Tips & Techniques - WIP Storage

It's been quite a while since I've done a tips & techniques post.  There are so many of them out there, that I like to share one only when I think it's something good that people may not have seen before.  I believe this one may qualify.

I wish I could take credit for this idea, but alas I can't, as I picked it up from some of the ladies I've been stitching with in my new hometown.

Most of the ladies I stitch with on Thursdays and Saturdays have the System 4 Needlework stands (which I don't) and work on large, detailed pieces like Mirabilia designs.  They all use the cute little Q-snap covers (that I don't), and each have their own system of floss storage.  One of the other things they all have in common are these plastic covers they put over their pieces when they're not working on them to protect them from dirt, pet hair, etc.  After a couple of weeks of stitching with them and being envious of their covers I finally decided to ask where they got them.  Let me tell you I was shocked, and had one of those "smack my head" moments when they told me.  Are you ready for this????


They're just plastic, saran wrap like bowl covers!!!  Absolutely brilliant! 
 

Of course I had to go buy some.  I checked at my grocery store...no luck.  Went to Target where the one lady said she gets them...they were out.  I had to go to the evil of all places retail the other day (yes, that would be WalMart) and low & behold they had some there.

They come in multiple sizes, as you can see from the photo, so they're great for a variety of projects.  I've taken some pics of some of mine.

This one is a project I have in a 8x8 Q-snap.  And yes, that IS a hair clip I'm using to hold my extra fabric.

This is a project I have in a 12" hoop.  If you look at the bottom right corner of the photo you can see the shine of the plastic, as this looks like there's nothing even covering it.

And this one will show you the back side and how they fit around.

Not only will they protect the front side of your piece, but you can also tuck your pattern right in there with it.  I also have a couple of my projects with a separate little baggie that has my floss and misc. stuff I've been tucking in the front also.  Now that really only works if you're toting a couple colors around with you at a time for a small project and not something large.

Anyway, I'm trilled with my $1.98 purchase that will now help keep my stitching clean when I'm not working on it.  I hope some of you find this useful also.

Happy Stitching!

Tasting New Cultures with Try The World

When my son gets bored and has absolutely nothing else to do, he likes to surf the net and see what kinds of interesting things he can find.  Quiet often I'll log into my email and find links regarding cars, fabulous photography, obscure news from around the world, etc.  A few weeks ago I received an email that was link upon link of sites that you can buy subscription boxes from that contain a variety of food, household goods, crafts, etc.  Being the good mom I am *wink, wink* I checked out each link.  Some of them were things I would probably never buy, and some of them looked interesting, but were too expensive.  Then I clicked on one that looked pretty good.

As part of my new life I've decided I need to be more adventurous with food and going places instead of just working & stitching, so Try the World looked great to me.  I can try new food AND not leave my house, lol!  Actually, if I can try food from new cultures in my own house, I might be more willing to then try a new restaurant that serves that kind of food.  So I figured what would it hurt to use part of my "entertainment" budget to give this a shot.

Last week I received my first box from them.  It was the Marrakesh box.  Once I opened the outer packaging, I found another box inside that looked like Tiffany box of foods.

Who wouldn't want to open a box that looks like this to see what kind of yummy treats it holds inside?!

The first thing I found when I took the lid off was a card describing the products inside and a little booklet telling you about the culture and offering a couple of recipes.

Now that I knew what was in my box, my next step was to remove the packing materials and get down to the goodies.  I already knew there were 6 items in there, but I wanted to see what they were.

I received a package of biscuits/cookies, cous cous sauce, a tin of sardines, a jar of kefta rub, a bottle of argan oil and a box of cous cous.  Fantastic because I've never had ANY of these items.  I texted my son pics and told him I got my first box.  His response..."you need to do a blog post about it".  I agreed, but said I wanted to wait until I tried some of the items first.

Tonight I decided to use both the cous cous and sauce with my dinner.

I browned some ground turkey, added the sauce and put it on top of the cous cous.  It wasn't bad, but I was expecting it to be spicier.  The cous cous reminds me of REALLY dry Cream of Wheat.  I followed the directions on the box, which made 2 servings, and have enough left to make another 4-6 servings.  I think the next time I make it I'll be sure to add it to a vegetable dish that has some sort of dressing with a kick to it.

I'm already looking forward to my next box!  If this is something you'd like to try, just follow this link and save $15.00 on your first purchase.  And if you decide to do it, please share with me what box(es) you get and what you think of them.

