH was in the judging for Best of Show at the state fair. You see, it's always been one of the things that has bothered me about myself, that I am just not "graceful", nor terribly coordinated; they made me dance in the back row in high school musicals because I could sing, but I couldn't dance my way out of a sack. And I managed this year to become graceful, and ladylike, with a needle and thread. My piece, at 30, was good enough to compete with pictures by women who have been doing this longer than I have been alive. I'm not in the back row anymore!

And also, I came this year to realize that when I think about the art that I do, it's not, "I am a frustrated actress," or "I sing, and I am trying to get into a band." It's, "I stitch. I paint pictures with cotton thread. I am a fiber artist." I can say, I never felt that I could be an artist with my needle before, and I do now. I have the confidence. That's a pretty awesome feeling.

Anyway, I am about to clean up my sidebars, so wanted to remove the 2007 finishes, since I won't be finished with anything in the next week and a half. Sandy's Magic Hat won't be done, but she will understand, she is a lovely lady. And I won't finish the terrible turkey tabletopper this year--it's temporarily AWOL, but Mom is pretty sure she didn't throw it out, so I will just let that go for now--so it's time to list my finishes for the year:

Winter's Delight-Just Cross Stitch
Halloween Window-Patricia Anderle
herb Garden-Little House Needleworks
Give Thanks for Best Friends--Secret Needle Night
Halloween Night-Val's Stuff
Country French Cat-JBW Designs
The Little Black Cat--Bent Creek
Woodland Sampler-Something in Common
New Birth of Spring--Stoney Creek
Dead of Night--Funk& Weber
Santa's Unexpected Gift-Dragon Dreams
Spring Has Sprung--Rainbow Gallery freebie
Flip It Blocks-January 2004-Lizzie Kate
Forest Snowfall-Country Cottage Needleworks
Wee Ones-Flowers--Heart in Hand
Kitty Dreams- Sue Hillis
Summer Row--Bent Creek
Emma's Garden--Plum Pudding Needlearts
Down By the Sea--Pine Mountain Pillow
Summer Window Spot- Fanci That
At Home with Jane Austen--the Sampler Girl
Santa's Journey-Margaret Sherry
Warm Water Wash--Raise the Roof
a Britty Kitty square
Fall is Fabulous--Count Your Blessings freebie
Autumn Nap-Waxing Moon
Iris and Friends-Diane Graebner

A pretty diverse, neat group, so many memories attached. Iris and Friends won second place at State, but since she was stitched in memory of Gramma, that's good. I know Grammy was watching over that picture. Summer Row was stitched on the road to Franklin, NC, along the Ocoowee river. The Little Black Cat was my first major over-1 project. New Birth of Spring saw me transition to healing from Gramma, and took the whole flippin' summer, Santa's Unexpected Gift was another award winner, and is hanging on SO's tree to remind us both that our relationship was an unexpected gift.

Other thoughts from my addled brain

I just spent the last hour frogging the snowman hat. Dammit.

Anyway, I am stitching with 28 size needles. This is my standard. They aren't petites, just plain DMC from Michaels. I was thinking something was wrong, because they just felt thin and flimsy, then realized what it was. I have been working with size 24s for the tabletopper, and so I am not used to spindly needles. It's gonna take a few days to get used to this.

Must pick up the pace!

I didn't get a lot of time to stitch last night. We started decorating the Christmas tree, and putting out the decorations. Note I say started because there was a lot of stuff that hasn't wended it's way out of the basement yet. I did get my beautiful Fitz & Floyd Santa up, which is always an experience of wonder and fear--you try to lift a porcelain Santa that was cheap to buy on sale, but expensive to replace, and which I bought in a moment of consumer credit gluttony, because it was absolutely gorgeous--up on a mantle over hardwood floors while a herd of housepets sit around your feet, hampering your way as they work out the plan to break Santa and act like he never had a face. I ended up handing him to Mom, sitting her on the couch, planting my feet firmly, and having her hand him to me, then edging up to the mantle and lifting him. How tacky would it be to leave him in the box and just display him like that next year?

Anyway, I did get started on the gingerbread men/snowman pic. I have discovered DMC Light Effects does not go through the holes in 18 count aida easily when doubled. Which is slowing me down a great deal, but I am working a section of hat, then a section of sparkly snowman, then going back. Rotating will keep me from going insane. It shouldn't be TOOO bad to get this finished, as long as I stay on track decorating. I did find SCADS AND SCADS of brand new white lights in the boxes when I was looking for stuff last night. What did I buy them for? And they were in one of my craft boxes. Wierd. Tonight I have to put out my other treasured Christmas decoration, my Nutcracker Suite music box, and then the major stuff is done.

1 week til Christmas

A week from today is Christmas Eve. Fortunately, I don't have to work. Anywhere. I can't remember the last time I had three days where I didn't have to work at one of my jobs, but I do next week.

And just in time. The freebie from San Man's 12 Days of Christmas, Day 5 is ADOORABLE. I must stitch it.


I went to Michael's at lunch to get supplies for it. I thought it would be really cute on a piece of blue, and then thought, maybe I should make the snowman sparkly, so had some fun with the light effects floss. They had a lovely soft purple and light blue as well, so I thought those would be good for the snowy parts. I think, I THINK, that if I get all my night chores done quick this week, I can get this done. Maybe not framed, but we can see. It's going to be for my SO's mom, who loves snowmen. She's always been very supportive of my stitching, probably more than my mom. SO said she went to the fair this summer and had her son in law look at every entry to pick out mine. So I think that she would appreciate a stitching gift. The race, my friends is on.

Friday Night Nonsense

http://foundmagazine.com/find/714

I was cruising the web tonight and found this. I'm in a silly mood--tend to be like that on Fridays, LOL. This cracked me up.

OH, on a good note, they are restarting CATS as the Stitching Jubilee. It figures, now that I ran up a credit card, justifying "It's the last chance I will have to purchase." But I knew it was going to happen. Too many of us were too upset, not so much about the shopping loss--the internet sorta makes it basically impossible for you to go stashless--but about the stitching rooms.

Couldn't take it any more

I have been working on my tabletopper for almost two weeks solid and I needed a break. So last night I started a Sanman freebie of a snowflake. I figured it was something that I could finish rather quickly. I am about halfway done with it already. So it's good.

There are more charts of snowflakes, I am considering doing them in different threads on different fabrics, silver kreinik on navy, or red on a sparkly lugana, that would use up some of my threads and I would have ornaments. I was thinking I could do a little tree in snowmen ornaments. That would be good for my craft room.

The organizing is having an effect on me

I have finally realized I just might have enough stash to last me for a while. So my brother came in last night and asked me what I really truly wanted for Christmas. I have been pretty fortunate this year, and all I really had on my list was stuff I wanted; other than a new coat that is not white, I don't need anything on my list (and to be perfectly honest, I didn't need the new coat, I just wanted a coat that wasn't white because it's a pain to keep white clean).

Anyway, I have a couple charities who contact me, mostly animal charities, for donations. It breaks my heart, because I can't do for everyone. And my aunt inspired me because she wanted a donation to a horse rescue in her name. So I gave him the brochure for one that volunteers at hospitals and nursing homes, and which I am thinking about volunteering with, because Robbie loves to be petted and would make an excellent therapy dog, and said, "Make a donation in my name to them." And he's doing it. I feel very good about myself now. Instead of clothes that will get stained and dirty, and objects that will take up space and get broken, and more cross stitch stuff that I don't have time to stitch, my Christmas present is going to help someone, in the way that having my dogs and cats helped me when I needed it.



Is it OK, though, if I say that I really want This? It's beautiful. It would win everything at the fair. It would whip up on HOHRH. Maybe someday.

Still not finished and not looking likely soon

I had to go shopping for a new good coat last night, and didn't get home til 9 PM. So I had a little time to sit with my terrible turkey tabletopper and work on him. I almost killed a small black dog named Robbie-do, because he ran across the couch and sent my little bobbin of pearl cotton flying when I wasn't there to get it, and I am too busy to go to the LNS to get another roll of it, nor do I want to buy anything right now. Fortunately, I did manage to find it fairly quickly. And he laid quietly by my side the rest of the evening while I watched the Hills finale.

It was a good mail day, stitching wise. I got the monthly SNN kit. It was a really good one. The little scene from October but done w a sleigh. They are going to do spring and Summer for this series. I sense a wallhanging happening. I wonder, though, as long as it takes me to do these, are there people who diligently stitch them every month? Because you would spend the whole month stitching one. What about other projects? I guess, though, no one can like everyone of these. The leprachaun ones, especially. I was never a fan of them, and after the Ghost Hunters where the fairies were running around the ghosthunters, I am afraid.

