It's about time....

I did it.....I made it everyday.....some days were pretty lame-o as far as posts go but I managed to post everyday.....think I'll take a few days off.   Up with the decorations this weekend.   Mr. W. will help me drag all the boxes out of the attic of his man cave tonight and then the decorating will begin.   Going to be a mild day on Sunday so it will be perfect for doing the outside.  I've been picking up new tree decorations here and there for a new themed tree this year.....I will have to share photos if it turns out as well as my vision of it!

Frogs

Long day, long week but ended the day with my stitching buddies which is always a good thing.  What was bad is that I made more reserve progress frogging.   Boo Hiss!  We all have those days.  Looking for a better stitching day and a finish tomorrow.

A bit of progress

Not much stitching going on in my neck of the woods the last week.   I have managed a few snow flakes on my Jingle All the Way.    I hope to finish up the cross stitches by the end of the weekend.....if holiday decorating doesn't take all the starch out of me.

I have another nifty thing to share.   My kids find the most unique gifts.   This is from my DD#1.  Can you guess what it is?    Yes, it is a grape vine ball with bits of fiber stuck in it.   But for what purpose?   It is to hang outside for the birds to pick from to make nests!   Cool.....I always throw my orts around the yard in the early spring and then smile on the inside when I see a nest with a bit of krenik or DMC in it.    I think I will use this for my orts too.   I will have the prettiest birds nests in the neighborhood.

Taking time to appreciate

Hurricane Sandy made me really stop to appreciate all the things around me that make me happy.   Everyday little things that I have taken for granted.  What if I couldn't reach out for these?  This is even more granular than the roof over my head, having a job, health, a happy family, etc., etc.  These are no rival to Oprah's Favorite Things for sure.  Just everyday things that have nothing to do with stitching that make my life easier and I am happy I have so I wanted to share.   Drum Roll please....and in no particular order

My new L.L. Bean Barn Coat

 

I have wanted one for years, just never got around to buying it.   I was looking for something to wear on those in-between days when you need something more than a vest and not as much as a winter coat and of course, I had a coupon.  This just suits my style so well.   Throw on the jeans and my work boots and I am ready for a walk in the woods.  Would have bought it in my fav color - turquoise - if it came in that color but settled on the blue.....

Next up....$1.99 gloves that I bought for all the Christmas stockings.

Of course I bought an extra pair for me.   I always buy a bunch of cheapy gloves just to have.  These have special tips on the finger and thumb so you can text and dial your phone without taking the gloves off.  Some kind of coating that allows the electro-static of your finger to be transmitted.  (or whatever is it)

This is also something I wanted for a long time; just  something I never searched out to buy myself.

It's a girlie thing with no earth shattering redemption.  It is a mere decantor and a glass that serves as the lid. My sister gave it to my for my birthday last year.   It sits on my vanity in my closet and I can take a sip of water with my vitamins while I am putting on make-up or doing my hair in the morning.







And last but definitely not least......this lotion is to die for.   It is awesome to find a good product.....now that I have, it will probably stop being made.   Ever have that happen when you really like something?   Bam! off the market.

We are all getting dried out now that the winter is upon us.   Instantly this makes your dry arms and legs feel better.   The label is a bit fuzzy - it is Gold Bond Ultimate with Shea Butter.

Kind of my version of stop and smell the roses.  I am appreciative of the small things.   And see, don't need to spend a lot to keep this gal happy!

Remind me not to

sign on for this goofy post every day in November thing next year.......it is sometimes hard to come up with something to say every day......but I will live by the rule I preached to my children.....you have to finish what you start.   So enough already.........today I came home from work and put my PJ's on right away.   It is a long day when you have a headache.   The Benadryl dried me out and combine that with 4 days home in the blast furnace I live in.   Mr. W. is always freezing and he keeps the heat cranked up in preparation for the move to Phoenix AZ that he wants to make.   He doesn't notice me in tee-shirt and shorts or capris while he is in sweats and a hoodie.   Such opposites.   Me, give me the beach or a cabin on a lake in the mountains......so you see, we stay right where we are.......but again I am off point.  

