July 31, 2009
Fried
I am so mentally fried from the past week that I have done nothing since I arrived home but surf the internet and play solitare or POGO games. What waste of potential stitching time. Although I adore and live for stitching I guess I needed even more mindless entertainment. Getting ready to start a new side on my Etui and know I will have some thinking to do so rather than start......I played Majong tiles! Oh well......I am rested so much so that my butt is asleep! and now I am tearing myself from this computer that has so effectively sucked the life from me this week and these past two hours and I am off to put needle and thread to linen and make progress.......maybe I should read up on English and run on sentences the next time internet sucks the life out of me.................I must remember to send Al Gore a thank you note.
Ta-Da! Here we go
It helps if you remember the file path you save the photos to.
Side Two of the Petit Sampler Etui.....starting Side Three tonight.
Ta-Da!
Finished side two of my Etui. Just a few weeks behind schedule. Started side three this morning and have lots of stitching to do before the next quild meeting to get back on track!
Oops! Deleted pix of completed project. I have already basted the completed section to keep it out of the way so I will need to pull the stitches later today to re-photograph!
No time now.....need to leave for the diamond mines! (you know, like the 7 dwarfs)
Oops! Deleted pix of completed project. I have already basted the completed section to keep it out of the way so I will need to pull the stitches later today to re-photograph!
No time now.....need to leave for the diamond mines! (you know, like the 7 dwarfs)
July 28, 2009
More va-ka pix
These were the prettiest little flower and so vibrant. I need to do a search through my books to try to identify them. They made a great border planting.
AAAAHHHHHH, the crepe myrtle. I one some! Such artistic lines, pretty flowers and long blooming season. Seems they grow in my zone too. (When I published this shot and check out the blog, I realized I took the pix of the squirrel not the tree. Oh I must be an enemy of the squirrel revolution to have overlooked the squirrel on the barrel.) 
This was one of many birdhouses. When we asked, we were told they were to catch 'squab' (pigeon) for dinner. Some little doors the birds could fly in and out of and others they could fly in....never to fly out again.
Some pictures of the Governor's Palace and gardens.
The back view of the palace.
Some of the gardens behind the palace.
I have been back to work two days and have already logged over 21 hours! I know I have about 50 things I could do around the house and yard but I am just going to sit and sew until I fall asleep in the upright position. Some people don't understand how completely relaxing my sewing is. No time to think about a credit card conversion and hierarchy to be created; no time to time about the brief that has to be filed by Friday; no time to time about enforcing document management. I will be thinking of what color thread and what stitch will I do next.
More Va-Ca pix
This is the Governor's Palace followed by just inside the front door of the palace. Floor to ceiling muskets, sabers and swords....something like 1800 with the majority of them original. Not really a good shot.
The palace from the back and palace gardens
The Fife and Drum show when the Marquis de Lafayette requested the colonials march on Yorktown with him.
July 26, 2009
Va-Ka!
Vacation is over and it is back to reality tomorrow. Had a fabulous time in Williamsburg VA. It has to be the friendliest town in America! Seriously. We - my girlfriend and I - had a great time. It must have been good because we stayed an extra day. Our hotel was three blocks from Merchant Square. We walked everywhere. It was not long before I fell in love with the Crepe Myrtle. What are these trees? A secret of the south? I need to put some major thought in to how I can incorporate a couple in my landscape. We did run out Richmond Road and went to the Pottery and the Yankee Candle Store.
OMG! Yankee Candle Store was awesome. There was a room with Christmas trees all decorated and it was snowing at the entrance. Of course I know it was fake. The attention to detail was fantastic. I asked if this was the corporate headquarters for Yankee Candle and the salesgirls said no. CH is in Deerfield MA and is five times at big at this one. Got the absolute cutest lip balm that looks like a Yankee Candle but is the size of chapstick. I am going to have to put that Massachusetts connection to work and make a side trip on my next visit to Mass.
Of course, I didn't leave without buying XXXX-Stitch stuff! The Colonial Bag is from the Dewitt-Wallace Museum. They has a fabulous collection of quilts and clothing from the 18th century. I bought the the Quaker Medallion/Ackworth Pinkeep from the Mary Dickinson Shop and the little soldier frpm Everything Williamsburg.
