Update on the Walmart trip

We went back out last night to get floss. I got quite a bit, pretty much all I think Walmart was capable of carrying, though I have to wonder at what point 732 became an "exotic" color. The Walmart I went to had their floss individually marked at 10 cents a skein. Thank God I never applied to work at Walmart, because I probably would have been assigned to do that job. It was not too bad, though. The worst problem we had was with the cruddy carousels--they kept squeaking and it seemed SOOOO loud. I got some more of the colors I needed for Nature's Home, now just to keep animals healthy, bills paid, for long enough to get the fabric to do it as a quilt. Which I am thinking won't be possible til October, because I want to get the whole amount at one time.

So now I am stuck with a pondering of how to do Villages. It probably should be done as one piece, to match Houses, but part of me REALLY wants to do it as a quilt. We saw one at the shop outside of Reading where it was done like that, and it was pretty, but I'm not a quilter, and that's a pretty important piece to be experimenting with. I will probably break down and buy the Dower linen for it. I am not sure I can stand to be that brave.

I picked up Summer Ball last night. I didn't get a lot done, mostly just looked at it for a while and then decided I am not doing the bodies over one. I am over my over-one phobia, but that doesn't mean that, when it comes down to it, I have a stark desire to do all these people like that. They look muddy when I do it that way. So I started frogging. And it is a PITA. But this is not a hard piece to work on, I just haven't had the time or the energy to work on it, but it is on the 50, so I can work on it. Maybe I can have this done for the fair next year.

No self control, but it wasn't too bad

I went to Walmart tonight. I bought 121 skeins of floss, but it was for that project. I got home and realized I would be stupid to pass that up, for the afghan. And now I realized that I can do the same for Villages of Hawks Run Hollow. If I can get most of the colors for Villages for about$6, vs. buying all the silks for it, well, there's no dispute there. I did good with Houses stitched in DMC, so this can go with DMC

A Financial Dilemma about Floss

In case it hasn't made news in your local stitchy circles, Walmarts all over the US are getting rid of their embroidery floss. So far I have resisted the urge to go check out if this is true in my local Walmarts because I hope I never get to the point where I have to rely on sales like that for floss. I try not to stock up on floss, because I a) have no place to store large quantities of unsorted floss; b)am trying to get out of debt so I can buy land and build my own home and spending $90 on floss does not get me one step closer to either of those goals, and c) I would rather spend my floss money on building up my Anchor reserves, which are pretty glutted right now, of course not in colors I actually need for a current project, but that is typical . . . I also try not to stalk up because floss grows legs in my house, either carried off by cats, or somehow it goes down to the basement floor, at which point, I wouldn't touch it if I had no other choice.

But, then again, last night I was thinking. You do these kinds of things when you spend your valuable stitching time filling in over one on black, and then outlining flowers--yes, I picked up New Birth of Spring at 11 PM last night. It was late, I was tired, but not tired enough to sleep, I had glutted myself on CSI and Law & Order, which, by the way, are the perfect shows to stitch to, and got to thinking. I have all the magazines for Stoney Creek's Nature's Home afghan. I have decided I am not doing it as an afghan, but rather as a quilt. I even today was thinking about I could hand-piece it when its finished and save money on not buying a sewing machine, because it is not THAT hard to piece when you use aida. Anyway, I'm rambling . . . But that quilt is going to take HELLA floss to buy, and I could actually ALMOST justify going to Walmart to buy for that.

I don't know. I need to think about this . . .

Finally, a finish

I just finished this for my exchange partner, Lorna. Shhh, don't tell her, LOL. It's very cool, and it does glow in the dark! Pretty cool. And now I have another finish. Woo hoo!

Picked the over one stitching back up

I worked more on the Halloween ornament exchange ornie last night while watching a fairly disturbing documentary on how Europeans feel about Americans. I won't even mention that anymore, except it made me mad. But I got a good bit of stitching done. I know I am probably not doing the stitching right by doing it in rows, but it's not that bad. Even on black. This surprises me, because I don't like stitching on black usually. But I am doing OK with it. I should have it done by the weekend, I'm working on Woodland Sampler at work at lunch, but only because I really need the Daylight bulb to help my stitching, and my light at work doesn't work. And then next week, I am finishing New Birth of Spring. I am determined to get it done.