In my PJ's and comfy and I sat down at my sewing machine to work on my pieced table runner.    I don't do directions well.   I am a visual learner.   I understand spatially and perhaps become a bit spastic along the way too!  Needless to say, following the directions was like reading ...the square root of the hypotinus is equal to 1/2 the sum of all the parts as illustrated below but only if calculated while standing on one leg in the dark at the precise onset of the winter equinox...in other words, made no sense.  So my table runner has fewer trees than it calls for, I have extra strips that I don't need of one color and not enough of another.  Geez!  Just throw the strips in the bin with all the other strips waiting for that one-day quilt to be made and get over it already is what I did.  Anyway, trees constructed and ready to start adding borders.   Not sure if  I like the gold/red/red  or red/gold/red combination.  Not even sure I like the gold and may have to dig around in my fabric stash this weekend.

 

For now I have put the sewing machine up for the evening.  I think that the day long sinus headache has now lead to an evening of an upset stomach.  Time for a cup of tea and some toast for me and maybe a stitch or two on Jingle All the Way can be had while I watch Dancing with the Stars.

Cruising

This time two months from today, I will be sitting in Fort Lauderdale, waiting to board my Princess Cruise line in the morning.     January 25    It will be here before I know it!

A Stitching Post

Spent the day with my sister.   We have become closer and closer as the years have gone by and seem to have more and more similar interests.   A day together is sure to bring adventure, laughter and silliness.  First I helped her make her quilt 'sandwich' with the backing, batting and top piece.  Is this like crazy pretty?    I gave her a 1/2 day quilting lesson last year and she has taken off like gangbusters.   I bet she has finished 5  quilt tops to my one.   But then again, she is retired......as least that is what I tell myself to feel better.   I am so happy that she has taken up sewing again and pretty soon she will be teaching me a trick or two if she continues with the classes she is now taking.

 She claims this is easier than it looks........

We broke for lunch and hit a couple of shops downtown.   There is so much to do and see where she lives so we did a bit of exploring and stopped in some shops neither of us had visited before.   

Next we hit the new Amish Market for lunch.  YUM!    I had to buy the chocolate covered bacon.   Now before you think eeeeeuuuuuuuuwwwww!  You need to keep an open mind and try it sometime.   Just like the salt and sweet in chocolate covered pretzels but better because it has bacon.....and in our house, bacon rules anyway.   

After lunch we headed back to her house to tackle a pattern we bought at a quilt show last year. The salesgirl made it look so simple.  It is just a table runner with trees that alternate directions.  We let me say, it sure put us in a couple of directions!   My sister's colors below - she really has an eye for color combinations. (sorry - it's a phone pic)

 This is what we are supposed to be making - sorry for the glare! Another phone pic

  My fabrics

And last but not least - my stray from the path of the straight and narrow.   This is "Jingle all the way" by Scarlett House.   I am stitching it on 30 CT WDW Kudzu which is an awesome color in person.   I just love the fabric.   I really like when I get the chance to stitch on something other than navy bean or pearled barley or antique white.   It is like coloring outside the lines.  

 "Jingle" is supposed to be on a straight line but I mixed it up a bit.   All I need to do is add the snowflakes and stitch it up as a pillow!

 I know I was planning on putting up holiday decorations today but just like cobwebs and dusting, decorating can wait....the day with my sister was worth it. And on that note, I think she and I need to make a standing date to spend the day together and stitch, antique, craft, giggle, eat lunch out or whatever.    I'll have to propose a day to her...like the last Saturday of the month or something like that....at least until I retire (83 months away!) and then it can be more often!

Black Friday

I don't do Black Friday!  Did it once and didn't see the point nor did I enjoy it.  I find I buy twice as much because I got it at half the price.   Long lines, pushing people and prices that I can find next week or on the internet.  I don't want to be just another piece of livestock in the cattle call of holiday sales.   I'm sorry, I know some people really enjoy it.    I want an attentive sales clerk not one that is stressed and over tired from dealing with the mobs.  I want happy, joyous fellow shoppers not ones trying to beat you to the last featured item of the season.   Maybe because I am not searching for the latest and greatest hot item this year.   I have to wonder if Mr. Walton, founder of Walmarts, was sitting and enjoying his family while all his employees were forced to go to work at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving to get a jump on reaping in the $$$ from the holiday shoppers.  It was bad enough when stores would open at 4 a.m. Friday and now they start the Thanksgiving evening.  Family time people!

