Gathering Honey Floss Toss

I had never heard of a floss toss until I began reading cross stitching blogs. So this is my first one. I can see where it's crucial when trying to decide on which fabric to use for a particular design. I've never stitched on any hand-dyed fabric, and I've never ventured too far away from the "recommended fabric choice" for the designs I've stitched so far. However, hopefully, in the future, I can acquire some hand-dyes or other interesting fabrics for my stitching. I had no idea there are so many different kinds of fabrics to choose from. For this design, I will be using 25 count cream Dublin linen.

Gathering Honey is a design that I've wanted to stitch for my home since I first saw it on the cover of Cross Stitch & Country Crafts Magazine in the May/June 1987 issue. Every time I would go back through all my cross stitch magazines, I'd pull it aside and think that I'd stitch it "someday". Well, that someday is here. I thought I'd better start it while I can still see well enough (with a magnifying lamp) to stitch it. If any of you have stitched this one, I'd love to know if there are any errors in the pattern before I start. Leave me a comment if you are aware of any errors for me to watch for.

Happy Dancing!!!

Fish Medley Completed

Here it is, unwashed and before it's ironed. Now I need to decide on framing options.

Happy Dance for Fish Medley

Fish Medley is complete!!! However, I noticed a small ink spot, at least I think it is ink, on the fabric. Do any of you know of a way to get this out without harming the stitching or fabric? Let me know if you have suggestions. What a difference it makes when you backstitch a piece! It just brings everything to life.

DS/8 attended Vacation Bible School at our church this past week. He had a blast!

They learned the Lord's Prayer, verse by verse, so now he knows the whole prayer by memory. I am so proud of him. It was quite a sight to see the rooms that were decorated for the children. A lot of work goes into it. I saw a lot of great ideas that could be adapted for a school classroom that has a safari theme. You can see some of the decorations here.

As you may remember, our Pastor, Dr. Rogers, retired recently. Now he has colon cancer. He has already had surgery once, and now, he is being evaluated at a center in Texas. We still don't have a new pastor. I think we all are still grieving over the fact he is no longer "in the pulpit". I had hoped he would have a carefree retirement, but instead, he is battling cancer. He has touched so many lives, and I'm sure through this experience, he'll touch many more.

Cross Stitching Stand Has Extended Life

I called Artisan Design, after no response from my email, regarding a replacement part. It is so much easier to cross stitch large projects with a stand. Without mine, my hands aren't large enough to hold my Q-snaps, comfortably, for very long. When I spoke with the maker of my Gazelle stand, they told me they only had 2 or 3 of this part left! Yikes! It's a good thing I called when I did. They are shipping it out snail mail and it cost approximately $19. I'm guessing it will take a week or so to arrive. I would like to have a heavier stand with maybe more bells and whistles, but that can wait until after we move in a year or so.

Note: If you go to Artisan Design, the stand I use is the original Gazelle, not the Gazelle II, as featured on their site. The Gazelle II is more sturdy and has some features that aren't on the original.

DH, DS/8 and I watched a rental movie called Racing Stripes last night. It was a really cute film about a zebra who thinks he is a horse. My son loved it.

Very Musical Weekend

DH (on the keys) had another gig with Dani at Isaac Hayes Club Friday night.


Dueling Guitars at Isaac's
(L to R: Jimmy Craig, Zack Mack & Stephen Adkisson)

DH (aka MusicJock) and Dani (In the background - Jimmy Craig on guitar & Jeremy on drums)

On Saturday, he had a gig with Dani and the band to raise awareness and funds to sponsor children (i.e. homeless children as a result of Tsunami). This gig was a starting point the tour called Play For Change.

What is Play for Change?

It's a tour that is sponsored by Indieheaven.com and Mission of Mercy. Indieheaven has artists across the USA and their founder, Keith Mohr thought it would be great to visit towns across the country to hold concerts with Indieheaven artists. Mission of Mercy is a child relief and development agency based in Colorado Springs, CO. You can read more about this 18-city tour here. The Play for Change blog can be read here.

Saturday night, DH, DS/8 and I went to the Memphis Italian Festival to hear Larry Raspberry in concert. It was extremely loud and hot! The music was great (just wish it wasn't so loud). Following Larry Raspberry was a former member of Grand Funk Railroad, Mark Farner, and he put on a great show. You can read more about the concert here.

Not much stitching accomplished. I'm lost without my stand. I did, however, email the manufacturer, as Connie suggested. I'm waiting on a response. I have been backstitching Fish Medley at a snail's pace. I'm anxious to start a new project, so I really need to wrap this one up!

Bummer!

I haven't crossed many stitches since returning from Chattanooga. I was backstitching Fish Medley and a section of my needlework stand cracked! The stand is the original Gazelle and is about 12 years old. I'm sick about it. The piece that cracked is the one that holds everything, including the scroll, and bookholder. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me about what stand you use and the reason you chose it. I may have to replace mine since it's useless if I can't get a replacement part.

