Category Archives: Stitching

The storm before the calm

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Work

It’s absolutely crazy in my office right now. We have a trial starting on Monday and it’s the Attys first solo trial on a case we’ve had for 5 years. It’s a really good case, and I think she’s really organized and ready. There are always last minute details that crop up and that’s what we’re running around taking care of. It’s a little stressful to me since I only work 6 hours a day. I have an “if I could work those 2 extra hours a day things would get done” mentality. We have another trial that starts immediately after this one and I’m still waiting to find out about subpoenas! I have been pushing aside a bunch of work that I’m hoping to get caught up on over the next two-three weeks the attys are in trial. I’ll be ready for this weekend!

Puppies

The dogs continue to bond. Harley is feeling more comfortable around Jasper and becoming a bit more submissive to him. She’s a little put out with us because her routine has changed somewhat but she’s adjusting. Tonight we’re taking them both downtown for a walk around our weekly evening market.

Stitching

I’m more than half way through Flying Monkeys. I think I’ll get it finished by tomorrow night, even with our trip out tonight. I’m trying to decide whether or not to include the bat button or not. I can’t remember if I said or not but I want it finished as a ‘door knocker.’

: Flying Monkeys

Kahuna is in half-ironman training mode. He’s running and biking almost every day, plus some days he’s running twice. He’s built himself a new roadbike that he’s training on at work (another Cervelo). I swear my garage looks like a sports shop between all the bikes, surfboards, workout equipment, spare parts etc. His surfmobile is down and out and he hasn’t been surfing for almost 2 months. Gasp! The latest thought from him on retirement is that he’s going to gather his paperwork and turn it in for an extension. Everyone hold your breath, ok? tee hee!

Still no word on my surgery date.

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Posted in Glory Bee, Puppies, Stitching, Work

This might just work out

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Puppies

I got home from work yesterday to two very happy puppies! It’s so much fun to walk in the door and be happy danced to death. Jasper was yipping at me and Harley was trying to climb up my leg. That’s the way it used to be when we had Bandit, and I missed it terribly when Harley didn’t meet me at the door. She did, however, take up watching for us out the front bedroom window. She’s a growly girl so we’ve nicknamed her Mrs. Bruiser Cravetz. Jasper has been nicknamed Mr. Prissy Pants, since he’s such a prissy momma’s boy. 🙂

Stitching

I got off my lazy heinie and trimmed The Token back last night and surged the edges. I’ll wait until I’m walking out the door to the framers before ironing it. Hopefully I can take it in this weekend.

I also cut, surged, and started stitching on Flying Monkeys last night. I’m thinking it’ll be finished by Friday. I guess I already need to start thinking about what to slide in its slot.

Work

Things at work were weird yesterday. Atty J told me that she told Atty D that he needs to hire someone to work strictly for him and let me start working strictly for her. She also told me what she wanted me to start doing for her, and I’m excited. Trying to not get my hopes up that it’ll happen, but we have two huge cases going to trial (one may settle beforehand) starting next week and that will free up a lot of time for me. I’ve spent a good part of this a.m. discussing the future with Atty J and I really hope it works out the way she wants it to because that means I’ll be strictly in litigation. Woohoo! maybe!

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Posted in Framing, Glory Bee, Puppies, Stitching, Work

Reorg day

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

While I haven’t been stitching, I’ve been reorganizing and doing laundry.

I cleaned up my WIPs page (tab up top) and re-ordered the designs listed. I haven’t quite decided in what order to attack them other than the top 6. The progress bars for HoHRH and Flying Monkeys are in place but not showing up since there is no actual stitching yet.

I added my Ofc page back in. It shows the disaster that is my stitching room (not that I actually stitch in there). As you can see I have some goals to meet in there as well, but there’s no deadline other than to get it done by the time we move from here, whenever that may be. I’ll probably work left to right in there since I have several (too many to guestimate) designs that need to be filed away in the boxes on the first shelving unit. I also probably need to change some of those boxes around. The fabric not in too bad a shape, but I do have some stuff that needs to be added in there too. I dread tackling the two wicker baskets in the third photo. It is a major jumble in those and there will probably be many fibers that go up for sale/trade in them. The fourth photo really needs to be updated since my desk doesn’t look quite that bad anymore. Neither does the floor in the fifth photo. The last photo is also wrong. The copy paper boxes have been moved 😆 but they still need to be gone through.

