Sometimes when Blogger goes down, it can be a good thing. I fired off a blog entry yesterday when I was furious. But I couldn't log on. I prepared to send it last night. Still couldn't work with Blogger. Now today, I've cooled off. So I've digested my post down to a couple simple sentences....

Don’t work for family. Don’t work with family. Don’t involve family in your work. You'll be better off, financially and emotionally. (Fiery diatribe edited out.)

To briefly follow-up on our “Family Fun” night...

The buddy list miraculously reappeared. In the meantime, no one seems to understand that the telephone is a useful communication tool.

DS still had a few disparaging remarks to make towards DD, but otherwise it all settled down.

I have had to remind myself that teenagers truly are nuts. It helps if I keep that frame of mind. There is this wonderful book by Dr. Michael Bradley called, Yes, Your Teen is Crazy/ Loving your Kid without Losing your Mind. We were having a terrible time of it w/DS a few years ago, and DH and I were having lunch in this bookstore/coffee shop. This book was literally staring me in the face while I ate - so I opened it... directly to a passage on teen rage and its aftermath. And in the middle of this coffee shop, I just started to cry. Honestly, I felt the hand of God right then and there. Bought the book, read it cover to cover. And still will refresh myself with it from time to time.

His main premise is that teen brains are quite different from adult brains. That brain development in toddlerhood is peanuts compared to brain development in adolescence. So the kids interpret our verbal and nonverbal signals differently, and usually incorrectly. And add to that today’s fast moving society and all its pitfalls, and it’s no wonder families have problems. Yet all of this is presented in good humor and by reminding parents that we are the adults (with normally functioning brains) and can exert great influence by modeling mature, rational behavior. It’s also kind of like that saying about kids needing love the most just when they deserve it the least (or something like that). And that we as adults have the capacity to forgive, so it’s up to us to be grownups and show mercy when kids rage or act stupid or nuts.

Now clearly, there are kids and families with problems that are beyond the scope of this advice.

But most of us have garden-variety teens who completely perplex, frustrate, aggravate and challenge us. And sometimes our exchanges can get so awful that we may be on the verge losing our relationship with them. That would be a terrible loss. Because despite all of their insanity, my teens and most of the other teens that I know have wonderful sides. Compassionate. Responsible. Polite (gasp). Funny. Perceptive. Sometimes it’s at the forefront of their personality. Sometimes it’s not.

As a for instance, did you know that DS will always go to a funeral home with me? DH works several nights a week, so often he can’t go with me when a friend or neighbor has died. But DS will always go. I’ve even told him that he doesn’t have to, but he goes. Told me he thinks he should. That I shouldn’t go alone. I think on some level he’s trying to protect me? Or at least be supportive. I think it’s incredibly mature.

Well anyway, now that I’ve thrown brevity out the window...maybe one day I’ll talk about stitching.

Here’s life in my house last night.

DD (13 y.o.) is at computer. DS (16 y.o.) is watching TV nearby.

DD gets up for a snack.

DS hops into computer chair to start his nightly IM stuff.

DD returns from the kitchen and has a fit. DS refused to move from chair.

DD pushes chair away from computer. DS still refuses to get out of chair. DD continues to play some kind of game, all the while standing up. I bring her another chair, hoping to diffuse the situation, but DD refuses it. Meanwhile, DS sits in desk chair, now 8 feet away and stares at her.

DD finishes her game from a standing position. Then completely shuts computer down, gives DS a smirk, and walks away.

DS restarts computer, only to find that DD has shut it down without logging everyone off. Consequently, his AIM buddy list has vaporized. Gone into thin air. He’s stomping and screaming. He has no reason left to live.

DS tells us that he’s going to lock DD out of the computer, AFTER he has deleted all of her files. DD is saying that she didn’t know that would happen….(thinly veiled denial here…I think she kinda sorta knew) I tell DD that it was a stupid thing to do and that her actions only made a bad situation worse. I go on to tell DS that being vengeful isn’t going to bring back his list, so stop all this nonsense right here.

He deletes a few programs. But he’s still hot.

Locks DD out of computer by putting a password on her account.

