Best Laid Plans

Yesterday I ordered 3 frames. Mainly I wanted a frame for "Leda" and ordered the other two to avoid shipping costs. I got an email that the frame for "Leda" was out of stock. Good grief. So I picked another frame. I just want white. They didn't have any other just white ones unless I went to metal. So I went to metal. I really like the Little House Needlework frames. Old, weathered white with a little doo-hickey on the corners. Oh well, whatever.

Generally, I don't like working over one. But I did it all day yesterday and it wasn't bad. I am making a box and I got most of one side done. I am changing some things (colors and stitches) along the way.

I also worked on Tea Time Basket. It is very slow going. I have to say it again, Pearsall's silk sucks. This would be much easier and faster with regular floss and a slight change in the design. It seems like the designer (Barbara Jackson) made it more difficult than it needed to be. Maybe she was using techniques and styles from an old sampler. But if I work on it a little a day, maybe I can finish it before I croak. Either that or I will get fed up and throw it away or cut it up into small pieces and burn them. Just joking.
Spring Break has started for the schools around here. The kids outside my window are torturing a tree. I intend to do something more constructive than that.

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The Drawer

I need a frame for "Leda". I usually call in my order because I'm an idiot and can't figured out how to do what I want on line. But I tried ordering online since it was too early to call. And I figured it out this time. But there is free shipping if I order more. So I went digging in the finished drawer to see if there was something in there that needed a frame. More like 20 things need a frame, and another 20 need to sewn into pillows and there are many things I haven't a clue what to do with. Maybe somebody wants some finished cross stitch? Why did I stitch them in the first place? Are they so old that they are hopelessly dated? I don't even like some of them. Some of them didn't turn out quite like I expected. I chose two more things to frame. One is a Shepherd's Bush kit that is just too much work not to do something with. Actually, I have several of them and I chose to frame the prettiest one. Then I had stitched my name with a Carriage House alphabet and I decided to frame that one too. I really like my name and enjoy stitching it. How vain is that?

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Adventures

After aerobics class, I turned right instead of left and drove to Stitching Bits and Bobs. I don't go that often, maybe two times a year. I got there before it opened and sat in my car. They opened 20 minutes late. ARGH. There was another car with two ladies also waiting. Finally, it opened and I went in. I had a list of several things I wanted but didn't want to wait a month for an order so I just went there to get what they might happen to have from my list. One of the ladies from the other car said, "You look familiar". She looked familiar to me too. It was Sherri Jones of Patrick's Woods! I'm taking two classes with her in June in Georgia. What a coincidence! It was great to see and talk to her as well as indulge myself with a little stash. I was trying to hold out until Celebrations but just couldn't.

I worked on Tea Time basket and a little mousie yesterday. Fun. Not much gets done on Mondays. The sun is shining and I'm trying to decide what to work on. Such a dilema!

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Anticipation

The bathrooms are clean! Laundry is being done. Load 2 is in the washer. A pile of stuff is ready to go to Goodwill. Halona's snacks are all bagged up. I'm ready for the day. I hope to get a package today. It is so fun to know something is coming in the mail. I was surprised to see that new info was posted on the Celebrations site. The class that I most want to take (and signed up for) is the first class to close because it is full. I sure hope I am one of the people that got in. I sent in my registration on the first day and I am a member so I am probably fine. But I would like to get that confirmation in the mail. One poor teacher had all her classes cancelled due to not reaching minimum sign-ups. I have been in classes at Celebrations with like 3 people in the class, so maybe it depends on the teacher if they will accept less than the minimum.
I finished the little Glow humbug. It is sweet. I think it should be a scissors fob but I haven't put a cord on it. I worked on the Tea Time Basket for just an hour or so. It is one of the few cross stitch projects that really would be easier to do on a frame. I had to frog (several times) just a simple row of diagonal stitches. Sometimes I can't count to 4! I should check the thread count. Maybe it is 35 or higher and that's why I am messing up so much. I dislike the Pearsall's silk floss. It is way too slippery. It has a nice sheen once you get it in the right place. It is a challenge and I will not be deterred! Today, anyway.
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Humdinger

I finished the 3 Violets humbug. It is beautiful even if I do say so myself. I was working on the yellow part in between the bunnies. I thought I was stitching daffodils but these sweet little chicks started to emerge.

I started another Just Nan humbug. It is called "Glow". It is slightly smaller with more of a Christmas design. I think it will go pretty fast. I am tempted to do a little work on Barbara Jackson's Tea Time basket today. That will require a significant amount of concentration to not screw it up.
A month from today I will be in New Hampshire at Celebration of Needlework. I can't wait!
I am sore from going to pilates yesterday. I wasn't sure pilates did anything for me but I was wrong, wrong, wrong. It gets to muscles that I don't use in step and aerobics.

The sun is shining! That puts in a good mood.

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Weekender

Yesterday we were at Barnes & Noble and I peeked into the book "The 17 Day Diet". I found a height/weight chart. For my height I should weigh 110 pounds if I have a medium frame. Ha! It's been at least 40 years since I weighted that much. I'd have to stop eating for three years to get to that weight. Kind of depressing. But on the positive side - it is a goal. Ridiculously low, unachievable, in my dreams, but it is a goal. I would actually be very happy to lose 10 pounds. I just say that I take after my dad. When I went to Celebrations I was dismayed at the general body type of the attendees. I snapped this photo in the lobby of the hotel where everybody was sitting around stitching. It was so crazy to see a lobby full of people stitching. This picture reminds me that I always want to be able to fit into one chair and not hang over!
I worked on the Just Nan humbug and it is coming along nicely. I might even be able to finish it today.
I was very good today. I went to pilates. I haven't been since before Christmas. I kept making excuses. Then last week I told DH that I was going to go "next week". Well, it is next week, and to keep my word, I went. She did some different stuff today and it was challenging but not impossible. I was glad I went but I will be sore tomorrow. It is cold today. 24 degrees. Winter coat weather. But there is no snow. Yeah!
Going to go do some stitching...
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Confessions Friday

I feel like I should designate one day a week on this blog to confessions. Friday seems like a good day. The week is mostly gone and I am more aware of the errors of my ways. Well, my confession today is that I stopped at this store after exercise class. I had been thinking of this store for a while. I was looking for chocolate covered candied orange peel. So my choices of places to get this are limited. It was between this store and Fannie May. Fannie May was farther away. So I gave in to my hankering for orange peel that just happens to be covered in chocolate. Have to hide it away before DH gets home. Why? I don't know. He is well aware of my short comings.

I decided to get a white frame for "Leda". My urge is to order more than just one frame so I will look around to see if I have anything else that needs framing. Another confession: I have a whole drawer full of stitching that needs to be made into something.

I finished the little Just Nan Ladybug Santa. Fun stitch! He would look cute in a small square frame. Then I started Just Nan's latest humbug. It is supposed to be done on a pastel color linen but I just picked up my favorite natural Pearl Linen. It has such a soft feel to it. I think it mutes the colors a bit. I am happy with how it is going.

March is going so fast! April next week. Wow.

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