Santa offer

Hello people!  I wanted to get the Santa offer up and running so here we go...

Three Prairie Schooler Santa designs.

Prairie Schooler Old World Santas I (#80) and II (#88) plus the adorable Kris Kringle (#62).

Click on the photos for a closer look.   Leave your request to be included in the drawing on this post only.  The deadline will be 2/13 at 8 pm EST and the drawing will be 2/14.  Don't worry about being the first or last request since the Random generator mixes everyone together.  Doesn't matter where you live!   I decided not to try two offers at one time.  Maybe you younger snots can handle it, but I couldn't wrap my menobrain around it.  We will see what pops up on the 14th after the drawing.......

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I found a few more sites that have conversions so here they are...

The first is here, which is offered from The Drawn Thread on NPI to DMC, Dinky Dye to WDW, and others. The second is here for WDW to DMC from Crab Apple Hill.   This one gives two to four DMC colors for one WDW which gives you a really good idea of the lightest to darkest hue of the variegation.  I realized that some of these are not up to date after I posted them yesterday so the newer colors we may be looking for aren't available.   But I'm not giving up and will continue searching!

I will be completing the body of the boat people sampler today and hope to finish the border shortly after.  I like it, but it is kind of weird!   Excuse me now while I run outside and flail my arms screaming at Woody Wood******.  Have a great day and talk to you soon...thank you for visiting!!

Thread conversions

Hi everyone.  Just a quick note about a site that has really helped me with my thread choices.  In addition to these three designs, I'm thinking of stitching Sarah Brooke from Scarlett House, but since I never use a light linen, how would I know if the thread colors I need to order will look OK or need to be changed when I have no opportunity to view the items together?    I want Crescent Colors for Sarah and the only way would be to throw the DMC equivalents on the linen I decide to use.   I searched and found a site that helps with this which you may be familiar with.  I had searched many times for conversion charts but bookmarked this one since it has so many thread types.  The site is here, Cross Stitch International.  Scroll down to see conversion charts for a multitude of threads, and also click "convert colour numbers" to view Needle Artworks Inc. listing of threads.  All are listed by manufacturer, and clicking on a particular thread will bring up the color numbers and names within that group.  You can print these out as a chart to keep a record of your thread inventory.  Really neat site!  So I now have the conversion of Crescent Colors to DMC, Weeks Dye Works, and Sampler Threads, and can determine if the original colors will show well on a little darker linen, or choose a DMC color and find the equivalent shade in the thread of choice.  Certainly a huge help since DMC is readily available as a comparison.  Another I found for the GAST and DMC is here.  You may have other sites that I'm not aware of, and since so many of us have limited or no access to local shops, please share with us!    I have an old chart that offers two color choices, one for light linen and one for dark. 

As for the Greek Stew requests, the recipe for it is long and detailed, I keep changing it, and it's not the traditional that you will find online.  Carrots have to be glazed in butter and sugar, potatoes cooked separately, yadda yadda.    Mine is a royal pain to make. 

But I did make Calico Beans to take to a birthday party and it's another family favorite as a one dish meal, side, or take along.  Everyone has made or consumed this recipe at some point but they're all a little different.  If you want the recipe for this, it's here.

That's it.  I wanted to post these sites in case someone like me - didn't know where to find such information.  I know they aren't the same colors, but at least I can see if the blues are bright or purplish, if reds are orange or brownish, just to get an idea of the tones.  I'll be back with the offering in a day or so.   Thanks for visiting!
Edited to add - I just started checking for the colors I need and the Crescent Colors aren't up to date since what I need isn't showing.  Another site for conversion that may be helpful is here.

My underwire is rusting

Geez.  I had a few weeks of not so sweaty sweats, even after eating an entire bag of chocolates, and then yesterday....whammo.   Drenching, soaking, makeup running, palpitation producing, grab a towel flashes.  I don't have a boulder holder.  Mine is more of a pebble perker, and it's a good thing the underwire isn't metal or I would have rusty pebbles.  Enough of that crap.  On to stitching.  Well, more than that.

