One Mini Done, One Mini Started, and Shopping Happiness

Happy day-after Thanksgiving gentle readers.  May the leftovers be abundant and yummy!

I come to you from LosCon... this year the most disorganized con in the Western world.  Ok, I have not been to all of them, but this one is pretty bad.  It is really quite embarrassing.  You think I am exaggerating, wellllllll, I will close this post with a pic of the Opening Ceremonies.  You'll see.

First things first -- happy, happy, joy, joy!   I have a fini I can show you.  The goose is done!!!!!

And the next Mini Mega piece is started --

 Now the observant amongst you will note that this is not the blue jay which I said was the next Mini start.   Well, I would have started the blue jay *IF* I had brought the black Splendor silk downstairs to the convention panels floor with me, but I did not.  Yes, I am a loser.

But, I am a loser with happy additions to my life---
Today's books shopping:

And today's earring collection -- apparently I was in a blue mood --

Now, it is late and I need to get my fanny in bed so I am perky enough to stay awake in the freezing conference rooms (they have not been this cold for the last couple years so I left the sweatshirt at home.... sigh.), but I did promise proof of the lameness that is this year's con.

Behold the Opening Ceremonies 10 minutes after they were supposed to start:

The person on stage was not part of opening-- she was part of a small crew taping the curtain wall at the back of the stage together.  Uh huh.  I left.  I think they did not bother to tell the guests of honor when/where opening was.  Oh well.  I went and shopped some more.

Here's to tomorrow be another, better day.

Happy stitching to all and to all a good night!

Being Thankful for LITTLE things

.... and I do mean really little things.  Like:

1.  How very little stitching I can show you because while I have finished one small piece and nearly finished another one this week, I can't show you because they are exchanges.
2.  How very little photography I've managed (re: none) since I keep going home and napping.
3.  How very little time I've had to contemplate what to write about Bouchercon and other adventures this week.
4.  How ill-prepared I am to head to LosCon this weekend.

Here are The Little Things --

My showable-mini progress so far this week:

Now, eagle-eyed readers will note that this picture looks no different than the last picture of this I showed.  There's a very good reason for that.  It's the same picture.  BUUUUUT -- I did stitch on this.  Got the hand-dyed fabric arranged in the direction I wanted the "spots" to fall, got the center found, pulled out my Vicki Clayton black silk, put in two stitches, and promptly pulled them out.  See, the silk I had out to use was her premium,  It's too think to double but it does not nearly cover in single.    Tonight I will hunt up the black Splendor silk and pack that for this weekend's stitching.  Next week -- just you wait for the pic!  You will be so impressed.  [Anyone rushing to lay odds in Vegas as to whether or not I even take this piece along for the weekend, let alone stitch on it?]


And here's my first hot tip from BoucherCon,  If you like cozy mysteries and you like books, definitely go try Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series.   I went to Boucher with the first 3 books already in hand and read, and I was on the hunt for Kate because I love, love, love these books.   I actually put my order in with her for 60 more ---   I told her she didn't have to rush-- next, oh March, would be soon enough.  This pick is of the books in the series I picked up at Boucher and had her sign (along with my original 3.  The first in the series is Homicide in Hardcover.   I have one warning though -- every cover has a cat on it.  So far there has been a cat in every book, but it is not the same cat nor do they ever matter to the story -- it is like life, there are things in every day that do not matter at all.  These cats wander through.  They meow.  They do NOT suddenly carry in the vital clue on their collar, leave bloody footprints back to the body, or leap out and claw the killer's face when he's about to shoot the heroine.  If you come back to me whining like one lame reviewer on Goodreads who said that she'd never read another one of these because there was a cat on the cover and the cat was not a pivotal character, well then I might just have to ban you.  Though I might keep you around to laugh at.  Oh, trust me, I WOULD laugh at you.

And here's a shot of the few moments that made my entire BoucherCon weekend worthwhile.  