Turkey sandwiches and family with a wee bit of stitching.   That is my day's plans!  Tomorrow let the decorating start!  I am hosting stitching next week and would love to be done before Thursday.   Not likely but I could give it the good ole college try.   Before the weekend is over, stitching progress to share as well as a new chart I might cave on starting.

Yeah.  Downtown Abbey returns January 6th.   Just had a look see on the PBS website out of curiosity.  Shirley MacLaine joins the cast this year.   I wonder what troubles will find Mr. Bates this season.

Again, with the afraid of myself!

I have the futon opened, made up with clean sheets, pillows, blankets and fresh towels in my sewing room.   I have the aero beds all blown up with clean sheets, pillows, blankets and towels in the other upstairs bedroom and all by Tuesday night!    I even made some of the hors d'oeuvres.  Lucky Amy won't have to be tortured into making the subs on a stick this year!

 Between all the B-L-T's (bites/licks/tastes) I ate so much Cream Cheese and Beef dip and olives, pickles and cheese while making these I didn't need dinner!  Can you tell all the family is coming home for Thanksgiving?  Usually everyone arrives over the course of the afternoon and evening and the good cheer starts and laughter, confusion, and luggage and dogs and we scramble upstairs to make beds before we have one too many glasses of wine.  Not this year. Like I said, I could be afraid of myself!  Once I pick up Miss Amy at the train station tomorrow afternoon all I will have left to do is bake a couple of pies and enjoy a glass of pinot.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.   No pressure, just good food, family and an occasional drop in friend and of course the potential for a nap after dinner.

I remember getting up early to get the turkey in the oven before heading out in the cold weather to watch a high school football game and coming home to the fabulous aroma of the turkey cooking.   This year the weather may be mild but the smells, the good food, and the laughter will be there while we enjoy each others company and remember the many blessings we have to be thankful for.

Uniform Blue vs Gunmetal

You ever get something wrong so many times it becomes what you think is right?  Let me explain.

For months as I have worked on my BRD Little Quakeresque I have believed I was using Uniform Blue.  It was like a surprise every time I would see the name on the little WDW card that said Gunmetal.   ~~Oh, that's right! I would think~~ and again I would regress to the point I would swear I was using Uniform Blue.   And no, I do not meet someone new each morning when I look in the mirror.

I know this is making no sense.  Mark it up to posting EVERY DAY in the month of November and a total ramble on.   (where's Mr. W. when you need him to evoke the 15 second rule on me?)   It wasn't until I was re-reading my post about LNS shop and being out of thread that I realized when I went up to my studio to find thread I looked for Uniform Blue....and I even posted about Gun Metal ..Duh!  Right there on the ring in alphabetical order the whole time.   I am a dumb bunny at times.   I guess I got a man in uniform on my mind.   At any rate, I have the necessary GUN METAL floss I need to finish my project.   Now I know it will be done come by Dec. 31, no excuses!   And the girls at work wondered what I meant the other day when I could be heard saying "I could be afraid of myself sometimes".

Recipe

One of my stitching buddies was talking about a recipe she saw on the Barefoot Contessa and she raved about it.  I made it for Sunday dinner - yummy

Two ingredients and 10 minutes and that's all she needed to say.  It is called  Holuska.   It is a Czech dish.

First in one pan cook broad egg noodles
At the same time in a separate pan, saute about a cup of onion (I used vidalia) in butter and olive oil
Add cabbage that has been cut (I used half a head and I cut mine in about 2 inch strips)
Cook the onion and cabbage until tender but firm.
Mix together with the drained egg noodles.    Make sure you get all the good olive and butter mixture out of the frying pan and in with the noodles
Season with a generous helping of fresh ground pepper and salt*.

Now, Mr. W has to have meat so I also cook up some sausage and crumbled it in with the onions and cabbage and tossed with the noodles.  I didn't add salt since I added sausage.

It was pretty tasty and I will definitely make it again.  

LNS

I am flying along here in Blue Ribbon Designs ~ A Little Quakeresque ~ but I have hit a speed bump.   First the progress.  At the start of the month my hope was to be able to complete 6 motifs....so far in November I have managed to stitch 14!  Happy dance is happening over here.   I can really see that I can complete this one by my self-imposed deadline of 12/31.  

But I seem to be out of floss.    My Q-Snaps for a LNS!