Anyway . . . just a thought.

I am still trying to get organized. I keep weeding things out of my stash. There is so much to go through. I can only imagine I bought this stuff as part of lots, because really my tastes have not changed that much. And I have a huge lot of crafts magazines to be gotten rid of. I hope they go to good homes. I did go through my binders and try to make sure that the things that belong together are grouped together. That is at least getting there. I still have about 4 to go through, though.

Drat drat drat

Do you know how irritated I am with myself?

OK, no.

Anyway, I was about half way through stitching the last turkey on my tabletopper, and I realized I was off. Not just off. Completely off. And since everything is the same on this one, it had to be picked out and fixed.


I could cry. I hate stitching that bleeping turkey. I hate this tabletopper. I hate it. I hate nunstitching it. I nunstitched for two hours on Saturday night and I didn't get it finished. I got one more side finished. I don't want to work on this no more. ARRRGGGGHHHHH.

I did make some improvement last night in getting things organized. I consolidated some boxes, and ended up with an empty one to put my sale items in. That way I can get them off the bookcase in the livingroom. This is a vast improvement. I am trying to decide how to best sell it. I don't know whether a stash sale would really work. It seems to me that is a lot of hassle to sell. I don't know if Ebay is better. I could either set up a store, or just sell it little by little. The other option is to take it to the sell for you Ebay store.

The price of stitching

My friend Kathy told me in an email on Friday that people were paying 46GBP for Cross Stitch Collection 144, which happens to be the one with the cute baby in it. People are crazy. That is $52USD. That is a tank of gas and a half. That is a load of groceries. Or an outfit. For a magazine . . .


I paid $10.99 for it.

hmmm--what to stitch

The state fair has a contest for designs that are 's' and I need some help choosing an s subject. It can't be something that the viewer would have to use difficult logic to see the s. I want to steer away from doing ships or seashore, because there are classes for those at the fair. So what should I stitch? It can't be something that will take months to stitch, because, as you know, I don't have patience for big projects and the fair is 9 months from now, not to mention, I do have to work, eat, sleep, MOVE households, and work on other projects in this 9 month period. So what do I stitch?

I am liking sheep for some reason. And snowmen . . .

SBQ Questions

I recently attended a stash sale organized by friends of a stitcher who had passed away from ovarian cancer. I didn’t know the stitcher, but I quickly learned things about her, such as who her favorite designers were and that she was much better organized than I am (she had almost no duplicate charts!). In talking with her friends, plans were to donate the funds collected from the sale to the hospice which cared for her at the end of her life.

The friends had organized everything, from going through her stash right down to what they were doing the day of the sale, because her family really had no idea of the value of her stash or what to do with it.

It was a rather somber experience; I even felt tears in my eyes a few times thinking of the woman who had once bought these charts in her LNS with plans to stitch them someday, gone home and lovingly filed them away, and then been unable to complete everything she wished to do. I felt guilty I was benefiting from her death and her losses. I felt honored to be offered the opportunity to take care of some of the things she had once loved. I felt like I knew things about her from the kinds of things she liked to stitch.

I realized if something happened to me, most of my stash would languish in my home because it wouldn’t cross my husband’s mind that he should do anything with it, and he’d have no idea *what* to do with it, either.

This experience made me think of lots of questions which would probably be great for an SBQ …

* * *

What would your stash tell others about you?

Most of us stitchers joke about having reached SABLE (stash acquired beyond life expectancy), but have you thought about what you’d like done with your stash after your death? Do you want it to reach other stitchers who will love it, too? Would your family know what to do with it or recognize its value?

How well organized is your stash –would someone be able to come in and put together a sale easily, or would it require lots of organizing work ahead of time? What would you like to see done with the funds collected from such a sale, i.e., should funds go to your family, to a charity or charities of your choice, to a charity or charities of your family’s choice, etc.?

Are there certain items in your stash which are rare and highly desired by stitchers that might make a much larger amount of money if sold on eBay? Have you done anything to designate which items these more valuable ones are to guide your family in how to handle them? Who would you tell your family should handle such a sale so that they don’t have to do it themselves? Have you done anything to make these thoughts known to others, either through discussions or through a codicil to your will?

Have you ever attended a similar sale of a passed stitcher’s stash? How did it make you feel? Did it encourage you to make any changes in your stitching lifestyle?


This is a really hard SBQ to answer, for a lot of reasons.

I have bought lots from people who have passed away. I think the one that affected me the most was the one I bought where she had filed everything neatly away. She even had copies. I could tell that they were old copies, because most of the charts were very old, so I couldn't automatically say, "Well, gosh, I have to throw these away." because you could tell that she loved them enough to put them in a folder. I have a thing about getting rid of things people loved, because doing so seems like it takes something from their memory. So I have her copies, tucked away for now.

What would my stash say about me? As an overall person, it would say I don't do anything half way, LOL. You hear me complain about what a job it is for me to stash dive, right? But I think it also shows that I do try to acquire things with the idea that I am building an archive. I decided a few years ago that, if something happened to me, I wanted my stash--well the patterns and things, the fabric and floss can just be given away--to be donated to my university to start a needlework collection. I think the College of Fine Arts would be happy with that. But I've collected a bunch of stuff, all different kinds of things, and it needs a repository, and there isn't one that I know of. But it would also say I have so many interests, and I do. I love animals, I love the beach, I love cars, I am even chatting with a designer about charting tattoos--we think that would be a cool design. I am not a simple person and my stash reflects that.

Still no time to stitch, but it's snowing!

i got home last night and the last thing I wanted to do was pick up my stitching. It was supposed to snow today, and I still maintain that childish wonder about snowdays. Except that I have to drive in them now and I don't like it. Fortunately, my tank was full so it wasn't a bad morning drive, just very long. It took my guy 3 hours to drive 50 miles, but he will be on the road all day. I just have to figure out if I can get to my part-time job.

I have decided I hate the turkey tabletopper. It's time that it was finished, and i still have another turkey/pilgrim hat combo, another bible to fill in, and THREE Mayflowers. This is going to take me forever. I want another project. I want to start something new and seasonal.

Found it! Found it!

I found the magazine with the baby design in it today in my bedroom. It had fallen behind the bed and I was changing the sheets out and found it. Woo hoo! I found it. I am awesome. I can do this design.

Anyway, I am not getting much stitching done. I went Christmas shopping last night to get some headway on my gifts. I mostly bought stocking stuffers. My guy is hard to shop for--what does one buy a man who buys himself whatever he wants? The answer would be, a pair of sleds. They had them at Target and they were $10 each. They are more like saucers, but I think they will work pretty well if it snows. I am surprised that no one has invented a sled that is shaped like a cafeteria tray, because trays make awesome winter implements. They are great sleds, and can also be used in a pinch to dig a Ford Escort out of the snow. So I have those, although it is kinda hard to find a place to hide them. I also found him some Peppermint Pop Rocks and some candy. I decided that I can also give him scratch off lottery tickets, put a little excitement in the day. I am not good at the stocking thing, really, but I figure with a couple other little things, that ought to be enough. Money is tight this year, and I have a huge shopping list. I am getting his nephew a copy of Puff the Magic Dragon. He's almost 3, so he won't pick up on the drug references, which I still don't understand at 30. For him, it will be a book about a dragon.

So I got home at 9:30 last night and stitched for a little bit. I am still plugging away at that bleeping tabletopper. I finished another turkey last night, and started on an Indian basket and a Pilgrim hat. And did some Nun stitch. Nun stitch is dreadfully boring. I really have to say that. I am hoping to get more done today and tonight.

Santa pics

Today was the day I took 5 of the 6 pets in this house to see Santa; Felix Anne and I have an agreement that he does not go to see Santa Claus EVER. It was pretty fun. This is a Christmas tradition for me, and I love doing it. Robbie ate everyone's cookie and asked for more. Chancey wouldn't put her ears up for the pic, Nikki got shy. Gussie peed on Santa's helper, which embarrassed me, because she was quite a tabby fancier; she said he was such a pretty color, and he wet on her. He did not, however, do the traditional ninja foot pose in his picture, just wailed for someone to rescue him from the hell his mother had put him in. That is why this photo cracks ME UP.

OK, where is the magazine

At some point earlier this year, i bought a copy of Cross Stitch Collection 144, which had a design of a newborn baby in light colors. It is a very beautiful design. It was actually the designer's baby, but he's adorable, even if he isn't a baby I know. he would make a pretty birth sampler.

The problem is, I don't know where I put that magazine. And I have all the floss with it too.

