...............................part one of many I owe.....

Yes, yes, I know. I owe you much. I have been MIA. I know that too. It’s been, well, interesting in a word. Short list: computer issues, work issues, Photoshop issues (OMG, why isn’t that dang program working???? It’s supposed to make my picture life EASIER not bollocks it all up), my two functional OTT Lites burned out 24-hours apart, kitchen sink issues (actual kitchen sink issues, not as in everything-but-the-kitchen-sink), etc. Still don’t really have time (the sink’s still broken, only one OTT Lite works, and don’t even start me on the *#@(&@$)@&#( Photoshop), but I need to share some lovely goodies I received BEFORE Christmas. Yes, I know. I know. I’m incredibly lame. So take away all my DCM 310 as punishment (hee hee – I hate the stuff – side question: Dear DMC, why is it that you make the worst black floss? It’s fuzzy not smooth, it tends to pill, and it shreds for no reason … well, no reason other than it’s your black floss. Honest, it does not happen with any of your other flosses and it does not happen with any other company’s black floss. What gives?).

Side bars… well… aside. Allow me to share some goodies:

From dear Linda in the Christmas round of Fair and Square I received these lovelies—note the beading! I got beads and luscious Gloriana Silks (which she had to buy TWICE (See note below):

Linda would like you to know that even though you NEVER put anything in the pocket of your robe, that’s where any floss that’s gone missing on you will end up. Lol Just ask her.

Linda and I did our F&Ss as a SAL. She received the following adaptation of an Elizabeth’s Designs ornament from one of the JCS issues from me (since she loves houses) and for the back I played on another love of Linda’s, samplers–


Our dear Mylene surprised me with this –


Look how pretty that is! I’m a lucky ole stitcher, and that’s the truth!

For the record, I may be lucky, but I’m also bad. Baaaad, baaaaaaad stitcher. If there were stitchers houses (a la dog houses) I’d permanently be in one. When getting ready for the flight to DC I “needed” something easy for the plane (yeah, like one of a dozen things I already had wouldn’t have worked just fine) and I was itching to start the Friendly Stitchers A Stitch A Week SAL (after all, everyone else was on week 49, why rush these things) so I did. Thus far I have gotten here:

Nice outer border, eh? Someday, there will be inner grid lines then, look out!

Then I came back from DC and I was focused on The Belt. And, it is DONE – Yes, my friends, D-O-N-E! As in woo hoo call the media!





It’s off being made into a belt now and if I’m very lucky it will be in my hands this weekend. Cross them fingers if you don’t need them to stitch!

Post belt, I was euphoric (you know the feeling). I could do anything. I had scaled Mount Scotch Whiskey Belt and I was ready for anything. New projects beckoned me – I would finish them all. Yeah, apparently stitching a whiskey belt impairs your cognition as much as drinking the Scotch in the first place. So instead of working on any number of languishing projects, I pulled out:

Kreinik and Ewe and Eye’s Silk Mori kit of a flower vase.

Then yesterday I started something new. I can’t show you. Sorry. I have wanted to stitch it for years, but never made time. I started it for me pending a decision on whether someone else might like it. So you just have to wait. Anyway, I started it, and then it happened. Suddenly all my stitching seemed boring. Yes, dear stitchers, I may have hit the dreaded Wall. I tried to cure it by merely putting the Secret Thing aside and started something else. Honest! I didn’t even put the first stitching back in its bag. I just shoved it over on the bed and hauled out a new thing. OMG I started Lanarte’s Arabian Woman:


Do you see that? Do you see it? See how big it is? Do you see how far I got? OMG I’ve lost my mind. And today at lunch I still didn’t stitch. What do I need to do, start stitching an over-1, room-sized rug to overcome my stitching blahs? Save me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!