Stitching in the news….

This story was in one of the Boston newspapers a couple of weeks ago. It’s a story about a stitching studio in Newton, MA that has had an influx of youngsters wanting to sew their own Halloween costumes. I kind of have the impression from the article that this craftiness skipped their parents’ generation. Wouldn’t it be nice that the hand-fiber arts tradition is now passing down to a new, younger generation? Who’s the youngest cross stitcher you know? I can think of Becka, at The Stitching Lion blog, who is about 20 years old. One of Paulette Stewart’s (Plum Street Samplers) daughters designs charts, so I think it’s safe to assume she stitches too. I think she’s also about 20.

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That...

 

Mon 74° | 59°

Tue 79° | 61°

Wed 76° | 61°

Thu 76° | 61°

Weather for the next 4 days according to my Google thingy. Basically a repeat of last week and the week before.

So I traipse between the raindrops this morning from my car to the office carrying my coffee mug, thermos, stitching bag, tote bag, pocketbook and shopping bag with TP & tissues for the office. No hands free for an umbrella.  The usual baggage I carry every day except for the shopping bag. I don't own a proper rain jacket for summer- I find them too hot & sweaty.

And it occurred to me:

"The Urban Sombrero"! Perfect solution! Do they really make these? Anyone know.........................?

Craving...

MMMMMMMChocolate.....................

This is a problem.

Ahoy thar mateys..

Today is "Talk Like a Pirate Day".

Help channel your inner pirate here.

Never Forget

My thoughts & prayers go out to all who lost loved ones.

Bricks & Mortar...

More FOS:

It was kind of slow going, and the color changes for the masonry occurred a bit further apart than I like to skip stitches, but still too close together to end & re-start the thread. There are 3 different floss colors in there, and I haven't got the rhythm down yet, so I had to refer to the chart every 4 stitches. PAH! And the right side of this house is finished on another page, so what you see continues a bit more to the right.

More stash:

The chart is self-explanatory; the fabric is 40 ct. "Exclusive blend #4". It has a slight over dye effect, but it's a nice buttery yellow. I'm not sure what I'll be using it for, but I know I have several Want-To-Starts that would look nice on this color. I like the chart, but really only got it because I've been itching to stitch something from BBD- like from the book I got last year. Even just the alphabet sampler. People have been discussing rotations, but my scatter brain just can't wrap aound more than one large-ish project and one or two small projects at a time. Plus I absolutely HATE not having all the floss in my kitted project, and having to steal colors from one kit to the next and then not returning it. And that's because I'm cheap and don't want to buy more than one skein of floss at a time (unless the design callss for more).

So anyway, my OCD says to finish the Xmas biscornu, and then ...Ahem... remember the Wish ornament? I need to finish that, and then I can pick a couple of new smalls. ANd then finish FOS.

Oh, and I did get all my tax, FAFSA & CssProfile stuff done. I can file my taxes when I get one last document from BU. It seems they mail out the 1098's on January 31st. Oh- I mean, their "outside source" mails them out on the 31st. I told the student accounts girl that they should tell their "outside source" that I'm supposed to have the document in my hot little hands by the 31st- by law. "TEE-Hee!" she replied, "Well I don't control that."

No I wouldn't think so.

Just a Little Further...

I got the other 4 mini-cheesecakes done- one sprung a leak in the water bath; I'll save that for me. I just baked my dinner rolls, and a batch of what I'd hope be like the buns my mom made for Xmas; alas, not quite, but still a bread product and therefore good!


I put the turkey in to brine this morning, and got Avery's pillow made this afternoon; I was wrapping just as Dianne knocked on the door to deliver her presents- good timing or what??!!

I had a thread skip first seam in the middle above the x-stitch, leaving a 3/4" gap, which I found as I was stuffing. I had to pull out all the fluff, turn outside in again & resew. What a bother. It's pink organza ribbon; it looks on the orange-ish side here.
Patriots are 15-0- what a present that is, huh? Bob is borrowing my car so he can go back & forth to the shelter in New Bedford at will. * Edited* to say that Bob helps cook Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at a woman's shelter in N.B. every year. The cooking spans several nights preceding the actual holiday(s). Without his truck it was a huge problem getting there.
I'm waiting to hear from Emily to see if she's coming home from the boyfriend's house or not. It's been our tradition to get Chinese food Christmas eve, but if she's not coming, I'd prefer pizza and they close at 6:00 so I kinda have to know....SOON!

I'm liking not having a car- it's forcing me to get done what needs doing, instead of running around avoiding the tasks I've set out for myself, and then complaining "I don't have time!", and being up until 2:30 am wrapping. As it is, I'm blogging instead of dish washing to clean up the kitchen before the wrap party starts.
Hey just got a call she's coming home later so i can get a pizza- if they're still open.
A Merry and Joyous Christmas to you all!

