Mail

 Mail came!

Here are the smalls, mostly for the lids of my empty/clean glass candle jars.  Filled with peppermints at Christmas, acorns for fall, rosehips for summer, it will make a nice display and offer another spot for finishes.  Quite a few are filled with sewing supplies and I may add a cute fabric to those lids but not stitchery.  I love being able to see the contents lined up, no labels or searching required, and the benefit of a large opening and lift off lid is a blessing to arthritic hands. 

The Chocolate Hearts design has been in cart for a very long time, and I was concerned that this chart from 2015 may be unavailable soon.  Autumn Posy colors will all be changed, already assigned a page to it in my new book!  Only two changes were made on Jane but the one that was not clear to me, cost much time effort so all changes will be entered.

This Nash is from 2018, never saw it.  Plan to stitch separately, sweet little finishes, the white house will be narrowed and the roof color changed.  Both of these will be on dark linen. 

Here's an glimpse of the threshold height, on hinged or sliding door.  He will add a few  floor pieces when all is done.

Moving along quickly, shiplap won't take much time so decisions need to be made!

Sunny and warm today.  Third and final injection this morning.  Starting physical therapy in a week or so.  Or so sounds better.

Enjoy your day!

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Playing

 Hello people.

This is how I roll.  I enter the messy room with good intentions.  But the first nugget of interest sends me in the opposite direction.  Piles on the counter are shoved aside creating a space to do nothing close to that good intention.  

This is the straight sided lid to Lume deodorant.  Why would it be in the pile?  Because during the search for the recycling code, I saw a tiny oval pincushion, probably in worn out velvet, which was enough to toss it on the pile.  Husband said, "you envisioned a velvet pincushion from a deodorant?".  Yea, I did.

I sanded the imprinted label, used Tacky glue and scrapbook paper to cover.  More of a test since grinding, pounding, nailing, and a vacuum are distracting me from completing this properly.  Who am I kidding.  Always impatient and lazy, winging it is what I do.  

Then I see that some of my Washi tapes are the same height, another option.  The tape would probably need to be on a plain paper first because of the translucency. 

Missy's mouse is testing pincushion height (too high), bottom can be filled with weighted beads.

Then again, I may lose interest and move to another pile.

The only thing for sure right now, is the new Andersen slider has a threshold that is elevated above floor level far too much.  That's the design.  My old door was level, no trip hazard, do not like this at all.  The interior is wood but this full width elevated strip is the vinyl color of the exterior.  Bulls Eye 1 2 3 primer?  Washi tape?  We'll see.

Have a good day!

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Surprise gift!

You record the designer, pattern, and additional notes in the top section.  Beneath are columns noting the charted color, and directly opposite the change made by the stitcher.  Moi.  

This is a wonderful gift!!  I was totally unaware of this book, which is a very simple way to note those constant changes.  Plenty of room, and no other info is really necessary so this will be a valuable tool for me.  I tried keeping a book with info on each project but recording every change or issue throughout the stitching was very inconvenient (i.e. PITA).  If I waited until the project was completed, I couldn't remember what I did weeks before to record accurately.  This will be so much simpler and helpful.  My plan is to number each page of the book and insert a card listing projects with page # assigned making them easy to find.

Thank goodness it was delivered in the plastic bubble bag and not paper envelope because a severe hail storm arrived and blew items throughout the neighbors.  Thankfully this was caught in the rocker's slats.  And we are back under a severe warning so I will show my new charts next time.

No project has been chosen yet, Scott dropped off equipment and tools to start work early Monday.  I plan to hide in my sewing room and attempt to organize, maybe do a little machine sewing.  He is a talker, and as with most people, does not understand why that's a problem for me.

Have a good start to another week.  Middle of April!!  Be safe.

To Fabric Girl- the stitching station photos are in previous posts.  Thanks!

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Goodbye Jane

Will we ever meet again?