I don't know what irritates me more, that I spend my money on stuff like this, knowing it's gonna be lost, or that I just lose stuff all the time. Am I the only one who does this.

A Dilemma

I was cleaning and sorting in boxes last night and found a problem. At some point, I had taken Stoney Creek's Babes of the Woods to Michaels and bought floss for one of the designs in it (I am thinking it was a fox cub design, but can't be sure). Now, two years or so later, I have no idea what I bought all that floss for. And that annoys me. I am pretty sure I bought it for something, but I decided that, since I am sending my friend in England some floss, I would include this. But I sure do wish I knew what I bought it for.


I finished Winter's Delight last night. I have to wash it still, and I have to order that charm. Fortunately, I emailed By Jupiter and they said they would sell me one. Which I am really happy about. It was not that I couldn't have used another charm, they just weren't "right" and I want this to be perfect. So I have that to order.

I started the Midsummer Night Designs Monkey Sampler this morning. I am really loving the colors.

Freebies Freebies

Someone posted these on 123 and there are some great ones. I am a huge advocate of the freebie, especially having won a blue ribbon at the fair with a Sanman freebie.
Some of them are in French, which doesn't bother me like it probably would, had I no French background.

http://blackyrose.over-blog.com/categorie-10054874.html

http://blackyrose.over-blog.com/categorie-10054874.html

http://aurytm.blogspot.com/

http://aleinung.blogspot.com/

http://arachneensonjardin.skynetblogs.be/

http://cargaudlabrico.canalblog.com/

http://commelacigale.unblog.fr/

http://www.countrycrossstitchkits.co.uk/acatalog/free-cross-stitch-patterns.html

http://xstitchhappy.blogspot.com/

http://www.dmc.com/majic/pageServer/1g010100cn/es_ES/ct/os/prid/25082/index.html

http://www.dmc.com/majic/pageServer/1g010100cn/fr_FR/ct/os/prid/25062/index.html

http://vick-et-pique-et-colle.over-blog.com/categorie-10119897.html

http://le-noel-des-croixpinettes.over-blog.com/

http://www.periphaeria.com/Designs/Samples/

http://kelliewaltondesigns.com/store/index.php?cPath=24_34

http://kissycross.twoday.net/

http://broderiepassion.over-blog.com/

http://mamou.over-blog.net/

http://mariperles.over-blog.com/

http://passe-tempsdeflo.over-blog.com/

http://misst.canalblog.com/

http://lunedautomne.over-blog.com/

http://mausimomsfreebies.blogspot.com/

http://novalee02.over-blog.com/

http://www.orbispictura.com/Grillegratuites.php

http://wiehenburg.de/8.html

http://www.sticktreff.com/

http://www.susansxstitchery.com/freecharts.html

http://swappons.oldiblog.com/?page=lastarticle&id=894461

http://blog.theflossbox.com/

I didn't finish my project-phooey

I was hoping to get Winter's Delight finished, as least as far as I can finish without having the charm, but it was a busy weekend, and then yesterday we vegged out watching the Redskins-Tampa Bay game (they lost, thank goodness.) I am starting to get a cold, so not too easy to stitch.

Some splaining to do

OK, I was in a rush yesterday to get the pictures posted and forgot to post what they were.

The first is my mixed technique piece, Halloween Window, by Patricia Anderle. It is from the October 1997 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework. It is a really good issue to add to your collections, because there are several really great patterns in there.

Next is LHN Herb Garden Sampler. I think I picked too pale a shade of blue because my lightest floss is very close in shade. But Mom should like it. I just have to get it in a frame before Christmas. Mom fought the neighborhood rabbits all summer, which is kind of wierd to her because her real house is in the country, and she doesn't deal with rabbits out there, then she comes to the suburbs and we are overwhelmed by rabs. That makes me laugh. We should laugh, they ate the heck out of our plants.

The last one is Winter Delight Sampler from the 2004 December issue of Just Cross Stitch. I know, I said I rarely stitch from there, but I think JCS designs are something that you need to let sink into your brain. I realize that now, because like with this one. I don't know what was going on in my head back in 2004, but this design escaped me, and I found it last summer, and was like, Holy Schmoley, this is pretty. And it is really pretty, I can say that without feeling like a stuck up schmuck.

It's that time of the month again

Magazine reviews, that is. Yay!

I do not have all my new mags where I am posting this, so will start with what I have.

The first issue we have up for review is World of Cross Stitching 132.

This is a really good issue. Our favorites are all getting prepped for Christmas in it, from Forever Friends to the Perfect Pets. The Perfect Pets are a pair of rats eating a Christmas plum pudding, very cute. And there is a lovely design from a new range called Alison's Animals. Its a cute little terrier and a kitty in a Christmas tree. I hope they have more designs like that. Also in the magazine is a pic of the Snowman, but it's the same one they always have, the little boy and the snowman flying through the air, so a little bit of a bummer. There is also a very sweet design of the Princess and the Pea. Designs like this make me wish I had a little girl to stitch for. Also in this issue and worth noting are 4 cute little wreath designs that would be great for ornaments. I like to look for ornament ideas, as one year, I will have a tree full on decorated with cross stitched ornaments. That is not working out real well, LOL, I think I have 3 done.

recent finishes

Woo hoo

I finally passed the 25 finishes mark. I have 26 finishes for 2007. I project Winter Delight to be finished by the end of the weekend, especially since I have TWO days mostly off from work, and I worked on it today at the office between calls. I realize I should have been working, but I was stressed because the people who did call were mostly help desk calls, which is my least favorite job duty, and I needed to destress. I still have to order the charm to go on top, will probably do that this month.

I still have not gotten all my delicious stash purchases. Just two charts off Ebay, one I sniped off someone--I know, that is mean, however, Ebay is a contest--and another horse chart that I don't have in my collection. My silk floss was shipped on Monday, and Vikki Clayton likes the Monkey Sampler. Pretty cool. I got word my 123 Stitch order was processed and mailed today, so probably next week that will be here. I also got an email from Needlecraft Corner those couple of things were in and are being shipped today, so those will be here on Friday. I should be fair spoiled for stash, right? And then, no more. I will never be able to explain to BF how on earth I managed to get all this stuff, and if I don't step back, there won't be room in the house for it. As it is, I have that yellow box to find room for. But he said we would find room for it. I wonder if we can call HGTV for help. They would probably make me purge more of it. And I would have to pitch a Judge Dragon on their arses. (Google Judge Dragon and Clean house for additional information on that. Plus I would have to fit Robbie in the room. Oh, Lord this is not gonna go well. I think we're gonna need a bigger house. We were discussing having a modular home built and whether we would want to put the garage under the building or build a separate garage. I think we need both.

Anyway . . . Happy Thanksgiving. Be thankful for everything. Even the hard times because they make us stronger.

Blasted over-1

I started JAR Designs Christmas Memories Monday night. It's over one on 25 count. I am having a hard time with the chart. I know that it will be amazingly beautiful when done, it's the getting there that's got me stressed. I've already made a mistake and had to do major frogging, and that is not easy over one. So I put it down and started working on Winter Delight again. That shouldn't take too long to finish.

Check out your local Walmarts. Ours is keeping their craft department, but losing the cross stitch, so it was on clearance. I am OK with this, we have a bunch of craft stores nearby. But I got two rolls of 14 count fiddler's light for $1.50 per tub. It saved 45 cents a tube. NOT BAD.

I have some news

I finally have a craft room. It's in my BF's house. He has asked me to move in with him in the near future, and he GAVE me the room that was formerly called "the shoe room" as my room for stitching supplies. It's a cute room, west facing, so in the afternoons, I will have light to stitch by. I can even get my Dazor light out and use it, but I will have to put something over the magnifier, as I have nightmares of the house catching on fire because of my stupidity. He even said we would figure out how to get all the supplies in the room (God bless this man, as I seriously doubt he really knows just HOW much stitching stuff I have), so YAY. But I know that I need to start sorting through my stitching stuff and getting rid of some of it. Or at least making it portable. Not that I mind doing that, I can even send it to the little E-bay seller store on the way to my parents', so I don't even have to LIST all those leaflets. I know that his doing this for me is a tremendous commitment, and I think it will probably be my favorite gift of the holiday season.

