TUSAL and a finish!

First up, this month's TUSAL.  Yes, I KNOW I am days late in posting this.  My right arm has been killing me from working like a madwoman the past two weeks, so I have been limiting my computer use to work only and hardly stitching.

However, I DID manage to finish Morning Brew!

Hodgepodge Cottage Morning Brew

Fabric: Lakeside Linens 32 ct Vintage Winter Sky

Threads:  Crescent Colours

Started:  11/6/11

Finished:  11/30/11

Next up is Lizzie Kate's Ho Ho Ho Quick-It.  Everything is ready to go!

And I have five finishes waiting to be put in my scrapbook.  And I have all of the materials for them.  Just waiting to get a chunk of time, and my new mini paper cutter, which should arrive today via UPS.

October TUSAL

Well, it's that time again, folks, TUSAL!  In rearranging and redoing my office/stitching space I have once again starting placing my orts in a glass container.  I think I did pretty good this month!  The threads are from October Word Play and Quaker Moon.

TUSAL & A New Start

First up, this month's TUSAL.

I have started Country Cottage Needleworks Merry Christmas ornament from this year's JCS ornament issue.

TUSAL & SS Update

Today is TUSAL.  The threads in this are mostly from Strawberry Shortcake, but some from Witchy Kitty also.

I have stitched almost two more blocks on Strawberry Shortcake.  Only a block and a half to go! 

TUSAL & Strawberry Shortcake Update

Here is my TUSAL for today.  All Rainforest Crunch orts and a few on top from Strawberry Shortcake.

And I have been working on Strawberry Shortcake, but discovered that two sides of the box were not matching up, so last night I had to rip out ONE ENTIRE SIDE of the piece!!!  Grrrrrr.  But all is well now and I am moving on.

I also received in today's mail Laura J. Perin's Starry Nights.  Gorgeous pattern.

TUSAL & Rainforest Crunch, the continuing saga

OK. First up is TUSAL.  Quite a bit of threads for the month of June.  Mostly The Peony Garden.

OK.  Now to Rainforest Crunch.  When we last left off, I was doing Rainforest Crunch on 28 count Jobelan with Caron Waterlilies, using two threads over 1.  I got to Block 6 and didn't like how it was coming out.  I restitched the inside about three times and then just said, okay, I've got to move on.  Well, on Block 7 I could not get the threads to lay right.  It looked wrong, just so wrong.  Frustrated is not even the word to describe how I felt.

Then I had the idea to try Aida, as it is stiffer than Jobelan and the threads may lay better.  I tried 14 count Aida and 18 count Aida.  Didn't like it.  Not enough coverage with what I was doing.

So, I said, okay, let me try it like it is supposed to be stitched, with canvas, and Caron Watercolours.  After getting used to how the threads lay and figuring out the best size needle for me (24), and watching a video online about how to start and end threads on needlepoint canvas, here is the result so far.  Block 1 partially done.  And I am liking it!!!  Yes, I know I did not tape the sides of the canvas.  I was too impatient to get started.  I do have a roll of tape now and will tape the next canvas!

BF says he admires my determination to get this project stitched!

And another lesson learned, stitch something on what it is supposed to be stitched, and with the fibers it is supposed to be stitched with, at least for the most part.  The designers know what they're doing. 

TUSAL

Here is my TUSAL update.

And here is the latest progress on The Peony Garden.

May TUSAL

I have decided to do my TUSAL a bit differently from now on.  I am just saving that month's orts, and not keeping a large jar any longer of all of the orts from previous months.  It's just easier for me to do.

This month the orts are from Lemon Chiffon Cake.  Yellow and green and white.

TUSAL

I missed Sunday's TUSAL.  I knew it was on Sunday, but figured I would just do the post on Monday.  WRONG!!!  Monday brought me huge computer issues.  So much so that I had to buy a new laptop AND upgrade my work software, in total to the tune of $1,700!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And two days of my life gone in setting all of that up.  It has been quite the hectic and stressful week already. 

But without further ado, here is my TUSAL update for April.

I started CCN's Blueberry Cake thread pack last night, so stay tuned for pics!

In peace, love, and stitches,
Danielle

March TUSAL

Well, it is that time again!  I definitely added some more thread, but wish it could have been more.  Marshmallow insisted on being in the pic.  That darn bunny!

In peace, love and stitches,
Danielle

Day 3, TUSAL, More Snowman!

Today is Day 3 of the 14 days of Valentine's Day with the dear Parsley.  My gift today was a pack of Archer Farms Cinnamon Vanilla Nut coffee and two Lindt truffles.  I am so going to have that coffee this morning, as my Keurig came with a filter where you don't have to use the K-cups.  And I am sure I will be enjoying the candy later once I start work.  LOL.  Cinnamon is my favorite flavor and smell. Thanks, P!

This being the new moon and all, it is time for another TUSAL!  I do have to say that this month's looks a lot better than last month's, given that I had just started January 1 and the new moon was only a few days after that!

And, finally, I was able to work on Snowman Snippet yesterday and all I have left to do now are the three trees at the bottom!  I will work on this again tonight during American Idol.

Have a terrific Thursday!

In peace, love, and stitches,
Danielle

My iPad case arrived!!!!

Yes, folks, one of my iPad cases finally arrived!!!  I also bought one for $1.  Yes, you read that right.  But it hasn't arrived yet.  The case that did arrive is awesome!!!  The inside is a light gray suede and it has a strap to hold it with your hand when you have the cover bent backwards,  and the other little gadget is a prop of sorts, where you can prop the iPad up when you have it in landscape mode.  I have used that while reading in bed and it's so great and much easier to use.

