Grab 'n go

got up and went.  I have been so thoroughly discombobulated lately that I can't focus to think clearly.  I think Mary Ann needs different linen and the stash is such a mess, I don't know where to start.  All the recent orders for more fabric is my way of trying to muster interest in continuing to stitch.  I took out all the big girls that I really would like to do, but just can't bring myself to start.  So when all else fails, go back to the pile. 

 

For right now, this is my choice.  Tonight anyway.  But I see this on a darker bronze/green/brown linen with not many floss changes in the body.  But wild birds.  Red, bright blue, gold, lots of color at the bottom.  So that's the plan today.  We'll see what tomorrow brings. I so hate pulling out linen for color and size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Budman has been enjoying the hot lazy days and is usually on the swing with me.  Yesterday he kept head butting me to scratch him, so I did.  He reciprocated.  I should buy peroxide in a gallon.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a good day.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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

 

Starting over

Something just didn't (still doesn't) feel right.  I didn't know if it was the backstitched border, the Broom Stick Brown, the thread, or the color.  So I grabbed another piece that I believe is 32 count and started over.  But something still isn't right and the first try border and linen are gone so they weren't the problem.  The blue may be too strong for me (it's brighter than the photo).  The linen too light.  Something.  May do another grab 'n go later.

 

 

I had one tiny tiny cap and didn't think I could make a berry small enough.  But I did, all 2" of it.  I know many of you are asking for sources but it took me quite a long time and many hours to find them, and I plan to sell the finished berries.  I am not offering the seller as I did with the other caps, not now, but maybe soon.  I did not order through Etsy.  As I continue to rid the supplies in my sewing room, I may just decide not to bother with them.  You'll be the first to know.

 

August.  Augh.  Can't believe it. 

I am bitch, hear me roar.

 

Have a great start to the final weeks of summer. 

 

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

 

Berry pickin'

 

Removing all the years of supplies for projects I intended to make and never did.  Some new items have taken preference.

 

 

Maybe I should be using the materials and supplies everywhere to get projects ready for Christmas sales instead of stitching.

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

Flower thread

Hello!  I can't believe it's August tomorrow!  To say I'm crabby is putting it quite mildly.  Hope your weekend is going well.

 

Choosing the next project is such a chore for me.  I could take weeks and still be undecided, and by then, Mary Ann Bradbury should be finished.  She is small but interesting with dividing bands of different yet easy stitches.  The recommended thread is flower thread.  I knew I had some and surprised myself when I found it.  Truth be told it was by accident but that's irrelevant.  

 

Do I enjoy stitching with it?  Yes and no.  I like the thickness and only having to use one strand.  But in this small area, I have made several errors and the flower is delicate.  A good yank and it breaks, the twist loosens, and it leaves behind fuzz when removed.  For me, very similar to using wool thread.  This is 30 count, chart calls for 25. 

 

 

  

Mary Ann is by R&R from 1994, reproduction from Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  Another small simple marking sampler with great colors.  I will probably continue with the flower thread but I'm picturing this with DMC and ..... ah..... I think I would prefer it.  The linen is the Broom Stick brown that I don't like.  Just grabbed the top of the linen pile and the top of the small sampler pile.  Best way for me to start a project while deciding to start a project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the zucchini bread, it's a different kind of chocolate flavor being mostly from cocoa, not as sweet as the traditional box cake.  There is no liquid in the recipe and I made the mistake of removing too much moisture from the zucchini.  It shouldn't be wrung out for this, maybe just drained in a colander for a bit.  We think it's very good and I like the strong cocoa flavor.  There may be a tie with the bundt recipe (here).

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

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

 

Saturday baking

And it's that wonderful cocoa aroma.  Instead of making the usual chocolate zucchini bundt cake that brings me to my knees, I tried something new.  Mark prefers nut breads or banana bread to cake so I gave this one a try.

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread

(click for the recipe)

 

Good grief.  I already burned my mouth snatching a corner crumb.  The aroma is wonderful and waiting for it to cool is unbearable.  There is a difference in scratch cake made with cocoa and this one also adds chocolate chips.  The pan is dusted with cocoa instead of flour.  I was cooking with zucchini all day and left it shredded in colanders for over an hour, then double wrung in flour sack toweling.  The recipe doesn't specify to do that but I always do. The video states 325 degrees but the written portion states 350 which is what I used.  I think this will surpass the box cake bundt but I won't know until I consume at least half of the loaf.  That's the only way to get a really accurate analysis.

 

Tried a few new zuke recipes and still come back to this quiche (recipe here).  The pizzarelles Mark makes are addictive but I wanted something that freezes well for the excess.  An elderly friend gave him the recipe, made for wild mushrooms, and he called them pizzarelles.  Haven't met anyone yet that doesn't like them!

 

Dinner will be the stuffing mix meatloaf that Carole's friends rave about.  I always use the onion soup mix and we love that one, but thought I'd give this a try.  In the oven now. 

 

All the tops fit Carole and the best deal of the bunch was this $70 pink sweater with black beading and embroidery for $7.98.  A little short for her liking but I told her to wear a longer black blouse beneath and let it hang.  Seems to be the style now anyway.  Problem solved.  She stopped over on her way to dinner with the girls last night and she had on a top I had not seen before.  When asked, "it's new and really cheap from a catalog".  Looked nice to me!  Then today, she felt like a Panera and drove there for a sandwich!  Girl, you have no money!!  As I've said before, when people ask if I have children I answer, "yes, I have a 78 year old daughter".  She is a stinker.

 

Enjoy your weekend.

I hope to pick the next project and paint those boxes.

 

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

 

Better late than never

Sorry!  Everyone was entered into Random and all I had to do was hit the button at 4, but I started playing with Lucy.  Lots of moving and manipulating but I worked out a label for the square boxes.

I didn't realize how much time I was spending on it, but I finally hit the button.  Mimi Gannaway will be receiving the tags.  She sent in an email along with 18 others that I added to the comment entries.

 

Thanks everyone!  Mimi, I hope you like the tags!

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