Winner and loser

Good evening everyone.  I am announcing the winner of my fabric, posting the pear, and calling it quits for several days. I am the loser because I am on the rotten Windows 7 laptop and is the most annoying and messy operating system I've ever used.   You guessed it - my newly rebuilt Vista died again.  Lost it all.  My photos and files that I worked on recently were not backed up because I never thought a sudden crash would occur right after an expensive rebuild.  So it took me a little longer because I had to start over with Random to enter everyone again.  PARSLEY!  You are the winner.  I  found another piece of linen that is soft and I don't care for so it will also be in your package.  Please email with your address Parsley and I will mail right away.  Thank you to all for participating.  I was so surprised at the number of entries! 

 So before I throw this one out the window, I will show you my second start on Mary Moseley.  I changed the linen to a darker shade for the lighter floss and have only changed one color from the original. 

 

And here is the February pear.  Hope you like it.   I will list it on the Pears page once I get around to a new computer.  Good grief.  If 7 is this bad, 8 must be worse.   I can't stand even posting because nothing works the same.  I'm showing this early because chances are, I won't be back until the week's end.  If you stitch this on a lighter linen, use a darker blue for the bird.

I had to rechart the pear and do the colors from memory, so if anyone finds an error, please let me know.

Until then, stay safe, keep stitching, thank you for visiting!

Hope to be back soon.

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Jobelan anyone?

Hi folks.   I want to throw my newly rebuilt laptop out the window into near zero temps.  The screen and half the keyboard are constantly freezing, so if that's what it wants, that's what it will get.  Literally frozen.  But before I do that, I'm pitching items I will never use.  These are the pieces needing a stitcher.

The Antique White is marked 32 and two others appear to be the same.

 32 count 18 x 28 piece Antique White

32 count 13 x 18 piece ivory/cream

32 count 18 x 28 piece of a color close to DMC 840 or 611

30 count 13 x 18 light gray/taupe Murano

Fairly sure these next two are 28.

28 count 13 x 18 piece Sage

28 count  9 x 27 Sage    

(The two sage are different dye lots)

If you are interested in this fabric pack, please leave a message on this post.  I'm assuming there will be more than one request so I will randomly choose a name Sunday evening at 8 pm EST.  If there's only one - good for you!  You can tell that they are from many years ago.  The price is still on the ant. white of $7.75 for 1/4 yard.  I think it's more than double now, but of course there's always Ebay.  This happens every time I start searching through the linens and that's fine - no sense keeping what I won't need.  I had a yard of Lugana and another yard of Jobelan and can't find either.  But I may have given them away and just can't remember.  There are about ten pieces of linen I plan to dye today, just because I don't like their current color.  I thought I was finished with dyeing and I should have learned my lesson by now.  But I have specific charts chosen for these so I'm giving myself a pass. 

Most of yesterday was taken up with errands and another trip for the final injections on the right leg.  But the rest was spent searching for the February pear.  I wanted to construct the finish and I tore the house apart, couldn't find it. 

Late last night it finally appeared, atop the cupboard that holds the seven different bags of cat food for three finicky cats. 

I have a very bad habit of setting things down when I'm distracted. I should wear a waist apron so I can stuff instead of set. I like this one from Home Depot.  Seriously.

Faye from Carolina Stitcher (http://carolinastitcher.blogspot.com/) stitched my Remembrance chart and will show her finishing soon.  I still can't list a link regardless of what I try. 

Between having to hit certain keys a dozen times and the backspace not working, I'm shutting this down for today before it really does fly out the window.

So leave your name if you'd like the Jobelan, stay warm, thank you for visiting!

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Flossy's box

Greetings!  This will be short.  My wrist acts up and my husband needs to yank it to stop the pain and allow movement.  That's not working tonight and typing isn't easy.  But I wanted to show my box and my next project.

My mom called me Flossy, not to be confused with Floosie, when I was young.  So I present to you, Flossy's box!

I attached elastic to the lid for holding my DMC color guides and a few incidentals.  We added a lid support to hold it open which is definitely needed.

A close-up of the paint finish.

   I just received the last of my R&R (Dyeing to Stitch) order today from Homespun Samplar, and I was thrilled.  Why?  Because instead of going through all those charts to choose the next project, the US postal service decided for me. 

Mary Moseley it is. Another sweet and simple marking sampler.

And finally - Blogger fixed the glitch and I can upload photos in compose mode.  Thank you Blogger.  It's about time.

Miss Faye stitched my Sandy Hook Remembrance chart and I will show you her wonderful finish soon.

To those I need to email, please allow a few more days until typing is easier. Until then, stay warm, stay safe.

Welcome to new followers and thank you to everyone for visiting. 

I truly appreciate and value your support and friendship.

  Thank you.

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Creating tension

Hello people!  Before we talk stitching, in case you are browsing in a JCP store down those wide aisles, looking from side to side to see if anything catches your eye, beware of the lurking mannequins positioned right in the center.  That's all I'm saying.

  

For several days I've been working on February's pear.  Finally finished it today after so many color changes, that I would prefer watching a black and white TV show tonight.  Here's a sneak peek.

Originally I wanted this on a really dark background with light floss but once again, my stitches were poorly done.  I seem to always have this happen when using a very light thread. 

Nasty looking stitches. Why would the same stitcher using the same needle and same type of floss have a different looking stitch just because of it's color?  Is it possible that the linen is the problem and always has been?   I tried other fabrics and took a good look at the result.  Aha!  The lighter color still looks wimpy but there is a definite difference.  This Rook linen is stiffer and more coarse than the top linen.   After some testing, I realized that my stitches are better looking on a 26 count of stiffer linen than on a higher count softer piece.  Tension. I've always had a problem with it but there's no pill for this situation. I obviously need more support in my linen to keep my stitches uniform.  Scarlet Letter kits were my first samplers and they used a 25 count coarse unbleached linen.  My satin stitches always look angry and I knew that was caused from incorrect tension, but it never dawned on me that this also applied to the entire project.  Blamed the fabric!  I've always preferred a stiff linen and now I have another reason for that choice.   My latest dyed linens are soft and I have so much trouble with them ~ now it makes sense.  Do I want to practice until I correct my 30 year old stitching manner?  No.  Not a chance.  Don't want or need the frustration, especially if a solution could be found with fabric choice.  

 Why did it take me all these years to realize this?  What a putz.

My floss box is painted and ready for hinges but I've been working on a simple way to have my DMC color guide books attached to the underside of the lid.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Thank you for visiting, stay safe!

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Box progress

Hi everyone.  First off, for those of you interested in rusty jingle bells, a reader was kind enough to pass on a link to an online source.  They can be found at Consumer Crafts website http://www.consumercrafts.com, just search for rusty jingle bells. 

Lots of goodies on this site.  I can't seem to add the link with HTML and I'm getting really tired of all the problems with Blogger lately.

Now for the box.  It took a while to decide on final colors and I ended up with my favorite.  Barn red undercoat

with a soft black topcoat. 

I'm looking for a old rusty plate from a mortised box lock or maybe just a hook and latch in iron for the front.  I've only done the back since I'm still trying distressing methods.   There are so many painting instructions on Pinterest and blogs for different finishes and they all work. 

Take a look at these Bosc pears. I'd never seen them this tall and thin! Stems are gone so I will need to add them but I'm curious as to the dried shape of these. Now I'm on a hunt at every store to find more. Most this year have been very short and fat and I still have a few bottles of cloves left.

Speaking of pears, I finally have next month's design worked up thanks to the help of a friend.  Her opinion allowed me to chose between two completely different ideas.  That's what I've been working on for days and I started stitching it last night. 

I just had to order a few more samplers from Etsy and also this new design from Nan (Threadwork Primitives).  I had all that saffron linen and dyed it!  What a putz.

I've been in a reckless mood so I'm taking a chance and ordering a bunch of linen colors.  No idea other than the lying computer screen as to tone.  Just hope none have a pinkish or reddish cast.

I see that Stacy Nash released a new design and I need to get that also.

 

It's a damn shame that we have an addiction like this.  We all say that we could never stitch everything we have, yet we continue adding to the stash.  Maybe we should pass on one chart we've lost interest in for every new one we like more.  Sounds like a plan.  Put that on the list.

Thanks for visiting! 

I appreciate and thank each and every one of you and welcome to new followers.

Stay safe and stitch happy.

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Done

Hello and welcome all!  Today is a fabulous day in the 60's but menomoods could care less.  On my way to the store this morning, I turned on the radio and heard that happy Polka music.  Made me cry.  What????  It's a polka....are you nuts?  I went from weeks of a good mood (very rare), to the overwhelming sadness of Sandy Hook, to emotional fuzzy feeling, to downright snarky, and now a crybaby.  

I completed Susannah (after changing the border color) and haven't picked another project yet.  I started working on the February pear and tried incorporating a heart for Valentine's Day.  Not happy with any of them.

But here's Sue finished, and also what I did with her and Sophia afterward.  Sophia is on a journal and since I love Sue's box size, I ordered again and may get around to making a few more.

I mentioned long ago that I have an unstable cervical vertebrae encroaching the spinal column and I am very leery of car rides. An accident could end it all or cause quadriplegia so I am extremely cautious on the road. We were in the drive-thru at Little Caesar's waiting for a pizza and Mark said "he's going to hit us".  Boom.  We get rear ended in a drive-thru! My arm was numb for only a few hours but it's still bothering me.  His car was damaged, ours wasn't, and it was just a bump but enough to cause my head to jerk.

And now that hunting season is officially over, the girls were back to bread and corn with a full head count.  They all made it!

Still need to catch up on blog reading and Pinterest.  What the heck do I do with my time?  Why am I always busy but accomplishing nothing?  My girlfriend makes a daily list of tasks and doesn't deviate from it.  Since I need one for everything else, I think it's a no-brainer to start that routine myself.  I'll let you know how it works, how many times I misplace it, and how many times I set it on fire.

Have a great week!

Thank you for taking the time to visit.

Stay safe - get a flu shot.

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Worry free stitching

Hello everyone.  I'm finally feeling better and thought I would show the almost completed Susannah.  I should be able to complete her this evening.

I changed DMC 3046 to 833 and used it incorrectly in the second border instead of 3013.  Does it matter?  Heck no.   Both colors are used in the numbers below that area. You know me by now - I'm a little reckless and certainly not a stickler for details when it comes to reproductions.   I seriously doubt I will change it but there's always a chance.  The really primitive look of this piece allows for a multitude of sins.  If you worry about errors, misaligned borders, and crosses that don't make a cross, these last two projects would be worry-free for you.  If you're a dedicated stitcher who takes pride in following the original,  perfect stitches would be your errors in many places. 

Take a close look at the E and F.  I really had fun doing Sophia and Susannah because I wasn't ready to be serious, just wanted to stitch something quick and easy.  These two young brats fit the bill quite nicely.  Now comes the hard part of choosing the next sampler.  Stay with the simple and easy?  Colorful?  A floral border?   I may need to wait until the sinus pounding stops completely for that.  It would also be nice to not have to switch between Compose/HTML to upload a photo.  I haven't been online much at all this week (really need to catchup on blogs and Pinterest) and was hoping that glitch was corrected by now. The floss box isn't painted yet either.  In fact, I changed my mind and came up with a much better idea for storage.  That just drives me nuts.

I'll leave you with a snap of my two boys.  As with all cats they are box lovers but this large one became a favorite perch too.  I had to reinforce the top after it caved in, but it looks like I should have used plywood. We have warmer temps and the snow is gone in most places, including their track so all races have been cancelled.

Thanks for visiting. Hope the flu outbreak hasn't hit your homes.
Take care and stay safe.
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Shall I make it an R+R year?

These are my other favorite charts from R+R so along with the smaller sized new dozen from yesterday's post, I have quite a few choices.  Some are specialty stitches, some involve over one, some are small, some are large!  Good mix for a year.  I can't be trusted to not deviate from a plan so I really have to think about this.
Hope you're all doing well.  I think I need a few days to do nothing.

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The new charts

Greetings folks.  Haven't done much in stitching or painting.  Still not over the head pounding.  Received my order today except for one chart on backorder, and thought I would show you half .  These are all from RandR Reproductions (Dyeing to Stitch) and mostly marking samplers.   Some have specialty stitches which I may choose not to do depending on the count, several are primitive. I love their samplers but have to admit that the color photo on the chart is not the best.

Oh heck.  I might as well show all of them.

I included a Primitive Betty design in this order that I've loved for quite a while.   Mary Ann, George, and Lydia are my favorites.  Not sure why I purchased Eliza Showman since I was going for small and quick marking samplers.

It may be a few days before I have a finished floss box or any stitching to show.  Putting a pocket on the inside lid of the box was a plan, but I don't know if I'll have room so I need to fool around with that too.

Hope you're having a great start to the week.

Stay safe - stay healthy.

I truly appreciate and want to welcome new followers!

Thank you so much for visiting.

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I've been receiving tons of spam, mostly offensive, so I either have to add verification or remove anonymous comments for a time.  If you can't comment and want to contact me, please use the email button at the top right. 

Box progress

Good day!  Two things to show in another quick post. 

First off, Mary Jo was kind enough to email a photo of her Sophia Waters.  After seeing hers, I realized I was mistaken in thinking that a darker linen background would be more primitive.  Her lighter linen shows off the details perfectly, and I was wrong about framing too!  This rustic textured choice works well so I have an option if I change my mind.

Now for the floss box that turned into a chest.  Because of its 24" x 14" size, I thought it may look like a piece of luggage without a little design element, so I added legs. 

This is the inside and I can get all my floss bags in with a little room to spare.

The hinges and lid support will be put on last, after I choose the paint color and the base color that will show through here and there after sanding.  Painting it black, crackled, and lightly stenciled with colonial motifs was a plan, until I remembered that I just finished ridding the cupboard of my paints!  It may still be a black crackle. 

This gorgeous cardboard box is the system I've used for many years.  I found a very heavy and large box, cut it to a 4" height, and used the removed pieces to make dividers which I glued and taped .  It has served me well and slid into the bottom of my hutch, but my neck problems made it difficult to continue bending and peering into the bottom shelf.

Mark will be finishing the lid today and I should be painting tomorrow.  It's big!  It will sit on top of the small 4 drawer chest where the linen is kept.  My spool cabinet is not large enough to hold it.  No sense making the floss storage to fit a piece of furniture and not be large enough for its intended purpose.

That's it folks!

Enjoy your Sunday, stay safe, thank you for visiting.

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