Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Paper Mache Pumpkins


Last week, when I was at the yarn store with Katy, she had on display some fabric covered paper mache pumpkins.  
She had kits for sale, so I bought one. 
They were all the same size.   
The one with the black and tan fabric on it is the one.
I figured I had homespun at home and got some more pumpkins.  
I ordered two on line that were smaller and I found the tall one at Joann's Saturday.  
I got that one too.  
I may do all round ones,  or maybe them all and then decide what I like the best to display.  
Now the trick is....what fabric.
I have letters on each one and sent pictures to Katy to have her help decide.
So far she hasn't been much help other than the gold one with the "D"

I'm thinking I may like this combination.  
There is tan and black in the red plaid. 
Please feel free to chime in with an opinion.
Its getting close to hunting season and Bob and his buddy Gary have been working on fixing up Gary's hunting camp.  
They have put in new cabinets and installed a temporary counter top yesterday.  
I was suppose to do something with Arttie yesterday but, she had to keep an eye on her MIL who just had foot surgery and is not good about following doctor's order

The Stitching Bee was decorating for Christmas and looking for volunteers to help.
I decided, what the heck, I'll go and help and do a little shopping.  
I had taken Tuesday off because we were slow and I don't work on Thursday so for the most part the chores were caught up.  
I hopped in the car and headed south though some dreary weather, including some snow flurries.
Helped put up pictures, saw some of the new Brenda Gervais Christmas patterns so ordered O Tannebaum and Merry Christmas.
It is on her webstore Country Stitches under "New Items" if the link doesn't take you there.  
I really thought I wasn't going to do much Christmas Stitching but, oops....I will.  
Merry Christmas looks alot like a Santa I did of her's last year or the year before.  
Very sweet!
I then went to Joann's and lunch at Panera.  
Both ways I chatted with Katy for a little while so, it was like having company for the trip. 

I am almost done with Thanksgiving
There are leaves at the bottom and then the vine tendrils and I'm done
I think I will be framing next weekend so, stay tuned.  
This afternoon Bob and I went to the movies and saw Geostorm.
I am an absolute sucker for disaster movies involving weather...Twister, The Day After Tomorrow.
I loved it and now it is on my list to purchase when it comes out.  
How can you beat 4 or 5 Tornadoes in Mumbai?!

Hope you had a good weekend.  
I did but, I should have had more chair time.
Busy, busy, busy.  
Two week count town to stitching retreat weekend!

Have a wonderful week
Keep on Stitching 
Monica

Sunday, October 22, 2017

A Golden End to the Day

It had been raining all day.  
About 530-545 the sun was starting to peek over the clouds and the house tops.  
I took some pictures or least tried. 
The color was indescribable but, I'll try.
It was a rosy gold.  
It was absolutely gorgeous.  

Our Japanese Maple is really beautiful.  
Its partner dropped all its leaves but, the big one is still a lovely crimson.  
There is a little gold peeking through
The clouds were just as stunning
Just so pretty.
I love fall and all the colors.
I just wished they would stay on the trees longer.  


I left my mums out one night and we had a frost but, they are just fine and so bright
They have really bloomed in the last week with the heat.  
Finally, my third Autumn Band Sampler from Prairie Schooler.  
this one is going very fast. 
there is a fruit/vegetable basket at the top and a leaf garland at the bottom.  
You will just have to wait to see it.  
Katy was home this weekend and we did a little bumming yesterday. 
We had fun at the yarn store, went out to lunch and then stopped to check out what 
Christopher & Banks had on sale.  
My sweaters are looking a little shabby so I found two I liked, that a coupon for $10 off, everything was 40-50% off and I had an old gift card so didn't feel too bad.  

Hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the fall colors.  
Keep on Stitching
Monica

Monday, October 16, 2017

Finished the Autumn Band Sampler

I was hoping to post yesterday but, I was having issues with Google Photo and my phone.
Since I downloaded the new Apple IOS 11, it has been working like crap!
I don't like the texting, the return button is too close to the space and what happened to the forward and back arrows?
It is also sucking my battery dry, I have to recharge at least daily. 
I use to charge it every two to three days.  
I think they do this so you need to get a new phone.  
And what's up with that?
An IPhone 7 is still $600......WOW!!!

I digress.
The picture is a little crooked but, its done!
I love this one so much, I decided to start the third one in the series, Thanksgiving Band Sampler.  
I have the frames that I plan on using interchangeably with other Prairie Schooler Samplers.
I really think that Prairie Schooler were some of the best designs.  
It is too bad she isn't designing other than the annual Santa's.  

Hope your week has started well!
Keep on Stitching 
Monica

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Why Do Things Have to be So Complicated or Do I Have a Story

Just when you think things are going okay, the gods just kick you in the butt.
I blogged about Katy's move to the big city.
She started her new job on October 2 and things were going just fine.
She got home from work on Wednesday and was home for about a half hour when she heard a commotion coming from the neighbors.
She looked out her back door and saw her car go peeling out of the parking lot.  
HER CAR WAS STOLEN!

She called the police and they started the process but, she had to go to the station.
She called home in tears.  Nothing worse than having your kid call home in tears with the news her car had been stolen.  I called my sister and asked if she could take her to the police station and thankfully she did.  Katy filed a report.  Her car wasn't worth much because it was fifteen years old but, it still worked pretty good and had gotten a clean bill of health from the mechanic before she left.  We only had it insured for liability since it was so old.  

Bob started looking at used cars that night.  I went to stitching what else could I do and it was most therapeutic.  By the time I did get home I was angry with the a--hole who stole it.  I hope for karma!
When I woke up in the morning I told Bob we are thinking about this the wrong way.  Instead of getting her a used car that who knows what is up, we should give her my 2010 Escape and I should get a new car.   I spent all Thursday researching and test driving cars.  The money we would have used for a used car I used on a down payment on a 2016 Equinox that was a fleet car.   I really like the car but, I really didn't want to buy a new car just yet.  Oh well.  
On Friday, Bob got a call from a guy in a lousy neighborhood saying our car was behind his building.
Bob told him to call the police because it was reported stolen.  Who knows what this guy was going to shake us down for.  When Bob asked what kind of shape it was in, the guy said, "Oh its not that bad.  The doors are open and they were smoking pot in it."  When Katy called us at 6:30, after she talked to the police the police had a different story.  The car was totaled.  It had been crashed through two fences and into another car.  Today, I sent a notarized letter signed by both Bob and I and the title to the city tow lot relinquishing it to the city.  I don't want to see it.  It had been my car before the Escape.  

We brought the Escape to her this past weekend along with The Club to further secure her car.  I got one too for when we go to see her.  It isn't a bad neighborhood she is living in.  Apparently, juveniles are stealing cars all over the city and surrounding area.  Even the very best neighborhoods are not immune.  

Then my cable provider has moved Turner Classic Movies to a higher tier.  I am so over cable TV and cellular providers.  They are the new pirates.  I think cable and internet should be considered utilities now.  We live in an area where digital antennas won't work.  You have to have at least a 30 foot antenna and guess what...its against the city ordinance.  We are screwed!
I can live stream TCM from laptop to the TV with a HDMI cord...it burps once and a while but, I can get my old movie fix.  

Why do things have to be so flippin complicated....don't get me started on health insurance!  

Deep cleansing breath
Latest progress on Autumn Sampler.  
I hope I don't forget the leaves in the bottom corner before I frame it.  
I have been know to miss borders.  LOL
I am really hoping for a calm weekend and get my house back in order.  It still looks like a hurricane when through it.  I was going to get things back in order but, had to car shop instead. 

Hope your week is going well.  

Keep on stitching!
Monica

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Busy, busy, busy

It has been very busy around here.  
The end of the week it was getting Katy ready for her move and looking for apartments on line.
That is a really hard thing to do. 
She and Bob left Friday morning and looked at places that afternoon.  
She settled on a small studio apartment.
I think you have to walk outside to be able to change your mind.
I will know more after next weekend when I go and check things out and bring the next load.

I made soup last night from The Taste of Home Soup book I picked up last weekend.  
I made the Bean and Squash soup.  
It really tastes better than my picture looks.  
It has butternut squash, onion, red pepper, corn, beans and Italian Sausage.  
So while everyone was gone and the dogs were hanging I had to take pictures.  
Buster spent much of his time looking out the window waiting for someone to come home. 
Buster and what we call his Build a Bear nose.  
I have been working when I can on my Autumn Sampler.  
I have been really busy.  
I had to see a post op patient Saturday and Sunday.  
Someone had given me too HUGE zucchini's.   
I made bread.....six loaves of zucchini bread.  
I sent one to my aunt along with some soup and got back a bag of cherry tomatoes and a homemade apple pie......SCORE!!!!
Hope you have had a great weekend.  

Keep on Stitching
Monica