Climbing out of a slump

may be helped by organization.  When I don't feel like stitching, having to search for a chart in random piles, look for the right color of linen (and what is that count?), try to find the right pre-cut size, and then wonder why floss bags are missing from their chest, does not spur my mojo.  So while going through what to keep I decided to finally make some changes.  The clear sheet protectors were purchased long ago to protect the hundreds of freebie copies and small designs and group them in 3 ring binders.  So many of you organize your charts and I should have followed your lead years ago! I filled two paper grocery bags with duplicates and downloads to discard and now have a binder for Christmas, freebies, and a small one with tips and help, many hand written notes from readers.  Really nice to just flip through and see my options.  This thinning was done once before yet I still kept so many designs thinking I may one day like them enough to stitch.  If I haven't by now, I won't, and out they went.  I don't know if this will encourage me to pick up a needle again but making it more enjoyable to browse charts is certainly a step in the right direction.  No more loose papers in folders.  The large samplers will stay in a box, I'm only thinking of smalls right now.  To make this even easier, I may insert linen pieces between the two pages in the protector.

 

In addition to a box of old PS designs, this pile will be leaving, and I haven't gone through my completed charts yet, many of which I want to keep and that puzzles me.  I've already stitched it, why do I need it?  A few I may want to stitch again, but certainly not the large ones.  Yet there is an attachment.  My very first sampler charts decades ago, Safrona Ager, Lydia Bond, Hannah Breed, were thrown away and I wish I hadn't done that.  The charts are still available and I've considered buying them, but why?  To keep in a file?  I've resisted and do not plan to add charts already stitched to the stash (which is now very small).  The task of scanning and describing condition for so many will be a royal PITA.  Almost all are unused which helps.

 

I'm glad I finally organized somewhat and found a few designs that I may want to work on.  Are they new to me?  Nope.  Already stitched them but since I don't really want any other pieces for display, they will be gifts or offers.  It may feel good to pull that thread through the linen, but it may not.  I've been putting it off like a trip to the dentist, and honestly, if it wasn't for blogging and the FB stitching groups, I would pack everything away. 

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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And the sorting begins

Do you have one or two smalls that you love more than the others?  I do.  And I like having them on cords so I can move them at whim.  I hang them from frame corners, knobs, hooks, basket handles, window candles, sconces, sash locks, just about anywhere but on a cat.

 

 Especially when it's hot.

 

Or a drastic change in a day to cool and rainy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I started thinking about what I want to keep and what I want to sell.  Here's what I chose to keep, and my favorite smalls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Chums was a gift and never leaving but it shows how tiny the sampler is.  The rest of the pieces are iffy right now.  I know you think I'm off kilter for selling and you're probably right.  I've sold larger samplers before, and had no regrets, but that doesn't mean I won't now.  Why not put them away and think about it later?  Good idea, they would not take much room to store.  But I still feel the need to clean the slate and refresh.  Now, the samplers may be a different story.  The work involved was considerable for their size but there are some that I once loved and are now just tolerable.  Not because of the design, mostly because of my fabric choice or it has been hanging for too long and I am just tired of it.  That happens a lot with me which is why I am always wanting to change something in the house.  Usually by the time a contractor comes or a color is chosen, enough time has passed that I have already moved on with a new plan!

 

Shaker Woods Antique show in Columbiana Ohio is this weekend and we are getting an all day rain, they already cancelled day two.  Such a shame.  We go all summer with hardly a drop and when vendors set up, mostly outside, this happens.  It's needed but did it have to be this weekend?

 

Hope your weekend goes well. 

We went from over 90 to under 70 and I am crabby as hell.

I'll get over it.  In June 2019.

 

Stay safe!!

 

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Oh those wheelchairs

One of the reasons Lucy is a crabby girl.

One of the hundreds that I am.

 

 

 

Mark insisted we go for blood work today since he is golfing Friday.  Parking and then going inside to get a wheelchair, back to car for her, back inside, is a hassle because of the design of this idiotic medical center.  Handicapped parking (or any other) is no where near the entrance made to be more grand than functional.  They were packed and as much as I am indecisive, my husband is impatient.  But we stayed.  Until we found out that the doctor failed to sign the orders.  Back to the car, to the doctors, back to the clinic.  Still packed.  I chose the wheelchair with less width since I was scraping the door frames last time.  Much better.  As we sat waiting to be called, I told Carole to put the foot rests down.  No.  She didn't want to because she always lifts her feet or dangles them from those very short chubby legs.  I said, put the damn foot rests down.  No.  I couldn't reach them from the position of my seat so I reached over with her cane to push the flippers down.  Unfortunately, it slipped off and, well, let's just say she had more color in her face than I've seen in weeks.  And I started that laugh again that should never be done in public.  It's not loud, it just creates a very unattractive face scrunch that scares small children followed by a low snort.  Then she started.  And we hear our names being called so I unlock the wheel and start pushing the chair.  If I would have unlocked both wheels, she would not have done a semi circle and hit into the magazine table.  Now the scrunch is severe, squinting my eyes almost shut, causing me to misjudge the door.  We made it home safely, but needed to change our pants.

