BYE BYE BEIJING

Well, I managed to completely dehydrate myself last night watching the closing ceremonies. I have no freakin' idea what my problem is, but I was WAY into the Olympics this year. Given that I'm not a huge sports fan, this was a very weird two weeks for me. You would have thought that I actually knew what I was watching half the time. There I was yelling and jumping up and down as if I had a clue and a half. I bawled my eyes out when they extinguished the flame and I was so moved to see the highlights of each day projected around the top of the stadium. So I cried so hard I gave myself a headache and had to go to bed with a cold washcloth on my head.

Well, the official consensus on "Primrose Path" is to stop now and leave the center trellis empty of all bud-type motifs. Chrissy took a good look at it and decided that she liked it better without, so without it is! Miss LJP Her Very Self did her model on a pretty green canvas, but I don't think it was marbleized, so I don't feel like too much of a boob for changing it. The pink canvas I used is just so pretty that I'd love for it to show through. So Happy Dance for me on the Primrose Path!

I picked up the September 2008 issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework magazine to see the Halloween Fairy that so many of you are working on, and I found this pretty hardanger piece to play with for autumn. I'm using a 28ct. evenweave in an antique white and Threadworx floss in color #1148. For the accent, I'm using a DMC #8 perle cotton in color #356. So far it's been really nice to work on and I hope to finish it this week.

I promised myself that if I got a few pieces done I would put together my fall basket on September 1st, but I don't know if I'll manage to wait that long. I already know that I want to put a painted canvas in there, along with a couple Laura J. Perins, and my big ass crewel sampler, but I'm not sure what cross stitch charts to do. I'm leaning toward the Shepard's Bush "Into the Night" and a few others, so methinks a few hours up in the studio poking around might be in order tomorrow. (Provided, of course, that I get the laundry done.)

Does anybody else have to bribe themselves to do stuff so that they can play without guilt?

Gotta' run....my boyfriend Anthony Bourdain is in Egypt tonight and I want to tune in!

Oh, and P.S....here are some answers to a few questions I've received in the comments: Hannah, Stewey has his insurance through VPI. I believe that you can find them online at http://www.my.petinsurance.com. Petra: I use stetcher bars and tacks to hold the marbleized canvas for stitching. All are usually available at your LNS or you could check an OLS too. Sheila: ditto for the marbelized canvas. I believe that it is made by Zweigart.