See that little gold vase bottom left?  Guess how many times I ripped and redid.  Two?  Four?  Nope.  SIX!!  No problems or frogs with the entire bottom until that vase.  Then the square before the alphabet had one side done three times.  Now you know why I'm not further along.  I'm really liking the color change to 632.

  I took one of my oldest samplers apart and take a look at how bad the inside glass was.  Look at the clean spot!!  Isn't that amazing.  No wonder I'm always saying that framing behind glass obscures the stitching!!  My glass is filthy! It sure looks great on the wall now.  Surprisingly, the rag was not yellowish which would indicate smoke and some pieces were framed after I quit.  

I've decided what my year anniversary offer will be - Samplers and Santas!  The first will be several older sampler designs, more challenging (with instructions for learning new stitches), and an introduction to silks kit from Kreinik.  The second will be Santas, offering three Prairie Schooler leaflets of the man in red.  I will post about it in a day or so with photos as soon as I decide how to have two offers at the same time.  Some of you may be interested in the santas only, or samplers only.  I need to think.  This is what helps me think ---- stash of a different kind.

Do you remember when I thought that 50 calories were burned walking up and down steps?   Well I still keep the chocolate upstairs in my craft room cupboard , even though I found out it would take 20 minutes of those steps to wipe out one piece. 

We've been having such wonderful weather and it was warm enough the other day to wash the car in just a sweatshirt.  This is the menoride. 

Can't remember where you parked?  No problem.  Not sure which of those silver mid-size is yours?  No problem.  At which store in the plaza did you park?  No problem.   The menoride - no longer will you look foolish wandering the parking lot in tears and sweat.  You know exactly where you parked with one glance.  I looked at this car on the lot and said "what goof would be seen in that?"  and then two weeks and 49 flashes later this goof drove away in that yellow bomb.   At the time, I was taking care of mom and couldn't leave her for too long so it served me well, saving time and frustration.  And now, I need it even more!

I also scrubbed an old tool box that I had planned to use as a display.  I wanted to stand as shown here, and install shelves on the right side for smalls, and hang a long piece on the left lid side.  It's in such bad shape that I probably won't.   And here's a pic of a deer munching on a hot dog bun.  No one believes they eat white bread!

I also wanted to remind you of another wonderful freebie from The Primitive Hare here, and she is also having a fun contest here. 

So I will be back in a few days with the offer. Wait a minute.  Many of you are accomplished 40 count stitchers with impressive stash and probably won't be interested in these charts.  And since many of you are like me and not interested in fancy stitches and "nice" looking pieces, you may not be interested either.  Hmm.  It's not easy to think of designs that would have wide appeal.  A sampler box instead?   Maybe that's too primitive looking!   Once again, I confuse myself by the end of a post.  Or not.  I'll be back in a few days with the offer, whatever it may be!

Thank you much for visiting with me -

hope your weekend is a great one.

The boat people

Hello everyone!  The sun is out, it's not snowing, the rain is over, and I'm finally having time to stitch.   The boxes are all completed and packed - I really hope you will be happy with them.  I know it's hard to purchase from a photo so I appreciate your confidence that they will be worthwhile. 

Not much progress since I've been busy, but I have done a little stitching and should finish the motifs this evening on the Woodlawn (Virginie Cochepin).  I have to say, I've seen a few ugly Adam & Eve figures, but this armless big white woman gives me the creeps.

  Can't wait to start the alphabet, which I prefer to stitch.  I know it's boring, but it requires less patience, a virtue I sorely lack.  Another would be restraint.  I ate an entire bag of Bliss chocolates this morning.   It seems when I'm busy, concentrating, relaxing, moping, crying, distracted, sitting, driving, cleaning, sewing, stitching, painting, blog watching, shopping online, or watching TV, I grab one.  Only those times, though. 

