Merry Christmas to you

Here ya go.  I decided to use four online shops for the gift certificate BUT if you are international and have a place you prefer, check to see if they will accept US funds through Paypal.  Many of you use 123 Stitch, Silent Stitches has gorgeous scissors (and The Porcupine Collection) plus lots of other little (and big) goodies, and Anita's has some items for quilters and other stitching accessories too.  If you have enough charts and want something different, I'm sure you can find the usual to unusual, tools, buttons, patterns, storage, aides, and whatnots.

http://www.silentstitches.com/
It takes a long time to see everything they have to offer and I wish I could find a way to search!

http://www.123stitch.com/

http://www.anitalittlestitches.com/
Charm packs, quilting, linen, and other goodies.

and....
http://www.nordicneedle.com/
For everything and anything regarding needlework, goodies, storage, and then some.

 

I will have Random draw a name on Sunday December 7 at 8pm EST for a $30 gift certificate from the above options, your choice.

A few of you wondered why I decorate my back area.  This is my view from the kitchen.  I have stone laid around the front entrance but am trying to get a short shepherd's hook into the ground to hang a bucket of greens at the step.  I wonder how much force it takes to bend those iron hooks.  We shall see.  My arthritis is flaring in the right index finger but I will try my best.

 

 Enter with your comment on this post only.  Remember to include your initials if you are no-reply or anonymous. 

Good luck!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

The spinning wheel

Hiya.  I mentioned previously about my lack of knowledge regarding my spinning wheel.  Is it early?  A basic type?  Unusual?  I've seen others similar but they have a smaller wheel with fancy spokes and the wood is smooth.  Maybe one of you could enlighten me.  I took photos showing the rough cut wheel and other details.  The loops holding the ???? are leather, the nails holding the spokes are tiny squares, the ones holding the edges are round and pounded over.  You can still see the scribe marks for the cut openings.  It's been sitting upstairs in an unused room for a long time and needs a good cleaning with a brush.

 The guy that ripped me off I purchased it from 30 years ago claimed it was covered with straw and dirt and if he would have cleaned it first, he wouldn't have sold it.  I purchased two from him, both found in a barn, and the other was a huge walking wheel which I sold.  It has developed cracks in the very dry wood but I didn't know if oiling/waxing it would help. Really too rough to wax. 

Any ideas?  Is it just an ordinary wheel? 

There you have it.  My wheel.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So how shall I do this?

Since I am behind on everything, I have nothing ready to offer for a Christmas giveaway.  Have a few designs I worked up that aren't stitched yet, everyone is tired of the boxes, and I'm afraid to do any sewing.  My machine is an old Sears with metal housing, quite heavy, and I could really hurt myself throwing it out a window.  Best I stay away from that room until the moods calm down.  Surprisingly, I was in a really good mood Sunday.  

My outdoor decorating followed prior years of filling containers with greens, and then removing half of the them.  Too much.  I spend more time taking away after putting it out than putting it out.  I removed the wheelbarrows, several tubs, the beat up chair and buckets.  I had extra greens so I filled a few of those buckets and hung them out back.  I like it.  Considering adding mini lights but changed my mind. 

 

I thought I had a lot of buckets but after hanging them all around the deck, I could use a few more.  I was really surprised that wearing latex gloves protected my hands from the prickly blue spruce.  No problem at all.  I am way off track!

I wanted to talk about the giveaway.  I've decided to offer a $30 gift certificate but do I choose the shop?  Or do you?  As long as the shop offers gift cards payable in US funds through Paypal, you can choose.  Sound fair?  Or too confusing?  Not for you - for me.  Let me think about it and I'll post the giveaway at the week's end.   Or before. 

 I'll show you my two new charts next time.  I haven't stitched one Santa this year and probably won't. 

 

Stay safe!

Thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Snowless Sunday -

YAY!!  Hope your day went well.  I got some outside decorating done, which consists of throwing bundles of fresh greens in buckets and slapping a branch on the door.  Houses look handsome with their holiday finery and glittering lights.  But my beat up siding and sparse style does not.  I added a long neck gourd to the door greens one year and my neighbors had no idea what it was and thought it very odd.  When the garage door guy (yes he was cute and very nice) came inside and saw those grungy gourds hanging on my ladder, he did a double take...twice.  Finally I told him that they are dried gourds.  Oh......why?..he asked.  I don't know Buddy.  Please don't expect an answer as to why I have dirty looking gourds that serve no purpose.  I'm still trying to answer why I got lost on the main road in town.  That is still the running joke among husband's friends.  When he told them I lost my voice they said "how will she ask for directions?".  Men.  But he did tell me about two contractors that he has done work for and although there is no way they could squeeze us in right now, I am contacting them both tomorrow.

