Time Flies….

When you’re putting up Christmas lights on a deadline. I’d show a picture except I started off with a partial outage on one string, and I had to plan the layout of my 3 strands along my gutter  so that the bad section would be at the easiest place to take down when (if) I get the replacement strand. I had to go out to a last minute birthday party invitation, so I plugged everything in, admired my 2-3/4 strings of lights on my way out, and when I came home, a second strand had a partial outage. Before I started hanging these up, I literally unplugged every bulb in the bad 3-foot section and tested with a spare. I found one bulb with a bad filament, and replaced that too, but to no avail.  The futility of trying to find the bad bulb is making me think I should just get new lights, possibly just a straight string, rather than the icicle type I have now. Do you know that not all icicle lights look the same when lit? So I may as well start fresh with a new look. Or maybe I should just skip it. I could get LED’s- energy efficient! Or colored lights!

Anyway, I got this chart when I was shopping the other day:

I have to research alternate color combinations. The called-for threads are GAST “Currant” and “Blue Spruce”, not that you can tell by the model picture, which seems faded. I think I want at least some gold in there, if not blues and violets and emerald green. I don’t intend to start it anytime soon, so I have time to decide.

Things…

Here are my Mother’s Day presents:

From Finale, a dessert restaurant in Boston:

 

Both cakes were boxed like this; this is a wee little luscious cheesecake with a sliver of  white chocolate imprinted with the name “Finale”, and a huge blackberry.

The next cake was 3 layers of chocolate cake, with alternating layers of white and milk chocolate filling- oh so decadent! Also topped with a namesake white chocolate wafer, another marbled piece of chocolate wafer, and a strawberry.

And NO! I did NOT eat them both on the same day!!

Here are dogwood photos:

I have some dead-branch-trimming to do, plus try to kill bittersweet vine and wild rose climbing up thru it.

Probably next week will be the lilac bush photos.

TTFN

Look at these….

From the Silver Needle, i love all these charts by Kate Hoyle, from Amanda Loverseed’s artwork.

But I especially heart this one. Expensive, though…

*Edit-

that "one" would be "Whispers on Wings", about the ninth paragraph down. The image doesn't seem to want to come thru.

Giveaway Alert!

Through the wonders of stitchy bloggerland, check out this blog and the awesome giveaway she's having: Cross Stitch and Cupcakes

PS:

This blog contains a music player widget, so turn down your sound if you're at work!

New Blog/Give-away Alert!

PegC., from "Lightening Fingers.....not!" is having an awesome giveaway! Click here for the info

Error report…

So I saw the latest JCS magazine, Jan/Feb 2011, on someone else’s blog recently, was it Glenna’s?

I had to buy it because of this Praiseworthy Stitches design:

If you are also contemplating doing this design , please be aware of an error. On page 19 under the list of required materials, they ask for a “16” x 14” piece of 32-ct Winter Sky linen from Lakeside Linens”. On page 21 is the stitch count and design size info, and the Design Size is indicated at: 8-1/2” x 19”. OOOPS! in a big way if you’ve already bought or cut the 14” wide fabric and started stitching! Honestly, it took me 3 or 4 flips thru the pages looking for the stitch count info because I was trying to determine the fabric required for a different count, and when I did the math for the 32 ct. (my OCD finally came in handy because I did ALL the calculations for 28 ct up thru 40 ct. and wrote them in the margin) I finally saw the inconsistency. Why this info isn’t on the same page as the Materials & Floss key is beyond me. Though if I thought about the layout of the ornament issues for more than the 2 minutes it takes to cause a huge headache, I’d see that JCS is being ENTIRELY consistent in their magazine design layout.

So ALWAYS DO THE MATH!!!

Snow Business….

Lot’s of it!

This is this morning, after shoveling twice yesterday, and again this morning (no work! Yay!) Another gray & dismal shot of the snow-covered trees:

We ended up with about a foot. It came down dry & powdery, then we had some rain mixing in to make it wet & heavy. This morning was also wet & heavy, turning dry & powdery- the old “If you don’t like it, wait a minute…” maxim.

I made out like a bandit with presents:

look at these:

The kids got me ALL of the charts I had posted about in November! Em even asked the sellers to NOT show their return addresses as anything stitchy since I retrieve the mail! How clever! Plus they got me a 500 GB external hard drive so I can back up my stuff, PLUS a new pair of work boots PLUS a bunch of new ornaments PLUS a book about Secretariat PLUS a bunch of chocolates & coffee & other little goodies! My mom sent a package of pecans and a check (THANKS Mom!)

