Very Hedgey

It has been a very eventful weekend.  My mom has been struggling with pneumonia.  She was in the ER last friday and wouldn't be a guest of the hospital.  She went home and I made several trips to her house when I could.  This past friday morning she called me, "I don't think I'm going to make it through the day."  She did.  I did have the ambulance take her to the hospital since she was very weak.  I decided I wasn't going to chance getting her down three stairs to the car.  By that evening, two respiratory therapy treatments, a bag of antibiotics it was a near miraclous cure.  She can be a bit dramatic.  I don't doubt she was sick, I'm sure she was feeling awful and the ride in the ambulance was good.  It was the talk of the school, kitty corner from her house.  So, I have been a tiny bit busy but, did accomplish a few things.  I am telling you, cross stitch is my sanity.

I did finish the LHN Poisettia House....I would not call this a small.  I want smalls to be small enough to put into a little basket.  This IS the size of the basket.  It did turn out cute.  The other side of the pillow fabric really is a good match and was a little piece from the stash.  It is about 6x6 inches.  And it took longer than what I would consider a small.  To me a small is something you can easily finish it a day or two.  This took more like two weeks. 

 Here it is all put together and sewn up.  I may decide to put some cord around it.  I haven't decided if I want to invest more time into it. 

 I had good intentions of working on the PS Tortoise and the Hare but, didn't do any of that.  Instead, I started the Hedgehog and he is looking rather hedgey.  On the pattern, where the grass is, it says "Stick it in."  I have decided I don't like that at all.  So I am not going to do that.  I figure it is my prerogative.  Maybe I will put some poseys in there.  Poseys would be nice.  (Or is it Posies?)

Just talked to my mom and the doctor said she might be able to go home tomorrow.  She is feeling much better.  I made her go for a walk around the nurses station.  She has walked on her own again. 

Thanks for stopping.  Keep on stitching.  It is the only thing that keeps me out of the funny farm. 

The Importance of Stash

I think it is always important to have a little extra laying around.  I stopped at the quilt store today, since I was by it.  I picked up a few pieces that I thought someday I could use to finish projects.  I was really looking for pillow ticking like what Brenda Gervais has used on some of the finishes for With Thy Needle and Thread.  No such luck but, this was pretty cute.  I especially like the bow with the pin/needle through it.  The strip has that pillow ticking quality to it so if I never find....

 Then I figured I should get the PS Hedgehog ready.  I decided I might like over dyes better than DMC.  I am using Maple Syrup, Dried Thyme, Straw Bonnet, Old Brick and Holly Berry.  I am also doing it on 28 instead of 32 count Lambswool.  All in the stash.  Since I am so nuts about Prairie Schooler, I have an abundance of Lambswool.  This was part of the conversation last week when I stitched at the Stitching Bee.  I will often go in there and buy all the Lambswool she has.  "So you're the one..." 

 Finally, LHN Poinsettia House update. All that is left is the border. I will be glad to be finished with this, as I have said in the past. When I was on the Year of the Smalls blog, someone else stitching it said it was kind of big for a small especially the house. It nearly use the whole skein of Clay Pot. I was worried I would run out. I have one 6 strand piece left and thats about it. 

 I did kind of cut it close on the border but, I am finishing it as a pillow and didn't think I really need much salvage.  It was also a scrap of material.  It will be fine. 

Hopefully, by the weekend I will be able to show you it is finished, the hedgehog is hedgey and I have some more done the Tortoise and the Hare.

Thanks for stopping.  Keep on stitching.

LHN update and I was thinking....

I am slowly moving along on the LHN Poinsettia House.  I did graph out what I am going to put in place of Poinsettia.  Like I said, I think I would like this better if it was smaller.  I also think I should have used a fabric that would have made the white stand out more.  If I had used something more yellow in tone I don't think I would have been happy with that.  Oh well...live and learn.  It still will turn out good I think. 