That said, I did not get much stitching done this weekend. I was so busy all the time. I worked a full day on Saturday, then was exhausted and didn't wake up til noon on Sunday, then had some errands, including getting my nails done, on Sunday. I realize that getting my nails done isn't necessarily an errand, but this was one of those weeks when it was a chore. My nail tech, who does great nails went on maternity leave in October and someone else has done them for the last couple times. She is not as good as my regular lady, and it showed. Out of my 10 nails, 7 needed to be picked off and redone. Now I don't know if you, kind hearts and gentle readers, have ever had acrylic nails picked off, but it is like having your fingernails themselves picked off. Well, I guess technically, they are YOUR nails, as long as you paid for the last fill. Anyway, it hurts like one would imagine such a thing would hurt. One nail makes me cry, 7 makes me want to crawl under a rock because my fingers are so sore afterwards.

I did manage to get some work on Hummingbird Trellis done. And I discovered something. I was using my 8" Q snaps, but I lost one of the clamps on that one. I was kinda bummed, until I found my 11" ones. I love them. I got a lot done on it yesterday. The bigger q-snaps make it easier to work with.

I finally bought it

http://www.123stitch.com/cgi-bin/itemdetail.pl?item=04-1893

I love this chart. I have always loved it. A few years ago, I decided, if I redid my bedroom in the style of a French garrett like I love, that I wanted this in there. The idea was to stitch it as a seat cover for a chair I never use, but that has a ratty old needlepoint cover. Gramma didn't like the old cover, either, so we wanted to recover it. And this is the design I like. It's probably a little wierd to have a seat covered in a corset, but . . . that's me. And if I can get it done soon, it's another fair entry.

Found a Missing WIP

I am still working on getting my room redone--it's a slow process--and was searching through the boxes of stash I have in there. And I found a WIP I realized I was missing a couple weeks ago. I had kitted up Raise the Roof Sleepy Hollow last summer and thought it was in the box with my other ones, but realized it wasn't. And that was a panic situation. But I found it now, and I put a few stitches in, just to tell it it was missed.

The Pets' Birthday/Christmas Present to Me

I have such generous, thoughtful, intuitive animals. Perhaps it is because I rescued them from a life under a trailer, or, in the case of Robbie, the backyard because he acts thuglicious, but they always pick me SUCH good presents.

In 2003, it was my necklace and earrings, this year, they opted to have me kit up a gorgeous Midsummer Night Designs chart with Vikki Clayton silks. I am finally kitting up Monkey Sampler, which I am not even really sure is in print anymore, but that I think goes along with my highly irreverent feelings about samplers and which I intend to put in the fair next summer.

Have you seen this chart? It looks pretty simple, hum-drum. Border, house, Quaker animals, alphabet, la la la. Yawn. And then, it strikes you. There are monkeys creeping up to the house. Not only are there monkeys, but there is a line that says, "Monkeys steal my underwear at night." HUNH! But a good hunh because NO ONE ELSE makes samplers like that.

But it's a good hunh. It's irreverant. That is not a sampler sentiment, and I simply adore that her mind came up with doing a sampler based off of a bumper sticker. I think this needs to be exhibited at the fair. If for no other reason than to show people that cross stitch isn't a vintage art, it's contemporary, it's cheeky, it's RELEVANT.

Anyway these are the goodies I got:

2 x Earth Dragon (FLED275) = $3.30
Size Floss (5 yard skeins)
1 x Dragon Fire (SFDF-252) = $1.65
1 x Earth Dragon (FLED275) = $1.65
1 x Jackalope 5265 (FLS-JC5265) = $1.65
1 x ZebraDove 5247 (Shiitake) (FLS-ZD5247) = $1.65
1 x Wrasse 3315 (SF-3315) = $1.65
1 x Nosegay 2103 (FLS-NG2103) = $1.65
1 x Lemon Drops 4201 (FLS-LD4201) = $1.65
1 x Sea Pinks 1353 (Quartz) (FLS-SP1353) = $1.65
1 x Rose Quartz 1363 (FLS-RQ1363) = $1.65
1 x Willow Withies 3221 (FLS-WW3221) = $1.65
1 x Natural 5201 (White) (FLS-NAT) = $1.45
1 x Jackalope 5263 (Lapin) (FLS-LAPIN) = $1.65
1 x JewelWeed 3163 (FLS-JW3163) = $1.65
2 x AquaMarine 2431 (Robin Egg) (FLS-REGG) = $3.30
1 x Embellishment Bag - perles, ribbons, old dye lots, leftovers, about 20 skeins worth (EMBELL) = $9.00
1 x JewelWeed 3165 (OatGrass) (FLS-JW3165) = $1.65
1 x Koi Gold 4219 (FLS-KOI4219) = $1.65
1 x Dragon Opal (FLS-DOPAL) = $1.65
1 x Dark Wisteria (SFDW226) = $1.65
1 x Attar of Roses 1223 (FLS-AR1223) = $1.65
1 x Conch Horn 1241 (FLS-CH1241) = $1.65
1 x Examplar Salty Sea (FLS-ESSEA) = $1.65
1 x Gandy Dancer 1107 (FLS-GD1107) = $1.65
2 x Isle Green 3205 (FLS-IG3205) = $3.30

I LURVE my WIP

Can one go beyond love to lurve? Cause I'm in LURVE with my new WIP. Maybe it's because I have such pretty colors to work with, purples and blues and sparkly silver. I haven't done much, but I have some gorgeous results already. AND, this is the bonus:

I have a choice of two classes to enter this in the state fair as, either as a poem, which it might do better as, and would solidify my efforts as the defending winner of that class, or sampler with mixed stitches. I don't know about that though, because there are some women who do incredible work, and I have a complex about my projects that take 3rd or lower. I always sorta feel like, maybe if I loved them just a little more, was a little more supportive during the stitching process (I must stop saying I hate my projects), they would do better. My Houses of Hawks Run Hollow was like that girl who has always been cossetted, always told she's special, always had the best clothes, then we have Chincoteagues, which was lovely, had to work a little harder to win the blue, because I lost every part of it at least once in the stitching process, and then we have my Americana Samplings, which I hated stitching the whole time, and only appreciated when it got a pretty frame--I am sure, if it were a person, that would be Carrie, because it went to the fair, hoping that if it just had a pretty enough dress, it would do better, and then it didn't. Bugger.

I think I need some sleep.

Updated thoughts, not really stitchy

I looked through my high school yearbook last night and realized something funny. I grew up in a hick town. People pay half a million dollars for houses in this town because it's so "quaint" and "country"; do people seriously think that somewhere in the small towns of rural North America, people who have lived there all their lives are sitting on spindly furniture in muted colors, with primitive paintings on the wall? I'm not criticizing, I actually never realized how "country" I grew up til I opened the 1991 yearbook and realized that the senior float that year consisted of 6 or 7 seniors in someone's farm equipment (I think it was a backhoe, but I am not sure--we lived in town and my relatives didn't use fancy equipment).

I have been remiss

I have not posted pics of the Halloween Window. I finished it yesterday morning. I managed to salvage the hardanger part. I did have a heck of a time with this little spiderweb done with Japan thread, which I will never use again. Mine doesn't look as nice as the one in the magazine, but it's done. I may couch the Japan thread to try to keep it looking good

I have picked my next small project. I am doing the Winter's Delight sampler from the December 2004 Just Cross Stitch. This was the project that I lost the supplies for. It's just too pretty to keep putting off. My friend Karen just told me that I need to have this done by Easter--I think I can accomodate her. I started the next square of Hummingbird Trellis afghan last night, but I know it's going to take me a while, so this is good. I realize I like the small finishes, a lot more than the large, complicated finishes. There is something really satisfying about getting something done in a week.

What not to do when tired

Cut threads in Hardanger.

I cut one of the threads of the bars this morning because I was on the phone til 11:30 last night, and didn't get to sleep til 1:30. Then I couldn't sleep.

So the obvious task I should have done, being utterly, completely tired, was to take an outrageously expensive pair of scissors, and cut fabric that has taken me a week to stitch. I snipped a thread on one of my bars. But, bless my little soul, I kept stitching. I will not fling that piece, nor do I have the patience to weave threads. I'll just fray check that sucker and hope no one notices. I realize my needleweaving tension is not good My bars are wide. I could have wrapped these threads, but, who cares. It's done.

And I've learned Monaco is not a good fabric for hardanger.

A comic once said sometimes your purpose in life is to be a lesson to others. I've found my purpose.

Birthday stash

Yesterday was the start of my LNS' model sale to benefit a battered women's shelter nearby, so I took the day off. I needed it; we are in the midst of upheaval at work, and I am very stressed. It gave me good planning for how my days will pass if I get laid off. I have to laugh and joke about it because it's depressing. But I did talk to my part time boss, and things will be OK, I will get through.