A Few Small Changes

I fixed my WIPs to be more accurate about what I'm stitching right now. Some of the things on that list I haven't touched for AGES. Perhaps not having them staring me in the face every time I log in will help me finish the ones I intend to finish soon.

Finally a day of blissful stitching

This is the first day I have felt semi-normal, and not stressed out in two weeks. I have no more fairs to be worried about, I don't have to be stressed over how well things will do, I took an Aleve last night to get rid of my monster headache from being outside yesterday and it worked, and I didn't have anything to worry about. So I worked on Woodland Sampler ALL DAY.

This is SUCH a joy to work with. I already raved about the chart, but it is so much fun to stitch. This is almost half finished and I haven't had any problems. And it's very dainty, only about 3 inches across. I think this is such a pretty design. I think I have have this finished by the weekend. Even with working on that ornament.

Hot damn-state fair results

We went to the state fair today.


I far exceeded my expectations.


I got three 1sts: HOHRH, Chincoteagues, and Sea Life
I got 3 3rds: Americana Samplings, Santa's Unexpected Gift and As Far As we go
I got 2 seconds: Friends Gather and Iris and Friends.
One Honorable Mention: Celebrate

HOHRH was up for best of show. The woman knew it was going to be going for that when it was carried in. When you walk in the Home Arts building, it's one of the first cross stitches you see.

Santa's Unexpected Gift was entered in a Special Contest, so I win extra money for that.

I also got my check from Montgomery County fair today. It was $49.50. I never won that much before. I am at at least $42 with the State fair. I am proud of myself--not bad for my first try.

Awesome free samplers

Someone posted these on 123 and I thought they were pretty. Good samplers and FREE:

http://www.waldchamps.com/ANNUAL%20SAMPLER.htm

Sick day and stitching

I went home from work sick yesterday. It is extremely hard to rest at my house when sick, because people seem to think I never get sick--I assure you, yesterday, I would have gladly died because my head felt like it was going to explode and I couldn't breathe out of one nostril--and the animals think it's Saturday, and time to play with Mummy.

I did hole up in bed and read some magazines. I really want to start those cute little mice from Cross Stitcher by Margaret Sherry, but I have to get some other things finished first. It's not on the 50. Yesterday, I decided the 50 sucked. But I was sick yesterday, so today I feel a little different. Today, the 50 stinks. :) The dogs were bouncing around on the bed. They were playing with Robbie's lamby toy. The cats wanted to be up there, too, but Robbie is a little possessive about me, and doesn't want them near me. We are working on "No, Robbie," or "Stop it," but he whips around and looks at you, like, "I am elegant and patrician, why are you correcting me." But that better stop about those cats. He hasn't tried to bite them, which is a good thing. We may have some issues if he tries to bite them--Chancey doesn't do that, she just runs at them and roars.

Anyway, at about 3:30, I finally was rudely rousted from my bed. My brother was wearing a hat and Robbie doesn't like hats. So, because he was barking, my brother decided to come into my room and t'ant him (as Gramma used to say) and so, because he was trying to defend me, Robbie decided to start barking and jumping up and down, ON TOP OF ME. And then I couldn't sleep. So I went out to the living room and stitched.

It was a good idea to stop doing the over-1 stitching one at a time. It works so much better as a row, and is going much faster. I finished the right-side ghost, and am at work on the left handed one. He's about half finished. I should be able to get the whole thing done by the end of the weekend, other than finding some flourescent thread for the pumpkin face, that and fabric to back the ornament. I won't have that til pay-day.

It's been wonderfully cool the past couple days here in the DC area the last couple of days. Today the highs are in the low 80s. Tomorrow it will be hot again, just in time to haul my cookies over to the state fair on Saturday. Mom took everything over on Monday. My wallhanging hanger didn't make the trip intact, but they accepted it anyway. Mom said there was a beautiful design of trees (methinks it was, And a Forest Grew). I am not stressing about if everything does well. I just need to enjoy the process. It's the first time I've entered home arts there, but I am not stressed. If I don't win, I don't win, I still have those lovely comments from the judges at county, and if I do win, even if it's 4th place, or Honorable Mention, that means it's 4th best in the state, and that ain't bad.

This is one of my little WIPs I started. It's an ornament for a Halloween ornament exchange I am in on 123. I pretty much had everything already. The chart is by Funk and Weber and is called Dead of the Night. I am stitching it with glow-in-the-dark floss. It's over one on evenweave. I was stitching it one stitch at a time, but it seems to be going faster to stitch a row at a time

Stuff is off to the state fair today.

