Here's a great way to start your New Year - with a Stitching Bloggers' Question!
Many of us are taking stock, counting and organizing our stash at this time of year, so CinDC's question for this month is super relevant.
What's the oldest pattern in your stash? (Either the one with the earliest publication date or the one you bought the longest ago.) What's it's story? Have you stitched it?
Monday, January 02, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
I may have turned the corner
This neck/arm/hand thing has been feeling better for the past day or so. The pain is down to a dull ache most of the time - much better than the roaring pain I had been feeling for the past three weeks.
I actually sat and stitched for a bit last night. It was really weird holding a needle with a numb thumb, but I managed a couple of rows of stitches and it felt like a huge accomplishment. Heck, just sitting here and typing this seems huge, too!
Maybe I'll be back to my normal and idiotic post-writing self soon.
I actually sat and stitched for a bit last night. It was really weird holding a needle with a numb thumb, but I managed a couple of rows of stitches and it felt like a huge accomplishment. Heck, just sitting here and typing this seems huge, too!
Maybe I'll be back to my normal and idiotic post-writing self soon.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Ouch
I'm not stitching much lately. I have this very annoying pinched nerve in my neck. Usually it goes away in a day or two, but this SOB is not cooperating with me. The doc says to "keep moving", but I seem to alternate between moving and being completely immobile. Like a statue. I'm not good at dealing with pain and I'm cranky as all get-out.
But anyway.
I had a wonderful, wonderful visit with my friends Carol and Linda on Friday. We met for some shopping and lunch, and then we were headed to a local library to stitch, but when we asked our waitress for directions she told us to use their empty side room. Perfect! So we sat by a big picture window and stitched the afternoon away.
And there were a couple of surprises! Our Linda had been antique shopping and found us these wonderful scissor frogs! Now my scissors can live in beauty. They were getting tired of the suppository mold. Isn't it pretty?
And Carol, our Over One Queen, stitched these ornaments for Linda and me. Linda and I both agree that Carol is the touchstone when it comes to over one stitching. In my stitching history, I've seen lots of models and finishes, but Carol's over one stitching is absolutely perfect. As you can see....
And here is where it lives on my kitchen Christmas tree!
Well my bloggy friends, this is the limit of my computer time. My neck, shoulder and arm are screaming at me already. I have so many comments that I want to leave on your blogs - everyone's stitching at this time of year is so gorgeous. But I promise to catch up with all of you after this bugger resolves itself. And I'll catch up with you so much that you'll be sick of me!
Till next time!
But anyway.
I had a wonderful, wonderful visit with my friends Carol and Linda on Friday. We met for some shopping and lunch, and then we were headed to a local library to stitch, but when we asked our waitress for directions she told us to use their empty side room. Perfect! So we sat by a big picture window and stitched the afternoon away.
And there were a couple of surprises! Our Linda had been antique shopping and found us these wonderful scissor frogs! Now my scissors can live in beauty. They were getting tired of the suppository mold. Isn't it pretty?
And Carol, our Over One Queen, stitched these ornaments for Linda and me. Linda and I both agree that Carol is the touchstone when it comes to over one stitching. In my stitching history, I've seen lots of models and finishes, but Carol's over one stitching is absolutely perfect. As you can see....
And here is where it lives on my kitchen Christmas tree!
Well my bloggy friends, this is the limit of my computer time. My neck, shoulder and arm are screaming at me already. I have so many comments that I want to leave on your blogs - everyone's stitching at this time of year is so gorgeous. But I promise to catch up with all of you after this bugger resolves itself. And I'll catch up with you so much that you'll be sick of me!
Till next time!
Monday, December 05, 2011
HSE Freebie
This is the 2011 Homespun Elegance freebie, generously shared by Sandra on the Plain and Fancy Merchant blog. I changed the colors a little bit, using light grey for the windows and dark grey for the roof shingles where she used dark browns. I also used my HDF silks in place of the GAST and some of the DMC. And I sure wish you could see the gold sparkly flecks in the fabric!
Thank you everybody, for the nice things you said about my new kitchen. If only I could have you all over for a huge dinner party now!
Thank you everybody, for the nice things you said about my new kitchen. If only I could have you all over for a huge dinner party now!
December SBQ!
From the fabulous CinDC over at Pencil Crossings, here is our December Question of the Month. You can use this as a writing prompt for your own blog post or you can leave a comment. It's totally up to you.
Name your favorite designer(s). Have your tastes changed over time?
Name your favorite designer(s). Have your tastes changed over time?
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Before and After Kitchen
Hear ye, Hear ye! As of today, you will not be subjected to reading my whining about my kitchen remodel anymore! Because we are done. It's over. (Do you hear the trumpets sounding?)
As promised, here are my before and after pictures. I didn't take any pictures of the process because I want to forget that mess. Why keep pictures that make me nervous?