July 19, 2009
Ice Cream Social and other things
We held our 2nd Annual Ice Cream Social yesterday. It is such a fun idea and something that takes everyone back to a simpler time. There are no bells and whistles and flashing lights that come with carnivals. This is just ice cream, lemonade, hot dogs, a barber shop quartet, people strolling in period costume and a civil war era band playing from the gazebo. It is a trip back to a simpler time. Neighbors pull up lawn chairs and enjoy the evening and childen chase fireflys.
As with everything, it is a lot of work done by a few people. As far the success of the event, it was huge. As for the attendance, it was poor. It was not that it was not an enjoyable event, it was the newspaper coverage. Again, the little blurb for the paper somehow was 'lost' on the social editor's desk. hmmmm, seems like a lot of news regarding our town is 'lost' on the sport's writers desk as well. 'nuff said and no finger pointing. As with any struggling artist group, we can not afford the cost of publicity. We rely on word of mouth and a kind article in the human interests section of the paper.
So we are not discouraged. I have already sent the information to our board with the number of lemonades and ice creams sold and it looks like we made enough to pay the band. Already planning improvements to next year's methods to get the word out and ways to improve our event while keeping true to our premise.
Now that was part two of my day. Which really was MY day. It was my birthday and for me, they are no big deal. Truly, my friends and family are not ones to make a big fuss. I received well wishes from my daughter via phone and my son walked up to the park where I was working with my Ice Cream Social and gave me one of the most heart warming cards. He is 29 and he made my card. Now that is love. I laugh inside at girls at work that get all bent out of shape because a spouse or lover didn't give them a big hoop-de-do for their celebration of waking up to participate in the fifth Friday of the month or something completely as inane. What do I need? Nothing. What do I want? I buy it.
So for my birthday, I walked in a 5 K for the Blood Bank. It was for me. I need to start doing more for myself and put work and civic duties a little further back on the burner. I think if I can do what makes me happy and feel good about myself, then I can be a better friend, worker, wife, mother.......So back to the 5K. My son and future daughter in law joined me as well as my brother. And not to mention 105 co-workers who really weren't there because it was my birthday. This is only the second 5K I have done. I tell you my short little legs couldn't go any faster. People in front and people passing me were just walking or STROLLING along and I was like a little steam engine...up/down/up/down with my fat little legs. All I knew was I was determined not to be last as I was in my first 5K. Seriously, the man in the John Deere gator was following behind me picking up the cones as I round each corner. Serioulsy.
I manage to hook up with a woman before the race starts and we, two strangers, walk together and encourage each other along. It is amazing that 30 minutes prior I had never seen her and as we walked, we found we have many pararrels in our lives. Trials and tribulations of parenthood and careers that we thought we were the only ones to deal with we found our paths were so similar. So we walk, we talk, and we walk some more, we sweat, we walk and I manage to be able to carry on a conversation without huffing and puffing. I feel good. Pushed to the limits but good. She has walked in the 3 Day Susan Komen 60 miles Breast Cancer walk and says it is one of the best things she has ever done.
As we approach the finish line I see the timer. I have in my mind that on my first 5K I completed it in the 57+ minute range. Nothing to write home about but for someone 30 lbs overweight who is a couch potato, it is alright. I see the time and it is clicking at 52:00, 52:01, 52:02 and I am exicted. I can better my last time by 5 minutes I say and we start to jog. I am thrilled to have finished at 52:21 and it is at least 5 minutes faster than the last time. Yeah for me!!! Next time I will aim for under 50 minutes.
Now reality sets in. I check the internet for times of past races. Seems I finished at 52:30 last time. I only cut off 9 seconds! Alas, my new target time remains to be under 50 minutes. I have something to strive for.
Today to help continue my efforts, I will walk the one mile to visit my son. I will enjoy the weather, the sun, the birds, the flowers, the breeze and then will return home to the reality of I am leaving on vacation at 7 a.m and I have to shop and pack!!!! It is priorities and today the priority is to walk and while I walk, since I am a multitasker, I will make my list of what to do and what to pack.
As with everything, it is a lot of work done by a few people. As far the success of the event, it was huge. As for the attendance, it was poor. It was not that it was not an enjoyable event, it was the newspaper coverage. Again, the little blurb for the paper somehow was 'lost' on the social editor's desk. hmmmm, seems like a lot of news regarding our town is 'lost' on the sport's writers desk as well. 'nuff said and no finger pointing. As with any struggling artist group, we can not afford the cost of publicity. We rely on word of mouth and a kind article in the human interests section of the paper.
So we are not discouraged. I have already sent the information to our board with the number of lemonades and ice creams sold and it looks like we made enough to pay the band. Already planning improvements to next year's methods to get the word out and ways to improve our event while keeping true to our premise.
Now that was part two of my day. Which really was MY day. It was my birthday and for me, they are no big deal. Truly, my friends and family are not ones to make a big fuss. I received well wishes from my daughter via phone and my son walked up to the park where I was working with my Ice Cream Social and gave me one of the most heart warming cards. He is 29 and he made my card. Now that is love. I laugh inside at girls at work that get all bent out of shape because a spouse or lover didn't give them a big hoop-de-do for their celebration of waking up to participate in the fifth Friday of the month or something completely as inane. What do I need? Nothing. What do I want? I buy it.
So for my birthday, I walked in a 5 K for the Blood Bank. It was for me. I need to start doing more for myself and put work and civic duties a little further back on the burner. I think if I can do what makes me happy and feel good about myself, then I can be a better friend, worker, wife, mother.......So back to the 5K. My son and future daughter in law joined me as well as my brother. And not to mention 105 co-workers who really weren't there because it was my birthday. This is only the second 5K I have done. I tell you my short little legs couldn't go any faster. People in front and people passing me were just walking or STROLLING along and I was like a little steam engine...up/down/up/down with my fat little legs. All I knew was I was determined not to be last as I was in my first 5K. Seriously, the man in the John Deere gator was following behind me picking up the cones as I round each corner. Serioulsy.
I manage to hook up with a woman before the race starts and we, two strangers, walk together and encourage each other along. It is amazing that 30 minutes prior I had never seen her and as we walked, we found we have many pararrels in our lives. Trials and tribulations of parenthood and careers that we thought we were the only ones to deal with we found our paths were so similar. So we walk, we talk, and we walk some more, we sweat, we walk and I manage to be able to carry on a conversation without huffing and puffing. I feel good. Pushed to the limits but good. She has walked in the 3 Day Susan Komen 60 miles Breast Cancer walk and says it is one of the best things she has ever done.
As we approach the finish line I see the timer. I have in my mind that on my first 5K I completed it in the 57+ minute range. Nothing to write home about but for someone 30 lbs overweight who is a couch potato, it is alright. I see the time and it is clicking at 52:00, 52:01, 52:02 and I am exicted. I can better my last time by 5 minutes I say and we start to jog. I am thrilled to have finished at 52:21 and it is at least 5 minutes faster than the last time. Yeah for me!!! Next time I will aim for under 50 minutes.
Now reality sets in. I check the internet for times of past races. Seems I finished at 52:30 last time. I only cut off 9 seconds! Alas, my new target time remains to be under 50 minutes. I have something to strive for.
Today to help continue my efforts, I will walk the one mile to visit my son. I will enjoy the weather, the sun, the birds, the flowers, the breeze and then will return home to the reality of I am leaving on vacation at 7 a.m and I have to shop and pack!!!! It is priorities and today the priority is to walk and while I walk, since I am a multitasker, I will make my list of what to do and what to pack.
July 11, 2009
Ups and downs
My opinion -- Although weddings can be stressful, the planning and activities along the way to the altar should be a time of enjoyment and not turmoil. Ok, I feel better now.
I am off to my guild meeting. We are learning to create a'pumpkin' style pincushion. We were to pre-stitch our two sides and in my usual style, I finished mine last night. (posting after completion in class - the finished product
Been spending time helping my son and his fiance get their yard ready. She is having relatives in this weekend who have not seen the house. Unfortunately R & M have not weeded their flower and vegetable gardens for weeks. So here comes mom with her claw scratcher and her five-in-one (love this tool) garden tool. I realize it is hard for them with the hours they work, having a 7 year old and keeping up with classes. Mom loves to help where she can.
I am off to my guild meeting. We are learning to create a'pumpkin' style pincushion. We were to pre-stitch our two sides and in my usual style, I finished mine last night. (posting after completion in class - the finished product
Been spending time helping my son and his fiance get their yard ready. She is having relatives in this weekend who have not seen the house. Unfortunately R & M have not weeded their flower and vegetable gardens for weeks. So here comes mom with her claw scratcher and her five-in-one (love this tool) garden tool. I realize it is hard for them with the hours they work, having a 7 year old and keeping up with classes. Mom loves to help where she can.
July 6, 2009
Great Give Away
Wow! A posting to tell you there's a great giveaway over on Volarium's blog of this Cross Stitch Letters Bible by Valerie Lejeune. http://violarium.blogspot.com/ You have until July 19 to enter. What a nice book they are offering as a give-a-way. The winner can be sure to live to 125 years to able to stitch them all.
July 4, 2009
WIP's Status
First a photo of ~new~ leaflets I purchased at Salty Yarns! 
The Anne Hathaway Cottage Needle Book and the stitched and stuffed Acorn have already made it into the mail and into the hands of my daughter's as gifts for each of them to stitch. As if they don't have enough WIP's as well. Unfortunately because of work (work) and yard work and jobs around the house, I have not stitched any notable amount in weeks. Hmmmm, I wonder if that could account for the general mood?
I am a new fan of Little House Needleworks and can't wait to start one of those. Just need to decide which will be first. Also, as I look at my collection, I remember that while at the B&B in June, I started and completed the Pine Mountain My Cup of Tea.
It was fun to start and finish something so quickly. Makes me question why I pick such big projects all the time!!!! I still need to sew a pillow to put inside the sleeve.
As for my Etui ~ Yikes!!! Not as much completed as my memory had it. Better get stitching!!!!
The Anne Hathaway Cottage Needle Book and the stitched and stuffed Acorn have already made it into the mail and into the hands of my daughter's as gifts for each of them to stitch. As if they don't have enough WIP's as well. Unfortunately because of work (work) and yard work and jobs around the house, I have not stitched any notable amount in weeks. Hmmmm, I wonder if that could account for the general mood?
I am a new fan of Little House Needleworks and can't wait to start one of those. Just need to decide which will be first. Also, as I look at my collection, I remember that while at the B&B in June, I started and completed the Pine Mountain My Cup of Tea.
It was fun to start and finish something so quickly. Makes me question why I pick such big projects all the time!!!! I still need to sew a pillow to put inside the sleeve.
As for my Etui ~ Yikes!!! Not as much completed as my memory had it. Better get stitching!!!!
July 2, 2009
Alarm Systems
So Wednesday I get up when my burglar alarm started blaring at 4:30 in the morning. Off goes the ear piercing, blood curdling noise and like a moron I get up and run out into the kitchen with no glasses on so I can't see. But alas I am armed with a remote control in my hand (?) I can't focus on the numbers on the key pad so I have to go back to the bedroom all the while the alarm is blaring! The cat is staring at me with big wide eyes and is fluffed up to the max. So I get the alarm off and don't seem to worry about the flashing red light. I find the side door is opened. Ok, now I am nervous. Did I mention I am HOME ALONE! I am switching on every light in the house, running from room to room, upstairs/downstairs all the while talking to the fluffed up cat. My house is lit up like a christmas tree. I go from room to room and check things knowing the alarm company will call any second so I feel somewhat safe. If I don't answer they call my son and the police. The alarm company, that will remain nameless to protect the innocent, calls and wants to know if I am alright.....well I tell them......"I am home alone and my side door is open" Now any bad guys in my house know I am home alone! Duh! I tell him... "I am going room to room and closet to closet and there is no one here but I don't know why my side door is open. Someone had to open it! But I don't see anyone." So he says "Have a nice night and good bye!" Thanks a whole freaking lot. And I pay you WHY? And how am I going to have a nice night now with my heart beating out of my chest. It is 4:30 in the morning! I bet this guy's father was a dentist who would ask you all kinds of thought provoking questions when your face was shot of with novacaine and your mouth was stuffed with cotton! What a Ma-roon as Bugs Bunny would say. So what do working women do when they have free (he he) time......I do dishes and fold clothes and have long since locked the side door.......I also got the alarm book out and read what the flashing red light means (reset) and reset the system.
......so now that time has elapsed and because I need to continue to be able to be home alone this is what I have convinced myself has happened. I worked til 9. PM that is, after starting the day by leaving the house at 7:15 AM. So much the life of a 9 to 5 secretary but that is a WHOLE other story. My routine is to come home and come inside, bring the mail in, etc. I secure the side door and I then go out back using the back door, turn off the pool, turn on the outside light and come back in, double check all is locked up and alarm everything. Tuesday night, I was tired and went straight out back. I turned off the pool, turned on the light, then come in the side door and stayed in. I am thinking that because I had two large tote bags, (full of work!!!) one on each shoulder and was tired, I only pushed the door to and not shut. I disturbed the routine. I came in, starting an intelligent conversation with the cat and proceeding to flip on the TV. I am guessing that the a/c off and on jarred the door, or the cat, or a vibration caused the unsecured door to open.
