January 2012 TUSAL Update

There's a new moon today so time for my first TUSAL report of the year.  Not a great picture, I know.

What's a TUSAL, you ask.  TUSAL stands for Totally Useless Stitch-a-long and it's hosted by Sharon at It's Daffycat.  Despite the name, there isn't any actual stitching going on.  It's more of bizarre hoarding situation.  (No, not really.)  What you do is toss your floss ends (you may know them as ORTs or thread clippings) into a jar and every time there's a new moon, you share a picture of the jar on your blog.  You can find out more about the 2012 TUSAL over here.

I started with an empty jar for 2012 so all the ORTs in my jar are from this year.  I've been working on a cross stitch called Ready for the Morning Ride plus I decided to re-do some of one called Little Blue Bungalow because I wasn't thrilled with the colors I used so there's lots of leftovers from ripping out stitches in that jar. 

Get Crafty For The Troops And Homeless Dogs

Stitching Corp is a group that started out sending cross stitched Christmas ornaments to the troops and their families, and now they're accepting other handmade items (bookmarks, greeting cards, key rings, bags for wheelchairs & walkers) all year long.  I heard about Stitching Corp via CyberStitchers.com, which has a list of charities that collect cross stitch projects.  By the way, Stitching Corp, has a huge list of sites that offer free x-stitch patterns. 

I have several ornaments started that I should add to my 2012 WIPocalypse list so I can finish them and send to Stitching Corp.

This was posted back in October 2011 but they need bags for 500 dogs so I'm guessing it's an ongoing project.  Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in England is calling on sewing crafters to make scented bags to hang in their dogs' kennels to keep them calm while they wait for new homes.  You can find out more about making the bags and get a pattern for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to put on them here.

Did you know that a group of kittens is called a kindle?  I just read that on the Battersea website. I also found a few dogs I want to adopt.  Did I mention they're located in England?  In 2010, they celebrated their 150th anniversary.  Wow!

It's Drafty In Here

Why do I have a bunch of draft posts?  Oh yeah.  It's because I am really good at starting things and never finishing them. 

Let's see what links are hanging out in my draft posts . . .

From the Make-It-For-Christmas-2012 file: Gingerbread Cottage has a super cute embroidery pattern.  And here's a felt hedgehog ornament from Totally Stitchin' that I'm also going to add to my Hedgehogs-To-Make-Some-Day list.

Speaking of hedgehogs, this hedgehog cross stitch freebie from JB Cross Stitch is new-to-me thanks to the cross stitch blog at Craft Gossip.   By the way, JB Cross Stitch has some cute charts for sale, in addition to more freebies.

I love, love, love this embroidered needlecase from Goosie Girl's and I've had the pattern for awhile but I don't think I ever linked to it before.

Over at Leslie's Art and Sew, there's a sewing pattern and tutorial for a mystery critter.  You can sew one up and then make a face on it any way you want and add anything else too  [link via The Toy Society blog].

How about a felt pincushion from Jenny of Elefantz?  I like this one because it has appliqued fabric flowers on it.   And, it's all hand sewn.

There's an embroidery pattern for a cute mini-sampler (with birds, flowers, alphabet) that's finished in a hoop at Patchwork Posse [link via Denise at Craft Gossip].

Did you know there's an embroidery section on about.com with stitch diagrams, free patterns and lots of information on tools, supplies and techniques?  There is!

Major Cute Alert!  Look at this adorable mushroom needlebook that my friend Loralynn at My Art, My So Called Life just linked to.  She also had a link to the fun Random Tutorial Generator. 

And, if you're like me and like to see classic movie stars and their four-legged friends, here are a couple of fun posts from I Can Has Cheezburger: part 1 and part 2.

Pardon me while I go make something!

WIPocalpyse Check-in Post #1

There was a Full Moon on January 9th so time for the very first 2012 WIPocalpyse update.

To be honest, I have a ton of unfinished cross stitch and embroidery projects that I haven't touched in months but there is one that I have been regularly working on for three months now.  I'm determined to finish it so it's on my list for the 2012 WIPocalypse. Back in September, Artecy Cross Stitch had a free pattern of a painting called Ready for the Morning Ride that I really liked because it was of a donkey and a dog.  (It's available for sale on their site now.)  Even though it was not my usual kind of x-stitch, (I like the quickies that I can turn into little ornaments), I decided to do this one.  I'm using 18ct Aida so it's going to be 13" X 9" when it's finished.  (Sounds like someone is going to get a really big ornament!)

Here's a picture of it I took on January 3rd.