Saturday at Springs Preserve

Once I knew I was going to be moving to Las Vegas, I started following various pages on Facebook and Twitter of places I could go and things I could do.  One of them was the Springs Preserve.  Their website describes the place as "the premier place in Las Vegas to explore the valley's vibrant history through interactive science and nature exhibits, botanical gardens, hiking, trails, and live animal shows."  Sounded like it was right up my alley.

I went out there last Saturday, but there was some kids event going on and the parking lot was full, and I couldn't get onto the property.  As I'm not familiar with that side of town, and have been told by several people that it's "not the best place to be walking around by yourself", I decided against parking at one of the shopping plazas and walking to the preserve.  The new plan...go back yesterday and be there first thing in the morning when they opened.  Why the rush you may ask?  Well, they had a chocolate exhibit going on that ends today and I wanted to see it. I sometimes think chocolate is my second love behind stitching, LOL!

So, yesterday morning I got up, met the group of stitching ladies I've recently had the pleasure of meeting for breakfast and then took off for the park.  I got there and paid my admission fee (I'm quickly learning that NV residents are usually 1/2 price, or at least receive a significant discount, compared to tourists, so always carry your ID if you're a resident!)

I found the layout of the park and their map rather confusing, so I just started wandering and figured I'd eventually find what I was looking for.  First stop...the chocolate exhibit!  I was the only one there and it was basically just an exhibit where you walked through and read about the history of chocolate and looked at some pretties.  Needless to say I was disappointed as the description of the event lead me to believe it would be more interactive.  We won't discuss the fact you don't even get a piece of chocolate at the end of the exhibit.  I mean seriously, why tease people with a chocolate exhibit and then not give them a little piece to nibble on?!?!  Anyway, here are some of the pics I took in the exhibit.

After the chocolate exhibit I wanted to go to the butterfly exhibit.  According to their map, it was at the far side of the property.  And a walking I went.  As you walk along the path you're winding your way through the botanical gardens.  They were nice, but not what I'm used to.  I mean, I am living in a desert now compared to N.E. Ohio where things are a lush green with lots of vibrant color in the spring and summer.  Tulips?  Where are my tulips?  Certainly not here!  And even if they were, they would have probably bloomed 1-2 months ago.  Also along the path, were several metal butterflies painted differently.  Here are some pics of just a few of them along with the sign that describes them.

Once I wandered the path, down stairs, up stairs, around buildings, etc. I made it to the butterfly exhibit.  It was the smallest one I've been too.  Certainly smaller than the Corbin Conservatory at Stan Hywet that I've been to many times.  They were allowing 45 people in the exhibit at a time, which made it very crowded and hard to move around, as the walkway was narrow and went in a u-shape.  It also made it hard to get photos of the beautiful creatures flying about.  I took a couple, but they're nothing to write home about.

Once I was able to get out of the exhibit, I wandered through the gardens back toward the exit.  The cacti were really neat, and there were a few other sites to see.  I'd love to have one of those huge tall cacti with the arms to decorate at Christmas with lights.  I know, I'm strange.

My entire time within the preserve was about 1 hour.  It wasn't a bad trip, but I think I had myself psyched up for something more exciting.  And unless there is some fantastic exhibit in the future, it's not really something I feel the need to spend money to get into again.  No worries, there are TONS more adventures I can have in my new town & state.  

Until we meet again...Happy Stitching!
 

Spring Stitching Retreat in Las Vegas

Last Sunday was a beautiful day.  Not only was it warm and sunny, which is the norm here in Vegas, but it was my first "outing" with people other than coworkers.  There are two stitching retreats in Vegas each year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.  This past weekend was the Spring retreat.

There are no designers or classes at the retreats.  It's basically just a room full of ladies (and one man) working on whatever they want to stitch on for the day. To me it's more like a "stitch-in", especially given the fact the "retreat" is only 7 hours long.  Either way, it was a great day!

I got to enjoy views like this at the golf club where it was held:

And we received a free kit to make this:

It' not quite my "style" so it may end up in my stash and eventually go to a new loving home as part of a giveaway prize.

The biggest dilemma I had for the day was what piece to take to stitch on.  I'm always hesitant to take new designs with me places, as I've had a design "stolen" before where another stitcher basically copied what I was doing and released her own version of it before I did.  Big lesson there!  Sorry, I digress.  

Anyway, I decided it was time I pulled my Pinwheel Christmas Quilt back out. 

