A Fobby Smalls

I decided to make a scissor fob from the Threadwork Primitive sewing pouch.  

This was from the Prim Stitchers Group sponsored from Dying to Stitch.  

I needed a new fob

 I stained some of the floss for the braid and the fabric for the backing with walnut shells.   

I may decide to do a matching needle book down the road.
That's my April Check In
Keep on Stitching
Monica

Weekend Update But No Soap on LNS

We had a wonderful time in La Crosse seeing Katy.

She is doing really well.  

Her pain is under control and she just had testing.  

She has been struggling in college with test anxiety.

It started in high school.

We attributed it to her pain levels.

She has been working with a counsellor at school.

They have made special accomodations for her:  longer time to take a test and a smart pen to help take notes in class but, she was still struggling.

I suggested she try to see if the learning center would test her to see if there was something else going on.  

There is and the school system here knew something was up.  

When they graduated she got a folder from the school about some of the milestones.  

Things were identified in that but, nothing was done while she was young. 

It is amazing she has done as well as she has however, she has struggled.  

She is a really smart kid. 

She has some issues with dyslexia and visual memory so she apparently struggles with reading.

It was apparently a good thing that I read to them until they were in fourth grade.  

Now, she can take her tests in a room alone so she can talk them out.

She is getting her text books on cd and some tests are read to her. 

In her abnormal psychology class, her last test (with the new method), she scored a 98. 

The test before that one was an 86.   

We also got to see the lab she works in and will be working in this summer.  

She got her grant, so she is good to go.  

We didn't get to go to the cross stitch store in La Crosse.  

It was closed for a wedding....  :(

I was really bummed about that...oh well. 

I need a pile of thread so I just placed an order with 123 Stitch.  

We did go to the Antique Mall and I spent less than $20.

I got a small wicker basket that I can use for displaying.  

I also found some buttons.  

I'm starting to run out of old white buttons for embellishing.

I got some dandies.  

Many are old shell buttons.  \

 La Cross Buttons use to be made in La Crosse.

I think they use to make the shell buttons from local clams.  

I also found a really nice whisk broom.

I just wish I could remember what designer was using whisk brooms to finish.

I think it was Lori Brechlin but, it takes forever to go back and look at past posts.  

 We were so busy, I really didn't have much time to stitch. 

We did go to the bead store and got some bracelet kits and worked on them yesterday in the breakfast room of the Holiday Inn.  

We have so much fun doing that.  

 Lastly, here are the pins I tried to rust.  

I did get some more pins and I may try the hydrogen peroxide method.  

Going to be a rainy week and only in the 40's...hopefully no snow.

Hope you had a great weekend.  

Thanks for the wonderful comments when you stop by. 

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Yet Again.....blech!

So Depressing...yet again, we have snow.

UNCLE!!!

It isn't much.  

It's just obnoxious.

Everyone is tired of it.

 I have not looked at my safety pins today.

I have been too busy and now I'm tired.  

I do have the update on LHN My Sheep Hear my Voice.

That's really pretty much it.  

Like I said, I'm pooped.

Its been a crazy week.

Hope your week was sane.

Thanks for the lovely comments.  

I enjoy every one of them.

Have a great weekend.

Keep on Stitching!

Monica

Rusty Safety Pins

Lets start with Happy Easter!

I decided to try rusting some safety pins I had.

I googled it and picked a method.  

The first method called for soaking the pins over night in bleach.  

They started rusting in a few hours.  

Look at all that rust.

This is only step one.

You let the pins soak in the bleach for 24 hours.  

Just before I drained them.  

The directions said to use the leftover bleach to clean your toilet.

It looked a little too bleak to clean a toilet with this.

I dumped it down the drain in the laundry room 

Step two is to fill with vinegar and health dose of salt.

I figured a tablespoon was healthy.  

Let it sit for another 24 hours.

Held the jar up and took a picture from the bottom. 

The third step is to let it try in the sun in the jar.  

I figure if it doesn't turn out, I will just buy some at Crosse Stitchery and Main Street Framing.

I have another recipe that uses vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and salt.  

I may try that one too. 

I started LHN My Sheep.

It is so cute and fun to stitch.  

You know I wouldn't stitch this stuff it it wasn't fun.  

I do have my list of things to get at the Stitching store.  

I need floss.  

Amazing when you have a pile of floss and you still need more.  

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and a very joyous Easter.  

We had ham and family here.  

Thanks for stopping and sharing comments. 

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Happy Ending

Bob called Animal Control and he came and got them at noon time.  He took them to the animal shelter. It is a no kill shelter, so I was comfortable with them going there.   I just called them to tell them a little about them.  The woman said the owner called looking for them.  They should be going home.  I hope they don't get loose again.  They were pretty good guests especially since it was a strange house.

I Get Myself in Trouble

I found these guys running around the neighborhood.  

No collars and very sweet dogs.

I got them in the backyard - first mistake

 Tried to call the shelter -  closed

Called animal control -  not happening

Sheriff said call the local police

Local police said call the sheriff.

 Now we have two house guests.

Bob is not real pleased with me.

 He did go buy a bag of dog chow.

They don't appear sick or not cared for.  

Bob thinks they were dumped

I'm watching to see if someone is looking for them.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica

KABOOM

Yesterday, Shopko had a sale so I picked up a stitching light and a small bookshelf for the sewing room.

Bob had to take the bookshelf out since it was very heavy.

He shut the back door of my car, not just the window and the whole window exploded.  

There is glass all over the garage and inside the car.

 Its an absolute mess

 I hope I won't be without wheels for long.  

That can really cramp a girl's style. 

 I needed some homespun to "finish" Christmas at Hollyberry Farm.

I googled it and found Jubilee Fabrics.

I thought the prices were reasonable.  

