Thanks to Aunt Chrissy, I am now the proud owner of the First Official Spinster Stitcher Annual Ort Collection System:
At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, I will have the ceremonial transfer of all the year's orts into this spanky new jar (which shall be labeled "2009" as soon as I can figure out how to use the rub-on transfers that came with in the gift bag.)Stop that whispering...I can hear you say "Man, this chick REALLY needs to get a life!" from all the way over here in Hoosierville. You knew what you were getting into when you started reading this here blog, so move along. Crazy Spinster sightings will continue with regularity, I promise!
Speaking of moving along, I finished the next lesson on the Raymond Crawford Mystery Class from Bedecked and Beadazzled:
I'm not sure what I'm enjoying most about this project....the design, the stitches, the threads, or the fact that for the first time in my stitchy life I am just going with the flow and not trying to "matchy matchy" this thing to death. As you all know by now, I am very "canvas challenged", so getting this far without a major meltdown is quite an accomplishment for me. Polite golf clap, please.What I'm even more pleased about is that this project has convinced me that I can really love painted canvases as long as I have help from a professionally written stitch guide. To that end, I am thinking that I will start the "Bohemian Paisley" canvas for which Janet Perry wrote me an excellent one. All I need to do is gather the threads and away we go!
I swore that was not going to plan my stitching for 2010, but keep thinking of things that I would like to do in the New Year. Normally, I spend the entire week between Christmas and New Year's Eve stressing out over a SYSTEM that I will perfectly execute in the coming year. This year, I really don't want to do that, so I'm taking a Valium (or two, or three, or ten), and just going with whatever strikes my fancy. If I feel like cross stitch, then cross stitch it shall be. Counted canvas...the very same. And if I feel like doing them all at once with my eyeballs crossed and toes curled, then so be it!
So I suppose that I hereby resolve that 2010 will be the YEAR OF DOING WHATEVER I DAMN WELL FEEL LIKE AND NOBODY CAN TELL ME OTHERWISE!
(That's only for stitching, of course. My real list of resolutions could wallpaper a small country.)
Happy Tuesday to all, and to all some good stitching!
Your system is wonderful, thank God for Aunt Chrissy :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I must say, I too am going with the "do what I damn well feel like" this year :)
Not sure about the orts but hey, we all have our little ways......lol! Absolutely agree about the go with the flow method, because, let's face it, the goal idea always goes completely pear shaped around about Thanksgiving when you realise you made precisely one of the ornaments and your friends/family will fight over it and you haven't touched at least six of those charts that you kitted so carefully in January! One thing I will think carefully about is exchanges as that is what stresses me out everytime - I get ADD in a big way trying to find the PERFECT chart and then spend my stitching time obsessing over whether my partner will like it! I need a finishing class too! Happy New Year, Coni!
ReplyDeleteI love your new ort system. Merry Christmas is coming along nice. I love that canvas.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and Stewey (and Aunt Chrissie & Bosco) had a great Christmas. Here's wishing all of you a fantasticly Happy New Year -- 2010 - the year of doing whatever you want to do when you want to do it!
ReplyDeleteYou know, you can use those orts to stuff ornaments and such, instead of poly-fil. I feel so "green" when I recycle my orts! Love your current canvas. It's soooo dynamic! Just like you....Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI like your new 'system' ! I think I will do that too... for a change. Thanks for the giggle.
ReplyDeleteThe Merry Christmas canvas is heavenly. I would have never thought of using sequins that way. A good stitch guide is worth its weight in gold. But I will stay with my yearly stitching goals. Sure, I won't finish all of them, but I will at least have a list to look at first before the stitchy goodness in my sewing room overwhelms me.
ReplyDeleteMay 2010 be all that you hope for.
I actually started saving my orts in a jar because of your blog! I was thinking in the spring I could put them - just the orts, not the jars, in the garden for the birds to use in their nests. But then, I love Marnie's idea of using them to stuff ornaments!
ReplyDeleteHow does Master Stewey feel about the new, "do what I damn well feel like this year" plan?
Tell it all sista!!! My plan is your plan....Do what ever turns you on!~~ Keep on a stitchin'..
ReplyDeleteI love your ort idea! I think I'm going to adopt it in 2010 and then maybe fill a clear glass ornament.
ReplyDeleteI love your ort idea. I think I'm going to adopt it for 2010! Also like your go with the flow plans..sounds good to me.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Coni & Stewey!
ReplyDeleteConi, as so many have said before me, I love to read your blog every day - for the humor and for the hints that I may be "normal" to some people.
ReplyDeleteLove your "Merry Christmas" - you're much further along than I am! I want to tell you to go to Amy's Golden Strand site the instant you read this comment. They are having a 25% off sale this week on everything in stock. To me, the most important thing is the DVDs called "How'd You Do That?" There are 8 DVDs, and 6 are on sale this week. DVD 1 has a wonderful tutorial on making a ruffle with Petite Sparkle Rays and similar threads. I dithered for a month on the pink diagonal section of MC because I couldn't figure out how to do the ruffles, and be OCD happy with the results, even with Ruth's directions. I saw the tutorial, and I now have ruffles - and I like them. Your solution looks very cool to me, but if you want to do more...
Your enabling admirer,
Cleta
Well this is a very pretty project but I just stopped in for the first time and I need to know what an ort is? I use to do a lot of counted cross stitching but I have not been able to get a pair of glasses that helps me see the pattern for years now. I have not heard this term. I drive by your home town on my way to visit my family. I live about one hour north of Grand Rapids, Michigan but I grew up and all my family live around the Rossville/Mulberry area.
ReplyDelete