I did have a non-stitching HD this week. DH and I finished the ceramic tile in our kitchen! Yay! Now, we have to do the laundry closet and we are officially finished tiling floors (that's after tiling the den, livingroom, and kitchen).

Mini Vacation to Chattanooga

Watch Out for the Shark!


DH, DS/8 and I flew to Chattanooga, TN, on Wednesday and returned Thursday. We visited the Tennessee Aquarium, the world's largest freshwater aquarium, and Ruby Falls, America's highest underground waterfall. The weather was great and it wasn't humid like it is in Memphis.

On Wednesday, at the aquarium, we were able to touch stingrays, sharks, and sturgeons. My DS/8 loved it! There was an entire exhibit of seahorses, too. We spent several hours at the aquarium which is in two buildings. One is the Ocean journey and the other is the River journey. At the top of the Ocean Journey Building is the Butterfly Tropical Garden. It was breathtaking.
Many species of butterflies were everywhere.
Visiting the Tennessee Aquarium website before our trip made it very helpful to identify the fish, sharks and seahorses. I highly recommend taking the time to go through each page, of the interactive portion, if you are taking school-age children. It made it more interesting to my son and me.

Following the aquarium visit, we walked up to the BluffView Art District and saw the large-scale outdoor sculptures along the way. After passing the exhibits, we were able to walk across Walnut Street Bridge, for pedestrians, that crossed over the Tennessee River to North Shore.
Walnut Street Bridge
(The red, black & white thing around DS/8's neck is his souvenir stuffed snake!

On the bridge we had a great view of the skyline and Coolidge Park. Before walking back over the bridge, we stopped in Mudpie Coffeehouse and had some coffee. Later, we ate dinner at Big River Grille (located 1/2 block from the aquarium). After dinner, we caught the free shuttle by to the hotel to watch the finale of American Idol.

On Thursday, we had breakfast at City Cafe Diner, then set out for the trip to see Ruby Falls. We had a great view of the town of Chattanooga from Lookout Mountain following our tour of Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls also has a lesson plan (in case you homeschool or just for fun.) While driving back down the mountain, we stopped in a roadside shop that had handmade quilts.
What eye candy!!!! This quilt featured ants eating a picnic lunch.
Picnic Quilt

All in all, we had a great trip. If we visit again, I'd like to see more of the Art District.

Happy Dance on Final Fish

Squarespot Basslet

I finally completed the last fish on Fish Medley! This fish has also been backstitched. I only need to backstitch the other four fish to complete. Yay! This fish was also shown as a frame piece by itself in the Cross My Heart leaflet called "The Ocean".


Thursday night was Bunco night and I won the door prize. It was a "Jolly Rancher" candle. It smelled good enough to eat! We all had a great time together and had lots of laughs, especially when my cousin, Michael, had to wear a strand of pearls around his neck because he won a round of Bunco! (He was subbing for a player who couldn't attend). I'm already looking forward to next month.

Last night DH played 2 shows at Isaac Hayes. We all had a great time. The crowd really got into the music. DH will post pics soon on his blog.

Awards & Autographs

My DS/8 won a CD boom box at school for being the Top Accelerated Reader in his class! He is so excited! I'm so proud of him. His last day of 2nd grade is Friday. He is ready for summer break.

My DH played with the band in Bixby, Oklahoma, this past weekend, which meant a road trip. They had a great time. The event was Bixby BBQ & Blues Festival. The town built a new amphitheater following last year's festival, so it was a great place to play music. There was a crowd of around 2,000 and they really enjoyed the show. DH even signed a few autographs. They will playing again this Friday night at Isaac Hayes Club.

In stitching news, I've completed all the coral and the last fish on Fish Medley. I have begun the backstitching. I'll try to post a pic soon. The last fish is really colorful.

Bunco Night is tomorrow night and I'm really looking forward to it.

Designer Teresa Wentzler on Indefinite Hiatus

Teresa Wentzler has announced she will no longer design cross stitch patterns indefinitely. You can read more about this surprising news at the Teresa Wentzler Bulletin Board.

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Taneya!

Choose 5 and complete the sentence...

If I could be a scientist . . .
If I could be a farmer . . .
If I could be a musician . . .
If I could be a doctor . . .
If I could be a painter . . .
If I could be a gardener . . .
If I could be a missionary . . .
If I could be a chef . . .
If I could be an architect . . .
If I could be a linguist . . .
If I could be a psychologist . . .
If I could be a librarian . . .
If I could be an athlete . . .
If I could be a lawyer . . .
If I could be an inn-keeper . . .
If I could be a professor . . .
If I could be a writer . . .
If I could be a llama-rider . . .
If I could be a bonnie pirate . . .
If I could be an astronaut . . .
If I could be a world famous blogger . . .
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world . . .
If I could be married to any current famous political figure . . .