And I have ever mentioned one of my favorite products on here?  Goo Gone, specifically the spray Goo Gone.  It's the bomb.  It will remove any sticker from a product, in addition to many other things.  I love it!!!

I saw people who are participating in the TUSAL also post a picture of a smaller container they use, and then which they dump in their TUSAL jar.  I have such a container also.  It's a small Longaberger basket that I bought off of their website for $20 on clearance, for everything, the basket, lid, liner, and protector!!!

Parsley and I have decided to do a private Valentine's swap between just the two of us, and we have termed it the 14 days of Valentine's, like the 12 days of Christmas.  We each buy 14 gifts for the other, wrap them, and mail them so they are received by February 1.  From February 1 through February 14 we pick one gift to open and post on our blog.  I can't wait until the unveiling!  I already have 10 of the 14 gifts bought. 

Next Saturday I will be meeting VegasJilly for some stitching and lunch at Panera Bread!  I can't wait.  I don't have any stitchy friends close to me and no one in my family stitches but me.  It's an hour drive for me, but I don't mind at all.  It should be a lot of fun.

I don't think there will be any stitching for me today.  A busy work day looms ahead and I still have to get presentable and go to the bank.  At least we are halfway through the work week!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

In peace, love, and stitches,

Danielle

New TUSAL Jar

OK.  I had to find another jar.  The purple one is just too dark to see the threads.  So, I scrounged around in my collection and found this blue one.  You can see the threads in this picture.  I hope next month to have a lot more in this container!  Thanks to Daffycat for hosting the TUSAL!

In peace, love and stitches,
Danielle

Lots to tell...

First off, my TUSAL jar.  Not much at all in it.  But still an update.  And it is hard to tell, but if you look really close, there is thread in the very bottom of this jar.  I am thinking I should change jars to a clear one.  It's going to be hard to see the threads in this. 

I do have a question about the TUSAL that maybe someone out there can answer.  I did not do the TUSAL last year, so my orts start from January 1, 2011.  But if you did do the TUSAL last year, do you count your orts from the new moon in December 2010 until today, the first new moon of 2011?  That would make sense.

And an update on Where's The Party?  I stitched a tiny bit this morning, finishing the W and the H.  Progress slowly but surely.

Since receiving my iPad and my Nikon Coolpix I have sold both my Kindle and my Kodak EasyShare digital camera on Ebay.  The Kindle sold for $100 and the Kodak camera for $32.  Not bad at all considering I've had my Kindle for a year and a half and the camera is five years old.

I received an e-mail yesterday that my frames for LK Christmas Rules and LK Last Minute December Kit will be here tomorrow!!!  So, maybe I will be able to frame those pieces this weekend.

And I don't know how I neglected to tell all of you this, since I've known for quite a while now, but I was asked to be Stitcher of the Month at The Stitching Post in Catonsville!!!!  I happened to come in the store in early December and they all know me by name there now, and they said, oh, we're so glad you came in, we were just going to give you a call.  And they said that for 2011 they were having a Stitcher of the Month where each month a different person is featured and they bring their framed/finished pieces in and they all go up on this wall with the stitcher's name.  They said my name was at the top of the list!!!  I couldn't believe it.

So, I am Stitcher of the Month for March.  So, at the end of February I need to gather all of the pieces I would like to take in.  My office walls are going to look so bare!!!  So, if you are able to stop by The Stitching Post that month, you'll see my stuff!!!  I will be sure, though, to pop in that month and take a picture of the display to put on my blog.  And for doing it I think each stitcher gets a little gift, like a gift certificate or something.  I would have done it for free, but a gift certificate will be nice!  I try to shop there for most of my stuff, especially fabric and threads.

Well, I am trying my hand, again, at making meatloaf for dinner tonight.  The first time I tried, DISASTER!!  LOL.  Luckily, BF is not picky and is quite the good sport.  But I am sure I will succeed tonight as I have a foolproof recipe.  When I think of meatloaf I always think of the movie A Christmas Story, and the youngest son singing "Meatloaf, meatloaf, double beet loaf."  It makes me crack up every time. 

I hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday!

In peace, love, and stitches,
Danielle

My TUSAL Jar

Michaels had nothing I liked in the way of a TUSAL jar.  And then I remembered I had a few boxes of colored glass jars, bowls, et cetera in the basement from when I was single and my dad and I went to auctions a lot.  So, I searched there, and lo and behold, I found what I was looking for...ready??

A bit ambitious maybe?  I HAD to use this.  It's purple!!!  My favorite color.  Wish me luck.  :)

I also found a new iPad app better than Blogshelf.  It's called Reeder and it taps right into Google Reader.  Blogshelf only allowed 90 feeds.  I read like 285 blogs, people!  

Pandora Jewelry also e-mailed me back and explained you can delete items from your Wishlist and Inventory List in the Pandora Jewelry app on my iPad.  And it worked!  Great instructions and a fairly quick reply.  If anyone would like the instructions, leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll forward you the e-mail I received. I cleaned up my charm wish list to about 18 charms.  I am pretty sure I am going to get a charm for Valentine's Day from BF.  Now, which one do I pick?  :)

Two favorite shows coming back on tonight, Pretty Little Liars and The Bachelor.  And American Idol starts January 19.  Can't wait!!!

In peace, love and stitches,
Danielle

TUSAL

I just joined Daffycat's TUSAL, A Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long, where you collect your orts all year long and post your progress on the date of each New Moon.  There is still time to sign up.  The deadline is today, as the first new moon is tomorrow, January 4!

I am going shopping for a jar today!

In peace, love and stitches,
Danielle