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

Denver Shopping Adventure

I get the e-mail newsletter from a stitching/framing shop in Denver called FanciMats & More.  The newsletter this week said they were going to be open special hours--3:00-7:00 p.m. today--to introduce their finds from Market.  I've only been to this store a couple times, even though we live just 50ish miles from there (I HATE driving in Denver traffic!).

Anyway, I convinced DH that we should head down there today.  We got there about an hour and a half before they opened, so we wandered around downtown Littleton a while, until we found a nice place to have a late lunch.  We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and wandered back to where the car was parked to wait for 3:00 p.m. 

I did a bit of stitching on the way to and from Denver; I'll share that tomorrow.

When it was a couple minutes to 3, we walked across the street to the store; there was a group of 10 or so ladies waiting outside for the store to open.  Obviously there are some serious stitchers in the Denver area! 

DH found a bench inside and made himself comfortable while I started looking around.  It only took me about 40 minutes to find a LOT of new stash!  Oh my!  Here's some photos of what I came home with. 

To start with, they had several copies of the new "Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow" by Carriage House Samplings, along with the fabric cut for it.  The fabric is 40 ct, which I've never tried before, that could turn out to be a real challenge with my bad eyesight.  I'll definitely need my magnifier lamp for this one! 

I noticed those charts and fabric did NOT last long!  These women stitchers did some serious shopping--a feeding frenzy if I ever saw one!! 

Next is Lizzie Kate's new series "Christmas by the Letter."  I purchased the threads and patterns from Silver Needle online a while back, but got the fabric today.  They had a sample stitched up and the fabric I bought is the same as their sample,  It looks like a fun stitch.

When I saw their model of Lizzie Kate's "Boo Club," I just couldn't resist getting those charts as well as the fabric for it.  I also picked up a really pretty needleminder by Kelmscott Designs, and a 10 x 12 cut of Stoney Creek's new fabric called 'Blue Sky' - 28 ct. (my favorite count to stitch on).

I seem to be collecting Prairie Schooler designs, altho so far I have not stitched a SINGLE one!  I admit to being totally in love with "When Witches Go Riding" that Rene la Frog recently finished.  Today I picked up "Boo To You."

One last picture from this stash adventure....a bunch of great freebies they had for customers to grab; on the table with a variety of goodies--candy corn (did you know they make chocolate/caramel candy corn?), cheese cubes, fresh fruit, and wine!

I left the shop a truly happy camper, even though my credit card was smoking!  I stitched all the way home (altho I was putting binding on a quilt, not working on cross stitch).  We were driving through Denver during rush hour, which can be rather ugly.  We got caught up in a few traffic snarls due to accidents, but made it home safely, well in time to watch the entire Rockies/Dodgers game this evening.

GO ROCKIES!!!!

That's it for tonight.  holy cow, it's after midnight and I didn't stitch a stitch, just surfed the web, read blogs, updated my blog, and watched the Rockies game.  I seriously don't understand how some of you get so much stitching accomplished! 

Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

Quilt-A-Fair

Today was the first day of the annual Quilt-A-Fair event, put on by the State quilting group, Colorado Quilting Council (aka CQC).  I'm on the CQC Board this year, acting as Chairman for Volunteer Recognition.  Anyway, Quilt-A-Fair is a giant vendor mall (88 different vendor booths this year!), quilt show, silent auction, food court, great chance to network and catch up with friends. 

A few examples of vendors:

• A lady from Brooklyn, NY, who makes acrylic templates for cutting various quilt blocks
• A lady who takes vintage quilts, takes them apart and stitches pieces of the quilts onto denim shirts, t-shirts, etc. to make one-of-a-kind clothing items
• Vendors selling various vintage quilts, quilting notions, quilt display racks, ladders, furniture
• Many many vendors from local quilt shops, shops from NE, OK, TX, CA...all with a wide variety of model quilts, fabric, patterns and notions
• Several sewing machine vendors, long arm quilters and long arm quilt machine vendors
• Our local needle shop (aka LNS)
• A couple vendors selling handmade jewelry
• Several vendors with huge supplies of buttons and different sorts of embellishments for crazy quilting and ribbon embroidery

The affair is held in a large exhibition hall at a county fairgrounds about 40 miles from our house.  DH and I arrived at about 10 am (it started at 9 am).  As expected, the parking lot was crammed with cars.  We found a parking spot and made our way inside.  The hall is an explosion of color, sounds of conversations and people.  Truly sensory overload in the best way possible!

