Winner

In case this is too hard to read, after randomizing Maryann Olsaver became #6 and that's the number generated.  Thanks everyone!

My hanging galvanized tub planter was everywhere and even offered for sale with it's own shepherd's hook.  But I can't take credit for the tire planter.  There are so many images and ideas for using tires, plain or painted, on ground or hanging.  Even painted and stacked and filled with a cushion as a seat or footrest.  Lots of great ideas.

Tons of other ideas and images, even for raised gardening as high as you'd like.

I am in sweat clothes and have been for several nights.  By morning we will be in the mid 40's.  It's mid June!!  WTH?  June will be over before we know it and this summer will be the shortest ever.   How crabby can a crabass get?  Stay tuned.

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Time to come on down

Geez.  When will a name be drawn?  I never thought about it.  How about Saturday evening at 8.  Sounds reasonable.  And so it will be!

About the Vicks.  When I was using it to protect the bunny nest, I had plastic containers upside down with a large area cut out, cotton balls or a piece of rag inside with the Vicks.  I added more every 4 or 5 days because the strong scent seemed to dissipate in open air.  Petey is not bothered by it one bit and has already tried to scale the barrier.  The other cats are avoiding that area.  The landscaping we had installed last fall has dead foliage on the bottom foot or so from them spraying.  Never had trouble until Petey showed up and now all three males spray everything.  What I found online and tried in one area seemed to work.  The plastic runners that are laid over carpet have little grips on the back side to keep it in place.  I cut the width in half and laid it grip side up around the shrubs and that worked.  The grips are not pleasant on their pads and has kept them out.  It's too late for the other side of the house but I will certainly follow that idea throughout.  I use a large rock or drive spikes to hold them in place.

We had to replace the pull down stairs over the garage and I saved two sections to use for plants.  There isn't much room so a large pot or planter would not fit on this narrow unit. I would like to paint this in blotches to mimic an old worn out ladder, but may just leave it as is.  The other piece will go to Carole and I need to grab another $5 plant from Home Depot for her.  There either wasn't the same amount of flowers offered this year, or everyone bought a lot early, not much left at all.  They had 8 packs of impatiens for $2 at Lowe's so we drilled large holes in the bottom of an unusable tire and I filled it with them.  They're very close so when mature, they should be a great display.  Decided against hanging it with heavy rope from the tree, but that may change.

My latest 123 order with linen is coming today, more of the same, PTP Legacy and more Heartland.  I recently visited a site new to me with lovely hand dyed linens, can't remember their name or the site.  I'm sure I will when there isn't a piece of paper or pen in sight.

Happy Friday!!

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Come on down!

You may be the next winner on The Chart is Right!

Birthday giveaway this year will be your choice of one of these charts.  To enter, leave your initials or email in the comments of this post only.  If you can't, email me.
samplersandsantas@gmail.com
No need to list your preference, you can choose when you win.

Here are your choices.

#1 - Threadwork Primitives Ohio Sampler 

This is my finish on dark brown linen with thread changes.



#2 - Homespun Samplar's Marking Sampler

I don't know where mine is.


#3 - Notforgotten Farm's Pennsylvania Pillowe 

This is mine that was highly distressed and sewn into a bag.

Not my birthday yet, but considering how my mind has been working lately, it's best to act on current thoughts for they may be gone tomorrow.  

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The width of things to come

For some reason, I am not fond of samplers with more width than length.  I can see the actual size of Hickling now that I stitched to the full width.  Long and skinny, what I was 40 years ago.

 A wide short piece can pull together a wall grouping and create interest.  There really aren't many reproductions of that shape, but plenty of designs.  I haven't decided how many of my finishes will be hung with pins as before, or framed.    Several are quite narrow and long (Pumroy is really long) and currently they are all rolled and stored in a spare bedroom (that is really a total mess of odds and ends and fabrics).

