White crap!

WTH???  Little rotten flakes falling from the sky.  Just a brief period, but what do you expect when you need a coat and the furnace is still running.

 

Very pleased with the slight change in the blue.  The single stitched line of a letter didn't show very well compared to the multiple lines in the people.  Using a slightly lighter shade worked perfectly.  The letters stand out better and looking at the piece, you wouldn't know they are different blues.  Several more errors but who the heck can tell in this piece?  It's all over except for the outside border.

 

While everything is wet (and cold) outside, I burned all the extra papers and non recyclable items, including quite a few paper mache boxes that I will not use.  At the last minute, I decided to keep a few small rounds so I stuck them in my sweatshirt.  And forgot. 

I couldn't figure out why I kept knocking into things on the table and counter.  Good thing it was cold and I didn't decide to take a walk.  I think the neighbors have had enough of strange attire.  My frayed edge fabric on the front was fused and sewn to cover paint stains.  Never did add the buttons.

 

Because of the weather, I have 5 huge ferns and three cats inside.  And I look around to see where Missy is and as usual, her muddy paws are either on my linen, on the sofa, on the bed, or in a closet.  She is such an imp.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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The floss dance

Happy weekend.  Got rain?  After two days of decent weather with intermittent rain, we are once again chilly and soaked. 

This morning I planned on a drive to Pat Catan's for floss.  I have enough to go around the world but not in the color I wanted.  The letters between the blue people weren't showing well and I wanted a shade lighter, so checking the floss bible, 3755 was one lighter than 334. 

Simple.  Go to the floss box.  Why isn't it in there?  Could it be in the pile on the sofa?  Nope. Maybe pulled for something else?  It would take longer to go through that mess than get dressed and go to the store. I hate to go out in the rain for one skein of floss.  Then I remembered,

the wicker trunk upstairs that is filled with Betty's floss.  The envelopes before and after 3755 were filled with 5 skeins each, but no 3755.  Then I remembered,

the bag filled with little bags of floss by number.  These were the extras I planned on Ebay'ing years ago.  Well right on top, there it was, 3755.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As my mom would say, "now we're cooking with gas".  Good to go.  After dancing around various storage methods, I have my color.  I'm staying home! 

 

Then I see 3760 and realize THAT was the perfect color for the blue people.  Too late.  But is there something a liiiiiittle bit darker than the 3755?  Looking at the bible again, I see 813, a possibility.  Pulling it, it's no different than the 3755.  The tiniest bit darker maybe, but certainly close enough. 

 

So I didn't have to dance at all this morning if I would have looked at the DMC samples a little more and found 813 in the box.  Now I can return 3755 to the 3700 bag and keep that group intact.  Why?  I don't know.  It's nice having backup inventory but two?

 

Mark has been golfing and I was looking forward to several days of quiet, no TV, no sister appointments, no one asking "why are you doing that".  I wanted to get the polyurethane on the back area of the stove but I screwed it up, then the paint beneath softened and peeled in a few places.  So two days have been wasted sanding it all down, cleaning the dust EVERYWHERE, and priming, painting again.  But if I didn't run out for primer I wouldn't have seen the fern sale.  I'm not touching it again for a few days and plan on working in the sewing room instead with a bag of Dove.

 

Monday I will go to Pet Supplies Plus and buy a few pounds of mixed dog treats for the shelter.  Our friend went through a horrific ordeal and lost her dog, now she has unexpectedly lost another.  I think the homeless dogs that may not be saved, would enjoy some treats in memory of two that were lucky to be so loved.

 

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Fern sale

Hey.  Just came back from Lowe's and they have beautifully full ferns for $8, not sure how long the sale is in effect.  Originally $14.98.  Thought I'd let you know - I didn't see this advertised.

 

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Time is flying

Hiya.  The caps are coming in.  I ordered a few rolls of the Washi tape and the smaller bronze caps too (BF25).  Only $2.85 for eight with no additional shipping, couldn't let them go.  They will be very small berries!  I can spray paint with one of the metal colors if they are too dark.

