I have the "skeleton" done. I did a little bit of the lace work too. It called for using 2 strands of floss to make the mesh but it was way too heavy for my tastesso I used one. I think it looks good. I wish I didn't have to go to work today! Doggone it!!
I managed to get a day off and to myself today. Yesterday one of the other COS's asked if we needed anyone to work tonight and I gave her my hours. I have done nothing but run when I am not working so today I did only what I had to do and just lazed around for the rest of the day. Tomorrow it will be back to the race but today is slow motion.
I ran this morning and got some new jeans and picked up some of the stuff Mark will need for his SAREX (search and rescue exercise) this weekend. His CAP squadron is going to eastern Kentucky for level 1 training. It is supposed to get pretty cold so I picked up a new sleeping bag among other things. I was home by noon and baked 2 huge pans of brownies for the Children's Miracle Network luncheon at work tomorrow. Other than that, I played on the computer and stitched. I was sitting out on the patio but I think it has gotten a little too chilly for that now so I am packing my stuff up and heading in for the night.
I am making Tuscan chicen and raviolini for my dinner. Don't know what they guys are having. It is TKD night and they won't be home until late.
Well, considering how much I have ripped this week and how little actual stitching time I have had, I am not too disappointed. I need to ramp it up though in order to have this completed and framed by Thanksgiving!
the frog came to visit. I had the bottom left rose done and had started up the left side when I realized I was one stitch off. Since in my ignorance I had decided to do the other half of the ribbon, I then had to rip all the ribbon and the right side out in order to make it right. Now I have very little to show for my one morning off. *sigh* oh well, I am off tomorrow other than taking my MIL to the doctor and making some calls for her so maybe I can get something else done at some point... I am so depressed! WAAAAHHHHH!
Here is the biscornu I ended up sending to Kathy (on the left) and the one she sent to me (on the right). I love mine, it is a gorgeous shade of blue!
I love seeing other people's work and sharing mine too!!
As soon as I finished the Irish Blessing Sampler, I started one for my nephew who is getting married on December 15. Not a lot of time to get something done but since I have done it for his brother and his sister, I feel I should continue the trend.
This design is taken from 101 Best Loved Designs from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts. These are all designs taken from their magazine (in this case the May/June 1986 issue) which I loved. I probably have the magazine filed away somewhere which would tell me the designer but the book does not (I hate that!) In any case, I had a sampler all picked out and while searching for an alphabet to finish Irish Blessing, I stumbled on this one an it grabbed me...you know how that goes. It is really fairly simple with only 6 colors of thread plus perle cotton. I will substitute beads for the french knots since I think that will pretty it up (and I abhor french knots). In any case, I am posting a picture of the sampler in the book, my progress to date (which isn't too bad considering I didn't start it until Saturday evening an I worked all day Sunday and Monday!)and a closeup of the rose in the bottom right corner.
In other news, it is raining, raining, raining!! As of about 15 minutes ago, we have gotten over 3.5" in the last 24 hours and it didn't start raining here until about 2 yesterday afternoon...needless to day, we now are under a flood watch. Northern Kentucky has been under a severe drought short more than half of our normal rainfall for the year so we sure need it AND I am glad it isn't snow! The earliest I can remember snow here in the 20+ years we've lived in Kentucky is October 13 and we have had snow several times for Halloween.
OK, enough chatting, back to stitching since I don't have to be at work until late this afternoon!!
Some days are just satisfying. Today is one of them. I have gotten so much done, not the least of which is finishing off Sweetheart Tree's Irish Blessing Sampler which I started in May for a wedding in June but then totally got sidetracked on. The beadwork took a lot longer than I expected but that was ok because I watched 2 movies (the Holiday and Prime) while I was doing it. In between, I got some cleaning done too so all in all a satisfying day!
I also "transplanted" things from the stitching journal I started a couple of weeks ago into a larger book since the one I had wasn't going to shut and I only had three projects in there. I will use that book for a journal eventually so no harm, no foul! I am glad to have started this journal and wish I had done it a long time ago. It is so nice to have pictures and information all together. I always end up forgetting what thread I used or fabric after a while and it's nice to know those things. who knows, maybe it'll be famous some day! :-)
And it isn't even noon yet! We had some threatening weather move through here, some with the threat or tornadic activity so when I turned out the lights last night, I was sleeping lightly listening for whatever may have come. We finally got some torrential rain about 1 AM but other than that and some lightning, we escaped the brutal stuff. I had to be up at 4:30AM though since DS #1 has Battle Assembly this morning and we have a 1 1/2 hour drive to get there. We left here a little after 5 and I was heading back when DS #2 called. His alarm clock didn't go off and he missed the bus. I was at least 40 minutes from home and was thinking I could get some breakfast and run my errands early so I could be home doing what I wanted to do on my day off but....I rushed home, picked him up and took him to school where he ended up being a 1/2 hour late. Of course, the school thought it was their duty to make me feel like a derelict parent... *sigh* It's now just after 8 so I head to Wal-Mart to pick up the stuff I need there, then on to Sam's club to pick up my prescription that I forgot yesterday (and of course, I am off today and tomorrow and I am out of pills right?) Then I stopped at Lowes to get a new switch for my MIL's lamp and decided I would call my MIL's foot doctor's office back since they didn't return my call on Wednesday or Thursday and well, now I am a little pissy. Of course today is the doctor's day off and apparently he actually gets to take a day off so he was not available and neither was anyone else to answer my questions so I told them fine, I would do what I thought was right and find another doctor that gave a sh*^ and hung up. I called our GP and I am taking her in this afternoon. She has an ulcer on her foot that they have been messing with since May and now I have the doctor telling me to not let it dry out and the home health nurse telling me it has to dry out. SO hopefully our GP will at least tell me if it is ok, getting worse or getting better. It looks better but what do I know?
So I went to my MIL's and dropped off the switch for the lamp, made sure she had something easy for lunch since no one is there and told her I would be back to take her to the doctor this afternoon. Then I came home and unloaded my groceries, ate a bowl of cereal and now I am trying to decided if I want to nap before I have to head out again or if I want to sew which was my basic plan for the day in the first place! All I have left on the Irish Blessing Sampler is the beadwork and I really want it finished. I probably really need a nap though since sleep was elusive last night. I have to be out of her in an hour and a half so who knows... Probably no nap since I jus remembered the garbage hasn't been put out yet either. *sigh*
Send him by email, snail mail...add him to your blogs and web pages. Raise awareness!!
I have almost finished the Irish Blessing Sampler. Thank goodness for the Needle and Thread board that makes me focus on my projects so I won't be embarrassed to say I didn't meet my goals! LOL
I graphed out a couple of different ways to do the names and date before I settled on one. I got the names on this morning and started on the date. I hope I can finish that tonight and get to the beading. Then I should be able to finish that when I get home from work tomorrow! That would be AWESOME!!
While I was looking for an alphabet to do the names and date, I stumbled across a pattern for a wedding sampler I had forgotten that I had. I think that is the one I am going to make for my nephew's wedding. I will have to take a hard look at it though since I would love to have it finished so it can go back to PA with his parents when they are out here for Thanksgiving. That may be pushing it. The Sweetheart Tree one I originally planned on would take much less time. Decisions, decisions...
I open at work tomorrow so I have to be there by 6 and then I think I am out at 1:30. I am off Friday and Saturday other than taking my son to Maineville for his Battle Assembly. He will be at Fort Know this weekend for weapons qualification. I know he is looking forward to it.
OK, that's it for now. I have to go check out Stitch Pink since I see there are new posts.
I got the vines finished at the bottom of the Irish Blessing Sampler this morning. I just have the shamrocks and then bead work to go. There aren't a ton of beads so that shouldn't take too long. I also have to graph out their names and wedding date. That I think I will stitch over one. I am putting that below the sampler itself so it will be a custom mat but I think that is the best way to do this. I can see daylight here!! Happy Dancing on my way to work... who would have thought??? ROFLOL
I did make good progress on my Irish Blessing Sampler today. Of course, more ripping than sewing occurred I think! I probably would have been finished if not for that but I am quitting now as my eyes just don't seem to want to focus. Another day like today and it will be completely finished. Boy that feels good!
It was nice to be doing so little today. I made a pot of potato soup for dinner and that was about as strenuous as it got. I needed some down time. Tomorrow is schedule day at work so I will be in the liquor store from 10-5. More down time. NICE!
I was planning on going to a Sauerkraut festival with a friend today and she has too much to do so it looks like that is off. I was kind of torn about going anyway since I would love to have a day at home just goofing off for a change but I would have enjoyed the festival as well...In any case, I decided that I would sit outside and enjoy the day stitching on my Irish Blessings sampler which is a way over due wedding present. Well those plans aren't quite working either since I had one and a half rows finished when I discovered the first row I did was off by one thread (of course at the very beginning) so the second row was off too and so everything has been ripped out and I am starting again. I thought I would take a little break first though to adjust my mind set. I really want this sampler finished and I don't really have that much left to do. I can make a good dent in it today if I get going and get going correctly! :-)
I also found a neat freebie Halloween pattern which would make a nice Halloween Needle roll on the Whispered By The Wind website and it is calling my name!! I think I will promise myself that if I finish the Irish Blessing Sampler, I will do the NR. Then I will finish another of my goals before I let myself start anything from the JCS Ornament Issue I got this week. I think my first ornament will be either the poinsettia ornament from Brittercup or the Cardinal from Crossed Wing. I haven't decided yet but I need to get back to my sampler and get it finished before I need to make a decision anyway right?
