A Blogging Post

...or rather, a mishmash post that has too many topics to properly title!

The Traveling Pattern

Yes, I STOLE Julie's picture!

First up ~ my Traveling Pattern is on the move again! Julie just finished stitching and is offering it to the next stitcher. Hurry now to get in the draw as you only have until the February 29th! Click here for Julie's Blog.

ORT jar labels

Pat Winter has some awesome ORT jar labels you can print off. I thought they were great fun. You might like to use them to dress up your jars.

Please prove you are not a robot

You've seen those around ~ unless you never leave comments. You probably have them on YOUR blog and lots of you don't even know it! Do us ALL a favor and turn them off! Don't give excuses about not wanting spam...I haven't used Word Verification in YEARS and I am not swamped with spam. In fact, since Blogger went with the new spam folder system I haven't received a single piece of spam...I am usually fishing proper comments out of the folder! I do moderate my comments ~ just in case there is spam AND because I receive so many comments I might miss reading them.



Here is a very good post about this topic with great instructions on how to change your settings. You can see I have stolen Tex's picture (with permission lol) and used it in my sidebar with a link to her awesome post!

The Anonymous Troll:

Another thing you need to change is the settings for WHO you allow to comment on your blog. I have seen several posts recently from blogging friends about an anonymous troll. This troll finds something to complain about you or your blog. The way you are hosting a giveaway or an RAK or simply just something to gripe. From what I understand, these comments are unusually hurtful.

Change your comment settings to only allow "Registered Users". If you have it set for "Anyone" that means anyone can comment on your blog...even anonymous trolls.

I'm very sorry if you try to comment on MY blog and you cannot because you aren't registered. I don't allow just anyone to comment on my blog. You can see I don't suffer a lack of comments because of this.

I do get troll comments (from fake registered users I assume) on the rare occasion. They get no reaction but to tap that delete button. Same thing goes for hateful email. I don't need other people's garbage so I simply don't accept delivery.

My blog. My rules. You don't like the way I do things? Don't visit! Trolls will be always be ignored if they insist on visiting.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Mayhem

I made a mess on Sunday! I had two small ornaments to finish. This involved pulling out the bins of fabric, trim, stuffing and interfacing.

I took over the kitchen table with sewing stuff. 

I took over the counter top with the ironing stuff. I like to iron craft things on my washable white craft towels instead of the ironing board.

It was glorious mayhem! I was having so much fun I opened a bottle of sweet red wine, poured it in a pitcher, added a can of tropical fruit and some ginger ale. This is tasty over ice in a fancy wineglass.

In fact, it was so tasty I drank the whole pitcher all by myself! Whoops! No, the ornaments came out just fine. All that alcohol only helped me loosen up my creativity! The ornaments are being mailed to their new owners so I will show them to you very soon.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Two Weeks

Yes, it's been two weeks since I've updated my blog. Shame on me! My apologies, life gets in the way. I figured I'd better give you all an update before I lose all my readers!

First up is Happy Flag Flag Day. Still working on it. Should have been finished by now. (Re-read the quip above about life getting in the way and insert here.) Correction to last post about this design: I'm an idiot! This is NOT a Bent Creek design ~ it is a Trilogy design. I know, same difference but it needed to be said!

Still fun to stitch even if those stripes are a booger and a half. The Fourth of July is coming up quick ~ will I finish? Stay tuned!

This cute teapot appeared at my door. Wow! An RAK from Lindsay of Caring Stitcher. Isn't it cute? It's teeny ~ maybe four inches tall. I adore it to pieces. Thank you, Lindsay!

Then, these adorable little scissors came from Kim of Sense and Stitchability as a donation to the Totally Useless giveaway. I'm very excited things are still trickling in! Thank you, Kim!

Other than stitching, what else have I been up to?

*Melting. Oklahoma has been hot. With very little rain. I was worried already about this coming summer. The entire United States was covered in blizzards all winter. Then we all had horrible rain/flooding/tornadoes in the spring. What else could one expect but dreadful summer temperatures and drought this season? I just want some decent weather, dammit!

*Playing Dog Chef. Sheba took quite a while to recover from her tummy upset. She was able to eat nothing except brown rice, yogurt and cottage cheese for a long time. She is fully recovered now and is happily eating dog kibble again. She lost a lot of weight but it looks good on her as she was a bit of a porker anyway!