And here's how it looks as of today.  I know it doesn't look like it but I swear there really will be a donkey and a dog in there!

If you'd like to join the 2012 WIPocalypse, go go Measi's Musings and read all about it.  Remember you have until January 15, 2012 to become an official participant and qualify for a prize at the end of the year, but you can join at anytime.

Thank You, Blogger!

Am I the only one who is thrilled to see that Blogger now lets you choose if you want your links to open in a new window? 

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, BLOGGER!!

Now if they could just get me to blog more often.

WIPocalypse 2012 List

I'm supposed to make a list of UFOs & WIPs (cross stitch projects that have been started and either abandoned or are currently being worked on) that I plan to finish this year for the 2012 WIPocalypse.  I still need to go through what I have but I know of a few that I really would love to get finished this year:

1.  Ready for the Morning Ride from Artecy Cross Stitch-- I started this in September and have been working on it since.  It will be 12" X 9" when it's completed so it will take awhile but I like stitching it.

2.  Halloween ornament for um . . . someone -- Started this in 2009 for a blog friend.  I need to re-stitch "2012" on it and add some backing fabric and stuff it.

3.  Scottie pillow -- Not a cross stitch but I'm putting it on the list because it's my first real attempt at applique, and dang it, it's cute and needs to get done.

4.  Three little dog x-stitch freebies that I did when my knee was broken (the second time).  I may turn them into a needlecase but haven't decided yet.

I know I have a few more to add but this will do for now.  Having a short list makes me feel like I may actually finish all four of these by the end of the year. 

If you would like to join the 2012 WIPocalpyse, hosted by Melissa of Measi's Musings, go here.  By the way, sign-ups will close on January 15th so get over there now!

My Final TUSAL Report

Time for my final TUSAL ort report of 2011!  Woohoo!  I can't believe I actually stuck with it this time.  This is the third year I started the Totally-Useless-Stitch-A-Long (aka the TUSAL) and the first time I made it all the way to the end.  In 2010, I didn't even make it past January.  But this year, I posted pictures of my orts jar all year long. Pardon me while I run outside to see if pigs are flying.

Thank you to Sharon over at It's Daffycat for hosting the 2011 TUSAL!!

If saving your thread ends, adding them to a clear jar of some kind and sharing a picture of that jar on your blog on the new moon (usually once a month but sometimes there are two new moons in one month) sounds like fun to you, consider joining the 2012 TUSAL.  All the details are here on It's Daffycat. 

By the way, I find it very odd that my jar is nearly full yet I haven't finished many cross stitch or embroidery projects this year.  I have a bunch that are half-done or nearly done but hardly any finishes. 

And, as much as I would like to claim I did, I did not make that hedgehog.  It came with a book, The Hat by Jan Brett, that my sister got me a few years ago when I was going through my hedgehog phase.

Join WIPocalypse 2012

You know how the world is supposed to end in December 2012?  Well, here's some motivation for to get you to finish all those WIPs and UFOs before it's all over and done with.  Go to this post on Measi's Musings for all the info on WIPocalypse 2012.

I had to join this because I have so many things that need to be finished but I'll wait until January to get started.  First, I have to figure out what I'm making for Christmas this year.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

Occupy Your Sewing Room

Click for more details!

[Link via the Quilting blog at Craft Gossip]

A Year With Pumpkin

Oh no, I almost forgot to post about Pumpkin.  Today is her Gotcha Day.  Actually, both Lucy and Pumpkin were adopted on December 1st last year but Pumpkin had to stay at the shelter to be spayed so she didn't move in until December 3rd.  I sometimes call her Chunkin Punkin, which has nothing to do with catapulting pumpkins across an open field but because she needs to lose some weight.  OK, now I feel bad about calling her that.  But Pumpkin wags her tail no matter what you call her.  Just don't call her late for dinner. 

One Year With Lucy

Today is Lucy's Gotcha Day.  Since we don't know her actual birthday, we celebrate the day she was adopted and that was December 1st, 2010.  Here's a picture of Lucy from last January with my empty orts jar.  (Actually, that's not the jar I ended up using.)  She looks like she has a beard.  It's been an interesting year.  At one point, I didn't think we could keep Lucy but things are so much better now and she has turned out to be a great dog.  Ok, she is still a little nuts but we love her so much.

Happy Gotcha Day, Lucy!

November Ort Report AKA TUSAL Update

Hello from the kitchen table!  I am so not used to this and still not sure if I like it but here I am on a laptop in the kitchen.  And there's Mark Harmon on the TV across the room.  An episode of "NCIS" that I've probably already seen 15 times.  Now, let's see if I can find the picture I took of my orts jar.

