Drum??

About 6" high and 4" wide, I think it will be a drum.  If not, it may be .... I got nothing.  The photo of the original won me over immediately, my rendition with the pinks, not so much.

I bought three $1 bags of Dove.  One bag left.  Didn't help, still crabby.

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Why did I start this?

Anyway, the tag sale will be Friday evening and I'll post a reminder.  I have six black and six sampler.  If samplers don't sell I can paint them black and slap a bird on them because I am not attaching until you tell me which label you want.  I have a twig tree that I could hang a bunch of these on with various autumn labels and may do that.  Or not. They will have suede cord hangers and are 3.5" tall and 2.5" wide.

Preview ....

 

I only have to outline the windows on EF to complete and will do that this evening while watching the debate.

Have a good evening.

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Breaking rules

I do it all the time.  Sally Fiske is the last big girl to be mounted and as I pinned her, something kept catching my horribly dry and scratchy eye.  It seemed to be a light streak on the sampler that moved when I adjusted the piece.  Since I was more interested in observing the linen thread on the edge I never actually looked at its entirety on the foam.  There it was.  That light I was seeing was areas of the 28 count linen that have less density and the white foam was obvious.  

I pulled out a roll of kraft paper and laid a piece beneath.  Much more uniform.  Of course, this is not acid free, but I don't want to make a trip to the framer and have her cut such a large piece of the correct mat board to line this.  As I said, I don't care about 100 years from now.  Nothing was acid free 200 years ago and many samplers have survived.   So it's wrong to do what I plan, but I also feel that precaution is for glorious needlework that will be kept by family.  I have a spray from Krylon that is a matte sealer for paper and art work, nothing like a varnish or coating, and I will use that on the liner.  Don't know if it matters, don't care.  I am in desperate need of my Dove darks and have been for two weeks as I try to lose weight.  It ain't working.  I am still packing my mouth like a squirrel preparing for winter.  Between losing summer, wearing this boot, and Dove free, I'm easily irritated and crabbier than hell.  My dollar store has little bags of Dove but that doesn't help when you buy eight of them.

Here's EF with a few changes to brown and the small section I have left.  I don't want to line the windows of the house with the charted very light and am afraid the brown will be too stark so I haven't decided on that yet.   I want to stick with the same colors used throughout, maybe the dark blue would be best.

Have a good day folks!

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Anna

Stag Lane Primitives has another spool listing for the Bethia sampler, this time without paint.  Plain wooden spools, same size, if you need one for 40 count Bethia they can be found here.

The final section of EF has had many errors and lots of frogging.  I do like the change to a darker basket and 1837, and I am making more changes from very light to brown.   The blue rather than pink house is looking good and I should finish this project in a day.

 The 70% off framing sale at Michaels ended and although chosen, I couldn't get there to place the order.  My foot is actually much better today and the pin sticking out of my toe will require this fricking boot for three more weeks.

My brother has several cemeteries near his neighborhood and are included in his daily walks.  He noticed for some time the poor condition of the grounds in most of them.  Right in the middle of the smallest, there was overgrowth and briars about 5 foot high and 6 foot wide.  After a while, his curiosity got the best of him and he walked to that spot, only to see a stone through the leaves.  The next walk he brought along clippers and gloves.  Bags of debris and brush were taken to the woods.  The next trip included a shovel for roots, followed by a rake, a bag of dirt, grass seed.  Finally, the walks included a watering can and the grass has filled in.  The person buried there is a fifteen year old girl that passed in 1937.  

A stone to the right is the same name, adorned with a small vase and flowers.  Parents?  Why was her grave ignored for so many years while all around her were groomed?  Not only did family not tend to this overgrowth, but the maintenance company failed to do its job.  Maybe there are no remaining family members nearby but someone is leaving flowers at what may be her parents'.

Her photo is on the stone, the frame was cracked and half was found in the brush.  He glued together what he could and painted the chips.  We know nothing about her or her family.  Since both stones have the same photo feature (theirs is missing) I think they must be her parents which would mean her mother gave birth at age 34.

I'm glad his curiosity got the better of him because it resulted in a very good outcome.

Rest in peace Anna.

