That's better

My name is Marlene and I am a colorholic.

But I wanted to start over on 30 count anyway, so if it didn't work, no big loss.  Floss doesn't grab as quickly as the linen and except for the border, I'm not concerned about a slight difference.  Well.  I just dipped a WIP 9 times in various blends and in Clorox twice.  I guess you could say I'm not concerned, period!  With all the work I have here, I am spastic enough to work on this instead.    BUT!!  I made a decision on the trim color - I'm sticking with the Studio Taupe that is in the first room.

 I found this on Pinterest and love the color.  This is putty!  But I can't do this any longer and have exhausted every paint manufacturer.  All my sample jars will be thrown into a gallon can and shaken.  It may end up being the perfect shade for the bathroom.  Dominic called and my cabinets will be started next week.  They will not be what I want but again, I can't wait any longer.  My search for a true cabinet maker that is willing to go a tiny bit outside the box is over.  There is no one left to call.  Think how bad it will be 10 years from now.

Right now I need to get the dyes put away and clean up my mess.  Mark will be home from golfing soon, walk in, and see that nothing has been moved.  I'll just quietly grind my teeth and he won't dare ask anything. 

Have a good weekend!

Thanks for visiting.  

  

 

 

Liberty

The sun is shining and it's warming - I hope your day is just as bright.

 

I started Liberty with errors right from the start.  The chart is very crisp and bold so I didn't bother to look closely.  The first symbol in the alpha is not what I thought it was.  Remove the browns for the correct blues?  Then I realized that the same symbol is used twice with one being in bold type.  Change that color too?  I had the cross that is between the two single rows of the border off one.  Already corrected that.  I chose 35 count and I wish I would have used 30.  

 

I did because my little Kessel and Simpson samplers on 35 count, are the same in size and I wanted to add Liberty to the group and hang all three together.  Did I check the linen color first?  Of course not.  Does this bother me?  Of course it does.  The linen color is very nice, but not with the greenish cast of the others.  I doubt I will group them now.  I don't mind different shades of linen together, but this green makes the other look pink.

 I've told you many times that I am a color cuckoo.  In fact, since I decided to paint the walls beneath the chair rail, I haven't been able to find that just-perfect-for-psychotic-painters-shade.  It's putty-without the green -not so dull it's gray -not so taupe it's pink -not so warm it's gold -not so light it's beige -not a color on the face of this earth, putty.  I have been stuck in limbo for so long it's really starting to get me down.  The cabinet maker - no return calls.  I know he will do them.  He will.  He works from his home workshop and is very nice. 

Anyway, I have three large drawers filled with rolled linen of all sizes and don't want to look for the greenish 35 count, not even sure there is any left, and I hate that chore.  I wish everything was already planned and ready.  Do I purchase kits?  No.  Why?  Because I want to pick my own linen color and count.  There is definitely something wrong with me.  Ya think?  

My day started off good until I drove past the veterinarian's and saw an elderly gentleman crying as the doctor tended to a dog lying in the cargo area of his SUV.  So I started.  When I got to the lab for my bloodwork, there was a baby crying so hard and mom just couldn't care less.  Now the emotions are really taking over.  Inside the lab, waiting my turn, is a feeble man in his 90's, alone and very sad.  Breaks your heart!  After the prick tech guy finally pricked the right spot, I settled down.  Stopped at JoAnn's for DMC 3747 only to find the store was completely, and I mean completely, different.  I couldn't find anything.  I walked around in a stupor.  I'm old.  I don't like change even if it's for the better.  Stopped for coffee and came home.  The End.

Except for a nagging thought.  When I looked up the post on Kessel to snag the photo, there it was.  The recipe for the peaches and cream dessert.  After a weak and sobbing morning, do I have the strength to not make it?

 

Enjoy your day.  Bake something sweet.  Take some to an elderly neighbor.

Take the rest to a lonely person. Hold the door open for the next guy.  Pray for the babies.

Never wear a mood ring during menopause.  They explode.

Stitch wimp strikes again

Hello hello hello!  How did your weekend go?  Anyone still seeing the white stuff?  Today was sunny and wonderful, hopefully a preview of coming days.

I'm wimping out again and decided on another small and simple marking sampler.  Either of these.  One is under 7"x7" and the other is 6"x8" on 28 count.  Perfect.  Eliza and Ann Wragg are still on my mind and will be coming up soon.

 

 

 

 

 

I have this old PS design, The Fox and the Grapes from 1986 done on 14 Aida.  I want to stitch it on linen and instead of spending $4.50 on Ebay for the card, I will stitch from this piece.  They don't call me a bonehead for no reason.  But the symbols on those small cards are sometimes very hard to see and the stitchery isn't.  All those years ago, I discarded my charts (including the Scarlet Letter's) after completing so I doubt if I still have it.  This is easier to see anyway.

I also have a gripe to air. Most of my old charts are leaflets in plastic bags.  It irritates me when I have to remove the chart from the bag to search for the stitch count, and tightens my britches even more when there is NO stitch count.  I want to see the count on the front or back, not inside, so when I'm browsing I can compare sizes and what linen pieces would be usable.  Instead, I have a mess and most times need to count and estimate finished size.  Am I nit-picking?  Be honest.  I can take it.  Tomorrow, I am going through all these samplers and adding a note with this information so I no longer have to put up with these tight panties.  They've gotten tight enough on their own and I REFUSE to purchase a larger size.  I don't care if they cut off my circulation and make new varicose veins, I am not getting a bigger size.  As long as I'm complaining, I might as well throw in the floss.  I love GAST and other variegated threads, but since the beginning I have been using DMC skeins and pulled out what I needed.  So easy.  I do not like having to untie and re-tie, or wrap and unwrap, but I've decided they are too nice to forego because of that.  I am old and set in my ways, but I guess I will move them all to floss cards and get over it.