Eureka! 

For those of you who just tuned in, an orts jar is where I save my floss ends.  You know the pieces of embroidery thread that are too short to use anymore.  I throw them in the jar and then every month around the time of the new moon, I post a picture of my orts jar for the 2011 Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long aka TUSAL.  And that's the one for November.  Only one more photo to go for the year.  I've been using the same jar all year and the thing I can't figure out is why my jar is nearly full yet I have so few completed cross stitch and embroidery projects.  Obviously, the neighbors are sneaking in at night and dumping their orts in my jar.

Want to join the 2012 TUSAL?  This isn't a contest.  It's just a fun thing to do on your blog.  I've started it three times and twice I never got past posting a February picture.  I'm amazed I've just about made it through the entire year this time.  When I thought I couldn't use my old camera with this lap top, I was bummed I wouldn't be able to post any TUSAL pictures for the last few months of 2011.  Anyway, Sharon over at It's Daffycat is the host of the TUSAL and she is now taking sign-ups for 2012.  Check out this post for all the details.  Please join -- it's fun! 

October TUSAL Update

Yeah, I know it's November 12 so it's a little late to post a TUSAL picture for October but I just found out that plugging my old camera into my sister's laptop will prompt Windows to automatically download a driver so the camera works with the computer. Who knew? Apparently, not HP.   Anyway, here's a not-so-good picture of the current state of my orts jar.  Complete with a scratched up desk.

To find out more about the TUSAL aka the Totally-Useless-Stitch-A-Long, check out It's Daffy Cat.  Sharon will soon be taking sign-ups for TUSAL 2012.

It's dark and rainy here today but now that I know I can still use my camera, I'll get some pictures of what I'm working on as soon as it the sun comes out again.

Calling All Geeks

Update:  Happy news -- I plugged my camera into the lap top and it automatically downloaded a driver so I can still use my camera.  Yay!  Thank you to Jenn, fullnovembermoon and Susan for your help!

So my computer couldn't be fixed.  Which really is not a big deal because I hated it.  It used to do this weird thing where it would lapse into a coma if I left it alone for 12 minutes.  Or 37 minutes.  It was never consistent.  You know how your computer will go to sleep after awhile and then you jiggle the mouse to wake it up?  Well, mine never woke up.  The light was on behind the darkened screen but no one was home.  From stuff I read on Google, there were other people with this same problem -- people with laptops and desktops from different manufacturers -- and guess what we all had in common?  Windows Vista.  I used to curse Bill Gates nearly every day.  Even though I doubt he had anything to do with Vista.


The good news is the tech guy was able to save all my pictures, my 14,987 embroidery patterns, and my iTunes. He pulled out the hard drive and transferred everything to a laptop.  This laptop has Windows 7 and the bad news there isn't a Windows 7 driver for my camera because it's too old.  I had to download drivers from Microsoft for my camera, scanner and printer to get them to work with Vista.  Apparently, I can't do this for Windows 7.


I haven't starting Googling yet but does anyone know if there are other places besides Microsoft to get drivers for things like older cameras so you can use them with Windows 7?  I might need to call Leo Laporte.


For now, my blog will be photo-free since I can't upload anything to the laptop.  So that means you won't be able to see all the lovely projects the one embroidery I've finished over the past few weeks.  And I couldn't post an October picture for the TUSAL. 

I'm off to cross stitch something that you'll probably never see. Have a good week!

It's Owl Calendar Time

Get your printer fired up because it's time to make your 2012 owl calendar.

 

(Click me)

Thank you, My Owl Barn!!

Random Photo Thursday

The other night, I finished the Halloween embroidery for the September Stitch-A-Long on Feeling Stitchy.  I'd love to show you a picture of it but I can't download any photos right now because my computer has stopped working.  I can turn it on but then it tells me my registry is corrupt and that it hates me.  From what I've learned through Google, it can be fixed but that will involve making a slave of my hard drive (or something like that) so I don't lose any files, and I know that should be left to the professionals, so hopefully I can find one of them to fix it soon.  I'm using my sister's computer (thank you, Susan!) and it's been loads of fun trying to remember passwords so I can log into Facebook and Blogger and AOL.  Does anyone know why my Gmail user name is my AOL email address?  Shouldn't it just be my name?  I'm confused.  Anyway, since I can't show you my SAL embroidery, (which I will soon be turning into a pillow), please enjoy a picture that shows you how many emails I had a week ago.  Either I'm really popular or just really bad about answering my email.


And look at this cute ghost garland from Ginger & George.  I need to make one of those!