I disconnect phone line. Fighting and revenge must end here and now. No one can commandeer a computer in this house except DH and me. Internet will be restored once password is removed from DD’s account. DS concedes. (Takes it out later on DD in the bathroom, but that’s another story….)

DS and I spend the rest of the evening trying to recover his buddy list. No luck.
And now it’s 11:00 PM. I was hoping for a quiet evening at home to watch some TV w/DH and stitch a bit. Nope. I hold my throbbing head in my hands for the next half hour, then go to bed.

So goes another night of stellar parenting.

Making progress on Wildflower Garden!

I really, really, really want to take the day off today. I want a day to play! I don't wanna work! (End whine).

Stitching has been so nice and so rewarding lately that it's all I seem to think about. Actually, that's a relief. I truly thought that I was done stitching for a while back there. I just couldn't get excited about it and that lasted a long period of time....

In retrospect, I think my boredom was more about frustration. I couldn't see very well, even with bifocals and wearing an extra set of magnifiers. But since my eye surgery, I've been able to see so much better.

Well, I'm off to the salt mines. Piles of work to plow thru, and DH returns tonight from a golf trip, which means a late run to the airport to pick him up. He called last night and it sounded like he was having a blast. I can't tell you how glad that makes me. Yes - - - this from the woman who had the I Hate Golf Rant a few months ago in this very blog. This trip was different. In my mind, this trip was less about the golf and more about DH having fun with a bunch of men. He doesn't get to do that often enough. So I'm happy for him.

Funny thing is, I was looking forward to a few nights alone in my bed. DH had the flu a couple of weeks ago, and it seems like ever since then, his snoring has gotten really, really bad. It's much louder, and I wasn't sleeping well. So I was anticipating a few nights of unbroken sleep. But here's the kicker. I can't fall asleep. I'm tired, but I lay in bed and toss and turn. If I get up and watch TV, I fall asleep in front of the TV, but when I get back into bed, I'm wide awake. So I've slept worse than ever all week. I finally resorted to tuning the radio to a talk show, and then I could drift off. I guess I'm just a creature of habit....

Can anybody help me identify this?



I stitched it about 15 years ago, and gave the chart away quite a while back. But now I want to do it again, so I guess I'll have to search the world over....

I know it's a Cross Eyed Cricket design. I just don't know which one. Any help would be appreciated!

So much is on my mind - - - I don’t know what to write about first. Maybe I’ll start you off with my complaints. Hey – I never claimed to be a Pollyanna.

I went to Philly last week, and I was really looking forward to visiting a large cross-stitch shop there. And with all of the Nashville market buzz, I was anxious to see some of the new stuff. I had a list of charts in mind, and I needed some bell-pull hardware and some frames. So, I drove about 40 minutes out of my way to get there. Well, I was sorely disappointed.

I didn’t find most of the newer charts I had in mind. Most of the spinner racks were half-full at best, and the racks on the walls near the models were in disarray. Half of the WDW threads I needed were not in stock. But that’s not the worst part.

Maybe it’s because I live in a small town, but when I visit a shop, particularly a specialty store like that, I expect to be greeted. I expect someone to ask me if I’ve found what I want or if I need help. When I entered, I was the only shopper in the store, and I wasn’t given a second glance. Not only was I ignored, but when I did ask a question, I was given a look like I had a third eye on my forehead.

Now I could go on about how I stewed and about other rudeness that I experienced there, but I won’t. It’s only so much kvetching. But here’s the thing. Most of us who own small businesses rail about the Big Box places. How they are driving us out of business. How insidious they are. And let me tell you, I’ve been boycotting WalMart for the past several months. But have you noticed all of the greeting going on? WalMart PAYS greeters to stand at the door. I was in a Bed Bath and Beyond the other day and every single employee who walked by me said hello. I know it’s not because all of the Big Box places hire friendly, outgoing staff. It’s part of a rigorous training program. (You had better say hello or else.) Big Boxes have learned that greeting people works. It puts the customer in a better mood, and a happier customer buys more and puts up with other inconveniences more graciously.

And here’s the other thing. I won’t drive out of my way to go to a WalMart. Or a Michaels. Or a JoAnn’s. But I will drive out of my way, (and after I’ve already spent 4 hours in a car), to visit a specialty shop. And my average purchase at a needlework shop is between $75 and $100. So for crying out loud, say hello! Ask me if I need any help.

Let’s face it. We all know that shop after shop is closing its doors. Consequently, customers travel several miles to get to your shop. For most of us, it’s probably a day trip. And it’s not an awful day trip, like a trip to the doctor’s office or something. But it’s a trip that we actually look forward to. We move things around in our busy schedules so we can get to that rare shop. So make it a nice experience. Lots of us browse the web for stuff. Maybe we make some online purchases. But as for me, I like to put together my list and drive to the shop to look at the actual, real chart. See the real-life fabrics and threads. And not all of those things that I thought I wanted actually pan out. So I’m open to suggestions. I’ll gladly substitute what I want for what you have. Just be nice! You may not know me from Adam, but I’m ready, willing and able to spend my money in your store. The $$ outcome of this visit is that I put back every single chart that I had in my hand. I was aggravated. And disappointed. And I didn’t walk in the door feeling that way. I bought a handful of threads and a piece of Jobelan. That’s it.

Ok, rant over. I feel better now. And I’m waiting for my mail order package from Theresa at Shakespeare’s Peddler. ‘Nuf said.

I finished this while I was visiting my parental units:

Ooops, my bad. I was unintentionally vague in my last post. (What, you can't read my mind??)

About my flat fold? Well, the stitching is a Cross Eyed Cricket design. From #63, titled, Mrs. K Nicholas Claus, published in 1989. NOT my own. Heavens, no!!

The flat fold method was the part that I more or less made up. I had seen a couple other flat folds in blogs. Karen's to be exact. And I didn't have a pattern so I thought about it and tried it myself, drawing on my limited knowledge of sewing and needlework framing.

Believe me, I couldn't design my way out of a paper bag.

My first flat fold finish! Check out the date on the stitching...1992!! Does anybody else have a closet shelf full of stitched stuff, waiting for its destiny? Mine dates back to around when DD was born, which coincidentally was at about the time that framing costs went thru the roof. It seemed like framing $$ doubled overnight.

Once again, this was self-patterned. In other words, I had no instructions. So it's a little rough. Maybe I really should break down and buy a book.

I wanted to post a couple progress pictures. These are from two Stitch-Alongs that I've joined. This first one is a Drawn Thread SAL. We could choose from any design. My choice was Wildflower Garden. I bought this as a kit a couple of years ago, so it came with these silk threads. It's a bit more muted in color than I'd prefer, but it's fun to stitch none the less.


This next one is a Spot Sampler Stitchalong. This one is totally up to us in terms of border, color, and designs. It's fun also, and a challenge for me because I'm pretty lame at choosing color.

I think the amount of exposure a person or company can get just by a short mention in a blog is incredible. Spreads like wildfire. I’ll tell you, if I were a needlework designer, I’d sure be glad that somebody mentioned me in his or her blog.

I know that some of my Nashville picks are strictly a result of reading about them on a needlework blog. With so many designs and designers to choose from, things get lost in the shuffle. For instance, I don’t think I would have ever seen Flying Monkeys if someone hadn’t mentioned it in a needlework blog. And now it’s a must-have.

When there was a shop nearby, I used to rely on it for recommendations and advice. They knew what you liked. And they’d tell you that if you liked A, you really should try B. Or you’d see a chart and say ehhhh…… But then the model was on the wall and there were some color changes made in the fabric and/or floss and ‘ehhhh’ became ‘oooohhhhh!’ Now I see that in the blogs I read daily.

I think blogs have become a good place for those of us that don’t have needlework shops or much of a stitching community nearby. After a while, you discover bloggers with tastes similar to yours, and when they say they’ve stitched something, it stimulates your interest. And because it’s so easy to post photos on blogs, I’ve been able to see some excellent finishes. And some lovely color changes. I know that bloggers are influencing my purchases more and more. Lucky me, because over the years, I KNOW I’ve bought some designs from catalogs or on the net that have been dogs. There’s nothing to take the wind out of your sails like waiting for a package and then it arrives and you think…. this is it?

So I’ve come to realize how nice it is to have a community that shares its stitching experience. And likewise, it’s very rewarding to be given a pat on the back when you post a picture of your latest work. Even if it’s from someone you don’t know face-to-face. I know I’ve stitched more in the past year than I had in the previous five. Seriously. I had at least five years of minimal or no stitching. I loved it, but I just wasn’t finding stitching stimulating anymore. I really believe that blogging and reading blogs has brought that creative and exciting feeling back to me.

So anyways, enough with the philosophical musings. I promised a couple of photos, and here they are.

First of all, last week I finished a pillow for DD. I had stitched this LK design probably late last winter, and Colleen asked me to finish it as a pillow for her. So she picked some sweet Depression reproduction fabrics from my quilting stash. And then it sat. So here it is, a year later.



And a couple of weeks ago, I stitched Count Your Blessings and posted a picture of it, but this weekend I finished it as a pillow, also. I wanted to try my hand at the Tie One On pillows by Pine Mountain, but I think they’re kind of expensive. So I just decided to wing it. And here’s my result.



It wasn’t difficult, but I learned a few things along the way. I made the pillow form underneath, and I should have stuffed it more firmly. It needs to be kind of firm to hold its shape when you slide the cover over it. And I’d back the cover. I only narrow-hemmed the cover you see, and I think it needs the bulk and the stiffness of two layers of fabric.

Time to end this post! I’ll list my Nashville favorites next time…

It's been a week of taking care of the sick. I'm telling you...I'm no good as a nurse. It's not the grossness. It's not the dirty work. It's not doing the work of two adults for a while. It's the moaning. And whining. It goes straight to my spinal cord and zings me.

Now, I love my husband. No doubt about that. When he's been seriously sick or hurt, it's different. But when he's sick with a simple cold or flu, he's the most melodramatic person alive. And for some reason, that pushes all of my buttons. So I tend to ignore/avoid him. Which makes him even more melodramatic. You can see where this is going....

Ok, so let's just get it straight that I'm an awful wife and a terrible human being and move on with this entry.

There's not much important going on in my life right now, so let's talk about TV. I'm watching the wind-down of NYPD Blue. I've been watching it almost from the beginning, and I'm surprised that I'm not sadder about the end of the show. I suppose in some respects, it’s “ended” several times. Caruso left. Then Jimmy Smits. Sylvia, Diane, and Lt. Fancy. The only constants have been the characters of Sipowicz and Medavoy, and they’ve both more or less moved on before the series has even ended. So it doesn’t seem very sad.

Does anyone have any thoughts about “Blind Justice”? I just don’t see how this could work as a police drama.

I’ve been a good little stitcher lately.

My spot sampler is coming along nicely. So far I only have half of the border done, “abc”, and a thistle motif. But I like it. And it’s all mine.

I’m doing a Drawn Thread SAL with a yahoo group that I’ve joined. We all picked our own projects, and I had the Wildflower Garden kit in my stash. This is great…I was feeling extremely guilty that I had spent so much money on a kit (chart and silk floss were in the kit, but I had bought the fabric, also) and then let it sit for two or more years. So this SAL got me moving. I’ve never stitched with silk before. It’s nice. Other stitchers have said that when you start using silk, you don’t want to go back to cotton. I’m not sure it’s that nice…..

I finished a LK pillow for DD. And I’ve almost finished the LK freebie “Count your Blessings” in my own version of Pine Mountain’s “Tie One On” pillows. Just need to narrow hem a bit.

Photos later!

Our weather has been downright depressing for the last week or so. Late winter in Western PA is gray, gray, and gray.

On the other hand, I’m pretty happy to see some light in the sky when DS leaves the house for the bus at 6:40AM. I suppose a nice mother would drive him those two blocks to his bus stop. But I’m not nice. I make sure he gets out of bed, I make him a good breakfast and pack it so he can eat on the run, and I check his schedule for the day. But I stop there. Unless it’s raining…. hard. Besides, I believe this will build his character. And I would never want to deprive him of the stories I know he’ll want to tell his kids about the hardships of growing up back in the 00’s.