Oh, does anyone know how to reorganize the categories in WordPress? I’d like to move some of my stitching ones under the main category of ‘stitching.’

Has anyone ever had problems with a seller not receiving notification that you sent them money thru PayPal? I purchased something from a well known designer off of her Etsy page. I paid with PayPal, but when I didn’t have the item I sent a follow up email to her. This is when I found out she never received notification of receiving funds. I didn’t know any way to protect my account except to file a dispute and we are in communication and that has been mentioned. She’s going to send me what I purchased, but I need to be sure she receives her money. Help?

Here’s where I’m at on Summer Queen. She’s been tucked away until next Saturday.

Tomorrow I’ll be starting Flying Monkeys. I’m using the recommended GAST fibers and using 28 ct Lambswool. Both fibers and fabric are from my stash.

: Glory Bee – Flying Monkeys

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Posted in Glory Bee, Mirabilia, Stitching

Stitchy Saturday

Posted on January 2, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Stitchy Saturday happened at my house instead of at the LNS. I just didn’t feel well enough to subject the others attending to what I may still have. So instead I played in my stash to help me with my stitching goals and then I stitched.

I think I have come to some firm goals:

1. Actual Stitching

Mirabilia Summer Queen – I’m already stitching this and it has to be finished and framed by mid-May in order to be entered into the fair. I’m thinking I may stitch on this every Saturday and Sunday as well as devoting a full week to it. The rest of the items I’ll stitch on Monday – Friday.

Carriage House Houses of Hawk Run Hollow – It will satisfy more than one ‘requirement’ for my rotation. There are 12 blocks and I am going to attempt to stitch one a month. I have a yard size piece of 40 ct Vintage Maple Sugar already in my stash, and I have been collecting the NPIs over the past year for this design and the Village. Just need to measure twice, cut once, surge and go!(Fortunately, the other two HRH designs have not tempted me, but I hear there’s an autumnal design in the works and I may be in B.I.G. trouble when it comes out.)

Glory Bee Flying Monkies – new and small. I want to put this over my desk at work so I can just point to it 🙂

With My Needle Quaker Needlework Treasures – this has been around for over a year (I think even over 2!) and will fall into the ‘smalls’ category. I will decide whether or not to attempt the actual finishing once I get all the stitching done. I may just ‘farm’ it out. I do have everything for all the parts, etc., kitted.

Once Summer Queen is finished I’ll probably add in my French Alphabet Sampler or La Marquoir de Justine. I really would like for the two of them to be finished and framed this year.

2. Framing – Most of the designs I would like to see framed this year will be going on a ‘sampler wall’ in my bedroom. I am aiming for at least 6 designs.

3. Stash Enhancement – I have myself on a stitching budget. I am going to try really, really hard to not purchase anything but we all know how that usually goes 😆 so I’m budgeting. I have tons of fabric, so really can’t see myself buying any of that in the future and am going to try to stitch as much from my stash as possible. One thing that has worked for me in the past is to trade for things. I may try that when I start on #4 below.

4. Stash Downsizing – I am going to be thinning out my stash. I have some fibers to get rid of (anyone need to purchase the complete set of Vikki Clayton silks for HoHRH?) and I even want to sell some of my fabric. I know I have some duplicates in charts to weed through, plus my tastes have changed over the past 30+ years. I’ll be doing a lot of eBaying (user name is mcbcpsdca) and will post here when new stuff is going up and may even post things for trade before putting them up on eBay.

So for now, that’s it! And can I just say that with all the football that’s on TV, this feels like Sunday to me so I feel like I’m getting a free day for stitching tomorrow ! !

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Posted in Carriage House Samplings, Glory Bee, Goals, Mirabilia, With My Needle

Hellooooo? Is anyone still out there?

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Terri | Comments Off

So, what have I been up to that’s kept me so busy I couldn’t post? Ummmm, I can’t remember further back than last week.

Doctor appointments galore! I had my last appointment on Christmas eve, believe it or not. The vampires were well fed when I left the hospital. So much so that I felt faint, had to have juice, and Kahuna had to feed me before we drove off. Now I need to e-mail the surgical nurse and get a surgery date.