*Shopping. Rick went out of town and I went crazy. Suddenly tired of wearing ratty old tshirts and faded jeans I took myself out and bought clothes. I came home and threw away nearly everything in my closet. I will admit to saving a couple of ratty things for dirty jobs like painting! This is actually a REALLY BIG THING for me. I hate clothes shopping with a passion.

*Crying. I attended the funeral of my friends 27 day old grandson who died in a tragic accident. Funerals are never fun but this one was especially sad. This is now on the "definitely never want to do ever again" list.

*Planning. I want to go away. I really don't care where, just away. I need a vacation! Really, really bad.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Completely Random Stuff

It is November 16th and that means NaBloPoMo is halfway over. I've been able to post every day so far. Hopefully my posts have been interesting and fun. The last thing I want to do is bore you!

I was feeling homemakerly today. When I got home from work, I readied this beef roast in the crock pot. I'll put it on in the morning and dinner is nearly done! Doesn't it look pretty? I also made a tub of Onion Butter for snacking. Onion Butter: 1 pkg cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 1/2 a medium onion-diced very fine, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of mayo, a sprinkle of parsley or chives. Mix all together (easier if you let the butter & cream cheese soften) and chill. Yummy on crackers or celery. It also makes hubby's feel loved.

My blog reader is still full. I've gone through a few posts but I keep running out of time this week. My laundry is clean but unfolded. The dishes from tonight's dinner are done, it was just frozen fish sticks and Kraft mac & cheese, lazy. Where does the time go? It isn't fair.

Do you Stumble? Jessie told me about it and it's a lot of fun. Careful though, it's addictive! She's found some pretty cool sites, like this one, Animals On The Underground.

No stitching in two days...can you hear my withdrawal groans? However, 123 Stitch! has emailed to say my order was shipped. Woo Hoo! We haven't gone anywhere in AGES due to football season. Every weekend, poor Rick asks me what I have planned the weekend? I don't have the heart to scream, "STASH SHOPPING! To hell with football this weekend!" *sigh* When I sweetly say, "Oh, nothing." He gets that relieved look on his face and I feel like an understanding wife. So I went Internet shopping instead. *insert evil laugh here* :o) Chiloe, by the way...I got your thread while I was at it. I'll send it along as soon as it gets here!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Here an ORT

There an ORT.

Everywhere an ORT ORT.

Here is a little peek at my ORT jars. I collect ratty thread ends and the small DMC bands. I trash fabric threads and the DMC band with the bar code. I don't see the point of keeping broken needles/buttons or chunks of fabric. I go for pretty. I love to peek into my ORT jar and see a bright layer of orange and black from Halloween stitching or a single color pile from a sampler. I think ORTs are beautiful! Let me see your ORTs, please!

It was better at work today, although it has been an altogether crappy week in general. I'll be sooo ready for Friday! Thank you all so much for your advice and good wishes. ***hugs*** I am way behind on my blogs. I haven't felt like reading them the past couple of days. If I'm in a bad mood I don't leave comments as often and that's half the fun of reading your posts. I'll catch up soon, I promise!

I'm terribly excited. I'll have a new freebie to share with you very soon, I hope. It is still being perfected but this gives you something to look forward to.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Bliss in a box

I have discovered paradise.

Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans from Starbucks. OMG

It is a really good thing these babies are six bucks a pop or my weight problem could get out of hand.

Thank you all for the Blogoversary wishes yesterday! ***hugs***

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

June Bugs, among other things

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. Don't you hate blog posts that begin with that? I disappear for two weeks and have the snip to say, "Oh, sorry!" Things have been just crazy around here! When the hail hit (in my last post) we were in the big middle of refinancing the mortgage, planning some home improvements...mainly, vinyl siding...and ended up needing a new roof and gutter as well. Our house has been a revolving door of insurance adjusters and contractors and trips to the bank. Getting estimates and planning costs and we've had one big headache after another! Needless to say, my stitching mojo has been high and my time and energy level, nil. Really not fair! I think, I think everything is settling out but maybe I've got my hopes stretched a bit!