If I could be a writer...I'd write lyrics. It would be very cool to hear your song on the radio. That would be very cool. Songs can also outlive you.

If I could be a musician...I'd be a piano player/harmonica playing guitarist.
But, since I'm not, I married a piano playing/mandolin playing/guitarist.
Pretty clever, eh?

If I could be a professor...I'd teach web design. My DS/19 taught himself to make websites by buying manuals and learning everything from scratch. No copy and paste for him. I get excited when something works correctly on my blog, so I know it would be a thrill to learn and teach others web design.

If I could be a painter...I'd paint with intricate detail. My paintings could then be converted to cross stitch. It would be nice to have a gallery and those who stitched could take home the kit of a painting. It's the Paula Vaughn concept.

If I could be a missionary...I believe it would make me more appreciative of all aspects of my life. My daughter has been on a few mission trips, as have many of our friends. Each of them, upon return home, have a more unmaterialistic mind and value relationships more than ever before. For every one I know who's been on a mission trip, it has changed their life. You can read about my friend, Grace, who is a missionary here. Her father has an orphanage in Brazil.

Now it's my turn to tag some people. So here it goes: Debbi, Lake Stitcher, and Musings from a 3-Bedroom Ranch.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you blogging moms!

Following church, we went out for lunch and to the cemetery. We put flowers on my MIL's marker. There were quite a few people on the grounds because of Mother's Day, I guess. We even saw a family having a picnic there, lawn chairs and all! I must admit, that was a little strange. We saw a woman sitting on the ground engrossed in a conversation, very animated with her arms and hands, but she was there alone. I suppose she was talking to her mom who had passed away.

I treated my mom to dinner last night for Mother's Day. She saw DH play music with the Dani band for the first time. We enjoyed spending time together. (She didn't raise me and our relationship has had its ups and downs, so I'm thankful for the good times).

I was able to see all 3 of my children today which was a treat. Each one told me they loved me. That's the best! DS/8 gave me some petunias and DD/23 gave me a bouquet of spring flowers. DS/19 gave me lots of hugs. It's all good!

DH gave me $ to spend on a few things, like the top I wore to dinner last night. He's the best!!

Bookcrossing & DeCluttering

De-Cluttering
I released a few books into the "wild" yesterday. Bookcrossing is a way to pass on books. If you enjoy reading, but have a hard time getting rid of books, this is a great way to pass them on and it's fun. I visit library book sales and buy books from .10 to $2.00.

Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
Bookcrossing

Please show "Institches" as your referrer if you sign up. See the books I've set free...here

Mirabilia's New Freebie!

Mirabilia has a new free design, Bumblebee. I don't know if I'll stitch it, but I'm keeping it in a file just in case. I want to stitch some of the free angels first.

Punch List

DH and I have made a loooong punch list of repairs and partially finished projects to finish around the house. This has to be done before we can sell by next spring. Boy, what a lot of work. Shame on us for letting it pile up.

We visited the school we hope to send DS/8 to when we move. Our meeting and tour was very informative. The school is small, only 1 classroom per grade, so the students get a lot of one-on-one attention. We are pleased with what we saw. The challenge, now, is to find some property to build on, or home that will suit our needs.

In stitching news, it's pretty boring. I'm still stitching the coral on Fish Medley. I'll post a photo as soon as I complete it. All that's left, after the coral, is one more fish and the backstitching. I'm anxious to complete it because I have some other kitted projects I'm itching to do, along with a few WIPs.

Welcome to the Beach!

Completed "Beach" by DS/8


"Beach" Pillow

As promised, here's the first cross stitch project completed by my DS/8! He wanted me to make a pillow case, with "Beach", for his room. He's already moved ahead to "First Snow" freebie by Drawn Thread and "In the Graveyard" by The Monkey Works.

Cross Stitching buddies

Since my DS/8 has learned to cross stitch, he's my new stitching buddy. He has finished his first project and I'll post a photo as soon as I take one. He has already started on his second project, another freebie called "First Snow" from Drawn Thread. He uses a needle threader so he needs very little assistance now.

I have started on the coral part of Fish Medley. Once I'm finished with the coral, I still need to stitch one more small fish and do all the back stitching. I must say that this project has been enjoyable to stitch (I think it's because of the bright colors and the encouragement I get from my DS/8).

Today, DH and I went for a drive in the country to get an idea of where we want to move in a couple of years. One of his brothers already lives roughly in the area we are considering. What a life change it will be to move away from the "big city". We also would love to build a solar home. If anyone has some info or good websites I could check out to get information about solar home building, just leave me a comment. I plan to go to the library and get whatever is available there on the subject.

