I can't win!

 I order smaller pieces of linen (which now cost what a half yard used to) in two counts, and then choose the one I like most and order a larger piece.  Dammit.  I ordered more of two favorites, one for a series (Fragments and Berries) and look what I received.  Not the same.  

The first 40 count Hogbristle was not greenish, I liked it so ordered another piece (different seller).  Greenish.  Loved the PTP Ale and ordered another piece, much lighter.  I like each Ale and will certainly use both, but what a disappointment and aggravation when you can't rely on a reorder being the same.  So ordering from the same seller (if any stock left) is ideal, but only if it's from the same shipment or batch.  It's not the seller's fault, but with the majority of stitchers only able to purchase from inaccurate online photos, I think consistency in counts using the same linen base shouldn't be that difficult.  Obviously I'm wrong.

I also have a pumpkin latte correction.  The drink I received was not the correct size.  Mine was the largest cup used for soft drinks and iced coffee.  Another mcD's told me they don't make lattes (they do).  The third attempt at that drink came in a medium cup, which I argued was wrong.  Today, at another location, I was shown the cup size and it was not the largest that I received initially.  So correction, mcDonald pumpkin spice is not much larger than others.

No one has answered repeated calls for lawn repair/landscaping, original company never showed up, but we stopped to speak with a sole worker nearby.  He started hard work in school at 16, been building his business for 10 years, does anything related to land.  Sounds like a guy that takes his work seriously.

Have a happy hump day.

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I forgot .... Floche

 Hey everybody.  It's Labor Day weekend.  What?  Couldn't believe how many houses had straw bales and pumpkins in their yard on the drive to see Carole.  That was pretty disheartening and confirmation of what I don't want to accept.  I've been in sweatpants so often these past three months that I never really put them away for summer.  And I'm in them again and will be all week.

Once again, I had to frog quite a bit.  Two flowers were off, too lazy to work out a fix.  I don't ever remember DMC shredding like this but after just a few pulls, it's a mess.  I completely forgot about the white threads I purchased a while back, one of them being floche.  

The heavier DMC #20 and #25 were actually too heavy, and the floche was also.  Bulky looking on the 36 count and sitting higher than the other stitches.  Floche is not to be separated (so I read) but I pulled out one strand easily and it made enough of a difference.  The other flowers were stitched with standard DMC white and the floche is on the larger blue. 

Not obvious in the photo but it is more noticeable than plain dmc and I'm pleased with it.  It does seem to get  .... fuzzy? .... matte? .... something.  Since this will be handled quite a bit, it would have been better to stitch last.  If it looks messy when the sampler is finished, that small area can be done over.

If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned the other magnifying floor lamp, it was lost.  Amazon refunded the order and reported it as lost.  I don't think I can replace my circline fluorescent with their new LED, don't see that option after much searching but I will contact Dazor to check.  I guess it has to be compatible with the ballast.

A few more stitches in the tree and I will move to the next page.  Across?  Or down?  Oh these decisions.

Have a nice weekend.

Just got a note - ordered 36 and 40 Oatmeal!!

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That's better

White it shall be.  And needed in order to see the thread, but still not really noticed as a single row outline.  Can't go any lighter!  I thought it would look too stark, it does not.

I ordered two more pieces of linen, averted a return when I read that FOAW Parchment has more green than brown.  Hard to imagine since some photos are not.  Caramel Macchiato?  Another shot in the dark but I am more anxious to get a piece of Oatmeal.  

But I did score the sampler I was interested in and got it ordered. M+A 1853.

And after opening linen pieces to examine, I see why the 40 piece has green spots.  It looks like a reject because that green area matches the 36 (comparing the two left) and the rest of the pinkish piece looks like it didn't make the dip.

Beautiful blue sky day, I hope you are all safe.  I looked at the worst hurricanes and floods in history and oh my, did not realize the destruction and death in much earlier times.  

I kept seeing posts about Starbucks Pumpkin Cream so I broke down and spent a ridiculous $5 for a tiny cup.  To compare, we drove to Dunkin also ($3 for quite a bit more).  And today, McDonald's Pumpkin Spice Latte (cold).  The cream tops are tasty, but once blended with the brew, blah.  McD's being a latte was intense flavor to the last drop (I removed half the ice and will request light ice next time).  Twice the size of Bucks and $1 less.  As I said, the cream tops are good, but not enough to last.  I may try their lattes instead of the cold brew creams for comparison.  The Starbucks' line is always very long and I guess I am my mother's daughter, because I can't see spending that much on a drink except as a occasional treat.   The gal at the bank gets one every morning.