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Alpha - boom

Aren't you tiring of my booming?  I don't have much to go and now that I see the full width, I don't believe the open book flat fold will work because of it.  Too short and wide but I will still try.  If not, one very large but short drum/pincushion.  Using the mylar will hold that shape, stuffing it without support would not work well at all in such a large piece.  Yep.  Big ass drum it may be!

I removed the very light basket and 1837 and plan to use the dark brown for both.  After removing the stitches, I can see the original green linen beneath.  Not sure you can see that in this photo but it's obvious in daylight.  Good to know that the quick dip (maybe even a longer bath) may not tint beneath the stitches.

Have a good weekend!!

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Two and two

Since I only have a dozen tags, and I forgot that I had to readjust colors and such (I have a new printer), I decided to only do newly uploaded images.

The two tombstone - two sampler tags

Need to sand, stain, varnish, glue and seal.  Maybe a black finish on the tombstones.

Mark cut the top corners to make them more of a tag shape than the square edge.  Not sure which I prefer.  Doesn't matter!!

It's warm today and I plan to park on my swing with ice bag and do nothing.  Next week will be very chilly.

Enjoy your day!

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Page 5 - boom

I am so glad I toned down the green, I really disliked that strong pink on it and I wish I would have studied the colors first.  I rarely follow the chart colors and would have used more apricot and rust than pink, maybe even eliminated one or two.  But since I had no intention to start over, toning the linen helped greatly.  Usually the DMC is not affected in a diluted and quick dip, but this time the 543 became more pink.   I decided to change the house to the soft blue used elsewhere (in place of more pink) and I think it will be fine.  

I am much more comfortable with what most stitchers consider boring - alphabets and letters.  I'm just not crazy about motif work.

So how will this be finished?  Could be hemmed and just displayed on a table top, hung from a shelf's edge, framed.  But I am picturing this as an open book.  Sort of a flat fold that stands on its own, open with both sides displayed.  The spools with Bethia and ???? can be added to create a little grouping with the "book" and for now, that's the plan.

Carole is finally feeling human, antibiotics seem to be helping.

Have a good day!!

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Page 3 - boom Page 4 - boom

Rit dye - boom

Red removes green - boom

Surgery - BOOM!!

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A few more tags coming

We cut about a dozen tags for ...... floss?  baskets? knobs? totes?  A smidge higher than the others and half have a tombstone top.  Since I will be sitting with ice on my foot for a few days, I plan to play with the labels but I adore this one, my last stitched small.   If I have too much trouble with color or something else, this may be the only one offered.  For the price and what I get for my time, I'm in the hole as they say, so the least resistance and time and ink the better.  

Isn't this sweet?

These are the others, but the heart is not coming our very nice.  Thinking - maybe a Halloween image on the tombstones?

Carole was getting better and now worse.  She is on antibiotics (one that I am not familiar with) and steroids so I hope we see improvement in a day or so.

September is over a week from today.  NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  I am so loaded with appointments and tests scheduled for October and November (a new malady they have not yet diagnosed).  And not one new hair sprout yet!

Later pals.

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Choices

Hi folks.  It's cold.  I'm ticked.  Surgery tomorrow morning again.  I sure hope he doesn't put a pin in, and I offered a nut roll and bobalky if he doesn't.

I went to Michaels for the 70% sale and was surprised at the cost of framing.  The samplers were not that large and I did not choose elaborate frames, but because I mounted myself and don't use glass, very reasonable.  I won't have to secure the piece, cut a backing, glue the dust cover, and add a hanger.  Good deal.  So if I can walk Thursday, I plan to take several more in to test options.  Of course they don't have the variety of a framing shop, but if I only find a few to my liking that's progress.

As for the BBD project that I adore, I don't know if I should frame or roll.  To test the look, I rolled the Mylar and inserted, it unrolled to hold the sampler so I could ponder that look for a few days.  I cut and use this product for my drums although I have used crushed shells before. 

 It makes a straight side and once filled, holds the shape perfectly.  I bought a few sheets before Pat Catan's closed, but I would think Michaels carries it too,  Used for cutting templates and stencils.