 Then I was looking at my china hutch and I don't have anything hanging on that.  I have stuff to put on the knob but, just haven't gotten around to it.  Then I was looking at sites and saw the Prairie Schooler small cards.  I had gotten those sets when The Silver Needle had their New Years Sale.  The hedgehog really stood out.  I thought, "Hey I have that.  I should do that for a little hanger."  I just located it and will get some scraps of fabric and the thread and whip...oh sure, "whip" that one up.  It truly will be a quick stitch.  How cute is this?

It has been a busy weekend.  My mom has pneumonia again.  I was at her house yesterday and cooked up a bunch of stuff for her so she doesn't have to cook this week.  I plan on going again to cook more and clean on Thursday after a dentist appointment.  Her health really is quite tenative.  And she is 84, soon to be 85. 

Thanks for stopping.  Keep in stitching!  I knowits cheaper than Prozac.

Stitching with the Girls

Last night was the Stitch n'Bitch at Patty's. Everyone except Jean was there. And as usual very fun. I usually work kind of late on Wednesday's and sometimes don't feel like going but, I am always glad I did. Its good to reconnect. For some reason, I always perk up when I'm there. I worked on my LHN Poinsettia House. I may change the Poinsettia to Goodreau, then not quite so seasonal.

 Looking at it in person, I would have done it different.  I think I would have stitched it over one instead of two, to make it a really small, Small of 2012.  Not going to change it now. 

Bob and I took his mom to the airport today.  She decided to go to Atlanta for 10 days to visit her other son and his family. We waited with her until she could board her flight.   After,  we did some shopping.  Stopped at a Kitchen store, Cook's Corner to get a turkey baster and a smaller casserole.  Ended up getting all sorts of things.  They did have Sticky Fingers Scone Mixes.  I love these.  You just add water.  I usually buy a bunch at World Market but, haven't been to one in a year.  So I picked up a couple of packs of them here.  Long story short, if you spent $50 you got a free petite rotissiere...can do two chicken breasts, two burgers, etc.  Just the right size for the empty nesters.

Bob wanted to stop at a few guy places...the Fly fishing store, a place caller Harbor Freight and Gander Mountain.  I suggested he drop me off at the Stitching Bee and I could stitch with the the Thursday afternoon group.  Then he could shop in peace and I didn't have to follow him around saying, "Are we done yet?"

I started a new project.  Prairie Schooler Tortoise and the Hare.  Wanted to mix things up a bit.  Stitched with some really lovely ladies.  It was a very enjoyable afternoon. 

 One of the ladies had just picked up this pattern she is going to stitch for a friend.  When she showed it to me, I thought it would be appropriate to do for Bob.  Maybe he will give me some flies to embellish the bottom. 

Really was a great day! Looking forward to sitting in my Lazy Boy, with a dog on my lap and stitching in my hand. 
Thanks for stopping!  Keep on Stitching!!

In the Frames And LHN update

It has again been a very busy weekend.  Katy was home and went to her boyfriend's Prom.  He is a senior but, only three months younger than her.  I was hoping I could get the picture off my cell phone that they texted me last night however, it wouldn't work.  Hopefully they will email me some and then I can post those.  After we dropped off her dress we stopped at the mall and picked up a few things.  I got a box full of 60 watt bulbs and 3 4 pks of 100 watt.  There are some light fixtures the compact flourescents just don't work in.  My dad always had a stash of light bulbs.  I guess the bulb doesn't fall far from the lamp.

We also stopped at Bath and Body works.  I have become obsessed with the cherry hand soap.  Why do they just about tackle you when you walk it there?  There must have been ten associates in there and every single one of them had to stop me and asked me if I knew about the sale, needed a basket, knew if I got three of those I could get three for free...did I want some Moonlight Path (I hate Moonlight Path).  I really only like the soap.  There shower and lotion just smell too artificial to me.  I think by the time the last girl went through the series of questions my eyes had become satanic red and I must have terrified her. 

I finally finished the framing with the Prairie Schooler March Daffodils.  The wood on the frames doesn't exactly match.  I'm not exactly worried about it. 