OK, the first photo is taken from my dining area, which is two steps below the kitchen. I took this photo after I I had removed most of the stuff from the cabinets and countertops, so you won't really see how cluttered my counters were. At this point, the microwave, the breadbox and most everything else had been moved. And that's why there are fire extinguishers and a step stool on the floor.
Notice the 1960's style cabinets. (I think these are also in Betty Draper's Mad Men kitchen). The lack of decent light. The really bad drywall ceiling. The handmade scalloped border on the bulkhead. The vinyl tile floor - surplus from a Burger King kitchen somewhere. The portable dishwasher. Part of the laminate of the countertop missing. So that was it. The extent of my cabinet and counter space.
And here is after.The dishwasher is built in and replaced by a rolling center island. We replaced the drywall ceiling with tongue and groove pine, added recessed lighting in the ceiling and under cabinet lighting. We replaced the Burger King vinyl with ceramic, bought when we added the family room nine years ago. And lucky us...there was just enough.
My refrigerator area. I needed the space on top to fit cereal boxes and miscellaneous crap I used that wouldn't fit in my limited cabinets. Like the salad spinner and plastic pitchers. You can glimpse some of my counter top clutter in this picture.
After - with the fridge inside its own cabinet and a cabinet above. For those pesky cereal boxes.
This is a photo of the doorway that leads to our family room. I had a bakers rack by the door and it housed my cookbooks, some decorative stuff and the bottom shelf usually held my step stool and a bunch of other clutter. Like potatoes. Onions. Pepsi. And you can see how very lovely that ancient portable dishwasher was, with its fossilized Strawberry Shortcake stickers that were impossible to remove.
So here is the after photo. Replaced the bakers rack with a glass front cabinet and a really useful base cabinet. We moved the sink into the corner to add a built in dishwasher. YES!
Ah, the clutter. The lack of cabinetry!
It's amazing how much more space we had when we put the microwave over the stove instead of on the counter. And the appliance garage really clears those counters even more. Garbage was moved inside a sliding cabinet near the sink.
Here's the other side of the cabinet that replaced the bakers rack. It faces the kitchen dining area and houses my cookbooks and my WINE. So I can sit in that chair and just reach over and grab a bottle anytime I want. Hey...there are empty spaces there. Gotta remedy that.
And finally, here's a photo with the rolling island moved out of the center. When I'm cooking, I like having that little island handy near the stove. It houses my cutting boards, plastic wrap, foil, tupperware and eventually it'll hold my knives. But knew I'd want to roll it out of the way when we have company. People always stood around my dishwasher when I'd have parties and it created a big traffic jam in the kitchen.
So that's it. I still have a couple tiny cosmetic things to fix in the kitchen dining area. Like re-covering the cold air returns, painting its ceiling and changing the wallpaper. But otherwise my kitchen is finished.
Thanks for putting up with my whining over these past two months! I honestly could have made a career of it. But it's all over now. Thank heavens! Maybe I'll even have some stitching to share one of these days...
As promised, here are my before and after pictures. I didn't take any pictures of the process because I want to forget that mess. Why keep pictures that make me nervous?
OK, the first photo is taken from my dining area, which is two steps below the kitchen. I took this photo after I I had removed most of the stuff from the cabinets and countertops, so you won't really see how cluttered my counters were. At this point, the microwave, the breadbox and most everything else had been moved. And that's why there are fire extinguishers and a step stool on the floor.
Notice the 1960's style cabinets. (I think these are also in Betty Draper's Mad Men kitchen). The lack of decent light. The really bad drywall ceiling. The handmade scalloped border on the bulkhead. The vinyl tile floor - surplus from a Burger King kitchen somewhere. The portable dishwasher. Part of the laminate of the countertop missing. So that was it. The extent of my cabinet and counter space.
And here is after.The dishwasher is built in and replaced by a rolling center island. We replaced the drywall ceiling with tongue and groove pine, added recessed lighting in the ceiling and under cabinet lighting. We replaced the Burger King vinyl with ceramic, bought when we added the family room nine years ago. And lucky us...there was just enough.
My refrigerator area. I needed the space on top to fit cereal boxes and miscellaneous crap I used that wouldn't fit in my limited cabinets. Like the salad spinner and plastic pitchers. You can glimpse some of my counter top clutter in this picture.
After - with the fridge inside its own cabinet and a cabinet above. For those pesky cereal boxes.
This is a photo of the doorway that leads to our family room. I had a bakers rack by the door and it housed my cookbooks, some decorative stuff and the bottom shelf usually held my step stool and a bunch of other clutter. Like potatoes. Onions. Pepsi. And you can see how very lovely that ancient portable dishwasher was, with its fossilized Strawberry Shortcake stickers that were impossible to remove.
So here is the after photo. Replaced the bakers rack with a glass front cabinet and a really useful base cabinet. We moved the sink into the corner to add a built in dishwasher. YES!
Ah, the clutter. The lack of cabinetry!
It's amazing how much more space we had when we put the microwave over the stove instead of on the counter. And the appliance garage really clears those counters even more. Garbage was moved inside a sliding cabinet near the sink.
