Snow? Ice?

Friday:  We are supposed to get some ‘wintery mix’ this evening through the day tomorrow.  I’m looking forward to it – just watching the snowflakes fall.  They say this is our best chance so far this year…we’ll see. I know SO many of you are buried deep in multi-feet of snow and are sick and tired of it, but forgive your South Carolina friend the excitement of having a few flakes, please.

Saturday:  Well – they were right! Not so much with the timing, but it did… something!  I just took Pixie out -- she was not impressed!  There are two plus inches of … some icy mixture.  I think it’s mostly sleet with a little snow mixed in… some minute flakes and pellets (?) are still falling, and if their prediction is correct, will for most of the day.  It’s not the beautiful huge flakes one loves to see falling, but it’s ‘snow’.  That prediction also says the temperature will be below freezing through most of the weekend, so what’s here is likely to stay for a while.  Yes, I stopped by the grocery a couple of times during the week: well stocked and ready!  Enjoying hot, flavored coffee while browsing this morning…

One of my long-time, online friends was doing some organizing – imagine that - and decided to share some magazines she thought I might like.  There wasn’t a duplicate of what I have in the group she sent, AND she also sent a couple of snowman charts that I don’t have.  How special is that RAOK?  Thank you so much, Lesa.  I really appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness – and Maddie’s approval!!

This week’s stitching has been good.  I finished “B” is for Buttons, with the exception of beads, with Brooke’s Books Alphabet SAL.

Finished Fa-La-La with the Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog, Too group.  I had ‘finished’ stitching, then noticed the red bottom border on other members’ pieces… How did I miss that on the chart? It was quite a fun piece to stitch!  It, as the others will be, is stitched on 28 ct Tea Monaco 1x1 using the recommended fibers. I did add beads for the snowflakes and the candle's flame.       

Finished part 3 of the Needlemania 2 SAL with The Sampler Life.

On Friday night with Let’s Stitch, I finished the Sweetheart Kiss from Give Us a Kiss –Cricket Collection on 28 ct cream linen using recommended DMCs as another ornie for Friendly Stitchers’ Ornament-a- Month SAL.  Honestly, it's not as cute as I thought it would be - maybe when it is really finished...

I also started Lovely You, a freebie from Paulette at Plum Street Samplers on the same 28 ct cream linen using DMC 115.  With the encouragement of Edgar, I watched Great Expectations and Elmer Gentry last night  while stitching!  It was a tribute to the recently deceased actress, Jean Simmons. 

What?  Knitting?  Yes, I’m a very unskilled knitter!  I saw this on Snippets and Stash, and just thought it was SO cute – I even forwarded it to a friend who really knits.  When I was at Hobby Lobby – one of my favorite haunts – they had sock yarn on sale, so I went for it.  Now mine doesn’t look much like the one above, but it was a little something different while watching football last weekend.  Didn’t get too much done, you say?  Well… how many times did I pull it out before I got this far?  Let’s see – maybe five?  Found When I find the link again to an eerily similar story to mine – but very humorous, I'll update.  It made me laugh out loud and admire the fact that Annemarie ‘learns’ so much quicker than I do!

Well friends, that’s it for this week.  I hope you are having a great weekend, doing the things that you enjoy most!  I hope to be around your blogs to see you, soon!

    Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!Charlene

Hello? Hello!

I got a new phone this week, and so far I love it.  Not that I’m a big phone person – either at home or on the move.  Hardly ever use either, as a matter of fact, well, except periodically at work, but you know – must have one.  Actually the cell phone is a safety issue for me, but I decided I wanted one that would do more than just sit in my purse, so I got a Blackberry Tour.  I know – the latest and greatest, at Verizon at least, is the Droid – all touch business.  Not so much for me.  I wanted a type pad, to have access to spreadsheets, email if possible, and oh, by the way, phone capability.  Have you looked at them recently?  So many gadgets and gizmos to choose from – it’s not easy to pick! 

I signed up for Camp Stitch Away this week.  It is the last weekend in March in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.  It’s sponsored by my LNS, The Stitch and Frame Shop, so hop over to take a look at the details if you like.

I’ve had a nice stitching week – which means I haven’t done much else around the house, but then do I ever? 

There were a couple of evenings with Lizzy*Kate’s Alphabet Lessons.

Wanted to stitch up another little ornie, so I chose Love, a freebie from The Stitcherhood, on a scrap using Gentle Arts limited edition, Lady Bug.

I joined the Little House Needleworks Monthly Ornament Stitch-A-Long Blog, Too group, so I’ve got to get on the ball with these!  This is the almost completed Fa La La.  I'll finish that up today, and move along to something...

It's chilly and dreary here today.  Aren't there just some days when you don't even want to get out of bed?  Just ask Pixie!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

January TUSAL

That previous post was edited so many times, it hardly looks anything like it started – LoL - but hopefully better and accurate. 

I’ve been negligent in the past to give my TUSAL the credit it deserves, so I will begin this post with my January 15 version.  I use clear, glass ornaments to collect my ORTs.  It sits atop another glass container that holds floss tags, pieces of linen threads that unravel, some longer strands that may be used for initials, etc.  When I went to get more, they didn't have the larger size like the ones I have.  I do hope they get more!