A finish:

Thoughts of Baby

by Erica Michaels

28 ct. Jobelan "Raspberry Lite"

Crescent Colors "Pricly Pear"

I have the day off because my boss is installing a generator and the power has to be shut off a good part of the day. I've been to Walmart to get a few things, including what was left of the 10 cent DMC floss. I vaccuumed and washed the floor, stripped my bed, inventoried my XS fabric stash, sorted thru a bag of Em's college papers & assorted crap brought home in May, finished "thoughts", kitted for Just Nan's "Christmas Biscornus" and most importantly of all: SLEPT until 8:00 am!!!

Mid-Week-ness

I'm tired.

I have progress on Bittersweet Moon, Thoughts of Baby, and I finished Red House Sampler, except for the charm which I'll get at Deb's tomorrow.

I also forgot to mention that Bob got me a small bouquet of flowers and 3- yes- three!! - cookie sheets for my birthday. I looked unsuccessfully for some at Cirellis last weekend- I use those silicone pan liners which don't fit the disposable aluminum sheets. My silicone mats fit perfectly!

I cannot advise strongly enough: if you bake a lot of cookies (XMas, perhaps, ladies???) those silicone or Sil-Pat mats are terrific! I have just some generic blue-colored ones that my local supermarket were selling as part of a "bakeware-of-the-week" sale. I think I paid $6.99 for each mat. My former cookies sheets are the air-bake ones, but I have grown away from using them. I don't know if it was the beginning of my oven thermostat going wonky, but I started getting irratic results, and had better luck with the plain old disposable (or re-usable, if you're cheap like me!) aluminum pans. The mats were too big, though, and I was loathe to trim them; again- I paid good $$ for them and I'm cheap & didn't want to throw away any of it!

Emily brought a new kitty into the house and named her Delilah, after the song. She seems sweet. She (Emily)needs to carefully introduce her to Chicken and Aslan. She's going to be a long hair it seems. BUT- she's (emily says she's a she, but I haven't checked) black! Which is a prerequisite in this house.

Food, Glorious Food!

My pie was delicious, thank you Cindy for your compliments! It was just tangy enough, the way I like it. The meringue was tall, despite it's smooth appearance. See:Here's the birthday girl: She's waiting for pizza to fall out of the sky onto the floor! I don't know how old she is, but I've had her over 3-1/2 years.
I'll make a new post with the grilled pizza; Cindy (commentator #2! YAY!) inquired how to do it.
I had a bit of progress on Thoughts Of Baby today, but i just wore out the camera batteries uploading the pizza pictures.

S & B Progress pix...

Here's Bittersweet Moon:

I added a couple of the leaves & infilled stem vein, plus started the alphabet, and added one of the stars.

Here's Thoughts of Baby:

Sorry it's dark- I scanned it & it's rolled on the strtcher bars so it's not in contact with the platen. It's coming along nicely though.

Here's Red House Sampler:

I finished the red of the house & the bush & started the windows.
Here's that WDW Cadet color discrepancy I mentioned a couple of posts ago:I hope it's more apparent on a newer monitor- mine here at home is dying and displays colors too dark. The full skein is much greener that the used one. The used one is what I stitched the house in on Bittersweet Moon.

Progress...

Here's my progress on Red House Sampler- I've managed a couple of days of stitching at lunch at work. I'm pleased with the variagation in the tree.
Here's my new start: "Thoughts of Baby" by Erica Michaels on 28 ct jobelan "Raspberry Lite"- the haze of pink is just that- clouds of pink across a white field. I'm using Crescent Colors "Prickly Pear". This represents 2 hours of work. I will be taking a photo of Bittersweet Moon's progress when I get home today & post. The people on the 15th floor are leaving early today, while those on the third floor are kiss-asses and are staying until 4:00. ME- I'm leaving by noon.
I washed all my fabric, and supplemented with stash, and have to iron it all. I want to start cutting out 4" squares today. Greg's daughter is having her baby any minute; I think I'll have enough fabric for two quilts. Tomorrow I'm off, and I'm NOT going to work at the barn. I need to sleep until I wake up. The weather has been glorious the past few days- nice & cool and perfect for sleeping in. Then I hope to be up and stitching something- either cross stitch or quilts.
See you this afternoon.

Finished!

Thoughts of Spring

Erica Michaels

Crescent Colors "Cottage Garden"

Antique White 32 ct. Jobelan

I bought a table lamp & a daylight bulb at Walmart for $9.97 & $3.44. Works great and much cheaper than an OTT lite.

I worked on Kittys at S&B, and only did the grass to the right of the house- not significant enough to warrant a picture.