Since it was my birthday, and I didn't buy any other stash, other than floss to kit something up (I know, stop splitting hairs, Rachel, buying floss at Michael's on the 6th counts as s.E.X.), I took my mom up there, and had a little S.E.X. Well it was not a little. I spent my entire check from my part-time job. I bought a fat half of opalescent linen. I didn't intend to, I just needed a strip. But I had to buy the whole thing to get the piece I needed. I think I can dye some of it. I thought it would be nice for my haunted house freebie from Sanman, in like a purple.

I did manage to grab the correct ball of DMC Pearl #8 for my current WIP. I really need to post pix of it. All I have left to do is to do some Algerian eyelets and then to actually do the Hardanger part of the window. That terrifies me. I don't know why. It is gonna look so cute.

Updating the 50

Its been a while since I did this. I have kinda strayed from the original intent, but I am getting back on track:

Finish Stunning Irises--on the scrollrods
Summer Ball--WIP
Summer Quilt--WIP
Ghost Wind-WIP
Cat Lovers Too-WIP
Hummingbird Trellis Afghan--WIP, completed another square this year
Sandy Orton Autumn Sampler--WIP
Beachcombin—Salty Yarns-started, but I don't like the fabric
Like Feathered Wings--Started, but I find boring
WWS The Arab-need to set up my Dazor lamp
Halloween Bellpull-have the fabric
Stranger in the Woods-have the floss, don't like fabric
Raise the Roof-Happy Camper-have the fabric and floss, need buttons
I Like Winter Best of All--need to get fabric
Is it Spring yet?--lost the chart
The Perfect Man--lost the chart
Bent Creek Winter Snapperland--kitted up
A Cat’s a Cat--soon soon
Summers To Come (Cricket Collection)kitted up
Calico Cat--kitted up partially
All Hallows Eve--kitted up
Lost Spirits--have fabric
. 4 Season House-kitted up
Bent Creek- Winter Row-kitted up
Blossom Harvest-kitted up
Christmas Village-kitted up
Cat for All Seasons-kitted up, but don't like fabric
Miribilia Halloween Fairy-in a box
AOY A Moment’s Rest-I want to start soon
Janlynn Summer Sampler-where is this?
Barnyard Kittens-where is this
New Fallen Snow-Glendon Place--where is this
Will Work for Freezer Space--chart is
Winter Quilt-where is this
Autumn Quilt-where is this
Spring Quilt-where is this
Cat Sampler-where is this
Kitty Cat Row-
Kit and Bixby—Winter Wool
Kit and Bixby—Summer Wool
Kit and Bixby—Spring Wool
Kit and Bixby Autumn Wool


At Home with Jane Austen--Done
Summer Window Spots—Fanci That--Done
To the Sea (pine Mountain Pillow)
Bent Creek Summer Row
Forest Snow
Woodland Sampler
Country French Cat.

It's my Birthday

I am 31 today. It has not been the best birthday so far. I got lots of well wishes from friends and family, but other than that, it hasn't been . . . a birthday day, and then the person I dislike the most on the cross stitch board I go to had to be her usual pompous, better than everyone else self and attacked me. I would like to think that it's just a sign of her own self-doubt that she does these kinds of things, but I can't make myself believe that. So I think that, because I have been on the verge of tears over what a stranger who doesn't like me and doesn't know me said to me, it's time for me to step away from the board for a while. I don't think I will be back to it, at least not any time soon. I don't need the hassle. I don't think sneakily. I am not mean. I am me.

Anyway, the only present I want for my birthday is a book about Maryland schoolgirl needlework from my LNS. I saw it last week. I think it would be a good book for my collection, and an inspiration. I am going to ask Mom for it when we are over there tomorrow. I think it would be far better a choice than a gift card to my hairdresser, because I have no desire to cut it right now. Anyway, we'll see.

A Finish and a Start

I finished LHN Herb Garden over the weekend. I didn't get to work on it on Saturday, which is rather a bummer, but I got it finished Sunday. I started Patricia Anderle's Halloween Window from the October 1997 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework. It's a fun design so far, I spent yesterday doing Leviathan and Rhodes stitches, now doing some blackwork. It will also feature a titch of Hardanger, which I want to do to practice what I learned last month. However, I am having a hellacious time finding DMC #8 in 905. I have 906, 907, and for some idiot reason, 699, but they don't look right. I am going to my LNS on Thursday, so hopefully, they will have the right color for me, I want to get this finished, because it's adorable.

Magazine Review--Just Cross Stitch, December 2007

Pumpkin's comment on my other magazine post reminded me that I had purchased this issue last Saturday and then forgot to review it. In my own defense, I was dealing with a depressed dog who decided she would pull a muscle in silent protest because I was petting her brother. She snapped out of it though and I remembered I had it to review.

I am not sure how I feel about this issue on a whole. I buy Just Cross Stitch every other month, and have for 6 years. I never stitch anything out of it. I don't know why. I like the stuff in it, I just never get around to stitching it.

There are masses of stitchbooking designs this month. I think they would be good as straight ornaments. But I do not scrapbook, I do not papercraft. And even if I decided to change my ways after 30 years, they have a beautiful wreath made of paper and no directions on how to make the wreath.

There is a pretty Santa as well. It's a crescent design, not too original, but it's pretty. If you can't be original, being pretty ain't such a bad trade-off, because this is prettier than the other one.

The "find" of this issue is Simple Stitches. I have never seen these designs before, but they are really cute. And they don't look mindblowingly hard to finish. There is a very sweet beach set that would look good if I ever get my living room done. The issue features a Christmas house design that could be good as an ornament..

There are 5 simple country ornaments. They are pretty. Also a little design of a sheep for Christmas and some seasonal hats for a pillow.

Val of Val's Stuff contributed a really cute snowman with a rainbow colored scarf. It looks pretty simple; you could stitch it with regular DMC and use just about any colored variegated thread for the scarf.

There is also an article by Martha Beth Lewis on knots. I am not a fan of technical artists, nor do I particularly like Martha Beth Lewis, due to an issue I had with a class I took with her at CATS in Nashville in 2005. Suffice it to say, I didn't there is that much one needs to write on knots to warrant an entire article, oh, sorry, 4 articles, on knots.

OK, now for what I don't like. I wish magazines would stop publishing designs by Cathy Bussi. They are not nice designs. I don't know if they are too simpler or what it is that turns me off about them, but there are so many other designers out there, and yet they keep publishing designs by her. The Khamseh sock is also not my druthers.

At long last, the latest magazine reviews

I promised these a couple days ago, but I only now have the time to review them. I guess it's a good thing I am not a professional or something like that.

Anyway, this time, we are blessed to have three good magazines to review: Cross Stitch Gold, World of Cross Stitching, and Stitch and Craft.

Stitch and Craft Issue 158 Christmas 2007

I have said it before, I am not a fan of Stitch and Craft since it changed Quick and Easy. I think I have bought 3 issues in the past year, one because I wanted to give it a try, the second because it referenced Margaret Sherry cats (and then didn't have the charts in the magazine) and this one. I like this one. It has 166 fresh ideas for Christmas, and it seems like A LOT of those were cross stitch.

The major chart that drew me to this issue is a picture of Christmas ornaments. They are sophistocated, in black and gold. You could stitch them on paper and make them ornies for the tree, or just stitch a pillow with them. That would be kinda luxe backed with black velvet. There is also a lovely sampler by Historic Sampler Company--this is the third sampler they've published this year, and it's beautiful, small Christmas motifs. I wish their charts and kits were cheaper, I would SOOO buy them, they have the most delectable color fabrics in them. This one is on a beige fabric, but most are gorgeous. There is also a really cute picture of bears in boxes that was free gift and a penguin alphabet that would make cute ornaments as well. I have this idea of doing a set of these connected to spell out "Merry Christmas" to hang on the tree. Other desings include Santa's wishlist, by Leslie Teare, whose designs I am not entranced by, and a country Noel. Good if you like country, but I don't particularly like country.

All in all, this was a good issue. I will not, however, start rebuying this issue unless they have more cross stitch. I can't do cross stitch and papercrafts, so this is not a magazine for me.

The World of Cross Stitching 131

Someone must have decided the "hot" idea for designs this year was a Santa wishlist, cause there's another one in this issue. I don't understand this. He's Santa. He doesn't have to wish for anything. He has elves to make it all for him. And who is Santa for Santa? Anyway . . .
Probably the best design I like in this issue is the perfect pets. I know, at 30, I should be too old to love cartoon cats, but there is something about them that I find charming. We also have a Tatty Ted dressed as Santa, and some kids, I guess they are supposed to be in a Christmas pageant.