My inventory list shows I have 2 WDW Gunmetal.....but they are not here on my ring of WDW floss.

Rats.  And I was making such great progress.  There is a brick and mortar store a little over an hour away that I want to visit so perhaps I will try their online store and will just have to place an order and I can't be held responsible if I stray from the fiber section to fabric section.  Economies of scale.....can't pay an arm and a leg of postage to ship 1 floss.

Take that you doubters!

AKA my daughters, who usually get the job of doing my wrapping.  I am proving my eldest wrong as she joked lamented her sister would be stuck with the wrapping again when she arrived home for the holidays....I spent the evening listening to oldies and wrapping Christmas presents.  With the exception of the 3 or 4 boxes and some small stuff there at the end of the table.....I am done wrapping.   Not done shopping but done wrapping what I have bought so far.     Heck I haven't even gotten their Christmas lists yet!  Better get these off of the dining room and hidden before Thursday.

Ribbons and bows come later.....and for me, it is all about the bows.  For now, I'll tease my sister with her present......I will continue my reign as the best sister ever come Christmas morning.  LOL

Looking Forward

I needed a change of pace this evening after a very look work week.   We are gearing back up at work.   I worked at a crazy pace from almost the day I started until - maybe - this time last year.   It was then that the slowing of the economy finally filtered its way up to my level of the company.   Well, that honeymoon is over.   Housing starts may not be up but things are happening; expansion, charity work, completion of asset purchases, annual report time, etc.    So tonight I wanted to look forward to something pleasurable.

In my EGA Chapter we are having a NBS (Never Been Started/Stitched) Challenge that will begin January 1.    So I rooted around my stash and pulled out what I want to work on.

 First up, from Of Female Worth, the Grace Mason Sampler.   Six of the seven of my Thursday night group are going to do this.   No pressure like taking on a BAP with others working along with you.  Three have already started.  I am stitching this on 32 count linen with most of the recommended DMC colors.   I am going to change up the main red and green by a few shades so it is not so Christmasy.  

 Next up - Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm from Victoria Sampler.   I don't even know how long I have had this but I do know I have wanted to stitch it since before it was in my stash.  I am using 28 count cashel in misty blue instead of the 28 count pearl.   And you can see I bought the threads.   This one really intimidates me and I hope once I start I will be fine.  

Third, this one is for fun.   It will be my savior from the BAP's.   From With thy Needle & Thread it is called Candy Corn.   I am going to need to divert my attention from the larger projects and feel the reward of completion so I threw this in the mix.  I love the fabric.  It is 30 count gold from WDW.

Fourth and last in my NBS Challenge is a kit that four of us are going to work along at the same time.  The kit contains all the fabrics and specialty flosses and I only need to add my DMC.  It is called Tannenbaum Time from Heart Strings.  

 When complete, I don't know if I will frame it or stuff it.   I have lots of time to decide on that!  Sorry, I don't know why my pictures look so dull this time.

My plans to cross things off my to-do list this evening have faded and I will be putting in some much needed stitching time.   Remember stitches feed the soul.  Happy weekend all.

Sad News

I learned early yesterday morning that the daughter of a friend had been murdered.   There are no words that come near to offer any kind of solice to a parent who looses a child.  Michelle (mom) lives in New Jersey and Britt was living in Texas so details are few and far between.  It matters not the circumstances when a young life is gone too soon.   In my minds eye I can see her running through the yard as a child with the white-blond tiny little pony tails and her blue blue eyes.  Michelle is on her way by car to Texas - couldn't get a flight fast enough and she just couldn't sit by and wait until she did.    This is a trip no parent should have to make.  None of us holds the magic ticket for unending tomorrows so hug your loved ones while you still have them.   My thoughts and prayers are for all her family during this heart-wrenching time. 

Brittana Fletcher

RIP

9/24/1980   ~~  11/13/2012

Strange Occurence

Mr. W.........to say he's a home body is an understatement.   I sometimes envision his life like he lives in a Habitrail....trudge to work, trudge home, trudge to his garage, trudge to work, trudge home with the exception the summer trudge to Drum Corp.  Remember that commercial years ago?  .."Time to make the donuts."

He is an honest man, a man of integrity and a good provider.