If you’re interested in joining the TUSAL (Totally Useless Stitch a Long), click the link here.  The only “requirement” is that you post a picture of your TUSAL every month on the specified date.  I usually get mine up a couple of days late… sorry!

Now, I’ll add the stitching I did last night while watching the playoff games. 

I did a small piece for an ornament by Stitch Wiz called Everything Loved.  It’s on pink 18ct using DMC floss.

Then I stitched on my Lizzy*Kate Alphabet Lessons.

And I think that’s what I’ll continue stitching while watching the football playoffs today.  I hope you have a wonderful day doing whatever it is your heart desires! 

Thank you for stopping by and do come back again soon! 


Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!
Charlene

Mid-January

[Edited today to replace finished picture, forgot to include TuSAL, and to include finished an ornament.]
I’m looking forward to having Monday off work – MLK Day, but don’t tell anyone.  I just want to spend the day doing nothing but stitching!  Ssshhhh - Do you hear that nagging voice in the background asking about organizing the craft room?  Oh, they called for a reminder that Pixie has grooming on Monday, but at least it’s afternoon.

I started out last weekend stitching the “A” from Brookes’ Books Alphabet Series SAL.  Decided to wait until the end to add beads since I’m using Q-Snaps and the beads may get crushed, so it doesn’t really look finished, but all the stitching is done. The goal is to have A and B done in January.

Next I worked on part 2 of the NeedleMania 2 – one of the girls has finished part 8 – and it’s a nine-part series!  It’s not difficult, but my stitching rate is probably in the slower percentile of slow!  It’s not finished either, but when it is I’ll be stitching an ornament of some sort.  Did I show you the Blackbird Design needlebook?  Here it is. 

 Here's the ornament I stitched while watching New Orleans whip Arizona!  Everything Loved by Stitch Wiz done on pink 18ct with DMC.

The Gift of Stitching is an on-line cross stitch magazine that I subscribe to, and have bought the previous years, too.  I decided one day to browse through some of the previous issues to see if there was something to fit the bill of the Ornament a Month SAL challenge.  WOW, was there ever!!  There are so many great projects in this magazine, and I tend to forget which ones fit the need of what I’m looking for so a good browsing once in a while is a very good thing.

Did I tell you that the enabler, Edgar, over at Blacksheep’s bit of the web, enticed me into Carriage House Samplings, Alphabet Blocks?  And a sale at Down Sunshine Lane got me on a few others – Primitive Needle’s Tombstone Spots and LaDDa Girl in the Red Dress and A Penny Saved.  Enough stash for the New Year; right? 

Do you know that Gentle Arts is now putting up their has Sampler Threads in 10-yard skeins?  I noticed them on Anita’s Little Stitches.  Check out her blog for this and other new items that she has!

I forgot to include my TuSAL for January, so here it is.

I’m going blog hopping now, then stitching and watching the football playoffs in a little while.  I hope you have a wonderful day doing whatever it is your heart desires! 

Thank you for stopping by and do come back again soon!      

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Back to Work in 2010

I just have to say a great big thank you to everyone who continues to offer congratulations and well wishes for quitting smoking - 8 weeks yesterday.  Your support means the world to me!

Isn’t it funny how at the end of the first week back to work the holidays seem like such a distant memory?  Oh, well – there’ll be another day off later this month.  In the meantime, I’ll sit here with my cuppa, give you a little update, check out what you’ve been up to, then on to some stitching while the Roomba does the floors!  Yeah!!

Notice the old Pyrex percolators on the stove that I picked up at a yard sale?  My 35ish year old cousin was fascinated with it on Christmas Eve.  When I told her at one time they had glass insides, she was amazed.  It made her recall her Dad’s (deceased) Corning cornflower percolator – it was worth the $2 (or whatever) just for that moment with her. Actually, I think it was $10 for those two percolators, Corning cornflower (white with blue flowers) three-piece set of the skillets and a loaf baker, and a naugahyde foot stool – oh, and three amber glass pieces – a very large brandy snifter and two bottles with tops.

With all the SALs I’m participating in, I got Blackbird Designs Peacock Pinkeep, and just HAD to do the needle book with a new color Sulky – Redwork.  I started it Thursday evening, then continued with in for Let’s Stitch on Friday evening.  As you can see, it works up quickly using the Sulky.  It’s over 1 on 28ct linen stash.  I’ve admired this pattern for SO long – don’t they do some of the best?

Speaking of SAL – over at The Sampler Life one of the members, Sabine, created a design in memory of Marc called NeedleMania 2.  I’ve stitched up part one using 18ct in a creamy yellow with DMC 815 and 728.  If I hadn’t had to frog a few times, it would have been quicker.

I know it has been freezing in lots of the world this week, so I hope you’re all warm, sitting with your cuppa, too, and doing what your heart desires!

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope you’ll come back again, soon!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene in SC

Remodeling

The big blog mishap.  What, you ask?  I was attempting to make a little update to my sidebar, and before a cat could scratch everything was defaulted back to blah – and I mean nothing!  So after a couple of days, it’s back to something I can live with.  If someone knows how to adjust that left margin of the post, I’d be very appreciative if you’ll pass that tip along.  Everything I’ve tried makes it go black or does nothing at all.  Found it!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Holiday comes to an end

Stitch and Frame, my LNS, had a Happy New Year sale on January 1.  Just so happened that I got some money and a gift certificate for Christmas, so what better time than this to go stash shopping?  

I’ve had my eye on a pretty pair of copper colored scissors for a while, and they were just what I had in mind when I requested the gift certificate. 

I’ve admired several of the samplers by Lizzy Kate, but when I saw Alphabet Lessons I couldn’t resist.  I picked up the LHN Sampler Monthly for Jan/Feb I’d ordered, and one of the ornaments of the month that I’ll be getting monthly.  I also picked up a snowman chart from the sale bin and some linens – do you think I have favorite colors?

So this helps define some of my goals for 2010.  I’ve updated the list on my left sidebar if you care to take a look.  I’ve one finish – the little sampler I did trying out one of the sulky threads, and one new start – the LK Alphabet Lessons.

To add a little time for stitching – ha – I got myself a Roomba – the little robot that does the vacuuming for you.  I’ve only used it a couple of times, but so far I love it!  My floors are nice and shiny, and all I had to do was push a button and then empty the little bin.  

The holiday break is just about over – back to work tomorrow.  It really doesn’t matter how long the break is, I’m never ready to go back.  The good news is that we will have a holiday on January 18, MLK Day.  Then there’s the stitching retreat to plan for in mid-late March!

Quit Smoking update:  A big thank you to so many of you who offer encouragement and support.  Someone from an email group asked me how it is going.  This may be a repeat for some, but here’s some of my reply:

November 13, 2009 was the date of my last cigarette.  After only these few days, my nasty cough is gone and my shortness of breath is better.  Even get more stitching done.  I was never one who smoked inside the house, but those outside breaks do take time!  During this type conversation, this topic never fails to come up.  I smell better!! 

I quit once using a combination of bupropion and patches.  Personally, that way was harder because you still have the withdrawals and strong desire.  I know it's hard to believe but with the Chantix, you just don't want them anymore.  The medication blocks the nicotine receptors in the brain.  My son tried to tell me how they worked, and I still didn't think it would work for me.  During the first week of Chantix, you can smoke as much as you want.  As bad as we all know they are for us, as much as I did want to quit, and as unappealing as they were after the first few days, it is a scary thing to know that "tomorrow will be the last".  I don't really know the psychology behind that, whether it's the fear of failure or the addiction saying “You can't do this,” but that was the hardest part for me.

If anyone else is interested in quitting, I encourage you to do it!  What a brave way to start the coming new year!! 

Thank you for dropping by today and I enjoy and appreciate all your words of kindness and opinions

    Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, dear friends and gentle readers!

What a year it has been, and as everyone else I hope for 2010 to be a better year for our world, our country, and our homes.  I hope for everyone who wishes to have a job, the best there is!  I hope the economy is so great that not a single tummy goes hungry nor a pinky toe is cold!  Most of all, I hope for peace among friends, family, fellow countrymen, and around the world.

Looking forward to a new year of stitching?  Yes, so am I.  I’m going to try to keep some goals for 2010, but knowing me there will be other things that pop up and get done among these!

2009 was a pretty good year for completions for me.  I went to a couple of stitching retreats – one is finished and a new one made from the idea is almost stitched.  The second retreat project is stitched and waiting to be sewn together.    These are in my sidebar for 2009 Cross Stitch and will be changed to 2010 goals and completions after a while.

cross Stitch for 2009

·         Firsts:::
·         Biscornu
·         Floss Tag
·        Humbug
·         ~!~!~!~!~!~!~
·         Finished Stitching 2009::
·         *Happy Holidays Sampler
·         *Candy Cane
·         *Snow
·         *Our First Christmas
·         *Let it Snow
·         *Baby
·         *Trix or Treat
·         *Peace Christmas Tree
·         *Tea with the Queen
·         *Little Miss Witch
·         *Halloween Biscornu
·         *Goofy Spider
·         *Autumn Stars
·         *Gateway to Summer
·         *Random Threads
·         *LHN The Sampler Lady
·         *Crazy Quilt
·         *Coffin Buzz
·         *Sarah Hook-Tombstone Angel
·         *Sanity
·         *Name Tag
·         *Seek Peace
·         *Chocolate Covered Cherries
·         *Celebrate Even Mistakes
·         *Mother's Ideals (UFO 2002)

 

These are a couple of things I’ve been stitching on the past few days.  This is a sample of a new color Sulky - Brick Red.  I meant to order Redwork, but I love this, too.  The right is the continuation of the Fanny and Co. Sewing Box.  Almost ready to start with the 'finish'.

Here is the closing of my 2009 TUSAL – or ORTS container for 2009 

and the beginning of the new one for 2010. 

 Thank you for dropping by today and I hope you will be a frequent visitor this year~ as always I enjoy and appreciate all your words of kindness and opinions

    Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene