Happy Mother’s Day!

A day late and a dollar short- it’s how I roll.

Here’s what my favorite daughter sent me- I received it at work on last Wednesday morning:

And here’s what was inside:

5 individually wrapped cookies- all different, and 5 individually wrapped brownies- all different. Soooo yummy and decadent. And perfect because I needed something sweet that day! I managed to make everything last until last night. I invited Em over for chicken dinner Sunday night and we had a very nice time.

No stitching pictures this week- I filled in more snow in Beacon House, but it isn’t a huge change from the previous week . I did some quilting this week for a gift for my Mum, and then I mailed it off today but forgot to take a picture. Doh!

Let’s Pretend….

shall we? That I haven’t posted in close to 4 weeks?

Here is 2 weeks’ worth of Beacon House:

I added the second little girl and the dog on a sled, plus continued with the alphabet. That was giving me fits 2 weeks  ago- I kept being off and had to unstitch the “n” & “m” 3 times. Then I got to the “p” and said out loud “WTF!”  Deb can verify that fact for you. Out of the entire alphabet, the “p” and the “s” are in blue, not red. It took a minute to realize it wasn’t for the designer’s initials, but for Praiseworthy Stitches. Since both my initials are the same, I went with the chart. The little red rectangle above the sled dog’s nose is the door to the lighthouse. I still have all the snowflakes in the sky to the left of the house to do to be done with the first page. This is a very fun piece to work on. I hope the newly released store chart corrected all the mistakes in the Just Cross Stitch magazine. I’ll be working more on this tomorrow night.

TTFN

Please Bear With Me…

I bought my Turbo Tax software and went to install it on Sunday. I got a prompt that said it would not install TurboTax because I did not have Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed. So I mumbled to myself  “Yeah and there’s a reason for that!” and turned the computer off (after browsing aimlessly thru Pinterest for another 15 minutes, thank you Jane, very much!
On Monday I remembered the portable hard drive Em gave me for Xmas 2 years ago, and decided to back up my files. This involved installing the backup software, which took about half an hour and then trying to set the back up parameters i wanted. I pressed “Back up” and there’s no status bar of any kind. I could hear my hard drive chugging away, and the tiny light on the portable was blinking away, but no indication of any kind that anything was working properly. So I let it go over night, and in the morning it showed a message that  the program became non-responsive and that the backup wasn’t complete, but a file was on the drive and it was 20 GB less empty. After I got home, i tried to restore a file, to no avail. Again with the piss-poor instructions. So I un-installed the software, and re-installed it, deleted the  I had backed up, and pressed “Back up”. This time it said “…initializing backup” then gave a percentage of completion.  But again it took so long, I let it go over night again, but in the morning it had the same error message, but a big chunk of GB was used again.
When I got home from work I tried again to restore one of the backed up files again with no success. So I took a deep breath tonight, crossed my fingers and installed Service Pack 3, and since I’m typing this post, everything seems to be working. Except the portable hard drive. I will try installing TurboTax tomorrow, after turning off & re-starting my computer again.
I’ve also been trying to stave off a head cold over the weekend. Yesterday an earache started- every 3-5 minutes it felt like a pencil was being jabbed into my ear. I dug out my bit-warmer rice pack and heated it and held it on my ear for about 2 hours. It was much better this morning.
And that is all.

Abstract Art?

I started this today:

On 30ct. linen over one, I’m stitching Square 10 from Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow as an ornament.

Call me crazy….

Maybe elves will sneak into my house at night to finish this for me? What attracts elves- candy canes, maple syrup and what else? I’ll have to dig out my Elf DVD.

I'm not losing my mind completely...

I DID write a post about a movie Ellen Page from Juno was making, called "Stitch & Bitch"!
Here's the link back to my old post: Is Our Hobby Making The Big Time?

Did this movie ever get finished? Any one know...?

Home Building…

To kill some time before I went back to the barn this afternoon to bring in & feed the ponies, I put on the Cowboys game today, which got switched to the Steelers game, and did some stitching :

As you can see, I started the house. I’m going to think about the trees a bit more. I got a comment from Anna to just keep going with this combination, and another each from NatalyK and Linda (no blog) suggesting  to go  with a correct/incorrect combo. I like the combination in the photo in the magazine- the dark green trees with light spots. I may wait to stitch a tree on the opposite side to see how it looks.
And that’s all she wrote.