Mom will have my car and take my entries over to Timonium today. I am going to relax about everything, if it doesn't win, it doesn't win. It's OK. This is my first year. I know I'm a good stitcher.

Comments from the fair

I picked everything up today. Some of it is not going over to Timonium. The trim on my kitties is falling off a little, and there was some that is just not ready to go.

My cookies took 5th. I did find that out. Didn't get a ribbon on it. Wierd.

Anyway, the judges gave commnets this year I found that refreshing. I like to know why I place how I did. So this is what I got this year:

Stoney Creek Cat and Pumpkin, second place: "Nice stitching. Nice way of showing this off."

Americana Samplings-LHN, third place: "Watch tails so they don't show. Consistent stitching. Nicely done."

Woodcraft by Karen Wishing for Snow, second place: "Lovely, but competition has more stitching." (S'OK, I got a third on one of her projects last year, so we're moving up in the world.)

Drawn Thread Cat Sampler cube, second place: "Love design. Mice adorable. Crease in Needlework, please block." We did iron it, but it was pretty set in crease. S'OK. It was our first try!

Prairie Schooler Christmas Day, second place: "Color choice for finishing accents the needlework well. Please block needlework." I don't understand this, but OK. Again, second place for our first wallhanging is pretty kick ass if you ask me.

Lanarts Sea Life, second place: "Stitching and tension very consistent" Pretty good for something that was a long-term UFO

Charland Designs Hip Hip Hoortay, 4th: "Nice stitching, use of charm. Consider covering with glass to protect stitching." OK, I don't understand this one. My professional framer would not cover the charm with glass. It's a sterling silver charm. You can't cover it.

All Our Yesterdays As Far As We Go, 1st place: "Nice stitching."

And the one that gives me the most pleasure. Carriage House Samplings, Houses of Hawks Run Hollow, 1st place: "Lovely, Judged in Champion round." I didn't win, but I was good enough to be considered. That means the world to me. I set a goal, I worked for the goal, and I almost made it. Even though I didn't quite get that goal, I got higher than I ever have before.

But I should still show my WIP

This is my latest WIP, Woodland Sampler, by Something in Common. I have been wanting to start this for a long time. I think it is the PRETTIEST little sampler. I am not even a woodsy person, but I fell in love with this design last summer. It's based on a Robert Frost poem.

I really have to give a kudos to the designer of this one. There are several specialty stitches. I realize, back in the 1700's, I would probably KNOW off the top of my head, how to do a twig stitch, but, I was born in 1976, not 1776. The space in my brain that was meant to store that information is taken up by some other piece of inanity (much as I fear the space that was meant to store the great American novel I intended to write is taken up by my vast trove of Law and Order trivia), so I need directions. Usually, the directions on these charts are so dang confusing that I have to google the stitches. Not this one. These directions are clear and the stitches are SO PRETTY. I love the twig stitch. I could see this scattered across a table runner with some small brown bugle beads as pine cones, then placed under this sampler, with a bowl of cinnamon-scented pinecones and a lantern on a small table in an entry. Wouldn't that be pretty?

Anyway, I thought I would share.

Didn't get to stitch very much yesterday

Mom had to go to Lancaster yesterday, so I took her up. We loaded Master Robbie-do in the back of the car, and went. I didn't get to stitch as a result, but I had a good time. Everyone likes Robbie, and I got to eat at Sonic, which is an absolute treat.

And this guy is the reason why. I went on Friday and got him. Isn't he darling? He is so sweet-natured, and he protects me, he's at my feet right now. He's decided Nikki is a threat to me, so he keeps growling at her, I hate to tell him, but, having been bit by her, he would be advised to not growl at her. But, I woke up yesterday with one of two beautiful little black dogs on either side of me and I realized that some of the holes that were ripped into the fabric of my joy in the past two years were starting to be repaired. Amazing . . . .

I have been so bad

I started 3 projects in the past 2 days. I feel so decadent. I started that ornament. I started Something In Common's Woodland Sampler, and I started CC's Autumn freebie. I can't help it. I want smalls!

I have a deathwish

I started the ornament, on black, over one. It's not killed me yet. It may. The weekend is still young . . .