Sure.  But this break will do well for us both.

I used the 3721 for the border flowers. Still prefer the brighter pink I originally chose, but it didn't work where used in the body.  She has been poked and frogged and cussed and poked again, she can rest for a while.  Large samplers are not calling to me as before, especially with a border like Jane's. I have several new smalls from market and an order coming Monday with several more (not samplers).  

Jane is back in her bag, but on the bottom tray of my station in case I feel the urge.  The added trays are wonderful.  No, this does not pull over my large lap, it sits right next to the chair, keeping several rings of thread, current chart, doodad supplies, and now a few other projects and charts very handy.  If I go to another chair or room, the station comes with me.  Everything I need to stitch is there, DMC book, needles, scissors, extra floss bags and rings, clips, ruler, glasses, mouth and eye gels, tape for fuzzies.  Also easy to hide in another room when necessary.  I have two hoops, they can slide into the tray or hang from the side hooks.  I set the current project on the tray top and have various covers to throw over.  Can you tell how much I love it?

My second injection was painful but not for as long as the first one.  Final will be Tuesday but honestly, I don't expect much simply because I don't believe they are treating the actual damage. Of all the braces and aids, this one really offers support and stability.  DonJoy Reaction knee brace.  It has little hinges!

It has rained for days, lawn is now lake.  Right now, terrible winds with the downpour knocking off more branches which the yard was cleared of!!

Tonight, floss tube.  

I hope your week went well, and the weekend will also.

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Station redo

 Hi folks.  The snow/sleet/rain/hail/sun of Friday ended and next week brings warmer temps, and more rain.  But that's not what I want to tell you.

Remember my wood tv tray turned stitching station?  Magnets for needles, scissors, hooks for thread rings, measuring tools, calculator, slot for DMC sample book.  I needed more when choosing and changing and testing.  Until a better option is found, I decided to get legal size file/paper trays to attach beneath for handy organizing.  Love it!  Size just fit, used zip ties to secure, great idea.

The other delivery was for project bags in a style I think best for me.  I'll show that next, not sure if I'm keeping.

I've tried several other threads on Jane, no decision yet.

Hope your weekend is a good one!

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Take notes!

 Good grief.  I have several notebooks to record my stitching.  And since thread colors are changed in every one of my projects, they should be noted!  In writing.  And highlighted.  In one of three books.  But my numerous bad habits are never corrected.  

Jane was started over a year ago, can't find one hint of substitutions other than linen.  Continuing in the body, I will be able to determine if the border will need frogged or the two row adjustment in that section will work.  She will be set aside soon for a new start but not until the thread changes are clearly noted.

The pink of the basket's center flower is the same as in the border, and all came to a halt when I realized it's a mystery.  After sliding Jane across dmc sample rows, it has to be one of these two.   Which?

Not a stranger to this self inflicted problem, I resorted to the trick used many times.  Thread looks different fully stitched, especially after dulled from handling.  So I pull a tail from the back, smoosh the end to fray if not already, and lay the options.  Not a guarantee when so close, but has only failed me twice before out of too many to count.  Stitched tails are first and third.  Second slightly darker thread does not match, more easily seen in those frays.  

The charted 3722 on right (intensely disliked in any project), does not appeal to me on this linen.  The top left 3721 is better, still quite a bit darker than I'd like.  But being only one shade off from the chart, will be stitched in for a test, just to quell any doubts.  

Monday past, I received the first of three gel injections into my knee, which some warned would be excruciating, others not so bad.   The tech is very experienced, I don't question his work.  But.  Mark was watching my face and thought I was going to scream.  When Sjogren's prevents tears from leaking, crying is not visible, but I was.  I needed help to leave, and the brace is back on.  It was tremendous pressure as if my knee was in a vise, subsided by night.  My pain is not now, has never been, in the joint, and the mri shows the damage elsewhere.  Can't wait for the other two injections!

Hope everyone is doing well.

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