I go to work, feel Wednesday's earthquake (for real, epicenter in the next state over), work late and meet members of my Board at the local diner. As I drive to the diner I am figuring that I have locked any possible bad guy in my house for the day, they have eaten all my food, tried on my clothes and watched my movies and they are still in my house because my alarm never went off again when they grew tired and left. I am telling my friends and one tells me how her the dogs got all freaky at her house around 4:30 a.m. and wondered if it was a tremor before the earth quake.
Hmmmm... what are the chances that I don't shut the door tightly on the one night in 20 years we have an earthquake? I should have bought a lottery ticket I guess. One thing I don't know is what I thought I was going to do with the remote control I was carrying around. And it wasn't even for the tv, it was the remote for the ceiling fan. Did I think I would laser them or sound wave them with the controller? Did I intend to spin the fan to warp speed at the bad guys like some ninja star?
I sit here Wednesday night and of course I am seeing things move out of the corner of my eye and I know that I will have a sleepless night! I have checked each door at least three times! I even used the deadblots! Had I not worked so late I would have had my son come over with his two dogs to search my house but I was sure he was long since in bed because he goes to work so early. I decided to poor myself a margarita.
As a PS......do you think the margarita worked last night..........NO! We had to have one of those mother of all thunder storms that shook the house and rattled the windows..........tonight I will sleep or I will live the words I tell others....sleep is over-rated! Since I am off tomorrow, I just might have to stitch all night!
Boy will I be glad when my husband returns. First thing we will do is find those ugly alarm stickers and put them on the windows. That will at least save any bad guys the trouble of activating the alarm and scaring the you know what out of me (and them)
......so now that time has elapsed and because I need to continue to be able to be home alone this is what I have convinced myself has happened. I worked til 9. PM that is, after starting the day by leaving the house at 7:15 AM. So much the life of a 9 to 5 secretary but that is a WHOLE other story. My routine is to come home and come inside, bring the mail in, etc. I secure the side door and I then go out back using the back door, turn off the pool, turn on the outside light and come back in, double check all is locked up and alarm everything. Tuesday night, I was tired and went straight out back. I turned off the pool, turned on the light, then come in the side door and stayed in. I am thinking that because I had two large tote bags, (full of work!!!) one on each shoulder and was tired, I only pushed the door to and not shut. I disturbed the routine. I came in, starting an intelligent conversation with the cat and proceeding to flip on the TV. I am guessing that the a/c off and on jarred the door, or the cat, or a vibration caused the unsecured door to open.
I go to work, feel Wednesday's earthquake (for real, epicenter in the next state over), work late and meet members of my Board at the local diner. As I drive to the diner I am figuring that I have locked any possible bad guy in my house for the day, they have eaten all my food, tried on my clothes and watched my movies and they are still in my house because my alarm never went off again when they grew tired and left. I am telling my friends and one tells me how her the dogs got all freaky at her house around 4:30 a.m. and wondered if it was a tremor before the earth quake.
Hmmmm... what are the chances that I don't shut the door tightly on the one night in 20 years we have an earthquake? I should have bought a lottery ticket I guess. One thing I don't know is what I thought I was going to do with the remote control I was carrying around. And it wasn't even for the tv, it was the remote for the ceiling fan. Did I think I would laser them or sound wave them with the controller? Did I intend to spin the fan to warp speed at the bad guys like some ninja star?
I sit here Wednesday night and of course I am seeing things move out of the corner of my eye and I know that I will have a sleepless night! I have checked each door at least three times! I even used the deadblots! Had I not worked so late I would have had my son come over with his two dogs to search my house but I was sure he was long since in bed because he goes to work so early. I decided to poor myself a margarita.
As a PS......do you think the margarita worked last night..........NO! We had to have one of those mother of all thunder storms that shook the house and rattled the windows..........tonight I will sleep or I will live the words I tell others....sleep is over-rated! Since I am off tomorrow, I just might have to stitch all night!
Boy will I be glad when my husband returns. First thing we will do is find those ugly alarm stickers and put them on the windows. That will at least save any bad guys the trouble of activating the alarm and scaring the you know what out of me (and them)
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