Only the backstitching left to do

I got all the stitching done on this tonight. Just the backstitching left. Which is going to be another week or so of work, but I should have this done fairly soon. I made a couple mistakes on this one, but that's OK. Only God is perfect and I bet Marilyn with Stoney Creek couldn't figure out where the boo-boos are. It felt so good to realize that, when I wound that 320 back on the bobbin, it was the last time I would pick up 320 for this project. Woo hoo. Now to just figure out why it has a wierd pucker to the fabric. I think it's just from washing it the other day, and it'll work out when it's ironed.

Now to work on some small, NONREALISTIC projects, and to enjoy the state fair.

Back to the fair last night

I took Mom over to the fair last night. She wanted to see my entries. She was pretty proud of me. I am a little bit happier since I realized that my Christmas pic won over a really pretty Mary Engelbreit that was really pretty. That one deserved to win.

I did see though, not a lot of primitive things placed high. Of the 1st place, it was my HOHRH, and my San man, a BOAF, and two Bent Creek pics that won. So I am thinking the judges just prefer realistic pictures. Which was kinda sad because there were some beautiful primitives entered. I think some of the problem, too was size. At county, they measure by frame size. State measures by design size--that seems a fairer way to judge to me. Anyway . . .

I have such a little bit left to do on New Birth of Spring, stitching wise. I want so badly to get it finished before I go to Dallas. Then I am going to work on the ornament for my exchange partner. I chose Funk and Webber's Dead of the Night for Lorna. I have some black evenweave, so, as part of my on-going effort to blind myself, I decided I will stitch that over-one with the new glow in the dark light effects. It looks pretty straight-forward. I just wanted something cool for Lorna, because she's putting up a Halloween tree. I already bought her some non-stitchy ornaments, and a little container Michael's had, she can put some M&M's or something in there, and I thought I would buy some candy and tuck it in the package too.

Why do they do this to me?

I went to the dentist today, got my treatment plan to finally fix my teeth and become really beautiful, and about fell out--apparently, the price for me to be gorgeous is almost $10K, so thank GOD most of that is tax-deductible-- and then I get to surfing and find these:

http://www.cecricket.com/cricket_whats_new.htm

Darn it darn it darn it. I need Sleepy Hallow. I need it. How can this happen when I have no money for these things and I promised I wouldn't buy more stash. I really need to have a stash sale. Then I can both afford it and get rid of some unwanted stuff!

Almost finished and a new start

I am almost finished with New Birth of Spring. I just have a little bit left to do. Which is good, because the magazine is starting to fall apart. One the pages has actually detached from the spine. OOOPPPSSS. I will be so happy to get this finished. But it will probably be happy in a wierd way. I've never straight committed to a project for two months like I did this one. I probably wouldn't have started it now, if I knew how intricately shaded it is. But I am going to finish it, and I realize that, after completing this, I can finish Hummingbird Trellis afghan. Nothing is unattainable.

I didn't feel like bringing it to work today, so I brought Imaginating Summer Quilt. It seems like an easy stitch. And not too bad color wise. I decided I would go with Anchor black to stitch the cat, because it provides better coverage, and maybe with 3 strands, it would have a little extra dimensionality. And it's on the 50. I have to get back on track with that.

The Fair Results are In

I think I am pretty happy with them. I did learn that the fair people don't judge primitive stuff like they judge realistic stuff. So I just know what to enter next year.

Sea Life--2nd As Far As We Go--1st
Stoeny Creek kat and Pumpkin from Oct 2006--2nd
HOHRH-1st Santa's Unexpected Gift-2nd
Celebrate-SNN kit made into cube--2nd
Wishing for snow--2nd
Chincoteagues-3rd
Christmas Day wallhanging-2nd
Drawn Thread Cat Sampler--2nd
Friends Gather--1st
Americana Sampling--3rd--
Down By the sea pillow--4th and that's OK, it took me about 10 hours to stitch
Hip Hip Hooray--4th--as Mom said, "You didn't really like that one anyway."

I am only mildly annoyed by the ornament not getting first place. It lost to a Prairie Schooler Santa, I am thinking the finishing on the other one was better, because it wasn't as complicated as mine. And I am pissed that my Christmas Day WALLHANGING didn't get entered into the WALLHANGING class. It is a WALLHANGING, not a Christmas item. It was better than the wallhangings that were entered. I know that's a bitchy comment, but I am skeeved by that. At least one person said they liked my Chincoteagues.

So now to start getting ready for next year.

