Productive Day

DH and I had a productive day working on our kitchen renovation. We were able to get several panels of beadboard up, so we can get a better idea what it will look like when finished. The cabinets are finished (repaired, repainted, and new hardware). The walls are partially primed. We are making progress. Hopefully, tomorrow following church, we can get back to painting. I still haven't taken pics because my camera isn't working. I hope it is repairable.

I haven't stitched one stitch. DD is busy planning her wedding and the house is a mess due to kitchen redo. Thanks to all who commented about my DD's engagement. You are all so sweet. Once my turn at Bunco is behind me, I'll go through all my charts on hand to see what I have as far as wedding design\

Suggest A Chart

My DD got engaged tonight! She has been dating her boyfriend for 4 years. He's a great guy and we think we are very fortunate to gain him as a son-in-law. They compliment each other. (She is my oldest child and my only daughter.)

I would like to cross stitch a wedding sampler or design for them, so please leave me comments with your suggestions.

Hot And Humid

It was 105 today (including the heat index)! It was so humid and muggy. I'll be glad to see fall.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! You are all so thoughtful!

I'm still painting cabinets, so no stitching time...yet....

The Kitchen Is A Wreck

We (DH and I) are renovating our kitchen. Since we plan to sale our home next spring, we are using the most neutral colors we can find (not the colors I'd prefer if we weren't moving soon). We bought "linen white" paint for the cabinets, trim, and lower walls. The upper walls will be a very light tan. zzzzzzz.... Boring, but great for attracting buyers later.

Before we could prep our kitchen cabinets to paint them, I had to remove every single item from my kitchen cabinets and stack them on the countertops, dining table, floor, etc. What a mess! Next, we had to sand all the cabinet doors, fill spots that were damaged, and re-sand, and sand some more.

We bought new hardware at Lowe's. The knobs and handles are a brushed nickle finish (less than $2 each!) For $60, we bought 13 knobs, 5 handles, and 18 hinges. We bought a tub of wood filler for repairing the cabinet doors for $5 (instead of replacing 13 doors at a cost of $$$$). We purchased beadboard paneling to go on the lower half of the walls, which we hope will give the whole room an updated look. Our camera isn't working, so I can't take photos of the "makeover". Maybe I can get my DD to take some with her camera. I'll give that a shot.

Happy Birthday to Me (Whoopee)

Today, I turned 44 years old. I don't feel "old", but I do feel "older". My DH gave me a bike (at my request), so I can ride with my DS/8. It was a little tough to keep up with him on his bike and me walking. Now, we can ride together. My daughter's 24th birthday was yesterday. She gave me an exercise ball/video set (I have been wanting one). You can read about my DD/24 here (Aug. 13th post) and read her blog. DH is taking me out to dinner tonight, also.

DS/8 starts 3rd grade tomorrow and we are busy getting organized for school. He's looking forward to it.

DH and I bought some more supplies to get back to our kitchen renovating. We bought beadboard panels for the lower part of the walls and paint. We will need to repair the cabinet doors, paint the cabinets and all the walls. There is lots of work ahead. We would like to finish it before my turn at Bunco, which is September 12th.

I still hope to get in some stitching time. We will see.

Great Review

Here's a review from a couple in the audience last night during DH's gig. The review is the Aug. 11th post. "Le Chat" and her fiance came to hear the concert in Court Square. Dani and her band put on a great show. This particular couple had front row seats, so they got a close up view of the band and Dani's performance.

It is always nice to get feedback following gigs, especially when it's so complimentary!

Here's a photo of DS/8 enjoying the concert, also.

Not a Stitch in Sight

On Monday I went back to Dr. Brain. Since the medicine he gave me helped my migraines, he doesn't need to see me again for a year (unless the migraines get more frequent). He did tell me that the MRI scans were consistent with having migraines and he didn't think it looked like MS. Well, that's a relief!

Tuesday was Bunco night. It was a great time. I won the "door prize": 2 sets of tongs. One set of tongs will even lock. They are really cool. Next month is my turn to have Bunco at my home. My house needs a lot of painting and repairs, so not as much stitching will happen in the next few weeks.

Thanks for all your comments on Gathering Honey. It really motivates me. 12 women coming to my home in a few weeks will hopefully motivate me to patch holes, paint, lay carpet, etc. Hopefully, we'll get it done in time.