The kids gave Chicken a Snuggie (LOL) and a new coat and several toys that she loves (she’s much better, acting more like her happy self every day):

Notice her shaved butt. I tried sticking bows around her satellite dish, but they kept falling off.

We had a fun day. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast (me), churros for Emily, eggs & sausage for Adam. They went out to visit Emily’s cousin from my “out”-laws while I went down to visit Bob.

When we were all back home, we had braised short ribs, from the Short Rib lasagna recipe I posted a while back, plus PW Creamy mashed potatoes, and broccoli. YUM!

I hope you all had a very nice holiday; thanks for visiting with me and leaving your nice comments- I do appreciate them!

Well, I hope they improve the fabric department…

Jo-Anns Fabric has agreed to an acquisition. Story here.

In other news, I’ve been dealing with Chicken issues. She came home from the vet Saturday evening. Her hernia was repaired, although the surgeon said she had never seen the “deviation” (my choice of word for lack of better description that won’t gross out my last two readers) Chickie unexpectedly had. The surgery went well, I was told, the doctor had to rearrange some things that she never had to before.

So poor puppy finally seems to be on the mend- her plumbing seemed to work correctly, at will, this morning, and her appetite is finally returning. One more week before I can take her for suture (and satellite dish) removal. Hopefully, at the same time, she can be given unlimited access to the house so I won’t have to lock the cats in the basement for the day- no stairs for Chicken for the time being.

Tomorrow is  day off; I’ll be finishing my baking, and probably braising my short ribs for Christmas dinner. My presents are all wrapped (??!!) early for a change and I just have to get Bob’s son some beer and a few stocking stuffers, and I’m done. You  know, Christmas gets a lot less stressful the less money you (have to) spend. Less running around, less thinking, less wrapping, less trash. I may even find some time to stitch!

Happy Christmas Eve eve!

I’m running out of NaBloPoMo ideas….

I was perusing Wyndam Needleworks, one of my favorite ONS, and found these potential stash enhancers:

From Rosewood Manor, this would be perfect for a guy present:

“Sailing Ships Sampler”:

 

From Ink Circles:

“Growth Rings”:

For the horse lover, “Fjord Ponies”:

From Waxing Moon Designs, “Halloween Fairies”:

From Sunflower Seed ( I love ALL of these- where have they been all my life???!!):

“Celtic Pumpkin”:

“Celtic Birds”

“Hilltop Seasons”:

 

“Tall Seasons”:

“Spiders & Bats- OH My!”:

And from The Workbasket, “House of Alphabets”:

I hope I have whetted a few appetites, or at least enlarged a few Christmas Wish lists!

Contest Alerts!

Check out these two fabulous give-aways:

http://belfontenotes.blogspot.com/ - Jan is giving away a Vera Bradley bag filled with an awesome array of stitching stuff.

Then there's this one:

http://threadgatherer.blogspot.com/ - Deb is having a drawing for a flower frog- perfect for displaying your stitching scissors!

Thursday Night Stitching…

I was able to work a couple of hours on Quaker Halloween this week, plus Thursday night. I finished the hat motif, and the acorn motif:

 

I also was swayed by the evil temptress, E’Bay, and won 3 linen cuts, for not a lot of money: 

   

36 ct. Edinborough  “Dirty” Linen, 27 ct. R&R “Over the Hill Purple”,  and 28 ct. “Nordic Blue” unspecified brand. I’m going to use the blue for a “Swirly Snow” freebie chart I found online, probably as my July ornament. That should hopefully cool me off some! %^P

Because I WANT to..

I decided on my next project. And it will be……

these TWO:

Cherished Stitches “A Quaker Halloween Sampler” on 40 ct. unknown creamy colored linen with my floss substitutions. I’ll probably stitch this with one strand over 2.

AND:

Little House Needle works “Gingerbread Cottage” on 32 ct. Irish linen- “Natural” I guess. I bought a set of table linens: 4 woven linen place mats and 4 linen napkins at a yard sale about 15 years ago. This is one of the napkins. I’m using the as-called-for flosses.

And I’m still working on this:

“Noel Freebie” on 32 ct. Jobelan “Ivory” with DMC 4610 variagated floss.

Here’s some ebay stash I won last week:

All Silk “N Colors. The 4 on the right are Limited Edition ‘09 colors. And the seller threw in the random skein of DMC (I guess).

Fin-ee-toe

As everyone’s favorite unwed woman of a certain age, THE Spinster Stitcher , might say. Here in all its unironed glory; behold:

The Cricket Collection’s “The Great Pumpkin Conspiracy” on 28 ct. LSL “Exemplar”with WDW and GAST substitutions for most of the DMC as well as the as-called-for Silk’N Colors silk threads

I’m only 90% sure I’ve got the fabric right- I just went diving thru all the crap in my bedroom looking for the receipt and/or the bag the fabric came in. I found an empty bag marked such near the top of the bin where I usually keep my fabric. (And I’m sure you all can believe how many other charts I found that I forgot I had purchased!!)

Then I moved back to this:

My Noel freebie. I was fairly certain what I wanted to start next, but based on a couple of the forgotten items I just found, now I’m not sure.

I had to barn sit last night while Jodi & her husband went to visit Jodi’s daughter who just had her first baby.

It was SOOOO pleasant today being able to walk the dog this afternoon with just a t-shirt and jeans and no jacket! I turned Axe out naked! I figured she could use some sunshine on her coat to help soak up some vitamin D!

Thursday Shenanigans…

Pumpkins progress:

And generous Jeanne gave me this (it was a duplicate):

(sorry about the flash)

“Homespun Elegance: “Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework”

I have now reached the point of “IDKWTSN”*

*I Don’t Know What To Start Next

Many Thanks…

for all the diabetes advice; I don’t know why I’m so worried about Adam. Sometimes I need a Gibbs-slap up the backside of my head. I’m sure I’m way more worried about him than he is about himself. I’ll be sure to pass on your advice, and feel free to nag him along with me!

They spent last night in Woodbridge, VA with my brother & his family. I hope his two kids aren’t scarred for life! My brother is way too nice: he made them a hearty breakfast, and gave them the latest weather forecast before they set out, and offered them some lunch to take on the road! If they don’t stop, they should be back tonight.

Wyndham Needle works is having their annual Winter Sale. I bought these:

“Medallions” by Rosewood Manor and “Pigalle” by Long Dog Samplers. I’m pretty sure I’m going to swap out the colors for both projects…whenever I get to them! I also bought the 2 ”Mint Frost” Silk ‘N Color flosses for CaHRH. Several bloggers are working on this one, and it’s making me itchy to start. Here’s one. I KNOW I’ve come across more, but do you think i could find them now? Nope.

***Edit***found another link to CaHRH from my "low activity blog folder"

Dishes to wash, “24” to watch, mom to call….

Oh Joy!

Look what my favorite daughter and her cabana boy

got me for Christmas:

!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited!

Here are the rest of my gifts:

     

“Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow” is from my barn owner; all the rest is from the kids-“Hello Cupcakes!” and “Bent Objects” AND (!!!!!!!!) “The Pioneer Woman Cooks”, fleece jammie bottoms and a fleece jacket. The jacket matches the camera- HA!

I went to my stitching store closing sale today and got this:

more Thread Gatherers silks, the fabric for CaHRH, plus 2 more pieces, a couple of packages of needles and Deb threw in 2 freebie charts.

Chickie left me a couple of “presents” in the basement. We’re having a little chat tonight about that.

I had a wonderful day- I hope you did as well.

Good News, Bad News….

First the good stuff:

Baggage:

     

 

   

 

Stocking-age:

 

For the 2 guacamoles.

Stash-age:

L to R: 32 ct. Mushroom lugana, 36 ct white linen, 36 ct. LSL “Patina”, 32 ct LSL “Sand Dune”

Now the bad news, and it’s bad…

Cranberry Cross Stitch is closing its doors! WWWAAAAHHHH!!!!! By the end of the month! WWWWAAAAHHHH!!!!!!

Several of our group have stepped up and offered to host us at their homes. I so hope we can keep our group going! I look forward to Thursday like, well, like Christmas! We have such a good time- laughing , stitching, bitching and eating. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself at home on a Thursday. The only slightest consolation is the sale Deb’s having after Xmas. I bought the fabrics because you have to “see” the color in person, and I’ll probably head back for silk threads; hopefully there’ll be some left.  Sigh*

Fabulous Friday!

SCORE!!:

$25 from eBay. It also has a magnetic easel for charts. I have to figure that out. Now I’m not limited by having my TW “Fruit Bell pull” permanently mounted to the scroll frame that is the only thing that fits in my other floor stand. Now I can use any frame!

Leftover Town Spa linquica pizza! (And see- it’s Friday!!)

Chickie hoping I drop a piece on the floor.