Well....Lettsee I last wrote to you all on thursday the 14th. Since then I have been to court, seen all my immediate family, and have traveled 1200 miles.
Let me break it down for you without boring you to death. Thursday night we go out to meet our friends for dinner and get a call from another friend who says she is leaving her husband and called the police and needs a place to stay. (We have been expecting this call for a while). So the next day she calls me frantic saying she has to be in court to get the restraining order but they will not let the baby in...so I head downtown (only 2 miles away from school) to look after her daughter while she is in court...I was holding this baby for so long (4 hours) that my arms were sore the next day. That evening we all had a Pow -wow with all the people in the know about the situation and we discussed how we were going to proceed (this abuse situation is stitckier than most cause all our husbands work together!).
My mom and my stepdad arrived the next day Sat and stayed till tuesday morning....the whole time we are dealing with the aformentioned problem, but managed a good visit with the rents and mom got to go flying with Ian.
Tuesday morning my mom and stepdad head off to the coast and Ian and I head up north with doggie...glad to leave troubles behind. We arrive in New Paltz, NY to stay with his parents 11 hours later (traffic in DC and more stops than usual for the dog). During our stay, 5 days 5 nights, we visited 2 grand parents, a great aunt, a great uncle, and 11 friends (in 5 different locations) . Max was a trooper, he ajusted well to traveling in the truck, meeting new people, and to visiting different places. On the way home yesterday we visited my grandpa and a friend in NJ so our trip was longer (with hitting the DC to Richmond traffic at 5 pm ) 14 hours in total.
In cross stitching I finished my August Flip it, and Little house in the Woods by HIH. I also go t to have great S.E.X. (Stash Enhancing eXperience) at the Deer Farm Cross stitch Shop in Hyde Park NY...I highly recommend it...she has everything! I got the Mothers tree by L&L , Jig of the Lady bug , Signs of Spring, Signs of Winter, Signs of Summer, Animal Arches all by Bent Creek, Britty Kitties III by Brittercup Designs, and The Country Seasons by Prarie Schooler.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
ARRRRGGGHHHH and makeup
Part I Arrrrgggghhhhhh. I was working on Starlight starbright last night and I was noticing that the snowman did not seem to have as much coverage as the pic on the front. I checked the directions and lo and behold it says to use 3 strands...I was using 2! ugh. Now armed with the knowledge that it could look better, I debated just finishing it as is. But I know that i will not be happy and every with every stitch I will question whether I made the right decision. So based on past experience I will be frogging the whole thing (well not the whole thing the scarf looks ok). Man I hate that.
Part II Makeup. For those who may not know... I have been a Mary Kay consultant for about 4 years. Most recently it is a spare time job. Last night my Sales Director came in from Ohio and Ian and I had dinner with her. I was lamenting the fact that although I have a full inventory on my shelves and a few regular customers, I am slowly accumulating more and more discontinued product. So she came up with a great open house idea for me...and my head was spinning with plans all night for it. I love to plan stuff like this, make everything pretty, send out flyers, call folks. But then the big let down comes when no one shows up....as has happened with a few christmas open houses I have had in the past. So I am trying to strike a balance between excitement and reality. I think I will hold it in August....hmmmm
Part II Makeup. For those who may not know... I have been a Mary Kay consultant for about 4 years. Most recently it is a spare time job. Last night my Sales Director came in from Ohio and Ian and I had dinner with her. I was lamenting the fact that although I have a full inventory on my shelves and a few regular customers, I am slowly accumulating more and more discontinued product. So she came up with a great open house idea for me...and my head was spinning with plans all night for it. I love to plan stuff like this, make everything pretty, send out flyers, call folks. But then the big let down comes when no one shows up....as has happened with a few christmas open houses I have had in the past. So I am trying to strike a balance between excitement and reality. I think I will hold it in August....hmmmm
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Baby Sampler for Tessa
This is a sampler from JBW designs.
I did not get the embellishment pack (white buttons, 2 rabbit buttons) so I substituted two stitched rabbits up top and left out the extra buttons. but i did add the beads for their tails...cute huh.
I had most of this done 2 months ago...just needed a birth to fill in the rest.
I did not get the embellishment pack (white buttons, 2 rabbit buttons) so I substituted two stitched rabbits up top and left out the extra buttons. but i did add the beads for their tails...cute huh.
I had most of this done 2 months ago...just needed a birth to fill in the rest.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Starlight Starbright
Here is my work so far on Waxing Moon's Starlight starbright. The Waiting for Santa below (see previous post) was originally for my sister but that was done in 2000! Now that I found the frame I really want to keep it, soooo she may get this one instead. Whatcha think Liz?
Anywho nothing exciting going on today...need to head over to the library and photocopy some papers....my advisor is coming back from Alaska tomorrow and I have to have something to tell her. She doesn't know that I am heading off to NY next week for a short trip to my inlaws house ...it was kinda a last minute decision.
I finished a baby sampler for my friends new baby and I plan on framing and posting a picture tomorrow.
Framing.....
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.
Framed Thinking of you sampler
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist. 
