INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Is there any better feeling on the planet than that first cool night of Fall snoodled under the freshly changed bedding to the flannel sheets and cozy blanket?

Stewey and I hit the big girl sleigh bed last night and stayed there until 1:30 this afternoon!  If we could have figured out a way to get our newspapers, coffee, and tea delivered...I'm pretty sure we'd still be there!

Hmmmm....wonder if I could set up a new cockpit in the bed with my stitching, etc?

It was good enough for Hugh Hefner...why not good enough for a portly spinster?

FUTZINGDAY, FUTZINGDAY

Kind of a cool, cloudy day here in Hoosierville...my very favorite.  I'm actually thinking about lighting the fireplace to see if Stewey will want to enjoy a few hours toasting his very tiny little buns.  For now, though, he seems quite content to hang out in his little bed in front of the patio window:

The bit of blue that you see on his leg is a "compression bandage" that I MacGivered to help with the swelling.  The tumor is causing a problem with blood flow, so applying the bangage is supposed to help...almost like support panty hose.  Fortunately, he doesn't seem to mind it at all, and I think it is really helping.

You know Stewey...anything to accessorize a look.

Progress on Vaceila continues.  I keep thinking that I'm going to get bored with her and want a change of pace, but so far, so good.  Maybe I'll just keep going until the bitter end:

I had a very happy trip to the Michael's yesterday morning.  I ran out of the DMC gold metallic thread and figured I would have to order it, but lo and behold, there it was right there in the stitchy aisle!  I think I even danced a little jig right there in front of God and everybody, since it meant that I was able to come home and continue stitching without having to fret.

Who's happier than me?

Hope your Futzingday is equally as lovely.  Do something fun and come tell us all about it!

MONDAY MONDAY

Well, here it is.  Monday again.

We had a very quiet, snoodle-ly weekend here at Chez Spinster.  I putzed a bit, slept a lot, stitched a little, and cuddled Stewey to within an inch of his life.  

Today we're going to do more of the same, plus a little laundry.

Vaceila is still coming along nicely.  I intend to continue playing with her, but I am going to head up to the studio this week (now that it's not so beastly), and we're going to put together The Official Autumnal Basket 'O Stitchy Fun and Goodness to get us through October and November.  Then, once December arrives, we'll see what we can do about some of the Christmas WIPs that have been languishing.

I hope that your week is off to a wonderful start.  Do something fun and come tell us all about it!

GROUNDED

Darn it, anyway.

I'm supposed to be in Goshen, Indiana today with my stitchy peeps.  One of the guilds is having an all day stitch-in and luncheon, and I looked forward to it for weeks.  

Alas, it was not meant to be.  I am still under the weather and decided to be a grown up and tend to my ughs instead of going out to play.  I know it's probably the right decision, but still...I feel like a six year old who has been placed in time out for being naughty.

Stewey is ailing, too, so methinks that a day spent snoodling up in the big girl sleight bed might be good for both of us.  

Hope your Saturday is swell.  Here's a little progress pic of Vaceila:

DRINK...CHECK. LIPSTICK...CHECK. PULLING MYSELF TOGETHER? NOT A CHANCE.

I managed to get out of the big girl sleigh bed to run some errands and go to a couple of appointments, but not much else.  The  good news is that I did find a sparkly new lipstick rolling around the back of my makeup drawer that should be suitable for both Autumn and my new attitude.

We'll see how long this lasts.

(The drink was Crystal Lite Fruit Punch, thankyouverymuch.  Can you imagine ME on the hard stuff?)

Still stitching away on Vaceila.  Moving the q-snaps tonight and starting page three!  Woo Hoo!

AMEN, SISTER!

MONDAY MONDAY

Quiet, sleepy, stitchy weekend here at Chez Spinster.  Mr. Crohn's reared his ugly head, so I spent the majority of my time drinking Gatorade and thinking happy thoughts.

Oh well...a few more flare ups and I will no longer weigh enough to tip over my zip code!

Fun with Vaceila continues...

TAKE THAT, MISS SASSY BRITCHES!

Every time I get up on my high horse and feel like I'm Queen High Exhalted of the Universe, the damn thing rears its pretty little head and bucks me off, right onto my big fat heiney.