Here's the other side of the cabinet that replaced the bakers rack. It faces the kitchen dining area and houses my cookbooks and my WINE. So I can sit in that chair and just reach over and grab a bottle anytime I want. Hey...there are empty spaces there. Gotta remedy that.
And finally, here's a photo with the rolling island moved out of the center. When I'm cooking, I like having that little island handy near the stove. It houses my cutting boards, plastic wrap, foil, tupperware and eventually it'll hold my knives. But knew I'd want to roll it out of the way when we have company. People always stood around my dishwasher when I'd have parties and it created a big traffic jam in the kitchen.
So that's it. I still have a couple tiny cosmetic things to fix in the kitchen dining area. Like re-covering the cold air returns, painting its ceiling and changing the wallpaper. But otherwise my kitchen is finished.
Thanks for putting up with my whining over these past two months! I honestly could have made a career of it. But it's all over now. Thank heavens! Maybe I'll even have some stitching to share one of these days...
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Hey...that's not funny
You may know how I love blogs that make light of things. Well, that make fun of things. Ok, I'll 'fess up and say I love blogs that are a bit snarky. So you know I love the blog Catalog Living. But yesterday I felt like the target of a snark.
Tell me the first thing you see when you go here.
I'll wait.
*
*
*
*
*
*
Did you not say to yourself: Wow, cool scissors.
Ouch.
As if we scissor collectors are a strange bunch. Well, I never....
Tell me the first thing you see when you go here.
I'll wait.
*
*
*
*
*
*
Did you not say to yourself: Wow, cool scissors.
Ouch.
As if we scissor collectors are a strange bunch. Well, I never....
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
A little less than successful
Well, out of the 30 days of NaBloPoMo in November, I wrote 23 blog posts. Sometimes I wrote a couple in one day, so I actually wrote on only 21 days. Eh. Not quite perfect. Worse than in 2010 (24 posts) and worse than in 2009 (26 posts). But better than 2008 (NINE posts).
And it's still better than my meager six posts in October and only ONE post in September. (Gasp! Really?)
And how lame is this to write a post about posts? I can hardly count it. But I will!
December can only improve from here...
And it's still better than my meager six posts in October and only ONE post in September. (Gasp! Really?)
And how lame is this to write a post about posts? I can hardly count it. But I will!
December can only improve from here...
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Needed a writing prompt today
I have zero stitching to show you and I've had a few days with absolutely nothing to write about. Unless the thought of reading about bookkeeping and housework gives you thrills, then maybe I could be your favorite writer.
So I'm using a NaBloPoMo writing prompt today. And now I'll stop whining and get to it:
Describe an heirloom that has been passed down through generations of your family. What is its significance to you personally?
I have a couple favorite things that used to belong to my grandparents. I don't know that they are exactly heirlooms - they have no special monetary value, but lots of sentimental value.
This first piece is from my paternal grandmother's kitchen. I used to spend some weekends with her, and we'd get up each morning and put bread in one of those 1920 style toasters - where the bread fits into doors that fold up - and then she'd have me grind her coffee beans. It was my favorite job. And it was probably the source of my love for good coffee, too.
The next pieces are old carnival glasses that were my maternal grandfather's. They were souvenirs from trips to the Trenton Fair in 1914 and from Atlantic City in 1909. His Aunt Ivy took him on those trips - one of the glasses has her name on it, and his name is on the other two. I'm guessing that she brought the 1909 glass back as a gift - he would have been a baby. But he would have been five years old in 1914, so he may have actually gone to the Trenton Fair.
I can only imagine my grandfather's glee at going to the fair. Here's a description of the Trenton Fair at around that time:
Local prominent businessmen, wanting to establish the fair as an annual event with a permanent location and a racetrack, organized the Inter-State Fair Association in 1888. More than one hundred acres were purchased, which includes the present-day acreage of the sculpture park.
So those two things - the glasses and the coffee grinder - make me remember my connection to my grandparents again . They'll never appear on Antiques Roadshow, but that connection makes them precious to me.
So I'm using a NaBloPoMo writing prompt today. And now I'll stop whining and get to it:
Describe an heirloom that has been passed down through generations of your family. What is its significance to you personally?
I have a couple favorite things that used to belong to my grandparents. I don't know that they are exactly heirlooms - they have no special monetary value, but lots of sentimental value.
This first piece is from my paternal grandmother's kitchen. I used to spend some weekends with her, and we'd get up each morning and put bread in one of those 1920 style toasters - where the bread fits into doors that fold up - and then she'd have me grind her coffee beans. It was my favorite job. And it was probably the source of my love for good coffee, too.
The next pieces are old carnival glasses that were my maternal grandfather's. They were souvenirs from trips to the Trenton Fair in 1914 and from Atlantic City in 1909. His Aunt Ivy took him on those trips - one of the glasses has her name on it, and his name is on the other two. I'm guessing that she brought the 1909 glass back as a gift - he would have been a baby. But he would have been five years old in 1914, so he may have actually gone to the Trenton Fair.