When I took it with me Sunday morning I had all of the solid green in the bottom left pinwheel was done.  During the retreat I worked on what will be the gingham pinwheels.  Not a lot of stitching for 7 hours, but there was so much to do...walk around and look at what people were stitching on, look at the displays of finished items, eat lunch, get lots of tips on places I should go check out (I had to tell a few of them more than once I had only been in town less than 3 weeks when they kept looking at me in dismay that I hadn't been to this place or that and didn't know all the quilting stores yet, LOL), and socializing with some lovely tablemates that I hope to call friends down the road.

I've decided this will be a "chill" weekend.  I'm going to Stitchers Paradise later to see about getting some fabric for a new series I'll be designing.  And I'm going to the library to get my library card.  Yay!  There is an art gallery in my local library (which by the way is HUGE!) so I'll check out the current exhibit while I'm there too.  
 
My stitching project for the weekend will be to finish the last 25% of my latest dog silhouette (yes, you can see a portion of it in the picture above) and get that released to my wholesaler, and then a little work on the PCQ.  

I should also have the next Modern Dictionary piece released soon, as it's currently off at the finishers getting some custom touches & the photography done.  Until then...Happy Stitching!

Finishes and Food and Fun

I had a great first full week in my new town of Las Vegas!  Minus missing my son terribly, there are so many positive things and I'm grateful for this opportunity life has given me.

Since I'm back to working just one full-time job, I have more stitching time than I've had in quite awhile.  This past week I was able to complete the next model in my Modern Dictionary series.  It's been shipped off to Rita at SnowBerry NeedleArts and I can't wait to see what she cooks up on a custom finish!  I can't show you pics of that piece yet, but will share a WIP pic of my next dog silhouette.

I'm stitching it on a piece of 32 ct Belfast Linen in "Glacier" by Picture This Plus and am using DMC #832.  I just love the color combination!  I'd like to have it finished by the end of this week, but we'll see how things go.

The next best thing to more stitching time with this life change is all of the fresh fruit and produce I'm able to get cheaply and so early in the season compared to being back in Ohio.  I think I'm going to become an addict, LOL!  It has also prompted me to return to my goal of trying one new healthy recipe per week. (I talked about that here).  

On Saturday night I decided to try a corn & tomato salad.  It was so fresh and crisp and I couldn't stop eating it!  My dinner was a big bowl of it along with some fresh ciabatta bread with fresh butter. Did I say I'm in love with all the fresh food out here?  If you're interested in the recipe, you can find it here.

And because I just can't seem to get enough of all this yummy goodness, I had more of it for dinner tonight.  Now if only I can put down my stitching long enough to fit exercising into my schedule also.  Eh, why shake things up yet.  Haha!

But, Vegas isn't all about stitching and fresh food to me.  I've decided I'm going to try to visit one new place each weekend.  What's the point of living in a new town, in a completely different part of the country, if you don't get out and explore your surroundings and the culture.  So, with yesterday being Easter, and my first holiday here, my boss's lovely wife didn't want me spending the day by myself, and invited me to join them for the day.  Not only did I enjoy a delicious Easter Brunch, but she introduced me to the Bellagio Conservatory.  This is just one of the many pictures I took there.

It was gorgeous and the flowers smelled wonderful.  The best part?  It's FREE!  All I have to do is make the 15 minute drive to the casino from my apartment, park my car, and go wander through some beauty for a little while.  I've already looked and the next new exhibit starts on May 15th with the Summer Exhibit.  And if I want to go later in the day, they have live music every day also.

Well, I think I've done enough rambling for the night.  It's now a few minutes after 8pm which means Antiques Roadshow and my stitching are both waiting for me.  I'll be sure to post again soon and tell everyone about the stitching retreat I'm going to next Sunday.  Until then...Happy Stitching!

A New Home & A New Weekend Routine

Well I safely made it to Las Vegas and am getting settled into my new apartment.  We've had record high temps here the past few days.  Most of my neighbors have their A/C running and I have my patio door open enjoying the fresh air and the lovely breezes that come through (most of the time).  Yes, you can tell that I'm the one new in town, lol!

It's been many, many months since I've had my weekends free to do what I want.  I'm having a hard time getting myself motivated today to finish unpacking boxes.  My kitchen and bathroom are 100% settled, the living room is about 75% and my bedroom only about 50%.  I keep sitting here staring at them, knowing I need to get up out of my recliner and take care of the boxes that keep staring back at me, but seem unable to do so.