 

The berry pattern I used is in a mess upstairs and I will post the measurements if anyone wants to use them.  Since the top needs to be narrow, the standard templates weren't working for me.  I did find that stuffing it to the very very top with just enough fabric to close made the top narrower.  So I used my letter opener and just kept packing the walnut shells in.  For one of them to fit the cap, I needed to add more shells and then I laid a tiny piece of muslin over them before I gathered it closed.  The fabric didn't quite meet but the muslin beneath held the shells from escaping.

 

After pulling all the teals, I decided on 503 for the row above the blue people.  The greener 523 looked really nice but it seemed to predictable for this funky piece.  I also had to remove the letters in the center because I misread that symbol, they are to be blue.  After working on the very light vase at the bottom, this sampler is fantastic.  I'm very glad that I used the darker Sea Glass.

 

High Sunday will be 49.  Before and after, 60.  All during, rain.

If you have sun, enjoy it!

 

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Got dirt?

Greetings folks.  The sun was out today and although I still needed a sweatshirt in the morning, by afternoon it was warm and sunny.  The rain is moving back and darkness is returning.  A walk around the house, as I do every spring wondering what to do with the house siding, my blue angels surprised me.  My goodness they sprout fast.

 

Each is in a different stage, from the tightly rolled cigars to the big girl leaves.

The huge Blue Angels are probably my favorite and I have shown them before. 

 

My second is a simple chartreuse that matches sweet potato vines, my favorite color to mix in with any flower.  Those vines are the deer's favorite also.  I purchased two many years ago and have asked every year since, never to find this color in a solid again.  The closest has a yellow edge but I want the solid.  A local greenhouse (DJ's in Transfer) specializes in Hostas and has a vast selection, but not this one!  We purchased several Yard Enforcers to stop the critters from eating everything.  My neighbor has used this method for years, right along the wooded areas, with great success.  Don't hurt 'em, squirt 'em.

 

This is a photo from DJ's gallery - I see so many unique plantings like this feathery white one, but with our top 8" of orange clay with unending blue clay beneath, we just waste our money. When we dug a very large hole to fill with good soil, it became a pool of water after rains.  The water can't perk through the clay so it follows the path of least resistance, my good dirt.  We've tried everything, amended with all including gypsum.  We're done!  Someone's blog showed their gorgeous landscaping and there was a sparse chartreuse tree with very short needles on weeping branches.  Loved it.  I did have the name and checked locally, they never heard of it, and I've since lost the note.  Probably best anyway because it would certainly not survive on this property. 

 

Almost done with Mary.  Have a spectacular weekend.  I'll settle for good.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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A little birdie told me

 

that some of you are trying to find The Examplarery's Mary Spinney from 1990.  I did a search and came across a hydroponic growing site that seems to also have some stitchery.  Spinney is in kit form, with the linen, unopened, for $52.  The linen is not as dark as mine but listed as olive green. I did not click the Buy button to see if it was still available or any other info on shipping but you can do that if you are interested.  Here is the page....

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/store/The-Examplarery-Mary-Spinney-Plymouth-AS-Sampler-Kit_300560084059.html

 

Today I am signing up for a health care/Medicare plan, choosing from the options that can make your head spin.  I have it down to two, will probably choose the BC Advantage plan and then switch to a Medigap full coverage in fall.

 

It's still rainy and chilly here, rain the rest of the week and only around 60 this weekend and continuing into next week.  Poor husband has a 3-day golf outing!

 

Nitzy appeared last night and I thought he was someone else's cat.  The mud was packed down to his skin, all over, and he appeared gray or light brown.  I used Wet Ones and gently petted him but after 20 sheets, I wasn't making a dent.  Switched to a thick washcloth but I need to really rub opposite to get to his skin.  Some blood from those claws that are sharper than a fishing hook, and he went to the garage for the night.  This morning I tried combing the dried mud clumps and broke most of them up, but he is still coated with the dirt and a light brown color.  Little by little, cautiously, with gloves on. 

 

Enjoy your day.

 

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