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.
Monday, July 11, 2005
One year older...
Yesterday was my 31st birthday.....but lets recap the entire weekend
Saturday I went out shopping for frames, since I havent been stitching much lately I have felt the urge to at least finish a few of my 20+ finished Xstiches. I didn't want to spend too much $$ so I hit the thrift and Goodwill stores first. ($4 for 4 frames!) I found the perfect frames for Bent Creek's Waiting for Santa, the Gud Huswife freebie sampler, a frame to remount a sampler I had on sticky board, and a PERFECT frame for HIH Little House in the Woods. To go with Little house in the woods there is also similar themed Angel in the Clouds, Pumpkin in the patch and Snowman in the drifts...I am thinking of hanging the frame in my kitchen and rotating all 4 them thru out the year. Now I am inspired to stitch them all.
So What to do when you don't feel like stitching your WIP's......Start more projects Yeah! I started a Leo Cattitudes (Margaret Sherry) for a friend whose birthday is coming up soon and Waxing Moon's Starlight Starbright. It was kitted and ready to go....
Saturday night we went out to Fire and Sticks, a hibachi place to celebrate a friend's son's birthday (and mine too). Then Ian and I went home and watched Somethings Gotta Give. It was funnier than we thought it was going to be.
Sunday I went out to lunch with them and helped my friends drop their kids off at the Y camp down the street. I got a David Yurman bracelet from Ian, and some earrings from my MIL, and I got some stash from my friend ....the aformentioned Little snowman in the drifts, Trilogy's Dog Treats, Crossed Wings Mitten Games, and Bent Creek Dancing Bumblebee.
Overall an Ok weekend
Saturday I went out shopping for frames, since I havent been stitching much lately I have felt the urge to at least finish a few of my 20+ finished Xstiches. I didn't want to spend too much $$ so I hit the thrift and Goodwill stores first. ($4 for 4 frames!) I found the perfect frames for Bent Creek's Waiting for Santa, the Gud Huswife freebie sampler, a frame to remount a sampler I had on sticky board, and a PERFECT frame for HIH Little House in the Woods. To go with Little house in the woods there is also similar themed Angel in the Clouds, Pumpkin in the patch and Snowman in the drifts...I am thinking of hanging the frame in my kitchen and rotating all 4 them thru out the year. Now I am inspired to stitch them all.
So What to do when you don't feel like stitching your WIP's......Start more projects Yeah! I started a Leo Cattitudes (Margaret Sherry) for a friend whose birthday is coming up soon and Waxing Moon's Starlight Starbright. It was kitted and ready to go....
Saturday night we went out to Fire and Sticks, a hibachi place to celebrate a friend's son's birthday (and mine too). Then Ian and I went home and watched Somethings Gotta Give. It was funnier than we thought it was going to be.
Sunday I went out to lunch with them and helped my friends drop their kids off at the Y camp down the street. I got a David Yurman bracelet from Ian, and some earrings from my MIL, and I got some stash from my friend ....the aformentioned Little snowman in the drifts, Trilogy's Dog Treats, Crossed Wings Mitten Games, and Bent Creek Dancing Bumblebee.
Overall an Ok weekend
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Cage Rattler
When I walk Max around the neighborhood there is a black dog that does not bark at us but instead rises it self up onto its back legs and shakes the chain link fence gate with his front paws...I have taken to calling him the Cage Rattler (sounds like a good WWF name eh?).
I have been restless all week...feel like i am in a cage too, I haven't stitched a single cross, maybe because I am more upset than i thought at losing my birds. I have read 2 books in the past 3 days (and I haven't read any novels in months) both by Orson Scott Card. He is my favorite author (and lives here in Greensboro too) and for some reason every once in a while his stories get stuck in my head, like a favorite scene in a movie....I reread Treason (for the third or fouth time) and Songmaster (second time) . And I am fighting the urge to re read Enchantment and Lovelock....I love his stand alone stories...although the series books are fabulous, it is satisfying to finish a book and not have to worry about reading the next before your memory forgets the first one. Everytime a new Ender or Alvin book comes out I have to reread the first 4-8 books...True with Harry Potter too...I will at least have to re read the fifth book by the time i get my hands on the sixth.. I am rambling but are you getting the feel of my nervous twitch....I feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop...not that the first one ever did. The sky is falling.
We saw War of the Worlds a few days ago and it was better than I had feared but not a classic ...I won't be running out to buy it. I have mixed feelings about Tom (Wil thinks he sucks) and Dakota is getting soooooooo many movies lately you would think she is the only girl in hollywood. but at least she plays it real....I forget she is an actor .
Oh I hired Design-a-Blog to redo this bad boy so keep your eyes on this space.