I know my tastes and my reviews are based on my quirky taste. There is a nice tablecloth with Christmas motifs on it that would be pretty, but it's not my style. And they also have a series of trees from Passione Ricamo. This was a set of freebies, if I remember correctly. They seem to publish a lot of her freebies. Why buy a magazine to get a freebie?

There is also a Furry Tails by Lucy Heaton, and a toy shop window peek. I don't know how I feel about those. They didn't strike me as, "I must run out to kit this up RIGHT NOW." designs.

This brings us to Cross Stitch Gold issue 2, which has to be the best $7.75 I have spent in MONTHS. There are so many gorgeous designs to stitch in this issue. They finished the cat triptych that has been doing on, that I like a lot. I want to stitch them because they look like Flicky and Gus. There is also a really beautiful design by Joan Elliott of two kids on a sled. I never really liked her stuff before, but two have two designs in a month that I find striking? I sense a change in the wind. And they have 4 sweet card designs (which I will not use as cards) of the animals watching for Santa. They are pets, farm animals, wild animals and artic animals watching and are very sweet. I like any design for Christmas featuring animals. I guess for me, because animals are not inherently greedy (well, Robbie is, LOL), Christmas designs with them represent to me the true spirit of the season, the wonder and innocence. Animals are Christmas to me. Anyway, I am getting off topic. There is also a Spanish fan on black with some roses in front--I wonder, looking at it, if it couldn't be considered oriental?

Other nice designs, not sure they are "must stitches" are the robin on the cover, the arctic adventure santa and polar bear stocking, which to be honest looks a little like one of the CGI bears from a movie, and a Santa tablecloth. The only design I don't like is a Spirit of Christmas sampler. I just don't like it.

OK, this must stop

http://www.victoriasampler.com/Catalog/VS_Samplers/p87HeirloomNativity.asp


I found her samplers right about the time my mom did and we've been stocking up. I just learned Hardanger,what, 6 weeks ago? I just bought Christmas gazebo 3 weeks ago. I got the Christmas village out of the envelope I keep the supplies in 2 nights ago--one of those, "can I get this ready for the fair if I start this soon?" moments. I can't keep up.

Too many lovely things to do. If I just look at my list of 50 (well 45, now), there are so many awesome projects on there. And they just keep adding new things. I wonder what progress I could make if I just stopped buying things? Went on the wagon for 1 year. I mean, really, went on the wagon. STOP LAUGHING AT ME, I realize I am a pathetic pushover, but I wonder what I could accomplish . . .

Halloween Stitching

I got back from my nail appointment late last night, so didn't have to hand out candy to the trick or treaters. Instead, I settled down to watch TV, and attend the Sanman Halloween party. I had a blast at that. I watched the first hour of Ghosthunters live, which I don't know if I buy what they were experiencing. And I pulled out the Sanman ornament freebies and worked on them for a while. It was hard to get into, I have to say, but I was having such fun playing along.

I do have a story to tell from that board. One of the members said that she posts on another board and someone was rude enough to criticize Sandy's designs and say they were simple and that what she stitched was better because they were complicated. That is so pathetic. Why would someone do that? I don't get people. Of course the lady emailed Sandy about it, and when Sandy emailed the woman back, it was a bad address. The nerve . . .

But then again, you see that a lot. People seem to think that they are on another level if they do certain designers. Me, I stitch what I like, usually whimsical things, or things I find striking. I think a simple design offers so much potential, you can play with fabric to give it a special effect. One of my big winners at the fairs this summer was a Sanman freebie, and it was beautiful. I loved how the clean lines of the design played against the sparkly aida I chose; it made me remember how I used to lie under the Christmas tree in the dark and see the sparkle of the lights up through the tree. The more "complicated" designers have never designed something that gave me that memory.

Found a great new blog

http://gulfskye.blogspot.com/

I was browsing through the blogs on The Floss Box and rediscovered this one. It was recommended to me a year ago when everyone saw my work on HOHRH. It's a really well written blog. I think she needed a recommendation.

Explanation of last night's post

My computer is old and cranky. It took me 10 minutes to get those photos loaded in. I was not in the mood to keep writing after that, which stunk because I had some GOOD magazines to review. I will try to write about them tonight, after the Halloween party at Sanman board and after I get my nails fixed and done.

Anyway, the photos are of the Turkey tabletopper, which is about half-way done. I think I should make some progress on it this weekend, because I have a long day at the box office and I get time to work on it. The middle pic is of Summer Ball, by Sandy Littlejohn. I am so pathetic, because I've had this as a WIP for over a year, and it's only this far, but I did work on it at CATS and got some progress. I posted because Jennifer was looking for some info on it. It's a great pattern, I have a little story that runs through my head while I am working on it, it's just a BAP. And the third is Sleepy Hollow. I haven't had a lot of time to work on it. Last week I was thoroughly miserable, and this week I was working on the tabletopper and Mom's Christmas gift. I did, however, start the glow in the dark part. It does glow in the dark. I checked it the other night, as I was so pleased with myself. I ran out of the bathroom, and told Mom, who was, of course, less than impressed. Some people do not understand how thrilling it is to have your cross stitch project GLOW. Forget beads, metallics and all that, my project responds to the dark! Ha!

Speaoking of Mom, she saw me working on her present this morning and had to ask what it was. I told her it was a layover to catch a meddler and that I got me one, and I wasn't showing it to her. I didn't know how better to answer; I knew she was going to ask, but it's her present, she shouldn't have asked.

Finally, some pics

This is the stuff I've been working on. It's really hard to take a picture of the tabletopper, but I have one!

Tried to post pics last night

But I was unsuccessful.

I started Mom's Christmas gift. As I've said before, I am doing "Herb Garden" by Little House Needleworks for her. I need to get it finished quickly, because it has to be framed. The nice thing is that, with my birthday being next week, if I can get this done, I get 10% off framing, which is great and is made better by the fact that I have a coupon for $5 off and this takes a standard frame. So hopefully, I can get it done when I go over there next week.

Oh, and I have good news, I found my fabric for JCS Winter Sampler. I must have packed it in my bag to go to CATS, and then didn't work on it. I was finally unpacking on Sunday, and found it. I can not tell you how pleased I was. That was about a $20 bag of supplies, with metallic threads, the original Anchor I bought (even if I am not using it for this project, it still cost money, and I didn't want to lose it),the hand-dyed fabric, and 2 skeins of Needle Necessities. At this point, NN is GOLD. I think the fact that I found it means it needs to go in rotation. Maybe when I get Mom's done.

Some of my mojo is back

I guess it must have been the rain that was making me so . . . blah . . . on Friday. Or else getting rest. I hadn't realized just how much working my full time job, then going and working a 10 hour day on Saturday was affecting me. I did stitch over the weekend.

My birthday is next week, and it was time to renew my driver's license, so I hauled myself over to the MVA on Saturday morning. I think I hit a new record wait time. I got there at 8:42, was out at 10AM. Don't ask me why it took me 10 minutes to get my license renewed, and there were people who were sitting at the stations for a half hour. I don't understand the phoenomena. At least the computers were working; they were not working the last time I renewed, so I sat for an extra half hour that time for that reason. My picture is, of course, bad. I swear, I don't understand how I can look perfectly normal, hair be decent, and the minute that I step in front of the camera, my neck expands, my hair looks like the cat threw it up and I GRIMACE. But I'm OK with that for now. I am not sitting in the MVA and having random strangers ask me if I believe that the people in the driving test line are illegal aliens (what do I look like, like I have an IN with these people?), not for a while now.

Anyway, after that, I went to my LNS to pick up a couple things I needed. I am a member of the Sanman board, so there were some cool Halloween freebies (you need to join the board to get them)that I printed off and took in to kit up. I like Sanman designs, I've done three or 4 so far, I think she is a tremendously talented designer and so generous with her freebies; how many freebies out there are good enough to take a blue ribbon at the state fair? So because she does them, I could afford to splurge a little and buy some nicer fabrics to stitch them on. And boy did I . . . I bought 4 fat 8ths of WDW hand-dyeds to do them on, including a vibrant green that I can only describe as 'hot'. I am hoping to work on at least one of the freebies tonight. They are for a Halloween tree, and I won't get them done this year, but maybe next years . . .

And I worked on Mom's tabletopper. I made some good progress on it, but I don't like it anymore.

just not feeling stitchy

I don't know if it's the weather, or I work too much, or the doctor is right and I really do have seriously elevated blood pressure, or work is depressing me, but I am just not in the mood to stitch. I worked a little bit at lunch, but I got home last night and pretty much passed out after I finished making the Halloween goody bag for my secret pal at work. I fell asleep right at 11 and didn't wake up til 7 this morning. Chancey apparently felt the same way, because she went and laid on one of the pillows, and she was on the pillow when I woke up.

