Something Finally Got Accomplished!!

Ta-Da!!

"Rites of Spring" by Blackbird Designs

32 ct. Belfast Linen "Country Mocha"

Suggested WDW & GA threads

I'm going to save it away, unpersonalized, for a future wedding or some such event. Not that anything is pending, but you never know.
God only knows why the line spacing up there can fit an elephant thru.

For My One Remaining reader....

Here's a progress shot of Rites of Spring:

My plan was to finish it this weekend- I even had Friday off for the vet & farrier. Well, that didn't happen (Ahem...I've been nominated for queen of Procrastinators Anonymous 18 times!). I worked on it yesterday at work and intended to finish it TODAY, and then my boss stayed in the office until 1:30, and the accountant lady stayed until 2:30. *SIGH*

The Axinator isn't as badly lame as I feared: she's sore the most in the left front heel & ankle (who knew???!!) as well as the back right hock. Both front fetlocks (or cankles in her case) and both hind hocks (elbows for the un-equinated) are experiencing the marvels of arthritis due to age, racing career of 9 years, and jumping for 5 more years. We're applying an anti-inflammatory ointment before & after riding for 10 days, and repeat after 5 days without. She is still progressing wonderfully on this new supplement, and the vet thinks maybe I've hit on a good combination with the old supplement. Long story short- it didn't even cost me more than $240 for the vet visit. She recommended some shoeing changes to my farrier, and everything looks very hopeful.

Nothing more on my September ornament, and I got my new 2008 JCS ornament issue. I agree with everyone else: why the hell didn't they note the page number that the picture appears on somewhere within the stitching directions??!!

Tonight is the first night since Sunday morning I've turned this infernal machine on; and now it's time to watch "House".

TTFN

Untitled

Sorry- not feeling very clever today; in fact, I feel a HUGE hormonal rush of sobbing just waiting to be triggered at the back of my eyes- SO DON'T START ON ME!

Here's my progress on Rites of Spring:

I should just try to finish it tonight.

Oooh! OOh! I'm so excited!! (Talk about mood swings!)

I got Toil & Trouble:

and the flosses I didn't have. Underneath, in the foreground, are 3 choices I have of fabric in my stash. I think I like the green-ish one on the right. I was drooling over it today at work, and noticed a couple of errors: One symbol isn't listed on the key, and another appears to be mis-symboled. I emailed Plum Street Samplers for clarification. This is my first time trying that: contacting the designer. Let's see if she responds. Most other people who've mentioned writing to other designers about errata seem to have good results.

Here's my pee-boy:

That's Delilah trying to be center of attention, as usual, the slut.

Here's a blurry Chicken (she's just too wiggly):

All right- here's Delilah her bad self on the left, playing coy with the camera:

OK- where'd my "labels" and "date" thingy go?

TTFN

Yoo-Hoo!!! I'm baaaaaack....

Well, I didn't go anywhere, just got consumed in horse related responsibilities and lawn-mowing on sweaty days. On top of that add a dash of Pm-PMS (Pre-menopausal PMS) , and a healthy swig of "I don't want to even look at that pile of papers that's burying my desk/computer" , and I just collapsed on the couch, too exhausted to even find anything good on TV. Here's my progress on Rites of Spring:

It's getting there; I bet I could finish it this week if I stitched in the evening....

Here's my JCS 2008 LHN ornament:

Oops- it's kind of at a wonky angle.

Axe is starting her second week of the new joint supplement; she's not having any reaction to it (it contains a derivative of green-lipped mussels of all things- I had to check with her if she had shell fish allergies; as far as she remembers, the last time she ate scallops, she didn't break out with hives). I rode for the first time since last Wednesday and she seemed OK. I just walked & cantered though, and she might seem Ok because I haven't ridden. It usually takes a few weeks to see a difference, so I'm probably just being hopeful.

The Closer is on tonight- the last 3 episodes look like they'll be intense. Has anyone seen the previews of Grey's Anatomy premiere? Oh.My.God. Rose telling Derek she's "with his child", and Meredith screaming "NO" and crying thru what looks like a hospital window. That's all I could see without my glasses on,  getting dressed this morning. I hope I saw what I think I saw.