Had enough S.E.X. to last me a while

We went to Needlecraft Corner today because I needed Sarsparilla to work on my little Christmas blackbird. I usually order online, because even though I'm in between Washington and Baltimore, there isn't a quick way to get to Harford Road, at least that my withered brain seems to comprehend. I know if I took the Harbor Tunnel I could do it, but, as stupid as it sounds, I can't make it happen. I end up going to Annapolis. Don't ask why, I don't know. I know Brea is laughing at me now, because she's driven out of the way with me.

I also have been wanting the charts that were the Praiseworthy Stitches/Crescent Colors collaboration. And the cute little seasonal things by Crescent Colors, I had Summer from last summer, but just realized she did Winter and Autumn. So I got Autumn, I think I can work on that on the flight to Dallas on Friday. Drema asked me what I needed and when I explained, I needed something to work on on the plane to go get my dog, I think she thought I was nuts.

That's OK, though. Anyone can say I'm nuts, but this is an adventure, and I may never have the chance to do this again. I try now to not reject opportunities. When I was 15, I had the chance to go to the top of the World Trade Center. I didn't do it because it cost money and I wanted to conserve my money. I thought, well, I'm young, I'll get back to New York, it will always be there. And we all know what happened. I never got back and I won't ever get to do that. Life is too short to put off opportunities.

Anyway, enough of the philosophical input, back to charts. I bought those charts. I also bought LHN Captain's Inn. It's pretty. It was a nautical thing, which will go with my living room. And I bought one of the new Blue Ribbon Designs, the one with the pumpkin. Now I have to stop buying. I have plenty to work on.

I am off to the fair tomorrow morning. I can not wait until Tuesday to go. I will be nervous til I get there and see what happened.

OK, starting to relax more

I came home and decided that, because it seems relatively simple, and I've had it 4 years and it needs to be finished, to work on an old Blackbird Designs, Blackbird's Winter Delivery. I was working on it last spring, and seemed to have made a mistake on it. So I had to pick it all out. It seemed like such a sinfully wanton luxury to cut the hand-dyed floss, not just
pull them out and horde them like gold. I am sure I will regret it at some point, since I am broke, but it felt good.

I think I may make a plaque out of this one. it would be kinda cool to hang on the fireplace. I don't know, that's looking into the future a little far. Lemme just get it finished at this point.

I think I have a new obsession. Those gorgeous Blue Ribbon Designs gameboard looking pieces are so cool. I have several, but I love the new ones too. I just keep looking at them. And since I am starting to make progress on getting my WIPS and UFOs under control, I might could add a new project.

Like a Lost Little Lamb

Now that all my stuff was turned in to the fair--which was an irritation at best, and I lost my cool when the girl who was checking me in tried to jam a t-pin in a framed entry--and it's out of my hands, I feel sorta lost. Don't wanna work on M'deer right now because I am doing a lot of backstitching, and I am just not in a backstitching mood. But I don't really know what I want to work on. I pulled floss for the new Imaginating 4 Seasons Quilt Cats, but I don't even really want to do that right now, and I even, HALLELUJAH, have the floss I need for Summer Quilt Cat, which is shocking. Last night, after I finished making dinner, I just went in and read for a while. I can't remember the last time I did that.

I don't think I am burned out. I just think it's been a very stressful week for me, and now I have to wait to find out what happened. I've eaten, breathed, and done cross stitch and I'm just a little worn out right now. And I am so worried that my things won't do well at the county level, and that will just kill me. I can say this now, because this is my blog and I don't have to be PC. I want to win Best of Show for HOHRH. It didn't matter before, it matters now. I can not have worked on that for over two years, and get nothing for it.

I realize I am just panicking. Tired and panicking. The lady who was the head of the department came out and said she had to meet me. I take that as a good sign that I did a good job. I am trying to think positively. Thank God I do not show dogs. I would be a wreck like this all the time.

Notes from the Fair Prep

I have the cross stitch under control, now I am baking. It is not going well. I don't know what is wrong, but my flour isn't working right. And I got a bad recipe for Cheesie Rice Krispie cookies, because I've misplaced my other one. It didn't work. However, it must be getting better because I just finished my Honey Crunch cookies and they are good. Butterscotch is such a wonderful ingredient to use in recipes becasue it masks inadequacies in other areas. Now, just to go make Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies. They aren't anything fancy, but they are my favorite recipe next to those.