June Bugs! Some people call them May Beetles. They aren't only around in May or June, but all summer long. They are horrid flyer's with zero direction control which sometimes lands them in your hair, or more often, flat on their back, "zzzzzt zzzzzt'ing" around with their wings trying to get upright again. The silly bugs have very clingy feet and they are difficult to remove from clothes or skin. These guys were the bane of Jessie's childhood; visits to Shakespeare in the Park or drive-in movies were plagued. She hated being dive-bombed by these crazy, out-of-control bugs that are insanely attracted to outdoor lights.

As a toddler, my mother once caught me eating something...which I greedily swallowed before she could steal it. In my fist was half a June Bug. Hey, protein, right?

So without further ado, here is the monthly Crabby offering, June Bugs. Whew, just in time! There is a button spider that gets stitched into the "B" but I won't add that until everything is finished.

Cute, isn't it? This was fun and quick. I didn't even mind the random stitches this time. Now, with June finished, Crabby All Year is half way done! Yippee, I Love it!

I kept putting off finishing this block, messing around with an exchange I'm stitching for. I stitched my design onto that fancy gingham fabric. It turned out alright but that fabric's weave is so loose it is uncomfortable to stitch on. Now, I can't get it to finish neatly! It buckles or twists and refuses to look neat. Not happy. I don't think this fabric is going to end up a favorite of mine. It will get one more try and if it won't tame, I'll stitch something else!

*****

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

A Grand Birthday Weekend

To celebrate my 41st birthday I had FOUR days off from work! After work on Thursday, we took a short motorcycle ride to Cushing to eat Mexican food. It had to be a short trip because a cold front was moving in and we said goodbye to the 70 degree weather. Friday, I cleaned house and went out to eat at Chili's, rented some movies and lazed about all evening. On Saturday, Jessie and I went stash shopping in Tulsa. (Rick stayed home to play with his motorcycle.) We went to The Silver Needle, Joann's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Barnes & Noble. Below is a bit of the stash I bought, some I have already ferreted away. Jessie and I ate at Olive Garden and we sat at the bar for an early dinner. Jessie got carded but she loved the peach fresco drink I ordered for her. I was driving so just had beer.

Sunday was spent playing with stash and stitching. I bought more David Francey albums off iTunes and was lamenting spending all my iTunes money...I opened my birthday card from Rick to find a new iTunes card inside! Woo hoo! Jessie got me some pretty variegated threads and a mouse pad for my stitching desk. I had errands today, (my actual birthday) my truck needed a thermostat, so we dropped it off and went out for breakfast. We stopped by the bookstore and I bought some Xanth novels I am missing and rented the John Adams miniseries. It's been a great birthday weekend!

I had to buy these book rings, on clearance sale at Hobby Lobby. Actually, they are paperclips...and there are 100 of them. The package says so. Get it together, indeed.

~~~~~~

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

A Valentine

Here is the sweetest Valentine from Becky! It arrived in my mailbox today. Isn't that little frog absolutely adorable? And one can always use DMC 321!

Thank you, Becky!

I haven't been able to read my (your) blogs for two days. On Monday, I was helping Jessie with theatre homework...Hamlet. We spent about four hours studying the Bard's famous play. It helps immensely that Jess has seen the movies and watched a few live performances of Hamlet. I trust she will receive a good grade on this section!

Yesterday, I'd planned on spending the evening catching up on blogs; instead we hid in the basement when the tornado sirens blew. You should have seen me, I carried a sixty pound frightened Border Collie down the steep basement stairs! In fact, I bet I went up & down those damn stairs 40 times last night! Then, the electric went out. With no TV, we had no idea if it was finished or if more storms were coming. (I'm getting a battery radio this weekend.) I finally went out to the truck and listened to the radio...while I was in the truck, it began hailing ~ I was stuck! There came a brief let-up and I dashed back into the house! Fun night, not. Our electric was out for only a couple of hours at most. I know many must still be without power because I had lots of phone calls at work today, asking if we had dry ice. There were five (?) tornadoes in Oklahoma last night. Last I heard, eight people had died. One tornado went very near my parent's house. Dad says the houses in the street behind his are missing their roofs! No damage at his house, thank God. Welcome to spring in Oklahoma; only a bit early.

Today is my beloved niece's birthday. Happy birthday, Danelle!

I'm coming along with Crabby but no picture today. I really need to catch up on blogs!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Sneak Peek

Sorry for disappearing all week! I was going along strong on Crabby when I got a little cross stitch obsession aversion therapy in the form of a two-evening headache. That really put me off my form. The week at work was l o n g for some reason. Friday couldn't get here soon enough. Then, I had a brilliant design idea so I've been working hard on that, perfecting and now stitching. This will be shared in the form of a freebie, possibly next Friday. Stay tuned in for that! Here is a little sneak peek...

Sadly, the weekend hasn't been much better. I got all geared up to finish the housework early yesterday morning so I could have the rest of the weekend free to design and stitch and play with stash. I was doing laundry and blog reading when the sewer backed up into the bathtub and toilets! You should have seen Taco-cat's eyes when big bubbles erupted from the toilet; and her tail bushed! The back bathroom toilet overflowed and the main baths' nearly did. Good Lord, what a mess! Everything was at a standstill until the plumber could come and snake out the main line. Why does this kind of thing always happen of a Saturday, when it costs twice as much? We are back in business though...after a thorough bleaching!

Finally, I feel like stitching again. Just in time to go back to work. Blah!

I like to wish a very happy birthday to my dear friend, Angela! Hey, you! Where's the cake?

I hope to get another Crabby update in for you soon. In the meantime, be sure to check the other participants' blogs for their updates. The links are in my sidebar. They all look really awesome! Way to go girls!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Snuggly

Today is a snuggly kind of day. It's bitter cold, windy and wet outside. We are having a bit of snow but it's only the snarl-traffic kind of snow not the snow angels and snowman kind of snow. Ho-hum. Yes, it's a keep-under-the-covers-warm day and I had to work. I did have the foresight to start a pot roast in the slow cooker before I left, so I arrived home to savory smells and a toasty warm kitchen. It was yummy.

Can you believe I haven't blogged since Friday? Creepy! We had a very productive weekend. Rick cleaned the garage while Jessie and I tackled the basement. The stacks of stuff in the basement were becoming rather Dr. Seuss style! Rick hauled two pick-up loads to the Salvation Army. Yes, two loads. We have said for years we should have a garage sale but it was never going to happen. Why waste a Saturday taking quarters for your outdated curtains when you could be riding a motorcycle or stash shopping? It was a massive clean-out and a nice tax deduction and it felt good! The basement is sparkling clean which pleases me to no end. That is our tornado shelter and I think we have been in more danger of being buried alive than blown away.

Have you noticed how appliances have such bright lights on them these days? We have a new coffee maker and I swear you could make a sandwich by it's clock display at night.

My fabric has arrived for Crabby All Year. It is all I can do to resist starting it! I even bit the bullet and purchased those ridiculously expensive buttons, which should arrive soon. I know I won't need the buttons for another year but I had to. I just had to! It will be fun to get them out for trial runs, right? The threads still need to be sorted, cut and bagged, maybe this coming weekend? Oh, and I found another blogger, Missy, who is just finishing Crabby up...aww, it's so fun and silly! There are a few SAL partners lined up with me for 2009 and it looks like a go! We still have about three weeks before the SAL begins so you have time to get the charts and supplies and join us!

Here is an update on Summer Joy since last time. This is an easy stitch but I haven't gotten much time for it this week. Nice progress though.