I found a few pieces of scrap in the shed and had Mark create more protection for mama bird.  She is feeding now, and the cats have spotted her flying in and out.  I also have a jar of Vicks out which has helped me many times to protect baby bunnies from coons and cats.  It is so strong that it either irritates their nose or masks the scent of prey.  I use a plastic storage container that is taller, from soup or salad, turn it upside down, cut out a section, and add a weight on top.  It keeps the jar dry from rain and still allows the scent to disperse.  You can also smear the Vicks onto items and create a perimeter, but this one is in a corner so that wasn't necessary.

Hot hot hot!!  Possible storms this afternoon.

Garden is not looking good, par for the course.

Carole is doing OK.  I'm going for a review Friday and this may be the final showdown.  I am so tired of her pushing plant based diets and I have to deal with this every single appointment.  Because of the Sjogren's, I can't eat a variety of veggies that contain acid, no oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, peaches, and a lot of other foods.  Absolutely no vinegar base recipes or salad dressings which makes salads pretty bland.  And I don't even like veggies or most of the recipes she gave me to try.  Enough.  Doesn't she understand that a diet not enjoyed is a diet not kept?

Gotta get moving, blood work this morning.

Have a great day!!

Thanks for visiting.

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Social distancing

I think it's only four feet for cats.

The eyelet alphabet has been completed.  Sort of.  I did not change the 712 of the F to the lighter thread I switched to but it's fine.  It shows well in the photo but not as much in person.  I much prefer the darker 922 of the XY that I subbed for the lighter 407, and planned to change them, but they look fine also and will stay.   I should have worked that out after one letter if I wanted more contrast, not at the end!!

I always stitch left to right and top down but since this chart is many pages, I am trying one side first, then moving right.  Again, sort of.

As you can see, I couldn't help myself and already worked some of the right side chart pages.  The very thin alphabet composed of satin stitches is the top portion and I may do a little at a time, removed most of what I had stitched because I did not like the look.  Moving on to the right border rather than completing the bottom left is my thinking, simply because the motifs and polka dot critter will be fun.  If I do that now and leave what I consider to be more tedious for last, it will drag me down and pull the crabass up.

Hope your weekend is going swell.

I may work outside today until the old lady within calls it quits.

Be safe!!

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And after all that....

we just arrived home from Cleveland, sister in seat.  "I won't live through a surgery", "you won't live without it".  Sure.  Dammit.  After the anxiety, dead of night patient transfer that could not wait, the dire consequences of her condition, and another trip to Cleveland, they send her home.  Yes she has a  60% blockage in the carotid at the base of the brain.  No it does not require surgery or treatment at this point. We are all relieved, but also ticked off.   Certainly grateful that it was discovered and they sent her to a place that could handle such a delicate surgery, but the drama and scare was not necessary.  

With all the dye injected the last two days from repeat testing, she should be glowing and not need a night light for a while.  Even though she is having occasional garbled speech and visual disturbance symptoms, we will side with Cleveland's findings.  Angiogram once a year to keep an eye on it, any symptoms lasting longer than a few minutes and she will report to the hospital.  They added a statin and a baby aspirin (which I thought was proven to be useless) to her drug list.  So the ending is good, a diagnosis that could be life threatening is now in the books, doctors are aware, and the condition will be monitored.  Mark and I are pretty worn out from the Cleveland trips this week and lack of sleep.  Carole will sleep soundly tonight!  The changes at the Clinic because of Covid were so obvious.  Only one entrance now, a sign in desk, and very few nonprofessionals walking about.   I asked to be admitted for restroom use, was not allowed elsewhere.

I worked a little on the Hickling, completed the left side border after removing the light threads THREE times.  That's right ... THREE!   The final change of blue in A&B is good, but I don't want that same blue throughout the alphabet so more changes are coming, I'm sure of it.  I don't mind because I love this sampler and the extra work will be worth it.  Otherwise, I will grumpout every time I pass it.

If you're wondering how the hair treatment went, it didn't,  Had to cancel but I will reschedule when they can fit me in.

Plain old tuna casserole tonight.  Comfort food for a comfortable evening.  Hope yours is too.

Thanks so much for your concern and well wishes and prayers!

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