Sad day

A co-worker's husband killed himself this morning. I am so stunned and so sad. He was 36 years old and left his wife and three young boys. I simply don't understand what can be so bad you leave your loved ones in such a fix. It just doesn't make a bit of sense.

In the non-important side to life, I received some sampler threads and a chart by barrick samplers, a Quaker Alphabet Sampler. I do love it, even though it is an older one. Off to work on something, although my heart isn't in it tonight.

Please pray for my friend Karen. She needs strength to get her through these next months.

Quilting retreat letdown....

The weekend away from reality was wonderfully therapeutic. The quilting retreat is held in a remote church camp near the Susquehanna River, in PA, Camp Donegal. The birds in the morning wake you up and you can certainly find some alone time, should you need it. All the food is prepared for you and all you need to do, is show up and sew. It was wonderful! A wonderful headache attempted to grab some of the fun away from me on Saturday, but I was still able to sew all day and finish my quilt top by Sunday am. I did more un-sewing than I care to think about, blaming it totally on the headache. But, a finish was accomplished and I feel really great about the quilt. It is very nice. Once again, if I ever find my camera cord, I will be able to post the picture(DD used it last....sigh...) I came home fairly exhausted, as the beds there are constructed bunk beds with a 2 " mattress. And sleep was available, however uncomfortable. I took a bit of a nap on my wonderful mattress when I came home and unpacked. Dirty clothes in washer...I guess it is back to reality.





I did get about 1 hour of stitching in, taking a break from the sewing machine. I worked a bit on Ellen Chester's Quaker Schoolgirl's Needle Necessities. It is starting to take shape. I find that if I work in day light, the stitching is so much easier. Certainly wish I had my 30 year old eyes again.








I have the right side completed of the large case up to the bird. It is really lovely. I want to complete this whole set by October, so I can take it to the next quilting retreat. Quilters look at this stitching thing as fascinating, I discovered. As patient and skilled as quilters are, the finesse of the work of counted thread work somehow eludes them. Interesting...I could no more applique than do a triathlon. I guess that makes me a stitcher first.



Those of you who stitch and quilt......how do you define yourself, a stitcher first, or a quilter?? And why?

Wonderful news!

House has been renewed for a fourth season! (yea, I know...obsessed...but have you really watched this show?? It is remarkable! Almost as well written as The Sopranos, which in my estimation is pretty slow starting this final season....)

Starting to save my pennies for the third season DVDs, which hasn't even aired yet!
Karen

Off to clear my mind....

I am so looking forward to this weekend. I am going to my semi-annual quilt retreat where I will be sewing all weekend long, sleeping when I want, having meals prepared and served by others and just all around fun times. This is held at a church camp (no booze.....) and we have heated bunks, not luxury accommodations, but it is great fun. Each time there is a mystery quilt that is offered, or you can just do your own thing. While I should be tackling some of the works in progress, I always do the mystery. I have made some quilt tops that never would have been attempted otherwise. I have learned something with each one. If I ever get the cord on my camera back, I will post them here. I haven't begun to pack yet, but it won't take me long. I have all my sewing "stuff" close at hand and ready to roll. Just the few clothes I need and of course the chocolate!

Had a great mail day again today. I had ordered some Gloriana silk threads a couple of weeks ago, and they arrived today. What is it about us that makes us just want to fondle fibers???!!! I literally sat and arranged them over and over while simply enjoying the colors and feel. I bought 5 specifically for a project which were all autumn colors. Oh what richness and so much fun!
My husband declares that I need a 12 step program to stop the addiction!

Off to begin packing.....ttfn!

Stimulation of the Economy

Yikes...blew a wad today. I stopped into a new shop and gave in to several purchases. Here is the biggest one...and potentially the most fun!

This is the book by Blackbird Designs. Yummy!

Also, this bad girl bought this ....oh Lord, what I am thinking.....

House MD Alert!

Another show this evening! Stitching and Houshe. Gotta love it!

Bouncing off the wagon!

Oops! I received two items in the mail today that I had forgotten I won off Ebay. Red House sampler by Workbasket and 1999 Christmas Sampler by Barrick Samplers. I didn't "need" either one, but they were really good prices. I usually only bid once on something and if I win, so be it.

Another item I just purchased is a Leisure Arts booklet, Schoolgirl samplings. I had this booklet years ago, made all the samplers on the front, but there were 2 more that I had wanted to make. I have looked and looked for this chart, with no luck. They are very quick (as you can add your own "interpretation", just as the little girls did...) . This was only .89! So I purchased it....and of course I will find the one I still have somewhere...

Thanks to everyone visiting my blog. Vonna, I lived in Hoosier land for many years. I went to grad school in Terre Haute, lived in Valpo, worked a bit in Brazil. I did like it, but mom was sick and so we moved back to Maryland. I really miss Nashville and Brown County. We had some really great times there.

Falling off the wagon.....

Well, I fell hard off the wagon this morning. I have been coveting Ellen Chester's Quaker Schoolgirl Needle Necessities. I started the larger case. I complete the motif to the right of the bird. I am using Waterlilies silk, Tapestry Green, to work it. This is a teal green/blue. It is very nice to work with.

I had said I wasn't starting anything new until 2 projects were completed. So tonight, I will be working on The mini Sun and Moon Sampler from Scarlet Letter. It is approximately 90% completed.

While in confession mood, I also went off the buying wagon, and bought some threads off Ebay. Oh well, it's only money right? What a yard sale my kids can have when I am dead and gone!

Off to work on the WIP .....

Spring!

What a wonderful weather day! Not a great stitching day, but certainly the night is still young. I have a small ornament not in my rotation that I would like to finish this weekend. I found it while I was organizing my stash a bit Thursday. And then on to my Folklore Forest..it is about 80% finished and pretty easy to see. Those of you that have young eyes, enjoy the stitching now. It doesn't stay so easy once the bifocals start!

Online Needlework Show

The Online Needlework Show is an industry show for shop owners, etc. to buy, but there is a "viewing" gallery for those of us who simply want to drool. I learned about it through my favorite online shop, Wyndham Needleworks. From her home page there was a link. I did manage to get through a bit today, but their server must be down again this afternoon. It is up through next week sometime. Good luck! There are some nice things, but mostly many designers who do the "cute" stuff and sayings. Not for me, but I am certain there is an audience out there somewhere.

Bummer...

I can't get on the Needlework show. Their website was supposed to be up at 6:00, but I guess all the stitchers of the world crashed their site. Oh well, hopefully I can access it later...I really want to add to my wish list!
Off to play with my bamboo thread.....

Stash, stash and more stash.

Great mail day! I received the Historic Stitches Acorn Harvest thread keeper and the Quaker Study chart. I also received Mandarin Floss, which is 100% bamboo. I have never used it but thought I would try. It really feels similar to silk, not quite as soft, but has a similar hand. I will let you know how it works up. It is for the quaker study sampler.

Now, I am off to shop the needlework show. Geez...I guess I have to live a couple more years to get it all finished!

House MD tonight!

Anybody else out there a fan? I love this show. I already have the first 2 seasons on DVD and have watched and watched them. (You must know that I initally wanted to be a doctor, but a very old fashioned guidance counselor "talked me out of it". This was 1971 folks, when women were nurses and teachers. ) Anywho, I will be glued to Fox at 9:00. If you haven't seen it, this show is so well written. Personally, the main character is such a miserable twit and has such biting humor, I gotta love him (and you won't hear that too often!).

Excellent mail call day

I enjoyed quite a great package day. I received an order of thread winders and some heart thread rings from the Finishing Touch in Kentucky and they are beautiful. I also received 2 ebay wins, which were both sampler threads. I had also ordered some earrings for a present for my daughter and a kimono for my other daughter. It was just like Christmas. I expect 2 more packages sometime this week, so all in all, it is a good week.



This is my next purchase....you like??? I certainly do!

Another item in my rotation

This is one of my WsIP, Quaker Diamond by Hillside Samplings. I have about 10% of this one completed. It is really a nice crisp pattern.

This is my favorite work in progress, although it is going to take me forever. I have about 1/3 completed at the present time and it will be on my rotation for years to come I think. It is Margaret Gibson, a reproduction by the Scarlet Letter.

A couple of my WsIP are so old that they are no longer published/sold. I am saving them so they have a bit of "antique" value at some point.

I have begun to work about 2 hours at at time on them. (I obviously have a very short attention span as I become bored oh so easily!) When two are finished, I can start another. Don't worry, I have about 30 other UFO/WIPs that are in various stages of completion. I have a couple that I no longer like, so I might try to get them an adoptive home on Ebay.

Enjoy this blustery day.... I am back at work. 8-(

Summer Sampler: WIP

This is one of my WIP right now. It is in my rotation right now. It is approximately 50% completed.




































This is 2 red houses...my next start. I love this look. Anyone working on this?







My goal is to finish 2 before I can start one more. Statistically that should work. Please wish me luck. I need all the motivation I can get.