Jessie brought home Tales of Beedle the Bard. I'll read it soon. Although, I am still depressed that the Harry Potter series is over. I would still like to read the Twilight series before I see the movie. Wow, there are tons of movies coming up that I want to see. I can't remember the last time we went to the movie theatre...not counting the drive-in movies last summer! Where am I going to get all this time?

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Does your printer not work?

I know several of my blogging friends are having trouble with their printers. This causes problems when you are a cross stitcher. I know there is no way I could get by without my scanner/printer. I think I may have the answer. No, not how to fix, but maybe why your printer doesn't work correctly. Visit the link below to see a video.

Printer broken? Click here.



BTW, I will not be held responsible for your uncontrolled laughter.

Windy Wordless Wednesday

Clueless

I have no idea what it is but I just found it in my clothes washer.

I could understand finding such things if I had a three-year-old but my child is nearly 21.

It's Turkey Day!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

No post

I was going to post something with photos and blogger is being balky and won't upload them.
Now I'm frustrated and balky. Poo.

See everyone tomorrow. I'll be in a better mood then!

Thoughts

I've been sitting here thinking. Reading blogs and commenting when I feel like doing so. My feet move and I feel resistance. Sheba has come to lay near my chair under my feet. So quiet I never heard her come in. Now, I know she is there and my legs need a stretch but I can't move because I have a good dog.

I don't read many blogs that aren't stitching related. One of my favorite non-stitchy blogs is We Three, Ginger Cats Tales. The cats have a Border Collie puppy living with them. I find their adventures fascinating.

There has not been any stitching going on here since Sunday. Sad, huh? I was pleased as punch to get disaster snowman fixed, finished and sent and even made great progress on my next one...then fizzle. No worries though, I'll get mojo'd up tonight and be back to normal.

I bought an album last weekend. It's So Far by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. A dear favorite of mine. I had this once from my brother as an LP when I turned 14. When I was young he always bought me a record album for my birthday.

It turned off cold this week but not for long. I'm getting pretty upset with you girls to the north getting lots of snow and we probably won't get much as usual. You big snow hogs. Seriously, I love snow; I hate driving in it. Careful what you wish for, right?

Jessie has a workshop at school tomorrow. Rick is going out with friends to a football game. Not for anything would I go sit outside in 40 degree weather for hours. This is why I like arena football=central heat & air. I'm an indoor kind of girl. Oh, I'm off topic...ha! Like this post actually ever had a topic...I have the day to myself tomorrow. I can't decide what I want to do. I could go to Tulsa and go stash shopping. Except, I need exactly nothing and I'd end up spending (lots) money on stuff I really don't need. I could go to Oklahoma City and visit my sister & mom. Though, I'm sick with a snotty sneezely cold and I'd hate to infect them with it. I could sit at home all day and stitch and jam to music. Gahhh, I can't decide.

Rick has crinkled what sounds like a chips bag. Sheba has left to investigate. He might need help with those chips and Sheba is a good Border Collie.

Blank

Yes, my title is "blank" because I can't think of anything very interesting to write about today.

I've finished the "disaster" snowman. He turned out alright. Not my best work by a long shot, it's mostly the fabrics' fault...it made the stitches go scrunched. Messy looking stitching drives me nuts. I only need to add the trim and it will be ready for mailing. I am hoping to have it finished tomorrow, after buying wider ribbon!

Started the second snowman exchange today and was able to complete quite a bit of it. And no scrunching on the stitches! That got me to thinking...I haven't heard from my partner for weeks and I am not sure she even wants to continue...? I hope so!

A giveaway!

Be sure to stop by Chiloe's Corner to enter in her giveaway. The chatty thing has made 600 posts...OMG what a blabbermouth! It's OK, we love her anyway!

The best thing about Thursdays is Supernatural. I like it best when the preview says, "Tune in next week for a new episode." I hate waiting and they haven't made me wait so far this season.

It's late (yes, only 9:30 pm...I'm still on Daylight Savings Time, sheesh!) I'm tired. Thank heaven tomorrow is Friday; it has been a long week! Night all!

GROUCHY

Warning...I am in a peevish mood. I was running late this morning because I forgot I needed to iron my shirt. My footie has been hurting since Monday so I've been hobbling around since then. Jessie complained about a class assignment and I snapped at her about wasting her study time visiting friends. I cut my hand on broken glass when I went to fix dinner. Rick (such a sweetheart) took over. He cooked spaghetti with meat sauce while I pouted in my chair with a paper towel, direct pressure and a heating pad on the sore foot. My 1st snowman exchange will be coming due soon and I've not finished. Too much blog visiting? I am just full of grouches today.

Good things really did happen today. Joan of Stitching Squad pulled my name out of the hat in her blogoversary drawing. Woo hoo! I am tickled pink! I'm still grouchy but tickled. Happy blogoversary, Joan!

I thank you all for the kind support you offer in the comments on my last post. Yes, I do feel so much better. I didn't even get bronchitis or pneumonia when I caught that little cold in September. I can't remember the last time I didn't get a chest infection after having a cold! And another big, YES...I'm definitely spending cigarette money on stash nowadays!

I'll leave you with a Taco-kitty photo. Cats love sunbeams.