Author Archives: Terri

Photo-ing

My camera’s battery died on me before I could take all of the pictures I wanted to share this weekend, but here’s a start!

We had a GREAT time at Disneyland Thanksgiving.  Ate too much, spent too much money, but had a good time.

This is my ‘little’ sampler wall in my bedroom.  I think the next item I’m having framed is the first cross stitch piece I ever did…in 1977.

The Token — entered in the County Fair this past summer and got a Blue Ribbon. I really enjoyed stitching this piece.

Strawberry Basket — my first Blackbird Designs piece. M picked out the framing for it. It really mimics the fabric and I love the gold flecks in it.

The is the other piece I entered in the fair this year — and also got a Blue Ribbon. I cannot for the life of me remember the name but the designer is Rue de Rhine (or something like that).

And Home of a Needleworker Too! I truly loved stitching this design. I used fabric and all but one fiber from my stash.

Me (and my very shiny nose!). I’m getting ready to change my haircolor again and thought I’d post a picture here before I do!

One step at a time

When I started this blog it was to post about who I am – who I REALLY am – and I haven’t exactly done that.

A couple of weeks ago I read a blog that discussed not focusing on the bad and focusing more on the good in yourself. While that is a great concept, I personally feel like not focusing on my “bad” is keeping me from being the person I want to be and taking proper care of M.

I know my definition of “bad” is probably very different from what others define it as. If it makes me feel guilty it’s “bad.” I also know others who don’t live in a “head of household” (HOH) lifestyle won’t understand how I feel, but that’s okay. I put that “take it or leave it” in my header for a reason 😉

Anyway, I’m wanting to adopt a good habit every month that will help me adjust my bad into good. A couple of examples:

I leave dirty dishes in my sink every day. Sometimes for two or more days. It’s just M and I and while during the week we may only each use a few dishes each day, they’re still put in the sink, and then multiply…because I hate unloading the dishwasher! It bothers me to see those dirty dishes, but there they sit! The “bad” in this scenario is my unloading the dishwasher. I need to adjust that attitude because several of the houses that M and I are looking at have a very open floor plan and I don’t want to feel embarrassed about having company because I have two days of dishes in my sink.

Another example is my failure to follow through on certain things. Again, may be small, like offering to provide photos here and then never getting around to doing it. I used to be really good about following through but somehow over the past couple of years I’ve lost that good habit. The “bad” in this scenario is my not making notes to remind myself of little things that need to be done (I have no problem remembering the ‘big’ things).

Other things include procrastination, budgeting, decluttering, exercise, menu planning, etc., some of which overlap, and things that might not be important to anyone but me, or more importantly, M.

So I plan on posting what “good” I’m trying to create and my progress.

In other news. I pulled my shaker box back out and will photograph it this weekend. It looks very much like the one that’s in the link from my last post – only darker in color. I also made myself a note 😉 to post my small ‘sampler wall’ I’ve started in my bedroom, and the finished and framed Home of a Needleworker Too that M hung up in my hallway this past weekend. I guess while I’ve got the camera out I should also post a progress picture of my needlepoint design that features the stiletto and purse.

M and I will be spending Thanksgiving with Mickey and Minnie again this year and eating lunch at the Blue Bayou and having turkey and dressing that evening at Brennan’s. Black Friday will find us attending a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert – so no Thanksgiving cooking for me this year. I’m very sad about that since I love to cook. Here’s hoping for lots of stitching time this coming weekend.

M also turned in his retirement paperwork yesterday. Now we wait. He’s not expecting to hear anything back until some time next month. If it’s accepted we will begin a one year countdown. I need to get busy!

Shaker box treasure

A couple of weeks ago Kahuna came by work and took me to lunch.  We walked over to a little sidewalk cafe that has the best ‘handmade’ milkshakes in 25 miles.  He likes their hamburgers….a lot 🙂 

Anyway, we’ve walked past this antique ‘mall’ several times in the past 2 years and I always say I’m going to stop in there.  That day I did, and man-oh-man am I glad I did!  It was full of eye-candy and I enjoyed wandering around in there, especially when I came across a beautiful oval shaker box, which included the lid! 

Considering how overpriced everything was in there I don’t know why I bothered looking for the pricetag, but I’m glad I did.  It was marked $18 in one spot and $12 in another.  When I took it to the counter the girl told me it was $9.  As I was grabbing the receipt (yep I whipped out my wallet that fast 😉 ) I told her I would probably have paid $40 for it.