This is yours truly and Rex Stout's daughter.  If you don't know Rex Stout, well, I don't know what to say to you ... well, maybe if I was in a charitable mood I would say how sorry I was that you were missing out on a fantastic series (and excellent opportunity for vocabulary enhancement).  Just trust me here, people, this made my weekend... I think it might actually make my year.  I was able to tell her how much her dad meant to me and how much I appreciated that she had shared him with all of us for her entire life.  That was magic.   And I don't care that it's a little blurry because Stout's grand daughter was taking the picture..... yes, I was a very, VERY happy badger.

So you see, despite all the little things that are getting in my way, I have much to be thankful for -- I'm thankful that:
1.  I have the opportunity to take part in exchanges with totally amazing stitchers all over the world.
2.  That I accomplished stuff at all even if I can't show you pictures.... and I really am thankful for my pillow which provides for excellent napping in the evenings.
3.  That I have a job to be insanely busy at and that I escaped said job for a long-weekend of contemplating murder.  Who said they might be related????   I did not say that....   ....
4.  And I am thankful that not only do I get to go have a thoroughly cacophonous Thanksgiving with my Auxiliary Family, but I get to follow that up with my traditional Thanksgiving weekend at LosCon-- the L.A. science fiction convention.  So, I shall be with two of my tribes and there will be turkey!  All will be wonderful.

I wish you peace, frog-free stitching, and a really good book.

Goose, Jay, Books: A Mini Report All 'Round

Greetings gentle reader.  I bring you glad tidings of tiny stitching adventures.  Well, I bring you the best that I can given that I can't show you two of them as they are exchanges.  Sigh.  Such is the way of the world in the pre-holiday season.

First off, I have to say Bouchercon was marvie!  Truly, you should have been there.  There will be more to come in future days on the con, but for now allow me to explain one of my personal joys of conventioning-- stitching during panels.  I sit in the conference room stitching in hand, snacks and  and little notebook for writing down books I need to find and brilliant/funny stories/quotes balanced on one knee.  And while I sit there people entertain me with bookish stories.  I tell you it's flipping fabulous!

I cannot show you a great deal of my Bouchercon stitching progress because, as we discussed, it is largely secret.    What I can show you is what I consider grand progress on my goose -- 

I need to finish the "L" in the dark blue and do the backstitching and he will be DONE!!!!

Next up in the minis will be, I believe,  this little blue jay who I have loved for years and never gotten around to.  2014 is finally his lucky year.

For the record, I only need one of  the multiple rusty browns, but I could not decide when I was kitting him up which one would be best.

I will leave you with a Bouchercon teaser-- my little collection of freshly-signed J.A. Jance books.  She was our Guest of Honor.  Jealous?  You should be, she tells cracking-good stories about writing and publishing!

Minis and Sheep and Exchanges and Conventions... oh my!

Hello all.

[Warning:  Just got annoyed by a stupid supplier phone call.  Pissy little pain in the a@@.  Anyway, the call has put me off my blogging chirpiness.  So I apologize in advance if I seem... off.]

Yes, that right there below is my pathetic Mega Mini progress since last week.  I know, think positive.... he has a few more feathers than he did last week.  But there are some mitigating factors for my lax performance on this piece which will be discussed below........

Sheep #2 is completely ... errr..   wooled.   And looking darned (sorry, honestly no pun intended) cute if I do say so myself.

 Now, for the mitigating circumstances......   Remember those exchanges we chatted about last week?  Well, here's me seeking inspiration--- of the singing stitching pattern as I like to think of it....

Now, I assume you stitchers understand the above picture.  To the untrained eye I am certain it looks like a plain ole mess.

And yet out of that mess came a little humming.  Not a full-blown chorus, just a little humming, mind you.  So, ta da -- I can bring you ornie exchange #1 --   

And Probable Ornie Exchange #2  (an internal debate continues as to whether the idea these go with is really "the perfect plan")

Frankly, if you're whining about no fabric and no patterns, I'm shocked.  You know me -- I have to keep some secrets!  But it causes problems because these are minis and yet I can't show pictures of them for something like a month!!!!   What's a slow stitcher to do???

