My little peacock

Hey!  How the hell are you?  For those of you struggling with an issue, reach out to someone for help or comfort.  You may be surprised at the angels among us.

 

The little peacock from the needle book that I had to stitch for a label is so stinkin' cute.  I don't know if I will add a hanger for an ornament, or just display as is.

  

 

I've abbreviated several designs lately and have been pleased with all of them.  One day, when I remember, I would like to pull motifs from samplers for very small ornaments.  Not easy to find smalls small enough for miniature Christmas trees.  Of course, using a high linen count would make designs smaller, but would also make me crabbier.

 

I used Aleene's Tacky glue this time instead of my usual fabric glue and it worked just as well so I am switching.  Such a quick and neat close, all it takes is a thin line on the edge.  I never use it from the bottle nozzle because it's too much.  Instead, I dip a very thin brush or even the tip of a needle to apply. Cute, huh?

I am sanding and gluing today, hope to have the sale start Sunday and will let you know for sure on Friday.  If you think I've been annoying with the problems I've been having, think of how I feel! 

 

I will have the sander in one hand and the hose in the other as I jump around squirting woodpeckers off the siding. I better check the amps on the sander.

 

Have a good day folks.

 

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The error of my ways

I am so sorry.  Why didn't anyone tell me?  I started stitching the peacock needle keep again for a freaking label.  The original is on dark linen which does not transfer well for labels and since the second new printer will not work (for my use) and I only need that freaking little bird to complete the sets, I am stitching it again on lighter linen.  But wait.  This chart isn't correct!  His tail feathers were screwed up and missing a plume.  That got my tail feathers and plumes in a tizzy.  How could I have missed it?  Someone plucked his plume!  So I corrected both the print and the color charts, both under the FREE tab.  If I ever do another freebie and there is a glaring error, please let me know.  Well, maybe no one planned to stitch it and never saw it!

Anyway, Canon customer service informed me that nothing should be applied over their inkjet prints.  Nothing.  Not only do I seal before gluing, I use several coats of gloss to protect them since they will be tossed around.  So, I cannot use my new printer #2.  It produces quality prints and other inkjets have the same setup, using pigment for black and dye for the colors yet there is no problem with color change when sealing.  I am giving up.  I will complete the sets and few boxes and that's it.  This is the fourth time we cut and sanded and drilled and glued and matched.  Why?  Because nothing has gone right, and here's another example.  Before and after spraying with a gloss finish.  NON-YELLOWING gloss finish.  No way to remove them so out they went.  The second batch went out because I tried a new glue that was a disaster.

Received my order from 123 today.  Got a few more pieces of Tin Roof which of course were different from my first.  These discrepancies are never the fault of the shop and 123's policy is the best.  You can quickly return if not up to your expectations or off in color.  I also got Weeks 1331 Brick and Gentle Art's 0350 Mulberry overdyed floss and they are both really nice for Santas.  Another skein looked green on the Weeks website (which I needed) but it's medium brown, the same shade as most of my dark linens.

 

Hard to believe September is coming to an end.  I must have been so wrapped up in trying to get these items worked out that the month got away from me.  It won't be long before the Golden Girls are taken off Hallmark for months of Christmas movies. Damn.

 

Have a good week!!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Good thing I have thick hair

because I've been pulling it out. 

But some of us have not a care in the world.

Did I ever mention how I LOVE the gingham oilcloth I got at JoAnn's?

 

Finally received the recommended printer that I ordered online.  The original one that all the labels are tweaked for, is not coming back to life after $86 worth of new ink.  So I bought new ink for the other HP that doesn't have the quality print of the one that died, and had to rescan and rephoto all the labels because it printed the files so far off color.  Even then, several designs did not print well. The Canon arrives (their ink is usable in several models so if it dies, I can transfer the cartridges to another) and I start the process over again for some of the labels.  Everything works fine, quality is better, worked out the color changes and such, printed.  Was almost to the finish line.  Almost.  In order to clean the edges when gluing from excess and fingerprints, the paper must be sealed.  Matte Modpodge.  Always worked fine, clear, no smears.  Here is the final page of peacock labels.  As I was applying the Mod, I saw something happening.  They turned mauve.  The two on the right, second and third down, are as they should be.  The other freaking pink ones have a thin coat of ModPodge.  I have never ever ever had this much trouble. 

 

And I never heard of ModPodge changing the colors of a photo or print.  So another printer and another set of individual ink cartridges, worthless. 

