Oops, I've done it again

Nothing bad like letting a deer run into my car or nothing like succumbing to my desires and  buying a new car......but bad none the less.....I started a new project!  OMGosh.....I am a nightmare to anyone with OCD.  I can't even count how many projects I have in various stages of completion and prefer not to attempt  that task.

But but but, it's a necessary diversion from my cross stitching frustration.  I have an excuse (of course I do, we justify our crafting).   I signed up for a BOM at the Intrepid Thread back in January.  I opened the package for Part One as soon as it arrived.  It then it sat on the counter, was moved to the stairs and finally landed my cutting table....  I got an email notice that the second installation the was being shipping and it has arrived.  Yikes! I had to start work on Part One because  Part Two is here, right?  Besides it is a wintertime type project for early evenings and cold weather - more justification, I know.

The fabrics are beautiful and the photo really doesn't show how pretty, the instructions are super great.....so up the stairs I went after dinner.   I took a nice cup of coffee and my iPad.  I set up the iron and ironing board, pressed the fabric,  sharpened my rotary cutter and started cutting the pieces.   I listened to some Kenny G, yes, Kenny G.



Swaying to the music and I cut the first three series of pieces and before I knew it, it was an hour and a half later.  Do I have any business starting a ANOTHER quilt?   Not really.    Here are the telltale scrapes from truing up the fabric.

These instructions are super great for cutting.

A, B and C cut and labeled with my quilt marking pins.

All these rulers and I am missing the one I need for part three.

........ Now that PT is over, I hope to make it up to the sewing room as least two evenings a week.   I'll keep you posted on my progress.  

Love my car

It is the little things that mean so much.    I was toying with the idea of buying an SUV......dragging my heels only because of comments like..."another new car"....why I worry I don't know...... About three weeks ago I hit a deer, or my story and I am sticking to it, the deer ran into me, which he really did.  It was like I was threading a needle between two deer, I breathed a sign of relief and then BAM!  One charged into my front driver's side.  It is only $2,900 worth of damage and I say ONLY because we all know $2,900 is not a lot when it comes to body work.  I was not hurt - upset yes - and the car has been drivable while I waited on parts.  I dropped it at The Auto Body Shop  yesterday and now I have a rental.   What a POS! car this rental is.   I will allow the brand to remain nameless but it just makes me realize how much I love my Camry.  I can't wait to get Peggy Sue back and I think I will not be trading in anytime soon.   I will dash any thoughts of a new car because I will be so happy to have mine back.  I am just going to save those pennies and dollars for another couple of years.  Nothing like doing without what we are used to make up appreciate what we have.

For stitching, I continued work on my Jeannette Douglas Stitching Treasures until I got to the all the over one stitching.   Over one is not so easy to do at lunch at work.  

 Pretty much pleased will how quickly this is working up.

These leaves across the top in particular I have frogged a couple of times and I think I am about ready to replace this row of leaves with something else.

I called in reinforcements from my sewing room.  This should help me with the over one stitching.

I picked up another piece from my guild challenge pieces only to quickly be put off by all the Algerian eye stitches.    This is a reproduction sampler from Chester County Historical Society.  My path forward is to tackle one letter in eyelets and then stitch regular cross stitches elsewhere within the sampler and then back to another letter and so on.  The cross stitching sections can easily be done at lunch at work.  That's my plans as of right now.

So much for my plans to stitch on one piece until I could complete it.   There seems to be a pattern here.   I stitch 90% and hit a wall.   Do I have no self-control?  Am I afraid to finish and have to go to the framer's?

Just three rows of Algerian eye lettering  and I won't be planning on stitching an Algerian eye for a long time!

My sinus and ear infections are on the way out with a grindingly slow pace.  Still that nasty clearing of the throat thing going on.   I will be forever grateful when this is gone.

Work has been demanding lately with more than a couple of extra long days and Saturdays.   We are in the mist of year-end financial reporting, compiling our Annual Report to shareholders, preparing the silent auction for the local Heart Ball Gala next week and answering interrogatories from the Public Service Commission.  But I have a job and a way to get there even if this week it is via a crappy car.

Our weather this winter has been seesawing between unseasonable mild to brutally cold.   Today it is in the low 60's; this time last week I was thawing frozen pipes with a space heater.  I am starting to get the itch to want to be out in the yard.  That is always invigorating!

So that is my life in a nutshell.  It is going to be a long week driving this wind-up tin can of a car I have but I am thankful everything is covered by insurance.  I am thankful I have stitching alternatives.   I am thankful to be done physical therapy.  I am thankful for great friends, stitchers and non-stitchers alike.  I am thankful spring is just around the corner.