Well, this slow stitcher is off to drown her stitching conundrums at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention!   If you love mysteries you should come sometime.  This year we are in Long Beach for Bouchercon 2014 Murder at the Beach and all in attendance receive these awesome bags full of books, the opportunity to meet dozens and dozens and dozens of authors, and the chance to bask in the glory of the written word surrounded by people who "get it" all weekend long!

Why yes, I do expect you will hear news of my adventures.  hee heee    I will try and keep the gloating to a minimum.

Thank you

For all my serving friends, my family veterans, and veteran friends -- thank you so very, very much for my ability to be a darned lucky American.  

And a special thank you to my veteran of the day, Albert.  He is one of the founders of my little corner of the Fortune 500.  He will never see this as I think blogland is something he does not bother with, but he came by my desk looking for chocolate wearing his WWII service ribbon on his suit. Ninety-something years old and proudly wearing his colors to work.  Bless him.

Minis continue as does vacation and the rest of the world

Gentle Readers -- a happy Friday unto you and yours.  I hope your little bit of the world is peaceful right now.  It is not so bad here amidst the Fortune 500 -- most of my team is out today so I have only average emergencies not all-hands-on-deck-to-defend-the-realm kind of emergencies. It's the little thing that can make a girl's day.

Little things and thoughts of stitching.......

My latest mega mini (thank you Justine for picking up the ball for this month) has not seen sterling progress.  But some stitches is better than no stitches:

At least my goose has most of a neck and part of a wing.

Ethel's Sheep #1 (aka Spot) is now fully fluffed out in floss (face and legs) and Silk and Ivory (body)

And Sheep #2 (as yet un-named though I believe he is my favorite) is partially fluffed--

Yup.  that there is my stitching progress.  lol   Apparently I have been focused on my world-class napping skills and reading.  What I need to focus on is some pattern picking.  I signed up for two yahoo exchanges (Friendly Stitchers and Specialty Stitchers) and someone you know has yet to be inspired by patterns.  You know me by now, right?  I have to be inspired by a pattern-- it needs to speak to me-- to sing out with the perfection of its ... err.... perfectness.  Well, the dang things ain't singing folks.  Dang it!

While I wait for the Heavens to open to the glory of the perfect ornie patterns, allow me to bring you another phase of my recent adventures in Northern California.  When we last spoke, me and the family (Sis and Brother-in-Law, aka Brother) left SF and headed south to Carmel to visit friends.  Well, I say "friends," but really we visited the house of friends because said friends were a university board meeting in another state at the time.  Bummers because I miss them.  Buuuuuut, check out what they left us---

The view from the upper deck:

Wildlife in the back yard from the lower deck--

When we could drag ourselves away we went to see more wildlife (courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Down the street from the Aquarium, my sister and I cave in to our own wilder sides and had the world's best peanut butter-peanut butter cup cookie here.  If this were in my town, I would be DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our coastal adventures continued with a drive down 17-Mile Drive -- if you have not toured California that sounds strange to you, if you have, it makes perfect sense.   Along the way we enjoy many sights such as these --

Of course we visited the most famous tree of the coastline.......

And occasionally I turned around and wondered at the beauty that was not water --

The Brother surprised us by getting us to the Ventana inn on the cliffs of Big Sur to watch the sunset --

and enjoy the sky's changing mood--

I leave you, my firends, with some chuckles.  Well I hope you chuckle and I don't offend you when I show you this "beauty " on offer at a local furniture store---   that is genuine, patent-finish, neon pleather!   Honest and true.  This store has the worst taste in furnishing ever, but I am glad they are around to allow me a good long guffaw on a regular basis.

Take care and happy stitching!