Family Medley - Finished!

Although I'm still not sold on these buttons. Since this is an older chart, I was thinking that the buttons it calls for would be hard to find. So I pulled a couple buttons from my stash and tried them out.  I thought I could make do, but the problem is the buttons needed for this design are so tiny and not ones that I think I can fudge.  I don't know....I may try to order the charted buttons. The Silver Needle usually has a good supply of buttons.  Or else I'll just stitch them in.  And that's a wooden bell pull from my stash.  It was probably meant for another project that I abandoned long ago.

Speaking of being abandoned, Colleen was home for a whole 4 days of her spring break. She's actually with her track team on a bus to Florida as I'm typing this. When she leaves, it feels like there's a hole in my heart. I get over it quickly enough - like within a day - but all through yesterday I was weepy and sloppy.

And then that led to me tearing apart all of the stuff that I had neatly (well, not really neatly) stored away in my stitching desk and making a complete disaster out of my office/sewing room.  I wasn't in the mood to stitch any WIP's, and none of my kitted-up stuff was making me happy and so all I accomplished was making a huge mess.  Then I went downstairs and watched TV. 

Did I mention earlier that a dear friend sent me Hands to Work's Spring Violets in the mail?  And I'm waiting on a piece of Lavender Bliss Lugana, which should arrive in the mail any day now.  Of course I had a lovely piece of it here.   Perfect color, perfect size.  And when I opened it up, evidently I had cut a big hunk out of it.  Funny though, I really don't ever remember using it for anything!

OK....which one of you sneaky stitchers came into my room, found my Lavender Bliss (and believe me, finding anything in here would be a real feat), and cut a 5 X 5 square out of it??  Fess up.  You'll feel better about yourself.

I'm always the last one to see these things

I don't have anything stitchy to talk about or to photograph today, but I came across video this on Neil Gaiman's Journal and I thought maybe some of you are as out of the loop as I am and haven't seen it yet.  And even so, it was too much fun to keep to myself.  By the way, I love Neil Gaiman.  He could seriously be my new boyfriend.  Well....that is....as long as he's handy with a snowblower.

Dude....

Dude.....Where's my deck?

So, let's get this snow talk out of the way. 

These are figures from my dear husband, the Official National Weather Observer for Chalk Hill, PA:

Yesterday he measured 40 inches of snow on the ground (a new record).
In the month of February we received 96 inches of snow (another new record).
So far this winter, we've had 166 inches of snow (already a new record and there's more winter to come)

And this is him in all of his cuteness:

Even though this was yet another snow weekend from hell, I stitched a little on Lo.  It was a nice break between shoveling and staring into the grey/white/black landscape and feeling ultra gloomy.

So, I managed "Rose Blooming".

 

And during the week I put a few stitches into Family Medley.  Just a bit more wording and I'll be finished!  

See you next time!

Violets

You guys are all too nice with your well wishes and commiseration and good advice.  And sometimes one of you doesn't even know it but you send me some inspiration to brighten my day. 

My thoughts tonight are lifted by this quote: 

"Surely as cometh the Winter, I know There are Spring violets under the snow."  Robert H. Newell

And a little bird tells me that there's a cross stitch chart out there that says this, too.

Family drama

I don't have any stitching progress to show you today.  We've had too much family drama this week and when I'm upset I can't stitch.  I'm going to really give it a good try tonight though.  I have to snap out of this funk somehow, and since my two adult children are too far away for me to grab them and shake them by the scruff of the neck, maybe a good movie and some stitching will help.

I've been watching a 1998 BBC series called Berkeley Square.  It's similar to Upstairs Downstairs, except that its focus is on the lives of three nannies in London in 1903.  Although it's quite short with only 10 episodes, it was nice to watch while our TV was out (and it's completely back on now!)  Anyway, if you do choose to rent them, always keep your eyes peeled and watch the walls in the background.  ( I wish I could show you some screenshots!)  There are wonderful samplers on the nursery walls of these households.  Just FYI!

I should be shoveling.

But my driveway isn't going anywhere so I decided that the driveway could wait while I put this together.

LK and JABC Freebie

Reach for the Stars

Copyright 2000, Lizzie Kate, Inc.

Stitched on something silver and glittery from my stash and added miscellaneous buttons

Threads: DMC 4025, DMC 4190, and Dinky Dyes #87

(Thanks Danielle!)

Here's something about the backing fabric.  When Colleen was really little - say 3 or 4 years old - I had a birthday party for her and I made a table cloth out of this fabric.  When I spied it on my fabric shelf this evening, first I was surprised that I had even kept the leftover fabric (the tablecloth is long gone), and then I was tickled pink!  Ironing it and cutting it made me remember those little girl parties.  We had so much fun with those, whether they were a success or not.  The picnics were usually the best.  The special treats for school?  Not so much.  I wasn't always very good with those.

One year I saw somebody making these awesome treats on one of the morning shows.  She took blue Jello and let it partially set and then put cute little Swedish fish candies in it, making it look like a little fishbowl.  So I got small clear sundae cups from the local ice cream place and made up 25 containers of jello and put the fish...just like the TV cook did.  Took them into the classroom the next day and the Swedish fish had started to dissolve in the Jello.  So they were mushy and grainy and slippery and the kids were completely grossed out.  One little boy even started to gag.  And once that begins, you know how it spreads throughout the room?  After that, nobody touched Colleen's little fishy birthday treats. 

The next year, I stuck to store-bought cupcakes.  With plastic picks for decorations.  I'm lucky that nobody put out an eye....

Birthday Quickie

No...Not that type of quickie.  Get your minds out of the gutter.  It's not even my birthday.

If everything works out as it should, we'll be going to Colleen's track meet this weekend.  Afterward we'll take her and her friend, Kelsie, out for dinner.  Kel has been a friend of my daughter's since she was in elementary school.  They remained close all through junior high and high school, and then when Kel went to Wooster and was so happy there, Colleen decided to put it on her list of schools to check out.  So now, here they are, in the same college and running together on the track team.

Anyway...it's Kelsie's birthday on Saturday so I've stitched yet another gift card holder. I've finished the front and now I'm waiting for the glue to dry on the cardboard pieces.  It's an older LK freebie.

We're having another snow day.  This means that the local kids have missed school since 8 school days since Feb. 5.  Yes...they've been home since Feb. 5.  I feel badly for the seniors.  This must be terrible for them.

And that's all I'll say about snow.  Oh - except that some snow must've blown off the DTV dish, because now from time to time I'm getting our local channels!  None of the others, but at least I'm (usually) able to see NBC (Yay!  Olympics!), CBS, ABC and pur local PBS.  I'm more calm already.

Going Cold Turkey

OK.  The unthinkable has happened.  A few years ago, a genius DirectTV installer came to the house when we were having signal problems and told us that the dish had to be moved from the back lawn and mounted on the side of the house.  OK.

So he came later to move it, but didn't bring a tall enough ladder, so he told us that he'd just climb onto the roof mount it up there.  Now, I'm no newbie to satellite TV, so I asked about snow and ice accumulation, realizing that I couldn't clear the dish if it was covered by snow or ice.  Oh no....he says.  It's way up there.  No problem.  The snow would never get that deep.

Until yesterday.  I have about 30 inches of snow on my roof and then the wind blew and my now dish is covered. Socked in.  And probably covered until - oh - who knows - July? - because this snow isn't going anywhere.  In fact, we'll probably get another 6-12 inches tonight. 

So if my typing looks a little shaky, it's because I'm suffering from TV withdrawal.  Which in the world of things to complain about, is really very trivial.  I'll shut up about it now.

Moving on to stitching - the weekends are for LoHaR, so here she is.  I worked on her most of the day  Sunday and man-oh-man, I'm moving slowly.  But I'm finally at the place where I can turn her around and work right-side-up.  It just makes me feel better to be right-side-up.

Next word?  Blooming.  I know this is a Christmas design, but it has a Spring feel.  Thank goodness!

My Valentine

And my hero. My husband has been working his butt off for 8 days, clearing snow, dealing with this very temperamental snow blower and always getting to his very difficult and stressful job regardless of the weather.  I took this picture yesterday when he came home from a full day's work and then went outside to move the snow.  AGAIN.  Yessirree.  It's kept snowing here. We've had a break of perhaps several hours a day, but we've had measurable snowfall every day this week.

But will you just look at the smile on this guy's face?  I mean...if you can see it through the snow?  He really is my hero.  I'm not just being schmaltzy because it's Valentine's Day. 

 

 I don't have any new Valentine-y stitching to show you.  You all saw the little gift card that I sent Colleen.

Oh...wait...this could be kind of romantic.  I started an older Bent Creek design that's been on my mind for the past almost 3 years.  I had meant to stitch it for our 25th wedding anniversary in 2008, but at that point I didn't even have the chart.  I finally ordered it last year, and just put the first stitches into it this week. 

Fun and fast and I'm really enjoying it!  But since weekend days are for LoHAR, it's going to sit quietly till Monday.

You know what's funny?  My memory has been really off lately.  I've been to the grocery store at least a dozen times and each time I've forgotten Parmesan cheese.  Which is totally crazy if you know how much spaghetti we eat.

I've been forgetting to put the wash into the dryer and I'll go downstairs to take it out of the dryer, only to open it....scratch my head....and wonder where the dry laundry went!  Of course, it's still wet and in the washer.

But somehow, a cross stitch project can stay in my head for years.  I know.  It's nuts.

Nothing much

There's nothing much new to tell you about around here.  We're in that part of Western PA where it just keeps snowing.  The clouds get hung up on the mountains and they just refuse to go anywhere.  So while other places are getting a bit of sunshine, we have days of endless gray and 3 inches of additional snow accumulation everyday. 

Just enough to piss me off.

So I'm browsing through pictures to remind me that it really will get sunny and hot and green again.

Working today.  Should be headed to a track meet tomorrow.  A bit of stitching here and there. too.

Comic Relief

People are always coming by my house for some reason or another.  It's what happens when you work out of your home. 

So this couple from down the road came by to get some forms notarized and like the rest of us, they're experiencing cabin fever.  But today, after they dug their driveway out for the umpteenth time, they told me that they were headed to town for:

• A case of beer
• A bottle of vodka
• Two pair of boxing gloves

I love people who tell it like it is!

Welcome a new friend to bloggy land

Hey gang -  Zip on over to Stitching Between the Lines and say hello to a new blogger! 

Three cheers for new blogs!

Weekend progress on Lo

In between shoveling and complaining and pouting this weekend,I finished two words (Flower and Bright), the vertical vine, and a couple motifs.

I gave in to the urges to take advantage of some of those crazy-good Super Bowl sales, too. I decided to go with Deb at Stitches "N Things.  She's always given me fast and great service in the past, AND there was this little "bet" thing that you could do.  In the comment section of the order form, you could write Colts or Saints and if your selected team won, you also received free shipping!

Well.  Although I wanted the Saints to win, I chose the Colts because they were favored to win.  I let my wallet overrule my heart.  And then what happened??  Guess who's paying for shipping this time?  That would be me.

Congrats anyway to the city of New Orleans and the Saints!  We know first hand how great a Super Bowl win can be, especially when you're the underdog.  Enjoy it, Saints fans!

Then the Sun Came Out

And it was stunning!  Pics from late yesterday afternoon.

And this morning just after sunrise:

 

And here's something.  The neighbors that I usually complain about?  They came over today and cleared 25 inches of wet and heavy snow off my driveway with their snow blower.  And folks, let me tell you,  I have a LONG driveway.   How about that?  I'll eat my words.  Luckily I had made some chocolate chip cookie dough on Friday night, because I was able to throw a pan in the oven and hand them a plate of warm cookies when they were done.  Those cookies made my words a little easier to swallow.

Stitchiness?  I came across this freebie from Aury.  Isn't it just perfect for Valentine's Day?  This photo is from her blog - it's not my stitching.  I'm working on Lo this weekend.  I put in an hour yesterday and I've put almost two hours in today.  I have a SAL partner now and it seems to have kept me focused this weekend.  I'll have a photo of Lo tomorrow.

Poor husbands out there

If you're tired of shoveling snow and being stuck inside with "the one you love",  you'll like this!

 

There are some really cute (and free) designs  at Stofnest.  Go check them out.

So It Begins

The heavy, wet white stuff that kept me from my retreat.  In addition to this, we expect about two feet of snow tonight.