$4.95 a yard 

 I figured I could use this for patriotic pieces.

 And the buttons were onfsale, so of course....

I completed the stitching part of Cinnamon Hearts.  

Now, I have to finish it.  

How quick and fun was this!?

 As part of the Prim Stitchers Club through Dyeing to Stitch, on of the first projects was a needle pocket.

I completed it.  This was one of the motifs.

I decided I needed a new scissor fob so I used it.

The initials look a little cattywombus.

The backing material won't match the pocket but, it is a color in the same family as the 

Mountain Mist the peacock's tail.  

I may look for something better at the quilt store.

Hope your weekend was not as "bombastic" as ours.

Thanks for stopping and sending great comments

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Cinnamon Hearts Update

Progress on Threadwork Primitives Cinnamon Hearts.

This has been a really fun stitch.  

I love the way it looks.  

Met with the financial planner today about retirement.

We are on target which is great but, he wants to sell us long term care insurance.

There is always a catch.  

I'm just not sure about long term care insurance.  

Spring is in the air and a lot of the snow has melted.  

Pretty much the big piles from plowing are whats left.  

Thanks for stopping and commenting.

Hope you have a great weekend.  

Keep on Stitching.  

Monica

It Came!

About a month ago, I posted about really taking over Ed's room.

I have been doing it in drips and drabs...sewing machine on the desk

Table clothes in the dresser

New shelves in the closet stocked with stash

and 

Got rid of the bed and ordered a sleeper sofa.

I showed you the fabric.....well the sofa came!

Ta da

The pillows weren't my first choice.  

I preferred the gold color but, it was no longer an option.

I picked the lighter greyish-blue, it also has a gold undertone. 

I love it!

I think its perfect!!

It opens to a full size bed with a memory foam mattress.

That was the mid level comfort.

I didn't want a super comfortable mattress.

Ben Franklin said it best, 

"House guests like dead fish, stink in three days."

This is going to make a cozy, little stitchy room.

Just got to get a good light just in case I actually stitch in there.  

Thanks for stopping!

Keep on stitching

Monica

Hollyberry Farm is Done But, First

We had another snowstorm on Friday.

It started as ice then turned to snow.  

We got about four inches the first part of the storm.

It stopped for a few hours until it was time to go home from work.

It ramped up again and dumped another three to four more inches.

The good thing is that it was in the 40's yesterday and 50's today.

It has melted and then some.  

I took these pictures yesterday morning before things started to melt.  

 The day before, the patio was bare and you could see grass where Buster's paths were.  

 Buster wouldn't go out the patio door because there was a drift infront of it.  

Once things started melting he was fine but, had snow balls stuck to him everytime he came back in.

The sky really was that shade of blue.  

That's what snow will do.

 I'm done with Christmas at Hollyberry Farm but, not finished.

I was concerned about the lack of fabric at the top.  

There is only about an inch.  

Once I started reading the directions to finish it, you fold the edge, press and then stitch it onto a piece of homespun fabric and then framed.

So, I'm fine....whew!

 The final close-up.  

I forgot about the dog just below Christmas and the roof embellishment.  

 Now, I'm trying to decide if I want the Summer one.  

Decisions, decisions!

I started Threadwork Primitives Cinnamon Hearts.  

I broke down and got it.  

It is a good thing I'm not part of that SAL stitching from your stash. 

I would have failed miserably.

Good thing I didn't take the challenge.  

I don't know if you have seen it, I think a lot of you have, the FB site dedicated to Prim:  

Prim Stitchers Society

It is a group dedicated to all things Prim.  

I joined and have been enjoying the posts.  

As always I have had a busy weekend.

Yesterday, after running a few errands, we took Buster to my friend Arttie's house to see how her Shih Tzu and my Shih Tzu would get along so we can swap dog sitting services. 

We kept him at a kennel this fall but, I'm not exactly sure how happy he was.  

It is a very nice kennel and we have him groomed there but, he must be spoiled.  

The dogs got along fine so, it should work.  

Today after church, breakfast and visit with Mom, we saw Noah.  

It was good but, I liked Monuments Men better.  

Hope you had a great weekend.  

I looks like a better weather week. 

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Think I Would Have Finished but the Bank and Quicken Screwed Me Up.

I only have a few more letters and Merry Christmas left to do.

I think I could have finished it today.

I had the day off and didn't have it in me to clean. 

I had nearly 30 hours in by the end of the day yesterday and my Stitching Group at my house last night.  

The only thing I had on the agenda was to take my mom  to have her taxes done.

She wasn't feeling good so I picked up everything and took them to be done.  

I ran a few other errands and had receipts to log into Quicken.

About a month and a half ago it stopped interfacing with my bank.  

I tried to fix it according to the directions but, it still wouldn't interface.  

I really miss it because it puts the transactions into the register especially the ones Bob doesn't give me the receipts too. 

I have to go online into the bank to find them or wait until he cleans out his wallet and gives them to me.

Today I tried it and it worked!

Or

Oh,  happy day...not yet.

There were duplicates of some things and then not. 

So I had to drag out the old statements from February and go through things again.  

At one point there was a difference of $4000.  

That is a heart attack waiting to happen.

After nearly two hours, I was done and things were within $1.50 of what I started with.

Now we can say

OH HAPPY DAY!!

I am ready to be done with this piece and move on to the next. 

I broke down and ordered Threadwork Primitives Cinnamon Heart.

This weekend.  

And, I have been trying not to complain about the weather but, we are having another snowstorm from now until 1 am Saturday 6-16" on snow, sleet and freezing rain. 

It has started sleeting.  

The upside is the robins and doves are back so Spring is Near.  

Thanks for the great comments!

Hope your week has been good. 

Keep on Stitching 

Monica