So, here’s the deal.  I know there are a lot of quaker shaker box designs out there.  In fact, I saw this morning that Dames of the Needle has a new release today.  While they’re a fave designer of mine and it’s a lovely design it just doesn’t grab me.  I’m hoping some of my readers will share links/design names with me of other shaker box designs that might work.

Bloglines, again.

Thank you all so much with your suggestions.   I’m probably going to go ahead and go with Google, but I do have a couple more questions.

In Bloglines, I have several posts saved.  When I transfer over to use Google, will I lose those saved posts?

I see you can set up folders in Google.  Am I going to have to go through every blog and reset them to folders or will the folders I already have them set up in transfer over?

I have done very little stitching lately and really need to get my fanny in gear.  I’m almost finished with the stitching portion of my October class project.  In fact, I could probably get it done in a couple of hours.  I’m having M.A.J.O.R. tension problems with my sewing machine that I need to get fixed so I can finish out the class project.  I’m starting to panic since I leave in 2 weeks!

The rest of this year is going to be very busy for us.

Kahuna has his last race of this season on October 3.  We’ll be headed for new ink, probably the very next day.  He’s requested I add something to an existing tattoo, and of course, for him, anything.

My class is the weekend of October 10.  MCBall is November 12.  Thanksgiving, then Christmas.  During all this time I have an increased work load (new duties at work), Kahuna is supposed to be turning in his paperwork for retirement (November 11) and times generally flies by between now and the end of the year year, anyway.  I need my stitching!

Quest for a new blog'lines.'

Many of you probably already know that Bloglines will be closing down October 1. I love Bloglines! I have heart palpitations over the thought of them closing and my not having such easy access to my favorite blogs.

I know there are other ‘trackers’ out there but I have no idea what they are. I’m hoping someone will read this post and share with me what they use. I don’t consider myself technologically gifted so I know the heart palpitations are from the fear of teaching an old dog new tricks, so to speak.

So, if you use something other than Bloglines, what is it? What do you like better about it…what do you dislike about it?

If you’re using Bloglines, what are you going to change to?

Help.

Please?

Whimper

Quinoa Tabouleh

1 cup prepared quinoa
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 cups packed fresh parsley leaves (chopped)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt

Toss all ingredients together and serve at room temperature.  Serves 4

Nutrition facts:
Calories: 101
Calories from fat: 40
Total Fat: 5g
Sat: 1g
Trans: 0g
Sodium: 57mg
Total Carbs: 13g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 3g

Triathlete Sept 2010

WW points: 2

Personal note:  Next time I make this I will increase the quantity on the tomatoes and lemon juice.  I served it with oven “bbq’d” drumsticks.  Yum!

Organizing, Mystery Sampler, and Destashing

I spent the better part of 3 hours in my stash room yesterday. I completely emptied 2 copy paper sized boxes of school stuff and threw away (gasp!) almost every single one of my almost complete collection of BH&G CS&CC magazines. It was liberating. To me and the space in my room. I went from this:

To this:

I also found my very first cross stitch project. I’m going to frame it between 2 pieces of glass so you can see the front and the back (boy have I come a looooong way in 32 years of cross stitch!). I still have not found the elusive Peace rose project. I have the pattern and the fibers, just can’t find the darn stitching! I cannot for the life of me imagine where it is, but I refuse to give up hope that it’s forever lost…just yet.  That stack on the floor to the left of the two roller bins is all my finished projects that have never been framed or finished out.

As I said, I didn’t throw away all of my magazines.  I kept some that had early releases from some of my favorite designers.  I’m thinking of gutting those issues and putting the designs I want into a binder.   There are a couple of issues that I have more than one of.    One of them contains a Shepherd’s Bush design and I’ll put it on my 4Sale page later.

The other one contains a sampler I’ve always admired and back when I first got the magazine was intimited by.  I’ve seen it stitched but cannot remember where.  I cannot find anywhere in the magazine who the designer is and am hoping someone who reads my blog will know.  I do see it was ‘signed’ by Ruth Lowe, but I don’t recognize that name:

I updated my 4Sale page (see tab up top). I’ve added a few new things and reduced the prices on everything that was already listed. I will be adding more bits at a time.

It’s almost lunch time, so I’m off to prepare something for Kahuna and I and then I plan on spending the rest of the afternoon watching Heros and stitching on FAS.

Ciao!

Little bit of everything.

I have a happy dance!  I finished Home of a Needleworker, Too this past Saturday during my monthly stitch-together.  I also started pulling fibers for my new needlepoint project, but I’m not starting it until the current needlepoint piece is finished.  I think I have 4 more squares to do. 