I did come home to lots of stitchy packages last night. The new Stoney Creek came, there were some pretty charts in it. My friend Kathy sent me the latest WOXS--just so you know something is wrong with me, I haven't even read the magazine yet. And my latest package from 123Stitch came. I fell in love with the Queen's Bestiary from the October issue of The Gift of Stitching, but have been hemming and hawing about the fabric. But I finally sucked it up and bought the 40 count they used in the model, then bought a couple more charts. I really should not be spending money right now, for reasons I don't want to go into, but I had ordered this stuff before I found out some work news. So I am going to keep it. I got two new Blue Ribbon charts. I think I ought to stitch some of those before I buy anymore . . .

SBQ 10/25/07

Do you railroad?

In a word, yes. And I can tell the difference if I don't. HOHRH was railroaded basically the entire way, and it was up for contention as best of show in both my county fair and the Maryland State Fair. My older pieces, the ones that never did well in competition, were not railroaded and they never did well.

OK, I think I have it figured out now

I had me a good long think last night as I was driving home from work. I want to add some effects to Sleepy Hollow. Well, I think I have it figured out. I am going to do the tombstone angel's eyes and crown, as well as the eyes of Ichabod and his horse in glow in the dark floss. In addition, I am doing some of the tombstones and the words in it as well. I had pondered doing the moon and the rest of the angel's face in it too, but that would take some tricky stitching and I don't want to do that.

Sorta got a rotation going

I need to work on Mom's tabletopper to get it finished for her, so I decided I will work on it from Mondays after work through Tuesday. I did that, starting Monday, and made some good progress. I have the first of the Mayflower motifs almost finished, I have Bibles outlined in all the squares, and I have all the Plymouth Rock things done, at least the ones I think are Plymouth Rock. I still have about 6 squares to do, though, plus the outermost motifs and the nunstitching. But I think if I work steady, I can get through it pretty quickly.

Making MASSIVE progress on my Sleepy Hollow

I have made great strides on this chart this weekend. I took it to work with me on Saturday, and I worked on the little flaming pumpkin of death in between performances. My boss is OK with it; he plays online games when we're not busy, and he remembers how, when I was interning there, we couldn't do anything and just had to stare out across the road while we were waiting for people to show up to the plays. The other guy I work with was really interested in it, but he thought that I was looking at the picture and picking it off. The box office is not the best place to work on this, though, but I've had more time there than anywhere else this week.

I realized on the way home that I had worked a 56 hour week this week, so I decided yesterday that all I was going to do was stitch. And I did. I wasn't out of my jammies til 5 last night, and I just laid on the couch and worked on this. I did stop to double check my alignment because I didn't want that to be messed up. But it worked up pretty quick.

This chart is not hard. It looks much more difficult than it is. I love how it's looking. This should be so fun to finish

And I heard from my finisher this morning. she found snowman print flannel. There weren't many snowflake prints to choose from, but this should work. I just want this finished. That will be one more fair entry ready to go for next year. I am starting to think I won't have a lot of things ready for the fair. I realize that is silly at this point, since the fair is what, 9 months from now? But this isn't like photography, you don't just whip a bunch of pics out in 6 days.

Anyway, that is for another day's worrying. Today I am just gonna admire my own work.

Random off-topic thoughts for an October Friday

http://www.x-entertainment.com/halloween/2007/october1/

I haven't stitched much today, but thought I would post a link to this site. I found it last year, and it was pretty amusing, just one guy who LOVES him some Halloween. He has some good posts. Just remember there is some cursing on it. There, I warned you, you know now, if he utters a curseword and you read it, don't get mad at me.

So enough of that.

I finally realized why clowns with chainsaws are the ultimate in Halloween spooky. We were reasoning this out last night. People think I am wierd because I am afraid of clowns in general, but put them in a Haunted Forest, and that is just my idea of hell. People doubt me til they experience the phoenomena with me. I have jumped hurdles with people attached with a deftness that would make Carl Lewis proud.

First of all, it's that floaty hair. I don't like men with floaty hair, or tight curly hair for that matter. It's a personal choice, I don't like it. Then we have the makeup issue and the lack of eyebrows. The ones who whiteout their eyebrows are terrifying--globs of makeup caked in the hair. I think that insults the makeup artist in me. And it's frankly frightening. Then they don't talk, or when they do, it's in a silly voice. You're an adult in floaty hair, cakey makeup, get some pride, TALK IN A NORMAL VOICE. But then again, the It clown talked in a normal voice and that is the reason why I hate clowns. Tim Curry RUINED clowns. But this is why clowns with chainsaws are terrifying. You can't reason with them; a man who ain't afraid to appear in public in makeup, and can run in big shoes with a powertool probably isn't going to debate with you, especially if he ain't talking, just yelling, "ARRRGH" at you in the dark. I always say I could run a marathon if I have a clown chasing me.

Please don't take offense if you like clowns, are a clown, or love a clown, it's just frightening to me.

Magazine reviews

I had started doing this a few months ago, but I never kept up with it. I am hoping to start doing this regularly. I hope no one takes offense; just like there are numerous people who review fashion, consider this an other view.

Today at lunch, which was a bad idea, I headed out to Barnes and Noble to get my British magazines. It's always a crap shoot with them, you never know when they will get the magazines. And I am addicted to them. Anyway, explanations commence:

I will start with US Cross Country Stitching, December 2007. I am normally not a fan of this magazine. I don't do religious things and I find that they have WAYYY too many religious samplers. Not to mention that their religious verses tend to have LITTLE to NOTHING to do with the design. I have a pic at home which proves this. Anyway, it being close to the holiday season, 9 weeks for you all that care, they have some Christmas designs. The cover design is of the Holly and the Ivy with a nativity scene. It's OK, but maybe not the best choice of the nativity. There are some sweet little Christmas ornaments if you like country angels. Also a really cute design with cats and crocks and boxes. It's cute, stitched in linen threads--no big deal to convert to the regular DMC, though, but the design doesn't match the verse. It says "blessed is he who considers the helpless, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." I don't know what is supposed to be helpless, the cats or the crocks? I would probably substitute something about cats. There is folk art design. I don't like it. A design called Hearts and Stitches, really a welcome, but there are some cute litttle motifs. There's a Love & Friendship sampler which is alright. Not my thing to stitch. But it's OK, you could pick out of it for a round robin or something. The rest of the issue is Christmas stitching. There is a nice angel and some small things you could hang, including a bellpull, and a little design about Jesus is the reason for the season. All in all, it's an OK issue. I don't buy this magazine often, because I'm not a country fan--country may match my accent, but it doesn't match the beachy lifestyle I love.

I also purchased Cross Stitch Collection. It's a good issue. They have a beautiful Anchor sampler of wildlife. It has a field mouse. I love fieldmice. And a pic of a Japanese maple tree. My parents have one of those, so I might stitch that. I am not a fan of the Wuthering Heights design. I don't like the book, the movie bored me, I wouldn't want to stitch the picture. But I do have to note that they are doing a Joan Elliott angel next issue. It says it's a masterpiece. I thought the winter angel was a masterpiece too. How many masterpieces does one need to stitch . . . or design? And doesn't that cheapen the word "masterpiece" eventually. And I must say, this was a thinner issue than normal, or at least it felt that way. For $12US, it should be thicker.

Lastly, we come to Cross Stitch Favorites. It's nice this year, it's a Christmas issue, featuring the best of the Christmas designs from the people who do WOXS. Some of them, I have, some I don't, so it was nice. There are lots of designs that could be used for ornaments, perfect for exchanges. I even saw penguins; my friend Steve would like those.

Last night

I didn't get as much accomplished last night as I wanted to. It took forever at the nail salon for my fill because I chose to get nail art. I opted for one of the new fall colors, Russian Navy from OPI. It's a really deep dark blue. It's not one of the colors I would normally choose, but it looked really awesome, and I have to have dark colors because one of the dogs (no, not Chancey or Robbie-do) bit me in the thumb in August (AUGUST, mind you) and I have a bruise underneath my thumbnail. Which they tell me will take two months or so more to grow out. BUMMER. So I am stuck wearing dark colors til at least January because this bruise is nasty. But then again, I like this blue because i can have a snowman painted over it or a snowflake and it would make a killer French Manicure. Anyway . . . so it took a while to get that done. I got home and realized I needed cat litter, so I had to go back out and get that, then ended up stuck at Jerry's picking up dinner for 30 minutes. That annoyed me.

