Sad News--Don't Feel Like Stitching Today

I have not stitched a stitch as of yet on my new blessings project. It's terrible how life gets in the way. I do have the fabric chosen, and I do have a bunch of ideas running around in my head. I'm very excited to get going on this! My squares are going to be 2" square; the more I thought about 1", the less I thought it would work well for me. My eventual goal is still 100 squares.

I really thought tonight would be 'the night' to start on this project; not to be. My DH has been retired going on 3 years now. He's been working very part-time at a local Sylvan Learning Center as an instructor for a couple of those years. As the economy has gotten worse, the number of students enrolled has steadily declined. While last year he was working 20+ hours a week most weeks, this winter he has been lucky to have 4 hours a week! We've had a feeling it was coming, but today he learned the center closes tomorrow. So, he'll be working his last two hours there tomorrow.

I'm sad for my DH, who was a teacher for the first 6 or 7 years of his 'after college' years. He taught junior high school, high school, community college, and freshman college courses. He spent the rest of his working life as a computer systems analyst (made a lot better money than teaching school). BUT, teaching was always his first love. I was thrilled for HIM that he got this chance to work with students again, at the end of his working years. He'll be 68 in September, so I'm not sure he'll get this chance again.

I'm also sad for those young minds who will miss out on getting to know my funny, smart, special DH and his fantastic sense of humor, as well as have the chance to improve their minds, particularly in all things math-related; (his expertise and first love). His expertise ranges from teaching a young child the basics of counting through most college-level mathematics courses. Needless to say, after that news, my mind hasn't been on stitching this evening.

Until next time...

Vicki in CO

Spring in Colorado and a Tale of Two Kitties

FIRST DAY STITCHING OUTSIDE FOR 2010

Last Tuesday, the weather was just beautiful.  When I got home from work, I decided to sit out back on the patio and stitch for a while.  The cool metal sun above hangs on the back wall of the house.  Here's a photo of my stitchin' spot:

We haven't brought out all our patio furniture yet, so I brought out a couple of old pillows from indoors to sit on.  The little dog you can see behind the table is Miss Molly Noritake, our Japanese Chin (a rescue from the Humane Society believe it or not!).  The sliders to the right go into the kitchen, the sliders behind Molly with the mirror finish go into the master bedroom.

I had a great time sitting outside for a while and made a small start on my first SYHO project.  It's by Blue Ribbon Designs and is called Established With Love.  I'm still working on the windows; it will be a while until mine looks likes this.

WEDNESDAY

Remember that 'Spring in Colorado' heading on this post?  Here's why.  This is the sight that greeted me when I looked out back about 6:45 as I was getting ready to head off for work.  What a difference 12 hours can make!  This snow was those big, fat, heavy, wet snowflakes so prominent in spring months.  Oh joy!

And here's what my cozy stitchin' area looked like...

By the time I got home from work that day, we were back to spring (altho not spring temperatures).  It remained fairly cool and windy right through the weekend.  We are supposed to be back to high 60's today and into the 70's tomorrow.  (Until the next cool, wet weather hits again)  :(

GIFT OF A KITTY MUG

This morning, one of the MA's (medical assistant) at the Health Center where I work, brought me a wonderful kitty mug, filled with Starbuck's Chai Tea (my very favorite beverage!)  Isn't this the cutest thing?! 

BLOG GIVEAWAY WIN!

I won a giveaway at Prairie Grove Peddler blog recently.  Look at the great chart she sent me:

She does a weekly giveaway, so you might want to check it out:  Prairie Grove Peddler

NEW STASH!

A while back, I won a giveaway from Evalina's blog---a $20 gift certificate for my favorite ONS (of course I chose 123Stitch).  I finally spent it; I used it to purchase the chart for Quaker Gone Tropic.  At the same time, I ordered the floss and fabric.  Doesn't all this look like a fun and yummy stitch?!  Thanks once again Evalina!!

A FLEA MARKET FIND

Meari move over...for once I found a great deal at a flea market!  Usually I'm reading Meari's blog in disbelief at the incredible deals she finds.  A couple weeks ago, DH and I were trolling for an entirely different item at a flea market/antique shop about 20 miles from home.  DH found the other item I was looking for (more about that in a future blog post). 

Since moving into my new office in the fall, I've been wanting to put a live plant on a little table of some sort in the little alcove area.  So, I was keeping my eyes on the various small tables I saw in the flea market.  Yep, spied a likely candidate buried under a cookie jar, some other dishes, and a plant of some sort.  Looked at the price tag...$14.95.  Hmmm, sounds interesting.  So, I move all the 'stuff' off the top and give it a closer inspection.  It looks brand new! 

When DH picks it up to inspect it further, we discover it is VERY heavy (solid wood), and the bottom is stamped 'Ethan Allen' (a fairly well known and moderately expensive) furniture store.  Doing a search on their website, the closest-looking little table I can find retails for $499!