I can only imagine my grandfather's glee at going to the fair. Here's a description of the Trenton Fair at around that time:
Local prominent businessmen, wanting to establish the fair as an annual event with a permanent location and a racetrack, organized the Inter-State Fair Association in 1888. More than one hundred acres were purchased, which includes the present-day acreage of the sculpture park.
The Inter-State Fairs were a huge success, drawing crowds to view the displays of various breeds of horses, cattle and other livestock, agricultural products and farming equipment, culinary arts and needlework. Midway attractions, entertainment featuring daredevil stunts, and horse races were always popular with the spectators. Special events held that first year included a shooting match between Annie Oakley and Miles Johnson, and demonstrations of horsemanship and lassoing by cowboys and Indians from Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show. Parachutists jumping from hot-air balloons thrilled audiences in the 1890s. Starting at the turn of the century, death defying shows starring pioneers of aerial navigation, including Harriet Quimby, one of the first women to hold a pilot's license, and automotive racing, were booked to entertain the crowds filling the grandstand. As horses were replaced by automobiles for transportation, cars became the main attraction on the fairground's racetrack.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
The places I've shopped
What a meme! Stolen from Anna, who lifted it from JHM, over at Needleworker's Samplings:
Here's a list of the places I've shopped, and I've narrowed it down to places I've physically visited and handed over $$. I didn't include places I've only dealt with via mail order. Nor did I include chain stores like Hobby Lobby, JoAnns, Michaels, etc. Also - Those with (*) are gone. And if anyone has any feedback or can help me remember correct names or towns, please leave a comment. Oh, and by the way, the list may seem long, but remember... I'm old as dirt.
(edited 11-30-11)
In Pennsylvania:
Covered Bridge Needlearts, Bridgewater
Stitch and Stuff, Erie
Strawberry Sampler, Chadds Ford
*The Stitchery, West Mifflin
*Noble Craftsman, Pittsburgh
*Thread Connection, Pittsburgh
*The French Knot, Canonsburg
Little Country Cross Stitch, Murraysville
*Teatime Stitchery, Monroeville
Ye Old Cross Stitcher, Bristol
*The Count of Cross Stitch, Carlisle
Lil Boden; Intercourse
Kranberry Kupboard, Horsham
Peace of Thread, Southampton
*Hatboro Cross Stitch Shop, Hatboro
*Knots and Whatknots, Uniontown (yes, we actually had a little shop in my hometown)
Hand Dyed Fibers, Williamstown
*Needle Nook, Ligonier
*Farrells Hook, Line and Stitch, Meadville
(categorizing this as gone because they discontinued their stitching supplies and decided to focus on fly-tying. Really.)
In Ohio:
Crafty Ewe, Cleveland
Clares Stitching Post, Vermilion
Cross My Heart, Columbus
Just Stitching, Strongsville
*Stitching House, Berlin
In Kansas and Missouri:
Picture This Plus, Abilene KS
Sunflower Seed,Topeka KS
Two the Point, Overland Park KS
CC and Company, Blue Springs MO
Old Mill Stitchery, Liberty MO
Stitch On Needlework, Lawrence, KS
In Maryland:
Four Seasons Stitchery, Grantsville
The Stitching Post, Baltimore
Salty Yarns, Ocean City
On Vacations or Retreats in other places:
Victorian Sampler, Cape May NJ
Needlepoint, Inc. San Francisco CA
Haus Tirol, Williamsburg
The Counting House, Pawleys Island SC
Silver Needle, Tulsa OK
The Woolen Mills, Dublin Ireland
Hearts Desire - Shop is in Wichita KS and I've never been there, but I've been to their retreat and made a couple purchases there.
Other Places I know I've shopped but can't remember their names:
A tiny shop tucked away in Downtown Charleston SC
Little shop on Third Ave on Stone Harbor NJ
One in Atlanta GA about 25 years ago
Two shops in Cincinnati, also 25 years ago
Shops I really, really, REALLY need to visit at some time in my life:
Shepherd's Bush, Utah
Stitch and Frame Shop, Rock Hill SC
Nordic Needle
Attic Needlework
And I'm sure I'll think of more!
Here's a list of the places I've shopped, and I've narrowed it down to places I've physically visited and handed over $$. I didn't include places I've only dealt with via mail order. Nor did I include chain stores like Hobby Lobby, JoAnns, Michaels, etc. Also - Those with (*) are gone. And if anyone has any feedback or can help me remember correct names or towns, please leave a comment. Oh, and by the way, the list may seem long, but remember... I'm old as dirt.
