A little chart for you

Hello stitchers.  I was searching for lost floss, missing charts, and the new purchases which have all seemed to run off.  In the midst of throwing things from boxes and folders, I came across one of my graphs that I never stitched.  I wanted to stitch something in remembrance of family members that I could add to as time passed.  I planned on finishing the back with the envelope method so I could open to add initials.   The scan just wasn't showing the grid clearly so I transferred it to a stitch program for more clarity.    Since I never stitched it, there is nothing to show, but I thought if some of you are adventurous and like this idea, go for it.  When I first worked it out, I had planned on family initials of those passed in the bottom area stitched over one in a little box.  Well, where do you draw the line?  I've lost so many aunts, uncles, my parents, in-laws, and of course, pets, that I considered making the base of the tree longer to accommodate a second row.  The more I look at it, I like it without the initials and really don't need them to remember loved ones when I see this.  So if you would like to stitch this, with or without personalization, please send me a photo when completed.  The colors are simple, and with unbleached linen, 644 is great, but on a lighter ground, 3023 is better.  I mentioned that mom has been on my mind more so lately, and her birthday is the 23rd, so I found it poignant that I came across this chart today.  I just thought of maybe a better idea - how about an appropriate verse or quote over one at the bottom?  No?  A short one over two?  No?  Just a thought.  Edited - I redid the chart, taking out the initials and adding the words at the bottom. Two choices.

These are the colors on unbleached linen.  The initials were going to be done in a deep red but now I think 3021 or the 644 would be better.  I don't remember how to show a chart for copying so if any one is interested but has a problem, let me know.  I think you click on the photo, it enlarges, and then you right click and "save".  Pass the fish oil please!!  I want my old sharp memory back!!

 

Also wanted to show the ground cover I planted late fall (don't mind the weeds -haven't worked outside yet).  This is black scallop ajuga and I was pleasantly surprised at these bright blue spring flowers.  It was raining and dark when I took the photo so you can imagine how bright they are in sunlight.  The leaves are a very dark crimson and I love this little plant.

That's it.  Quick post.  Just wanted to pass this along.

Stay safe - thank you for visiting.



A surprise RAK and the price of stitching

I hate changes which is hard to believe since I am constantly changing my mind, but I don't like Blogger's dashboard changes.  So I clicked on the little tool wheel at the top right and chose "old blogger interface" and got the style I am used to.  I prefer seeing my blog list updates on the dashboard in the smaller version instead of a wide page with less updates.  I wonder if I will be able to keep the old style for good - but probably not.

I had a wonderful surprise in my mail the other day along with the sweetest note.  An RAK from Shirlee.  She knows I love samplers and santas and stitched the most perfect design for me.  I love it, love it.  Shirlee, thank you so much.  What a lovely surprise!  She did a beautiful job and even had it professionally finished for me.  If I had cheeks, they would be blushing.  Unfortunately, they are down around my jaws.  It's the main reason I don't wear lipstick.  When your jowls are larger than your lips, it's not a good idea to draw more attention to that area.

I decided to play around with dyeing a few pieces of linen from the stash.  I no longer have use for pastel colors so I bleached and then dyed (several times) until I was happy.  The sweatshirt I was wearing will soon have patchwork down the arms and front to hide the bleach and dye marks.  I like the two final colors.  While I was at it (and Mark was gone) I did a few samples for the sofa I plan on changing.  There is just too much red in most every neutral color I use so I need to buy a few other shades and mix my own again.

I already sprayed the sofa with a Dawn and water mix to remove the sizing and allow the stain to penetrate.  The walnut stain was barely noticeable so I moved on to Rit liquids.  Still up in the air about the whole thing, not knowing if I should try selling the sofa (very long) and buying a smaller piece or plan on re-upholstery if the dye doesn't work.  I'm trying this on the back of the sofa which isn't seen in case it doesn't work.

And then there's Lucy.  Poor Lucy.  She is so large and being man handled, scrunched, folded, rolled, and pinched, but I am still working a little every evening on her completion.  Once these eyelets are done, the bottom houses and florals will hopefully go quicker.

I did want to mention something that will  probably have quite a few stitchers upset, but I will anyway.  I had Lucy at the doc's office so I could mindlessly stitch the eyelet bands, when a lady commented.  We started talking and she told me that most of her friends didn't mind paying for larger pieces clearly printed on stock, but when the small ornaments and simpler designs rose to $10 and above on a folded piece of paper, they started trading with fellow stitchers.  When I mentioned about the pirate sites many bloggers have posted about, she said she didn't know about them, but wasn't surprised.  Her group felt that simple and small designs were overpriced and they will trade unless offered on Ebay or a good discount.   I told her that most stitchers have no problem with prices and will follow their favorite designers regardless, and everything has gone up in price!   I wondered how many others felt this way,  but since I'm not a designer, it's none of my business!!!   Has needlework become too expensive for the casual stitcher and only the devoted and addicted like us are left? 