 

Where's a can of icing when you really need it?

 

Hope all is well with y'all.

To Sarah.  I'm sorry I can't help with the lost blogs.  I follow blogs and updates on the dashboard page's Reading List.  I click on the orange G in top corner and it opens.  I am not Google+ , and you are now no-reply as is everyone that signed up for Google+.

 

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Thank you

I felt a virtual hug!  I'm not down, in fact, I'm giddy.  When I realized the sign in front of me read Exit, I started giggling.  When my husband gives me that what are you doing look, I start giggling.  My knuckles really hurt when they were smacked into the edge of the stone, but I giggled.  Still, your comments made me smile, and I am on a roll this morning. 

 

Santa will be Mulberry and I will hit the Order button and send it through.  Not taking into consideration his green bag, the coat's light trim, the light beard, was a big mistake.  Once I looked at all the other colors involved (and changed), Santa will be just fine.  The Magma is locked and loaded.

I am going through a bookcase with neat stacks of years of magazines and sending them to the recycler.  I have every issue of Early Homes, most of Simple Life and Primitive Place.  Holding on to those but will revisit and then sell off.  (Do I really need to waste time going through them?  No.  Out.)  That's progress.  Getting rid of clutter and opening space always feels good too.  Why Madam, I believe you deserve a chocolate for that.  And if anyone is interested in cream cheese frosting, here's what I found.  I always keep a canister of it on hand but much prefer the real deal.  Last time I needed it, I also had Philly in the fridge, so I softened and added more than half a brick to half of the canister.  Sooooo good.  Less sweet more cream cheesy, I loved it.  You can adjust the amount of Philly while you're blending and get the right taste for you.  Easy peasy.

 

I have lots to do today - should be getting to it.

 

Thanks for visiting!  And for being so sweet.

 

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Am I the only one...

that is out of sorts? 

...feeling like you're falling off the planet? 

...choosing the wrong stall in the restroom? 

...picking a new printer after hours of research that is not in stock online or in stores?

...squirting yourself in the eye with bug killer? 

...getting in the wrong car AGAIN? 

...standing in front of large glass doors that say EXIT waiting for them to open?  

...staring at an online thread order that never gets ordered? 

...seeing hornies and boxes and squares everywhere and wondering when the hell you'll get organized? 

...calculating calories of the tall canister of cream cheese frosting that you ate with a spoon? 

...wondering why she rudely says to shut-up in the KMart commercial?

...wondering if menopause can go into remission, play with your head, and then whack you upside it? 

...getting distracted by a stink bug?

 

A stink bug.  Staring in wonder at an almost square and flat bug.  I don't know what's going on, maybe the season change and my woe at losing summer.  I posted recently about being distracted, but this is like being in a stupor.  Snap out of it!

 

As for the fricking Santa, problems problems.  This linen came out very nice from the dip, but something is not right.  For me, the threads look mauve and cool on this Gunmetal, even the warmer reds.  I can't seem to settle on a good shade and ordering overdyed online is a crap shoot.  I have several GAST reds and Mulberry looks the best, less of a pink-red.  DMC 221 blends nicely with it and I may mix in a few strands to ensure I will have enough.  Shown in the photo is the red I dyed twice and used on this project, but I removed it.  It looks good on everything else but not on this odd blue. My options are to test the Mulberry thread or start over on brown linen.  As soon as I'm aware of my surroundings and my eye stops burning from the bug spray.

 

 

The boys are enjoying the weather.  I'm enjoying a few bags of Dove but they were better dipped in the icing.

 

Have a good week.  Hope you pick the right stall.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Call me crazy

Go ahead.  It's OK.  When it comes to color, I have a real problem.  This Gunmetal is perfect for a night sky, but it is bugging the crap out of me.  I see a purplish cast and I hate reddish blues.  We all see color differently and it may be a perfect dark blue to others.  I mixed the dye until I got the right greenish brown and after a quick dip, the difference is subtle, the purplish cast is toned down, not as harsh.  On the right is my dip after drying, and the left is the original.  You may not even see the change.  I could do another dip but why push it?  I like the color, just wanted to warm and tone a little. 




If my ankle wasn't killing me, I would do a happy dance.  But the way I've been flashing tonight, give me a few minutes.  I may change my mind.
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EDIT - I did.  So I dipped again!  A little more toning and it's perfect.  It's a beautiful midnight blue sky now.  Whew.  I may order another piece now that I know I can adjust it.  But then again, who knows if it will come in the same shade?

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