REMEMBER THIS?

It started early this year....

Mo-ther: Stewey, have you decided what you would like to be for Halloween?

Stewey: Yes, I want to be Super Girl.

Mo-ther: Super Girl?  Why not something fun like a zombie or a ghost or a vampire? (She frantically tries to remember what other costumes are stashed away in the carefully labeled bin in the guest room closet). Oh!  I know!  How about a lady bug!  You always wanted to be a lady bug!

Stewey:  Lady bugs are sooooo 2012, Mo-ther.  I want to be Super Girl.

Mo-ther carefully ponders just what will be involved in assembling a Super Girl outfit, and whether or not her limited skills will result in a successful outcome, or an unfortunate mess that will cause yet another epic tantrum.

Mo-ther:  OK.  Super Girl it is, but on one condition.  Under no circumstances are you to wear your wiglet.

Stewey:  The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize, Mo-ther.  Now pass me my tights and cape.

SOUP WEATHER

It's 48 degrees outside and not much warmer inside.  I play this game every year...how long can I go before firing up the furnace?  I love it cold...makes the blanket and fireplace seem all the more cozier!

Today's agenda is to finish Cotton Candy!  I haven't stitched in a day or two because I'm closing in on coloring the final page of my first Angie Grace coloring book!

ONE RED LEAF - A PROFOUND THOUGHT FROM MASTER STEWEY ANGUS WILLOWSWAMP, HIS VERY DEEP LITTLE SELF

My mom can't come to the blog right now....she's on the back patio, gawping like a cod fish at something or other.  Moments ago, when I went outside for my morning constitutional and general inspection of each and every blade of grass, I heard the old lady bellowing.

"Stewey!", she hollered.  "Look at this bright yellow tree with one red leaf!"

It's not unusual for Mo-ther to holler about complete nonsense, but this time the portly old dear just might be on to something...

If you look closely, you might see a small black dot in the relative center of the picture above.  Let's see if I can get a little better view for you...

See it now?  One red leaf in the midst of all of that glorious yellow.  

I'm not normally one to wax poetic, but even I can see the significance of this lovely moment....perhaps we should all strive to be that one red leaf on the yellow tree of life.

(Oh, that was just ghastly.  I feel the need to retch delicately into my handkerchief now.)

Here's hoping that your weekend is filled with lovely moments.

With love from your pal, 

Stewey

RUN FOR THE BORDER!

OK, maybe I really have lost my mind.  The background of this piece is supposed to be filled in with the stitch in my inner border.  But if I do that, I am going to lose the separation between two of the blocks in the center design that are too close in color to the border.

So the original plan was to just do two rows of that border stitch with some space in between, but then I decided to fill the center of those two border rows with a scotch stitch.

I also found the perfect beads after fishing around the studio for a short bit.  I'm gonna tart this baby up like a Vegas show girl!

Woo Hoo!

MONDAY...AGAIN!

We had a lovely weekend here at Chez Spinster.  Quiet, but lovely.  I've completed the center and am now working on the background of Cotton Candy.  As soon as I finish what's in that mug and get the dishwasher unloaded, I'm going to get right back to it!

HAIL TO THE V!

When I was in college, I made a weekly trip to Macri's Deli for a veggie pita.  (OK, maybe it was more than weekly, but it was cheap and I was in college, so who's counting).  Anywhoose, for some strange reason I awoke at the crack of dawn a few days ago craving a veggie pita.

I am happy to report that I think, for the very first time in my pitiful little life, I have nailed it!  I came home from the grocery with the necessary provisions, sliced and diced and microwaved, and voila!  It was 1987 all over again.

Simple enough, really...flatbread, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and shredded cheese.  After a quick zap, a bit of cucumber ranch dressing and nom nom nom!  I have to ask...who's happier than me?

* Stewey tells me that the V in Hail to the V has absolutely nothing remotely to do with vegetables, but I'm too busy preparing tomorrow's culinary adventure to argue with him.

** Stewey also tells me that Macri's Deli is still in business (but in a different location) and that they still have the Veggie Pita on their menu and that I could have driven there in three and a half minutes to get one, but it's the Friday night of the Notre Dame/ USC weekend and I'm not going anywhere other than my Happy Chair and a few hot soapy tubs!

THE THURSDAY NIGHT VIEW FROM THE HAPPY CHAIR

Progress continues, but I did add some additional floss colors.  There just wasn't enough contrast between the existing colors, so I pulled 919 and 920 and gave it a whirl.

It's probably too warm outside for a fire, but I decided to dial up the cozy and give my Stewey Little some bun toasting time.  He's so happy he might actually forego watering the drapes tonight!

Woo Hoo!

TUESDAY TUESDAY

From Angie Grace "Wow"...I'm using Bic Mark-It permanent markers with ultra fine points:

"Cotton Candy" from Stickideen Von Der Wiehenburg Designs in the March/April issue of Needlepoint Now... the variegated thread is Wildflowers Sheherezade, DMC floss in 434, 436, 3834, and 3835:

I asked the ladies at guild last night if there is a correlation between color choices and food cravings.  Do you suppose they're correct that all of this dark brown means I need to eat more chocolate?

MONDAY MONDAY

Updates abound!

I made some pretty good progress on Cotton Candy.  After months of not stitching my fingers feel rather clumsy and I almost impaled myself with my laying tool a few times, but so far so good!

Master Stewey is loving the sunshine today:

My view from the dining room table.  Erin is updated with all of my appointments and to dos.  I swear, it's a lot more fun to write "take the trash out" when you have a cute little sticker as an accessory!

Here's the latest coloring page and the next one ready to go!

And finally, a few that I completed yesterday in between laundry loads and swishing the dishes around:

That's about it for now...I hope your week is off to a fabulous start!

SATURDAY SPINSTER BLISS

The afternoon light is just so gorgeous this time of year....I almost hold my breath for the color change!

Stewey has decided that 4pm is "spaceship" time, and I'm happy to oblige him by filling said spaceship with a few scoops of Purina Little Bites, because it's the only time I can be assured that he's getting adequate nutrition.  Damn dog and his dainty eating habits.

I went to guild today and have started the project: Cotton Candy by Stickideen Von Der Wiehenburg Designs.  It's on page 31 of the March/April 2015 issue of Needlepoint Now.  It sure feels good to have a needle in my hands again!

My second Angie Grace coloring book is on its way to me now, along with some new markers.  I am experimenting, and have discovered that I really love Bic Mark-Its in ultra fine in addition to the Sharpie ultra fines.  I did have a little revelation yesterday as I was grabbing threads for today's project....I think all of the coloring is really going to help me with color selection in stitching!  So here I was, worried that my new obsession with coloring would ruin my obsession with stitching, and I think it's actually going to ENHANCE it!

Who's happier than me?

COLORING MY WORLD...

I'm more than a little obsessed with Angie Grace coloring books and ultra fine Sharpie markers.  Methinks I have found the paper and ink equivalent of Laura J. Perin and Vineyard Silks!

THE FRIDAY REPORT

I love the way Stewey collects his cookies and pumpkins from around the house and stores them in his apartment:

Only a page or so to go:

I think this one is my favorite thus far:

Goal this weekend....finish this!

So now I'm off to the dining room table to tackle some paperwork, do a little menu planning, and write a grocery list.  I'm thinking chili in the crock pot and some corn muffins just might do the trick.

I hope that your weekend is filled with nothing but bliss.....

Woo Hoo!

Coni