Saturday, July 28, 2012

Olympics!!!

I am an Olympic junkie...I am addicted.  I have been that way since forever.  My Dad was the same and I miss him terribly when the Olympics come around - winter, summer - love them both and there isn't many events I don't watch.  I love the back stories of not just the U.S.A. competitors, but of them all.  I miss talking to my Dad about this and baseball (Detroit Tigers, of course) and it doesn't seem to be any less painful to miss it as the years go by!

I was going to post last night, prior to the Olympics opening ceremony - but time got away from me.  Had to grocery shop, after all, so I could watch as much as possible today. 

Here is my "Olympic" piece....I will work on it most during these games.  Thought I'd show you where I am now so we can compare on August 18th when it's all over - and I am going through withdrawal!  Blogs sure are great for truly seeing your progress!
 This is I Wait For The Lord by Hands To Work.  It's all one color so I thought that would be best when I am doing my distracted stitching.  That's not a bug on the left - just a knot, thread waiting to be buried.

Close up - the capital letters are over one.  I am doing the rice stitch for the line under the carnation looking flowers , instead of four stitches per square area. 
It's beautiful today - a wee bit muggy, but tolerable.  My husband and I went to farmer's market this morning to pick up some Michigan grown corn and tomatoes (I still don't have many ripe ones and want a salad (below) and a BLT this week).  Tonight my son is going to be home for dinner - a rarity now that he works afternoons...we are making grilled (over charcoal, no less) turkey breast, potato salad - I made while watching men's archery, a tomato/corn/green onion salad, cukes in vinegar with onions,  finished up with green beans.  The sun tea is almost the right color to put in to be chilled.  YUM!!

Downside of farmer's market - saw the sweetest black lab puppy (about one year old) at the last chance rescue booth.  We already have a chocolate lab  - why are we even considering this sweet girl - took an information card.  But oh my,  she is sweet!  I must be nuts!

I hope to stitch with my bestest pals this week, if I can sneak away for the afternoon.  They are getting together for the day but I won't be able to swing a whole day.  I am doing an all day sew in another week and still don't have a bank of "paid time off" hours to cash in.

Well - swimming is starting...got to check out what's on the other four or five channels to pick what to watch since I plan on picking up my needle for a bit.

Stitch lots and do something that makes you smile - is it the Olympics?  Can you pick a favorite event - I sure can't...

Sherry :0)

Sunday, July 22, 2012

I'm Going To Live To Be 100 - at least!

So if it's true you will live to get all the projects done (I have seen a quote that indicated living to be 100 if all projects get done) then I will have no issues getting to be that age or older! 

I have just pulled out my new Strawberry Hill Sampler by Brenda Gervais (Country Stitches - With Thy Needle & Thread).  It is beautiful...stitched  to put on the top of a Whitman's box, pinkeep, huswife, needle keep and more.  I had to figure out how much linen for all the pieces and what fibers I am missing.  Now to email my LNS and place an order. 

Yee-Gads! 

Not much else going on - worked all last week, birthday party for niece/nephew yesterday, dinner at my mom's - my aunt and uncle are staying with her from North Carolina and she had bunch of family over Friday night.  My husband and I went out for dinner last night and even sat on the patio - unheard of lately here in my part of Michigan.

I ate some tomatoes from my garden, in a Caprese of course.  I had to grab them off the vine before the chipmunks got them!  My husband found ones I've been watching all week, waiting, in the yard half ate by something.  We've already put netting over the plants to keep the birds away!  Drat!!  Cleaned my sewing studio this afternoon (in between loads of laundry) so maybe next weekend I can actually do something creative in there.

Have a great week all - progress pics next week - if I make any progress, that is!!  Gotta get busy if I want to even make a dent in all I have "stashed" before I am over 100...

Stitch happy, do something that makes you happy this week...

Sherry

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Catching Up

I spent the day catching up on tons of computer things...cleaning out files, cleaning emails and the fun part - catching up with all of you, all my blog buddies.  Great to see what everyone has been working on, finishing and what you've been up to with your summer.

Sooooo what's happened here in the past few weeks...

