My last visit to James Creek

James Creek Galleries and Meander Hill in Youngstown Ohio are the only two shops that I like to visit.  James is closing.  The Amish market stand that we visit is in Volant so I decided to stop for one last time.  Their 40-70% off sale starts Saturday but everything is 30% off this week, 40% off Americana.  There were some fall and Christmas items mixed among the wares.  Not wanting anything new for display, I came home with four evergreen bunches for holiday decorating, two gourds that I could not resist, and two pillow shams.  I only purchased one of each color and style.

 

The pear gourds are a good size, sit perfectly, with great stems.  Who could pass them up for $5?  The shams are queen size in a heavy woven material which I plan to sew into bags.  I will miss that shop.

 

 

We've been painting the stair rail and trim in the small foyer, and the door in that hallway to the half bath (with Moore's Dove Wing).  I would love to have a color in a room but decided to follow through with shades of white as planned, except for the powder room.  It may be the colors shown leaning against the wall, Shaded White for the trim, but I am considering colonial yellow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wall cabinet will be coming down and we're removing the drywall and building a larger built in cabinet in that wall.  Remember decades ago when everything had a heart cutout?  I can see a colonial yellow cabinet with black rattail hinges.  Guess I'll be heading out for paint samples tomorrow.  The mirror over the pedestal sink is turned sideways, and I added black hooks on it.  Unfortunately, my tiny Italian aunts could not see themselves in it!!  Oh to be that short. 

 Seems it was only yesterday that I was complaining about August starting, and it's already half gone. 

 

Happy Friday!

 

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House complete!

Hi folks.  How was the weekend?  Fall is closing in quickly isn't it?  The correct answer is yes, dammit.  I know there are many of you whose favorite season is Fall, and one of our favorite sampler stitchers loves winter.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion even when we don't agree, maybe the country can take a lesson on how gracious and respectful stitchers are to one another!  From 14 count white Aida to 48 count dark linen, from cute little motifs to massive samplers, from cotton threads to high end silks, from freebies to expensive kits, we respect others' preferences/choices/likes/abilities.  As it should be.

 

Now, here's my progress.  It's been so long since I filled in a larger area, I forgot about directional change.  My wonky stitches are usually always uneven because of my tension issues.  I use the sewing method and do the first half and then return for the cross, which creates obvious horizontal rows. 

When I stitched horizontal and then vertical to complete the stitch, it created a really nice appearance, even and neat.  I don't know if you can see the difference between the solid areas and the door (the only part done in two directions) but I can!  No visible rows on the door.

The satin stitch rows beneath the house are over four threads, three rows of different greens, and I'm wondering if I should use three threads instead of two.  I'm done for the night, eyes are terribly dry today, tomorrow I will test the coverage.  Two doesn't look bad, and it's a small area of the sampler so it will not be noticeable.  I'm close to finishing this first page and realize that the amount of linen to the piece will be a problem for me at some point.  I used to be able to roll and hold the excess but my arthritis is taking a very sharp turn to WTH!!

 

Can you find my Monkey Mona?

 

Taking Carole to the doc tomorrow.  Today I  had my eye makeup tattoo touched up after three years.  For a week after having this done, I have to keep the area greased with Aquaphor and the very dark eyebrows and excess ink will slough off.  Until then, I look gorillaish.  So I'll wait in the car.

 

Have a good week!!

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Quick! For a change.

You know how decision making has become a real problem for me.  I am happy to announce that I have tried to correct that, and I'm making progress.  Little tasks are finally being accomplished. 

 

Today, I spotted these boxes, one waiting for a label.  Since my files are mostly gone, I need to start fresh and have no intention of spending the hours and ink trying different pieces.  So I grabbed several unframed pieces and held them up, bingo. 

 

A few looked good with it but Barbara Schlater looked the best, color and compliment to the top box.  I didn't look any further, did not try them all again, did not pull out any others.  That was easy and it's a good feeling to not drag my butt for weeks thinking about it.  Eureka! 

 

 

I made some progress on the house and realized that even though I love to see them in samplers, I do not like to stitch them in samplers.  The side will have a two color pattern, not as much repetition.

 

Someone is enjoying another very cool morning.  It's been feeling more like September than August!

 

Hope your weekend is great!

 

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Page turner

Hi folks.  One week gone in August already.  Hard to believe, tough to swallow. 

 

This Ann Hicks sampler is the first in memory, maybe the first ever, that I have stitched from a magazine.  The closest I've been is the very large fold out page from Scarlet Letter's big girls.  Stitching fully across starting at top left is my way, right wrong or indifferent.  Sometimes the border would be completed across top and left side as a way to keep an eye on errant stitches.  How many times I have changed the body to align with the border, only to realize later that the border had the error.  Obviously, not a good method.  This project is eight pages and I will complete one before moving on.  My habit is hard to break and I did extend the top area into the next page, and may do that again just to complete a motif or color.  Maybe it won't be as daunting as seeing the entire project at one time.  Another first, the majority of Ann is motif, not my usual alphabet or verse.  I'm sure the majority of you work page by page, but I'm wondering if there are any rebels out there that can't break their routine pattern of stitching?

 

Back on my feet, I worked a little last night and am starting the house.  Yay!  Why do we all love those houses?  Am I tempted to change its color?  You bet, but I won't.  Damn.  I'm growing up!   I found a few minor errors in the chart so far.  The large star in the top center looks light in the magazine photo but the chart says dark plum.  I like the plum! 