(edited 11-30-11)
In Pennsylvania:
Covered Bridge Needlearts, Bridgewater
Stitch and Stuff, Erie
Strawberry Sampler, Chadds Ford
*The Stitchery, West Mifflin
*Noble Craftsman, Pittsburgh
*Thread Connection, Pittsburgh
*The French Knot, Canonsburg
Little Country Cross Stitch, Murraysville
*Teatime Stitchery, Monroeville
Ye Old Cross Stitcher, Bristol
*The Count of Cross Stitch, Carlisle
Lil Boden; Intercourse
Kranberry Kupboard, Horsham
Peace of Thread, Southampton
*Hatboro Cross Stitch Shop, Hatboro
*Knots and Whatknots, Uniontown (yes, we actually had a little shop in my hometown)
Hand Dyed Fibers, Williamstown
*Needle Nook, Ligonier
*Farrells Hook, Line and Stitch, Meadville
(categorizing this as gone because they discontinued their stitching supplies and decided to focus on fly-tying. Really.)
In Ohio:
Crafty Ewe, Cleveland
Clares Stitching Post, Vermilion
Cross My Heart, Columbus
Just Stitching, Strongsville
*Stitching House, Berlin
In Kansas and Missouri:
Picture This Plus, Abilene KS
Sunflower Seed,Topeka KS
Two the Point, Overland Park KS
CC and Company, Blue Springs MO
Old Mill Stitchery, Liberty MO
Stitch On Needlework, Lawrence, KS
In Maryland:
Four Seasons Stitchery, Grantsville
The Stitching Post, Baltimore
Salty Yarns, Ocean City
On Vacations or Retreats in other places:
Victorian Sampler, Cape May NJ
Needlepoint, Inc. San Francisco CA
Haus Tirol, Williamsburg
The Counting House, Pawleys Island SC
Silver Needle, Tulsa OK
The Woolen Mills, Dublin Ireland
Hearts Desire - Shop is in Wichita KS and I've never been there, but I've been to their retreat and made a couple purchases there.
Other Places I know I've shopped but can't remember their names:
A tiny shop tucked away in Downtown Charleston SC
Little shop on Third Ave on Stone Harbor NJ
One in Atlanta GA about 25 years ago
Two shops in Cincinnati, also 25 years ago
Shops I really, really, REALLY need to visit at some time in my life:
Shepherd's Bush, Utah
Stitch and Frame Shop, Rock Hill SC
Nordic Needle
Attic Needlework
And I'm sure I'll think of more!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I know, I know
I said I wouldn't be back for a couple days and I even posted a little heartfelt blessing, so you would think that I would exit blogging gracefully at least till Saturday.
But this was way too good to keep to myself.
And now your Thanksgiving is complete.
But this was way too good to keep to myself.
And now your Thanksgiving is complete.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
For Thanksgiving
I know that I start to fret the day before every holiday. Did I buy enough (fill in your own blank)? Will the weather turn bad? Will the food be ready in time? Is my house clean enough?
And the biggest one - Will my turkey be dry?
So I may need to skip out on blogging tomorrow, so today I want to wish all my friends a Happy Thanksgiving. Whether you are celebrating with a boisterous crowd or by taking the day for some much needed quiet time with your own thoughts or if you're celebrating somewhere in between, this little Irish blessing sums up my wishes for you.
"May you be blessed with
warmth in your home,
love in your heart,
peace in your soul
and joy in your life."
See you after the holiday!
And the biggest one - Will my turkey be dry?
So I may need to skip out on blogging tomorrow, so today I want to wish all my friends a Happy Thanksgiving. Whether you are celebrating with a boisterous crowd or by taking the day for some much needed quiet time with your own thoughts or if you're celebrating somewhere in between, this little Irish blessing sums up my wishes for you.
"May you be blessed with
warmth in your home,
love in your heart,
peace in your soul
and joy in your life."
See you after the holiday!
Monday, November 21, 2011
A list for Santa
Here is a list from the comments of your most UN-favorite Christmas gifts. If my children are reading this, I hope they appreciate those windshield wipers now.
1. A vacuum cleaner
2. A scientific calculator
3. Mens leather work gloves
4. Bad pajamas
5. Shoes with 2 inch heels
6. Generic legos
7. Orange jelly candies, wrapped with a shoe. Yes, one shoe. To make it heavy.
8. A bar of soap
And two that fall into the category of positively painful -
9. A bundle of sticks wrapped with twine and (with a live spider), to make her home more "stylish"
10. A slide rule, when she had asked for a skate board.
*******************************************************************
I had a busy (but still relaxing) weekend of putting the last things away in the kitchen, followed up by a bit of shopping for odds and ends at Bed Bath and Beyond. I'm super pleased - the added storage feels positively luxurious and the added counters make it seem like I have acres of space. And the lighting? I have enough lights now to land an airplane. Quite different than the one ceiling fixture I had before.
Oh - and outlets! I had three outlets before, and one didn't work. And once I plugged in my microwave, toaster and refrigerator, that left me with a place to plug in exactly one thing. Unless I was running the portable dishwasher - in which case I had zero. Just think, now I can make coffee and use a mixer. At the same time!