My cousin got married in Columbus, so we took a road trip in my new car (you can see the front wheel in this pic...LOL).  We went down early on Friday - my boys wanted to eat at Thurman's which was featured on one of their fav t.v. shows...Man v. Food.   Here we were all snazzed up for the wedding. 
 I've shopped a bit - picked up this wonderful bag from one of my favs!  I took a finishing class with Amy a couple years ago and she was so much fun.  I love this bag...the orange is the color of orange sherbet!
 BBD progress - "Wild Garden" ... never mind the q-snaps. 
 Hands to Work "I Wait for the Lord".  This piece has been a headache.  I have been at wits end with what fiber to use.  I finally picked WDW Baked Apple on a piece of the linen I tea died.   Then I wasn't sure if I was going to use two threads or one.  I finally decided on doing the first cross with one thread, then double crossing the second leg for the coverage I desired.  I had to rip out the original color I started with, then I ripped out the double thread, then the single.   Then it was off center!  I did the swirly line wrong too - that came out. 
 Here it is now - I am really, truly hoping the frogs will leave me alone now since this is only about 1/4 done.  In the close-up, I did herringbone under the lower case letters instead of a single cross stitch. 
 I really want my tomatoes to rippen!  I want my hand picked beauties to go with my basil and the mozzarella cheese.  Love me some Caprese Salad!
 In fact, this was the dinner my son and I had tonight....Caprese and broccoli salad!  Yum!
 I treated myself to a pedicure last week - not sure of the purplish.  I usually go with pink or red.  I have been doing this for myself this summer - it's still so hard for me bend for awhile (like to trim and polish) my nails myself. 
 So my husband and son love to play with the dog.  These are Cody's "babies" in his crate.   He was a crate trained puppy and still uses the crate as his haven...The babies are in jail.  He barked and then opened the door, then took them down - showed those silly boys of mine!
I've read too:

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen - good, but sad
Take I Like a Mom by Stephanie Stiles, okay
The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfunkel - pretty interesting and some good recipes to try.

Now for fun!  I saw this on Anna's blog...and decided to play.  I've never done this before I don't think, on my blog... Check out her questions/answers here and then join the fun if you wish...I am going to do what Anna did...here are the rules/directions:

Simple as can be - you answer 11 questions asked...tag 11 more bloggers and ask 11 questions of your choice.  However, I am going to let you choose to answer if you want - comment me and I will check it out...

  1. How many cross stitch patterns do you own?  (Insert evil cackle):  Well, way too many to count.  I would say at least 100.
  2. What is your ideal stitching retreat?  Friends, lots of light, someone to carry in my bags (the one of clothes and such and the MANY stitching supplies), chocolate, maybe some wine.  Comfortable beds and chairs, massage at will! 
  3. Have you been or does it only exist in your head?  I have had almost all the above.  Sometimes no on carries in my bags and I have not had the massage at will for my back...other than that, yes and always come home refreshed and with wonderful memories!!
  4. What are your favorite stitching tutorials?  (Link please)  I don't have any, I don't think...I certainly need some for finishing!
  5. What is the smallest count fabric you've ever used?  40 count - I have done over one on 40...but usually over two.  That is the count I work on most frequently.
  6. What's your secret to keeping cool?  (No really, what?  It's going to be 102 tomorrow)  Air conditioning - full blast in the car or at home.  Going to the movies. 
  7. Have you found any cute crafts to use up leftover/unused floss from kits or other floss unsuitable for actual stitching?   No - have you?  I keep bits in with the pattern, especially if it's a pillow or quilt in case something comes out later.
  8. Starting or finishing?  (Not finish-finishing obviously)   Not sure what you are asking, Anna, but I currently have many projects I am working on - not sure how soon a finish will happen.  I am aching to start a couple. 
  9. Favorite DMC color?  So hard to pick a fav...I love all jewel tones!
  10. What other hobbies are undertaken in your household?  (roommate, spouse, children, pets...)  Me - reading, quilting, cooking.  My husband - searching Craig's List and Great Lakes 4x4 for car deals - he buys, fixes up, sells.    My son - he likes to tinker with his car, anything audio related.  He also has fish/turtles in a couple different tanks.  Cody, my 7 year old puppy, see above photo...he naps, plays with his babies in whatever predicament his boys put forth.
  11. Do you ever make those recipes you tear out of magazines and stack in your kitchen?  Yes.  I used to copy everything to recipe cards and then make.  Now I make them, if we like them I put them on a card.  I also write in my cookbooks and on cards whether we all like them and maybe a rating:  good, really good, I really like, husband really likes, etc.    If we don't like, I toss.   I love your idea of sorting and then trying as my ziplock bags, notice the plural, and get cranking on the overwhelming amount I have.  I used to keep the whole magazine - now I rip out!
So here are my questions if you want to play:

  1. Do you stitch/sew in the same spot?  Do you have a "nest"?
  2. How many pairs of scissors do you have?
  3. Do you have holiday or seasonal fobs or other accessories?
  4. Are you a many project stitcher or one at a time?
  5. Do you watch t.v. while stitching, listen to books on tape?
  6. Ideal project - designer, fabric & count, fibers?
  7. If you read, what types of books?
  8. If you stitch reproduction samplers, do you modify and put in your initials, date, etc?
  9. How do you store your projects - bags, cases, boxes, baskets?
  10. Do you do any other crafty or sewing things?
  11. Do you shop at primarily one shop or many?
So be sure to comment and let me know if you choose to play!! 

Whew - such a long post...thanks for hanging in there.  Take time to do what makes you smile!
Sherry :0)