I've been busy, designed a new logo for my fabric and chart line and have been dyeing and selling!

Cub scout recruiting time is upon us, we have two packs we lead which means two meetings a week, which means I am tired. Whose bright idea was it to let me mold and shape minds (actually, considering the potty jokes I tell these days, I think they're molding MINE, lol)?

My floss tag supplies have been purchased and await my finish. I'm still trying to figure out why it is a good idea for me to poke sharp objects through my finish, lol. However, when I purposefully cut holes into the Hillside Sampling Lily 1911 (or whatever that was) to make it look aged it was really hard to actually make holes and then make them show up. So my point is that I am optimistic that I won't mess my tag up too badly!

I had a fair & square square picked out for Halloween and then my partner pulled out due to ill health (poor Brenda H) so now I need to figure out what Georgie will like.

I've been trying to catch up on reading blogs but haven't much luck. Thanks everyone taking time to comment here, it makes me feel good you choose to spend some of your limited time listening to me!

My brain bra is on inside out today. Enough said, lol.

So I did finish the SB Tiny Flag last line, and furthermore I present proof. However, as buttons always do at my house, the button has gone on a walkabout (apparently to Australia, mate). OK, I didn't really look that hard, I did a "man look" (stand in middle of room, close eyes, say "I can't see it", hold out hand, nothing jumps in it. No really, it's in the MANual).


I happily perused patterns for my floss tag and Fair & Square exchange though. I was going to MAKE an experimental floss tag until I realized that I need supplies, darn me. I shall try to arm myself this afternoon since I need to make that my number 1 priority.

I was thinking the other day about how many designers are my "favorites" and yet I have not stitched anything of theirs, which led me to wonder--what I have I been stitching??? I have compiled a list of how many pieces I have stitched by designer to see--which I will share tomorrow. The interesting thing in looking at my webshots album is that before 2005 I simply photoed the piece, and after that I wouldn't add a photo unless it was properly finished and had a background of some kind. The last few finishes I have had I haven't added to any of my albums because they aren't "finished" yet. Wonder when I became so particular? Um, in 2005 obviously, LOL.

Blessings Abound by Cricket Collection

In case I am not the last in the known universe to have seen this!

Also Kathy from Carriage House Samplings started a blog:

Carriage House Samplings

Tip of the day: No matter how many times you type "mind snow", it still reads "mind snow"

Yup. Mind snow. I picture a TV screen of static, that's what mind snow looks like. If we did a brain scan on me, that's what we'd see. Mind snow. In case you were wondering, I tried to type "minds now" about 672 84 times in a row, all I got was---you guessed it, mind snow.

I'm reasonably sure I suffered a psychotic break yesterday after having the 8th rotten day in a row, lol, because I simply don't care anymore, nor do I function, LOL. I sense a new design in the works:

Why bother? I'm stitching.
Who cares? I'm stitching.
Have stash, will travel.
I can still stitch while living in a cardboard box.
Stitching is a full-time job.

I can absolutely envision the cardboard box one on a pillow. Yup.


Here is my stalled SB Flag. Anyone remember when I started this? 1982. Yup. OK, not really. I looked it up, it was last October. I thought I finished it on August 3rd and I did a happy dance. Then I realized that I left the last line of stitching off. I can't seem to find a few minutes to get the last bit of stitching done. I am setting a deadline--by tomorrow night it will be done and I WILL attach the button. as well.

For those who won my contest a few weeks ago, I am STILL assembling packages. The boys cleaned their room, which means they vomited everything they didn't know what to do with or was dirty into my office and stacked it in front of my stash cabinet. I promise the prizes will be worth it when they get to you. Thanks for your patience!

Karen V. and Harmien, thanks so much for sharing about your DH's, that makes me feel a bit more sane. I almost think I could live without the money as long as he was not spending more time at home making messes and having "ideas" about running the household and kids ;) A long time ago he learned how to cross stitch, but it wasn't his thing, too bad, that might keep us both out of jail, lol.

I am seriously grumpy this week, no doubt due to the lack of stitching I have done. To bask in my mood, I bought these great Special Edition Fiskars with skulls on the blades. Make sure you click the pic, these are awesome. I need to find or design a suitably dark fob to go along with these. I picked up a pair for my daughter and then a few extra. If anyone would like one, I picked them up for $10 and would be happy to extend that price plus actual shipping.

Things are a bit grim in my world, my DH's hours have been cut from 40 to 20 per week and with his disability it will be nearly impossible for him to get another job, it took him a year to get this one. This means I need to pick up the slack, hence the fabric dyeing going from wholesale to retail. I think I'm due for a midlife crisis...

Thanks Michele and Karen V. for stopping by yesterday and leaving comments, I am definitely a comment whore junkie.

And on a bright note, I do know I am very blessed with family, friends, etc. so I will try to focus on that and not on the fact that DH is home 4 days a week and making me crazy crazier.

Labels: fabric, grumpy, jobs, scissors

Note: If you're here for the stitching/stashing, scroll down. For sarcasm, continue reading...

Yes, you know, school. That is a four six letter word in my house right now. The kids are thrilled, especially with Bryce finding out we'd allowed him to skip a grade and go to high school. I am unthrilled, and the "S" word is forbidden in my house. Apparently my distaste for the season has not halted the progress nor made the powers that be rethink their start dates, so I have been living in my car (no A/C) for the past week, driving little tweens to and fro. To pass the time I have been composing sarcastic letters in my mind:

Dear Tall, Skinny Blonde Lady with Frizzy Hair, While I applaud your desire to walk your tiny, skinny, blonde, frizzy haired bundle of delight who has just started kindergarten into the school, your freaking minivan does NOT belong parked in the drop-off only lane. In my experience, the parking lot is where you generally put your car if you are going to exit it. Perhaps the other 5 parents trapped behind your van as Timmy dropped his backpack 82.5 times and then ran back to your van for something he forgot had more patience or recent lobotomies. I can assure you, it took great restraint not to slash your tires while waiting for you to return to your vehicle. The only reason I did not was because I too would have to leave my vehicle parked and unoccupied. I learned when I was quite small, the world does not revolve around me, and I would like to respectfully point out, it does not revolve around you either. The best lesson you could teach tiny, frizzy Timmy is to respect others and treat them the way you would like to be treated. Sincerely, the Lady Behind your Minivan with the Smoke Shooting Out of Her Ears Screaming "A$$HAT!" at You This Morning

(ok, no I didn't scream anything at her, but only because I'm well-behaved and polite in the real world if not in my mind)

Ahemmm...moving on! I went to All in Stitches and showed off my fabric to Terry (owner) who has promptly ordered all my colors in as many counts as I can provide and offered to let me use her cutting table to cut fabric! While there I picked up an order:


I love love love love the LHN Strawberry House! I also got a star button for my SB Tiny Flag which still needs only 10 stitches to be completed.

Then when cleaning the living room I foun some of the stash I ordered in June (ish?) and never shared, the Charland emeries look so pretty and delicate. I should rename my blog: Tracy who stashes but never stitches.


I have bought one of the floss tag tools because Karen V. and I are having a personal exchange this month and I need to experiment with some floss tagging. I am having the hardest time deciding what to stitch for her, she and I have similar taste and there are too many things to choose from. I also signed up for the Halloween Fair & Square exchange, so excited!

Labels: kids, new stash, school

Labels: fabric

July goal:
Finish something-came close, only about 10 more stitches for SB Tiny Flag
Do finishing for both SB hearts-got the frames out, decided not to use

August goals:
Finish SB Tiny Flag into a mattress
Finish SB Live heart into something
Finish SB 2006 heart into something
Make a practice floss tag
Make & send a floss tag for personal exchange with Karen V.
Stitch something small for my sister's housewarming
Finish LHN Stars & Stripes
Sell lots of fabric so I can buy more stash!

Labels: goals

We're dyeing fabric for more than exclusive kits now. I would like to stay low key because I've seen so many fabric places come and go but if you like what you see, let me know!

These are ready to go (the pictures are 8" x 14" scans), paypal and checks accepted.

Labels: fabric