 And finally....Progress on the LHN Poinsettia House is moving along.  I will probably make it into a door knob hanger. 

I have also started getting the stitching group Christmas Presents ready to start.  I'll work on those it drips and drabs but, won't post. 

Thanks for stopping and keep on stitching.

The Latest

I know, I know I'm suppose to blog about March Daffodils and Lion and Lamb....this weekend.  I have the glue drying on the frame.  The frames don't exactly match and I need to stitch up the back.  And I do things the worst way....I use tacky board so that means a hundred years from now my things will be rotted.  For now it is the easy way. 

I have started my first Year of the Smalls: It is the one from January: a LHN Poinsettia House

I love this website.  I love how there is the "teacher, Miss Grace Carlisle," and the picture is some lady from the 1930's.  I JUST LOVE THIS!  I don't intend to get all the kits since I'm not so sure I like them all
Check it out....http://2012yearofsmalls.blogspot.com/

Way too busy at work...very complicated Hand Injury/Surgery patients.  I do adore these guys and when they come in smiling because they are feeling better and their injured hand is working better.  It just wipes me out by 8:00 and I am sleeping in my chair and not stitching.  I hope my stitching group appreciates when I make something for them for Christmas and how far in advance I start to get it all done.  Sometimes I just don't have the giddy-up and go. 

Thanks for popping by and Keep on Stitching

Bathroom Re-Do

I won't claim to be an interior decorator.  There may be more I will do to this bathroom but I have pictures of before, during and after.  I think it has been a big change.  I still don't know what to do about the toilet.  You know there really isn't anyway to make a toilet more attractive. 
Before:  I always start with a shower curtain.  This being a kids/guest bathroom...and mostly kids at that time.  The paint was a periwinkle blue and really blue. 

 The light fixture was one of those mirrored bar lights...very 1990's.  Bob really hated the wooden towel bars.  The blue doesn't look quite as intense in this picture. 

 We took down everything.  We didn't replace any of the main stuff....showers, toilet, sink, vanity etc.  We had put in a new toilet and tile floor when we painted the periwinkle blue.  Those were neutral.  We painted it with Sherwin Williams and the color is called, Contented.  It is a spa-like greyish green. 

Really interesting picture of the sink covered with newspaper.  What talented photography, eh?  And notice missing light fixture.  That was a bugger!

 Better pic of the missing light fixture

 Installed an new shower curtain rod that curves out, so it seems like the shower is bigger.  I love these rods.  Got the shower curtain at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  When I was looking at curtains, every curtain I saw at Kohls that wasn't vinyl was dry clean only.  How ridiculous is a a dry clean only shower curtain????   It is a mosaic pattern on top and repeated again on the bottom.  Love this curtain. 

 New light fixture.  This is the second one we brought home.  The first one, which repeated the hexagon pattern that you really can't see on the wall brackets for the towel ring, had shades that were too big and smashed into the mirror.  So we went back and got this one.  I do like this and the brushed nickle.  All the rods except the shower curtain, are brushed nickle.  The towel matches the blue in the shower curtain mosaic. 

I figure I could get more hooha stuff to place around the bathroom.  But, looking at the designer rooms and sometimes I think they are just too over the top.  We are replacing the faucet.  I can only push Bob so far.  I do like the way it turned out.  I absolutely love the color.  I will have to see what DMC thread best matches.  Doesn't everyone talk in DMC color numbers.  My husband is getting use to that.

Finished the Lion and Lamb but, I am going to try framing it in the next few days and I will post those pictures. 

Thanks for checking up on me.  Keep on stitching!

A Year of Smalls

If you remember, I talked about stitching some smalls to fill a basket. This basket needs something in it.  There is a website:   http://2012yearofsmalls.blogspot.com/  I ordered January and March's smalls.  I'm not sure if I NEED February and April.  I ordered from the Inspired Needle on thursday and they came today.  Talk about lickedy split!