 

When shopping over the weekend we encountered an elderly gentlemen with his sons buying memory foam pillows, mattress topper, fancy pillowcases, and other comfort items.  He was getting choked up and then we overheard that they were Christmas gifts for his ailing wife in a nursing home.  To see his sons helping to shop and carry those large bags for him, thinking how upset and lonely he must be, brought a tear to the eye.  Just like in the hospital when I saw an elderly man sobbing in the arms of a priest.  I quietly watched him while feeling his sadness and shed a tear with him.  These touching moments were missed by everyone else around as they stared at the small screen in their hand.

 

I was blessed with a surprise package! And perfect timing.  For the first time in YEARS I was without Dove because my illness kept me inside for a few weeks and my supply dwindled.  My sister asked me (as every year) to get the gifts she needs for others.  I did, and forgot to stop for Dove.  When I got home, the package had two bags of dark Dove inside, another box of glorious candy that is already gone, and a pouch with her stitching and Faye's finishing.  Great fabrics inside and out.  I am one lucky gal. 

 

Mary Lamin hasn't been stitched much lately and I really need to get back to her.  When I break from a project, I lose the desire and that's what has happened.  I ordered two small Christmas designs and would love to get them stitched but am afraid to put the sampler aside fearing I will never return for completion.

 

More shopping for Carole tomorrow and I'll finish the outside decorating.  December 1 is the day mom passed away seven years ago.  So hard to accept how quickly time is passing.  Sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times, like it was so long ago.  December is already here with Christmas in a few weeks.  Summer is getting closer.

 

Have a good week ~ thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!  Mark is working, my sister is enjoying the day with her son and grandson's family, and I'll be dusting, sweeping, and drinking cough medicine.  Is this the correct spelling of relapse?  I put the rest of the paper mache away for another time, and decided to donate several dozen of the last shipment to the nursing home.  They are ivory inside and out and I think they would be perfect for craft activity, either applying stickers or coloring with highlighters, and residents could make a pretty little box to keep or give as a gift.  Maybe I'll get a few books of stickers for them too.

 

A few boxes are listed on the Sampler Box page if you are interested. 

 

 

When reading Ellen's blog With my Needle, I saw that she purchased sampler note cards.  Without local shops, I don't know if they are something commonly found but they sure aren't easy to find online.  Great gift for stitching buds and to have for personal handwritten notes which are always appreciated.  If you want to check them out you can find ordering information here.  The photo and offer is from Morven Museum in New Jersey.  Now I'm seriously considering using my sampler photos to make note cards and sets.

 

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Stay safe ~ thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

Crabby is putting it mildly

Well, no one is coming to measure for the soapstone today.  Why?  We drove out twice, chose our slabs, paid for half, worked out the base cabinet and apron sink that would be made in their shop.  Right there.  Perfect fit.  I sent emails and photos, received calls asking for cabinet details, and talked to them four times. Yesterday, the day before they were to come out, they inform me that the sink cabinet needs to be in place before they will come out to template the counter.  What?  They're making both.  The opening is exactly 30".  What more do they need?  Almost $1000 to build one 30" wide, plank door, short sink base, before they come out.  Are you fricking kidding me?  After all these months waiting and now they tell me this?  If that's the case, the cabinet should have been built along with the fitted sink and delivered at which time they could have measured for the counter.  The new one will be exactly the same width as the current one and they also want the old top removed in order for them to measure. I don't understand.  I can't tell you how disgusted I am and honestly, I may get Formica and stainless steel which is guaranteed to be installed and completed in a week, and I'll have eight grand to spend on something else.  Sorry to bitch and rant and complain but nearing the end of this frustrating project, I didn't expect another contractor to fail me.  By the time Dominic builds this piece that will be out of square and foreign to his knowledge, it's installed, they reschedule for the template, I will never have it before Christmas. How do you install a cabinet with a plywood platform for a single bowl apron sink, into an existing double bowl/drain without cutting up the platform to get it in?  Remove the sink and water supply and wait for weeks until they fabricate the job?  No.  I'm not willing to do that while needing the kitchen for the holidays, just because they need a new 30" base instead of the 30" existing base in order to measure.  Matches will not be enough, I may invest in a flamethrower.

 

Thanksgiving. 

Yes I have much to be thankful for.  Do I feel guilty for being in this mood?  Yes.  And no.

Do we have to be in a good mood to be grateful?  No we don't.  We have many emotions, hormones or not, and they can't all be squeezed into one neat package of happy for the day.  Sometimes we're crabby and that's OK.
I will get over it, move past it, laugh it off, and come up with a solution.  In the end, it's just a kitchen.  I have a roof over my head and food on the table, clothes on my back, cats on my bed, family, and you guys. 

Ahhhhh. That felt good and the crab is slipping back into the water.  But he won't go too deep, he'll be back.
Thanks.

Be thankful, be yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving.