About 5 years ago, you know, when I actually stitched, my husband went through some of my stash and picked out what we thought would be good holiday gifts for his family.  We thought our beloved Aunt Sha would enjoy Wine a Bit by Sue Hillis.  I kitted it up and set it aside.  You can see where this is going, can't you?  Of course, I couldn't find it when I needed it, and Christmas 2005 passed without a stitched gift for Aunt Sha.  Every year since then I proclaim "This is the year I will stitch that!"  I have purchased this design at least three times since then.  I have kitted it and placed it in a safe place.  And I can never.find.it.again!!!!!!  So I'm starting to think of holiday stitching once more, and still this design calls to me.  So the question is, do I heed the call?  Has Sue Hillis cursed me to forever lose the design?  Is this a result of a Voo Doo Boy doll?  Do I buy it again?  And more importantly, what have I done to warrant such torture? LOL

As for stitching, I have felt very stitchy lately, but nothing is happening.  I can't seem to find anything that screams at me, new or otherwise.  There are a lot of good designs, but nothing that I HAVE TO STITCH THIS INSTANT OR I WILL SEE IT IN MY DREAMS FOR DAYS...you know?  I'm taking suggestions if anyone has any recommendations.

P.S. to my family: When I die and you go through my things, you are welcome to put the 27 Wine a Bit designs you'll find hidden who knows where onto my funeral pyre :)  

Labels: Christmas stitching, Curse, gifts, Sue Hillis, Wine A Bit

So here what I've been working on since Sunday - Amy Brueken Design's EEK! from the JCS '09 Halloween issue (camera phone, sorry).  I'm using Crescent Colours for threads and a funky piece of green with some purple and light orange that I dyed.  I really like him and I liked the little neck spikes/spider accessory pack that you could order from the designer until I realized that 1) I couldn't find one online and 2) it's only the neck spikes and spider LEGS in the pack, I'd still have to hunt down the spider body.  JABC spider button, here I come!  

On the weird side, I just set something on fire in my office.  FYI, don't put fabric in a microwave ;)  It really did seem like a good idea at the time...  

Labels: Amy Brueken Designs, EEK design, JCS '09 Halloween issue, WIP

No stitching to report but have been dyeing up a storm these days! On the one hand I am forever wondering if my fabric is different enough/exceeds industry standards and on the other hand, it's so hard to sell my "babies"! I had no idea how difficult it is to let it go out the door. I have to go through and price things several times, the first time I always way overprice, probably in a subconscious effort to keep everything, lol.

I have a few designs from the JCS 2009 Halloween Issue (I JUST got it finally) that I want to get a move on so I'm working on kitting those up!

October goals:
1. Stitch one ornie from the Halloween issue
2. Start Wine a Bit by Sue Hillis for a holiday gift
3. Finish finish LHN Stars and Stripes

Hope to be back here again soon!

It's done! I am so happy with it! For the first time in forever I have started and finished something in a timely manner, and did the "finish finish" to boot! I had a whole slew of ideas on the trim but with no stitching budget I got creative and used the rest of the GAST. I took two strands, laid them side by side, and tacked them around the middle of the edges, then used the rest of the two strands as a hangar. It matches perfectly and gives it the low-key but polished look I wanted.

I had a little bit of trouble deciding what to start next as I lost my working copy and original of "I Told You I Was Sick" tombstone by Notforgotten Farms. I had to order this from at least 4 shops before Wyndham Needleworks could finally get it for me, I had really given up on it! This was a good year ago and then I kept losing it. I finally made a working copy to keep in my stitching binder and had it up until a few weeks ago (I guess?). I know it was in there recently but when I got the fabric and threads together I couldn't find the working copy. In looking for something else to stitch I ran into the original copy and finally started it yesterday! Geesh, what a saga and I've barely started it! It's moving really quickly but I am worried about the thread on the fabric, it seems almost bright enough but maybe not...any thoughts???