Friday friday.  Summer over.  September.  Crap.

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One down, two to go

 Carole came through the pacemaker switch just fine.  The first slid and was almost completely in her armpit.  The wonderful doctor sewed it shut and anchored the new one so it will not wander.  She's waiting for transport back to the facility.  Last fall there were three years of battery life remaining, and in almost a year, it had depleted to less than six months.  Grateful that the manufacturer found this defect.  What a reunion!  Two nurses that cared for her in transitional care at that hospital could not be more elated to see her again.  Hugs and kisses and extra Lorna Doone's.

I picked up Rachel at 4am, have not stitched for many days.  The very light thread is mostly charted on the petal edges, and not paying attention caused me to switch the symbols.  The gold and light areas are reversed.  But even with 3865, it is not showing as much as expected.  Certainly will not in a thin outline.   White is hardly different from 3865 in comparison but it has more reflective brightness and it does show better.  Not sure of a plan, but not happy with the interior of the flower in 3865.

My yellow tunia is OK, not spectacular, but I did pull it from the barrels and transplant in mid season,  It grew a smidge and became very spindly so I pulled it and stuck into a pot. 

But oh my, the ferns are continuing to grow and are spectacular.  The ambulance office has a fantastic large sitting area, mostly glass and leather, and I plan to offer these to them.  Way too big again for my rooms.  I wonder if transplanting into the 12" pots every year is the trick.

And more linen came.  You saw the Hogbristle before but showing the difference in two colors between 36 and 40 count which surprised me.  I saw The Attic video of variations of color between counts but thought it may be because of a different type of fabric.  Nope.  But the 36 and 40 in Country Mocha that I returned were exactly the same, just to confuse the hell out of me.   I did not expect it to be shinier, silky, slippery.  Not my kind of linen, I prefer holding coarse and matte.  The orange selvage stripe doesn't always mean that same texture I guess.  Who knew?  Not me.  The 40 count Cappuccino has the load of green, like you slid it across wet grass, but the 36 does not and is a wonderful neutral. 

Have a good day.

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Floored

 This will sound ridiculous, but I am stumped.  A new Shark vacuum that could suck the hair off my legs was purchased two weeks ago.  There is a bare floor setting for which the brush does not roll, another for carpet.  No silicone bands, no spray, no pet hair pickup, just a basic Nav 352 model.  Ever since, we can barely walk on the hardwood.  Nothing changed, there is no wax, no gloss, no new cleaners, and yet I have almost gone down several times as has husband.  We've had various brands of vacuums and electric brooms with never a change in footing.  Studied the bottom, nothing there to cause this and if it did, surely Shark would know about it.  So I cleaned the floor again today with just white vinegar after trying standard cleaners and no change.  This morning going one step down, I luckily managed to grab on to the door frame, otherwise, my back would have landed on the edge of that step.  Don't use the vacuum again?  We haven't!  But I can't remove the slick!

Anyway, bad eye days so not much done but even so, this will be a beauty.  I can't wait to move on to the flowers and complete this page.  I never stitched page to page, but have done so with a few recent samplers.  Rachel is not as large as others but I plan to follow this method for her.

I am so glad this wooden tray table fell over in the closet a while back.  Perfect for my clutter and accessories, the rim holds everything from falling off, and I can pull it close to work or quickly push away when the coffee says it's time to run.  

I feel a little foolish about the Needlework Expo currently in progress.  With all the hype I thought we would be able to view the new charts and then order at a shop. Where?  I saw a few sneaks, no name to the charts, how could I pre-order if not shown?  Designers were announcing new releases for the expo, but I saw very few on their posts. 

There was a large spider between the glass and screen, by the time I tried to catch a photo (because some man doesn't believe their size, ever) and it's now gone.  Great.  That window will never be opened again.

Hot baby!!  Flowers are wilting even with water, it's too bad summer waited to appear in its last few days.

Be safe.

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Limbo

Not the dance move.

Trying to find a reliable PCP.  

For those of you that asked about the fabrics, here are the last five.  I have Ale and Country Mocha (please don't be pinky) and another I can't remember coming soon.

This page on my tablet is much more yellow and vivid than viewing on my laptop.  

Cappuccino is the one with all the green.  A larger piece of 36 is coming, we'll see if it has as much.  Still can't understand that color relating to the name, maybe my first piece is an odd ball.

Have a good weekend.

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