I'm still missing almost all of the window, door and ceiling trim in both rooms- so I don't have pictures for you yet. So while my kitchen is functional, it's still not totally pretty. Hopefully next week things will be completely back to normal...except I know that deer hunting season starts Monday, meaning that all work in Fayette County gets put on hold until it's over.
Now I'm off to the airport to pick up my son - happy, happy me!
1. A vacuum cleaner
2. A scientific calculator
3. Mens leather work gloves
4. Bad pajamas
5. Shoes with 2 inch heels
6. Generic legos
7. Orange jelly candies, wrapped with a shoe. Yes, one shoe. To make it heavy.
8. A bar of soap
And two that fall into the category of positively painful -
9. A bundle of sticks wrapped with twine and (with a live spider), to make her home more "stylish"
10. A slide rule, when she had asked for a skate board.
*******************************************************************
I had a busy (but still relaxing) weekend of putting the last things away in the kitchen, followed up by a bit of shopping for odds and ends at Bed Bath and Beyond. I'm super pleased - the added storage feels positively luxurious and the added counters make it seem like I have acres of space. And the lighting? I have enough lights now to land an airplane. Quite different than the one ceiling fixture I had before.
Oh - and outlets! I had three outlets before, and one didn't work. And once I plugged in my microwave, toaster and refrigerator, that left me with a place to plug in exactly one thing. Unless I was running the portable dishwasher - in which case I had zero. Just think, now I can make coffee and use a mixer. At the same time!
I'm still missing almost all of the window, door and ceiling trim in both rooms- so I don't have pictures for you yet. So while my kitchen is functional, it's still not totally pretty. Hopefully next week things will be completely back to normal...except I know that deer hunting season starts Monday, meaning that all work in Fayette County gets put on hold until it's over.
Now I'm off to the airport to pick up my son - happy, happy me!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Tis the Season
Awww. You all are way too nice with you stitchy compliments. You make a girl blush. Thank you.
So. My daughter and I have been trading emails lately because she has an idea of what she wants for Christmas and wants to make sure I know what it is, because it appears that my gift giving skills have been sub-par lately. She doesn't want to run the risk of me running out and buying something similar to last year's gift.
December 2010:
Daughter: Hey Mom, I think I know what I want for Christmas (or birthday - whatever).
Me: Oh really, well I've already bought your gift.
Daughter: Ohhhhh. Okay.
Me: You're gonna love it. It's great.
Christmas morning 2010:
Daughter: You got me... windshield wipers?
Me: Yeah! Aren't they the best?
Daughter:.......................(silence).
Personally, I think new windshield wipers are the perfect Christmas gift. You never think to buy them until it's pouring rain and you can't see. Or till they get caked with ice and then you're driving down the road and they fly off your car. It's one of those little things that only your mother would remember. Like warm socks. But for your car's windshield.
Well anyway, so here comes Christmas 2011 and she sends me this email of the thing she wants and makes no bones about telling me that her 2010 windshield wipers are in fine shape and she doesn't need anymore, thank-you-very-much.
Ahem. These kids don't know from dumb gifts. My parents gave me a vanity suitcase full of deodorant one year. And it had an electric razor inside, too. I was twelve. Evidently I was one smelly and hairy prepubescent girl. That was a sucky gift. It was sub-sub-par.
What was your most memorable sub-par gift as a kid? Or as a young adult. Write about it. Because I want to go read your blogs and then buy every one of those gifts for my children.
They're going to wish they had windshield wipers when I'm through with my shopping this year.
So. My daughter and I have been trading emails lately because she has an idea of what she wants for Christmas and wants to make sure I know what it is, because it appears that my gift giving skills have been sub-par lately. She doesn't want to run the risk of me running out and buying something similar to last year's gift.
December 2010:
Daughter: Hey Mom, I think I know what I want for Christmas (or birthday - whatever).
Me: Oh really, well I've already bought your gift.
Daughter: Ohhhhh. Okay.
Me: You're gonna love it. It's great.
Christmas morning 2010:
Daughter: You got me... windshield wipers?
Me: Yeah! Aren't they the best?
Daughter:.......................(silence).
Personally, I think new windshield wipers are the perfect Christmas gift. You never think to buy them until it's pouring rain and you can't see. Or till they get caked with ice and then you're driving down the road and they fly off your car. It's one of those little things that only your mother would remember. Like warm socks. But for your car's windshield.
Well anyway, so here comes Christmas 2011 and she sends me this email of the thing she wants and makes no bones about telling me that her 2010 windshield wipers are in fine shape and she doesn't need anymore, thank-you-very-much.
Ahem. These kids don't know from dumb gifts. My parents gave me a vanity suitcase full of deodorant one year. And it had an electric razor inside, too. I was twelve. Evidently I was one smelly and hairy prepubescent girl. That was a sucky gift. It was sub-sub-par.
What was your most memorable sub-par gift as a kid? Or as a young adult. Write about it. Because I want to go read your blogs and then buy every one of those gifts for my children.