Tonight DH played with Dani and the band at the Summer Concert Series at Court Square in downtown Memphis. It was hot and humid, but when the sun went down, it was tolerable. The radio station, FM100, was the host. The music was great and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. A coworker of DH's even brought some friends from England. (DH hurt his back so he wasn't able to do the splits like he usually does at the end of the show......Just kidding!)

Gathering Honey Garden "Growing"

I'm making progress on my cross stitch WIP, Gathering Honey. The lower right corner of the garden is "planted" , I mean to say, stitched. I also backstitched that area because it would have been too tedious to go back later. I haven't backstitched the stones or hive yet. I am enjoying this project so far. I get to use a lot of my favorite colors, which is nice, and there are lots of color changes so I haven't gotten burned out on any one particular shade. I tried to keep up with my time (even bought a timer), but I've failed at it miserably so far. I'll try to do better.

Thursday, I registered DS/8 for 3rd grade (school starts Aug. 15th). It's hard to believe his summer break is almost over! He took some beginner swim lessons this week and started practices for soccer.

We've had a busy few days with DH's music schedule, also. Thursday night he played at Rum Boogie Cafe and Friday night he played at B.B. Kings on Beale Street. Both shows went great and the crowds responded well to the music. This Wednesday, he'll be playing at Court Square for the Summer Concert Series.

Frogging Defined

Since creating this blog, I've had several non-stitchers asked me why I named my blog: Frogging Out. Candice's blog explains it perfectly.

Excerpts of Candice's Blog defining frogging....

"If you are reading this and you are not a cross stitcher, you may not know the significance of the frog. To us, the term "frog" means not only a tailless amphibian with webbed feet, but also the sound "ribbit ribbit," meaning that your stitching must be ripped out and restitched. To the cross stitcher, the frog can connote hours of painful picking away at floss, trying to get it free from delicate fabric without tearing anything."

"We cross stitchers regularly accuse each other of sicking a frog on us, of someone letting their frog out to invade every other cross stitcher's life, or the frog coming for a visit. Nobody wants that kind of frog. The tailless amphibian, however, is beloved."

"To the cross stitcher, frog is a noun and a verb. "To frog" is to remove stitches, and when one does that, one is "frogging." We all hate frogging."

Airheads Are A Lifesaver!

My DS/8 started swim lessons last week. His third lesson was today. DS/8 was not wanting to jump in (with a "noodle" wrapped around him). He reasoned, he cried, he resisted. Then, another lifeguard came over to them and told my DS/8 that he would reward him if he jumped in with him. So the lifeguard held his hand and they jumped in together! When he came up to the surface, DS/wasn't upset , but instead, he was ready to do it again! So he jumped in again with the lifeguard. The lesson was over, so he followed the lifeguard to get his "reward"...a green apple flavored Airheads. He was so proud of himself. His instructor told me that he didn't even think of offering him a reward. He said it was the one thing he hadn't tried with him. I told him if he offered DS/8 an eraser, he'd probably "swim" the length of the pool! He just laughed. Now, DS/8 is motivated, all because of a 10 cent Airheads!

You can read all about Airheads candy here...

Mirabilia's new freebie - Gold Butterfly!

Mirabilia has a new freebie, Gold Butterfly! If you go to the freebies, you'll see it. I really like it. It's the second in the series "Bejeweled Bugs." If you remember, the first one was a bumblebee. Check it out.

Gathering Honey Update

Gathering Honey progress as of today. The only backstitching I've done is the lower plants because it had to be done before those challenging french knots. Finally, I can start on the colorful parts. I was getting a little weary of grey stones! I even found a mistake at the top (I saw it when I enlarged my last progress pic), which I'll be frogging out and restitching. That's an added bonus to posting the progress photos. It comes in handy to spot overlooked errors. I think I'll also restitch the bees in the center (because the thread shows through from the back where I carried it from bee to bee). I'm off to put DS/8 to bed since he keeps getting back up.

Fishing Trip

DH took DS/8 fishing for the first time. The first fish he caught was this 1 lb. catfish! He caught several brim, also. He was very excited, though a little leary of the fish flipping around. He tried out his new fishing pole. They used hotdogs, instead of lures though.It was 99 degrees today so tey couldn't stay very long. It was just too hot! (Memphis is under a heat advisory!) Here is DH's Catch-of-the-Day! It was about a 5 lb. catfish! Who knew that catfish love hotdogs?

*Note to Readers: I removed the photos of the fish, due to the comment below. You can still see them, but you have to click on the above links. I didn't dream they would be upsetting to anyone.