Beacon House – HELP!

I worked a bit on it today, I had my day off due to horse shoes and a dentist appointment.

I added a friend for the first little guy and a dog for them to play with. I also reached the bottom border on the left.

Here’s where your help comes in: I don’t remember why, but I went looking for Beacon House chart errors the other day, and came back to Carol’s blog, who I remembered had started the piece and found floss errors, in addition to the HUGE fabric size error. I wish I had refreshed my memory about a month ago because one of the floss errors was those trees: they should be stitched in the darker green with lighter green “dots”- reversed colors from what I did (as called-for by the floss/symbol guide).

There is one more tree on this side below the boys, and 3 trees on the right side of the piece. Should I correct the colors on the 3rd tree, left, and stitch the corresponding color combinations on the right, or keep this combination for the left side all 3 trees and do the correct combo on the right or continue with combo on the 3rd tree as well as the right side? Mind you I really don’t want to unstitch both of those trees!

Winter….

at Beacon Hill House. I don’t know why I want to use “Hill”.
Anyway, not much progress to show:

I had stitched over 3 threads with Oatmeal in the band of snow to the right of the little man. Then I switched to the Light Khaki for a row or 2. Last Thursday, when I resumed stitching, I caught the error as I stitched underneath the little man to meet up with the errant section, and saw I was off. I spent half of my time un-doing, and re-stitched the bad row. (Between bites of that delicious cupcake!)
So what you see is about the same as the previous picture….*sigh*

Various & Sundry...

Bear with me: I'm trying the new blogger interface.
Here is, or actually, ARE, update photos of "Hilltop Seasons". I found a progress picture I never posted:

I also kitted up and mounted my fabric for "Winter at Beacon House":

You'll notice all the floss. I just bought the 2 baggies of threads, having forgotten the previously-purchased threads. Well, I kind of remembered them, but when I couldn't locate them in my completely disorganized house, I assumed I had thought about, but never bought them. And you know what they say about "assume". I'm going to blame my now-departed roommates, seeing as they aren't here to defend themselves.

So I am sitting here, inside, because i am procrastinating about finishing tidying up my yard. I have the pile of branches near my horse trailer still to pick up, and then I have to mow. 

I did, however, make it outside. I brought 3 huge bags of old clothes to the recycling bins, stuff that had been sitting in my bedroom for literally years (because I knew if I actually got rid of them, someone would decide they absolutely needed something from those bags.) The recycling center has a wasp problem in one of the bins: I got a sting on my forearm. I'm sure I made quite the spectacle of myself in front of all my fellow townies with my hopping around and flailing of arms. But, that's what I'm here on this earth for: to make the rest of you all seem normal in comparison!

So let's see if blogger has fixed it's pitiful spell checker.....

Why yes! How delightful! It highlights, then offers suggestions! I'm impressed! Now where are the tags...

Big Ooops!

Current progress on Quaker  Halloween:

If you’re familiar with this design, you may be able to figure out my HUGE mistake. I think I can alter the last half medallion along the bottom edge, so that I won’t have to rip out a whole bunch of stuff….

Spring has Sprung….

Finally!

My crab apple decided to bloom a couple of days ago. I took pictures yesterday evening, not the most ideal time, I realize, but with rain on the way for today, i wanted yearly pix before the blossoms were washed away. The aroma! I think it’s a combination of lily of the valley and lilac- it’s intoxicating!

I realized as I was uploading these photos from my camera, that I never even created an “April 2011” photo file- I didn’t take any pictures! I hope my blogging irregularities will come to an end soon!

Day Late and a Dollar Short….

as usual, King Friday!

I wish someone had said something earlier in the week:

I’m a Happy Girl!

That Cabernet on the right? That’s the BIG bottle! They didn’t have the smaller size. So I guess I’ll just have to drink more! Poor me!