Bryce went to his first prom last weekend, I managed to catch an accidental smile in with all the other shots. He wanted to ride to and from with his "friend" Crista but I reminded him that would constitute a date. He has grown his hair long to make his father and I crazy, and he loves it in his eyes like that. In church I'm sure when he passes the sacrament all of the congregation is worried he will trip and throw the tray at someone's head ;) However, we are letting it slide simply because we know his intention and really, we'd rather pick a more important battle to win. Anyone have a time machine? I wouldn't mind visiting the past now and then!! Teens can be such a pain in the patoot!

Labels: Bryce, finish, Hallow's Eve Pin Keep Trio, I Told You I was Sick, kids, Notforgotten Farms, Pinkwork Sampler 1837, prom, SNS fabric, Tombstone, WIP, Wyndham Needleworks

It's done!! It's done!! It's done!!

IT'S DONE!

So happy! I'd forgotten that rush of pleasure, I didn't get it when I finished the LHN Stars and Stripes. But this feeling, it's such a part of why I stitch! To feel satisfied with a job well done, to feel as if I accomplished a goal, to have something tangible to feel good about :)

This was such a pleasure to stitch, it's my first Sampler Girl design but it won't be my last. The fabric has just the right feel to it, the floss was the perfect color, every stitch felt good! My needle felt like it knew where to go and all the stitches made sense.

I showed DH last night and he wants to know why the letters in the heart are at different heights. I explained that as a primitive sampler it looks "right" that way. He then wanted to know why I put his initial on the low spot and mine on the high. Geesh, LOL! Because the "T" was already charted in the high spot, not because I have a secret agenda ;) (that he knows of).

I have already started finishing it off, it's going to be a wall-hanging for my living room to remind DH every time he sees it that he is stuck with me for many more years.

What to stitch now????

Labels: finish, Pinkwork Sampler 1837, SNS fabric, The Sampler Girl

(Scroll down for stitchy stuff)


I have had a week! If I was not trying desperately with every fiber of my being to be positive about this #$%$%^@ week I would be saying that the only thing that could make me unwind at this point would be for me to lie down in the parking lot and have someone drive back and forth over me until I'm like jelly (today I've gotten to the point of asking for volunteers, lol). Of course, I'd only be saying this is I wasn't being so cheerily positive (big toothy, lots of teeth grin).


You might guess I did not park sideways to begin with. I was working, minding my own business, when this terrible apocalyptic grinding crash noise occurred. In fact, I'm reminded of the poem "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" where "...there arose such a clatter" they sprung up from their bed to see what was the matter. Just switch "bed" with "discount ergonomic computer chair" and it's the same :) Anyhoo, my poor little tiny car had been smashed to tiny little bits by a monster truck (a lifted Ford F-250, made from titanium steel). Someone lost control of the truck, drove into a brick wall, somehow bounced off and went in the complete opposite direction, careened around light poles and over parking blocks, nailed my little delicate flower at 25 mph, and spun it around 90 degrees, leaving them both locked side by side. It was easy to see my little car was totaled--the back seat didn't used to come to a triangle point in the middle, nor did I have (although admittedly it would be convenient) access to the trunk through the giant void between the back dash and the back seats before.

No one was hurt, which is why I am entitled to be annoyed that the person who did this was not insured. We had a rental car through our insurance for a few days and I am glad for that. The blue book value on a 9 year old Kia is enough for a dinner out in the Circle K microwave breakfast sandwich section so we will not be able to replace the car. Add to that, we've officially run out of reserves this week and have no more money, actually about to be at a negative balance. Fabric and chart sales have been down a bit with this economy and our ebay/jewelry sales have also been in a slump. Will we starve? Doubtful, just not sure how to get from this week to next. We purposefully don't keep an actual credit card so we have nothing to fall back on. Very scary. What we do have is faith, so I know we'll get by :)


On the good side, stress = stitchy for me! I just have to fill in the heart and I am done with this beautiful design (although I may have to rename it Cherrybark Sampler 1837)!

Labels: car smashing, Pinkwork Sampler 1837

Chugging along, having a great time! Thanks Harmien for pointing out speed doesn't matter, the enjoyment does :)

Labels: Pinkwork Sampler 1837