We began making our way down one row of vendors after another, DH patiently waiting while I looked at what was offered for sale by each one, jockeying our way through the crowds of quilters...a day in paradise!  We saw lots of people we know, had many conversations along the way.  Here are some photos of my stash acquisition from today (I am a shameless shopaholic, and loved every minute of it!!)

Top left is a Hob-Nobb Designs that matches the Quilting one I'm getting ready to start on.  The new one says "I Love Stitching".  Top right are two little decorative items I thought would add a nice touch to one of the shelves on my desk hutch, a Vera Bradley tape measure, a Lizzie Kate Snippet that says "Housework never killed anyone...but why take a chance?" (love it!)  The bottom right is a Just-Nan design  I found in their clearance rack - "M is for Mouse" (but 'M' is also for my last name).

Next is another Lizzie Kate - "Tiny Tidings XIV' with the embellishment pack included.

One more Lizzie Kate - "Santa Wants to Know" and the Magic by Mona (from Silver Needle) finishing kit for it, a mini ORT/pin cushion for my desk, and the cutest little design in a plastic case called "Doodles" for leftovers.  This one says "Quilting is a Work of Heart" and includes a heart button.  This is also by Hob-Nobb Designs.

One last cross stitch stash item...a design from Homespun Elegance called "Sheep Button Sampler."  It includes brass 'Wooly Sheep' buttons.

OK, that's my cross stitch purchases from Quilt-A-Fair.  I'll give you a tour of my quilt-related purchases in another post tomorrow.  I'm worn out from all this shopping and need to get some sleep!

Oh, one last thing.  Last week I took advantage of the Joann's sale on Ott lights and got the rechargeable, battery-operated one to use on my desk.  It comes with the recharger and A/C adapter.  I really like it!  It is very compact, folds up nicely, and has a carrying handle.  It'll be great for travel..when we go visit our son, etc.  Here's a pix of it on my desk: 

Okay, that's it for now from my corner of the world...Happy Stitching!

Vicki in CO

Day Trippin' and WIP Update

Those of you who read my previous blog at Multiply, will notice the new photo I'm using for my new blog.  Yes, I stopped dying my hair a while back.  It just didn't make sense to keep spending all that money to cover up the white that I've had in my hair since my mid-20's (leaves more money for stash!)  So, yes, this is the 'real' me!  I'm also sad to say, I've gained about 20 lb. since my back injury. 

I want to share some photos from a day trip my hubby and I went on today.  We live in the beautiful state of Colorado, just a short hour drive from the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.  Today we took a trip to Estes Park, and into Rocky Mountain National Park, over Trail Ridge Road to the summit at Alpine Visitor Center...12,183 feet! 

No matter how many times we make this drive, it always seems like the first time.  The views are simply spectacular.  This is some of the snow left from last season on the mountain right beside the Alpine Visitor Center at the summit.

This is a view of the Gorge Lakes, Mount Ida and Mount Julian from Trail Ridge Road.

This is the view from Rainbow Curve, looking down at the curves up the side of the mountains that make up Trail Ridge Road.

Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place to see the wildlife up close!

On other occasions, we've seen herds of bighorn sheep.  Today we saw many groups of elk.  This group were grazing near the Fall River entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Look at that rack on the elk on the left!

The group below were at Moraine Park on our way out of the park, as we made our way back down into Estes Park.

We stopped in Estes Park after our nice drive.  Walked around a bit and bought some yummy caramel corn to munch on the way back home through Big Thompson Canyon (scene of the flood in 1976 that killed 144).  See an excellent presentation about the flood by the Coloradoan.

Oh, I almost forgot....on our way back to where we'd parked the car in Estes, we stopped in to take a look at the old-fashioned 'Five & Dime' store.  Guess what I found in the back corner?  A pile of all sorts of crafting pamplets!  A quick look through them, and I left with a couple bargains....Prairie Schooler "Garden Beasties" and "A Gardener's Life" by Karen Avery for Dimensions, for the bargain price of $3 for both! 

This stash addition makes me realize I really should dig out my Excel spreadsheet and update my stash list once again.  Dang, something else I need to do.

I also thought I'd post an update to my current project...It's the Gift Bag Melody by Dyan Allaire from Kustom Krafts.  I must admit, it feels GREAT to be stitching again!

Dyan's intention is for this to be finished into a gift bag.  I must admit, I am leaning toward putting the finished stitching on the side of a tote bag; we'll see how I feel once I get it finished up.

Once again, Happy Stitching...Vicki in CO