Though I do have to say, my mother is rather dense about cooking. I was holding a cookie sheet that, in temperature, was closely approzimating that of the sun, and she was just standing in the middle of the kitchen. I learned today that oven mitts only protect your fingers for so long.

All the fair entires are ready to go

Aunt B requested a photo of the corrected wallhanging. Neither of us liked the ribbon on it, so we decided that little wooden snowflakes on the tips were a better option. So I fixed that this morning. I think it gives it a cleaner look than the ribbon.

The other pic is everything else ready to go. I am really proud of what I've accomplished. It's been a long year, LOL

Per Aunt B's request

Anyone that reads the comments should know, Aunt B is my aunt, also my finisherI think it's time to mention that she will finish projects for anyone in need of a finisher. Just leave me a comment and I will hook you two up!

Anyway she wants to see a picture of the finished wallhanging. I am not sure about the ribbon on here. Luke says it looks good, but I don't know. But I am really proud of my button work!

The Wallhanging is done

The beach was a bust. It was really hot. I burned my feet on the sand. But I did find a HUGE shark tooth. I wouldn't have found it if it had been on the weekends.



So I'm home. I am waiting for my brother to get home to cut the dowel rod for the wallhanging. I went out today and found the rod, some white snowflakes to put on the end, and some snowflake ribbon. I have to spray paint the dowel white, and then fix it.



I am about to go to the store to get my supplies for baking. I am so unmotivated.

Final finish for the fair

I took off work today to finish stuff for the fair. This has taken me two hours to finish. I burned my heel on the freaking hot glue gun. I hope this wins something. I am pretty proud of it.

I realize I am supposed to be baking and finishing stuff, but it's 100 degrees outside and I am hot, I have had a hard week, all I have to do is that last little part of the wallhanging, and I am done. So ya know what, I am off to the beach for a while.

Off for 2 whole Days

I am off for two whole days to get ready for the fair. I plan on going to the store for my baking supplies tomorrow morning, though I will have to check the cupboards to see if we have the stuff I need for my cookies. Everyone always complains about I never check the cupboards, but they have never been there when I've ran out of vanilla mid recipe. With 3 cats, you simply CAN NOT leave batter sit for a store run, unless you enjoy a little extra protein from the cat hair in the cookies. And then I get mad, and then I feel like a cruddy pet parent because I've started screaming, "Golaydown, dammit, golaydown, whatiswrongwithyou, doyouwantmetogethewadderboddle." They look at me like I've kicked them, but I guess you would too if a loved one found your saliva distasteful.

I also have to finish two projects. Per my darling aunt's comment under the wallhanging finish, it would look better with buttons and a rod. Or maybe a stick out the yard--I don't know yet. I also have to sit down and finish Santa's Unexpected Gift into an ornament. Despite my complaining, I am really proud of that ornament. AndI hope it does well.

New furbaby and New blog

Since Chancey got a stain on m'Deer, I have to show you this tonight. This is my new furbaby. I am going next Friday to pick him up. Isn't he stunning. His name is Wellhaven's Wyndsong Robin and he is an American and Dutch champion. He is one of the few American-bred Schips to have won best of show in a prestigious Dutch show, and he is retiring with me!

As part of celebrating adopting this beautiful boy, I decided to start another blog, focused on my pets and what it's like to live with, well, a herd. People find my Chancey stories so funny, and I wanted to show people, it's not so bad and so scary loving the numerous. My new blog can be accessed through my profule, and the title is the View from Knee level.

A Wallhanging finish

This is another example of my aunt's awesome finishig skills. This is Prairie Schooler's Christmas Day, a last summer release. She made it into a wallhanging for me. This is also going into the fair--this will make the most entries I've ever had for a fair, but I honestly did do this stuff in the past year. This was finished Labor Day weekend last year. But anyway . . . my aunt is a wonderful artist and this is just another example of it.

I think this is so awesome

I am a member of 123 message board, and one of the members has done the coolest thing to get her own cross stitch shop. I think this is just really cute. Her name is Tricia and this is a wonderful idea. This may be the only way that my LNS will come to fruition. Wouldn't it be cool to do this with a lighthouse kit:

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=16273041&uid=1143404.

M'Deer update!