So far today I've made breakfast, given myself a pedicure and watched A LOT of TV.  Boy how I've missed my cooking shows on PBS on Saturday mornings!  I've also caught up on some blog reading.  That has also not happened for months.  I've really enjoyed seeing what others have been doing with their creative juices.

I've decided this WILL be my new routine on weekends.  Don't get me wrong, I don't plan on living in this exciting town and being a slug on the weekends, but I DO plan on giving myself the time to relax and just enjoy life.  I already have outings planned for the next several weeks including an Easter Brunch, stitching retreat, Italian festival and of course, plenty of stitching!  And as of right now, at least once a month for the next several months I will have friends & family that will be visiting Las Vegas, so there will be time for catching up with them.

So with that, I think it's time to fix myself some lunch, unpack a few boxes (just so I'll stop feeling guilty) and then do lots & lots of stitching.  I may have been working 7 days a week for the past 6+ months, but that didn't some my creative juices from flowing and I have lots of design ideas that need charted & models stitched.

Until the next time...Happy Stitching!

My "Top Secret" Project Revealed

If you follow my Facebook page, you've probably seen me posting for a little while now about a "top secret" project I've been working on.  Well, the time has come for me to finally reveal what the project is...

What does that photo mean you may ask?  Let me tell you.  

For the past 43 years I've been "visiting" the state of Ohio, as I've always known I'm meant to live in a warmer climate.  Today I officially start my cross country drive to what will be a new life in Las Vegas, NV.

I recently had a fantastic opportunity present itself for me to resume a career with a wonderful employer that I had worked with for a few years in Ohio.  I will be taking on the position as Office Manager in a restaurant franchise he co-owns.  This is great news for Stitchnmomma, as I will no longer be working 2 jobs 7 days a week and will have a lot more stitching time.  Yay!!!  My stitching time has been rather limited over the past several weeks as I've spent a TON of time dealing with the logistics of moving almost 2,200 miles and packing all my possessions for the move.  Anyone that has ever done a long distance move will understand what I've been dealing with.  Even though I haven't done much stitching, my creative juices have still been flowing and I have several new designs already sketched out waiting for me to chart on the computer and stitch the models.

Unfortunately, there is a negative side to this move.  My "baby" will be staying in Ohio with his girlfriend and her daughter.  I'll really miss our family time as well as the weekly dinners and game nights!  However, lots of families make it work, so we will too.  I'll just have to add a new line item to my budget for travel for us to see each other. :)

On Valentine's Day I shared this picture on Facebook, but didn't say where I was.  I took this picture from the lakeview overlook close to Hoover Dam with Lake Mead behind me.  Part of my trip involved looking at apartments while I was there.  That was the "business" aspect of my trip.  The pleasure side gave me an opportunity to do some sight seeing, including Hoover Dam, which I briefly saw on a visit in February 2010, when it was cold & rainy the entire weekend. 

While I was in town, I also sought out the ONLY cross stitch and needlepoint store that is in Las Vegas.  It's called Stitchers Paradise and it's a fantastic store!  I was thrilled with the selection of fabric, fibers and embellishments they have and know I'll be able to purchase great supplies for my models.  Sooooo....if you're ever in town, let me know and we can meet up at the store.  They've got a table where stitchers are welcome to gather and stitch any time they want.

With all of that being said, I hope you'll be patient with me while I make the drive and get my home set up again.  I'll do my best to access my Facebook page from my phone until I get internet connected in my new apartment.  I can't guarantee emails, as when I was traveling in February MicroSoft locked me out of my account for security purposes when I tried accessing it from a different IP address thousands of miles away.   The fun times we have with today's modern technology, LOL!

Until we meet again...Happy Stitching!

 

WIP Updates and Cabbage Salad

It's that time of week again that I'm dutifully doing my blog post.  I find mine aren't as witty as some others that I read, but we all have to be who we are.  And as my son tells me often, I'm old & lame, LOL!

It's been another busy week around here of work, healthy meal planning & preparation, exercising, some more packing of the house, and of course...stitching!!

I've made quite a bit of progress on my latest pattern model "Two Blessings" and was thrilled to actually get a photo that shows the fabric color more realistically.  I've made even more progress since this photo, but haven't taken a new pic yet since this past Monday.

This blog has been a great place for me to put my plans & commitments out there to the world and feel like I'm being held accountable for them (even though I'm not sure anyone else cares).  More progress was made on the "Warholesque Family" last week and I'm already looking forward to spending a few hours with it tonight since it is Saturday and my dedicated day to work on it.

