99 reasons to celebrate and other stuff

Thank you all for your kind comments on my wing. As is so often the case, I made accomplishments and moved on to something else. Sigh. No sticktoitivness. But the long-lost Quaker a la 6 Mains came out to play this weekend --

Yes, pathetic as far as how much got done, but it was kinda warm.

I also started the next kimono and got the mountain, the branches, and the beginning of the gold background put in--

I think I'm going to actually do 2 of these. one for my friend and one for her mom. The friend will have the pink blossoms in the trees and her mom will get purple blossoms as they are apparently her favored color.

I am happy to note that I have boxes! Don't get overly excited. I have yet to do address labels. You know, my whole mailing life has been thoroughly upset by the post office moving my office building's mail pick up time from 5pm to 2pm. It just throws off my whole day. Yes, I'm very silly that way.

Speaking of silly, here's a weirdness for you. Possibly some of you do this as well so maybe I'm not the only bonkers one --- If I have a headache, sore throat, or other common-ish illness I will always find myself moping and thinking over and over "gosh my head/throat/shoulder hurts" but it usually takes me complaining about said pains to someone and them asking "when was your last batch of asprin/advil?" for me to actually think of taking said pain killer. Honestly, it's like the sickness short circuits my brain. There I sit not feeling well but it never dawns on me that I could do something about it. lol

On a very happy note, I'd like to introduce you to my buddy Verna who turns 99 tomorrow. Her family hosted a celebration this weekend in her honor.

We should all look this good at 99!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have wing!

My fairy is looking a little more corporeal after some time spent on the inside of her wing this weekend --


I think I will go back over the teal parts of the wing spots and make then actual "x" stitches. I was working in some bad lighting and hadn't really noted how sketchy the coverage was. Oh well.... what's a couple more hours on a wing here and there?

So sorry ya'll couldn't make it to the powwow this weekend. It was a simply beautiful weekend for it! I actually left powwow before the end because I got cold. lol I know that makes not sense to those of you who picked up MORE snow this weekend, but in CA mid-April could be 80+ degrees. We had sunshine and light winds -- enough to blow some vendors around and whip the flags quite nicely --

You really should have been there. You'd have had fun -- shopping, sunshine, fry bread, ahhhh the joy.

Oh, and in other happy news I came back to stash in the mail.


That definitely improves a Monday no end.
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Just finished: Jim Butcher's Storm Front -- now I know why the Harry Dresden book fans were so pissy about the Dresden Files on the SciFi Channel.
Currently in process: Rex Stout's If Death Ever Slept; Jasper Fforde's The Fourth Bear
Thinking about starting: Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light; Charline Harris' Dead until Dark; Hal Clement's Mission Gravity; or any one of a dozen more. So many choices!

I have boxes !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoopee! Boxes, boxes, boxes. A girl's best friend--- at least when she has stuff she needs to mail and no properly-sized boxes. It still doesn't get me the right to show you the pictures I really want to, but I'm pleased nonetheless.

Adding to my pleasure is the fact that since I finished my Fair and Square Round 6 squares for Mairi (pictures eventually), I was able to get back to my Halloween Fairy. Chris' finishing her Mirabilia Christmas Elf spurred me on to get back to work on the fairy.


I started working on her on the train this morning and between the train and after a "fine" dinner of Der Weinerschnitzel chili cheese dogs while watching an episode of Nero Wolfe (the Tim Hutton series) with a buddy, I got the wing bits done. I think the color changes are working well so far. The black edges are supposed to be in the same dark brown as is used in the dress-- well, that wouldn't do so I replaed that Crescent Color with Vikki Clayton's black silk. And I thought any self-respecting fairy would have a little sparkle for a night of trick or treating so I replace the teal and green Crescent Colors used for the spots with Kreinik (the teal) and Rainbow Gallery's Treasure Braid (the green). The metallics are much thicker than floss so I decided to do only half-crosses.

I'm hoping to get those wing edges done before I give up for the evening. We'll all have to cross our fingers on that since I want to get to bed relatively soon since I came home to go to the local Indian high school powwow tomorrow. I am looking forward to a full day of powwow songs, turquoise, and fry bread! Especially fry bread!!!!!! Trust me, if you've never had a fry bread taco, you just haven't lived. Yummers!!

Oh, for those of you encased in snow still allow me to share the joys of a blooming garden --
the Cecil Bruner rose is doing itself proud --



And the aloe is blooming as well --


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One of my Pals buddies, Lani, tagged me for an explain yourself quiz. So here goes....

Tagged by Lani
A) List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself.
B) Tag seven people to do the same.
C) Do not tag the person who tagged you or tag "whoever wants to do it."

1. I love stitching, but I hate that it interferes with my reading.
2. I was "raised" by a white German Shepherd named Duke.
3. I was an avowed non-fan of modern art until I became completely entranced by Jenny Holzer's installation "For SAAM" at the Reynolds Center in DC last Christmas.
4. I humbly submit that there's nothing so wonderful as a soft cookie. Sure some folks might be deluded enough to like crispy cookies, but they just don't know the true beauty of a nice, soft cookie.
5. When people ask me what gift I want for some holiday I usually answer "world peace." It really annoys them. lol
6. My favorite toy when I was little was a stuffed horse that I carried everywhere. I tried riding it. I wore the fur off most of it. I even trimmed its mane when I learned that horses needed to be groomed. lol Somehow my steed's string mane never grew out again.
7. I seem to be addicted to Subway's tuna. No matter what I think I might order when I get in line, once they ask me what I want "tuna with everything and spinach and peppercinis" always comes out of my mouth.