I didn't have a chance earlier to take a picture of this. I haven't worked hard on it this week, been doing that ornament instead. I finished that early this morning, and of course, it's in the car because I went to go get stuff to make it into an ornament today and then it was so hot and Luke brought Delilah (his girlfriend's puppy) over to be dogsat and I can't finish and watch a Jakc Russell mix puppy. I kenneled her up to get a chance to stitch right now. I am getting near the end of this now. I am really proud of what I've accomplished with this project, because there were times when I thought it would never end, and I'm almost done.

I got my All Our Yesterdays book in the mail last night. It's a nice book. There are a couple designs I already have, courtesy of the British cross stitch magazines, but there are a lot of beautiful designs I haven't seen before. I've already seen one that would be good for my friend Kathy for Christmas, And I have to say, I was really pleased with the shipping from Barnes and Noble.

I won't be getting any more stash for a while, because I have to get Robbie situated, plus will have to get to Texas to get him, but I have lots of good stash now. I entered a Halloween ornament stitch a long, and I have some cute patterns for that, plus have to get my exchange partner's ornie stitched. I can't believe it's almost fall.

And I wanted to add two things that made me smile. First of all, I've lost almost 5 pounds in two weeks, just from making better food choices. I am under 200 pounds and it's been a while since I've been that way. I find that really empowering. I must get my weight down, especially since I am getting my teeth fixed and need to be gorgeous. And then last night, we were in Sears looking for outfits to wear to the singles dance, a transgender, well, it was a woman, she had long hair and a purse, and she is living as a woman, so she's a woman. Anyway, I must have smiled for some reason, and she stopped to tell me that I had a very genuine smile. And she said it was hard to find someone who had a genuine smile. And that made me feel good. Especially coming from someone who probably doesn't get a lot of smiles from people, just on account of how she lives. I was still smiling today. Amazing how such a small gesture makes a day. I will remember this+

Countdown for the fair

I just realized, I have 6 days til the fair. I still have so much to get ready. I took off work Wednesday and Thursday to make sure that I am not rushed, but still . . .

I am working really hard to finish my little ornament so I can enter that. I am hoping to have it done this evening, then tomorrow I can go on a run to get the finishing supplies and finish it. I am working on "Santa's Unexpected Gift," which is really cute. Not sure if it will do well at the fair, though. My county fair tends to be rather conservative or should I say, out of step, which is odd in a county that is so cosmopolitan. I say this because our fair catalogue has an entry for cross stitch in the "Oriental" category, and their idea of a sampler is a traditional sampler, there is no room for the non-traditional. So I am not sure if the idea of Santa holding a dragon in his hand is going to go over big with the judges. But, again, it won't go over at all if I don't enter. And I am a good stitcher (I am not a modest one, though), and I think the fact that I've used metallics, opalescent fabric, that freaking Fuzzy Stuff, which I hate using because it's hard to see the finished stitches, as well as doing the little dragon over one, that ought to count for something. But I still have to get some stuff ready for the state fair, because I plan on finishing a companion towel to my Brittercup dirty towel.

I am also planning on baking this year. I have never entered food in the fair before, at least not as an adult, but I am a good cook, and I can compete with these other women. I am thinking of doing my honey crunch cookies, and will try to do my Cheesy Rice Krispie cookies, if they have a class for savory cookies.

I hate over-one stitching

I hate it. I've tried it. I tried to tell myself I liked it, or it was OK. It's not. It frustrates me and takes more time than over 2. I like how the end result looks, I just hate doing it.

Happy August, y'all!

Not much stitchy wise has been going on in my world the past couple days. Monday was my beautiful Chancey's 8th birthday--hard to believe she's already 8, it just seems like yesterday that she wrecked my car getting her head stuck in the steering wheel at 9 weeks old. I got an email from her breeder on Sunday and when I mentioned I was thinking about getting her a sibling, Shirley asked me yesterday if I wanted her littermate, a retired showdog. Well, yeah! He's her brother! The funny thing was, Sunday night, because the girls were all out of sorts because we were playing with my brother's girlfriend's puppy, who was very cute, my mom said we didn't need a puppy, but it might be OK to bring another dog in the house if it was one of Chancey's relatives. And then this email. I am trying not to get too excited, in case it doesn't happen, but to have two Schipperkes, and one an international champion, well that would be awesome.

I ordered myself the All Our Yesterdays book from Barnes and Noble. It wasn't too expensive with shipping. I thought it was a good thing to buy and I've been waiting for it.