Good grief

What a mess.  I thought I was doing really well!  The motifs were aligned on the left, counted from proper placement, double checked when each was started, and I am so off.  At first, being off one linen thread was not the slightest concern, even two would not be an issue with these motifs.  But I am way past that.

 I do not like charts that are divided into pages especially from a magazine, and trying to line up one to another is part of the problem.  The shaded overlap was fine, but the horizontal 

alignment was not and I couldn't see that. 

The bottom stag was good with the grass on one page, and the blue dog was good with the upper bird that was good with the plant that was good with the left edge and lined up with the small tree that was perfect beneath the green and purple dogs that were matched to the vase.  The 739 plant was going to be removed for a color change, but it needed moved anyway because the brown plant to the left of Vegas lined up with the green bird who is lined up with the tall left plant but it still ran into the 739 plant.  The blue dog is too high and too far for no good reason which made the large flower several stitches too high which bumped the Vegas gal's base that had to be removed and the stag was to be even with the plant because both should be three stitches down to match the horizontal line of the grass but there isn't even enough room for the fricking stag because the too high plant is also two stitches to the right.  Whew! If this wasn't so close to finish, the flames would be high and bright.

Petey's scratches look fine, but Nitzy's ear has lost all hair, the injury is much wider than at first, tissue is missing and the ear is so thin it is curling.  No way this wild child would wear a collar and the doctor doesn't even want to attempt it.  I am using an antibiotic cream but this is not looking good for healing.  I do it lightly while he's sleeping and so far, so good.

Hope your weekend won't be as frustrating as mine!

***********************

Duct tape

The fix-it for all things.  

I know this isn't interesting, but when you've been in a slump for as long as I have, do-dads and hickamabobs make it a little more exciting and a little less frustrating.

I'm not sure where my stitching spot will be but for now, the Dazor is at the left end of the sofa.  So far, I am hanging glasses, thread ends catcher, and scissors from it.  I wondered if the brass arm could be attached to its pole, and grabbed for the tape.  

Yep.  It certainly can.  I can swing it toward me, or push it away.  

If I keep this arrangement a huswife would be too long but a two pocket bag would fit.  I think all I really need is a soft spot for my glasses.

For Ann, my floss has been in the tote next to me, sort of like a Rolodex, with all other supplies and easy to cover and move. The amount of linen for the project along with spool huggers and the Magma was much easier to have in one bin.  The fitted cover protected all from the brats curling up for a nap.  My next project will be smaller and I will be trying thread drops on this brass rod. 

One little blip in this corner and I'll be closing in to the center tree.  Bottom border will be last so I can adjust if need be.  I do plan to change the 739 between Vegas and the small tree, just not visible enough.  The 950 flower in the bottom right is also barely noticeable and  I'm sorry I didn't use 758 in the little tree.  

I'll be putting forth extra effort to get this side completed, so anxious to work on the large center tree and call it a finish.  Soon!!!

Have a great day!!

***********************

Motif a day

Two more floral and smalls.  I do not like the stems in 739, barely visible, and I may replace with a green or tan.  For the next two florals I will use the 758 instead of 950, just to add more color to that corner.

Some motifs have been a little strange, but it's nothing like this sandwich. 

My aunt had a little sandwich wagon WAY back in time when the area was booming with steel mills and Westinghouse.  My sister worked with her during summers (I was an infant at the time) and the biggest seller was her Lenten sandwich.  Hundreds every Friday!  I don't know how she came up with this (or maybe it was common at the time) but it's weird.  And after I had one today, damn good.  But weird.

Start with a slice of white American cheese and ONLY white American (others do not work).
Spread a layer of cole slaw.  Yep.  Cole slaw.  I always add a little sugar to cut the bitterness.  You knew that I'm sure.
Top it off with a sliced hard boiled egg.  That's right.  Weird.

