Saturday, March 30, 2013

Catching Up!

First I would like to offer a Happy Easter to all who celebrate the day. I will be spending the day at my sister's enjoying good food, family, and happiness. I wish all of you a day of remembrance, love, and togetherness.

The mailman has been quiet kind to me the last two days. Yesterday, I received my Mid-Winter gift from Mary Jane. It's driving Rob crazy that I haven't opened it yet. Hey MJ, got yours sent out to you today - Ray should be delivering it by mid-week!


I will admit to feeling the packages. And that one on top is a book. Years of package squeezing experience tells me I am correct. But, a book? Hmm...which one?!?! And the little one is a sweet. :)

This morning I got another surprise. Dawn has once again RAK'd me!


A new fob! She sent her apologies to Bridget because she did not have a black puppy bead. I explained it to Bridget and she's good with it! Isn't this adorable??


Now how Dawn knew I had a pair of scissors without a fob is beyond me. But, I'm beginning to think she is traveling to the house and sneaking in to see what I need! Thank you Dawn!

I promised before and after pictures of the new flooring. I'm seeing many hours of cleaning in my future. Should have gone with a lighter wood. Oops!


Hallway as seen from the master

Dining Room as seen from the master
As you can see the floors aren't completely finished. Still have about 3' to go in the dining and 7' in the living. I don't have any pictures showing the before wall color. They were tan/brown. Way too much brown for the house - it would have felt like a cave. I'm sure the boy would have approved though. 

Having never lived in a home with hardwood the new cleaning regime seems daunting. I'm used to carpet that hides all kinds of sins. Is there a way to train Bridget to hold her head over her water bowl until the dripping is done?? Little water marks are going to be everywhere. Didn't think I had OCD but maybe I really do. 

Since this is supposed to be a stitching related blog maybe I should tell you I started another L*K Santa - 

Here Comes Santa from 2005
Stole the picture from 123. His jacket is about finished. Needed to give my elbow a little break from perforated paper. I think the calender is going to be an ongoing long term project. No need to get in a hurry and try to finish it all in one month - besides I have other stitches to do this year. 

Time to return to making dessert for tomorrow. It's a layered chocolate pudding dessert. It's wonderful -- my grandma made this for years and it's one of her best recipes. Maybe I'll remember to take a pic tomorrow -- then again maybe not! 

Have a wonderful weekend!
Denise

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Another Tag Finished!

These tags are taking more time than I thought they would. But, dang it...they're cute!


I used DMC 4240 for the background color and Frozen Margarita for the circles. Not sure my stitching direction experiment worked but you can tell I did something wonky in the picture. :)

Rob and I have been working on the hardwood floors since Sunday. Egad! We started in the hallway and it was the most difficult place. There are 6 doorways to work around, a nook, and a second hallway that is 90 degrees from the first. I promise pictures to follow in a few days once this section is complete. I had moved all the furniture on Sunday morning thinking we would cruise through this and be in the dining room in a matter of hours. Ha! Twelve hours into this project and we are about halfway done with the hallway. Maybe by next weekend we will be finished.

And we had another addition to the family last Friday!

Ariah Grace
This is my niece by Rob's youngest step-sister. Isn't she just adorable? And she already has a double chin. So we now have new babies on each side of Rob's family. I'm waiting patiently for DD to get married, finish school and make a baby...no pressure Courtney!

Delayed grocery shopping until this morning. What fun. Can't leave until Courtney and I do her FAFSA. Ick - I think doing the financial stuff for college has to be the worst. Had to do a student dependency verification on Logan a week ago. How many ways can a college ask you for the same information?? Speaking of which, we need to call KSU about that.

Hope today finds you stitching with a smile! Have a great day ~
Denise

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Tuesday is Finished!

Not the day...the tag! Yep, got my first tag of SamSarah's calendar finished last night. Immediately started on the blank number tag.

Mind you today's photos are not going to win any award for best pics posted. My apologies.

Tuesday and Blank Number Tags

What they should like!
 As you can see Tuesday doesn't quite look like it should. The pattern called for Periwinkle. I didn't have any. So, I substituted Concord in the gridwork I made between the stitches of Frog Legs. Oops, didn't have Frog Legs either so that became Frozen Margarita. Then because I didn't pay attention the the note telling me to have 2 skeins of the background color I had to use Ora's Iris to fill in the background. I still like it though - the Concord has just enough variation to set off the Ora's Iris.  

On the blank tag I am using Frozen Margarita for the circles and DMC 4240. The DMC is a substitute for Morning Glory. I've decided to use what floss I have on hand rather than go out and buy tons of hand dyed floss.

The perforated paper caused me a tad bit of grief. I am a stitcher who uses the sewing method. Relearning how to stitching constantly pulling the thread through each side was something different. To say my tendinitis has flared is an understatement. :( But, I found a compression sleeve that helps!

The last few days has found me painting the house. Instead of milk chocolate on the walls I am now looking at an olive green hue. The color changes as the light changes during the day. In the late evening the color goes tan, during the morning it's harvest gold, afternoon a greenish tan. But, when the sun shines directly on it - olive! Not sure I am happy with it but I am not repainting it again.

Today finds me getting everything back on the walls, dusting, sweeping, washing windows, cleaning the bathroom, doing dishes and laundry, and rearranging the furniture for the new hardwood floors I'm hoping DH picks up from the warehouse tonight.

Well, break is over...back to the laundry and sweeping. Maybe later this afternoon I can pull a few stitches.
Denise



Saturday, March 16, 2013

We Got THE Dress!!

Went shopping today...got her wedding dress! We got to bring it home too. She got a great deal on it, the shoes, the slip, the corset, and veil. Would you like to see?






Can you tell she may be excited??

Alterations and girls dresses to follow in mid-May! Woohoo -

Here's a picture of the venue -


Okay, gotta go - she's sending people to the blog to see the dress and venue so must get off here!
Denise

Monday, March 11, 2013

Oh My Goodness!

Before I get started explaining my panic I must say hello to all my newest followers! 
Waving hi from Ohio. 
Hope you enjoy the blog and my stitchiness. 
****************************

Okay, what has me in a panic this morning?? I received my SamSarah Perpetual Calendar charts, paper, tags, and calendar holder in today's mail. 


Such small little charts -- ha! Don't let this size fool you! These little things are 38 x 74 (2812 stitches per tag). Do I dare tell you how many stitches that is for the entire project?? Or should I let you do the math yourself?? Okay, I'll wait a few minutes while you break out the calculator.

Singing the Jeopardy song while I wait for you to come back. 
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.
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And the answer to the question of the day is... What is 134,976 stitches?
.
.
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Yep, that crashing sound was my jaw falling to the floor. I had considered asking if each little tag should be considered a finish or should I wait and call each chart pack a finish or wait until the whole damn thing was done and call it one large finish. 

Just to see what a normal small piece stitched out to be I went to 123 and pulled up L*K's Liberty. That pattern is 52 x 53 or 2756 stitches and it's not solid stitching. Hmm...

And here's the thing...I'm now committed to doing this project. Can you imagine DH finding out I chickened out after I bought 7 months of patterns???? Oh good golly!  

Well, my mind has shut down and I need to go get groceries. Maybe after hearing your pep talks to me I will be able to mentally function again. 

Could someone pass a blood pressure cuff? 
Denise

Thursday, March 7, 2013

BFE??

I don't know about you but my family uses the term "BFE". To me it means someplace far away - usually inaccessible. Imagine my surprise yesterday when the mailman delivered this.


Not only is there a place that is BFE but they have satellite connections and solutions. And BFE is only 40 miles or so from my house. Hmm, I knew Carrollton, OH was a bit in the backwoods but I wouldn't have called it BFE.