They come wrapped up Uber cute.  I wish I could get a really good pick of January's ribbon.  It is blue with little snowflakes and in the center of the snow flake is a little dot of glitter...everything goes better with glitter. 

 I ordered the pattern and the fibers.  I figured I had the fabric.  It is Little House Needleworks Pointsetta House. 

 March was wrapped up in a bit o' the Green in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  I did get the whole she-bang on this one. 

 I have another Small Token I should do for the basket. 

 This is the sewing case from FineLines I think I will do next.  I don't have the whole thing but, I do believe I am quite adept at adapting.  You will just have to wait and see. 

SOOO close to finishing the Lion and Lamb....maybe tomorrow. 

Thanks for stopping and checking up on me.  Keep on stitching!

In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb

I had the girls from Stitch n'Bitch over last night.  As always loads of fun.  If you don't have a group, I highly suggest starting one.  I was one of the founding members.  Years ago, I was at the quilt and yarn shop and I saw a flyer for this.  I took a leap of faith and called the number.  It was Arttie and I agreed to have her pick me up.  The first meeting was at her sister's.  (She no longer attends, stopped almost as soon as we started.)  The car she picked me up in was something out of another century.  I got in and when there were no seat belts in it, I silently thought, "Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?"  Well everything turned out just fine and we have been friends ever since.  Along the way we lost the other two founding members but, acquired Patty, Ann and Jean.  We trialed another along the way but, she just didn't fit.  She was more in Karoake then stitching. 

I made a White Chocolate Mousse and Cherry Pie from Taste of Home
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/White-Chocolate-Mousse-Cherry-Pie
My picture isn't quite as lovely as the professional one:

 I used a 9 inch springform rather than a pie plate.  It was pretty tasty and quite a hit.  It was rather putsy.  I'm not sure I would remake for that reason only.  It is essentially a heart attack on a plate.  Now Arttie is doing Atkins and really suceeding.  The last time it was here, she complained later about the headache she had all the next day due to the high sugar content.  What good dessert doesn't have a high sugar content, I asked?  So last night I did make her something special that was low carb.......
A boiled egg.  She did opt for the pie.  Bob ate the egg for breakfast. 

I am nearly done with the Lion and the Lamb.  I absolutely adore this.

Still trying to figure out the next project.  When I do, I will post it. 

Thanks for stopping.  Happy stitching. 

In like a lion out like a lamb and the search for Fine Lines

I have made a lot of progress on the companion piece for March Daffodils.  The lion is extremely handsome.  I am cruising on the lamb.  It won't take long.  I am trying to decide what to do next.  I should start working on the Christmas presents.  I don't like to do them all at once otherwise, I get bored and don't want to finish them. 

I was thinking I maybe to start working on some smalls.  I have a little basket in the living room that is crying for something to be put into it.  Smalls would be nice.  I was also thinking that I may need a new needle case that I can also put in the small packages of Bohin needles.  I have an idea whirling around in my head, I just need to find a pattern I like to stitch and then I have an idea how to finish it. 

Finally, I don't know if you have been following Theresa's Shakespeare's Peddler Blog:  http://www.shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com .  She has been working on a Sampler from old  OOP Fine Lines magazine.  I thought,  "hey wait a minute, I have some of those."  Alas, not the right ones but, found some great projects...a needlecase.  And then I saw it on the Silver Needle website as a pattern.    I was trying to remember when I had a subscription to that magazine.  I want to think that it came as part of a different magazine after the Needleworker stopped publishing.  I need to look at when the last one of those was published and when the first Fine Lines was published.  I want to say it came with Piecework for a little while but, my feeble brain can't remember for sure. 

Had to edit this post after a good nights sleep since I was getting my magazines mixed up. I made a mistake: saw an Adam and Eve sampler I may just do for the bathroom after it is redecorated...pictures to come of that. (This is on one of the first issues of Antique Samplers and Needlework magazine.)

Well, keep tuning in to see whats next.  Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.