Gray's Anatomy is on

TTFN

After Stitch & Bitch:

Here's my progress:

I just have two butterflies, and the bottom row of X-stitches, the straight stitches and rip out one heart to replace with a Rhodes Stitch heart. I got so wrapped up in this version of the chart, I forgot about the specialty stitches substitutions.

Here's leftovers from Sunday's Chinese that I had last night:

Under the silverware is beef teriaki, clockwise is General Gao's chicken (my new fave & I HATE sweet & sour!), then boneless spareribs, then a chicken finger, then pork fried rice. The Tiki Buddha has great food. I threw out what was left after this plate; I've been eating it every night since Sunday & it's time for a change.

I have to go check on the Axe. Maybe I'll find Amanda has ridden her. Keep those fingers crossed!

TTFN

Before Stitch & Bitch:

This was scanned in at work; I may have to redo at home. I will endeavor to post an "After" photo tonight- I am SO CLOSE to finishing this!
TTFN

Briefly:

Here's my progress on Thoughts of Spring:

I started the words & other center motifs. This part is working up quickly- if I could find a couple of hours to devote to it, I know I could finish it.(Like everyone else at S&B!)

Here's progress on Kittys:

I finished the roof, and now have to get back to that boring grass.

Emily qualified for the MHJ finals- she placed second in the show this weekend in that class. The finals are the 1st weekend in September.

Other barn craziness going on.

I think Heroes returns tonight- I have to go.

TTFN

Food, Glorious Food!

Here's a photo of those awesome chocolate chip cookies:


They are still chewy & yummy!


Here's a couple of pix of cupcakes I made for Emily's friend in payment for riding the Axe:



Just Dunkin Hines Golden Vanilla mix & some canned dark choclate frosting.
But wikkid yummy!!! :}
I have to start photo-ing more.
I made more progress on both Kittys & Spring today at lunch, but not enough worth a photo.Maybe by the end of the weekend. Right now I'm not exhausted, and want to stitch, but I seem to lose all ambition when I get on the couch.
Well, the frozen tony's pizza for One is done
TTFN

Progress pix...

Here's Kittys:

I started the roof, filled in the windows, and stitched 2 cats.

And here's Thoughts of Spring:

I have to check the chart again. I think I missed a stitch or 3 in the middle of the "P".
It's very hard to discern the negatives of the letters as I stitched. The other ladies (or bitches ;) were having the same problem. What I've stitched so far is almost a whole skein of floss: I have 2-plys x 36" long left, plus what's dangling from the needle.
This week has sucked dead llamas for stitching time.
Meanwhile, I'd advise all you cookie fiends out there ot check out Cookie Madness. Those chewy choc chip cookies were the best I've EVER had. Perfect by my standards of chewy, thickness & buttery taste. Those & them damn oatmeal things from 2 weeks ago- I;m getting fat & have to start running again pronto.
TTFN

RRAGGGGARRRARG!

This was supposed to be a nice quiet easy week at work with the boss away.
A little extra uninterupted stitching time at lunch ;); some lazy blog reading; time to do my jigsaw in the morning.............yeah.........right!
He spent 15 minutes with me last Thursday before he left with notes to drawup a room over the mezzanine to the recycling facilty.
Starting Friday morning I've had a call from the developer- the big boss, numero uno hombre, then all this week, from the site manager, the Uncle of the money bags behind the project, the structural engineer, my boss like 15 times - DURING LUNCH TODAY!!!! ahem!
I fianlly calmed down to have a rational conversation with money bags #2 or #3, and will suck up & kiss ass by going over there tomorrow am on my way to work to do some measruring.
Supposedly he's stopping the whole job so I can go in there without a hard hat.
And on top of those calls, annoying calls from other people who I think are just checking that I'm there.
I did get a tiny bit of work done on Kittys. Not enough to assuage my guilt, but a little.
Yesterday i got the headline for Thoughts of Spring done, and a few stitches into the lower portion. I'll try to post pix tomorrow after S&B.
TTFN

Not much happening..

We had the huge slush storm Friday into Saturday; the barn roof leaked like a sieve. The floor had spalsh-thru puddles. I was done early today though, too icy to send horsies out.

I even beat Bob here.

We went for burgers at the A-frame; Bob at the barn recommended them. They were awesome- 1/2 pound, juicy, cheesy, grilled onions...umm-umm-MMMMM!!

The onion rings were the tenderest I can remember having. The fries were excellent- perfectly cooked. The rings & fries needed some salt as they came out of the fryer, but tasty none the less.

Here's my progress on Thoughts of Spring:

The scanner makes the fabric look blue-ish- it's really just white. The floss loooks grayed here too.
Every one was working on this, so I still haven't gotten back to Kittys.
TTFN