I was gifted with the chart I have been waiting for - Overshot Heart - and I so love it and plan on starting it as soon as Black Santa is completed.  I will sew it into the heart shape instead of framing.  Maybe do a few in different colors and sizes.  Just love it.  Thank you gifter!

A few other things you may not be interested in.  I've made several of those standard benches we all see but decided I needed a place to keep the growing collection of recipes so -

this one has a hinged lid with file hangers.  When I worked in the doc office, we had so many magazines for the waiting room and I copied thousands of recipes.  This is what's left and I need to sort and rid this pile again.  They are categorized of course!

When I took apart my samplers to photograph, I was surprised to find this..

Do you see the marks on the glass where the floss was touching?  It's pretty dirty in there, even though they had the back dust cover on.  Just to show you it's all inside, I made an X on the inside of the glass.  Granted, I smoked like a chimney for years and although I quit over 10 years ago, these were on my walls at that time.   Would that be the cause?  I'm sure it doesn't hurt the sampler, but I found it interesting.  So if you are cleaning your framed glass and it never looks sparkly, this may be why.

This little devil is the one that tore into my hand.  She's in the cat condo styrofoam cooler, napping with her mom.  They are both pregnant I'm sure, since there were several males attacking them a few days ago.  I have to take them in within two weeks and will use a net and gloves if I have to.

Finally, there's this..

Just what I need after a bag of chocolates.  But, there's always a bright side - I am so hyped up right now that I should be able to dust and sweep the entire house in record time.  Greek stew for supper is already done so I will be stitching away shortly!

Have a great week everyone!  Thank you again for visiting and another thank you to new followers.  I have a one year anniversary coming up, and if it wasn't for the encouragement I receive from you, I would have given up long ago.  I can't tell you how much this experience has helped me regain my stitching mojo, and also lift me out of the grief fog.  But it hasn't helped a bit with menopause - so people ..... work on it.  Sooooo......

does this mean there will be a giveaway?  We'll see!!

Box sale tonight

Hi all.  I just posted the page with box photos.  Click on "sampler boxes" in the tab bar under the header photo.  They aren't as nice as I would have liked, but it's been dark and rainy for two days so I apologize for the crap pics.  You can browse all day, and if you would like to make a purchase, I am opening the page for comments at 7:30 this evening.  Again, to purchase, enter a comment with the box # you would like.  If you see that number in a previous comment, it has sold.   I took off the word verification and made the comments visible (fingers crossed) so you should be able to see what has sold without opening any additional windows.  The first comment for a particular box # will own it and I will try to update the photos with that info.  Let's all hope it works!

Box update

Hey.   How are you?   Did you know today was Sunday?  I didn't.   It wasn't until I was snarling about not receiving any mail that my husband said - there never was delivery on Sunday.   I got several emails about the sampler boxes so I wanted to update.   I couldn't figure out how to do this on a blog but did come up with an idea.  I plan on posting a number and photo for each box on a separate page tab (right under the header photo) and you can view to see what is available.  When all are listed to the page, I will post the time for the sale and comments on the page will be allowed at that time.  If you want to purchase a box, leave the box number you would like in a comment ON THAT PAGE, which will also allow you to see if that number was purchased before you.  I will update the page as needed when an item sells.  The photos I took today were really poor so I will try again tomorrow.   Here's a preview so you can see if there's anything you may be interested in beforehand.

Small 4" round boxes

Tall 6" rounds and large, medium, and small ovals

Hopefully I will start the listing tomorrow with decent photos.  Please let me know of any questions you may have before you purchase.  Prices range from $12 to $25.  Paypal, money order or check is fine. 

That's it!  I'm going to stitch the rest of the evening.  Hope everyone has a good evening.  Later...
Edited to add - I didn't state the details clearly.  I will start listing the photos tomorrow and will let you know when the actual sale will start.  It WON'T be tomorrow.  Probably Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday after all photos are listed and numbered and I will post the date & time before the sale begins.