Cross Stitching Update and New Stitcher!

Flame Angelfish Closeup


Flame Angelfish

I actually have been stitching this past week and this week. I just hadn't taken pictures until today! I also have been teaching my DS/8 how to cross stitch. He's really into it. He's stitching a freebie from
Rainbow Gallery.
To the Beach

To the Beach model
My son stitches and then I frog a little, then he stitches some more. I have him using DMC floss rather than the Rainbow Gallery threads, since I didn't have those on hand. I wanted to make a pillow out of his design, but he wants a bag, so we'll see.

Girls' Gathering Weekend

The ladies in our family had our latest gathering at the Lodge at Pickwick Lake this past weekend. We had a great time. I think there were 17 of us who attended this time around. Pic of DD/23:


(My DD and I only stayed Friday night and left Saturday because of the "Memphis Meets the Beatles" event that DH was a part of Saturday night.) Everyone seemed to have a great time and we had a lot of laughs playing "our version" of games. We had teams and drew a card (as in the game, Taboo), that had a word to be drawn for the opposing team to guess. We used a large dry erase board for the drawing or we could act out the word. Let's just say we saw some graphic drawing with words like "Monica Lewinsky" and "toilet" and bizarre behavior with words like "exotic dancer" and "hurry". It was great just seeing everyone again.
Our "Pampered Princess" for this weekend was Toya.

She got a lot of neat gifts and was waited on. Next time, the "Pampered Princess" will be Donna. We are already looking forward to next year!

Memphis Meets the Beatles!

Jock, Dani, Matt "Izzy", and Zack Mack

The CD Release Party for the Memphis Meets the Beatles: Fried Glass Onions CD was held at Isaac Hayes Club this past Saturday night. My DH was part of the house band and they performed three sets of Beatles' music. Dani performed "Old Brown Shoe", "Blackbird", and "Oh, Darling". Each of the performers sung a few songs, with "Back in the USSR" and "Come Together" getting standing ovations. There was even a group that had flown in from Liverpool, England, just for the show! The musicians and singers involved are some of Memphis' finest, such as Kevin Paige, Rick Nethery, Daddy Mack Orr, to name just a few. You can see more of photos of this event here...

Hectic Week

This has been a hectic week. I have stitched on Fish Medley and almost completed another fish. I hope to post a progress photo soon, maybe Sunday.

I'm preparing for our annual Girl's Gathering at the lake.
to do:
20 copies of recipe -in process
gift for "princess-for-a-weekend" -done
food to share -not yet
pack -not yet

I'd better get busy!

In the middle of other chores, I get the bright idea to make DH some business cards. The main problem with that is my publishing program isn't user friendly. After blowing way too much time, I hopefully have forwarded it to be printed. We'll see.

This morning, DH had a TV appearance with the band, Dani, to promote the compilation cd of Beatles tunes. It went great! You can view the show here. A CD Release Party at Isaac Hayes Club is scheduled for Saturday night. There will be 3 sets of music. DH will be playing with all the other musicians that recorded for the CD. He's looking forward to it.

Performance at Isaac Hayes Club

DH performed with Dani at Isaac Hayes Club again last night. It was a great evening and the music was outstanding. Okay, so I'm partial. The restaurant was packed and the crowd really enjoyed the band. You can read more about the evening and upcoming gigs here...

My DS/18, who's in college, was able to go with us. He's toned down the "scary look" somewhat, so he wasn't getting stared at by strangers (LOL). I plan on seeing him again tomorrow and taking him a "care package" of groceries for his dorm.

Last night I also picked up a couple of packs of fake fingernails to try out. They worked great! I plan to use them more often. I had to remove them today, though, because I can't wash dishes and clean with them. I wish I had tried them a long time ago. I can't count how many times I've tried to paint my nails, only to mess a few up before I could get out the door!

I haven't stitched any the past couple of days, but hopefully, I'll get a chance later tonight or tomorrow night.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL MY BLOGGING BUDDIES!!!!!!

Bunco Night

We had Bunco this past Thursday. Once again, I was the loser. However, the loser gets a gift, also! My gift was a khaki tote bag made by Totes. It is water-resistant and has a zipper. Inside is a place for cell phone. It's perfect for my cross stitch or quilting projects! My DD/23 played Bunco, also. We had a great time. We added a third table and play with twelve players. It's a fun time to look forward to each month.

Prize won at Bunco

Inside View

Fish Medley Progress

I finally finished stitching the Moorish Idol angel fish. Now, I'm on to stitching the Flame Angelfish. It should go quickly because the colors are bold and aren't hard on the eyes. I would really like to have this finished by the end of March.