As you can see, I was able to finish the blue border on Zach.  His face still needs filled in, but as I haven't been to the store to get more white floss it will have to wait.  I had someone ask on my Facebook page how I could possibly be out of white floss.  It is a good question.  When this piece was started I was only using DMC "blanc" for my white.  Since then I've decided I like the B5200 Snow white better, as it's a brighter white.  There are plenty of skeins of B5200 in my stash, but no "blanc", which is what I'll need to pick up.  A trip will be made to the store this week not only to get floss for various projects, but also to pick up some fabric I'm going to need for future projects.  I figure I might as well get it now and prep it, which includes washing before use while I'm still living in a house with washer & dryer conveniently located vs. a high-rise apartment building with laundry facilities 4 floors down.

The exercise & weight loss plan is still on track.  The weight isn't coming off as quickly as I'd like, but I'm hoping with nicer weather for more walks and increased water consumption that I'll see more progress.  And yes, exercise is happening.  Here's a pic of my activity for this week.  I'm still hoping it warms up enough to get outside for a 2+ mile walk today.

Healthy meals are becoming a pure joy!!!  Granted, I don't enjoy the time it's taking to track down new recipes, I do like having new things to try and create new menu possibilities.  I'm also finding the longer I go without eating things like Little Debbie snacks, the less I crave them.  Wait.  I should be honest.  My body isn't craving them, but my mind still is.  I'm trying substitute weekend snacking of cookies, chips, etc. to healthy alternatives and doing things like grabbing a spoonful of the current salsa/slaw/salad that is in my fridge.


This week's recipe was a cabbage salad I made.  I originally found this recipe online.  I'm not a big fan of beets so those were a no for me.  I also don't have any pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in the house.  In fact I'm finding with not restocking in advance of my move the end of the month I'm running out of a lot of things! However, I did have that red cabbage in my fridge I picked up at the store and needed to do something with.  I decided to use the vinaigrette portion of the recipe and then do my own modified salad.  This is what I came up with:

I used 1/2 red cabbage, 1/2 red onion, 2 stalks celery and 1/4 bag of matchstick carrots, plus 4 oz. reduced fat feta cheese.  As I previously mentioned, I kept the vinaigrette dressing the same as noted in the recipe.  It was good and a definite will make again!  :)


I think I've probably bored everyone enough for this week.  Be sure to come back next week for pics of more stitching progress and and update on whatever healthy recipe I choose, which I'm clueless about at this time.


Until then....Happy Stitching and be good to yourself!  


P.S.  I also signed up for a stitching retreat in September that will be just about a 1 hour drive from me.  It will be my first ever retreat and I'm totally stoked to be going! 

Stitching Progress and Healthy Eats

It's been another busy week for me.  We'll be moving exactly 4 weeks from today, so this past week I started the chore of packing boxes.  I learned a long time ago that if figure out what you're not going to need and pack 1 or 2 boxes a day it makes it less stressful.

That also means since I've started packing that I've had less stitching time.  However I have done SOME stitching.  I've been working on some pendant necklaces for a custom order.  This is a picture of them (l-r:  green mermaid, black anchor on pink, sea shell, pink mermaid and black anchor on grey).  I still have starfish I need to stitch.  After that the customer will let me know which 3 or 4 she wants.  Whatever is left WILL be put up for sale.

I also got a TINY bit of stitching done on the model for my next pattern, "Two Blessings".  There hasn't been much progress made, but some nonetheless.  One of these days I'll be able to get a decent picture of what the colors actually look like.  What you see is DMC #554 on a very light jade green aida.

As part of my packing & cleaning, I've come across some projects I haven't touched in a REALLY long time.  I decided last Saturday that it's an extremely rare occasion that I actually work on any stitching that is for me.  I pulled back out my "Warholesque Family" piece and did some work on that.  I said I was going to commit myself to working on it at least one night per week, most likely on Saturday.  I'd love to get this piece completed so I can hang it on the living room wall at our new place.  My pooches may be gone now, but there's still me & Zach.  Needless to say, I was super excited today when I realized it was Saturday and that means I could work on this piece again (as soon as the starfish pendant is done!).