 

In cleaning my closet and searching for pants that fit, I see this hanging behind a door.  I forgot about it!!  Obviously have not finished it along with the red wool pocket behind it.  I hope to.  If I am pleased with the finishing I may offer it.  If I get frustrated and am not happy with my work, it stays.

Have a great day!!

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Page two - boom

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Warping and wefting

Nine petunias of pinks and whites peek through the brush where they now rest as they slowly fade away.  Always a sad chore to see them at their end.  Petey sleeps beneath this shabby table during the day so I'll keep the impatiens until they frost.

I don't remember if I mentioned the tire that was filled with these flowers.  It seems the tire was sort of self healing itself wherever we drilled drainage holes, even though they were large, and the plants were drowning.

I'm making progress on the stitching, had to reweave two threads into the linen.  One slub was several inches long and nothing more than fuzz, could not hold the stitch so I removed/replaced it.  Some dyed linen threads look checkered because the color did not take on the thread beneath the cross over.  Am I making sense?  Because of  that I pulled the extra thread for weaving from the same direction as the removal (top to bottom warp) and pulled it until the lighter areas were beneath the weft and now showing.  That always confuses me but you get the idea.  This small piece has no selvage edge so depending on how I hold it, weft could be warp and warp could be weft.  See?  I know nothing.

The new lighting is SO much better throughout the kitchen and family room.  My paint choice has changed because of it and I no longer like this pink.  Yep.  No more yellow tone to everything, my new linens look very different, as does this Putty.  Yuck.  I may dip a bit when the project is completed.  It's not the Putty itself, it's that shade of pink on it.  Very pleased with the change.  And only $36 for a set of 4 from Home Depot, easy as screwing in a light bulb to the old cans to install.

But mounting Lucy has been a bear.  This is the fourth time I have cut the foam and I also washed and dried her which did help with a little shrinkage.  I back stitched a guide around the perimeter which should help me in my final attempt today.

Carole is not worse, taking OTC meds, seems to be a very bad cold.  She always develops a horrid and persistent cough but it seems to be calming down enough for her to carry on a short conversation,  We switched easy meals from Lean Cuisine to Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers.  Much less sodium and very tasty, we stocked her for a week or so.

I ordered a second spool, she still has a supply.  I requested a slightly shorter one this time and it would still work for Bethia but I have other plans.

Hope the weekend has been good.  Mine is cold, furnace running for days.  What happened to the warm Junes and Septembers?

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Rest in peace RBG.
Most of us at half of your age did not come close to half of your mind.

Page one - boom

I am loving the large type easy to read pages.  And page one is finished.  I did change the 842 to 543 but all else is as charted.  Never would I have thought to use this brash pink but oh my, it is fabulous.  Many times the color in skein appears stronger than when it's incorporated into a design.  Still bold, but somehow not offensive.  Like some people.

The EF was to be rice stitch which I enjoy doing, but the time between reading the instructions and executing the piece was too long, and I forgot!  I've made so many placement errors, having a really hard time visually on this WDW linen, mostly with the lighter thread.

There are tiny over one stitches throughout the tree to soften and round the inside corners, but I am not doing them except for the hanging fruit.  Those tiny elements are much nicer with the over ones that round the shape. 

Our family room and kitchen have "pot" lights throughout.  I have a friend that would get excited and assume the term was a new delivery method.  She can't live without it.  Anyway, another term is canned lights but 40 years ago they were pot.  Long metal straps between studs hold them securely and without removing the drywall, they aren't coming out.  We found a replacement that is such an easy fix.  LED that are very neat looking, sealed, with an option to change between five types of light.  No wiring, they have a base that screws into the existing socket but the old metal liner and rim need to be removed.  So glad we came across these before painting because that light will make a big difference in brightness.

And we may need a window replaced because I am fairly sure that's where this laptop is headed.

My bone head sister is refusing to get Covid tested after coming down with a terrible cold the day after a doctor visit and flu shot.  I always keep her cabinet stocked with OTC products and know she had several bottles of cold meds but claims there are none, so Mark delivered a fresh supply.  I tried to tell her that catching this early is key but she swears it's just a cold.  Both of our parents were hard heads so there's not much wiggle room for reason.

Have a great day!

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Spool!!

I received the spool I ordered, hoping it would be the correct type and size for the Bethia sampler.  Eureka!!  I requested they check the height for a minimum of 5.75" and this is a bit over 6".  Perfect!  

Here's the link, only a few left!!  Click this link -Stag Lane Primitives, if you can't, visit staglaneprimitives on Etsy.

My spool compared to my skinny bobbin.  The measurements in the Bethia chart show the shaft of the spool about 4.5" tall and almost 6" around, this matches.

 Storing leftover paint -

Rather than have the lid and edge rust, only to fall into the paint when opened later, I've resorted to this method and it works great.  I use a very sturdy bag inserted into a large plastic or glass container.  Old Maxwell House coffee containers work well too.

 Fold the bag over, pour in the paint, use a spatula to get it all out.  Twist tie the bag after depressing to remove air.

Remove the bag to pour out the amount you need.  If using the entire bag, cut a bottom corner and squeeze it all out into the pan.

 When the paint is done, no cleanup!  Remove and discard the bag, you have a clean container to use again.  No drying out, no rusty bits.

Mid September.  Yoi.

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All 36s are not the same

 I started NWP's EF sampler on Weeks Putty.  I used a lot of their Beige in 35/36 a while ago, but not since my eye condition.  I am having a difficult time!  The last 36 I used was Zweigart I believe, and another ??? called Flax.  Both with more body and what appeared to be a larger hole.  I did a post showing the difference in linens of the same count, and which would be easier to stitch on, but can't find it.  I didn't have a golden shade in the size I needed and have a weird aversion to cutting into a larger piece.  This Putty is an odd greenish gold and looks to be a good choice.  But now I wish I would have dipped into a gold dye.

The 842 was barely visible so I changed to a slightly lighter 543.  A smidge more pink and it looks great.

This method I am using to find a piece of fabric has helped me tremendously.  I don't kit, so every time I start anew I have to pull out supply and waste a lot of time.  This way, I knew the size needed for each count and it didn't take long to see what would work.  Although, this piece is cutting it short.  I only have a little over an inch for the margin but I plan to hem so I'm OK.  If a frame is desired later, the hemmed piece can be mounted to a mat board.

I'm still in need of instruction for the android, and this new laptop is a pip.  I haven't been receiving notification of new flosstube videos and the settings have not changed.  It seems to pick and choose which emails and videos it wants me to see.   Kind of like Facebook does.

I have a flag beneath Instagram photos to save them on my laptop, but nothing like it on the tablet.  So I click Save Link and have no idea where it goes.  Linkland?  And I haven't seen my own posts show up anywhere!  They're there, because people comment, but I only see them on my profile page.

Furnace is on,  Dammit.  It ran quite often in June and now September!

Stay warm!  Enjoy your day.

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But will I ever stitch it?

Do you purchase charts of samplers that you love, knowing you would probably not have the gumption to even start them?  I do.  And just did again!  As many of you watch Nicole's videos, you saw the chart she was given, Sarah Needham.  I had a little body twitch.  And the search began.  There were quite a few downloads in the sold section of Samplers Forever's Etsy shop, and I opted for the printed chart from Kitten Stitcher.  The download includes a color version in addition to B/W, but it was not listed when I visited so ordered the print version fearing it would sell out.

If the only photo I saw was this one, I would not have twitched.

But the photo on the chart of the original got my gears going.

Not the only time it's happened that the older version sold me on the project.

Sarah has a really quirky lawn, and a knock out border.  Yes I've mentioned several hundred times that I dislike stitching borders, but this may be rather forgiving to a misplaced stitch and it's just so beautiful.  I do believe it will be stunning in person.

Because I don't have a phone and my tablet is not linked (or on for very long) I missed updates of PTP linen stock.  Two days after the announcement, all were sold out.  But I did nab a piece of Wren from 123 so that helped my mood.   I'll wait to pull thread colors for Sarah but already know I want a darker, maybe more golden linen.

Hope your day is going well.  

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Finish

 Hannah Jenkinson from Stacy Nash.  I moved the bottom band up several rows and omitted the over one D in the bottom corner.   What's next?

Wow.  Colors are so different on my tablet compared to my laptop.  Way yellow.  I have a lot to learn about photos but have put off searching for answers.  I know it saves paper/trees but I sure do miss printed instructions and guides.  Old school! 

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Maybe just a few

Well now I want to make some tags.  I really miss the labels and boxes, haven't found a decent paper mache since.  So many hours and hours spent on manipulating and $$$ in ink trying to get color right, but I found a few remaining files that are basically ready to go.  This is one I don't believe I ever made into a tag.  My Forgive freebie (under the FREE tab).

Not sure I want to start over but maybe just do a few.  I wonder if I could work out the last small I stitched with that sweet house.  Hmmm.  Like I have nothing else to do.  Being crabby requires an inordinate amount of time.

And now I have to shop for pants.  

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Long pants. Big long pants.

Yes, it's time.  Already.  Been pretty chilly here.  And I don't have a pair that fit.  How many times have I said I refuse to go up a size in big girl panties?  And I don't, I get the same size as before.  The trick is to get the stretch full brief which will end up as a bikini style at the edge of its limit.  It's giving me all it's got!  Yes they scream as I pull them up but I am helping them reach their full potential.  Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to do that with jeans.  Jeggings stretch, but arthritic hands can't grip strong enough to pull that hard and cooking tongs allow the fabric to slide right out.  I guess it is time to go higher once again, or buckle down and stop the sweets.  The other day while patching nail holes in the family room before painting (this room hasn't been done in two decades) I was craving a smoke.   It's been 25 years since hypnosis finally worked for me and I don't know what brought this on, I wouldn't, but I SO wanted a smoke.  I was 50# lighter back then.  When I bring home a 50# bag of shelled corn for the deer, struggling and unable to move very far, I realize that is the load my body is dealing with in every move.  So as I finish the last chocolate muffin, I vow to not bake any more.  Or buy Little Debbie Coffee Cakes or Birthday Cakes.  I thought since they are individually wrapped it would deter multiple servings.  Not so.  

Starting on the bottom area of Hannah Jenkinson and I used every color called for!!  This will be a finish very soon.

I purchased the pdf from Whilst Iris Naps for Bethia Fenshaw 1861.  A tiny adorable sampler that she brilliantly mounted on a spool.  The 40 count fits perfectly, the back lacing through eyelet stitches is so creative.  The spool is not like my bobbin style, shafts are too thin.  I think I located a limited source of this vintage item and ordered one.  I sure hope it's the right size.  You can see how she mounted this by clicking the "additional information" tab in the listing or on her instagram page.

Have a great weekend everyone.

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Guess who's getting a floss tag?

Carlie!  Since you are one of the few left that is not no-reply, I will be contacting you for your address.  Thanks everyone!  I'm still having issues with this new laptop so if you don't receive my request, please contact me.  For some reason, I have to enter the address because hitting the reply arrow sends it to nowhere land.  And you know I'm lazy so that ticks me off.

Mark is golfing and I had a day to putz around the house in quiet, but as I do every year, the History channel from morning to night had me sitting on the sofa.  Still am.  What happened to the millions of flags that were put on display in every neighborhood, and how we became one?  The respect and gratitude we had for the hundreds of first responders and officers that put their lives at risk to help others?  We have been told for years to not judge a group of people on the horrible actions of a few, yet that is exactly what those same people are doing now.

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Makeover

Hi folks.  I've had quite a few requests to purchase the wood tag and if I can locate the file with the old labels, I may have Mark cut more.

I was watching a virtual sale from a shop in Ohio that allows you to purchase items during their live broadcast.  Being a sucker for drawers, I emailed that night (since I watched the taped version) and went in to pick up the item next day.  It was a mess.  Made of thin plywood with a few areas missing wood and very poorly made.   It sure didn't look that bad when she was holding it in the video, but I said I would purchase so I did.

Here's the before....

And here's the after....

Aligned the drawers, filled and caulked, sanded, primed, painted, and added a top and bottom board.

Ain't it sweet???

Now it's worth what I paid for it!!

If you ever need really small wood knobs, check the section of bagged wood smalls/accessories in craft stores.  They have tiny spindles, stars, balls and such, plus these darling little knobs.  They're not knobs, can't remember what they are called, but perfect for small projects.

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