I’ll tell you what, my blog entries haven’t had much to say lately. So I guess I’m either content or just boring.

I got an interesting call the other day. They were looking for DS and I to ref indoor soccer, which is weird because the season is almost over. It’s a little bothersome on a couple of counts. First of all, ref jobs at the end of the season are not easy. There often isn’t much goodwill toward refs as the players (and parents) approach play-offs or whatever your league does to proclaim a winner. Despite the outward face that this is all rec ball and therefore just for fun, people – even nice people – tend to lose sight of that at the end of the season. Secondly, neither DS nor I have ever ref’ed an indoor game. And my kids have never played indoor league. So they want to put us in games when we’re not completely sure of the rules at a time of year when people become very critical of the job you do. Nope. Not for me. If you want me, call me early in the season. And give me your league rules ahead of time.

It’s kind of funny. Now that I’ve had a year of soccer officiating, I find that I look at sporting events differently. I really focus on what the officials are doing. Have you watched college basketball recently? How in God’s name do they DO that?? Those coaches are relentless! Yap, yap, yap all the time in the ref’s ear. Waah, waah, waah. I could take a good lesson from college basketball officials. They seem to put up with it good-naturedly and professionally. I would want to run them over with my car.

Hmmmm. Can I bitch about anything else? We’ve covered children, the weather and sports….

Have any bloggers started talking about the Nashville previews yet? Does anyone have any kind of overall impressions or trends of the latest batch of designs? I’m waiting another week or so to decide what I think. Certainly I’ve seen a couple of must-haves. And I’ve seen some same-old, same-old, too. But like I said, I think I’ll wait another week before I place any orders.

Here’s where I am on my Trilogy project. Don’t think I’m goofy that I only partway finished the lettering. I bought this pre-kitted, and there wasn’t enough of that color floss to finish them. I’m going to try some DMC 924.

This should be done by the weekend!

Has anybody else noticed that most of the needlework/stitching blogger are either sick, feel like they're getting sick, or getting over being sick? Looks like this has been a rough winter for us. I, for one, can't wait for some warm spring weather so I can THROW open these windows and let some fresh air in this house!

Well, what the heck is that all about? What makes us hit a brick wall some days? That’s certainly where I was yesterday. I felt like crap and putting one foot in front of the other was about all the energy I could muster. I’ve been fighting this cold and sinus thing since about a week ago, but I don’t think that accounted for my rotten day.

And now today I’m back to my old self. Go figure. Must be menopause. In fact, let’s just assume it’s ALWAYS menopause.

DD and I watched Stepford Wives last night. Pretty funny! Except that since the beginning of the year, I’ve really been working hard at keeping my home neat and reasonably clean. And I’ve made an effort to return to my kitchen. You know… cooking meals, trashing old food, and trying to clean stuff to avoid food poisoning. And now, after watching that movie, I’m feeling a little guiltily Stepford. And I can understand the ending of the movie in an eerily logical way. Not like me at all.

No stitching to report. Working on a spot sampler with a Yahoo group. And on “Friendship in all Seasons” by Trilogy, but they’re both so new, there’s really nothing to photograph.

I've been in such a fog since Sunday. Can't seem to get anything done and can't seem to focus on anything. And I'm so incredibly tired....Back later.

Another quickie finish. I had a few hours blessedly alone last night, and I knew I had this waiting in the wings. There's nothing like immediate gratification!

Yuck. Being sick sucks. And why-oh-why does it always happen exactly when you're super busy?? Someone up there has a weird sense of humor.

No stitching for 4 days. My head hurts... But I can't sleep because the decongestants make me hinky.

I guess the good thing is, I've made it through this whole fall and winter without so much as a sniffle.

More later. I have piles of work to throw away....oops, I mean organize and process in an efficient manner.

I'm really moving along this year! They're all small, but I'm enjoying each stitch.

I am on such a roll....