MY INGREDIENTS FOR STITCHY NIRVANNA

28ct linen from Picture This Plus
Threads from Dinky Dyes or Colour & Cotton
A really good chart
11 inch q-snaps
A grime guard and matching project bag
A Bitzy Bob
Gingher scissors
A retractable sharpie
Piecemakers needles in size 24 or 26
A chip clip
A really great needleminder
Jeffrey Dean Morgan making waffles in the kitchen

Here's yesterday's progress on Plum Pudding:

And, after all this time, guess what I figured out!?:

Sure beats losing the darn thing in the Happy Chair (or my booosum!).

Happy Sunday, Dearies! I hope you are having a little bit of your very own Nirvanna today! Come tell me all about it!

SATURDAY ROSES AND THORNS...

The frog made a visit:

But I made delicious grilled chicken gyros for dinner:

Pita, lettuce, grilled chicken, feta cheese, red onion, and homemade tzatziki sauce! Delicious, and exactly what I was craving today!

HAPPY FRIDAY, DEARIES!

So after my very perfect Thursday, guess what I did?

Had bad dreams and tossed and turned all night.

Yup...my mini movie last night was me in the hospital dying and all I wanted was my mom and dad.

Yikes.

I'm sure Dr. Melfi and I will have a field day with that next time I see her, but for now it's a new day and I'm off to the d-chair armed with an extra cup of damn good and a few extra drops of CBD under my tongue.

Stitching was lovely last night...still working on Plum Pudding. I've almost completed the dark purple center and hope to make some really good progress on it today and over the weekend. We are expecting some wicked heat and humidities in these here parts, so aside from pool sploshing, methinks there will be lots of movie watching and stitching to be had.

And maybe a little laundry.

That's it for today, friends. I hope your very own Friday is wonderfully swell and that you'll come tell me all about it!

AND THEN SHE GOT STUPID HAPPY

THE RETURN OF RUMPLE SPINSTER KIN

Chello, Dearies!

Here we are on a Thursday, and I have just hauled my big fat self out of the big girl sleigh bed.

It's going on noon.

As in noon ter noon...a time when most people have been up for hours and are contemplating their second meal of the day rather than their second cup of damn good.

But you know what?

I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I had I good long sleep, because you are my people and (aside from Betty), you won't judge me one little bit for just being me today.

(If I haven't said it lately...I love you all for that!)

Here is the current state of stitchy affairs in this part of Hoosierville today:

I'm chugging right along on Plum Pudding and enjoying every stitch of it. Pulling silk through linen is better than any drug on the market, kids. Trust me...I've tried 'em all!

As soon as I get myself semi-presentable, I'm off to see Dr. Melfi, and then home for a splosh and a lovely healthy dinner. I had groceries delivered last night for the first time (because I had a coupon that covered almost all of the delivery fee thankyouvetymuch), so CS2 is stocked and ready for the foreseeable future, or the weekend.

Whichever comes first.

It's all about smoothies, salads, and grilled ka-bons for this here tubbykins, kids! I'm going to get these next hundred off if it kills me!

Happy Thursday! I hope you are doing all the things that blow your skirt up today! Do something decadent and naughty and come tell me all about it!

THEY REALLY SHOULD MAKE PILLS FOR THIS...

After all of the preparations today, guess what I just decided to stitch next:

Um...why yes...yes it is. 

That is Plum Pudding. Another in the dessert series from Glendon Place.

GRASSHOPPER PIE FEE NEE FEE NEE

Grasshopper Pie

Glendon Place

28ct Pampas by Picture This Plus

All silk threads per the chart from Dinky Dyes

Mill Hill glass seed beads

TUESDAY FUN

I slept in a little, had my damn good and read the paper, ate breakfast, and played in my studio. Four new projects in my stitchy basket for a few weeks of summer stitchy fun:

First up is a little needlepoint canvas by Melissa Shirley. This is a class from Family Needlearts in Phoenix that took place a few weeks ago. I am "ghosting" this and three others remotely:

Summer at Cherry Hill is a good d-chair project because it's a lot of solid color stitching:

With the upcoming holiday, I figured it might be fun to play with Star Spangled Banner from Northern Expressions:

Finally, only a few more beads to go on the lower left corner of Grasshopper Pie, and it will be officially finished,:

That's the report for the day, Dearies! It's hot and humid here in Hoosierville today, but I might slather on the suncreen and go splosh around in the swimming pool...I could really use the exercise and floaty therapy! I hope you are having your very own wonderful Tuesday! Come tell me all about it!

MONDAY VIEWS

EASY LIKE A SUNDAY MORNING AROUND HERE

S...AAAAAHHHHH...TURDAY

First I drank the damn good, then I played the golfing, and then FINALLY I had the first official 2019 splosh in the pool.

I am now home and in the Happy Chair ready to play with beads for a bit before tucking in with a library book.

A very good day, indeed.

FRIDAY STITCHING IN THE D-CHAIR

I'm feeling a bit punk, so decided to distract myself with a quick visit with my Dearies. This morning it was a bit of a mad dash to find something to tuck into my bag, but I'm happy with the choice, because I somehow managed to stitch all of those fill-in stitches on the dress. If my Starbucks kicks in when I get home, I might be able to complete the entire woman.

Yes, I am still treating myself even though I missed Wednesday, because my absence was doctor-induced and not me playing hookie.

Damn doctor. Four hours of waiting, an invasive and painful exam, and ten minutes of mumbling before he exited with nary a question answered. I will return to my original ophthalmologist and let HER tell me the results of the exam and next steps.

So phooey on him.

My hands and feet are sporting their summer fun, so I suppose I should follow suit and get in that darn swimming pool! I have yet to do so this year, and I just know that's the cause of my recent attitude problem. A little sun and some sploshing about with fix whatever ails me, I just know it.

So that's it for now. Another few minutes and I can unhook, bandage up, and go home.

What's on your agenda for the day?

HAPPY SUMMER, DEARIES!

Before:

And during:

WHOOPS, I DID IT AGAIN!

Grasshopper Pie

Glendon Place

28ct Pampas linen by Picture This Plus

Dinky Dyes silk threads

Well, Dearies, I did it again with the finishing of the stitching on something. Today I will REALLY finish her with her beads, but I was too excited not to share.

Quiet and trying to gather my wits today. I am heading over to get my nails done in a bit and then going to the library for another stack of books. Then, methinks it will be lasagna for dinner with a nice baguette and a salad.

Who could possibly be happier than Yours Truly?

CIRQUE DES COEURS FEE NEEEEE!

Cirque des Coeurs

Ink Circles

28ct Picture This Plus in Fog

WDW Julian

I think she is my largest finish ever, Dearies, and boy o boy did it feel good! The linen is really quite pretty despite my craptastic photo, and the thread is equally so. I started this on March 2 of last year, used exactly 15 skeins of thread, and put the final stitches into it at the stroke of midnight. 

The plan is to shop for a frame online and tackle this myself with the help of tutorials from Danielle and Vonna on the Flosstube.  Then, if I don't completely screw it up, I'm going to attempt a few other things that are snoozing in the Fuppy box.

No d-chair for me today. I had an unfortunate reaction to the trauma/nightmare/four hour hostage situation from yesterday, so it's back to bed I go. (Don't cry for me Argentina...it's just part of being me these days.) 

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A STITCHER WHEN...

You spend FOUR HOURS at the eye doctor, but you don't mind sitting in the eye doctor's office for FOUR HOURS because you were smart enough to remember your stitching and you spend the entire FOUR HOURS stitching happily away while everybody in the eye doctor's office asks you what you're doing.

FOUR HOURS later, I am happy to report that I have only one moteef to go!

TUESDAY...TUESDAY

MONDAY...MONDAY

WHY I LOVE THE STARBUCKS BY THE SPINSTER STITCHER HER VERY SELF

It probably comes as no surprise, but I work on a reward system.

In other words, I bribe myself on a regular basis to live my life as a grown ass adult who should know better, but somehow has the operating capacity of a very lazy, very spoiled two year old.

On Friday afternoons, if I have attended all three of my dialysis treatments that week, I stop at the Starbucks for a treat.

For the last few months that treat has been a Venti Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

(Pause for your smirk when you realize what's coming next).

Do you have any idea how many calories are in one of those puppies?!

I sure didn't, but in an effort to get back on the wagon today I decided to look.

Yikes!

So when I pulled into the Starbucks today, I gave the lovely barista my long sob story over the speaker thingie in the drive-thru and told her that I am a portly spinster dialysis patient who treats herself to the Starbucks on Friday afternoons if I have attended all three of my treatments that week but that I need to lose another hundred pounds and  make better life choices both in terms of my eating and drinking habits as well as the facacta shape of my eyebrows but I reallyreallyreally like that damn Venti Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew and I just cannot picture myself being a nonfat soy chai skinny type of person no matter how hard I pretend to be so.

Guess what?

A venti cold brew with no-sugar vanilla syrup and non-fat milk tastes EXACTLY like the full-sugar full-fat version for about one tenth the calories!!!

So apparently, I'm doing THIS now.

(But if you see me asking for the ranch dressing on the side instead of drinking a vat of it with a piece of lettuce, call somebody, because I've clearly been replaced by an alien.)

(Same goes for ordering a burger without the bun.)

Another good day on the machine, Dearies! I am very close to figuring out the trick, but I think it has to do with the addition of CBD oil to my treatment prep. For all I know, the hype is all hooey, but my therapist suggested it as a last resort, and the transplant team approved my use of it. I put a dropper full under my tongue on the way out the door and also rub a few drops onto my access site, and I seem to get through the needle insertion a little easier. It still hurts bad enough to make me see stars, but I don't go into full-on panic attack mode.

I stitched the entire treatment again today and watched Flosstube. Thanks to Danielle/Stitcherista and Pam and Steph/Just Keep Stitchin', I was grinning from ear to ear and enjoying myself completely.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a pool day here in Hoosierville. I haven't been to the pool yet this year because of weather and biopsies, but I am determined to remedy that if at all possible!

Happy, happy, Friday, my very sweet and precious friends! I hope your weekend is filled with all things wonderful! Come tell me all about it!

SPINSTERDAY SNUGGLY BLISS

The day has dawned cold and rainy, and I am snuggled under my magic blanket with my second cup of damn good, my crackpot spinster fireplace, and my stitching:

I don't know how I did it, but I somehow managed to stitch during my entire treatment yesterday! The dialysis gods must have been looking out for me, since I didn't pass out or get sick even once.

(A lovely surprise miracle, to be sure.)

For many, it would seem that I am in a huge stitchy rut with Cirque des Coeurs, but I am happily plodding along to what I hope will be a finish this month. I have reached the uppermost row of hearts and think I have just a few to complete...maybe four or five. I've promised myself that as soon as this one is finished, I might self-frame it using all of the excellent online tutorials from Danielle and Vonna, and then move on to Grasshopper Pie.

After the rigid structure of Maynia, I am rather enjoying the ramble through happy pieces. I might repeat that rotation schedule in August or September with autumnal projects, but for now I seem to be quite content playing with one or two things as the fancy strikes.

I am still completely obsessed with 11x 11 q-snaps with matching grime guards and project bags:

This set came from the Etsy from a shop called: MargaretLeeNeedleArt.

I do have several new summer bags made (thanks to Aunt Chrissy) with enough fabric left over, so I suppose if I get industrious, I could whip up a few more sets.

Speaking of Aunt Chrissy, she and Bosco were here for a visit and I thoroughly enjoyed getting my Aunt Tubby cuddles in. That little guy is still as sweet and perfect as ever, and seeing him for a few days was exactly what my poor tender heart needed. He gets me...always has. I still miss my Stewey fiercely, but a sloppy kiss every now and then from my puppytot nephew is just the perfect antidote!

Well, Dearies, I suppose that's enough of a blather for today. I hope you are enjoying a happy, healthy, stitchy Thursday wherever you are and that your heart is content. Thank you for your well wishes, prayers, and happy thoughts. As always, they are so appreciated that I sometimes think I will simply burst from gratitude!

Do something fun and come tell me all about it!

IN WHICH THE SPINSTER BECOMES...QUIET

MONDAY

Hi, Dearies.

I'm sorry I've been a bit distracted the last few weeks, but I was dealing with several health issues. In addition to my eye problem, I had two troublesome mammograms and an ultrasound, and then had a biopsy last Thursday.

Everything is fine, but the procedure and waiting for results took a lot out of me it seems.

I'll be back in the saddle soon...I promise. I just need a few days to breathe and reboot.

SUNDAY...SUNDAY

Cirque des Coeurs

Ink Circles

28ct Picture This Plus linen in Fog

WDW Julian thread

WEDNESDAY BLISS...

With Luciano supervising, how could anything possibly go wrong today?

OH....LUCIANO!

I just got back from taking myself to the movies. I saw Ron Howard's documentary on Pavarotti, and I just never wanted it to end.

Oh, Maestro...how much I wish I would have known you!

TUESDAY SPINSTER BLISS...

Good morning, Dearies! Here we are on a gloomy Tuesday, and I am as happy as a fat little clam. My hangover has almost lifted, the apartment is quiet and cool, and I have a completely free day ahead of me to do nothing but my Fab Five...read, write, stitch, cook, and sleep.

I seem to be making good progress on Cirque, so I might just continue with it for a bit. I didn't stitch post treatment, but I did get several minutes in while in the d-chair before passing out. When I finally sat upright again, my Flosstube videos were still playing and my needle was neatly tucked into my old lady t-shirt, so I suspect that I had a few wits about me before closing my eyes.

(I wish I could tell you that it's a nice, peaceful rest, but the truth is that it is more like losing consciousness and fighting not to. I get so overwhelmingly exhausted, but my brain fritzes out and goes into panic mode that I'm dying, so I jerk awake and go right into the ugly cry.)

(They really should make better pills for this.)

Anywhoose...back to the day.

As you can see from the craptastic photo, I am OBSESSED with 11x11 qsnaps, grime guards, matching project bags, and BitzyBobs. In my fantasy world, every project would have its own set of matching accessories, and these, of course, would change seasonally.

I'll get there....I'm sure. Last week I made my very first grime guard, and although it's not exactly perfect or picture-worthy, there is hope for me yet. And thanks to my sister's prowess with the sewing machine, Miss Vonna's excellent tutelage, and some lovely gifts, I do have a very nice collection of bags started. (The set in the photo above, though, is from the Etsy.)

So I'm off like a herd of turtles to see what adventures await! I hope your very own Tuesday is wonderfully and perfectly swell and that you'll get to do whatever your heart desires. Do something fun and come tell me all about it! WoooooHooooo!

BACK IN THE SADDLE

THOUGHTS ON STITCH MAYNIA 2019 BY THE SPINSTER STITCHER HER VERY SELF

Happy Sunday, Dearies!

So here we are...the beginning of June already and two days post Maynia. I am still gathering my wits and enjoying a lazy and quiet morning, but thought I would pop on and ruminate.

Maynia was a complete success for Yours Truly, but not exactly in the way I anticipated. There were more days than I would have liked with no stitching at all, but I am giving myself a dispensation due to health circumstances.

That was the best Maynia outcome, by the way...the gift of learning to give myself a break. Instead of getting disappointed that I was too unwell to stitch, I allowed myself to just sit with my project and...contemplate. Or dream. Or re-work. Or plan.

I think the second best thing about the Maynia was that it re-introduced me to several old friends that I hadn't seen in a while. Some of my projects had been languishing in my stash for what feels like forever. Some are not exactly my current style, and some will be moved to the Island of Misfit Toys, but it was nice to remember who I was or what I was doing when I started the piece.

I learned that it really is possible for me to have a little routine in my life again. I feel like I used to have good routines a million years ago at Chez Spinster with Stewey and Bosco and Aunt Chrissy. Routines are what kept me somewhat sane and organized and calm and safe and happy. But I don't think I've had that feeling for quite a while here at CS2 and with the new life of being a full time patient and part time spinster. The routine of pulling and ready-ing a new project for the next day was really quite nice to look forward to each weekday evening.

The variety of forms of stitching was a surprise, because it reminded me that I do like painted canvas and counted canvas needlepoint. I haven't done very much of either in the last several months, but hopefully I will remedy that with sone Laura J Perin. I also forgot how much I like specialty stitches and pulled work, but remembered that cross stitches with silk on 28ct Picture This Plus is what really makes my heart sing.

I didn't have any finishes in May, but when I look over the last few years of my stitchy life, I realize that finishes haven't been very frequent for me at all, and I'm actually OK with that. I really am a "process stitcher" and take my enjoyment from the simple act of the stitching itself and not necessarily the end result.

There were other lessons learned, I'm sure, but my tiny little brain is still a bit foggy. I am hoping that today will be a studio day and that I can spend some time putting a June basket together. I like the idea of having several different toys to play with, and some of the Maynia pieces were so enjoyable that I might keep them out for a little while.

Other than that, the day has dawned gorgeous and sunny and nice and cool, so methinks I might head out to the balcony for coffee and the paper today. I added a couple of WalMart clearance aisle rocking chairs for Magoo and I to enjoy, and today is the perfect tine to do so!

IN WHICH WE REST

Cheerio, Dearies!

I'm taking a bit of a rest today. Yesterday was particularly blurry, and today has started not much better. As soon as my damn good kicks in, I'll rally and get my wits about me...I promise.

More tomorrow, including thoughts on Maynia.

Happy Saturday!