Thankful

Hiya.  Thank you so much for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and advice.  I thought it appropriate that Thankful Davis become my sampler choice.  I threw back a few sheets and found her with all the floss, ready to go.  Instead of suffocating on the horrific fumes, I sat outside and started the stitch. 

 I then realized my neck wasn't going to be cooperative but I couldn't wait to start.  Something tells me I'm going to love stitching this one.  This type of border is easy without a lot of color changes and small elements and won't be a problem at all.  This is all I could do without a break.  The linen is 28 count, unbleached, and feels like burlap.  That wonderful uneven brown tone that hides chocolate finger prints very well.  My kind of linen.
My floors are almost dry and I like them.  Not as amber as I expected, and the grain shows distinctly, not encased in the varnish.   A very close match to the existing floors.

Now the clean up begins.  The walls need painted, drywall sanded, baseboards installed, but one thing at a time.  The most inconvenient task is complete.  We're debating another finish coat, but maybe later.  He said a quick scuff and one coat will take no time at all.

I should be back to having good lighting and a comfortable seat tomorrow. 

 

Thanks for visiting and again, for your kindness!

 

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Sidetracked

 

Hey.  What's happening?  Is your cat food in the bathroom, your fridge in the dining room, your dining room in the parlor, your food in the basement, and your socks full of stain?  Do you know under which sheet awaits your stitching project?  Did you waste hours having floor stain custom matched, only to have them then tell you that they won't be getting any in until Friday afternoon?  Did you want to rip the face off an arrogant and nasty manager?   Did you go elsewhere and have it mixed beautifully, come home and find out that it looks orange in your home and not as it did in the store?  Did you run out to get more of the dark walnut to add to it and have an 82 year old make a left hand turn into you as you were proceeding through the intersection and total your 10 year old favorite car with only 40,000 miles on it?  Are your arms and jaw numb?  Are you afraid to have an MRI and hear bad news?  Do you have any idea what to do for a vehicle since 10 year old cars are worthless?  Did you know your "deluxe" auto insurance has no allowance for a rental?  Did you go home and stain the flooring because the floor pros were coming to topcoat it in the morning?  Did they tell you it would be dry in 2 hours and they would come back for the final coat at noon?  Did your floor not dry at all?  Did you have to take the never used front door off its hinges to get into the house because it's now the only way in?  Did you get mad enough to walk on it anyway and stick to it?  Did you find out that the final coat has AMBER in it which will make your floor orange since it was custom mixed to match the already amber adjacent floor?  Do you have a choice of clear?  Are you fuming that you didn't know this?  Did you know another product can't be used over this first coat because it is a two step finish and you have no choice but to have a pumpkin floor?  Do you have a headache, feel shaky, stiff, bitchy, and hot? 

 WELL DO YOU?????????

 

Then join me in a toast to being alive, and being able to accept the foul balls that we are thrown.  As foul as they are, they would feel like over-the-plate home runs to others dealing with much more, so swing away and be thankful.  

Until you get the results, and then be mad as hell.  Be thankfully mad. 
It's OK. 
We can be both.

 

Embrace your day! 

Swimming in the Menopool

Hey.  How are you?  How's your brain today?  Me?  Well.....

First off, the tags.  Hopefully I will post the Cart button this weekend.  As I was getting the code to add it this morning, the floor man called and is coming tomorrow to sand.  That means, the kitchen (including some base cabinets, the fridge, the entire living area, and the new area must be completely rid of items.  This is half my house.  I will need to start staining as soon as he leaves, and then start the finish coats before bedtime for three nights so it dries overnight and we can walk on it next morning.  Having the pros do it will leave me trapped upstairs for the entire day, but I will consider it. So I won't have an area to print and ready the tags, let alone pack for mailing.  This should be finished by Sunday so let's set that as the date.  Remember, these are not made yet, so you can order any design - all will be available, until the supply of wood runs out.

On to the swim, which I don't do because of claustrophobia.  My head beneath water unable to breathe sends me into a panic.  So let's say I'm drowning in the menopool, not swimming.  Yesterday morning, I took my large Oikos out of the basement fridge along with a dozen eggs, set them on the counter, and came upstairs without them.  I guess the raccoons will be dining on greek yogurt and scrambled eggs tonight.  I did bring up the klondike, but set it down to answer the phone and found a melted mess this morning.  I cashed Mark's paycheck and didn't remember that the white envelope contained $$$ and put it in with the items to burn.  Good thing he asked where it was.  These are just a few highlights of the last 24 hours.

  I wanted to start this sampler from Essamplaire last night.  I opened the pack and found the chart - nothing else.  Where's the color codes?  Searched and searched - found nothing, threw a hissy fit.  As I sat there fuming, I glanced at the cover page on the floor.  Have no idea what raving lunatic threw it there.  And look at what is printed on the back of that cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a putz.  But in the meantime, I decided to pull out this one until the missing page could be found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess I'm up for a border.  I avoid them at all costs but for some reason, am drawn to these two.  Both close in size, some specialty stitches, which I can substitute with cross if the mood is rotten.