Moorish Idol Close Up

Fish Medley Progress

Prodigal Son

After not hearing from my DS/18 for about 7 weeks, yesterday, he finally asked to meet me for lunch. He's in college in town and making some "interesting" choices. Last time I saw him, he had a pink mohawk, but now he has short hair and a beard. I'm thankful I was able to tell him that I love him and give him a hug. I have been able to keep tabs on him as far as knowing he's been in school, etc. I haven't slept well ever since he left our home during winter break. I am praying for him.

DH got hurt work yesterday. He got hit in the brow of his face with a metal rod that came out of a bag he was loading in an airplane. He had to get 4-5 stitches and now it's bruising. He's fine now, with the exception of a headache!

I'm still stitching the large angel fish in Fish Medley. Hopefully, I'll finish it over the weekend and post a photo.

Frogging out the fish

I would have completed the angel fish portion of Fish Medley by now, but no. Instead, I had to frog out a section I'd been cross stitching. Oh well, now I'm pressing forward and hope to finish this fish by the end of the week. I'll post a progress pic then. I'm showing restraint in not starting an additional project. I really want to finish this for my son, and then move on to a few other WIP's.

I received my 6" fabric squares in an Yahoo Groups I-Spy swap I participated in this past month. What a cool idea. I haven't decided which quilt pattern I will use for the next quilt. I would love to have a copy of Ami Simm's book, Picture Play Quilts, to get some ideas and tips. Her website has a gallery of quilts sent in by quilters who used designs from her book. There are other quilt galleries on her site at well.

Big Shoes To Fill

Dr. Adrian Rogers

Our church family, Bellevue, is celebrating 32 years of faithful ministry of our pastor, Dr. Adrian Rogers. He is known throughout the world. Sadly, for us, he is retiring from his position as our pastor. We haven't found a new pastor yet. How do you fill his shoes? He's a pastor's pastor. He will be more involved than ever with Love Worth Finding, a radio program that's broadcast world wide. He is one of America's most respected bible teachers. You can learn more about the radio program and listen to it here.

Move 'Em In, Move 'Em Out

DH and I have spent all day moving furniture and boxes of MIL's things from her home to donate. Her home will be sold and the real estate agent has advise to empty the home first. Then, she'll put a sign in the yard. This is primo selling season, so we're moving forward. Hopefully, this process will go quickly. The home is in great shape with 5 bedrooms, hardwood floors, and on a corner lot. SIL decided to move in it 2 years ago which slowed the process of emptying out the home somewhat, but we knocked out a few large items today. The motivation is "You can't sell a home that the buyer can't see". It's amazing how little things can make such a big difference in a prospective buyer's eyes. They don't want to see your personal items, but instead, they want to imagine how their belongings will look in the space. The show, Designed to Sell, has great information on selling a home. If you ever intend on selling your home, it's well worth watching to get ideas.

In stitching news, I haven't stitched today, but hopefully tonight I'll get in some stitching time on Fish Medley. I want to cross stitch my son some of the free designs on Rainbow Gallery's website, but I wanted to use DMC. Does anyone know of a conversion chart for Rainbow Gallery thread and DMC?

Emma's Quilt Mystery

My DH contacted an aunt regarding Emma's crazy quilt. She told us:

"There are two scenarios, I remember seeing the quilt.
1. Emma Susan Hallmark, 1901-1927, was grandma Killingsworth's (Ethel) younger sister. Someone could have made this quilt for her since in 1909 she was only 8 years old or

2. Emma Eason Killingsworth, 1887-1958 or Mary Roxie Hallmark 1866-1938 (Emma Susan's mother) could have made the quilt for Emma Susan. Mary Roxie was famous for making quilts. Mary Roxie and Emma Eason Killingsworth were sisters.

Most likely the quilt was give to Emma Susan by one of those."

If I get more history on the quilt, I'll blog about it. So far, I'm leaning toward the scenario of Emma S. Hallmark's mom, Mary, as the quilter. That's just a guess, though.

The quilt hasn't been quilted, so it only has the top portion. Had it been quilted, possibly a quilt label with the information of the quilter, etc. would have been on it. This is a valuable lesson on why labeling your quilts and cross stitching is so important for future generations. I must do better at this myself.

Emma's Crazy Quilt

Quilt Block Dated 1909

Emma's Crazy Quilt

Close Up of Signature Block

My DH inherited this crazy quilt top from his aunt who passed away in May. The quilt was sewn by Emma Hallmark in 1909. We are still researching who she is because two descendants during that time had the same name. Looking at current crazy quilt works, this piece may seem a little plain, but it is authentic and very representative of the time it was pieced. There are no "specialty threads", no "fancy fabrics", just handiwork done with love. It's priceless. We have displayed it over an antique spinning wheel. I would love to preserve it and hang it on the wall. I need more information on how to do it properly.

Fish Medley Progress

Moorish Idol Progress

This angel fish is much larger than I realized. I've never been fond of white and the shades similar to white. They are just boring and very hard to see. Hopefully, once this fish is stitched, the rest of the design will be smooth sailing.