After my pronouncement that I was just going to do my thing, I sat down to stitch only to realize that my stitching of the entire second page of this design is off by one stitch someplace.

One lousy stitch.

Now, I know what you're thinking.  "Oh, dear Spinster Stitcher!  Don't fret over one lousy stitch.  Surely the intricate design of the angel's dress will allow for compensation someplace."

But this is me we're talking about.

So I went into the kitchen and set the timer on the microwave for two minutes and I got an ice cream sandwich. 

(What can I say?  My diet has consisted of foods that any self-respecting six year old would eat...hot dogs, mac and cheese, fruit roll ups, ice cream sandwiches, and Honey Nut Cheerios.)

(But I digress.)

For two minutes I allowed myself a full-on fretting, hair pulling, self-flagellating session of criticism and recrimination.  I paced back and forth and wagged my finger in my own face and lectured myself about the dangers of being a rebel, and I adequately shamed myself for the prancy dancing episodes of "Look at me! Look at me!" that lead to my fall.

Sister Mary Paperplate would have been proud.

When the timer beeped (and I had finished my ice cream sandwich), I gathered my wits, washed my hands, re-filled my sippy cup with ice water, and I hit the Happy Chair once again.

Still loving dear Vaceila, even if she's not exactly perfectly perfect in every way.

I'm off to find the vacuum cleaner.  I promised the boys that I would do something about the haz mat situation that this house has become before we settle in for our afternoon nap.  I figure a swipe or two of the Swiffer and a few minutes Hoovering will be a good way to start the weekend!

Happy Friday, kids!  Do something fun and come tell us all about it!

AND A LITTLE BIT MORE...

I'm sure that there are about a million ways I'm stitching this incorrectly and that those of you who routinely cross stitch these BAPs are just chomping at the bit to tell me (waving a big fat "Hello!" to Betty), but I just do not care one single little bit.

(I do, however, simply love love love tips and tricks, so if you've got any, I'll take 'em!)

Call it maturity or finally coming into my own or maybe, just maybe, the meds have finally kicked in, but I'm all done with any rules or negativity when it comes to this thing of ours.  It is my humble opinion that any time spent with needle in hand...whether it be a threaded needle with silk, floss, or yarn, or a crochet hook or knitting needle or quilting needle or rug hook...is time well spent indeed.

I love all forms of stitching, whether it be counted cross stitch, canvaswork, needlepoint, crewel, or embroidery.  I don't do any of them with any particular excellence, but that's perfectly fine, since I am not trying to be the world's foremost leading authority on anything at all, especially not on needlework.

I'm just a portly spinster with a sick little dog and shriveled up little kidneys who is trying to find her way in the world.  I stitch so that the Happy Chair remains my happy place, so that my mind and fingers stay limber, and so that I can feel like I'm part of something bigger than myself.  Stitching gets me out of my head, challenges me to try new things, teaches me perseverance and patience, and gives me heaps and heaps of satisfaction that does not result in me having to buy bigger sweatpants like eating something truly decadent does.

So...it's all good, my dears.  I'm just going to keep doing me.  You just keep doing you, and we'll all be fine together.  Keep those needles flying in whatever form you choose, have some fun, and come tell us all about it!

JUST A LITTLE BIT...

Vaceila came back out to play for just a bit more progress.  The good news is that I've cleared my decks for the day to give her my full attention.

Well, maybe not completely full attention.  Maybe seven-eights attention in between cuddles and belly rubs with Stewey Angus BabyDear Charming Little Skittles Willowswamp:

Happy Wednesday!  We're hurtling headlong into the weekend!

A LITTLE CHANGE OF PACE...

 Yesterday was my day to go play with my Hoosier Heartland stitchy sisters at the library, so off I went for fun and laughter.  I awoke feeling pretty punk, but a few hours giggling with these ladies made the rest of the day much better!

Our project for the day (taught by Miss Charlene Her Very Self) was Autumn Crackers by Marilyn Owen. These are cute little counted canvas rolls that, when finished, will look adorable in a pretty bowl.

(Or, if you are finish-phobic like me, you'll stitch them and then contemplate slapping them in a Michael's ready-made frame to be done with it.)

There is a lot of decision making to be made in terms of vertical vs. horizontal, colors, stitches tor borders, etc., but once you get settled it goes very fast and is very fun!

Here's where I ended up after spending most of the day stitching after I got home:

Today I am off for more adventure.  We are going to see Wicked, and I am so excited I can barely stand it!  Stewey is pouting that I will not be able to tuck him in my pocket for the performance, but I promised to bring him the playbill to add to his collection.

Speaking of my little love, he had a check in with the vet on Friday, and it looks like he is doing as well as can be expected.  He has lost two pounds, but I think we're managing to keep him pain free so far. He was absolutely wonderful with all of the techs that cared for him (he used to be rather fussy and had earned a bit of a reputation for being "high strung"), but yesterday he was so sweet that I started calling him Stewey Charming.  He is snuggled in for a morning snoozy, so methink it will be a yood Sunday after all.

That's the report for the day, kids.  I am going to enjoy my outing and then come home to do a little more stitching before getting ready for the week.  Here's hoping that your weekend has been fun and peaceful and that your needles are flying!

VACEILA IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG...

Still really enjoying my time spent with Vaceila each evening.  Here's the latest progress:

MORE FUN WITH VACEILA

Oh, what a lovely time I had on Saturday!  I wish I could bottle the feeling of spending the day with these women...I always come away feeling like I have finally made it to the proverbial cool kids' table, and if I'd just learn to keep my mouth shut I might be invited back again.

Vaceila has had a nice weekend thus far, and if plans come to fruition today we will spend most of it together in the Happy Chair.  I completed all of the cross stitching on the lowest section and moved the q-snaps to tackle the next.  I managed to get the edges of her cloak outlined during the game last night (Notre Dame lost to Texas 50-47):

I never did make it to the grocery for special cookout provisions, but I am pretty happy in my jammies at the moment, so methinks it might just be leftovers today.  I'd complain about that, but considering the alternative of having nothing to eat at all, I'll just be thankful and move right along.

Happy Monday/Labor Day!  Hope your needles are flying!

A LABOR DAY WEEKEND TO DO LIST

I wrote a rather extensive list of things to do this weekend and then promptly threw it in the bin.

Why write lists when there is so much fun to be had by careening from one thing to another without rhyme or reason?

I am going to to stitch with my stitchy sisters tomorrow, so I do have one small task to do in preparation for that...I need to pack up a project to play with..

Will it be Vaceila?

Or Poppers?

Or both?

Stewey will make the final selection as soon as he finishes his own little to do list tor the day.  I'm pretty sure that the only thing on it is to capture my heart, so he's good to go!

We're off like a herd of turtles, my dears.  Laundry is happily sploshing about in the laundry sploshing machine and I am soon to be sploshing about in the spinster washing machine...otherwise known as the big girl bath.

Hope you're having a fabulous Friday!  Do something fun and come tell us all about it!

A THURSDAY QUICKIE BEFORE CLIMBING MT. LAUNDRY...

Still really enjoying this!  More metallic last night, in addition to a little more dark blue...

WHO IS THIS PERSON, AND WHAT HAS SHE DONE TO THE SPINSTER STITCHER?!

When I sat down to stitch last night a very novel approach entered my tiny little brain.

"I'm going to follow the directions, use the tips and hints that I've collected over the years, breathe deeply, and enjoy this stitching."

And then I plunged into the sections that call for...gasp...shock...horrors abound...DMC metallic thread.

This stuff had been the bain of my existence from the very first time I picked up a needle.  I have approximately eleven hundren spools of it in my stash (OK...maybe that's a bit of a stretch), and every single time I tried to use it I ended up on the floor in a heap of teary frustration.

But this time I was determined to show it who's boss.

I cut shorter lengths than I normally would and I used Thread Heaven.  A LOT of Thread Heaven.  And, in a brilliant stroke of genius taught to me by Miss Vonna Her Very Self on her Twisted Stitcher channel on the Flosstube, I took it out of the container and wadded it up into a ball before pulling the thread through it.  

Can I just say that the beast was tamed once and for all and I love the way this looks?  

I'm pretty sure that my feelings about this will change by the end of this piece, since there looks to be a LOT of stitching with this stuff, but for now I am affixing the gold star to my forehead and moving right along.

Now all I have to do is hope that this same spirit will infect me when it comes time to bead this sucker. Somebody told me that there are 40,000 plus beads.  Or maybe it was 4,000.  All I know is that anything over 2 or 3 is going to be an enormous challenge for me, so...

Let.  Us.  Pray.

After three or four really bad nights, Stewey finally slept peacefully through last night.  He awoke this morning with his little eyes bright again and immediately complained that his tea was too tepid for his liking, so methinks today will be good as well.  He spends the majority of it sleeping in his little bed in the sun, but that's what he always did when he was well, so I am comforted by that immednsely.  

We're off for labwork and a few small provisions.  I am craving bagels with peanut butter like a crazy person, so that's what it will be.  I haven't decided on a Labor Day cookout menu, but I'm leaning toward ribs and pasta salad.  We'll see.

Happy Futzingday, dear friends!  

VIEWER MAIL

If you'll indulge me, I'd like to answer some questions from you, my faithfiul friends.  I have been remiss in doing so these last few months, but between running a Stewey hospice and keeping myself from finally going completely nuts...well...you get the gist.

Robin asked about my propensity for starting my pieces at the bottom.  I do this because I have the feeling that if I don't the stitches will all fall off the bottom of the fabric.  Weird...I know, but I feel like I am building something and start from the ground/foundation and work my way up.

Golden hair stitcher wants to know who I watch on Flosstube.  Will you allow me a few more weeks of playing with this before I answer?  Right now, I go to YouTube and type "Flosstube' into the search area and then just click away until my eyes cross.  I don't know how to select favorties or look for specific people yet, but...stay tuned.

Karen had a dream that Stewey was in her house.  I hope he behaved himself properly and that you had a moment to cuddle him and sniff his baby shampoo warm fuzzy little lovey self.  We had a very rough night last night, so reading that he was in somebody's dream was quite comforting.

Dale commented that Bosco and Stewey looked like they were getting along famously and asked if they were now sleeping together.  Um...not so much.  Stewey just doesn't have the patience for Bosco lately, but has decided to stop baring his little bunny teeth and growling whenever Bosco comes within eighteen feet of him.  

Elisa commented that Flosstube is mostly cross stitchers and wondered if there are any Flosstubing needlepointers out there.  Good question!  I would love to know the answer to that too!

needlenut10 wants to know what I will do with Olympic Good Stuff once completed.  Well, I have to imagine that it will go into the pile with all the other finished pieces...waiting for their final destiny.  

Grandma Andi made a nice comment that I am stitching while dealing with all that life is giving me at the moment.  Actually, i think I'm stitching BECAUSE of this crazy bit of bother.  It really is saving my life, as are all of you and this here blog.  Guess I should stick with it.

Kristen wondered if radiation might be an option for Stewey.  Thank you for the suggestion...I don't remember the reason, but I think Dr. Niemann mentioned that we wouldn't be able to go that route with him.

Melinda thought that the music might be the reason that synchronized swimming creeped me out.   To be honest, I didn't even realize that there was music involved...I was too busy getting creeped out.  maybe it's the nose plug thingies?

capecodgirl565 gets a shout out for using the word "feckless".  I love that word and wish I used it more often.

LIZ asked if I have ever considered writing as a profession. Oh, dear Liz....how kind of you to think that I might fit into that world.  I think, though, that for now I will just stand in the lobby and press my face up against the glass.  I admire so many good writers that I would never imagine being able to live in the same space.

Suzanne asked if I've watched You've Got Mail lately.  Would you be surprised to know that I've watched it twice this week, and it's only Tuesday?  What can I say?  YGM is the equavalent of a Xanax for me and given the goings on around here, I am reaching for it more and more frequently.

Cactusneedle gave me the excellent suggestion of replacing my dietCoke addiction with sparkling water.  To that end, I have invested in my very first pack of LaCroix.  I think you might be right on the money about the bubbles!

Both Gracie and Heritage Hall asked if I would be posting pictures of my haircut.  My dears, all I can say to that is...have you met me?  If I ever do post a picture of myself, it will be me sporting a brown paper sack over my head while standing behind a Range Rover.  But, thanks for asking.

CalamityJr solved the mystery and the math of Michael Phelps wingspan versus the height of the women's gymnastics team members.  Remind me to give you a gold star for that one, Calamity!

Bunny S wanted to know the issue of Needlepoint Now from whence Twilight came.  It's the March/April 2016 issue, Bunny dear.

I think that's it for today.  As I mentioned, we had a rough night last night, so methinks I might scoop my BabyDear up and head back to the big girl sleigh bed for some cuddles and a nap.  It's a little gloomy here today, and I did manage to get a few things done yesterday, so I won't feel too guilty about it.

Happy Tuesday, kids!  Please keep those questions and comments coming and forgive me for being so remiss in getting around to them.  I'll get better at it, I promise!

SUNDAY IN THE HAPPY CHAIR WITH VACEILA

You've heard of "Sunday in the Park with George"?  Well, I had a positively lovely Sunday evening in the Happy Chair with Vaceila.

A few confessions, firstly...

I am stitching this piece on 28ct. Irish linen evenweave tea dyed fabric that I bought at the Michael's with a 40% off coupon.  It cost $4.80.  My thinking was that I didn't want to invest twenty or thirty dollars in a gorgeous piece of hand dyed linen, and then have it languish in a drawer if I flaked out and stopped stitching this.  Can I just tell you that I am now a properly chastised linen snob?  This is absolutely lovely and perfectly suited to both the size and thread.

See that Sharpie?  Well it's a retractable Sharpie, and in a million years I never would have imagined how much of a difference such a small thing could make.  But I need to apologize to the Flosstuber who gave me this brilliant idea, since I was too stupid to record your name and channel, and now I feel like a genius for remembering to buy this at the Target, but I can't give you proper credit.  You did a video about the tools you use, and you basically explained how a retractable highlighter is invaluable...and you were right on the money, sister!  Something about being able to click the thing and mark the chart without having to fuss with a cap, etc etc is amazing.

Finally...my cheaters.  They, too are a Michael's purchase, and they too were cheap and bought with a 40% off coupon.  I think the original price was $4.99... so the end price was...well...cheap!  These are 2.5 magnification.  Normally I use 1.5 or 2.0 for canvas work, but I found that the little extra really helped by the end of the evening.

So all in all a very happy first session indeed.  I managed to watch two movies and a few Beachfront Bargain Hunts and left the ipad over on the dining room table to avoid distraction.  Both Bosco and Stewey settled in for the long haul and approved of my progress before we turned in for the night.

Today is all about getting a few things done so that I can get back to this.  I'm so glad that I decided to get it started yesterday...it is exactly what I needed!

Happy Monday, dear friends!  Hope your current piece is making your heart sing!

AND THEN SHE LOST HER DAMN MIND...

In an effort to get out of my current state of general ennui, I decided to really shake things up.  I blame the Flosstube for this, specifically Miss Emily from eclecticpossessions. She is one of the first stitchers that I started stalking (um, I mean following) on the damn thing, and as I flipped through her WIP's, one in particular stopped me dead in my tracks.

Herewith is my new project that will be started as soon as I brush my teeth, find my extra strength stitchy glasses, and get all of these supplies tidy and organized...

This is the Angel of Love by Lavender and Lace and I think it is just gorgeous.  Her gown in almost completely beaded, hence the big pile of Mill Hills...that in itself really makes me question my sanity...but I determined to give this a go in the spirit of stretching my wings.

Speaking of wings...here's a better pic.

I even think that I am going to name this beauty.  Moments ago, I immediately thought "l'm going to call her Vaceila".  That was my Mom's name, and for some reason the idea of angels...love...mom...just all fit together nicely.  Besides, I like the idea of saying to myself "As soon as I get this bed changed and this laundry put away I can go play with Vaceila."

So that's the big reveal today, kids.  I am going to spend some time with this today and promise to get back to Olympic Good Stuff in short order.  For today, though, methinks I just want something a little different.

Happy Sunday!  Hope your needles are flying and your playmates are exactly who and what you would wish them to be!

HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY