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

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

Signs you should have stayed in bed:

-You step out of bed and step onto a packet of ketchup, which promptly pops under your pixie-like weight (snort), and sprays your legs, the bed, the walls, the dog, and your nightshirt. You pause to wonder how that much ketchup could possibly be in a bitty little packet. You stagger gracefully into the bathroom to shower, dragging the dog along with you. You accuse said dog of dragging the packet into the bedroom to begin with. The accused simply smiles a doggy smile.

-You are ready for the day and sit on the couch--in dog vomit. You utter a few choice words, the dog smiles, and you stomp off to change.

-When complaining about the ketchup (there is nothing like a bit of squishy squishy between your toes to truly wake a person), your daughter corrects you--it was TACO sauce, Mooooooooommm. Oh...of course...that makes this normal and acceptable...silly me. Remind me to leave some taco sauce in her room tonight by her bed...the hot kind! Taco Bell 4th meal, here I come!



There's nothing worse than being sick enough to watch TV but too sick to stitch, it's quite torturous. On the bright side, it gave me plenty of thinking time for designing. I'm excited about all the new ideas I have and some new releases I finally have planned.

Above and below are my meager progress on my WIPS, the few lucid moments I had I stitched and frogged. I have to say I love silks, the stitches look so nice on the fabric! I only have one row to go on the SB Tiny Flag, so close! I am still fighting the LHN threads, they are determined to look gosh-awful no matter what methods I use. Speaking of gosh awful, I don't know why my camera won't photo needlework without being blurry, I will have to practice so that I can stop tormenting us all.



In an effort to shame myself into cleaning, here is a long awaited example of the disarray my office is in. I do keep my designer materials nice and tidy, it's just my personal stash that is out of control. Feel free to click for a close-up of chaos.



Lastly, my son graduated from the Teen Police Academy over the weekend. We have been after him about his hair for months but thought it was one of those battles not worth fighting. I did plan on having him cut it before school starts but he got it done himself.

Before photo from the skate park last month with the shaggy 70s hair:



After photo with him and an instructor at his Teen Police academy graduation (practicing his Tough Teen stare):



Totally different kid, right? No one recognizes him now, even his great grand-mother was confused.

Labels: kids, LHN Stars and Stripes, Shepherd's Bush, stash storage, Tiny Flag, WIP

That's how I'm feeling today after the weekend: falling asleep in my chair ;) A coworker has very kindly let us use his pool while he is out of town for the next month or so. Yes, we spent a good chunk of time there trying to cool off. I picked up Tuna (daughter) and her friends from camp (you can't imagine how happy she was we'd saved several days of unwashed dishes for her return). I got the stash weeded a bit and have quite a few leaflets and older Cross Stitch and Country Crafts (with those awesome stocking masterpieces) ready to list somewhere to sell. My brother flew into town for an hour to pick up his daughter as he has custody for a few months so we had a nice family breakfast.

No stitching to speak of...here is where I am stalled at (ok, I have actually done more than this but not much):


Had to share a photo of what my oldest son does when stuck at my work since I shared Chase's clubhouse under my desk:


I hope to get some stitching in today, so many projects that need starting!

I was asked what I wanted for my birthday...what I was hoping for was enough cash to get any of these:
-Bianca ginghers 4"
-SB exclusive 2008 fob
-SB Bianca ginghers engraved 4"

I'll have to work harder on my stash sale!

Speaking of scissors, I'd been asked for a photo of the SB engraved awhile back--I am still looking. I did buy a rubbermaid keeper for my scissor collection a few weeks back so now I need to round up my scissors. It looked like an impossibly large box but since most of my scissors are in the gingher cases still I wonder if it will fill up quickly. Not sure how to store my other 4" scissors that are not in cases, anyone have ideas?

Labels: kids, LHN Stars and Stripes, Shepherd's Bush, WIP, wishlist

I am having a minor panic attack due to the fact that I have too much to do and not enough time to do it in. Will I ever learn??? On the bright side, some of my time has been spent in various places on the web spending money on stash :) This is new stash from several weeks ago, I have gotten quite a bit more in the last week or two. My latest obsession has been to collect various Diane Williams works before she became LHN:










I also have picked up a few(ok, 15) old magazines--loved this chart! I am a sucker for samplers and dutch, must be my heritage:











Then we have my WIP from Memorial Day family camp (formerly known as the weekend in snowed in June), Pine Tree Hill from LHN in a JSC magazine. I wanted something campy and cabin-y, especially with the snowy weather. I changed the red house to a brown cabin (exactly how many red houses can I stitch????), have no idea yet if this is a good or a bad thing. You know how sometimes your stitches just don't look right? You can let the needle hang to untwist the thread, you can use a new couple of strands, you can separate them and put them back together, you can comb the floss with your needle in hopes of making them look better (it was camp, no laying tool, ok?), you can railroad, you can...ok, you get the idea. Well that's how this cabin was going. In between helping Seri start a heart kit (I KNEW I bought these aida kits for a reason, to grab as we go out the door camping, that's it!) I was helping with the plaster fossil station at camp (yes, even when we PAY for camp, I still end up teaching). I didn't get much done, and it didn't look that great. I had to put it aside for Fair & Square and so it shall sit for now. I DO like the fabric though, the cloudy blue and white is something everyone uses for sky but I felt it looked like a stormy winter day, and it mirrored the weather up at camp (lovely blue sky with snow clouds). Sometimes I stitch just to capture the memories (as Edgar's blog reminded me).

Speaking of Fair & Square, being sick put me way behind. With all the other things I need to do (organize cub scouts and get ready for the big family pie eating contest, presentation at work, clean house and pack to go on vacation and to keep my DH from leaving me) I am FREEEEEAAAKKKKED out! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

Labels: fair and square, LHN Pine Tree Hill, Live kit, new stash, WIP

Here is my WIP of SB "Live", I got about half and hour in yesterday night at my mom's birthday party, it's close to half finished. I love the colors (SB is amazing) and it really pops on the R & R linen. The linen is so pretty I could frame it alone, and the whole piece is mottled subtly, delicious! It felt good to be stitching again. I think part of the reason I don't anymore is that I don't have anywhere comfortable to sit that has good lighting. Something to think about...

I was thinking a good motivator for getting my office clean (the room that has not had floor for 4 years now) would be to take pics and post them here. Perhaps I will be ridiculed enough about the way I treat my poor stash that I will have to change!

Labels: Live kit, Shepherd's Bush, WIP