He is also a man of few words.    He thinks I talk too much and sometime evokes the 15-second rule.....  One day I think I will purposely blather on to see if  a man in a black and white striped shirt bursts from the closet to remove me to the locker room for going over the time limit.



Heaven forbid, be spontaneous?  Not Mr. W.  He has a routine.  Everything is planned and maybe it is good he shops from home because you really don't want to be in a mall with him.   Straight in, straight out.  It frustrates friends far more than it frustrates me.   I would no sooner want to try to change him than I would want him to change me.  Others may not understand, but he is content in his life.  So here's what happened...Monday night...

      Mr. W.   - "I'm going to Hibatchi's Restaurant tomorrow at lunch."
      Me - "Hibatchi's?  Where's there a Hibatchi's? I've never been....."
      Mr. W.  - "Let's make arrangements to meet for lunch at 11:30."

OK - to the innocuous reader, that little exchange is no big deal.   Let me just say that in over 37 years of marriage we have never ever MADE arrangements  to meet for lunch.  Trust me, I'll give you my kids emails and numbers, ask them.   He is a happy little man in his own little world that doesn't like to socialize.  He was so excited last year to realize he can order his socks, and t-shirts, etc. from Amazon all from his iPad and never has to leave his garage.  He is a recluse; a hermit in the making.  His idea of lunch out with me is when I trick him into taking me to Home Depot and I suggest lunch....he will say, "I'll wait in the truck while you go to the wienie wagon."


Years ago we went out to dinner and he was so physically uncomfortable that I thought....hey, this is good enough.   If he is willing to put himself through this much pain just because I want to go out, then that is all I need to know.   We are a strange set....two cogs in the Thompson Household Factory turning independently with three great kids, a really dumb cat, a green yard with mulched flower beds, a declining balance on the home equity loan and closing in on retirement.

But then the conversation continues -

     Mr. W. - "Bring a friend if you want."

Ok, ok, confusion on my part.   Am I being punked?   Does he have something to tell me?    Why should I bring a friend?   Are his bags packed to go join the circus?  Is he a secret mole....there was that issue of dual citizenship and he has no official birth certificate!   Is this an opposite sketch?  Is he announcing his retirement?   Does he want to go to the Serengeti and climb Kilimanjaro (which is not a stretch in my house since my s-in-l made that announcement one day and then did!)

So I go.  Fearful not to go, because if he is branching out, I don't want to be the one to discourage him.  I take my girlfriend LuAnn who has never met Mr. W.  Guess what, it was just lunch and a pretty tasty one at that.  Ever so out of character for him, and I am still intrigued.   Is he adding more avenues to his Habitrail?  Do I see more lunches and possibly even dinners out????  I enjoyed the lunch but on my way home last night I did stop and buy a Powerball ticket using my lucky numbers from my lunchtime fortune cookie!

I got nothing people

No stitching progress, nothing going on, no anecdotes.   Nil, nada, nothing.  It's the same stuff, different day.   I try to make Monday's my 'do nothing' night since I usually ram all weekend.  We all  need down time.  So with the exception of my annual physical and my flu shot last night, I was successful at doing nothing.

Hopefully tonight I will get the all the Halloween decorations that are boxed up out of the house and into the attic of the man cave.  (It's not as bad as it sounds.....we did not have Trick or Treat until Nov. 5th because of Hurricane Sandy. And one would have to stay home now and again to finish these little jobs.)

Ok, boss in Philly all day and you would think that would mean I would coast today but I think I will head into work in a few minutes to dig into the mess on my desk.   Thinks are starting to pile up this time of the year and I need to get a jump on it before it makes me (more) crazy.  Don't you find that when your to do list is so long it can be overwhelming?  For today, I will use the touch it once and handle it method and I know before the day is done a lot will be accomplished.

Happy Tuesday all.

Veterans Day is for honoring

November 11th

Veterans Day or Rememberance Day in the UK

Click the link above to Sean Bean's rendition of "Anthem for Doomed Youth."

It has started

Christmas Shopping......

and the same *promise* that I will wrap as I go......

Delete it is!

Overwhelming response to my question:

Do you save all your progress pix or just keep the pix of the completed projects?

It was interesting to read the different ways people save and some of you are far more OCD then I care hope to ever be!  LOL

          -     80% replied that once completed, they delete photos taken of projects in progress keeping only pictures of finishes and maybe a special one or two of progress.

          -     20% said you plan to keep only the photos of completed projects but just haven't gotten around to cleaning up their files.  

So looks like a 100% agreement and now I know what I must do.  Delete, purge, and be more like  Henry David Thoreau - Live Simple.   It sure will reduce the clutter and make it easier to update my tab of Finishes for each year.   

I had my guild meeting this morning and taught a finishing class.     Not something I am comfortable with....standing in front of all these incredibly talented women but I seem to have a new found confidence in myself and my abilities, I feel more sure of myself than I used to.   I think I can identify the turning point but am unsure if I can share it properly.   Just suffice to say, a friend from the past came back into my life and the unconscious doubt I had hovering over me like a specter because of the 'broken' friendship has been lifted.   I really didn't have any idea there was such a weight of self-doubt hovering over me until it was gone!   So mend fences my friends; it will lift the burden.

This is Lizzie Kate's ABC's of Aging and I don't know if I shared a photo after it was framed.  
It  hangs over the chair in my little stitching corner in the bedroom.  

 OK, moving on from that heaviness and psycho-babble......and back to guild.   If you have a local stitch group, guild or EGA, you should join.   I have learned so much, enjoyed so much, met so many new friends and just broadened my horizons by joining.   I have a place I belong when for years I just didn't fit in.  Come on ladies, you know what I mean.....we have friends we grow up with, attend their weddings, we go to their baby showers, vacation together, our kids play together, we hang out with, share holidays and none of them stitch or craft and we are like the two headed Mother Earth Hippie with our fibers, knitting needles and ever present project over in the corner.   People just don't get it.   In guild, I sit with 45 to 50 other women who do.   We talk colors, and fibers, and linens, and offer critiques and ooh and aah at each others work and share websites and designer names.   Truly the guild experience (or any stitching group) is like coming out of the desert and into a lush green Eden.   It still amazes me that I found this whole other world; a world of stitchers, and knitters and quilters, of world of people with my common interest.  So peeps, find a group, start a group.....you will be amazed.

Alright, too much daddling here.....I need to type of this morning's minutes super quick, pack a bag, stop at my favorite Exit 10 Wawa for coffee and head into Philly for the night. (the coffee stop always makes me WIRED by the time I hit East Falls.   My daughter will be amused as always.)   It will be a night of good food, family, friends, laughter and then off to Christmas shop in the morning!

ACK!!

I didn't have the best day today.    My boss was out as were several other officers and what I thought  could be a day filled with accomplishments and checking things off my list had others rejoicing ....... "yippee, casual Friday"      

 Me, the consummate professional    and them  --

 Top that off with my daily commute home through the 3 year construction project.

This is something like what I see.     Today it took me 45 minutes to drive  the 12 miles home.  I usually laugh at the other frantic drivers who slam their fists on their steering wheels while I let a tractor and trailer merge in. But today I found myself yelling at the other cars tonight......"do the zipper people!"   My lane/your lane/my lane/your lane.     I want to know why the guy riding up the right shoulder and cutting in at the last minute before the jersey barriers feels his time and where he is going is more important than mine?   Just feeling out of control today I guess.   Feeling a bit overwhelmed with some big projects coming my way at work and then I got Volun-Told I would be one of three spearheading the Heart Ball Dinner Auction.   No pressure, just need to bring in big bucks for the American Heart Association in pledges and a lot of leg work.  

The traffic usually doesn't bother me so I guess it was all the other things on my list that seem to be stacking up quickly.      I pity the frantic ones in the morning trying to squeeze  here and there as they dart from lane to lane.      Stay the course people and  maybe, just maybe you wouldn't be so crazed in the mornings if you'd leave earlier so you are not  rushing to get there on time!  What a concept.

On an up note, our salary increases came through this week!   Yeah!  And even more important than money, I did manage to  put in some super needle and thread time this week.    I already accomplished more in the first 9 days of November than I  hope for the whole month on my Blue Ribbon Design piece I am working on.......hopefully more progress to share on this one at the end of the month!

Have a stress-free evening all.   I, for one, am washing the day's grime from my face, getting all snuggly in my pj's with a cup of tea  (or glass of wine) and plan to curl up on the couch to stitch and watch a movie.  Tomorrow's another day.