I have been restless all week...feel like i am in a cage too, I haven't stitched a single cross, maybe because I am more upset than i thought at losing my birds. I have read 2 books in the past 3 days (and I haven't read any novels in months) both by Orson Scott Card. He is my favorite author (and lives here in Greensboro too) and for some reason every once in a while his stories get stuck in my head, like a favorite scene in a movie....I reread Treason (for the third or fouth time) and Songmaster (second time) . And I am fighting the urge to re read Enchantment and Lovelock....I love his stand alone stories...although the series books are fabulous, it is satisfying to finish a book and not have to worry about reading the next before your memory forgets the first one. Everytime a new Ender or Alvin book comes out I have to reread the first 4-8 books...True with Harry Potter too...I will at least have to re read the fifth book by the time i get my hands on the sixth.. I am rambling but are you getting the feel of my nervous twitch....I feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop...not that the first one ever did. The sky is falling.
We saw War of the Worlds a few days ago and it was better than I had feared but not a classic ...I won't be running out to buy it. I have mixed feelings about Tom (Wil thinks he sucks) and Dakota is getting soooooooo many movies lately you would think she is the only girl in hollywood. but at least she plays it real....I forget she is an actor .
Oh I hired Design-a-Blog to redo this bad boy so keep your eyes on this space.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
4th BBQ Pics
All the 4th photos are now in flickr.com....go check 'em out (just click on pic)
In other news.....bad bad news, this past friday I took several cross stitch pieces to Joann Fabrics to match them for pillow backs and I discovered that when I came back home my Waxing Moon birds were missing. I called the store but to no avail...they claimed no one had seen it. I was then going to go there in person....but the weekend and the party took over. Then yesterday my car won't start...we have it towed to the shop...and of course they have no problem starting it.....they think it is a faulty air flow sensor. But I basically have to wait for it to not start again before we can be sure. ugh. Anyway Ill be heading to Joanns today and hope a miracle will have occured and that my birds will be there. I was planning on stitching the birds again.....but there was alot of time and $$ (overdyed threads) involved in that one...sigh.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Holiday weekend---Pretty good:)
The BBQ was a sucess. I had cleaned for most of the weekend and bought all of the food. Monday Ian and I straightened up and got the last few things for a rocking party haha.
We had 16 people show altogether...over the course of the evening...It poured around 6 when we were just finishing up the grilling...but then cleared up after about 45 min. I even had enough dry wood to have a fire and we did smores. I ended up with a ton of food left over. Pasta salad,potato salad, banana bread, 2 cheesecakes, 14 burgers, several packs of hot dogs, 18-20 hot italian sausages..assorted buns, and enough smores makings for the next 2 summers. The only conclusion I have is that we need more friends
I was able to perfect my mint julep recipe. I had my first in New Orleans a month ago and I have been working on it for about two weeks trying in vain to replicate it. I went all over the internet and through all my bartending books. I finally settled on this one. I made the syrup a few days ago. But modified the mix to a 4 count pour of kentucky bourbon (thats about 2 ounces) and a 6 count pour of the syrup (way more than a tablespoon). Sweet but smooth and screw any one who trys the muddling technique. Everyone loved it. I have plenty of syrup left to dring mint juleps for the rest of the summer. Strange thing is...the mint juleps in New Orleans were clear...now where do you find clear bourbon?
We had 16 people show altogether...over the course of the evening...It poured around 6 when we were just finishing up the grilling...but then cleared up after about 45 min. I even had enough dry wood to have a fire and we did smores. I ended up with a ton of food left over. Pasta salad,potato salad, banana bread, 2 cheesecakes, 14 burgers, several packs of hot dogs, 18-20 hot italian sausages..assorted buns, and enough smores makings for the next 2 summers. The only conclusion I have is that we need more friends
I was able to perfect my mint julep recipe. I had my first in New Orleans a month ago and I have been working on it for about two weeks trying in vain to replicate it. I went all over the internet and through all my bartending books. I finally settled on this one. I made the syrup a few days ago. But modified the mix to a 4 count pour of kentucky bourbon (thats about 2 ounces) and a 6 count pour of the syrup (way more than a tablespoon). Sweet but smooth and screw any one who trys the muddling technique. Everyone loved it. I have plenty of syrup left to dring mint juleps for the rest of the summer. Strange thing is...the mint juleps in New Orleans were clear...now where do you find clear bourbon?
Friday, July 01, 2005
Stitching Bloggers Question of the Week
When starting a new project, do you start in the middle? If you do, once you’ve worked down to the bottom, do you turn your chart and fabric around so that you are stitching the top section downwards again or do you just stitch upwards from the middle?
I was taught to start in the middle and have never seen any problems with it. Only recently have I read about that you should only stitch from top to bottom and if you start in the middle should turn around the fabric for uniformity of stitches. But as I have mentioned before I do not stitch for perfection, only for my own enjoyment and pleasure. I have made an effort recently to start at the top when it seems feasible...a band sampler or something that I don't have to worry about the amount of fabric and spacing but old habits die hard.
I was taught to start in the middle and have never seen any problems with it. Only recently have I read about that you should only stitch from top to bottom and if you start in the middle should turn around the fabric for uniformity of stitches. But as I have mentioned before I do not stitch for perfection, only for my own enjoyment and pleasure. I have made an effort recently to start at the top when it seems feasible...a band sampler or something that I don't have to worry about the amount of fabric and spacing but old habits die hard.
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