Since the rules demand it, I'll tag: Janaina, Chris, Shelleen, Barbara, Kathryn, Sonda, and Kendra

Good night to all -- happy stitching!

Frustration

There's so much I want to show you. I have these great (ok, decent) pictures and I want you to see them, but I can't. I just can't. Dang it! You'll see all this stuff soon, but I want to show you now. Right now. Where the heck I'm getting the will power to refrain from posting pics is beyond me. Hmpf. I never have this willpower around chocolate or cookies. lol

Here's what you need to do for me... cross your fingers and hope real hard I can find some small shipping boxes. Once these things get out to people, then I can share! Of course, currently every small shipping box in a four county area has gone to ground. Sigh.

I can share a fairly recent stash enhancement --

I picked those up from Amy who did the first one and changed the rooster to a bunny (see Amy's March 16th post) very successfully. I think I'll do something similar. I'm just not sure what I'll switch the rooster for.

Anyway, I wish you a less frustrating day than I am having. I'm back to writing about museum exhibits. really it is a lot of fun.

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Edited. Sigh. Yes, Chris, apparently I am having a very frustrating day. lol

Stuff and nonsense

Greetings all. How's your week going? Mine's insane. Nothing new there.

I can finally take a minute to report that I had a "finishing weekend" last weekend. You know I don't know why I put it off -- then again I have to say I really like getting a whole bunch of finishing done at one time. Somehow it seems like a real accomplishment then. I can only share part of the finishing though. Sure there's a reason, and you're probably smart enough to figure it out. I mean you strike me as being quite bright.

For the time being, here's what I can show you --


I even did a little stitching. Chris found where I waws off in the heart for her RR, but taking it out meant losing four shamrocks and since I'd alredy taken out two I just couldn't face all that ripping.

I adjusted the wines so that when Chris gets it back she can put in her beads without losing any of those. Chris is doing her own beadin gbecause she's a beading goddess.... or was that beading diva? lol Sorry, Chris, I couldn't resist. Honest to pete, she does the best beading though. Her beads will never wiggle!

Oh, I owe you a picture of a little bday prezzie from my office stitching buddy --

I might start it right away since I have the handle on stitching those shamrocks at the moment.

I want to thank you all for dropping in and for those of you who take the time to comment, an even bigger thanks! May you all have a peaceful day. I always wish folks a peaceful day because I always want one myself. I can give numerous examples of how you don't always get what you want. hee hee
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Currently reading: Butcher's Storm Front (yeah, still); Rex Stout's If Death Ever Slept (bless Elaine for her thoguhtful bday prezzie!); Jasper Fforde's The Fourth Bear

Frell. Sigh. Oh and Why I Love the USPS

I'm one thread off. *&#$()&#(@ I can see that I'm one thread off on the bottom dark shamrock, but no matter which direction I count in, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Sigh.

If this pattern were a person, it'd be a two-year old, on the pew in front of you in church sticking his tongue out behind his mother's back.

On a happy note, I received Jill's excessively wonderful Earth Day exchange! Lookie!!!! {take special note of the little heart in the center of the the pile of goodies -- it's a beautiful blown glass fob on a place marker -- Jill makes them. Stunning--- simply stunning!!!


Did you see the adorable woodpecker?

I ask you, how did Jill know that there was this insanely active woodpecker beating his little brains out in a tree two doors down from mom's while my sister and I were there cleaning the week before last. lol I kept wondering if his beak would dull.

I also think it's really funny what we stitched each other. After all, I did this for Jill--

Apparently we were both thinking bunnies, trees, and birds. lol

The cow is done!!!!!

Woo hoo.. have a happy dance on me! Americow is done!!!
Mind you I had to stay up until 2:30am to finish the other night (I believe that until I got to bed it's still "night." Once I awake if can commence with being "morning."). She's done. She's done. She's DONE!!!!! Wooo hooo. Finishing the cow somehow left me with this overwhelming desire to get back to work on the Halloween Fairy. She's sitting on the flooring pouting in my direction still stuck at the "I-think-I-figured-out-the-color-and-thread-changes" stage:

Heavens! I haven't worked on her since before Christmas. No wonder I'm having fairy withdrawls! lol

I've even made progress on Chris' Society RR --

Even more's done now but I had to make a trip for DMC500. Sigh. Yes, THE standard green was missing from my floss box, and I didn't have a spare skein in my overflow bag. Sigh. I did spend two nights winding bobbins and checkign suppies. Now, instead of having two large zippie bags of spare DMCs, I only have one moderately-sized one. Frankly I have a great sense of accomplishment from that. Pathetic, isn't it? lol

Finally, because I was a dork who left her stitching at home one day, I got some time in on HiH's Herbert who is my emergency office stitching --


I want to thank you all very, very much for helping me think through the needlepoint framing/matting dilemna. You're right, I really do need to mat it. At the moment I'm leaning (unadvisable so from a financial standpoint lol) to tripple matting -- white then blue (or pink) then white. We'll seee what ultimately looks good. Then again my sister has a stunning framer so I might turn the whole job over to her. Afterall, she should like her bday present, right? lol