I’m now the only admin support in my office. Other paralegal was ‘let go’ last week. It has been rather fun at work since I had ‘use it or lose it’ vacation time. Did I mention I’m the only admin support in my office. I was ready for this week to get here so I could collapse.

I’m fighting a cold right now. I.refuse.to.get.sick!

I’ve been stitching on Summer Queen. I need to take a photo to prove it though, don’t I.

Went to see Sherlock Holmes and Avatar this past weekend. Love them both. I was ready to sit through Avatar a second time, I enjoyed it so much.

Last but not least, we’re adding to our family. Meet Jasper.

He’s *visiting* with us right now to see if he’s a good fit for our family. He’s already turning into a ‘momma’s boy.’ He has been eating ‘raw’ at his foster home and we’re going to try to keep feeding him that way on a periodic basis. Harley will benefit from it as well. So, I had to go grocery shopping when Kahuna came home today and Kahuna said he stood at the door and whined while I was gone. He’s a sweet 3 year old boy. AKC color is ‘seal.’ That’s black to non IG peeps. He’s a rescued boy who’s old mom and dad kept him outside during the day and when they went to bed at night he slept in a plastic crate in the living room while they were snuggled in their comfy bed down the hall. They traveled a bit much to keep him so they gave him over to rescue. He’s been at his foster home for a little more than 3 months.

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Posted in Puppies, Stitching, surgery

Barium…it's what's for breakfast!

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Terri | 5 comments

and lunch and supper. Yum! Not. I have a CT scan on Monday so have started ‘prepping’ for it. Not being one for ‘flavored’ items, drinking berry flavored barium for breakfast immediately kicks in my gag reflex. Actually, just smelling the stuff got me started.

I had a psych appointment on Tuesday. Nothing like drudging through all 50 years of your life — starting at the moment you were born — with a stranger. Needless to say with some of the skeletons in my closet this has been a rough week for me. Not sleeping, or if I do immediately go to sleep waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep.

I have several more appointments to make between now and December 14th. On that day one of my doctors will decide if I’m ready to be referred for surgery during January.

Today Kahuna and I are going to see ‘New Moon.’ Housing shut our water off at 6 a.m. this morning and we’ve already been showered and shaved, filled our tubs with water for the toilets), had our breakfast, entertained Harley (an all day affair, anyway), and are nursing a cup of coffee while we play on our respective computers. I intend on spending the majority of today (while not at the movies) watching college football, DVRd stuff, and stitching (working exclusively on Summer Queen). I’d like to start up a “goodreads’ on my facebook, too, but that might wait until tomorrow since I won’t be able to leave the house.

Although I haven’t posted it here (I don’t think?) Harley smacked Kahuna in his left eye a couple of weeks ago and tore his cornea. At his last appointment this week he was told it’s as healed as it’s going to be, and there’s a wrinkle in the cornea. He’s having vision problems because of it and they’re talking LASIK surgery….again. This will be the 3d time for that eye…his good eye. Sigh. He’s undecided about having it, but has set an appointment with the doctor who did the first two (he’s the eye doctor for the San Diego Chargers) and I think he’ll decide based upon that opinion.

We’re headed to Disneyland on Thursday for our almost annual Thanksgiving tradition. There are rarely any lines for any of the rides on that day and they serve turkey and dressing at the major eateries. We try to eat at the Blue Bayou for lunch (but this year we waited too late to get reservations) and in downtown Disney at Brennan’s for supper to get our Louisiana fix every year. We did manage reservations at Brennan’s and may even head over there for lunch and get a poboy. I love Disneyland, especially this time of year. The carols and fireworks in the evening even make me cry and miss home. Kahuna and I are both still kids enough that we have a good time, just the two of us.

5 Comments

Posted in Life, LSU, Stitching, surgery

The proof is in the pictures!

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Terri | 5 comments

See! I have been stitching!

Hannah Beeby

Today marks six months since I lost my sweetie baby. The last photo I have of him on my camera is on Christmas Eve when we gave him and HarleyQuinn their new toys. He loved squeakie balls and is nibbling on his new one (while trying to hide Harley’s pink bunny).