Slow Progress on Fish Medley

I haven't made much progress on Fish Medley lately. I am slowly stitching the large angel fish. I'll post a pic soon. I'm itching to start cross stitching yet another project. I want to finish at least one WIP before starting a new project, but it's just so tempting.

Some of the women in my family have begun a Bunco group. We played last Thursday night. It was a great time and very fast paced. If you have any ideas for clever Bunco gifts, leave me a comment.

My DH taught my DS/8 how to play the card game, Uno. He loves it. He picked it up quickly and he keeps up with the scores. It's a great game for his math skills. We had always played Skipbo and Crazy Eights, but I think Uno is the new favorite.

Valentine's Day - Feel the Love

Valentine's Day

DH gave me the glass blown heart on the right and DS/8 gave me the glass blown "kiss" on the left. The flowers were a gift from my DD/23. DH, DS/8 and I went out to eat at The Shanti Steakhouse. We know the owner, so extra care was taken with our juicy steaks. They also have homemade yeast rolls. YUMMMMM! It was wonderful! The Shanti is a great restaurant to have dinner, if you are ever in Memphis, it is in Collierville (a suburb of Memphis). Give it a try.

As far as stitching, I haven't done any stitching in the last couple of days. I've been busy sorting through cross stitching books and sewing stuff. Also, I am attempting to get my desk organized. I might need a backhoe for that job! Just kidding, I have seen worse, I promise...somewhere I know I've seen one.

Golf Towel - Oldie but Goodie

Golf Towel

I cross stitched this golf towel for my DH in 1989. It's from the magazine, Cross Quick (Aug./Sept. 89 issue). After examining how another golf towel was made, I adapted this one by folding down a corner and adding a grommet. The "hook" is a metal shower curtain ring which hooks onto the golf bag.

Lately, I have come across a few quilting blogs that are interesting:

Hip to Piece Squares: A modern gal's view on quilting and fabric.

Anlabyhouse: A crazy quilter in Australia

Chloe's Place: The musings of a crazy patchworker, as she contemplates (and sometimes even approaches a pile of UFOs.

I have made a little more progress on Fish Medley, but not enough to post a pic yet.

Earl of Sandwich

DH and I went to lunch at Huffman's Deli today. They have live music on Friday and Saturday nights. We got some information from the president, Earl (Earl of Sandwich) Huffman. Maybe the Dani band will play there in the future. We'll see. The deli has a great menu, so we'll definitely eat there again. They even serve breakfast!

Stitching Update on Fish Medley

Moorish Beginnings

I finally had enough progress on the Moorish Idol angel fish to post an update. My DS/8 is excited that I'm on the 3rd fish in Fish Medley. I hope to cross stitch over the weekend. I am still sorting through all my stitching magazines and books. I hope to weed out all the ones that don't have designs I'll ever stitch in them. My tastes have changed over the years, so it's a little easier to get rid of the excess. (Not to mention, it makes way for new stash !)

Glass House 383

Last night, my DH and I met some friends downtown to hear a jazz trio, BBN (Bepop Broadcasting Network), at a Gallery & Bistro called Glasshouse 383. The drummer , Dave Kropf, is also the drummer for my DH's band, Dani. It's Memphis' first contemporary studio glass gallery and bistro featuring museum quality works by glass artists across the country. It was a relaxed atmosphere and the menu featured Italian grilled Panini sandwiches. We had the "Tuscany" sandwich with potato salad. To top it off, we shared a slice of Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. Ummm....yummy!

The gallery has beautiful glass-blown sculptures, perfume bottles, vases, and paperweights, among other items. It's a spectacular sight to see all that glass-blown art in one place. It is like having color overload, if there is such a thing!

One item that was actually affordable was a heart-shaped glass paperweight. There was a collection of them in all sorts of colors and patterns in a basket. Seeing the basket of hearts was like being in a needlework shop and looking at a pile of specialty threads in all your favorite colors. Awesome to behold. How do you pick just one? The small hearts were $25. Hint to DH. Valentine's Day is around the corner! This item isn't on Glasshouse 383's website, nor is another item that would make a great Valentine's gift. It was a clear glass-blown candy kiss.

Glasshouse 383 is located at 383 S. Main Street in Memphis and is on a trolley line. After the first set, DH and I headed home (he had to work today), but our friends hopped on the trolley and rode to Beale Street to hear some more live music. It was a fun evening.

If you ever visit Memphis, you must stop in and check it out.

Cathedral Windows WIP

Cathedral Windows WIP

This is the quilt I mentioned earlier that my MIL had started for my DH. She passed away this past December. She pre-cut all the pieces, so I don't have to hunt for vintage fabrics to complete it. It is completely hand-stitched. I will try to mimic the piecing method and sewing technique as close as possible. I know it will be a treasure to my DH when I complete it.