Instead of working said needlepoint piece I pulled out FAS and started stitching on it again.  It’s a little sad since I’m stitching where I can see Bandit’s name, but I’m looking for a place to add Jasper in.  Harley already has her spot.  I’m almost half way finished with it!  I’m thinking of continuing on with it until I’m at that point — with a break to stitch up my class piece. 

I’m avoiding The Queen! 

Thanks for laughing with me over my stitching stand.  I actually have it sitting in my way in my room and put my needlepoint piece in it to see how it would feel using it.  I also have been given (to try out) the Needlework System 4 stand.  The person who has lent it to me is wanting to sell it to me and I’m thinking of going ahead and buying it.  I have looked everywhere for other components to the Grip-It with no luck.  I know it’s no longer being made, but I was hoping to find it on eBay.  If I do buy the NS4 I can buy other components for it.  Thinking, thinking, thinking.

I’ve pulled fabric for the needlepin cushion for the October class.  I’ll probably cut and serge it this weekend and start stitching on it so I can get back to FAS.  I purchased this particular Loose Feathers design from Drema as a fully kitted piece and the fabric is really dark!  I remember in the instruction something about fading the fabric out, but I’ve decided to stitching my design on a piece of Lambswool.  The instructions also call for filling it with ground walnut shells and if anyone out there knows….is there a chance they can stain the piece?  This thought it is the back of my head since I know walnuts were/are used for dying fabrics. 

HarleyQuinn came to work with me this morning and charmed everyone.     She had a follow up appointment for her teeth extraction and it was easier to bring her with me so I could get a little work done, than staying at home all morning and driving her back and forth.  Jasper was not pleased at staying behind.

Confession of a stash-aholic

I have a Grip-It stand. 

I’ve had this Grip-It stand for close to 10 years. 

Kahuna pulled it out a couple of nights ago and asked me what was wrong with it. 

Ummmm, I don’t know, I’ve never used it.

Why not?

I forgot I had it.

😳

Would you like a little 'catchup?'

Kahuna’s tooth is bothering him less.  In fact, I can’t remember when he last had to take a Vicodan to sleep.  He had a triathlon last weekend and other than his knee killing him the next day he did okay with it.  I think he’s coming to the realization that 30+ years of running is bound to give you arthritis and if he wants to continue to pound the pavement he’s going to have to just SIUBc.  He’s on vacation this week (we cannot get our weeks off coordinated!) so he’s out surfing with his buds this morning. 

HarleyQuinn had her annual dental work done on Tuesday.  For those that know our history you’ll know this was a very stressful and worrisome day for Kahuna and I.   She came through okay, but you can tell she’s in some pain and now she’s on puppy Vicodan.  She followed Kahuna around the house all day long yesterday wanting to be picked up.  Poor princess 🙁 

It’s been hit or miss with stitching this week.  I have gotten more on Home of a Needleworker, Too, done.  I’ve finished all the way across the top half of the design (including the house but not the “of a” or scissor and thread) and am now stitching my way back toward the left.  I think I finished off “ker” a couple of nights ago.  We’ve been preoccupied and I haven’t been able to sit long enough to stitch as much as I want.  Tonight is a stay at home night for us so I’ll be stitching.

This weekend is 5th Saturday stitchin at Needlepoints, Ltd.  I normally don’t go on 5th Saturday since the regular get together is the next week, but I’m going to do my best to start attending the extra days so I can work more on my new needlepoint project. 

I have made a small unplanned “stitching” purchase since I last posted, but it was one of those things that the minute I saw it I knew it was perfect for someone.  It arrived in the mail yesterday but I was so busy last night I didn’t even get a chance to open it.

I also won a giveaway for a biscornu kit.  As soon as it arrives I’ll post a reveal and a public shout-out to the person hostessing the giveaway.

I’m in the process of gathering up some things for my own giveaway.  😀

Our manslaughter trial took a surprising turn and we settled it last week.  Now we’re in full swing getting ready for a traumatic brain injury case.  I think the outcome of this issue will pretty much determine Boss’s decision regarding his retiring or not.

I made a final decision on my stitching roadtrip I wanted to take this year.  I’m headed back to Mesa, AZ to take a class at The Attic on October 10th.  Melissa is going with me!  Fun, fun, FUN!  I’m sure margarita’s will be involved….or something similar 🙂  Who knows!  There might even be stitching.

Wow, this post is all over the place, but that’s how random minds work sometimes!  😆

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