I started a stitching journal this week. I am taking pictures of each piece as I finish it, and in some cases as I work on it and putting them in the book along with information about what kind of fabric, threads, designers etc. If I am mailing it for an exchange I will list that information as well as where it went. I have meant to do something like that for a long time but I am finally making a real effort at it. I keep a regular journal as well but this will be totally separate from that.
ARRRRGGGG. I was planning on attending the Celebration of Needlework conference in Louisville last month but was unable to when my FIL was put into the hospital and everything went into a tail spin. When I contacted the promoters...before two days before my classes, they were going to pick up my kits for me since they couldn't give any of my money back unless they sold my spot (which was probably unlikely) but I really wanted the kits anyway. They told me 2 weeks ago that my stuff was being mailed out (keep in mind the conference was a month ago) and I have been patiently waiting. I finally emailed and asked where my stuff was since I haven't gotten it and they informed me that they didn't get the one kit and they were still waiting for the designer to send it to them. They don't know how long it will be. Doesn't that just stink? They have had my money since MAY. Now granted it was my choice (sort of) to not attend but for goodness sake.
On the plus side that is less to distract me from what I should be stitching on but on the other hand, I am tired of being patient!! *sigh*
my first finsh in October!! YIPPEE... This is a freebie from Michaels. I stitched it on a 28 count fabric I got years ago that is actually a pink floral but it is hard to see unless you are looking at the entire piece of fabric.
Quote of the Day
The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone.
Oswald Chambers
This came from a friend today... it's pretty insightful.
If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary
Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important?
I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.
Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.
If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.
Next confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about and we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing?
September Goals:
Finish Irish Blessing Sampler Not yet, never touched it
Finish Exchange Squares One done up to putting my name and beads on it, I worked on the other one too but it's not even close...
Biscornu for exchange and maybe just for me!! :-) two done, one almost finished....
Considering the month of September this year, I think I am lucky to have gotten that much done...*sigh*
October Goals...
Finish this last biscornu
Finish Irish blessing sampler
Finish exchange squares and mail them!!
Start my nephew's wedding sampler, I would like to get it to them when they come visit at Thanksgiving.
You know of course, everything will get put aside if I find the JCS ornament issue or end up ordering it from Elegant Stitch!
it's been a week today since my FIL passed away. It is amazing how many details need to be taken care of in a time when rational thought seems impossible.
Tom's brother was in charge of the arrangements but of course did not care to do what we asked so instead of having a closed casket like his mother wanted, Tom wheeled his mother into the room looking right at his dad! Talk about shock. In addition, we had requested that no flowers be sent, that the money be sent to the hospice instead...the funeral director neglected to put that part in the obituary and Tom's brother bought over $200 worth of flowers that we had to split with him! All I could think of was that $200 would have paid for someone who couldn't afford it to have nursing care for a day...or medicines...I guess after looking 4 fammily members in 10 years to cancer, I have a much different perspective on these things. It still would be nice to have our wishes respected though.
Mom's Overture. 2 minutes and 55 seconds of laughing for any mom! Enjoy!
Here are the lyrics in case you can't follow them all... not as funny without hearing them though!
William Tell Momisms
by Anita Renfroe
sung to the William Tell Overture
Get up now, get up now, get up out of bed,
Wash your face, brush your teeth, comb your sleepy head.
Here’s your clothes and your shoes, hear the words I said,
Get up now, get up and make your bed.
Are you hot, are you cold, are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat.
Don’t forget, you’ve gotta feed the cat.
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all,
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall.
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at three today,
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play.
Don’t shovel, chew slowly, but hurry, the bus is here,
Be careful, come back here, did you wash behind your ear?
Play outside, don’t play rough, would you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share,
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare,
Get along, don’t make me come down there.
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away,
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone, Get off the phone,
Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table.
No more computer time tonight,
Your ipod’s my ipod if you don’t listen up.
Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me, makes you welcome everywhere you roam.
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown.
Can’t wait til you have a couple little children of your own.
You’ll thank me for the council I gave you so willingly,
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me.
Close your mouth when you chew, we’d appreciate,
Take a bite, maybe two, of the stuff you hate.
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight.
Eat the food I put upon your plate.
Get an A, get in the door, don’t be smart with me,
Get a grip, get in here or I’ll count to three,
Get a job, Get a life, get a PhD, get a ????
I don’t care who started it,
You’re grounded until you’re 36,
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once for heaven sake.
And, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump to?
If I’ve said once I’ve said it at least a thousand times before,
That you’re too old to act this way,
It must be your father’s DNA.
Look at me when I am talking, stand up straighter when you walk.
A place for everything, and everything must be in place.
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about.
oh
Brush your teeth, wash your face, get your pj’s on.
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with Mom.
Don’t forget I love you (kiss)
And tomorrow we will do this all again
because a Mom’s work never ends.
You don’t need the reason why,
Because, Because, Because, Because,
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so.
I’m the Mom, the Mom, the Mom, the Mom, the Mom!
Ta-Da!