But not to worry. I'm going to make Dave provide a little retreat for me, since he'll be home with me most of the weekend.  Here are his hosting duties:

1. Provide some nice bottles of wine.
2.  Light a cozy fire.
3.  Fill all nearby bowls with chocolate and pretzels.
4.  Create a tasty buffet from leftovers in the fridge.  (as long as they're not green and fuzzy)
5.  Walk by my stitching chair and pause to compliment my stitching regularly, being sure to ask pertinent questions and acting like he really cares about the answers.
6.  Laugh at all of my menopause jokes.
7. Act like he's never heard any of my stories about my kids and my life. 

 Sadly, none of this may  happen if our power doesn't stop flickering off.  So I had better post this mighty darn fast.

Oh...Linda in PA?  Yup, it was the French Knot retreat.  Drop me a line! (my email is in my profile) I'm always happy to meet other 'Burgh area stitchers!

OK, You Can Turn off the Snow Machine Now

Whoever is in charge up there can turn off the snow machine.  We have enough.  And thanks to you my weekend stitching retreat has been canceled. 

That's right, Mr. All Powerful.  No stitchers to stay up late with me and stitch till our eyes are bleary.  No one else walking around till late morning with thread stuck to their pajamas.   Nobody to share evening stitching and cocktails with. 

Instead, I'll be shoveling snow and scraping ice. 

So I hope you're hearing me.  'Cause I'm not happy.

Where we stayed

Oops.  Forgot to answer Casa Pearl about this.  We stayed at Mitchell's Sandcastles on Sanibel Island.  A steal at twice the price. 

I loved the environment of Sanibel for our little four day stay.  It was very sedate and calm and restful - just the thing I needed after that LONG winter break with the kids at home and then the push to get all of the end of the year payroll stuff finished. 

Sometimes I like quiet and sedate.  Other times I like to be somewhere with constant action, like Las Vegas.  I'm lucky that my husband likes both of those types of vacations, too.

Takealong Stitching

This has been my takealong project when we've gone on various car trips over the past couple months. It's a freebie called Sew Red (from the very generous Carol R.)  Since I started this in December, Sew Red has come along with me to New York City, Falls Church VA, Philadelphia, and Sanibel Island, FL.

The only thing that makes me a little nervous is that the thread is one of those overdyeds from Needle Necessities and it's so very not colorfast.  So why did I take it to the beach?  Because I'm a fool.  And I like to live dangerously. 

By the way, those little scissors?  Totally ok for air travel.  Light as a feather, small, and pretty sharp (If all you need to cut is thread.  Don't even think of using them for hardanger)  They come in three adorable colors and for only $5.95.  Much better than the cuticle scissors I was using for travel.  I think I got those two years ago at The Silver Needle.

I hope to spend some quality time with Lo this weekend....which I'm beginning to think stands for LOnely.

Out of the cold for a little while

Dave and I took a last minute and only semi-planned trip last weekend. We needed a little time out of the ice and snow, so four days at Sanibel Island fit the bill perfectly!

Sanibel is known for its amazing seashell-strewn beaches, and our cabin was on part of the beach that had some of the biggest deposits of shells. We did a little shell hunting ourselves, but there were some serious hunters out there! I don't know which was more amusing...find the shells or watching the shell hunters.  There were piles and piles and piles of this:

Happy and warm?  Yes, I like to be happy and warm. We had four lovely days of being happy and warm. Oh...and well fed!  Remember The Great Crabcake Tour of Labor Day Weekend, 2009?  Well, this weekend was my February Grouper Fest.  I decided to try grouper every which way and had it for almost every meal except breakfast.  Fried, baked, broiled and grilled. Sandwich, salad, appetizer "bites"...you name it, I tried it.  And it was goooooood!

So here I am during a morning beach walk when I was trying to walk off some of that delicious grouper from the night before.  But these chairs were way too inviting.  I think I was hoping for a beach cocktail server to come along and offer me something cold and frosty to drink. And then maybe a ride home.
Then all too soon it was time to come home. We put the camera on our porch rail to snap this picture. Such a lovely view from our porch.

And now it's back to work. But the sun is shining in my window and now Spring won't be too far off, so I'm a happy lady.

I stitched a bit while I was lazing around on the beach. Photo tomorrow.