So it was 9 before I got to sit and stitch, but I did good in two hours. I actually started on the Horseman's cape, and the horse has a tail. Yay! I also have to report, I decided yesterday at work to wash the WDW floss I had bought for the project. So, because I was bored, had nothing to do, and, frankly, because no one told me I couldn't, I went in the bathroom and started rinsing. I got a couple raised eyebrows from some women who saw me do it, but they know I am slightly wierd anyway, so opted to disregard it. It was a wise choice, somehow, it never comes out right to say, "Well, I am rinsing the special floss because it can't get wet. I don't want it to run onto my other threads that didn't need to be washed."

I know Weeks runs like an athlete when it's wet, so I wanted to get the excess dye out of this bunch in order to use it. It was an interesting experiment. Pewter, Indian Summer and Eggplant bled all over the paper towels. I was drying them on. When I saw "bled", I mean BLED. Carrot bled some, but not as much. There was very little on Honeysuckle and London Fog. I am glad I did this because I can see, given the size of this, it's not gonna be a two week project so it's gonna get dirty. But it makes me wonder about some of these thread companies. I've used all kinds of overdyeds, hand-dyeds, whatever you call them. Why is it so hard to make them color fast? Caron does it--I've washed Waterlilies often. Needle Necessities is pretty much colorfast--I rinsed the threads for the Winter bellpull and very little color came off. Why can't the others do the same. You can't tell me it's not possible. For a large batch dyer or a small batch dyer--DMC is colorfast, and I've figured out how to make both the fabric and thread I do set. IT'S NOT THAT HARD. You don't even need to do the vinegar deal. I just rinse my fabric in hot water til it runs clear. The thread is a little harder, but you can steam set the color. The threads I did at CATS have held their color and not run. Sorry to sound like a butt about this, but it's 2007, we can set color without using chemicals stronger than vinegar and H20.

A pic!

This is it, my first update of Sleepy Hollow. This is the Headless Horse

Picked up Sleepy Hollow again

I worked on the turkey tabletopper ALL night last night. I managed to finish the turkey, the pilgrim hat, all the interior border, the little basket of . . .something . . . underneath the turkey, and the blob in the corner that I think is Plymouth Rock. I am not sure. I can't even say it's a quarter way finished because I haven't done the Mayflower yet, but it's getting there.

That said, I couldn't work on it anymore for the week. I pulled out Sleepy Hollow this morning and worked on that. It's my lunch project as well. I must confess, I REALLY like that fabric. I know . . . "Will ya post a picture so we can see what you're talking about, ninny?" Yes, I will post one tonight. I promise. It's kinda embarrassing that I only have a little bit stitched, about half the Headless Horseman's steed, but it's going quite well. I can not wait to see what this shapes into.

The Truly Tremendous Turkey Tabletopper

Thisdesign is what I was supposed to be working on at lunch. Note I say, supposed to because I was apparently too quiet blissfully stitching at my desk, so people had to talk to me. DARN IT! I wonder if there is a way to politely say to people, "I am stitching right now and do not want to be bothered with your chat about how it sucked the Redskins lost, how good the movie you saw this weekend was and if it really is a sin to buy a knockoff Gucci bag from the man at the Farragut North Metro station." I have my own strong opinions about all of these topics (no, it didn't suck, but it did suck that Dallas lost, I am glad you liked the new Tyler Perry movie, but I am on a budget and won't see it til it comes on TNT, and if I thought it was a sin, I wouldn't have bought that bag, I think it's a far bigger sin to pay $1000 for a REAL Gucci bag), but I wanted to stitch. And when I got done with the talk, it was time for work. Arrrgh



Mom fell in love with Dutch Treat Designs at CATS. She bought three kits for yours truly to do for her. I think I blogged about this before. They aren't all my favorite designs to stitch, but I don't like EVERYTHING any designer puts out. But I do have to say, based on this kit, they are a really good value. We have everything in this package, Anne cloth,chart, two needles (though in fairness, I of course immediately lost one in the couch), all the threads, including the perle cotton for the nun stitch. And it has the directions for nunstitching, which are slightly confusing, but not that much. I pretty much think this is a kit that you can purchase and finish for $35, plus tax and shipping, if you are not like my mother and buy like crazy at the show. Because, really, you don't even have to have it finished in addition to the cost of the supplies, and the nun stitch is really easy to do, so why would you?



I am going to work on this tonight, just to get some headway on it. The only thing I find a titch confusing is making sure the x's go the same way, but even that's workable. I think the people who entered theirs in the fair and got nothing, they probably didn't have their x's facing the right direction. I assume . . .

Finished another square on my afghan

I put the last stitches into Square 9 on my Hummingbird Trellis afghan this morning. It's taken me so long to get this far.

I don't think I realized when I bought the supplies for this project, just what sort of a commitment it was going to be. I can do this. It's just going to take a long time, but I need to focus on it, or it will NEVER get finished. But now I can choose the next square, I think I want one that does not have a lot of backstitching on it, so I don't know if I want square 8 or square 4.

I started the angel from the newest issue of Cross Stitcher yesterday sitting in the parking lot while Mom was in the store. I realize I bought the wrong count of fabric, 32 vs 28, but it shouldn't make a huge difference in the finished project. I am looking forward to working on that one, because this angel is SOOO beautiful. I ordered the braid I needed Saturday night, along with the beads. I tried to get the braid last week at my LNS, but their display is confusing and I couldn't find it. So now I have everything, either on the way or in my hot little hands.

But I think I am finally at the point where I am ready to not buy stash, other than the necessities, for a while. Payday was Friday and usually, I am at the store, or shopping online, and I didn't have the urge this week. I have so many things that I need to do, need to finish, that I don't want to add to it. Not to mention, that, since I started working at night too, I had a strange sense of calm about being paid. I realized I don't have to panic about how I'll get through to next paycheck. I'll be OK. The longest I will have to wait for pay is 14 days now and I can get through.

For Pumpkin

Here ya go. The design is called Halloween Chorus. It's issue 37 from 1996. It is SOOOO cute.

Must . . .fight . . .urge

I am sitting here, trying to fight the urge to start JAR Christmas Memories. I can not start another project. Absolutely not. But it's so hard when I've a beautiful piece of cream lugana shot through with gold to work on. It's DELICIOUS fabric. I am a little taken aback because it's over-1 and it's not a small project. But I'm good at over-1 now.

I started reading Sleepy Hollow yesterday. I think it changes my picture of Ichabod Crane. I always imagined him as an awkward person, but he wasn't, at least not according to how I read it. He was more like Jerry Seinfeld in breeches, maybe not the best comparison, but he is portrayed as more like an average guy with a lot of charm, who fancied himself as more than he was. Interesting. I am trying to read it critically like I did in college, I'm rusty at that. It's not as easy as it was back then.

I don't think I had blogged about this, but I have been looking for Sheepish Designs' Betsy for a month or so now. I couldn't find it anywhere. Til I looked at Silver Needle. Surprisingly, they had a copy of it. I ordered it, it came. It has the conversion for DMC, and it's stitched on a yellow fabric, which I have from my efforts to find fabric for the autumn sampler--I bought a lot of fabric for that one sampler that didn't work too well, remind me not to move too far from an LNS.

worked on the afghan last night

I am starting that afghan SAL this week, so I decided to take some time last night and work on my Hummingbird Trellis afghan. I think I made some good progress. I am working on the trellis structure in square 9, and got the rest of it outlined in half stitches, with some of it being filled in. I am sure this is not proper protocol, but I just wanted to get it finished. And it shouldn't hurt the look to do it that way because I only did the bottom leg, so when I do the fill work, it will get crossed in and have the tension be the same, or at least the same as it's gonna be on an afghan. I even got a little bit of the greenery under the trellis started. Anything to stitch other than white. i think I am going to move to the square above it next. I think.

Oh, on other good news, someone at 123 stitch had posted a finish of a black cat leading a band of singing pumpkins last week. It was darling, but we could not find the designer. It was out of an old issue of Cross Stitch--one of the myriad of magazines that came out when I wasn't "into" stitching, dang it. So I have been trolling E-bay for it. I didn't find the design at first, but did find the postcard it's based on. I didn't purchase the post card, because it was going for like, $40, which is a lot of money. But I found the magazine in a lot on Tuesday, so scooped it up. It came last night. And it doesn't look superhard. So I was thinking, as I so often do, that it might look kinda cool to stitch the design, buy the postcard and frame them under each other. I mean, it would not be SOOO far-fetched to have up, since we do collect black cats. i don't know, will have to think on this.