They're going to wish they had windshield wipers when I'm through with my shopping this year.
Another Ornament stitched!
I finished stitching another of my ornament kits from our Erie get-together. This one was from our Carol, who stitches many beautiful ornaments all through the year and is our local Queen of Over One Stitching! Carol chose the Sampler Girl design from the 2011 JCS Ornament issue, and even packed some finishing fabric and trim for us.
I have a kitchen report for you - My counter top was installed yesterday and I think it looks really nice. My sink will be workable again and the appliances should be back in place by this afternoon, and then probably another day or so will be needed for the rest of the trim in the room and I should be ready to cook Thanksgiving dinner. How's that for just squeaking by?
Once it's all over with, I'll show you some before and after pictures. I didn't take any "during" pictures - I don't want to remember that part....
 |
| The colors are brighter in real life - it's so hard to get nice pictures during this time of year! |
I have a kitchen report for you - My counter top was installed yesterday and I think it looks really nice. My sink will be workable again and the appliances should be back in place by this afternoon, and then probably another day or so will be needed for the rest of the trim in the room and I should be ready to cook Thanksgiving dinner. How's that for just squeaking by?
Once it's all over with, I'll show you some before and after pictures. I didn't take any "during" pictures - I don't want to remember that part....
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Decisions
Am I going to blog?
Am I going to straighten up my stash so that I can actually find stuff?
Or am I going to stitch?
The fellows are installing my counter top today, and the smell of glue is making me very indecisive. Maybe I should say - even more indecisive than usual.
Maybe I'll be back later...or not. Rats. Another bit of indecision.
Am I going to straighten up my stash so that I can actually find stuff?
Or am I going to stitch?
The fellows are installing my counter top today, and the smell of glue is making me very indecisive. Maybe I should say - even more indecisive than usual.
Maybe I'll be back later...or not. Rats. Another bit of indecision.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Describe a favorite place
I'll be using one of the NaBloPoMo writing prompts today because I'm having a hard time coming up with anything that doesn't sound like so much blah, blah, blah. So today I'm going to share some favorite stitching places.
I have several favorite places for stitching...mostly it's wherever I can stitch with friends!
Panera Bread meeting rooms are great. Sometimes they're not the cleanest places in the world, but the staff is usually accommodating and will come and clean if you ask. I frequent two Paneras and I think that they finally get that stitchers are a little persnickety about having clean work spaces.
Every fall I stitch at a small B&B for an extended weekend and it's sheer luxury. On a cold fall day, its warm and cozy and we are truly waited on, hand and foot. There's nothing like stitching in the afternoon and smelling the cookies that the host is taking from the oven. That's just one of the many things I love about it.
I like stitch "camps", too. These are usually with big groups - like 30 or more. I've been to bunkhouses, hunting cabins, and retreat centers. It's not luxury but it feels so much like being a kid at camp again. Except the arts and crafts are better, and the sing-alongs only happen after a bottle of wine or two has been opened.
In the winter we go to a resort and rent a huge modern "cabin" that sleeps 16. It also has fantastic lighting, room for lots of stitchers and a kitchen to die for. One thing I really like about it is that it's so spacious that our dining and stitching areas can be completely separate, so there's no risk of spillage and we don't have to put away all the stitching while we eat. Eating is family style, meaning that all of us sit at the dining room table at once. It has a great gas fireplace, but being that we're women of "a certain age", someone is always too hot or too cold, so we leave that be.
And there you have it! Some of my favorite places! Where are yours?
I have several favorite places for stitching...mostly it's wherever I can stitch with friends!
Panera Bread meeting rooms are great. Sometimes they're not the cleanest places in the world, but the staff is usually accommodating and will come and clean if you ask. I frequent two Paneras and I think that they finally get that stitchers are a little persnickety about having clean work spaces.
Every fall I stitch at a small B&B for an extended weekend and it's sheer luxury. On a cold fall day, its warm and cozy and we are truly waited on, hand and foot. There's nothing like stitching in the afternoon and smelling the cookies that the host is taking from the oven. That's just one of the many things I love about it.
I like stitch "camps", too. These are usually with big groups - like 30 or more. I've been to bunkhouses, hunting cabins, and retreat centers. It's not luxury but it feels so much like being a kid at camp again. Except the arts and crafts are better, and the sing-alongs only happen after a bottle of wine or two has been opened.
In the winter we go to a resort and rent a huge modern "cabin" that sleeps 16. It also has fantastic lighting, room for lots of stitchers and a kitchen to die for. One thing I really like about it is that it's so spacious that our dining and stitching areas can be completely separate, so there's no risk of spillage and we don't have to put away all the stitching while we eat. Eating is family style, meaning that all of us sit at the dining room table at once. It has a great gas fireplace, but being that we're women of "a certain age", someone is always too hot or too cold, so we leave that be.
And there you have it! Some of my favorite places! Where are yours?