I have returned to Fish Medley to stitch the Moorish Idol fish. This chart is from the book, The Ocean, by Cross My Heart. This is a large cross stitch project, but it's relatively easy. My DS/8 is keeping me on task with it, since his I-Spy quilt is complete. I am considering starting a rotation, instead of stitching one project at a time. I just need to find time to gather all the current WIPs and get organized. I've visited the Rotation Board which has great information. I love visiting the bulletin boards. They are such a great resource.

New stash purchase: Noah's Sub
I paid less than $3.00 for this chart at Hobby Lobby. I won't be starting it right away, but my DS/8 has already seen it and is putting the pressure on. I found a stitching guide for Noah's Sub that I plan to refer to when I start it. I understand the chart has a few errors and this guide has quite a few tips and corrections.

This past Saturday, my DH performed at Isaac Hayes in Memphis with the group, Dani. It was a great time and the place was packed. You can read more about the night here...

I-Spy Quilt

This is the quilt that took me over two years to finish. My son loves it. We used it during his birthday party to play I-Spy and the children loved it. If I ever make another I-Spy quilt, it will be using a square block instead of hexagons and triangles. I'm a novice, and this was a very difficult quilt.

I made a pocket on the back for the list of items to search for on the quilt. I still need to add a label.

Happy Dance for 2 year project!

I finally finished the I-Spy quilt for my son! It has 200 octagons and 400 small, pesky triangles. I will post a photo later. My son took it to school today, which is his 8th birthday, to share with the class. He loves it.

Sentimental Journey

My SIL and I went through some of my MIL's sewing room stash today. In case you are new to my blog, my MIL passed away in December. She had begun a cathedral windows quilt for my DH. It looks as though she had cut out all the pieces at one time. It is completely hand stitched. I'll post a photo of it in the next day or two. We ran across so many projects she had begun over the years. It was such a treat to see some of her crafting and sewing projects. She loved crazy quilts, sunbonnet sue, and Victorian designs.

DS/7 was sick this weekend with a cold. I did, however, manage to add 2 more rows to his I-Spy quilt. I didn't get to do any cross stitching, though. Hopefully, I'll get a few stitches in during the next few days.

Beginning Moorish Idol

Fish Medley has 5 fish in the design. I will begin stitching the Moorish Idol next. It's the largest of the three remaining fish, so if I get this huge one out of the way, the last two will go quicker. Once all the fish are stitched, I'll add the coral and backstitch everything. Cross stitching may go slowly this week due to other projects that are more urgent.

Today, I've been stripping wallpaper off the guest/children's bathroom. This project consists of stripping, mudding, and painting. Hopefully, it will be complete before next Friday.

Also, I am planning DS/7's birthday party for this weekend. He is into Pokemon, so I found a coloring page and reduced it and made invitations. Cost = $0!!! I just love my computer. I haven't bought the first gift or done any of the planning yet, however. I've got to get busy. Oh yes, I failed to mention, I'm also attempting to finish the I Spy quilt before his birthday. I may be dreaming, but we'll see.

Finally, a Happy Dance..sort of

Fish Medley Progress #3
After way more stitching than I thought it would take, this is the lemon angelfish part of Fish Medley. I will not do the backstitching until all the cross stitching is complete.

Close-up of Lemon Angelfish
The photo doesn't do the colors justice. They are very brilliant, not washed out.

Yellow Angel Fish

I'm still stitching on the yellow angel fish that is in the Fish Medley design. I've probably logged four hours during the last few days. Over the weekend, DH and I watched the movie, Troy, and I cross stitched some then. Also, we watched "24" and it's hard to get any stitching done during that show because I can't follow it and stitch at the same time. Every time DH watched a ballgame, I took that opportunity to be with him and cross stitch. I'm learning girls, I'm learning. I will try to post a progress pic of Fish Medley later tonight.

In other news, DH will be playing January 29th at Isaac Hayes for two 1 hour shows. They have fabulous food! We're looking forward to returning to this venue. If you're in Memphis, drop by and hear some great music (I'm biased) and have some awesome food! We'd love to see you!

"I Spy" quilt progress

"I Spy" quilt progress
I sewed together 8 rows of my son's quilt today. It's slow because of all the pinning. I have 8 more rows to go on this part. Next, the borders can be added.

I also stitched some on "Fish Medley", but not enough to post another pic yet. There's no way I'll have it finished before his birthday, but the quilt is possible.

Longing to Stitch

I haven't cross stitched in the last few days because DH has been on vacation. A few jobs around the house were finished. I did, however, start going through my stash of cross stitch books. I'll be trading or selling the ones I know I'll never stitch in my lifetime. I'll post the list when I finish the sort.