But it's not bad!  I enjoyed it.  My sister eats them (with two slices of cheese) throughout Lent and loves them.  I wondered if it was the memory of serving all those hunks or the actual sandwich and she still insists, it's the sandwich.  I think the hunks helped.

Not much interest in the threads holder so Mark decided to just make another for me and maybe a few that I could gift.  My current one does not have a magnet to hold needles or the hook for scissors and the brats don't bother it at all.  I can stand it in my tote when done for the day.  It's not meant for storage, just to hold the rings or bags while stitching.  Trying thread drops for the first time, I would prefer hanging them and handling less.

Thanks for visiting!!

**************************

And the printer is ....and the winner is....

Canon Pixma TR7520.  Scans, faxes, copies, prints. Very reasonable at Walmart online and in store for $79.  Higher end models slightly higher but I have too many huge bills right now.  Easy wireless setup and I learned something.  To stop Microsoft's automatic updates I changed my computer's wi-fi setting to metered.  Well, that setting doesn't keep the printer connected to the laptop after it shuts off.  Once I changed that, I had no problem.  The other quirk is going into the printer's Settings, Eco, and changing to allow the printer to turn on when a job is sent to it rather than manual.  Otherwise, it stays off.  So far, very pleased.

And the winner is .....

Karen Crowe

Please email your address to me at samplersandsantas@gmail.com.  I've decided to sell the second one and will offer it soon.  Thanks to all that participated, there was a total of 51 comment and email entries.  Thank you!

This is something we are making in limited quantity, two versions.  Mine is a similar one Mark made and it is a floss stand to hold threads neatly during a project.  If you use thread drops or any storage method of hanging thread, this tall one can handle rings, drops, individual cards.  

They will have a wood base and stem, brass arm.

The shorter model is perfect to hang your individual bags (my Floss-a-Way bags come with a hole) in numeric order and allows easy access to open the bag as needed without flipping through a ring.  The wood stem will hopefully have a magnet on top to hold needle and a small hook on the back for scissors.  

Your opinions please?  Do you think this would be a help to you and which height would be best?

Where do you keep your floss rings and working threads during stitching?  I haven't seen a holder but I'm under that rock with Lauren so maybe there is such an aid!  Mark will work out a plan and we're hoping to get them made this weekend (key word - hoping).  A problem will be shipping rates.  We'll see how it works out.

Hope the week is going well.  

Prayers for those affected in Tennessee.

***********************

Who has a new printer?

ME!!!  Finally.  So to test the new Canon's color and clarity, I printed a few labels and I'm pleased with the result.  Since I did not have my annual Christmas giveaway, let's have one for spring.  I plan to sell one and give one. 

Giveaway is for this small 5" wide heart paper mache box (one!), brown paint with sanded edges, a label snippet from Goode Huswife's Pennsylvania Beehive.  If you would like to participate, leave your initials or email in the comments.  If you can't, send entry to samplersandsantas@gmail.com.  Because of shipping, I'm sorry, this one is US only.  Drawing will be Tuesday evening at 8pm.  

I plan to sell this fabulous project bag, perfect for retreats or multiprojectalists.  It's not made any longer, very sturdy, loads of zippered pockets, three of them clear.  It won't be cheap!

Details soon.  

Can you believe February is over?  

Don't forget to leave your name or email!!

*********************

Motif a day

What the ..... ?????

I'm having so much trouble with these brats.  Petey won't go in the trap, is looking for love, the yellow cat is here every day.  Petey beat the crap out of Nitzy yesterday, first time, vicious.  We don't know if the yellow cat made it a threesome because it was dark on that side of the house.  I have blood on the deck, in the house, and both of them are beat up around the head and face.  I am so tired of this, really.  I can't leave them alone in the house, I can't leave them alone outside, I can't handle them, and I can't trust them to live together.

And then I worked on this scary small head tiny foot early Vegas showgirl with what appears to be torture tools.  And the nightmares continue. 

***********************