And let's all say a prayer for Tom Brady, shall we? Though he didn't impress me by NOT attending off-season conditioning camp this year for the first time. Perhaps he'd have had a bit more flexibility and "fixed" that bad foot if he had? I'm just saying is all.

And she actually stitched something!

Rites of Spring:

This is close to the actual fabric color; I accidentally had camera in "Scene" mode. Don't ask me what that is- it was an accident.

This corresponds to all my other snaps:

I finished my second Quaker Smalls Xmas ornament:

Link to other one.

Here's Chickie playing with one of her thousand toys:

In repose:

Did you say you had cupcakes?

Catch the kitty with the camera! Yeah....rrriiiiggghhhht!

Tonight at S &B, we had more cupcakes from Cupcake Charlie's. Talk about the yum!

And Now, Something We Hope You'll Really Like...

In which she posts (drumroll please) progress photos!!!:

Rites of Spring. I seem to be off a little between the tree trunk and the left circle. Oh well.

Almost done- just 14 days too late for being a July ornament- and I started it early too!

I had FIOS TV installed today, so when the guy left I did some hedge trimming, then stacked firewood:

These 2 stacks were done, and this is what's left:

The left-most stack above had been leftover from last season, under the blue tarp that's rolled back. I probably have 3/4 to 2/3 of this year's cord of wood to stack up still.

It's going to hurt tomorrow. Me thinks a PMS/menopausal episode is coming on, too.

Sorry, SO Sorry!

My mind is mush- too many things to try to keep track of these days. Not much stitching- only Rites of Spring from S&B last Thursday.
Off to do dishes and gathering togther of notes & other reminfders so I don't forget anything.
See Bunny Quote.
TTFN

Here they are...

Progress photos:

Rites of Spring:

More birds. I think I'll save this in case a wedding comes up, so I can personalize it at that time.

And Quaker Christmas Smalls #2:

This after 6 more plies of floss- sorry for the wrinkle.

There you have it.

I helped Dianne at Alice's barn this morning doing stalls, went up to see Ms. Axeu, came home & showered and had lunch, then crashed on the couch for a nap, during which I had a series of bizarre dreams. Must have been something I ate.

TTFN

Downs and Ups...

I went to check on the Axe yesterday, and my rock-star farrier was there tacking her shoe back on- YAY!

Then, he told me some disturbing news about the woman who owns the barn I was hoping to move to before I ended up where I am now. Poor Alice, who's only my age (south of 50 but north of 45), had a stroke this week! He had very little info, so after he left, I gave the horse a quick ride to remind her that it's not all grass, hay and cribbing for free, and called my friend Dianne for more news.

Apparently she's home, and up & about, but weak on one side. I'm going over tomorrow morning to help with stalls with Dianne.

I'm aghast! Alice doesn't smoke, drinks very little, works with horses (I think about 10) every day, so she's in good physical condition. I guess we can't always have warnings for these things, but Jeez Louise- now I think I need a I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up  Button.

I stitched 6 more strands or I should clarify- PLIES of floss into my Quaker ornament, and I worked on Rites of Spring Thursday. The humidity here is like breathing thru a paper bag; I just don't have the ambition to do the camera to the computer thing; bear with me- I'll get to it ASAP.

Ugh!

It's still wicked humid- yesterday we had a tornado warning, so I unplugged every orifice on the computer. It's pouring buckets right now, but no thunder or lightning, which makes lil' Chickie happy. Except for having omitted doing all "her business" when I came home from work when it wasn't raining so hard. I had to take her out at 1:35 this morning for tinkles becuase she was too frightened to go before bed last night. *SIGH*

Here's all I've stitched this week:

That's it- Rites of Spring. Now back to my regularly scheduled stickiness. Can this summer be any more humid??? We've had about 3 days of dry (less than 60% humidity) since mid-June. I'm quite done with el Nino or la Nina, thank you very much.

Sorry to all youse guys in Texas , with Dolly and all. Take care.

Lots & Lots of Stuff!

Progress on Rites of Spring:

Progress on next Quaker Xmas Smalls:

Jeanne & Joanne bought birthday cupcakes for Linda & I from a new place called "Cupcake Charlies" in Mashpee.

Here's the (almost) empty box with requests for a refill:

 

My two take-homes:

Chocolate Overload in the rear; I already had 1/2 of one of these- it was SO delicious! And a Toffee Something in the front. I also had an Oreo Delight which had a cream filling that Hostess dreams of being able to create, and 1/2 of a CHocolate Mint Madness. If you go to the website & scroll down, you'll see the menu. I think the Toffee one is a special of the day.

Just fabulous! Thanks Joanne & Jeanne and Samantha!

Presents from Jane's stash:

     Gaelic Blessing Kit 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary's Pin Pillow

 

 

 

 

 

 

A skein of Thread Gatherer's Silk ' N Colors "Turquoise Fields"  from Linda resting on top of the 40ct. cream linen for my E.Davis Sampler:

And, last but not least:

 

I think I have now reached S.A.B.L.E. I have at least reached the point of having too many designs I want to start all at once.

Thanks ladies for all the fun birthday gifts- I love(d) them all!

Places to Go & Things to Do:

Progress on Rites of Spring:

This is working up very quickly; I'm liking it a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

I started another Milady's Needle Xmas ornament:

It's the little bit of purple below the first one I did. I'm using Thread Gatherers' silk "The Lavenders" which was left over from Creepy Kids.

 

 

I rode tonight- a nice one, after S&B. The Axe was good for me considering she hasn't been ridden in 2 days.

Speaking of  S&B, Jeanne brought a lemon blueberry pound cake which was scrumptious ( I have a piece for tomorrow!) and Nancy brought assorted pastries from Konditer Meister. Yummy!

Tom might have work for me for a few Saturdays; he says all of a sudden things are picking up. This is awesome seeing as I have to buy oil AND firewood this month.

Bob has been feeling crappy the past few days- dizzy, no appetite. I thought maybe dehydration as that has happened before to him. My next fear was precursor to heart attack which I did not want to dwell upon. He went to the doctor today and they found a spider bite behind his ear. They drained it and put him on antibiotics. He's already feeling better. He has SUCH a sensitive body chemistry. It's a relief it wasn't anything serious.

Off to wash dishes and to bed. There's a skunk outside my house making Chickie bark, which in turn is making it lay stink bombs.

Acck!

Oh Sweaty Days...

Here's progress on Rites Of Spring:

So far it's a lot of fun to work on. The double circle motif reminds me of a wedding sampler, though, so I might hold off on the text & turn it into a sampler for my friends D & J.  Mmmaybe not; mmmmaybe so. I actually bought a chart, floss AND fabric well over a year ago at Cranberry Cross stitch- Deb  helped me convert the floss to Crescent Colors (how's that for product placement!) for their wedding sampler - I should take that out to start sometime. I don't even remember the design, just that it had a pair of swans.

I had to stop at Michael's on the way home & get another scroll rod to hold this. I can't find for the life of me find my 18" scroll frame.

And of course, there hasn't been any 40% off coupons for a couple of weeks. I got a 24" set for $14.99 (full price), knowing that eventually I HAVE to start Cirque de Circles, Paradigm Lost, and Quaker Virtues. Plus the E Davis Sampler and WhistleJacket. All these charts are ginormous.  E Davis is going to be at least 20" wide fabric.  oh and "And a Garden Grew" - I have that on order.

Geez Louise- I need to retire.

New Stuff:

Quaker Smalls Xmas ornie:

This is working up fast; I would have shown more completed except I had to undo the inner triangular side section because I repeated a miscount in 2 different rows.

Here's my new start:

Rites of Spring by Blackbird Designs. I'll get the fabric for you later. This is also fun to work on.

I bought a pack of John James 28 needles for the ornaments because the 40ct fabric seems to need them, and a pack of Piecemakers 26's. Boy are those fabulous to work with - like buttah!