My Stitchalong

Long ago, when I was a young stitcher, I was a one project at a time kind of girl. I would start one project, work on that one only, finish it, and move on to the next one. It seemed so simple. Then, as I got older and met other stitchers who were serial starters, I would have two projects started. Then it became three. Do you see where I'm going with this? Lately, it's has not been just that I'm starting new projects. I've been kitting them up like mad and have them stacked on the floor by my stitching spot. Yesterday I went to Lazy Daisy. This was the conversation between me and my husband: Me: I'm going to take a ride into Lazy Daisy this afternoon. I want to get some more of those projects bags that I like. DH: What happened to all of the project bags that you already have? Me: They have projects in them and I need more to put other projects in. DH: Why don't you finish the projects that you have in the project bags that you already have and then you would n...

Is everyone melting yet? On the east coast, as well as the most of the rest of country, it's been HOT! We've had record high temperatures and humidity. For me, great weather to stay in doors and stitch! And to look for new stash acquisitions. I was over on the 123 Stitch message board last week and someone over there posted pictures of these letters that she was making for her grand kids that were by Heaven and Earth Designs. I thought the ones that she was working on were really pretty, so I surfed over to the HAED site. Not only did I like the letter P that they designed, but they were having a sale! Did I really need any other excuse to buy something new? I've been waiting for it, rather impatiently I might add, for it to arrive so that I can do a floss toss and decide what color fabric to do it on. I have an orange that I dyed that I think would rock, but I want to see the floss colors that it calls for. As if I needed any more stash, I recently got The Stitchery ca...

I am the proud owner of 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I had a Grand Cherokee before this one that I loved, so when that one was totaled in an accident in February, 2010 it only made sense that I look at a new one. On Saturday my beloved car stopped running. I was running some errands and it started to run really badly, so I turned around and came home and I had it towed to the dealership. It's Tuesday as I write this and I am STILL waiting for them to look at it!! Oh, and the dealership tells me that they have no loaner cars available. Can you imagine how much fun I'm having being stuck home with two boys during summer vacation? Sit and stitch is this Thursday at the Lazy Daisy and I need to go!! The result of me being stuck home is that I've been doing things that I have been trying to avoid, but now have no excuse not to do. I promised M that we would make brownies after lunch and I have cinnamon almond bread in the bread machine. At least I managed a little domesticity! And ...

It's July 5, the day after Independence Day and I have to say that yesterday was probably the most enjoyable 4th of July that I have had in years. MJ's cousin, S's, birthday is July 2 and every year since MJ and I have been together (17 years) we have had to spend the 4th with his cousin for his birthday. It was okay when S was married and lived in a house with a yard. After he split from his wife and he moved into a small apartment the whole family was expected to go there on July 4th, and be happy about it. Apparently, everyone was..except me. Now, I have two boys. When boys feel like they are cooped up they tend to get a bit...rambunctious. MJ's aunt would get angry when the kids would get loud, and it has not been enjoyable for a very long time. This year, for whatever reason, S decided to keep his birthday "small" and only my in-laws were invited to go. Which meant that we were free to do anything we wanted. So, since MJ's brother and his wife, J and ...

I know that I've told this story before, but if you can just bear with me? Several years ago MJ's Aunt J gave me all of her stitching things. She was having trouble with her hands and her eyes were not as good as they used to be, all effects from the diabetes that she suffered from. When she gave me this big Rubbermaid container filled with stuff I started going through it immediately. I found in there a kit by Dimensions that she said was the one thing in the whole box she wished she had been able to finish. I made it for her birthday in June, 2009 and she was very happy to have it. Sadly, Aunt J passed away last August. Aunt J had three sons, none of whom were very nice to her while she was alive, which made the ones who loved her angry. After her funeral I asked her oldest son if I could have the angel back. Truthfully, I didn't want her sons to have it. I know that's mean, but they would not have appreciated it anyway and I doubt that it would have brought them an...

AC Moore called me late yesterday afternoon to tell me that my custom framing was in and ready for pick up: I love when I get framed pieces home. They make me so happy.

I know that in many parts of the country school is already out for the year, but here on Long Island we have two weeks of school left. Obviously, the kids are ready for the beginning of summer and just trying to get them to pay attention can be pretty difficult. As this is M's first year in middle school it is also the first year that he has final exams his subjects to deal with. While he's looking forward to summer vacation, I think he wishes he could skip right to the vacation part without having to do the whole finals thing. However, he is a straight A student I have no doubt that the finals will be as easy for him as all of the other tests he taken this year. For Z, today was one of the things that the kids look forward to all year: field day! They scheduled in on a half day, although why the kids need to have a half day of school this late in the school year is beyond me. Since he was going to be home, we made special mom and Z plans for the afternoon. We had an ice cream ...