Well I better just shut up now.  I don't want anyone thinking I'm on a soap box for this woman who was wearing lipstick and had no jowls. 

For that reason alone, I didn't like her.

Have a wonderful weekend, stay safe, thank you for visiting!

Sit.......stay

Greetings from the mad fidget.  No wonder I can't get anything done.   All I have to do is walk by something that catches my eye and I'm off!  Moving, changing, misplacing, and the final mess is very annoying. 

   It all started when I saw little Lydia on the bottle.  It became a repeat of my MIADD day so I though I would annoy you with it all.   I taped her to this wall box which I used to make and sell.  My neighbor called me over one day, so excited, to see her new purchase.  It was this box.  From then on I had to show her what I was making before taking anything in.  Moving on.  I've decided to turn this little girl into some sort of sewing bag or pocket.  She's too small to frame but the perfect size for a flap on an envelope so I moved her to the sewing room and will no longer disrupt her rest.

Not the case for her friend Frances Bliss.  I really like to see samplers on baskets and I think this color suits her just fine.  Mark suggested I make specific size baskets and design samplers for them.  ???  What???  I don't think so!   But I am considering going through my old designs and finding some I could resize to fit.   

 Frances will be staying on one of these, probably the longer style.  But I didn't stop there.  I noticed Fanny draped over the chair and moved her to another cupboard I made back in the day.

Then there's the boat people of Miss Virginie.  She was lying around waiting for the muslin backing to be removed and I swear I could hear the scary white woman saying "help me".  Yes Virginie, your arms are coming.  This is an antique tilt top table that needs a dark stain and oiled.  I think this would be a great place to display a sampler. 

So after all this, the place is a mess.  Once again, the camera was left in another room while I searched, the tape was disappearing, where did the pins go, and hey look - the brat cats are outside!  And UPS pulled up!  Distractions certainly don't help.  But I did remember to run the magnet along the floor and pick up all the pins I dropped. 

I'm done.  Time to face the music and put everything else back to where it belongs......but where is that?   Holy crap this could start all over again.  Maybe the cats are still here and I should go outside.

Thanks for visiting and putting up with my wandering mind.   Sorry I keep showing my lack of decision making and restlessness.   Some times it's maddening, but other times, a lot of fun! 

Enjoy your week and stay safe!

The kitchen

Hello everyone.  I'm finally coming to the end of the kitchen confusion.  It's very small.  The layout options are extremely limited.  It's ridiculously expensive to redo.  I have solid wood cabinets that are in great shape.   Taking all that into consideration (over and over again), I have decided that what I originally wanted, is not worth the expense.  Not in this market.  So I asked myself what I really want to achieve and it's a "look" more than a reno.  Oh.  BTW....just to show that I am still working on Lucy...

Yes she's wrinkled but why the hell should she look better than me?  If I have to put up with them, so does Lucy.  She's 21" wide and a big girl, too.  To give you examples of my errors (which are all because I'm not focused), take a look at the blue and gold border.  I did one color, and when I started the second, I was using the graphing from the solid blue border above it.  The lettering in the design is up and down here and there which threw me off but those errors are completely hidden.  I missed color changes.  When stitching a letter, I would pick up the next letter from the graph but I was in the wrong word!!!  Oh my.  I still love her.

Back to the kitchen.

I want a limited clutter, stark, clean look, with details of legs and hopefully a rat tail hinge somewhere.  They are pricey and these cabinet doors are 3/8 offset, not flush.  Since my Schmidt cabinets aren't available locally, I need to order the doors from them and have the cabinet boxes custom made to fit.  It would still be cheaper than having the set up charges for knives and profiles just to make a few doors.  The cabinets under the bar area on the left would remain the same.  Soapstone will probably be the counter, but it could end up wood or solid surface, and hopefully a copper sink.  Trying to use my current doors, the first drawing would be the best.  I would need to order 5 doors that go to the ceiling's crown moulding.  The kitchen people making the cabinet for the fridge could also make the cabinet boxes for these tops.

Keep in mind this is a rough rendering for the kitchen people.  If I run the cabinets down to the counter top, turning current cabinet doors on their side, I can create a garage door type opening for appliances - out of sight - but easy access with electrical outlets currently on the back wall and easily accessible.  I have the same cabinets as vanities upstairs and can utilize the drawers for paperwork which are the exact size needed.  I can add an different element to the sink base, extend it further out than the others, different color, and use the front from the current sink base as additional doors to use elsewhere.  I would really like this odd sink cabinet to be larger, more like a dry sink look, but the dishwasher can't move down any further.  For the furniture bottom - extending these to the floor without a seam requires a custom faced cabinet so adding the 3/4" board and topping it off works.  Rabbeting it to further recess it is even better, with a smaller trim piece covering where it meets the cabinet.  I may not even use that trim.  This other design is similar but requires quite a few more doors to be special ordered and the sink base stays as is.