And seriously, I am totally finding all other kinds of things to do rather than pre-cook vegetables (squash, carrots & parsnips) and bake a chocolate cake. And I’m not too concerned about it either. I even bought rolls from the bakery at the supermarket instead of making my own. I think I’m having some kind of delusional PMS/pre-menopausal episode.

Procrastination…..

I don’t know why, but I have absolutely NO motivation to start any of my Thanksgiving prep work. I have to at least make the brine so I can throw the bird in to soak tomorrow morning. Crap.

That means I have to get up even earlier. I’m SOOOOOO tired this week!

In other news, Karma bites an ass!

The sh***thead who picks up his kid at the day care across the street, and repeatedly blocks me in or out of my driveway, backed into my much abused mailbox. He cracked his back window, and then made a brilliant observation: “but it’s my fault”.

I told him DAMN RIGHT IT’S YOUR FAULT! And get off my property and stay off!

Honestly, the guy is such a prick, I’m surprised he even knocked on my door to confess. My mailbox isn’t damaged; it’s just leaning more. I’d be on at least my third post if I insisted every one who backed into it replaced it.

Close but No Cigar….

I got the turkey, the broth, the vegetables. Do you think they’d have the stuffing??? Think again.

Tomorrow brings a trip to the “other” supermarket, to find Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing mix. Not a bag to be found at my usual store. And the one time the cashier neglected to ask “Did you find everything you were looking for?”

And then I was majorly ripped off at the Family Dollar store. The same package of Bounty paper towels was $3 LESS at the supermarket, and the dish detergent was $2.25 vs.. $1.89 at the supermarket. Well, I guess I wasn’t ripped off; I just assumed incorrectly the Family Dollar would be cheaper. So much for smart shopping. Totally cancelled this score out.

At least I had leftover cabernet from the short rib lasagna to ease my pain.

Back to the Soup….

It’s humid, sticky and GROSS today! Blech! At least it’s not hot. But my deodorant sure has worn out!

I stitched more on this today:

I probably could have finished it, except I miscounted by one stitch both vertically and horizontally. I didn’t find this mistake until I had worked backwards on the lettering to the “m” . So I worked forwards from the “D”, and had to unstitch the “mber”, and scrunch the “m” and “b” together by half a stitch to make it fit.

Hopefully no one will be looking too closely when (ever) I finish finish it.

Wicked Wednesday Warning!

Friday is National Donut day! Dunkin Donuts is giving away one free donut with the purchase of a beverage (which in my mind isn’t “free”). Krispy Kreme is truly giving away a donut per person, no purchase necessary.

I grabbed this picture off Google image search; I have NEVER seen this varied of a selection at my local Double D’s. And I’m in DD’s home state!

Back to stitching in the Better Late Than Never category:

My May ornament is:

Trail Creek Farm “Winter” on 32 ct. “Lambswool” with GAST floss- my color substitutions.

I’m going to do the Prairie Schooler Hedgehog for June. I’ve already lost my green somewhere between taking it from my floss box this morning, and pulling everything out at lunch. I have to go thru my tote……..

Don’t forget the donuts!

Pomp & Circumstance

Em graduated today from BU- yay! It was an absolutely gorgeous day in Boston- just brilliant, sparkling sunshine.

   

I thought I was taking some video, but unfortunately, one must hold the shutter button down during the entire time- I pressed it and released it, because the little camera symbol was alit, but I only seemed to have recorded while the button was pressed. Darn the luck.

Bad Blogger (Me)

No blogging mojo lately; after a rather lengthy string of crappy news/happenings since my last post (nothing HUGE….just…..crappy) culminating in me placing $8+ of pot roast in the crock pot this morning and FORGETTING TO PLUG IT IN (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), I’m quite ready for a break. While we dwell on this circumstance, here are the results of my stitching:

Quaker Halloween:

I finally added a color other than the plum; it’s the black-ish green flower buds in the big medallion. (not that you can tell with my crap-tastic photography skills…sensing a theme here?)

Gingerbread Cottage:

I was cruising along on the house at lunch today and the boss decided to come back early, before 12:30 even! The nerve! So back into my bag it went. (See…crappy things!)

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!