Three Toms

 Time for Toms to strut.  

The females are mostly ignoring them, but courtship won't be a problem with a flock of over fifty.  

OK ladies.  We're lining up for your approval.

Slow pageant turn.

And now the rear view.  Hey ladies!  You're leaving?

Can you imagine the number of poults from the flock?  

Julia is finished.  I used option #2 and I like the result.  Too lazy to climb stairs, will press and post her tomorrow.

Stay safe.

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Border bulk

 Even before the two color buds are added, this is way too distracting for me.  

I wanted to match size of Julia's companion piece that I stitched and its Ale linen color.  The chart photo is very different because of its lighter and softer look overall, not as fussy as mine.

One of the two charted colors for the bud's center is stitched in four at the bottom left corner.  But maybe reducing that sharp contrast would calm the racket?

These three alternatives are used in the body, I'm leaning toward #2.  The option to follow the chart and alternate two light threads for the bud's center would not be a good idea.

Too lazy to work this in my Paint program, which is always a great help, but this isn't a major issue.  Any of the three will work and close this project.  

I've pre-ordered just a few 2024 show charts, am tiring of the highly mottled linens (and new prices).  Minimal aging and solid colors allow more focus on the stitching, less background chatter.  I guess I am craving simplicity and peace!  

I hope you have a sweet Sunday.

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Burn, freeze, fill

 Hiya!  It's me.  Border bitch.  

Stitching is not going well, the border's little pain in the a** sprigs are very close in color to the linen.  The first half of the cross melts into the back and running the thread tail beneath is next to impossible.  So many errors and frogs in first and second cross.  

Two candles purchased from BBW during their holiday sale were not the usual clear glass, many new scents are in opaque colors.  When expired, freezing makes scraping the wax off sides and cracking the bottom chunk to remove, very easy.  I only purchase candles with straight containers for this reason. The bottom labels soak off, and the front label peels off.  So many are used throughout my sewing room, linen closet, and bath for organizing, been saving them for years.  I like the crystal clear glass to view contents rather than cloudy plastic bins.  

With the opaque, I thought adding a padded stitchery to the lid would make a really nice container to set out.  Those small items like clips, post-its, and my lip and eye grease can be hidden and handy instead of having to search for them. 

These linens are pretty close to the jar colors (well, not on my screen!), I'm sure a ribbon or other trim can be glued to the edge.  The flexible gasket in the rim may even allow room for the linen to be wrapped under.  But I'll probably become lazier than I am now and just glue batting and a pretty print over.

If my friends appreciated needlework, I could fill with goodies, a lid stitched with something personal, and gift!  But they do not so forget it.  

Now, wasn't this post a boring waste of time?  Anything to delay returning to the border.

 

We have soggy ground and sunny skies.

Hope your day has a bright spot.

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No bingo yet

 But close.

Complete except for the border's fill.  

Damn.

Progress on the blood pressure finally, but not ideal as yet.

The Synvisc injections (gel) ordered for my knee may not happen.  This ortho office turned the drug into my prescription plan, specialty tier 4.  Everyone we know that received these injections had no separate drug cost.  At $600, who could?  Injections administered in office are to be billed to medicare, covered, according to my research.  My sister, cousin, friend, never owed, all through a different doctor.  As usual, having someone actually be able to answer this, is impossible.

Be safe!!

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Another border issue

 Love the look.  

That's about it.  I struggle with stitching them!

I considered removing the portion started and finding something more simple, but The Hunter which is the other sampler in the Two by Julia book, is the same size.

I used the same piece of Ale for both, and decided to continue the charted border for size match.

But I dislike working on borders that have spaced stitches of different colors.  

Another afternoon trying to clean Carole's room.  She is sentimental, has way too many tchotchkes, decades of cards kept in boxes, clothing she can't wear but won't get rid off.  Ordinary baskets taking up half of a closet because there is no where to display them, ten boxes of vacation souvenirs that haven't been opened in decades, and so much more.  There comes a time when you need to keep a few, and release the rest. But she won't.  Can you tell how frustrating this is?

And how do you deal with a Great Dane that has failed training classes twice, completely destroyed (ate) the sofa, recliner, any items not securely contained, and does zoomies that can break an adult's legs if in the way?  Crating is required but after awhile, they let her out, and take offense when I tell them to get her away from me.  

Hope your week starts with sunshine.

Thanks for visiting.

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Up to my old tricks

 Yay!  No woozy wonks during this entire session.  

And as my usual, those two large florals above the house include only one charted color.  The blue stem, that's it.  

Two small birds, a single flower, and repeating the left's vertical motifs to the right will complete the body.  The border will finish it all.  Julia's last name Reade over one is next before I set her aside to leave for Carole duty.

Have a swell day all!

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