Thursday, July 21, 2016

Forty One Days Until Fall!

Come on Fall! These blast furnace summer days are for the birds. Although, I'm not too sure how the birds feel about them. You know the birds don't speak to me. Dr. Doolittle I am not.

So, since it is so toasty outside - I stay inside where it is blessedly comfortable. And I have results! Do you wanna see what's been on me needle?

April - Snowflower Diaries
28 ct Jobelan Summer Skies

May - Snowflower Diaries
28 ct Jobelan Summer Skies

Adjust Your Sails - Hands On Design
32 ct Toasted Almond
The Snowflower Diaries pieces have a few changes...Once again the B5200 wouldn't have shown on this fabric and I changed a few flowers to more colorful ones. The rabbit became gray because my rabbits in Ohio are gray. My squirrels are gray/red. I attempted to do them justice. And in May...I re-graphed the kitten. And made the bird a bluebird.

I love the Hands On Design series To The Beach. There are 6 designs so far in this series. I hope there may be a few more. I passed on picking up the whales (Design #1) and then it hit me how I want these finished. Going to find a nice summery fabric in matching colors and make these a summer bowl. So, now I need to get it and #6 Stars in the Sky.

I thought my older GAST colors called for seemed to be a bit washed out - so, in the Flock Together piece I have ramped up the colorway. Instead of Old brick - Poppy, the yellow became Daffodil and the blue is now some deep turquoise. And wow do the colors look fabulous.

Switching gears here -- I have to tell you about a coincidence (remember, I do not believe in coincidences) that happened a few weeks ago. DD had an interview at nearby hospital. I drove her to the interview hoping to let her relax on the trip and be fresh and ready to go. While she was back doing her thing - I sat in the main lobby and stitched on 272 Words. A nurse came over and admired the piece. She asked where I was from...I told her and low and behold...she grew up here too. And the really weird thing...I KNEW her. We worked together in my grandfather/uncle's dairy in the late 70's. And the icing on the cake...I had just been thinking about her a few weeks before I ran into her. Then, she started talking about HER stitching! Yep, she's one of us! And we love the same stitching shop in Cleveland. Needless to say, we are now emailing and catching up. I love the way the world works. (btw -- waving hi to Natalie)

Today I am once again enjoying being at home. The last several days have found me traveling every direction. On the 11th - north to Cleveland, the 12th - east to the genealogy library, 13th - lunch to the west, 14th - south to meet a new-to-me cousin, the 15th - back to the library, the 16th - west to a bridal shower, home the 17th - the 18th north to another interview for DD, the 19th to the library. I had started to forget what staying at home felt like. And I dodged a trip to Lake Erie this week. Dodged would imply I didn't want to go. Far from it, but it has been put on hold until after the school year begins.

Okay, time to email some photos and catch up on the laundry. It isn't going to do itself.

*****************

PS -- since I wrote that last post I have become a bit more aware of the violence happening in the world. It's been 13 days since that post. We have had a shooting in a courthouse in MI (I believe), a hospital in FL, more violence in Baton Rouge, and then there's Nice, France. And it has made me repeatedly ask...What are we so angry about?  






Friday, July 8, 2016

Another Tragedy...

I rarely speak of real life events on this blog beyond my family.

Way too many times the things heard on the news are tragedies, violence, and all to rarely pleasant.

This morning I awoke to police in Dallas being killed. This in a week when two men were killed by police.

None of us know what those two men were thinking before the police opened fire. We're they happy, sad, having a bad day? We're they frightened? Did they react on impulse? I'm sure they weren't perfect, as none of us are. But, they are our brothers, fathers, sons, and neighbors. If they reacted badly to some things they still had time to make things right. We all have the chance to ask for forgiveness.

The two police officers involved the shootings in MN and LA....we're they having a bad day? We're they dealing with problems at home or at work? We're they tired from staying up all night with a sick child? What made them react the way the did?