We found a very nice plant at Lowe's for under $15.  I think it looks quite nice in the alcove at work.  The little mini-quilt hung on the hanger on the wall is one of a series I started making last year.  I need to get moving so June is ready to put up when it's time! 

SMALL STITCHING UPDATE FOR LAST WEEK

I've almost completed Page 1 of the Spring Sampler.  I am just loving this stitch!  While I had full intentions of doing lots of stitching this past weekend, one thing led to another, and I ended up surfing the Internet for most of two days.  Also watched 'Hotel For Dogs' (not nearly as cute as thought it was going to be), and assorted other movies.  Hopefully I'll do much better in the stitching department this coming week.

STITCHING ORGANIZATION IDEA

Last, I wanted to share something I found that works really well for me to organize the stitching chart pages for current projects.  Because I don't want to write on my actual chart, I always make a working copy of the chart.  I actually like to enlarge it (since my eyesight is not great); so I like to scan the chart, make it into a PDF file and then use the Snapshot Tool to highlight a portion of the chart and then print it on a full page (which automatically enlarges the size of the chart grid to fill the page. 

Now before anyone gets upset that I'm violating copyright law or some such; I am NOT sharing the file with anyone.  I'm only enlarging and printing a working copy for my own use.

Anyway, here's a current example.  I'm getting ready to start a LHN design, Coming to America, which comes all on one sheet of paper.  I scanned the chart, made a PDF and broke the chart into SIX sheets for printing.  That makes the chart a size I can see without difficulty.  I also enlarge the key at the same time.  So, now I have 7 sheets to work with for that one chart. 

When picking up a prescription at Target the other day, I was browsing through their office supplies while I was waiting.  I came across a heavy plastic folder that has the metal prongs to hook pages into.  It also has front and back pockets.  So, here's the great organizational tool I came up with from that find:

Front Cover

Inside Front Cover

Inside Pages (I used sheet protectors
to create the inside storage pages)

Inside Back Cover

I purchased a couple of these folders and as I complete a project, I'll just reuse the folder again for another project.  Since they are made of plastic, they should last a long time and they only cost a few dollars.

RHUBARB RUNNING AMUCK

Last spring, DH was moving some plants around in the backyard.  I distinctly remember him saying 'I'll just put the rhubarb in this clay pot 'temporarily' until I decide where to plant it.  Well, look what happened this spring....

You can barely see the red clay pot underneath the leaves.  I think his pot runneth over!  :)

UH OH....WE HAVE A DROWNING VICTIM!  DOES ANYONE KNOW CPR??

This photo doesn't begin to do this crisis justice!  The other day one of my stitching magazines arrived in the mail.  I was holding it under my chin, while standing at the kitchen sink, before retiring to my sewing room to look through the magazine.  Sure enough, next thing I know, the magazine flapped it's wings and flew right into the sink which was full of water at the time!  Let me say, the magazine was dripping; each and every page was well and truly wet.  Not a pretty sight at all.  I nearly cried.  I emailed the company, explained what happened, and a nice lady responded right away, saying she'd send a new copy; no worries.  The new copy arrived in today's mail.

SO, WHAT HAS LUCKY BEEN UP TO NOW??!...THE SCENE OF THE CRIME...

I know I keep whining about how much I want grandchildren.  Well, guess I (almost) got my wish.  Heard this noise in the kitchen the other night (I was sitting on the sofa in the upstairs family room watching TV).  I didn't think too much about it.  A little later, DH comes upstairs (he's watching baseball or some such sport on TV in the downstairs family room).  He comes into the kitchen and wants to know why I left the cabinet door open under the sink?  I say, "I haven't been in the kitchen since dinner." 

He closes the door, and is standing at the fridge, refilling his iced tea glass.  He says, "Come here, you need to see this."  Okay....what do you suppose is going on?  Lucky (the McDonald's bag kitty), is standing on his back feet, stretched up and he opens the cabinet door with his front paws.  Within 10 seconds, Lucky and his pal Doc, are both inside the cabinet; happy as clams, snuggled up to the various bottles of cleanser, dish washing soap, etc.  Good grief.  DH's quick fix to that was the wooden spoon through the handles. 

The next day, he finds them inside the bathroom cabinet (same exact cupboards with double doors).  And a little later that day (you'll LOVE this!), DH opens the bottom drawer in the bathroom vanity (it has double doors and 3 drawers) to find Lucky lounging inside the drawer!  Our guess is, Lucky opened the drawer and climbed in and Doc shut the drawer on him.  

So, wonder if we are going to have to invest in those kid-proof latches for the inside of the doors and drawers once again?!  Thought we were all through with that sort of thing. 

My tale of two kitties draws to a close.  Hopefully next week I'll have a lot more stitching to share.

Until then,

Happy Stitching and Happy Mother's Day! (Our son should be home this week for Mother's Day!)  The sweetie hasn't missed being home for a Mother's Day since he moved away a couple years ago. 

Vicki in CO