I have also continued on with my quest to lose weight and be healthier.  The new recipe I tried this week was a cherry tomato and chick pea salad.  Chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) aren't something I normally eat.  It's not that I don't like them, I just don't know a lot of uses for them, besides hummus.  So I saw a recipe on Pinterest, which seems to be my go to place lately, and decided to try it.  It was really good!  I have leftovers of it and will have some more tonight with dinner.  I also have an avocado that needs to be eaten before it goes bad, so I think I'll add some in there.

 

I've decided I'm much better at taking pics of cross stitch vs. food, lol!  Either way, if you're interested in the recipe for the salad, just click the photo.   While I was at the store picking up green onions to put in the salad I grabbed a small purple cabbage. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.  I might possibly roast it.  Either way, I'll let you know next week what I decided to try.

Until the next time...Happy Stitching and Healthy Eating!  :)

Corn Salsa with Chili Lime Vinaigrette

I know I normally combine posts to include both some needlework updates and my healthy recipe of the week, but this week I'm doing them separately so I can post this one directly on Pinterest.

I didn't experiment with anything new this week.  I have too much going on, as well as preparing to move houses next month.  And for any of you that have done that, I'm sure you know it means cleaning out the pantry, fridge & freezer.  I decided this week to stick with one of my faves for the past few years...Corn Salsa with Chili Lime Vinaigrette.

I first came across this when I bought a small container of out from a deli.  It was fantastic...but expensive!  I decided I could make it myself cheaper and probably healthier.  The recipe itself is pretty simple.

2 cans sweet corn - drained & rinsed
1 can beans (I typically use kidney or black beans) - drained & rinsed
Orange or Green Pepper (or both!) for color
Red or Green Onions
Celery

When it comes to salsas and salads, I don't stress over correct measurements on the vegetables.  I figure you can't go wrong.  If I'm using 2 colors of peppers I put in 1/2 pepper each.  If it's one color, use the entire sweet pepper.  Celery is usually 2 stalks.  I put in about 1/2 cup of onions, regardless of kind.

Before making this recipe, I had never made any type of vinaigrette before, so off to the internet I went to see if I could find one.  And I did on SparkPeople.   I've changed the recipe slightly to use products I like better.  Below is my version:

2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 c. olive oil (choose what YOU like, full-flavored or light)
3 tbsp white vinegar (I've also used apple cider vinegar)
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp chili powder (make sure it's good quality)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Fair warning, this IS a spicy dressing, and with most things spicy, it will taste more so the 2nd day than the 1st, so you might want to use the cayenne sparingly on your first attempt.

Simply mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar or cruet and shake well, then pour over salsa and let sit for 30+ minutes prior to serving.

I've used this salsa over/with many other foods:  canned tuna, turkey burgers, shredded chicken, or mix with some shredded greens for a great salad.  Either way, don't be afraid to experiment and make it your own.

I hope you enjoy this, and feel free to leave any comments below!  Happy HEALTHY eating!



P.S.  I have been trying really hard at eating healthy, drinking more water and exercising more to not only lose the rest of the weight I want to, but to live a healthier lifestyle.  This pic is just some of the healthy food I picked up at the grocery store tonight for meals this week.  :)

Old Ragged Threads

As many years as I've been stitching and I've NEVER had an ORT (old ragged threads) Jar.  I always have a coaster with an edge to it that I put my threads in and then empty it into the trash each night.  A couple of weeks ago I thought it would be fun to do one and see how quickly I can fill it up and all the different colors that will be in it.

The search was on!  I was scouring my house looking for a jar that would be just right.  It was then I realized I had NO empty jars sitting around anywhere that could be used.  Since I tend to be an impatient person once I have an idea in my head, I decided I needed to just go buy one.  Off to the dollar store I went.  Gotta love a store that EVERYTHING in it is only $1.00.  And oh darn, it just happens to be right next to Hobby Lobby, which is in the plaza right next to my job #2, so there was really no excuse for me not being able to get to both stores for some shopping.  *giggles*.

Here is the jar I bought.  It is about 4"x4"x4". 

I started collecting threads in it on May 25th.  I have no idea how long it will take to fill, but I'll keep you posted with occasional pictures along the way.

Do you have an ORT Jar?  If so, how long does it take you to fill yours?  What do you do with your threads once it's filled?  Feel free to share, as I'd love to hear your stories.  :)


Editor's Note:  I had people start sending me pics of their jars after I published this post, so I started an album on Facebook.  You can see them here:   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.583558388332645.1073741827.130090270346128&type=3  You can also send me your picture if you want to have it included.  It's sort of neat to see the different jars people use and what's in them.  :)

National Chocolate Cake Day

Did you know that today was National Chocolate Cake Day?  I did and I was thrilled!  I mean, really, it's two of my favorite things combined...chocolate and cake.  And since I had to go do my grocery shopping this morning, I figured I just had to buy this super scrumptious mini-cake for me and Zach to split after dinner tonight.

