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!

Cute Cute Cute Cottage Door Hanger

Awhile ago, Sara from The Split Stitch posted a tutorial for the cutest little cottage door hanger.  It's applique and she used Heat'n Bond so I'm adding it to my list of things to make because I heart the Heat'n Bond.  Have you met Heat'n Bond yet?  I love it so much, I'm ready to marry it.

Download Pumpkin Stencils For A Good Cause

If you download a pumpkin stencil from Better Homes and Gardens, a $2 donation will be made to one of these charities:  March of Dimes, Rebuilding Together, Big Brothers Big Sisters or Susan G Komen for the Cure.  Go here for more information.

The September ORT Report

I totally forgot there was a new moon the other day and I didn't want another day to go by without a picture of my orts jar for the TUSAL so here ya go:

The black and white thing in the background is Lucy, asleep on my desk, and the "spooky" is the embroidery I'm working on right now.  It's for the September SAL on Feeling Stitchy. Obviously, I did not do much stitching on it.

I'm going rogue and skipping linking to anything tonight so if this post confuses you, go Google "TUSAL" and/or "It's Daffycat" and all will be explained.  Maybe.

Good night!

Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week

I know I tend to go on and on and on about adopting dogs, especially on Facebook, but I can't help it.  About ten years ago, I was a volunteer for a dog rescue and I had to go to local animal shelters to check on Lhasa Apsos, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians and other small breeds, that were being considered for the rescue.  (Now that I think about it, unless they were adopted or pulled by another rescue group, we pretty much took all of the ones I went to see.)  I was new to visiting shelters -- my dogs had all been pet store puppies from friends so I had never been to animal control -- and seeing so many dogs waiting for homes was so sad.  There were just too many and not enough people to adopt them or enough rescue groups to save them.   And, knowing many of them would end up being put down broke my heart.

As you can imagine, some dogs are more "adoptable" than others.  Older animals and those that are blind or deaf have a tougher time finding a home.  I was told many times by rescuers that the least adopted dogs were the big black ones.  This week, September 17 through September 25, has been designated Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet-Week by Petfinder to promote animals that are harder to place.  Petfinder is a wonderful website you can use to search for a dog, or cat, or hamster, guinea pig, turtle, bunny, etc. that's up for adoption in your area.)

 

You can be a part of ALAPW by posting animals that are in need of homes on your blog, Facebook or Twitter.  Read more about that here. 

And, if you live in Ohio and are looking to adopt a small dog, please check out a couple of seniors that need homes:

Ripley

and Ollie 

If only I could take them both!

Edited to add Blog Hop code.

Feeling Stitchy Contest

 

Feeling Stitchy is holding a fun contest called Covered in Stitches. To enter, stitch a book cover that's either based on the real cover of any book or come up with your own design.  You can embroider it, cross stitch it, crewel it, etc., on any fabric, of any size.  (Crewel is not a verb, is it?)  Click the graphic above to get all the details.

September 11, 2011

I was still asleep when the planes flew into the towers but I woke up in time to see the first tower fall.  I don't remember crying much back then.  I think at first I was too stunned that this had happened and I was scared, and then I was just horrified for those people on the planes and in the buildings.

We watched TV for hours and hours.  It broke my heart to see people walking around the streets of New York with pictures of family members and friends who were missing.  Didn't leave the house until two days later only because I had to take my dog to the vet to get her spay stitches out.  It wasn't until I was eating dinner that night that it hit me that it was my birthday.

I've found it really difficult to watch specials on TV about 9/11 this week.  I start crying, which happens often when I watch sad things on television, but then I find myself having to get up and walk away.  It's like I can't bear to see any of it, even if it's just people remembering about that day.  There's a song by Bruce Springsteen that he wrote about the firefighters who went into the towers to save people.  I wanted to post a video of it here today.  The first version I found on You Tube starts off with photos of the World Trade Center towers as they once were.  Then there are pictures of flames and smoke coming out of the buildings and I realized I couldn't watch the video any longer.  I think I'm crying more now than I did ten years ago.

"Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children."
– President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

 – Bruce Springsteen, Into the Fire

Works In Progress...Sort Of

I'm not quite sure what happened but I could only find one picture of a pillow I'm working on. It's my first attempt at applique the right way -- I used Heat n Bond on my Scottie dog cut outs and then blanket stitched them to the pillow cover.  This other time, I sewed an embroidered piece on to the top of a wool case for my iPod but I had no idea what I was doing and didn't use Heat N Bond or turn the edge under or anything like that so it doesn't count as applique.  Anyway, I'm close to finishing this pillow.  The pattern and idea came from Bustle and Sew.

Every two weeks, Artecy shares two free cross stitch patterns, and after seeing the one with a donkey and a dog and finding I had a large enough piece of Aida this afternoon, I decided to stitch it.  I have the very upper left corner done so far and I can tell this one is going to be a challenge.  It will be 12" X 9" when it's finished -- I hardly ever stitch anything that big -- and I used five different colors of floss today and I swear they are all various shades of grayish beige.  If you click that link after September 8th, you won't see the donkey and dog cross stitch because there will be two new free charts available but you can probably find it for sale on the site.  It's called Ready for the Morning Ride by John Emms.  Looks like he painted a lot of dogs and horses in his time.  I know nothing about fine art but hey, I like dogs and horses.  And donkeys.

The "sort of" in the post title has to do with the Hallowe'en Trio stitch-a-long over at Feeling Stitchy.  I know I'm going to do it; I just haven't started yet.  I have to get moving though since it's a SAL for September and we're already a week into the month.

Ok, I am now going to work on my donkey and dog cross stitch and make a bunch of grayish beige X's until I get bored.

Vote Early! Vote Often!

Ok, you can only vote once but if you read this before 11:59 PM PST Sunday September 4, please go here and vote for Belinda's quilt block.  The poll is in the right sidebar.  You won't have to register or anything -- just vote!  Thank you!  (And, if you've already voted earlier in the week, you can vote again now since it's down to these three finalists.) 

Belinda is the designer behind Blue Ribbon Designs and I love her cross stitch charts.  Plus she's a very nice person.  :)

Nothing To Do With Duran Duran

So, it's time for another new moon (on Monday) and that means I need to share another picture of my orts jar for the TUSAL aka the Totally Useless Stitch-a-long. 

Next to my orts jar, are a couple of embroideries that recently did.  They are part of a set so I still have three more to do.  (I'll tell you more about them in my next post.)

Thanks to Sharon over at It's Daffycat for hosting the TUSAL!