Saturday, July 30, 2011

busy day

 Last night I sent my husband off to ride his motorcycle so I could complete my quilt top. It was way to hot to ride for me and I was ready to get the top complete. I hope the picture does the colors justice. I do love some blues and greens. Hoping to go to a low key guild meeting Tuesday night so I can make sure I am ready to quilt and get a few tips on best practice.


This morning bright and early I had to go into to work for a air handler shutdown which could have also shut down the lab equipment for the OR. After the all clear I decide I was overdue for a trip to the not-so LNS. I was able to pic up a few charts I had on order and a couple more that caught my eye while I was there. My frames were also in that I had ordered for the long forgotten basket pieces. They have been in for a while I just have had a busy summer and not able to break away for the stash therapy/stitching session. I got the new JCS fall issue, 2 of the 3 non-longer a mystery sampler charts. The mermaid purse with fabric by VS. A new Black Bird mystery sampler and a Moria Blackburn. three things sampler. Best of all I even managed to stitch today! :)

Here is a question for you, what do you think your projects purchased to projects stitched ratio would be if we were to look deep into the recesses of your stash? I'll tell if you do.


Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by,
Pam

Thursday, July 28, 2011

just a few thoughts

Is it just me or do your children only need you as a ATM when they get to high school?We are getting ready for a new school district this year. I cannot get over how much our free public school education cost each year but, I digress. Josh just got back from a 6 day missions trip and he is heading to Atlanta for the weekend with a family of on of the boys we took to North Carolina. I think I see him only to hand out money these days. I feel certain this is normal for a 15 year old boy but it stings a bit. I am almost ready for school to start so he will not be leaving for 5 days at a time.He was on the missions trip for birthday this year which about broke me. I am sure this is part of preparing me for the looming empty nest but I still love to spend time with my son. Love to have his friends around and cook for them. Oh well, we have 3 good years left with him at home. Cannot imagine when he gets a car. Is this a terrible joke? Pre-empty nest to go with my Peri-menopause. This leads me to my next issue.... is it possible to loose weight after say 45. I think not, for 2 years I have been fighting the belly battle and loosing it in a grand fashion. We can send a man to the moon but cannot figure out how to get middle aged women into a higher metabolism.

Stitching news. I am working on an exchange piece currently so no pictures. No more progress on Dandelion Sampler but I posted a picture one of my favorite Drawn Thread pieces. Perennial Borders. I hand dyed a piece of linen pale yellow to stitch it on years ago. Still a favorite of mine. I have been working on the quilt. Hope to post an update this weekend of it. I had to wait on a walking foot to come in for my machine. I am excited to be getting ready for a finish on it and see my second project dancing before my minds eyes.(Clouded a bit by all the cross stitch projects floating in there but there none the less)

Thanks for stopping by,
Pam

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Vacation Recovery

 
This is my vacation stitching progress. Not much to show for a week off work. There was a lot of time spent with family, cooking for a crew(10), hiking, swimming and a bit of time on the motorcycles. At least I managed to get a few stitches in the middle of all of that. We got home yesterday so today we have been recovering from the fun of it all. Tomorrow back to work. The worst of it is that I promised myself after vacation I would get my large butt back to a diet and exercise plan so that starts tomorrow too. YUCK! But a must. I cannot hide behind the business of moving and life any longer. So if my post seem a little grumpy, I am waiting on the exercise endorphins to kick in.


This is our view from the top of Devil's Courthouse. It was quite a hike up to the top and I was at least 10 years younger the last time I went up that little hill. You can view 4 states from the top of the mountain. It really is quite a lovely view. Below is a picture of me and the kids at the start of the hike. You can see the peak over our shoulders. On the way down a 75 year old man was climbing up and was not even the least bit winded. Talk about a kick in the gut. I had to stop 3 times to catch my breath. Another push for the diet and exercise plan.

Eric and I rode our bikes to Cherokee one day and found the Paula Deen's Kitchen restaurant. That was a great day for a ride. It was overcast and felt more like fall than the middle of summer. I'm not a lover of all things hot so I was God's little gift to me that day.I had to try try the famous fried chicken and collard greens. Eric had the catfish plate with sweet potato wedges. But the shrimp and crab dip stole the show.  