Looks great, doesn't it?!?  And what do you need with your chocolate cake?  A little bit of humor.  While I'm sitting here typing this post, all I can think of is Bill Cosby and his chocolate cake monologue.  If you haven't seen it, you really need to click here to watch the video.  It's hysterical!!!  ♪♫♪♫♪♫ "Dad is great!  Give us the chocolate cake!"  ♪♫♪♫♪♫ 

Happy eating!  :)

A Snowy Haiku From Me To You

Dear Snow, I hate you

You are so not welcome here

Go away for good

It's only December 30th and I'm already cursing living in N.E. Ohio for yet another cold & snowy winter, as if you couldn't tell.  I think I kept repeating this yesterday as I was outside shoveling out the sidewalk and drive way...once again.

Is "Stitch" M.I.A.????

Yes, unfortunately "Stitch" (as many of my Etsy friends refer to me) has been Missing In Action.  It's been over a week since I've done a blog post.  :(

Sadly my 70 hour work weeks have started interfering with Stitchnmomma.  Not only have I not been blogging, but I haven't even had the time or energy to stitch.  I've had to make the choice that sleep is slightly more important right now.

Please stay with me through the holidays.  My work schedule will slow down after that and I should be able to resume my routine on, hopefully, a normal basis.  Until then, I will blog as much as I can, and with any luck even be able to get some stitching in there too.

A New Opportunity

Recently I was asked to join Stitching the Night Away as a monthly contributor.  I'm beyond thrilled at the opportunity, as I think Loretta's site is amazing and it's a new audience I can talk to about stitching.  

Yesterday was my very first post and I thought I'd share it with you.  It's just the beginning of what I hope will be a great series.  Please take a moment to stop by and read it, and of course feel free to join in with the discussion via comments.

Hope everyone's had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend (if you're in the U.S.) and was able to get lots of stitching done.  :)

Portrait Embroidery

I think by now everyone knows I like to browse the web and find different little bits of art I find amazing to share with you.  Recently I came across a portrait artist by the name of Cayce Zavaglia.  A lot of people make portraits, you may be thinking, so what makes her so special?

Well, take a look at this photo and I think you'll see.  All of her portraits are embroidered!  

I must say, watching the video (click the picture to see it), I'm a little bit jealous (ok, maybe a LOT jealous) of her talent.  I mean she doesn't even use a pattern and the detail is absolutely phenomenal!!!

I don't even know what else to say besides I'm in awe and I really, really think you should take the 4 minutes to watch the video and see how she creates them.  :)

 

Icing Artwork

I recently came across this artist on the web and was amazed by the artwork she creates from cake icing!  The mural on this wall is "painted" completely using the same icing you would use to decorate a cake with.

I spent quite a bit of time scrolling through all the pictures on her site and was amazed by them and the stories that go with all the different pieces of art she creates.   She also has a series of sand sculptures featured that were created years ago.  I'd definitely check those out also.

And just about 6 weeks ago she participated in an event in Toronto, ON with this awesome display.  Tons of pics to look at here.  Wish I could have been there to see it in person.  I'm sure I would have enjoyed not only seeing her wall, but all the others that were part of the event.

Now if you'll excuse me, all this talk of cake icing is making me hungry.  Think it's time for some breakfast.  :)

What a Mess!!

I've been so busy lately between work and jumping from project to project trying to get things made as quickly as possible for my Etsy shop, to be shipped to The Good Goat Gallery, for various charity projects I've volunteered for, gifts to be made and custom orders to be finished that I haven't taken any time in between projects to clean up & reorganize my stitching supplies.  (nice run on sentence, huh?  LOL!)  This is what my current stitching area looks like...

All of my floss has been piling up, I have a box of metallic threads that hasn't been put away and the pile is photocopies of patterns, books and various magazines I've been stitching patterns from.  And of course you can see the current project I was working on last night/this morning sitting on the arm of my recliner.  If you're wondering what the plaid thing is on the floor, that's one of Max's dog beds.  He has to be within 1 or 2 feet of me at all times, so I slide it right up against the loveseat and he's a happy camper.  :)

I work the closing/night shift tonight, so one of my priorities for the day (in addition to dishes & laundry) will be cleaning up this mess!  This is a picture of where it all SHOULD be...

This is the hutch of Zach's old desk, which is currently used as my sewing table since it won't fit in his bedroom (or go up the stairway in this old house).  Along the top I keep my binders with all my Stitchbows in them (LOVE them!! and yes, they are labeled with the numbers in each binder), my boxes that still have floss bobbins in them (working on using all of those up) along with spools of metallics, etc., and files I've made (all in various categories that are alphabetical) of misc. loose copies of patterns and then all of my projects that are on large scrolls, 17x17 Q-snaps, etc. that won't fit into the drawers of my craft bins.  In the cubby holes I keep my stitching magazines, calendars with patterns and anything else like that.  I have a couple of small built-in bookshelves on the other side of the living room where my hardbound books are stored.  (I didn't take a picture of those).

So now you know that even someone like me that tries to be organized can be a messy pig also.  I guess that means I should get off the computer and get busy cleaning!

Happy Stitching!  :)

Thoughts on Hurricane Sandy

This week much of the U.S. has been hit by a weather system referred to as Hurricane Sandy.  It's been, as many have called it, the storm of the century.  A storm out of the southern tropics that has come north to mix with a Noreaster along with high tides from a full moon.  It brought devastating flooding, and several deaths, to much of the East Coast and many adjoining inland states.  It's also the first time in record keeping history we can say that a blizzard has been caused by a hurricane, where parts of West Virginia and Virginia are being covered in up to 2-3 feet of snow.

I personally want to say a huge thank you to all the first responders (police, firefighters, medical personnel, utility workers, etc.) & military personnel that have been working so hard to make sure people are safe during this terrible time.  It's a truly selfless act to put others before yourself during times like this.

And for those of you that ignored evacuation orders because you thought you'd be OK and then had to be rescued...considering most communities won't bill you for the cost of those first responders, I hope you feel like an ass and realize you've jeopardized other people's lives.  People that thought about YOU before they thought about themselves.  Do something to make up for it.  Help clean up your neighborhood.  Yes, your neighborhood, not just your own house.  Sign up to volunteer with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.  Do SOMETHING to make amends and pay it forward. 

Sorry, I digressed.  Getting down off my soap box and moving on.

Here in N.E. Ohio we were lucky with just some localized flooding and power outages brought on by heavy rains and strong winds, which we're still experiencing.  I watched on the live news last night as people were driving to the shores of Lake Erie to see in person the waves caused by Sandy. I wanted to share a picture with you of the waves crashing onto I-90 (along with several other pics), but it appears Blogger is having issues this morning.  



I personally spent yesterday hunkered down at my house keeping dry & warm.  I cross stitched another ornament for my shop made a new chicken recipe, called Chicken in Beer, from Lidia's Italy.  The house smelled wonderful while it was cooking and the chicken was so juicy & yummy!  Max survived several trips outside in the wind & rain.  As the winds were getting stronger throughout the night it made him nervous to the point he was continually pacing the house (something Lobo used to do).  Thankfully he finally settled down about 1:00am and went to sleep.  I worry about him constantly the older he gets (he's now around 15) and do everything I can to comfort and protect him.




I'm thankful all my friends and family appear to be safe and hope there are not any more deaths related to the hurricane.  We're a strong nation and it's times like this people pull together to rebuild.  I know it's the election season, and this has been a brutal mud-slinging one, but please put politics aside and think of the victims not as republicans or democrats, but as human beings that are in need of assistance.  It's amazing what helping others can do for the soul. 
 
~K.

Punkin Chunkin

Years ago I saw a show on the Discovery Channel called "Punkin Chunkin".  It was really pretty cool.  People build different types of contraptions that hurl pumpkins through the air to see who can get them to fly the farthest.  They have several different categories, including trebuchet, catapults and air cannons.

It amazes me how far you can get a pumpkin to fly!  The current world record in the Adult Air Cannon category is 4,483.51 feet.  That's like 3/4 of a mile (a mile is 5,280 feet)!!!

Unfortunately since I got rid of my cable package we can't watch this year's episode.  :(  Guess I'll have to wait for additional videos, like this one, to come out on YouTube.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTr4nwsYRv8&feature=youtube_gdata

And if you're in the Bridgeville, DE area you should try to get down there and see it.  It is November 2-4th this year and is something that is on my Bucket List as a fun event for sometime in the future.