Worldwide Emergenza Festival

Last night Dani and her band (DH on keys) played in the first round of the Worldwide Emergenza Music Festival. They will progress to round 2. Good job! You can learn more about this "battle of the bands" by going to Emergenza.

I Spy Quilt Progress

I Spy quilt progress
Notice the book is open to the actual pattern I am using for my DS/7's I Spy quilt. It's the first pieced quilt I have sewn. I would not recommend this particular pattern as a beginner project. Hopefully, I will finish it before his birthday at the end of this month.

Fish & The Tooth Fairy

Fish Medley Progress #2
My progress on Fish Medley is going slowly. I am almost finished with the yellow fish. The blue fish is finished with the exception of backstitching. I always save the backstitching for the end.

Also, I ran across this tooth fairy pillow I made for my DS/18 when he was little. He wanted this specific dinosaur.

Tooth Fairy Pillow

Car Wreck

DD/23 was in her first car wreck yesterday. No one was hurt, but her car may be totaled. Since her airbag activated, she's very sore and her wrist are bruised. She was wearing her seatbelt, also. The airbags and seatbelt were the reason she wasn't seriously hurt. What a blessing that she is okay! God was watching over her. It's a good thing that no one was hurt since it took the police over an hour to respond.

Sewing Room Organization

My DH has been on vacation this week so we've been getting some things done around the house. He hung 2 shelves in the sewing/guest room.

Sewing Room Shelves
I used an large, old frame and some pegboard to create an organizer for the wall. After I painted the frame and the pegboard, DH assembled it and hung it over my sewing machine. It is so cool! (The purple and pink bins hold my sewing patterns.)

Sewing Station
Next, he hung my "printer's drawer" that holds some of my thread and a thimble collection, on another wall. A few years ago, he made me the spool rack that is on the table beneath the "printer's drawer".

Thread Storage
The white table was a hand-me-down from my aunt. It was brown and stained. I painted it and I'll be adding a fabric skirt to it once I find the right fabric. The color on the walls is actually a bright lime, not mint green.

DH also replaced a faucet and the light fixture in our kid's/guest bath. I'm in the process of removing all the wallpaper in the bath so I can paint it. I won't ever wall paper again. I change my mind to often so I need to stick to painting instead of papering. Wallpaper and I do not get along. It was soooo crooked, it was embarrassing. Never again.

DH introduced to blogging world

My DH, who's a musician, is beginning a blog of his own. Once it's tweaked a bit, I'll link to it. He'll be blogging on his band's gigs and traveling, etc. He plays piano, keyboards, mandolin, and guitar for the band, Dani. On another note, I'd really like to know a simple way to change the blog template to have two sidebars, one on each side. I intend on changing mine when I get the code.

Here's DH's new blog:
Music Jock.

Messing About In A Boat

I stitched this for my husband in 1989 while we were dating. He had seen this quote cross stitched in a friend's cabin for years and admired it. He showed it to me on one of our boating trips. The original design was the quote only. I charted the words and added the 3 designs which I got from a nautical sampler that appeared in Cross Stitch & Country Crafts magazine. It is stitched on 14 count fiddler cloth and framed in barn wood.

Train Stalled and Fish "Just Keep Swimming"

Engine #1 WIP
I started stitching this on 11/6/00, for DS/7. It's from Stoney Creek Cross Stitching Magazine Nov/Dec. '89. All that is left is the backstitching. If you look closely, you can see the right side of part of the train, wheels, and tracks are backstitched already. The fabric is 14ct. white aida. I'm not sure if I'll frame it or make it a pillow insert.

Hopefully, in the next few days, I'll have the second fish stitched in Fish Medley. I'll post a progress pic then.

I finally got the tree and some of the Christmas decorations put away, although I usually leave the Dickens' Village displayed until February. DS/7 returned to school this morning following Christmas break. He's in 2nd grade. We painted his room a deep sea blue/green recently, to rid him of his "nursery" look. He and I are planning to make some fish for his wall out of foam core. I'm still working on the idea. He wanted fish painted directly on the wall, but I thought the cut-outs would be fun for he and I to decorate and embellish.

We are being given a small aquarium today for DS/7's room. He has been doing extra chores to earn money for one. He doesn't know about the aquarium yet. Now he'll be able to use his money for fish, etc. We've had a 29 gallon fish aquarium in the past, but it was before DS/7 was born.

Man & Wife Design Photo

"Man & Wife" design photo
I love this design. The colors are rich. It was the first time I stitched two-over-two on linen. It wasn't difficult once I got the hang of it. I just wish I had started the cross stitches from left to right. ARGGG!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGING FRIENDS!

Man & Wife progress

This is a project I started for DH. Hopefully I will pick it back up and finish it. I made the mistake of starting the cross stitches from right to left, instead of left to right (I'm left-handed). It takes total focus to not stitch going the wrong direction.


Man & Wife WIP