I feel very drafty today.  My hair used to be coarse, thick, and wild ~ now it is soft, fine and limp.  Damn hormones. Or lack thereof. I thought if I cut a little off the heavy back, it would take off some weight and lift it.  I grabbed the entire mid section of the back and held it between two fingers.  Unfortunately, I cut on the wrong side of my fingers.  There's a hole now.  At least the Walmart cut is now blended.

No word from the latest cabinet maker. Again. I was as accommodating as I could be, told him to use the wood of HIS choice, on HIS time....I was nice dammit!!!  When I asked for a feature and he stalled, I said forget it - no problem.  It killed me, but I was nice.  I'll give him until Tuesday to call me.  I know where he lives.

Geez.  Lots of complaining for a wimp, no?

Hope your week starts off good and gets better.

Stay safe, thank you for visiting!

The process

Happy Saturday.  Another weekend closer to summer.  Hope it's a good one for you.

 

I'll be stuck in my usual position, graph paper in hand, making no progress on unfinished house projects.  I've mentioned many times that Glenna's statement could not be more fitting .... indecision=paralysis.

 

 

I did sew Frances and Lydia in my usual finishing method.  The hanger, be it leather lace or hemp, will be attached later.  Except for ornaments, I don't like to sew the hanger in the seam since I am always moving and changing. 

 

 

 

 

 

   

I can add the hanger if I find the perfect cupboard for it, or unpin it and throw it in a bowl.  Hannah will be sideways as a reminder that we all have those days.

I was very surprised to find that Hannah only needed a few patches. For being 25 count and using black floss, I expected to see many carried threads. The letters are so close, it wasn't noticeable. This linen is so stiff it was very easy to square the piece before fusing the lightweight interfacing.  I really like Hannah against those two chosen fabrics and considered a sewing pouch, but I use my see through folders in a file for projects.  I love the bags, she's the perfect size, fabulous with the fabric, but I still resist.  Putz.

Another golf bag arrived. I used the plastic bag protecting it to encase the cardboard box and the brats have a fun tunnel.  They are protected from the wind and rain and are having a ball.  Bud and Missy are in there now, probably necking.   Now the process of choosing the next project begins.  Nancy Nurse?  Ann Wragg?  Eliza?  Another small?  More than that confusion is the linen dilemma.  Which color?  What count?   I really dread this process.  Usually something happens that determines the piece without much thought, but not this time.  Too bad.

My brother found a few pieces from Pat's stash that I was offering until I saw the shipping rates.  These are the old style Sudberry cheeseboards and a mirror.  I tried taking a photo of a straight scratch that is on the mirror but you can only see it at a certain angle which I couldn't photograph.  Doesn't matter. When I created a link for you to estimate postage, I saw that it's more than double the $5 price to CA for ONE.  Ridiculous.

So that's about it.  Dull dreary rainy days, but no snow.

Lots of chores today since the week was so busy so I best be moving my behind.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for visiting.

 

 

 

 

Winner

Hi everyone.  Thank you for the prayers and good wishes, once again, for my siblings.  My brother's results were good!  After hearing the results from the surgeon in the recovery room, I was poking fun at my problem, and he dropped his head and looked over his glasses.  Guess who he wants to schedule.

My sister is not in the hospital and started breathing better today, but this is the third time in four months and I am very concerned about the CHF. 

I was the grateful recipient of a fabulous package filled with the most wonderful fabrics.  Oh my.  I have this problem of hoarding fabric and I can imagine how much worse I would be if I quilted.  My gift was nothing I could purchase locally so I am thrilled.  On a trip to my county courthouse today, I stopped at the (one of two) local fabric shop and grabbed a few fat eighths.  Across the street in an antique store that looks more like a modern gift shop, I found another darning egg, an old wood spool, and a large square galvanized tub for $5.

I haven't started a new sampler and it may be Eliza Pomeroy.  Or not. 

Now for the scrambled random winner - Robin.  Send me your address Robin and Hannah will be coming your way. Thanks to all for participating!! 

Enjoy your weekend and thank you for stopping by.

 

 

Done

Hi all.  Just a quick post to show Hannah completed.  Since my tablet slipped out of the unzipped makeshift case, hit the hardwood floor and slid a few feet, making a pouch for it now using Hannah is moot.  And saying I found a cabinet maker may be also. 

 He is a nice guy, has been at this for years and does very nice work.  But he never heard of a rat-tail hinge, extended sides, or mixing door sizes in one unit.  I showed him this photo.  I don't know if the sides are called hutch, apron, extended, pain in the ass, whatever, he's never done them.  I then come home to hear a message from my sister that she is going to see the doctor because she is out of breath and fluid is once again building in her lungs.  My brother's message was that his doctor is squeezing him into the schedule tomorrow for a necessary scope and I need to take him.  Does the kitchen matter?

So here's flat Hannah.. 

and sack Hannah.

Who knows what her final resting pose will be.  She heard from the others that there is no such thing as FINAL in this house, nor rest.  You probably think it's weird to hang the sampler sideways but it's different and my other sack needs someone to hang with.  I think with some feathers and a few gourds, they would make a great primitive display from a peg, or rusty baling hook.  I've decided to move all the samplers to one wall in the new room whenever the chair rail is up and the painting is done.  Ed hasn't returned my calls.

 

 

The sun is out and it's finally warming here.

Enjoy your day and thanks for visiting!