Ugh!

So little to share on progress this week.   I have been under the weather and in the prone position with my slanket most hours of the last five days.   Nothing serious other than a full blown sinus and ear infections.  Just enough to knock the stuffing out of you.   I have become a mouth breather and I really don't care.  You know you don't feel well when the accumulation of mugs of tea and soup bowls on the coffee table don't phase you.  And even more evidence, you know you are sick if you don't have the desire or energy to pick up a needle and thread.

All and all, it is still forward progress and I am generally pleased.   I have a personal goal to complete have this stitched by the end of March.....and I may be able to make it barring any further illness!

I must be turning the corner this morning as I have gathered up all the glasses, mugs and bowls and managed to get them at least into the kitchen sink.  Maybe a little nap before I dive into actually washing them.  I wouldn't want tax myself into a relapse.

Happy stitching week to one and all.

Another Finish

This is a Heartstrings pattern by Pat Thode.    Four of us stitched this same pattern a few years back. And then this sat languishing in the basket with other unfinished finishes.

It was a fun piece to stitch and did stitch up relatively quick.  Even better, I am pleased with how well the finishing turned out.

Finishing was not too terribly difficult but it did take more than a few hours to do.  My friend Pat and I each worked on finishing our pieces while at Camp Wannasew earlier in the month.   It was good to do together...what I didn't think of she did and vice-versa.

Another check mark in the good old finished column.   Time to pack St. Nick away until next Christmas.

Happy stitching all.

Sky Blue Pink!

Wow - this was my view outside my window this morning as I had my first cuppa and stitched my first stitches of the day.  Isn't Mother Nature just the most awesome.....using her paintbox of all colors.  
 

 Looking east

 Looking north

Looking west

 Looking south

My grandfather was a sailor before settling on a factory job.   I know the sailor's lament - Red sky at night sailors delight/red sky at morning, sailors take warning.   Not sure what we are in for today but I was surrounded by beautiful skies at sunrise.

As for stitching, I am moving along.   Fourteen sections completed and 19 to go!

 Finished up the roses this morning.   I am one thread off......I am not sure I will frog and restitch the leaves on the right or make it mine and leave it at stitched.

Queen Stitches were frogged and restitched.   I am happy I did redo these.   This time around my Queen Stitches were much nicer than the first time.

This verse says it all.

Happy stitching and happy week everyone.

What a difference a day makes

We weathered the storm.   Yesterday visibility did not allow me to see the end of the street. And today,

 beautiful, brilliant blue skies with the sun bright and strong.

Street plowed but not yet for the driveway

 This weather has caused some strange happenings inside......in the middle of the night.

Here's the culprit.   He's a night owl and wants to play.  He wants to go out until I open the door.   He causes my sleep pattern to be about the same as when your kids were babies and you didn't get a full nights sleep.   Last night, I took to throwing my slippers at him after he woke me three times wanting to go out out in the middle of the night.   Mr. Innocent.

 Sun is shining and the snow is melting off the roof.

  Snow has melted and dried the sidewalk we shoveled.

Crazy differences in the depths.  From grass showing to about 3 and a half feet deep in some areas.   All told, we probably got 18 to 20 inches of snow.  And me, I could have been in the Caribbean this week.

While it was snowing away, in between baking and soup making and rewatching all of the first season of Outlander, I got a lot done on My Stitching Treasures.  I deviated from my plan of completed a section at a time....got weary of back stitching the lettering.

Over one, completed.  Empty sections get charms.

Queen stitches done but need to come out.   I added a stitch to the stem and now can't get three strawberries in this block.  I'll consider it good practice.

It's all good.   It may be a suitable task for stitching night.   It would better than chatting and stitching in the wrong place.  Out it will come and in it with go......oh well, sew it goes.

Hunkering Down

Cars are backed into the drive, pantry is full, snow shovels standing by and I've got a beans soaking in the pot for ham and bean soup.....I am ready for the blizzard.   No worries of me getting cabin fever.....got some projects to keep me busy and I think I will just snuggle down to stitch and rewatch season one of Outlander......

Fair progress has been made on my Jeannette Douglas work.  It is rewarding to have a quick finish on a motif and move on to the next.

 A bit of over one work.    Let's see how far I get this weekend.  I plan to be able to move to the next section.

Hoping everyone in the path of the Blizzard of 2016 stays safe, stays warm and weathers the storm as I plan to.....