What's in my mini Magma?

 Bluebirds!  I'm using the same 36 count that was excess on Rachel and converted the overdyed to DMC.  Well, best that I could.  I have enough disappointment in linen ordered online, no need to add threads to it. Some have been perfect, some totally goofballish. 

Rachel is napping in my large Magma.  I finished the white outlines and bands, checked for any stitch omissions (found two), over one corners complete, over one row revamped and also complete, and beast be damned.  I don't know why, but it's not working and the more I need to remove a misplaced stitch the more the linen suffers.  And why am I focused on a cow?  Sheep!!  Regardless of critter, they will be too large in scale for the house but that's fine too.  I'll figure something out.  Maybe a few birds, fence, yadda yadda.  I'll get back to her when I know what I want.  The lastest idea is too much work and way off Rachel's original.  A fence with hills done in the grass color with grazing sheep, may look distant and more appropriate.  But I want her DONE so whatever is the quickest while appealing to Queen Crabass, is good enough.

My right hand is failing me when a grip is required.  So this tiny cast iron pan from the dollar store is great for candles.  Flat and level for even large size, a handle which is easier for me to hold  Rubber bands are around most large/round items to offer more grip but doesn't always work.

Not going to mention the two feet of snow and frigid temps.  But I will say that it if you are offering to shelter a stray or feral,  a styrofoam hut and a tarp works great from wet and wind.  This is from HD or Lowe's and if I remember ... 8x10.  I wrapped sides around a small table first and folded the excess beneath the top, tied to hold.  Tarps are a great option even used on two saw horses with a board over top.

Stay safe.

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Boom. Part 3

 Well.  It's snowing again. But we made it home from Carole's appointment before the roads were too bad.  I had to leave the exam room. Needless to say, that incision/wound is worse that two weeks ago, six weeks after surgery.  They had no injectable lidocaine or numbing topicals and I told them to search the building.  It's quite large but outpatient surgery is down the hall, and you have no lidocaine?  Both nurses were wonderful and after a trip upstairs, came back with 2.5% cream. My eyebrow tattoos were done with 5%.  The scalpel and debridement was done across the entire leg, deep and wide.   Stitches removed but they never closed the wound initially and there is a wide recess.  Her shrinker and preparation for the prosthetic is delayed another (at least) month and she will be seen every week by the surgeon.  They aren't happy with the result after how well her other leg healed, but concern is not serious yet.  Well it is for me!

I woke Rachel for a word or two at times, and yesterday went better than expected so I continued on.  Placement is off in several places, not that noticeable, and don't give a horse's hoof.   The focal points are the grapes and large rice stitched center for me, not the over one.  

I saved a few white areas for last to prevent soiling from handling, but the large blue flower on the right side needs corrected first.  I thought it was good but after filling with white edges, nope.  Easy fix.  But that beast will attack me again.  If I did the 310 outline first it may help, counting these tiny stitches and numerous rows is very difficult.  Letters are much easier than a massive blob.  Rachel will nap again until I decide, but at least three problem areas are completed.  None of the cows in my charts are size or appearance appropriate.  

Just checked radar, snow until 9pm.  

Yippee ki yay.

Stay safe everyone.

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Dear Anonymous,

 Petey is a feral cat that I can't handle, treat for fleas, or trap for the vet.  He has a heated house inside of a wooden house that we built for him.  He eats great food, and always has fresh water.  This "abused" pet is happy in his house, yet leaves for hours in the cold which is his choice.  I can touch his head for a few seconds before he bolts or swats but no one else can get near.  I have two that spend most of their time in my house, ready to rip me to shreds.  No intention of bringing another in that fights with Nit, attacks Missy, has ticks on his back, and I'm certain fleas also.  If you would like to attempt capturing this fifteen pound male, you'll need prescription medication to knock him out which I can't get from a vet (best administered with a dart gun because he will smell it in his food), take a chance with human meds that may kill him, and have antibiotics on hand for your cat bites.  Three months of various bait treats and familiar locations using a large trap failed.  Let me know when you're coming, I would really like to de-flea and de-worm him.

I agree with you regarding animals/pets outside, it's heartbreaking, but sometimes it can't be helped so we do the best we can to provide shelter and warmth, food and water.  

There is a great number of gullible hateful people currently infecting this country that label and attack people on assumptions rather than facts, the vast majority of them hypocrites.  I have no doubt your concern for animals is genuine, and not hypocritical.

Have fun folks!

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Size does matter

 Kitting the next three projects forced me to organize young and old fabric. Twenty eight count from forty eight years ago, to the forty count of my seventy years.  Maybe.  We'll see.

When deciding on fabric count for a new project, the size of it will many times make that decision easy.  The full eighteen inches of a quarter is hopefully enough.  The overdyed linens are smaller, I guess shrinkage from the process, so we're down to seventeen.  But measuring first is obviously warranted if it's a close call.  This piece looked a little smaller to me compared to the others I was folding, and it is.  One and a half inches to be exact at 15.5.  So expecting a project to fit on my quarter yard piece without measuring the linen first, is not wise.  Too bad, because I've never done that!  But I will now.  Minor change in size, but could certainly make a difference in margin allowed for mounting or whether your project will fit at all.

I'm glad I started marking the selvage edge with the count a while back.  Too many times I've questioned what the count was but now I know.  Except for a few that I may sell, I mark all fabric before storing.

Rachel will be finished eventually, your comments in fact had me place her back on the tray.  We're having a stare down.  DONE with black floss, and may attempt a word or two a day in the 610.  The second row of the left box has one word higher than the rest.  I based placement of the third row on that word, so it is now two positions higher.  Not a big deal since the final row does not need aligned with other stitches, but that second row is a thorn in my side.  A real bitch to frog over one let alone have black floss so fat you can't see the stitch.  

It is frigid here, but not as much as others I'm sure.  I am thrilled with the heated water dish I found for Petey.  We were constantly going outside to break ice from his bowl and refill. This is a one quart unit which was not easy to find since most are quite a bit larger for more critters.  It's working great.  Almost zero and no ice!  Thank goodness for heated house and bowl!  

Stay warm folks.  I feel like a popsicle.

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Take a nap Rachel

 Sleep with the frogs.  Like a temperamental child, you have charmed, delighted, soothed, energized, and then slowly became uncooperative, moody, and difficult.  You've won.  Throwing in the floss.  If you were much smaller, less detailed, and my lighter had butane, poof baby.  Poof.  So sleep well my beauty.  I will not allow you to frustrate me enough to abandon my needle.

Mary Bell, Bluebird out my Window, and Jean Donaldson 1826 will all have fabric pulled today.  Jean will be last since she has a fricking border with color changes and I need a simple project right now.  Anxious to see this 8.5 x 13.5 on 40 count sampler whose details are hard to see in the photo.  Something tells me the unique elements and motifs will not only be enjoyable, but stunning.

Have a good one!

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Got rice?

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