 

 

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The Ebay crap shoot

Hi folks.  Guess who's feeling better?  Yep.  I think we are over the hump.  Unfortunately, mine has increased enough to not allow zipping.  Needed to put on a decent outfit for a funeral home visit and ended up searching for the biggest tunic I have to cover that hump!  It doesn't matter if I am facing forward, backward, or sideways, waist to crotch looks the same at all angles.  I am so angry with myself for gaining it all back.  Just because there was anxiety and stress did not mean I had to stuff my face at every turn and explode out of my pants.  Dammit.

 

So I picked out a few charts (Plantation Sampler, Ann Medd) and checked Ebay for average prices.  Take a look at the discrepancy here.  One went for 67.99,  a week later another was 70.00, so a seller decided it would be a good time to list the same chart and only received a few bucks.  All three were sold this past August.  I check the completed listing box to see what sold and for what price.   Always a crap shoot on Ebay isn't it?

It's hot.  Ooooooh baby is it hot.  If there weren't so many bugs at night I would stay on the swing until midnight.

 

I was a little upset when we came home earlier today and found a pamphlet sticking out of my new expensive door, INSIDE.  It seems the famous religious group that visits homes decided to push my weather stripping away from the door and insert their material.  I was furious.  If they come back, I will show them the damage to the now crinkled vinyl.  That takes a lot of nerve!

 

Carole's blood work is Friday and doc on Monday so I have Thursday to stay home and rid the house of chocolate.  Of course, there are two ways to accomplish that.

 

Hope your week is going swell!!

 

Thanks for the visit.

 

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Once again,

thank you for all your help and suggestions.  She has tried a few products including Theraworks and Hyland's leg cramp pills, both of which did help.  For a brief period of time.  She is scheduled for blood work this week and the doc does not want her taking any supplements or vitamins until he sees what her mineral levels are after the massive diuretics so she can't take the mag pills.  Protein drinks, bananas, avocado, tonic water and a few other natural remedies aren't changing the intensity.  Doc is OK with electrolyte drinks to help but that's all until after the results.  I will order the topical Amish remedy on Amazon and give it a try along with the soap.  The cramps have become secondary to insomnia.  Now she can't sleep at all!  She said her entire upper body feels like restless leg syndrome and she can't settle.  This happened before and Valerian helped, Melatonin helped, but she still needs clearance before taking so hopefully that will happen next week. 

 

Tomorrow I am staying home all day.  No Meals on Wheels delivery to Carole.  I bought plenty of excellent frozen dinners that prepare in 10 or 15 minutes in one pan, and she is certainly well enough for a quick and simple task.  Bertolli's Chicken Carbonara is SO good along with other complete meals in minutes.  Maybe I'll send Mark out to find a produce stand with corn.  My favorite is Bodacious but August was busy and we missed the entire harvest.  First summer I didn't have cob corn twice a week.  Instead, I ate more chocolate and gained another 8#.  Whoa Nelly!  Time to pull back.

 

Before the season is over, this is for Miss Vickie the Pink Queen.

 

 

I plan to sell sampler charts and linen soon, any suggestions?  Should I offer them here, Ebay, or a FB stitching group?

 

  Happy Labor Day folks!!

 

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Bye bye summer

Eszter has a new design that is darling.  In case you didn't see it ....  from her blog ....

 

Pumpkin Heart 

 

I think we all love heart shaped designs.  I mentioned that I am tired of darker linen but what is the first thing I thought of?  A little darker linen!! 

 

 

The emailed pattern from her Etsy shop if you want to stitch this ....

https://www.etsy.com/listing/626829976/pumpkin-heart-primitive-cross-stitch

 

I'm making Brier Hill pizza tonight, Carole is craving it.  She's a little better but still too weak, and the night leg cramps are killers.  Pickles appear to work somewhat and the over the counter remedies are failing.  She is cautious of Gatorade, seems to make them worse.  Needs to watch the sodium because of the fluid retention so she is smack between a rock and a hard place.  All in good time, things will work out.  But not for my MN cousin who is now in hospice care.  Never heard of frontotemporal dementia before this.

 

Hope everyone has an enjoyable long weekend.  Can't believe it's September.  Still warm, but the month means Fall and that just pops my balloon.

 

Stay safe and enjoy the holiday.

 

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