Better get back to life,
Pam

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

half way

 Today is the half way mark on our Smoky Mountain vacation. We spent one day riding motorcycles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We are on the bikes for about 6 hours. It was great to see all the little towns along the way and ride the hills and curves. It was less of a challenge than I thought but still very fun. a We have taken the kids to 60 ft natural rock water slide called Sliding Rock then onto Looking Glass Falls where they swam in the waterfall. It looked to be about an 80 ft waterfall but I am terrible at that sort of thing so I'll go with more or less 80 ft. Yesterday we spent the day tubing and today we plan to hike to Devils Courthouse. It is a huge rock that hangs very high over the mountains. I was in much better shape the last time we went to it so I suspect I'll be tired after this one too. I have managed to stitch in the car a bit and work on dandelion sampler. Not as much progress as I would like bit progress none the less. This is my third attempt at the blog on my sons computer. Hope this one takes!
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam

Thursday, July 7, 2011

ready, set, go

This one has been on hold a while, it is from the June 94 issue of Just Cross Stitch. Dandelion Sampler by Drawn Thread. I just loved spreading the flowers as a child and making wishes so I HAD to stitch it. I know you all know what I mean. Started it last night. I am using an updated fabric and thread.The fabric is Cashel hand dyed called Days Gone By and I am doing the border and lettering in WL Antique Brass. It was left over from DT Sanctuary and I do hate changing colors so much some days. I'll post a better picture of the stitching when I get a little more completed. Mr. Frog was in my house last night and I had to restitch the one little row I managed to do. I went over 3 on a 4 sided stitch rather than over 4. UGH!

I am excited to be getting ready for a vacation. Packing 3 projects. Yes, I have an over-achieving spirit, but I would hate to have to stalk down a stitching show to get something else to work on during the break. Dandelion Sampler, I Sigh Not by C Street Designs (almost finished) and not sure about the third. I dare not pack a small because the others will grow moss or get covered in dust. No fobs, no needle books, no needle rolls. I must stick to the plan...

We are taking our bikes to the mountains so I will have a couple of days on the bikes to mix with the days of stitching. The rotten dogs are coming along with 3 teenage boys.YIKES! How much food will they consume? We normally ride the bikes the bikes but you can see how hard that would all be to get on 2 motorcycles. :) Reminds me we need to get a house sitter. Thankfully we have several college and career aged youth to choose from in our church.

I was in such a rush to finish my last start I forgot to take a picture (otherwise known as evidence I can finish a project) It was a gift and the post office was closing in literally 10 minutes. I was a crazy woman trying to get it into the post on time. Hop over to http://teresasheartfeltstitches.blogspot.com/ wish her a belated happy birthday and check it out. Under the July 3rd post.

Thanks for stoping by,
Pam

Saturday, July 2, 2011

I can explain

This morning I got up bright and early, got my son and his friend breakfast and out the door to work for a missions trip fundraiser. Got my husband out the door for work and had the day to spend at the LNS. It is over an hour away so it becomes a day trip for me. Saturdays they have a stitching class where they all work on the same project.Different ones each week. So there I go up the road driving like a woman on a mission, upon arriving I found they had decided to take the weekend off for the July 4th holiday. ( happy 4th to all) I was saddened and decided to console myself with a trip to the LQS just around the corner.Upon arriving I found the windows covered in Going Out of Business signs.SIGH. They were a nice shop and had been open for 6 years. It is sad. They said the price of cotton was too high to survive. So I ended up buying some stash at about 70% off The back two piles came from there. The front pile I ordered on clearance from an online shop and the small stack of fat quarters I had picked up at hobby lobby- you know- just because they spoke to me.  I am currently banning myself from the fabric stores. I will also need a local stashers anonymous  group or an online resource. Really, you are going to buy it all anyway, Why not get it at a fantastic price? I paid right at  $4.00 a yard for all of it. 29 yards plus or minus - don't do the math. Not too shabby in these times.

Happy stitching,
Pam