Both instances require moving the upper cabinets away from the window trim which will allow a little wall space and room for sconces.  I can switch out the top and bottom layouts so I may use the bottom of #2 and the top of #1.  So there you have it.  It takes me so long to work things out - tooooooooo many ideas!  Believe it or not, this small space that is open to the family room on one side and has two doorways on the other walls, was rearranged into 4 layouts.  I LOVE doing this!  But like I said, too many other projects need $$$$ so it's just not the smart thing to do.  I think any kitchen can be transformed with paint, added trim, crown mouldings, details details!!!

That's it.  Just wanted to prove I have been preoccupied.  My poor brain has really had a workout.  This was a long process to make a decision (and I still have to choose one of two) and I'm glad to be moving on to another area.

Thanks for helping me get rid of the charts.  I will let you know when the others are listed on EBay so you won't miss something you may want to consider.

Have a great week all - thanks for visiting KitchenWorld!

Are you interested in these?

Hello all.  Just wanted to see if anyone was interested in these two projects.  I'm taking bird and floral design charts to Goodwill but thought someone may enjoy these ...

The Silk Experience -SOLD - includes instructions and the various silk threads by Kreinik to get a feel for working with types of silk.  No fabric is included. 








The second is an EGA project from 1997 for a darling little bag and includes the instructions for the open work, linen, and thread that matches exactly (photo doesn't appear to but it does).  They are $4 for either and includes shipping.  I didn't want to discard these and am hoping someone will enjoy them. 

I'll give it a few days and if no one is interested, they will be donated with the others.  
If anyone wants these, let me know.
Tristan Brooks Newport Flowers - gone
Ginger & Spice Mid Atlantic Sampler
Ginger & Spice New England Sampler-gone
Cricket Collection #11, #22, #42
Homespun Elegance Della Robbia and Charming Bellpulls

If you're interested in any of the above, leave your request in the comments and I'll get back to you. 
The others listed below will be on Ebay and not offered through the blog.  Too much confusion!

Hopefully next week on Ebay..
Ewe&Eye Cottage House
Stacy Nash Peacock Sewing Roll
Little by Little My Wurk Sampler
Carriage House Elizabeth
Birds of a Feather Red Reindeer
Elizabeth Rowland sampler
Permin 153050 Adam & Eve
Needle's Prayse Virtue Outshines the Stars
Sheepish Designs Gone Fishing
Periwinkle Queen Knot Sampler
Mary Slatter Sampler (with paper people)
City Stitcher Weeping Tree Sampler
Just Cross Stitch Motif Sampler
Homespun Elegance Della Robbia
Alma Lynne Private Collection Elegant Father Christmas
Alma Lynne Private Collection Fantasy Father Christmas
And They Sinned
I've been at Lucy and we are not getting along.  Still continuing with errors but not noticeable with this design.  Making progress though!!! 
Thanks for your prayers for Patti.  She is home but will continue needing prayers as she begins her treatments once again.
Hope you are enjoying the weekend.  Thanks for visiting...talk to you soon!

Stella's quirky wooden people

Greetings!  What a gorgeous day today.  I received my order from Hannah's Pinkeep and I'm a happy girl.   I've been waiting for an order from another shop of two sampler charts for a while and I'm not happy about that.  Hannah's was quick!! 

I just love this Nash design and I'm anxious to start this or a few other smalls BUT Lucy is no where near complete.  At least I'm into the alphabet and only have one more wonky border to do.   I must have been menobraining again when I placed this order online.  I got a 5 yard skein of Uniform Blue, and then obviously changed my mind and ordered the 10 yard, but never deleted the 5.  That's OK.  Harry Tyler's Lion will use up the floss so it's a good thing I have both. 

I mentioned prior post about having Mom on my mind and thought I would show you the quirky items she treasured.  I have no idea how they became hers. They are all hand carved and painted and have been around for as long as I can remember.  The first is the key rack.

Then there's the wine cork and the gentleman greets you when you pull the cord.

But this guy is my absolute favorite!  The toothpick holder.

I also played around trying to make grummy/grungy candles.  I took the time and searched the web for instructions but most all involved melting wax and mixing with spices to coat the candles.  Didn't have any, so I just put them in a 150 degree oven for several minutes and then rolled them in the cinnamon, cloves, and coffee.  I did this several times and kept checking the candles for softness.  Didn't want to melt them, just soften enough for the spices to embed.   I continued adding spice until I was satisfied with coverage and then used the flame from a lighter to burn it more.

 

So there you have it.  Not much else going on since I am still working on the plan for the contractor.  I went to a vein center for an ultrasound before my sclerotherapy injections for varicose veins.  I've been getting the treatment for over 30 years and it's time again before they get bad.  It seems the new procedure of inserting the wire and laser up to the groin and zapping the entire vein is the latest.  I didn't think it was necessary but they are really pushing this new procedure.  Not sure if I will insist on only the injections or go for the zapping in the fall, followed by injections.  I can see how it would prevent future treatments but at 60, do I care?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I will be stitching Lucy as much as possible and using up another tablet of graph paper. 

Stay safe, and thank you for visiting!