Ok - we have now established I have lost my friggin mind and I am totally bonkers. Maybe this winter has been a tad bit too long. Although, that snowstorm we were to have was a M-A-J-O-R disappointment! We were predicted to have from 4-8". Ha, we had enough to cover the ground.

Had told Mary Jane that I did a new organizational thing to my floss. Then I promptly forgot to tell her how it went. I keep my spare skeins of DMC in snack bags. And the snack bags live in photo boxes. I kept them separated by large index cards. Well, this has been a pain in my heiney. I must pull out the entire group of floss and paw through it to find if I have an extra skein of a particular color. So, the other day I bought those large rings and proceeded to punch holes in my snack bags and put the bags on the rings in numerical order. Ah, bliss!



Now I can find exactly the color/number I need and no muss or fuss. Guess it appeals to the Rabbit* in me.

Well, I'm off to have breakfast and get moving. DD is coming over and we are going wedding looking. Must get some new ideas!
Denise

* Parsley over at Seasonsofmymind.blogspot.com had this post the other day. Which Winnie the Pooh character are you? The first time I took the test it told me I was Eeyore. That bothered me to no end. Then I retook the test and it said I was Rabbit. Never take the test when you are feeling blue about your hubby working midnights!


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Is Anyone Stitching This?


SamSarah's Perpetual Calendar

SamSarah is releasing 4 charts per month for a total of 48 charts. I'm in love with the tags and calendar holder. And I haven't stitched on perforated paper in years! 

I think this would look smashing on my book shelves! Did anyone hear me falling in love?? 

Added the total cost...well, I'll be buying this a little at a time but it should be so worth it. And besides wouldn't that count as 48 finishes??? 

Just saying...
Denise

Friday, March 1, 2013

Time Just Keeps On Slipping...

slipping into the future.

Had to flip the calendar this morning - where did February go?  Mom always told me that as you get older time goes more rapidly - at this rate I'll be digging the Christmas decorations out next month. Shoot, I keep stitching more Christmas ornaments and I'll need to finish them soon for the holiday!

I have new followers to whom I must wave hello. There are now 260 of you! Seems I never had my 200 follower give away - maybe I should start planning my 300 give away now?!!

And on other program notes - Sierra and Georgena have both joined our Lizzie Kate Fat Guys/Snow Belle SAL. Sierra's blog is PatchworkStitches. Georgena doesn't have a blog but may send me her progress so I can share with all of you here. Welcome aboard ladies - glad you've joined us!

Since it is the first of the month - I have pictures of said SAL!

Snow Friends
by Lizzie Kate

And the overall look of the piece

I've nearly completed March's stitch. Just a few more snow flakes. For some reason I felt the need to push this month's pattern to completion. Maybe I'll be super busy in March?

I do that...get these weird feelings that I must get something done early. And most generally, something happens that it works out to my advantage. Christmas 2009 - I had all my shopping done super early - had my gall bladder removed in the middle of the month. Crossing my fingers that isn't the case again - no more surgeries thank you. Maybe this time it will be something to celebrate!

Tomorrow Courtney and I are going to a baby shower. Ahhh, all those cute outfits and baby things. Someday it will be for a grandchild...someday. Must do the wedding in October, graduation from school in 2 more years, get the new job, and THEN the babies come.

Speaking of wedding ~ working on the guest list finalization. Then next week will be checking the chair/table rental place. Then DH can rent the tent. Yep, the wedding will be in the backyard and the reception will follow in the tent. We're talking a 70' long tent! Courtney fears it will be a striped tent and it'll look like the circus has come to town. With nearly 150 people in my yard it will be a circus - just no animals!

Time to go retrieve the curtains from the washer -- Bridget has this need to push them aside to peak outside and they get filthy. Here are my white curtains and I have these black puppy stains (and hair) all over them -- ick. Wonder is that nose grunge or spit on the curtains? Either way, I'm glad they wash up well.

Time for the weekend to start - Make sure to laugh as much as you stitch!
Denise