My 101 things to do in 1001 days list: Ending Tuesday, January 5, 2010

1. Finish Margaret Gibson
2. Finish Sun and Moon Sampler
3. Finish Gettysburg sampler
4. Finish Child's sampler
5. Finish name tag
6. Finish scissor fob( FINISHED!)
7. Finish quaker sampler
8. Gather items for quaker sampler (blue/white) (FINISHED!)
9. Make scissors fob(house)
10. Stop buying items
11. make scissor fob (grapes)
12. Finish West Chester sampler
13. Finish Forest Sampler
14. Finish Blackwork Bellpull
15. Finish York Sampler
16. Finish Betsy Burrows
17. Finish Angel Sampler
18. Finish Forest Folk Art Sampler
19. Finish top for shaker box.
20. Finish AY 1810 Sampler
21. Finish Old and the New Sampler
22. Lose 50 pounds
23. Stop eating junk during the week.
24. Exercise at least 2 times a week for a month.
25. Reduce cholestoral level.
26. Limit computer use at home to one hour daily.
27. Work on hair.
28. Take better care of my skin.
29. Finish spools top
30. Finish Brown and Pink Churn dash (Chocolate Covered Cherries)
31. Bind Spring retreat quilt
32. Bind Fall retreat quilt
33. Bind green quilt (Nightmare on Leprachaun Street)
34. Bind red and yellow quilt (Colonial Weed)
35. Bind dark green quilt
36. Bind scrap quilt
37. Finish 2005 QOL mystery quilt
38. Finish Hawaiian applique pillow top.
39. Finish Autumn Nine patch
40. Finish spring top
41. finish blue top
42. Finish 30's reproduction top.
43. Finish Christmas Lemoyne Star quilt.
44. Finish library painting
45. paint kitchen trim
46. paint kitchen cabinets
47. paint windows in front
48. paint windows in back
49. Paint trim in Bathroom
50. Paint trim in downstairs BR
51. Stencil in library(wall)
52. paint windows on porch
53. paint porch floor
54. paint porch sides
55. porch sides
56. get rock for lane
57. stain deck
58. stain picnic table
59. replace screen porch
60. Work on living room floor
61. work on floor cloth for den
62. work on kitchen floor
63. stencil library floor
64. De-Stress by leaving 2 days open each month for office work
65. Do Taxes each month for business
66. Do Paperwork monthly for clients
67. Obtain business cards.
68. Send business cards to SLPs and MDs for referral.
69. Send business cards to Highlands School.
70. Finish Proper Stitch Sampler
71. Finish Route 100 Sampler
72. Finish Scarlet letter Bellpull
73. Finish Quaker Diamond Sampler
74. Finish Elizabeth's Garden Sampler
75. Quaker Star Samper
76. Lose 25 more lbs.
77. Paint living room
78. Stencil Kitchen
79. Bathroom: Wallpaper
80. Bathroom: Paint
81. 
    
    
    (more to come....)

Sunday night blues...

Okay, I admit I really hate my job right now. I am a supervisor of speech language pathologists within a large metropolitan school system. We have a huge personnel crisis now. Too many demands placed upon us and very few of us to do the job. Couple that with legal mandates to provide services to all children in need, you get a large problem. Stress is unbelievably high. Any of you in the mental health field and want research potential...here is a project for you. School based slps.
I have had a wonderfully long week off for spring break. Tomorrow I have to return. I truly would love to call in and say that I am not coming in for a while, but of course I won't. I have too much work ethic for that. However, I must say I have a very active fantasy life! I dream of opening a quilt/stitching coffee shop that makes millions! And of course, I never really have to do anything but hang out and stitch! (that is a fantasy!) It does decrease stress, at least most of the time. I really dread going back. My fear is that 2 more of my SLPs have quit, and I wouldn't blame them.
I don't have any answers, nor does anyone really care beyond my level. I just had hoped that by this time, after 7 years of struggling with adminstration support(or the lack of it) things would have been different.
So stitching and quilting are my escapes. Now only if I could truly escape and not have to work any longer.

Off to work on one of my many WIPs.

Accents, speech and linguistics...OT here, but fun for me!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The South
The Northeast
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

As a speech language pathologist, I am fascinated by this stuff. Take this quiz for fun!

Quilt Guild's quilt

This is the quilt my quilt guild is raffling this fall. I had nothing to do with it! This is an original design by 2 very creative individuals. I have very little talent in applique, but I do enjoy piecing. Any of you quilt as well? If I started now to finish just the started projects, both quilting and stitching, I would have to live to 125! Just hope at least one of my daughters likes this stuff.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hello world of stitchers!

Hello world!
I have been toying with this blog thing for a while. Mainly, it is for my own motivational use. You see, I am a stitcher of samplers and such, as well as a quilter. (Egads….lots of fibers floating around in this house!)
I have decided to document my progress on some of these unfinished projects lying around taking up space and causing extreme anxiety. I know those of you in this same boat understand my pain…. If I stitched/quilted 24/7 for the next 5 years, I doubt I could finish all the things started.
I will eventually list my unfinished things, but for now, let’s just say, oh around 30 samplers and about 30 quilt projects are collecting dust….oh my god! When did that happen?
Fan of reproduction fabrics, scarlett letter, R&R fabrics, Lakeside Linens, scrap quilts, silk threads, quaker samplers in no special order. Just love all the old stuff.
Speaking of old, I am in the throes of hot flashes and other related menopausal delights. This creates many problems as it relates to fibers…hot fibers….very hot fibers…with humidity too! I blame that and my vision on all these WIPs. That’s my story and I am sticking to it…(literally!)
Name of the blog comes from the job and job related stress. I am a speech language pathologist supervisor and we are in the middle of a HUGE crisis. Too many clients and not enough SLPs. More about that later. I started stitching in earnest many years ago to rid the mind of stress. It worked for many years…but now, I do believe it is too late. Hence the crazy part…yea..more about that later too.
Outa here…working on a finish…I have posted a picture of it, the Scarlett Letter mini sampler Sun and Moon. I think in a couple of hours I can get really close to finishing. I have the right border and part of the bottom border and the squirrel to finish. Wish me luck.