Christmas Bandit

Here is Harley a couple of months later curled up on one of Bandit’s blankets. Doesn’t she look so lonely!

Harley Sunshine

I miss him very, very much, and I know Harley does too.

Booty Buddies

She’s learning to keep my spot in the stitching chair warmed up though 🙂

Harley Chair

This week (when I’m not stitching 😉 ) I’m reading Angela Knight’s Warlord/Warfem books.

5 Comments

Posted in Hannah Beeby, Puppies, Reading, Stitching

Oops, where did it go?

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Terri | Comments Off

I swear I wrote up a post a week ago! I even agonized over what author to share. Of course other than that I can’t remember a single thing I wrote about since my life has been so boring lately. However, that has changed a teensy bit.

I have stitched! and played in my stash! and cleaned up my dungeon some! and bought stash!

This past Thursday and Friday were vacation days for me. I had a week of use it or lose it vacation and am taking a day here and there for some long weekends. (I am keeping a week saved for Christmas) I thought I was going to be spending them with Kahuna but he got called into work and while I was fairly lazy those two days I did get all my laundry done and I played in the dungeon for a bit.

Friday night I did some major damage in the dungeon. I had thought to start a new project on Saturday but the one I wanted to stitch, believe it or not, I didn’t have fibers for! 😆 I didn’t feel like fondling my fabric either.

Saturday I drove up to the all day stitch in at Melissa and Darla‘s LNS — Needlepoints, Ltd. Darla had no clue I was coming and it was wonderful to see her bright face when I rounded the corner. I brought FAS, Justine, and Hannah Beeby with me but ended up just stitching on Hannah. I started her in Hawaii and haven’t touched her since. I was stitching on FAS when Bandit died and I haven’t stitched at all since then. I can honestly swear that stitching on Saturday, after playing in the dungeon on Friday, my stitching mojo is back! I had a very good time and stitched until my butt went numb – 3 times 😉 Anyway, I’m planning on attending all the other stitch ins through the rest of the year. I’m also going to be taking my Mary Wigham chart up (and the pillow from my stitching chair) and pull fibers on the 29th.

Sunday, I watched baseball, and I stitched! Didn’t even feel guilty about it either. Nope, no guilt.

As soon as I hit “post” I’m off to sit and stitch some before heading to bed…after I sort out the dungeon some more. Believe me this dungeon sorting is going to take some time….I’m hunting for my thingy that goes to my camera so I can upload some pictures. I don’t want to have to climb the mountain in the dungeon that’s between me and the cord whatsit to connect my camera to the computer since that will take me in the opposite direction I’m already sorting. How’s that for logic?

My author for this post is Leah Brooke.

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Posted in FAS, Friends, Hannah Beeby, Justine, Mary Wigham, Reading, Stitching

Life marches on

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Terri | Comments Off

I realized today that it’s been about a week since I last cried. It’s easier to talk about Bandit — meaning I don’t start crying as soon as I do so. I had my camera out this weekend and found some pictures I forgot about taking. They did ‘hitch’ my heart a bit, but not enough to make me cry. I still haven’t dreamed about him though and I wonder if that’s a good or bad thing. I used to dream about him all the time (sometimes having horrible nightmares). We’ve moved a few things, and put a few things away. We got rid of his ‘throne’ this past weekend. It was rather disconcerting to go out into the garage and see it in pieces so it would fit in the trash bin. A chair has been put in its place. His baby blanket sit folded neatly on the arm of my stitching chair but it no longer smells like him to me. Harley gives it a good sniff when she sits with me, so I think she can still smell him. His collar and tags are still sitting in the bottom of my purse, from that awful day. Eventually I’ll take them out, but I’m not quite ready for that.

Harley seems to have come out of her ‘funk’ a bit. She was running circles around the backyard last night wearing herself out. Bandit used to pounce on her when she started ‘racing.’ She’s so happy to see us when we get home in the evenings. She’s eating regularly, and has even picked up a couple of Bandit’s ‘bad’ habits — sassing us when she wants attention and we’re ignoring her; demanding a treat at that special “time” in the evening when we forget what time it is; banging her food bowl around when it’s empty (even if she’s just eaten a few minutes ago). She never was much of a tail wagger and we’ve noticed that she wags her tail a lot more.

I’ve started thinking about stitching again, even going so far to plan out a new start last night. If things go well this weekend, I’ll start pulling supplies and share my thoughts on what I want the finished project to look like. It may take me awhile to get organized since I haven’t stepped foot in my craft room since December.

Kahuna has started training again.

We’ve started house hunting again.

Life marches on. Some steps are just shorter than others.

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Posted in House hunting, Puppies, Stitching

So, where was I? Oh, yeah!

Posted on September 20, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

Thank you for your emails this past week. I’m sorry I turned off comments, but I just didn’t want to have a bunch of comments that made me feel like everyone felt sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for myself that I’ve made this decision – in fact, I’ve had a great stressfree week, knowing what I had waiting for me the upcoming weekend.

This is the first Saturday in a long time that I have absolutely no obligations. The ONLY thing I have to do this weekend is go grocery shopping. That leaves lot a ton of room for catching up on my DVR’d stuff, stitching 😉 and maybe a load of laundry or two. I do plan to ride this weekend though.

Kahuna has been fighting off ‘pneumonia’ since the weekend before last. He finally went to the doctor and had his lungs xrayed this past Thursday. Thankfully they are clear. He got pneumonia (for the first time) in bootcamp 100 years ago and didn’t have it again until about 1999, when he got it twice in a 3 month span and has had it (what feels like) every other year since then. It scares me and I get all hovery and naggy about going to the doctor. So he’s hanging out in the garage doing some tweaking to his tri-bike instead of surfing like he really would rather be doing trying not to cough up a lung.

I watched the first episode of Fringe bright and early this morning and thought it good enough to keep watching it. In the past I seemed to miss out on a lot of early showings because we go to bed so early and everything is on at 10:00 p.m. here. That’s changed a bit since we finally broke down and got a DVR. I have a couple of West Wing DVDs waiting for me to stitch to today, and this afternoon will find me in front of the TV watching the LSU/Auburn game. Need I say . . . Geaux Tigers?

So, where was I?

Training – I finally bit the dust and rode on heavy traffic roads this week. The first attempt I swear there were a couple of times I actually closed my eyes and prayed that I wouldn’t get run over. There are a LOT of road-ragers living here that hate cyclists. I survived and will do it again this week – at a further distance. Kahuna goes with me and that helps me feel safe. At least if I get run over, I’ll have a witness 😉

Work – going okay. The paralegal who went out on extended sick leave 2 weeks after I started returned about 4 weeks ago to work 4 hours a day. It’s definitely taken a lot of work load off me and I’m starting to get a tiny bit into what I was hired for…personal injury litigation. I’ll miss the criminal work, though.

Reading – I’ll be updating my Books tab (up top) some time this afternoon. I have several things to add. I even read the Twighlight saga twice over the past month. I’m looking forward to the movie release in December. Have I said lately how much I love my Kindle? Right now I have some books by James Grippando waiting. I like his books that feature the character criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. The first book in the series is The Pardon.

Stitching – working on French Alphabet Sampler this weekend. Before and after photos will be posted soon-ish. I’m pondering what to take with me to Hawaii next month. Probably Hannah Beebe since I’m embarrassingly behind (read = not even started) in the stitch-a-long I started and am thinking of also taking Mimi’s Tape Measure kit. I’ve also pulled out 3 things to have Jill Rensel frame and will make a final decision on that by the end of the weekend.

Stash – I added to my collection this week too. I’ve just now started collecting the Drawn Thread Chartpacks for Sampler of Stitches and received ABC and DEF. I also got Homespun Elegance Delivering Needlewares and Home is Where You Hang Your Needleswork; and Katidid Designs Come Gather (the colors match my dining room).

Puppies – they *trapped* a gopher this morning. It was on the other side of the fence and was a very brave critter. Every time it popped its head out of the ground Harley would spaz and bark like there was a grizzly bear over there. Bandit supervised the whole time. Kahuna said it even kept poking its head out of the ground at him when he was getting the trap ready to push into the tunnel. It was rather a large one as our gophers go and it’s now in the trash bin waiting on the Monday morning garbage truck. It was hard work and the puppies are now recouperating in the sunbeams coming through the windows.