Small Victories

I finally got my medication problem resolved and received it in the mail. Thank goodness! Small victory, if you want to call it that.

Stitching Update:
I attempted the french knots again on Gathering Honey WIP. I had searched several websites to see what I was missing. Finally, I figured out that you have to hold the thread at different tautness at different times. I got the hang of it, finally, and I'm on a roll (another small victory.) I found that it takes total focus to do the knots, unlike the full cross stitches. (At least, for me, it does.) I hope to have a progress photo to post soon.

Medusa says, "Give Me A Break!"

I have been trying since April to get a mistake corrected that was made by our health insurance company's meds-by-mail program. (The mail order meds are those that are "maintenance" type that are taken daily). I won't bore you with the details, but it has turned into a nightmare and now I'm completely out of medicine. I've made 7 phone calls and each time was told they had ordered it. To make things even more interesting, the med I'm out of is my hormone. I'm not a joy to be around without it, not to mention what it does to my body.

I went to Dr. Brain#2 yesterday and had an EEG. Can you say "Gluey Mess"? Fortunately, the glue will wash out with a good scrub. I felt like Medusa with all the wires coming out of my head. The Dr. said the EEG looked good. That's good news, because I need all the good brain waves I can get to deal with the incompetence of our meds-by-mail reps.

My car wouldn't start when I got ready to go to the doctor. I had to call my DH and get instructions over the phone on recharging the battery with a battery charger. It was 89 degrees and extremely humid, so by the time I got the van charged, my hair (not to mention the rest of me) was wringing wet. Not a pretty sight, I can assure you. I'm just glad yesterday is gone forever.

In stitching news, I've cross stitched some more areas on "Gathering Honey". I started on some flowers that are french knots. After I would make one knot, the next knot would pull the first knot through the fabric. I got frustrated and thought it best to come back to it later. Well, later, I was able to make 3 "good" knots and I stopped because it was getting late. I'll try to get those flowers stitched so I can post an update soon.

Duct Tape Dress Form

After reading Belinda's blog, "View From an Alternate Dementia", I remembered a great duct tape idea I found online. It is how to make a dress form out of duct tape. It's much cheaper than buying a commerical dress form, and the finished result is a body double of yourself. What a cool idea. If you sew clothing for yourself or someone else, it's a great way to cut down on the fittings. I hope to make one (when I start sewing clothing again). Here's another site that has a lot of information and photos and tips, too.

Progress on "Gathering Honey" WIP

Here's the progress, as of yesterday, on my "Gathering Honey" WIP. I have stitched more since this photo, but not enough for another update just yet. I'll post another update when I get further along. For reference, here's the model photo.

Recycle & ReUse!

When we were at the City Cafe in Holly Springs, MS, I saw several things that caught my eye. I love things that are made from recycled items. For instance, I like tables that are made from old doors. I like the look of an old window becoming a photo frame and old doors turned into tables.
This is the vanity in the women's restroom...

It's a antique sewing machine base, a scrap piece of marble, and a bowl for the sink! The drawers from the old sewing machine are even used as storage! How cool!! I love this idea. There was also a great vintage screen door hanging on the one of the walls as art, but I didn't get a pic of it.

(This is the same cafe where my son cracked the safe and got his prized buttons.)

The 8 Month Search Has Ended

Drum Roll, please.....We have a new pastor for our church!
He is Dr. Steve Gaines from Gardendale, AL.
You can read more about him here.



Our family is looking forward to having Dr. Gaines as our pastor. At the same time, we are praying for our former pastor, Dr. Rogers, who retired recently and has since started chemo treatments for cancer.

Cracking Safe in City Cafe

Last night, DH, DS/8 and I drove to Holly Springs, MS, for a gig at the City Cafe. We had a great time! Family and friends came to hear the music and eat some yummy catfish! DS/8 spied a safe the was as tall as he was. The owner told him to try to crack the combination. He could keep whatever was in it if he could open it. With his ear planted on the door of the safe, he carefully listened to hear the "clicks" as he turned the knob left and right. After many tries, he whispered in my ear, "I cracked the safe and I got the treasure!" When I turned around to see what the "treasure" was, I saw a small jar of buttons! The funny thing is, most children would be disappointed, but he was excited. He has #1: a mom who sews and (quoting him) #2: he has "ideas flying out of his head" all the time about projects we can make. The buttons will find a home in a pillow or something that will remind him of this adventure for years to come. (I think I'll sew the buttons in a fish design on a pillow, if I can talk him into it).