And last night....those police officers were protecting others' First Amendment rights. It sounds as if they were targeted.  What were they thinking before the shots rang out? I bet they were thinking about getting off work and going home. Dinner, spouse, children. We're they thinking about plans for this weekend?

And those who killed the officers...were they frightened? Obviously they were angry. Why?

Why are we still killing each other? This is the 21st Century.  Have we not evolved enough yet to value human life? All human life. So many want to say it's about the color of the skin. Bullshit...we all bleed red. We are all human.

We need to find a way to get along. We need to respect each other. We need to stop and take a breath before reacting.

I visualize God above looking down on us. He is shaking his head in disgust for the way we treat each other. We are all His children. He loves all of us like we love our children.

How do we teach our children to behave when confronted with anger? Do we have to sometimes yell "Stop!" to get their attention?

People are angry. We want respect. We want dignity. We want to be heard. And this is a 'we' issue not a 'they' issue.

I don't have the answers. I don't know where to find the answers. But, killing each other is NOT the answer.

Come on people let's collectively pull our heads from our rear ends and make this stop. It's time to be sick and tired of the violence and no longer tolerate it as an answer.

It's time to put down the weapons and talk. And listen! And react with respect and dignity towards each other. It's time for peace. It's time for unity. It's time to be adults instead of reacting with anger.

And let's address those who blame the weapons. A gun can sit in a box and not kill. It's the human who loads, points, and fires the gun. A knife can lay on a counter and not kill. It's a human who turns it into a weapon. Hands are not weapons until used in anger. A penis is an organ until it's used to rape. It becomes a weapon of control.

Anything can be used as a weapon. Sticks and stones. Hammer and nails. A voice used in anger, bullying, and gossip. All are weapons! It's how those things are used.

I hope I've not offended, upset, or angered you in voicing my opinion. My voice is not being used in anger or violence.

It's time for peace, hope, faith, and grace.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Three Finishes!

Woohoo! Three down and only two to go.

Here's July - as you can see I am having difficulties with the white showing on my fabric. So, I am outlining those areas. Now, I just decided to completely change the flowers that were to be white.

Finished 6/27
28 ct. Jobelan Summer Sky - mostly called for threads
 Ah, January! Loved this stitch when I first saw it. The only issue I had was how straight the fox's back was. Why this bothered me is beyond my comprehension. So, I scoured around and found a sitting fox and used it instead. Had to fatten him up a bit but...

Finished 6/29
28 ct. Cashel Cobblestone - mostly called for threads
  And February...don't look too closely...the mistake is rather glaring if you notice spacing issues. I went with a Smoky Pearl Cashel thinking my 'snow' would stand out. It does so wonderfully. Except I lost the greens and grays some.

Finished 7/1
28 ct. Cashel Smoky Pearl - mostly called for threads
This leaves me with April and May. Going to have to rethink my squirrel as squirrels in my neighborhood are grey with bushy red tails. And my bunnies are gray. So, do I use the same floss for both or go with different shades? Go with a darker fabric so the bunny shows up and use white...decisions.

And then there are the cats...do I want cats? Do I like the cat, but not the kitten?  Keep it as is or go for a change...change the positions or colors....what to do?

Plans for the holiday weekend are rather quiet. There is an auction and of course fireworks (but, which ones...,), we have steak for one nights grilling pleasure, there is a local festival that might be fun to look around. The temperatures don't look to be too outrageous. Guess it's going to be spur of the moment entertainment. lol

Now to post this bad boy and see how long it takes to actually go live. Is anyone else having this problem? I post and it shows up hours later. Why? Am I doing something wrong?

Need to go thaw chicken...tonight is a Pinterest recipe. Greek Lemon Chicken soup. I've made it before and we decided to double the couscous and add spinach instead of chives. Maybe a bit more chicken...and toasted cheese sandwiches.

Have a wonderfully safe weekend!
Denise