 

 

This is for Vickie's Emerson, a finish carpenter who knows why levels are important, unlike the carpenter who turned a very short staircase into a fun house.  I guess if you have continual vertigo, you're not sure if it's your eyes or the walls that are leaning!  Any carpenter knows, starting with a unlevel surface makes everything done after, crooked as well.  This beam is close to 2" wider at the bottom.  Mark wants to tear it off and start over and I told him it's not that important.  Once it's painted, it may not be noticeable.  If it is, I'll hang a candle sconce or slim basket on it!

 

It's been a long long while since I've felt like stitching a large sampler.  Hope it continues.  This may end up being in my top ten list of favorites.

Have a great day!!

 

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Morning spin

Yep.  Vertigo again, not too bad though.  Preventing me from stitching, very little progress the other day.  I really want to get back to this sampler.  Just love it!

 

 

 

After heavy downpours last night, this morning is again cool, I love the sun on greens.  Ferns are doing very well.

 

The garden is not.  A few tomatoes but most have the fungal wilt.  Slugs took down the brussel sprouts, the zucchini rot as they develop, the sugar snaps are yellow, very few peppers.  After the June flooding and rains, not enough time for recovery.  Just like dealing with tint in paint, you can always add, but can't take it away.  That's the story of the garden's water. 

 

Speaking of paint, it would be best for me to stay off Pinterest.  Rooms and sites that changed to a white scheme and inspired me to switch to a clean look, are adding color.  Silly people.  Don't they know how vulnerable I am?

 

Enjoy your day.  I'll be sleeping off the Meclizine.

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Things

Just a few.  Not really.  the I was browsing Pinterest and happened to see my old photo of the tub I hung from a hook years ago.  Must have been a good idea since LTD Commodities and several others are now selling a hook with a galvanized tub!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were several others that have a stronger and nicer hook, but you get the idea.

 

That may have been a good idea but what I did before leaving for Cleveland, was not!  I wanted to update my Garmin GPS, not for directions, just to tick off that evil witch inside when I refuse to turn left.  What else would you call someone who tells you to turn when doing so would require crashing through concrete barriers into oncoming traffic? 

 

Garmin's website looked exactly the same as it always does.  So I clicked on the update option and your name, email, phone number, and GPS model were to be entered.  I did.  The phone rings and it's Garmin from India.  (A sure sign that it's customer service.)  In order to download the 40 minutes of new maps, remote access is required.  I didn't think twice since my laptop manufacturer has done that several times for repairs.  I followed the instructions but my GPS would not connect to the laptop, he showed me thousands of entries from trojans and malware and said they were the cause.  So he downloaded a program and removed them, my GPS connected, and the maps were downloading.  If I wanted to keep my computer free of trojans I could purchase a security program from him.  Hmmm.  That's odd.  It wasn't until two days later that I called Garmin and found that their website is regularly copied by scammers.  I gave them the phone numbers I was given to purchase and other info, removed anything new in my program listing, and changed my password.  Too late though.  I don't keep any important info, no phone link, and I don't see any problems.  Usually they infect you and then charge a huge amount for removal but I think this guy just wanted to sell a fake program or get my card number.  Lesson learned. 

 

When I took the flowers and medications to Carole's yesterday, the rep from LifeVest was there.  The large wound she has under her breast, (there was blood on the vest), was because of what we suspected.  The first rep knew nothing.  The fit was FOUR inches too large and those metal packs and electrodes were moving constantly, wearing off her skin and setting off the alarms.  Carole told her it felt too loose but it made no matter.  She also never showed her the proper way to wear the control unit so it doesn't injure your skin, another wound on her shoulder.  Yet this incompetent employee suffers no consequences and keeps her job which seems to be the norm these days.

 

And speaking of incompetence, check out the work by the new carpenter we hired.  The drywall I tore off a few weeks ago was the short wall that confined the stairs.  We hired him to install hew railing and trim.  The long board against the wall is cut 2.75" at the top, and tapers to 2" in the center, goes back to 2.75" at the bottom.   WTH??  The wall is perfectly level and we will have to remove the board and replace it with one that is cut properly.  How hard is it to keep 2.75 the entire way when using a fence on the table saw?  He used our equipment, we know the fence is spot on.  I did not ask to see his level or his square because he was recommended, but I don't believe he owns either.

 

 

 

Not only could he not calculate the correct distance between balusters, the wide board trim beneath is not cut straight at the top edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He obviously cut short and then pieced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And did not know how to fit with a mitered edge, so he stuck a piece on.

 

Mike (my other guy that couldn't work because of PTSD) called me for work and stopped at the house.  He is a different man.  Never mentioned the PTSD which he did every 15 minutes before, laughing, joking, bought a new $75000 truck, all after receiving his full disability approval for over $3000 a month (we did not need to hear his finances).  Remarkable recovery.  Jason knows Mike and was here at the same time, said his dad was asked to join this group of five men but refused to go along.  Ah yes, Jason the gorgeous was here too and is coming back.  Mike and Jason are two that actually know their craft, and Mike will re-do the stair railing for me.

 

Well that was long wasn't it??? 

 

Beautiful day once again, cool mornings and nights, it's coming.  NOOOO!!!!

 

Have a great start to your week.

 

Thanks again for your prayers!!  And for the visit.

 

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