 

Ed showed up a little while ago and is putting the final coat of mud on the walls, and will sand after the floors are sealed.  Since there is no one local that finishes hardwood, I had to take a chance on this company, wish me luck.  I can't wait until furniture can be put back to where it was.  Since I can never find what I'm looking for when there is order, you can imagine how frustrating it is now.  But soon it will be over!

More proof of his name - Nitzy. He never figures out that he doesn't have to stand in the dishes to reach the other side.

 

 

Well, this was certainly long and boring.  Thanks for visiting.  I'll be back after the dust storm.

 

 

 

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Tag notice

Good morning.  I posted the tag designs on the Box/Tag page for you to check out.  I'm trying something to make it easier for me.  I will have an Add to Cart button from Paypal that will allow you to order while it tracks the inventory.  You will put the design number(s) that you want in a text box beneath the Cart button along with "cord" or "ring",  BUT when you get to the cart page, you will need to increase the QUANTITY to the number you are ordering, otherwise, you will only get one.  Just click into the quantity box and change it.  If you're only ordering one, no change is needed, just the design #. 

 





Example - you want 2 of #4 - you enter 4-ring (or cord) in the text box and you need to change the quantity to 2 in the cart.

If would want #3, #10, and #12 for a total of three tags, you enter 3-cord 10-cord 12-ring into the text box, Add to Cart, and increase the quantity to 3.



The cart will automatically add the correct shipping and you can delete or change any item, just go back and change the text box or quantity.  For now, this is USA shipping only.  International needs to be package rate since it is not a flat and each country is different.  The other thing - it will be a day longer in shipping because I have blank tags ready for labels, and will make them as you order, sealer needs to dry for a day.  Rather than guess what you would like and have them ready, this makes more sense to have you choose instead of taking what's left.  I have forty tags and a few set aside for special requests (like the Ghoul tag) so this should last for a quite a while.  You have time to browse and note the number of your choice, and email me if there is an older design you would like and it isn't shown.  The new printer has made this a real chore and I've spent days correcting the tint!   I will send out a post when the sale opens but with 40, no need to rush!  The choice of hemp cord is shown in my header photo, and the snap ring is 1".  Remember to specify after the # (14cord 3ring) your choice of hanger.  I think it will be pretty easy - better than trying to check availability through comments - let me know your thoughts.  Confused?  Do you have any idea how long it took me to figure this out???  LOL!!  I think it's fairly easy but email with any questions you may have. 

 Enjoy your day!

 
p.s.  My new sampler is different than the ones I was considering.

Mom's favorite bird

Hope your weekend is going great.

I added the brown border and did the neck's wreath in turkey stitch instead of the colonial knots, added a little rusty bell, and rusty wire hanger.

The turkey stitches are cut very close to the fabric.  Next one will be knots on a darker linen.  DMC 3777 for the bird.

Homespun Elegance "Merry Cardinal" from 1998.

Thanks for visiting!

 

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What's the point?

Sharp as hell, that's what.  Hiya.  I'm bringing up needles again.  I haven't rid the drawer of all the different sizes in my attempt to simplify just yet.  There has been a kitchen table in front of that spool cabinet for over a month, so I'm using the variety of sizes and brands found in my pinkeeps. 

 Let me tell you, this one can be a really nasty prick.  I had little bleeding thumb pricks from a very sharp eye, and now found one with the point end doing the same.  Being purchased over 20 years ago I have no idea the brand.    Here's a close-up of the pricker (left) and good girl (right).   I thought all embroidery needles had blunt tips, but this one is definitely a sharp. 

 

 I kept having trouble with the needle splitting the linen threads but it wasn't until it found its way into flesh that I realized why.  Yikes. 

 

 

I first thought it might be the linen itself causing the problem. You can see that not only is the bottom thread split, but the upper stitch is also.  I use the sewing method when stitching and move along pretty quick so maybe some of it is my fault, but I've never had this happen so frequently and easily. 

I felt no resistance when the needle was violating that weave.  My thumb holds the floss away from the next stitch and kind of guides the needle.  Rarely does the needle end up under my nail but this one would certainly cause a whimper.  Into the trash it goes. 

 I probably shouldn't mention this because my husband thinks I'm nuts, but here goes.  Years ago, there was a large starving and injured dog found in the local garbage dump, eating what it could find.  Well, I don't care what animal may be foraging, I wrap duct tape around the needles, secure them to styrofoam or cardboard, wrap it again, to make sure it doesn't get into a morsel of food scraps.  Same with glass, fish hooks, anything small and sharp.  OK, so I may go overboard but suffering animals rip my guts out and I don't want to be responsible for inflicting even more.  When I discarded my old straight pins, I put them in a plastic box and wrapped tape around several times.  After approaching those Amish women in the parking lot to offer them my quilting supplies and needles, I thought it best to not do that again so I threw them out.

I finished the cardinal and will show it off next time.

 

Thanks for visiting - enjoy the weekend.

 

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