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sometimes the heavens tell you what to do
As I told you yesterday, a good part of my weekend was spent driving around Ohio. Is it my imagination, or is it just that I'm noticing these things more because we bought a camper, or is there actually a camper in every yard and driveway in the state of Ohio?
So Saturday morning, Dave and I pulled out of the driveway at 6AM and hit the road for Oberlin and the Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Meet. It was a pretty uneventful drive, except for when Dave panicked after looking at the car's clock and couldn't figure out why we were so running so late. Well...I hadn't set that clock back. So all was well.
And we were driving, driving, driving all along flat, flat Ohio, when I looked up in the sky and saw this! Stitches in the sky!
They followed us for quite a way...an omen, maybe? Directing me to a shop maybe? Hmmm.
OK, so we arrived at the meet, set up the picnic, then watched my daughter run in her last meet of the season. She's had a great year and capped it off with another great run. Not bad for such a little shortcake.
So we hung out for the picnic, cleaned up, then started for home. Except that I reminded him that the heavens had told us we had to make one more stop before we could go home.
So we stopped to visit Just Stitching in Strongsville. It was ok, but I think the shop's stitching "personality" didn't sync with mine. Not that it wasn't a nice place or that it didn't have nice things. We must just have different tastes. I came away with one chart - another Silver Creek sampler. There was a really nice stitched model in the shop. Don't you love to see models!
So Saturday morning, Dave and I pulled out of the driveway at 6AM and hit the road for Oberlin and the Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Meet. It was a pretty uneventful drive, except for when Dave panicked after looking at the car's clock and couldn't figure out why we were so running so late. Well...I hadn't set that clock back. So all was well.
And we were driving, driving, driving all along flat, flat Ohio, when I looked up in the sky and saw this! Stitches in the sky!
They followed us for quite a way...an omen, maybe? Directing me to a shop maybe? Hmmm.
OK, so we arrived at the meet, set up the picnic, then watched my daughter run in her last meet of the season. She's had a great year and capped it off with another great run. Not bad for such a little shortcake.
So we stopped to visit Just Stitching in Strongsville. It was ok, but I think the shop's stitching "personality" didn't sync with mine. Not that it wasn't a nice place or that it didn't have nice things. We must just have different tastes. I came away with one chart - another Silver Creek sampler. There was a really nice stitched model in the shop. Don't you love to see models!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
I'm having a crazy busy weekend, including a trip to Oberlin, Ohio to watch my daughter run in her last cross country race of the year. She had a great day, finishing 31st in her NCAA Regional Meet and qualifying for an All-Region medal. It was a nice bit of bling to take home after a wonderful season of running. Of course I'm biased, but I think she's an amazing young woman.
Tonight I have a board meeting...yes, on a Sunday night! That's the trouble with these volunteer boards. They tend to meet at odd times.
Monday will seem relaxing by comparison!
Tonight I have a board meeting...yes, on a Sunday night! That's the trouble with these volunteer boards. They tend to meet at odd times.
Monday will seem relaxing by comparison!
Friday, November 11, 2011
The color of a good husband
I thought you might be interested to know the majority of comments about the preferred thread colors of a good husband were in the blue to green category. Some ventured off the blue and green path to include khaki, and one rather unique person said periwinkle (but if you read her comment, it totally makes sense).
My very good husband looks fantastic in green, so I'm going to stick with my green thread opinion.
I have a tiny bit of stitching to show you today. I finished one of the exchange kits we received during our retreat - Barb's version of the LHN ornament. So much fun!
Barb also included some yummy wool felt for finishing it as an ornament. I'm not that far yet, but soon...
Switching gears to a more serious note - The news about the Penn State scandal fills me with disgust. As a parent, I can tell you that if my child was a victim of this type of crime, I'd want the balls on a plate of every single person who didn't report this crime. To the police.
Since when does your employer dictate your actions as a citizen? Here's an exercise. Every time you read an article or hear a news story about this scandal, change the term "molesting a child" (a crime) to "murdering a child" (hmm - also a crime). When I think of it that way, I can't justify any reason for not reporting these incidents to the police. No matter what my Employee Handbook says.
My very good husband looks fantastic in green, so I'm going to stick with my green thread opinion.
I have a tiny bit of stitching to show you today. I finished one of the exchange kits we received during our retreat - Barb's version of the LHN ornament. So much fun!
Barb also included some yummy wool felt for finishing it as an ornament. I'm not that far yet, but soon...
Switching gears to a more serious note - The news about the Penn State scandal fills me with disgust. As a parent, I can tell you that if my child was a victim of this type of crime, I'd want the balls on a plate of every single person who didn't report this crime. To the police.
Since when does your employer dictate your actions as a citizen? Here's an exercise. Every time you read an article or hear a news story about this scandal, change the term "molesting a child" (a crime) to "murdering a child" (hmm - also a crime). When I think of it that way, I can't justify any reason for not reporting these incidents to the police. No matter what my Employee Handbook says.
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