Taco

Back in October we had a brief cold snap and it got pretty chilly around here. I knew Taco wasn't happy in her usual spot on top of my floss cabinet. The window next to my stitching desk gets really cold in the winter. I need some heavy drapes to block that! When it got cold she started stealing my chair every time I got up. When she was in her bed on the floss cabinet she curled into a tight little tuft.

Since I need a catless chair to stitch in I was taken to desperate measures. We moved the cat bed! I cleared off the top of the chest of drawers that holds stash and added a big warm cat bed. I think she will be cosier here in the winter.

I think she likes it.

She looks happy anyway.

Taco thinks photo shoots are boring though. And that is only a trick of the camera, she doesn't really have three canine teeth.

My biggest problem now is Taco can see my face from her bed and thinks she has to talk to me. Constantly. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow.

>^..^<

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Merry helps choose

A big thank you to everyone that entered my Blogoversary Giveaway for the two Simon's Cat books. It's been a great celebration! I've made such great friends through this blog; it's just incredible when I stop and think about it. When I started this blog I never thought I'd ever have so many readers. My current visitor count is 198 per day. Holy cow. Thank you so much.

I spent this morning writing everyone down. Cutting the names into slips and piling them into The Mighty Bowl of Destiny. Well, it's actually just a cup but this is my blog, I'll call it what I want!

I loved this cup but alas, it was too small. Too many entries for this size. Off to search out a bigger Mighty Bowl of Destiny...

This one was just right! Merry said she would help me choose, since the last time I tried to have the pets help they turned me down flat, lazy critters.

Merry closed her eyes and reached in...

The first name she drew out was Doris!

Then Merry reached again and pulled out Nita!

Thank you Merry, you did a great job!

Nita and Doris, I'll be emailing you both shortly for your mailing addresses. Congratulations!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Last Chance!

Just a quick reminder! My Blogoversary Giveaway ends some time tomorrow. If you were wanting to enter please put your comment on that post now!

Short post. I'm tired.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

First Stitches

Lee, (Lake Stitcher) headed off to camp, (lucky girl) was instructed to bring some "first projects" for showing. I thought this was a fun idea. It's interesting to see how tastes and styles change though the years. Lee mentions we (stitchers in general?) were very into "country" back then. And oh, God, it's true. Every stitch design out there was "country". Fat bows. Cows. Hearts. Flowers. Pink & blue. I've still got all those oldie charts and don't they look dated?

As I'm doing NaBloPoMo I thought this would make for an interesting post. For those reading this, find yours! Show & Tell!

Here is the very first thing I ever stitched. I dug this out of the drawer today and gave it a wash and ironing. This is so old! It has a little staining and there are circles drawn in pencil around the designs. I think I must have meant to put these into little plastic frames after they were stitched.

Stitched with one thread on 18 count aida. Supplies were from my sister's stash. She used these designs to teach me to stitch. I must have been around 13ish? I'll have to ask her if she remembers this. I remember...sitting in the kitchen of her trailer house working on these. Those were golden days for me.

Best of all is the back side. Knots, carry-overs and thread tangles.

ROFLMAO

Obviously, I wasn't paying any attention when Carol showed me how to start a thread and end off. These knots really crack me up. Somewhere around here is my first "finished project." A cursory look didn't turn it up but I will have a good search and find it to show you some time soon.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Crabby November Start

Oooo, what an exciting photo today! Not! How exciting can a red-brown border and a bit of white window pane be? But it's a start. I began Crabby November on Sunday, the first of the month. I'm trying not to hurry through this month. I'll need something to post about, don't you know?

There has been plenty more stitching getting done besides Crabby All Year though. I finished last month's Zombies in record time. Now that was exciting. Then, I filled the "free" time with lots and lots of exchange stitching. I've joined a private invitation ornament exchange that starts next year. Plus, a Holiday Exchange organized by our dear friend, Becky. That one is open for new exchangers...go look. Exchanges are so much fun. Except that one can't show WIP photos of awesome stitching :o(

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Risking getting my hair pulled

Or my face scratched by my horrible, cackling, witchy, jealous friend Deborah (bless her black, icky heart) may I present my prize from Missy's 13 Days of Halloween giveaway?

Way too cool. I got a spook-tacular crypt with a skull on the front, a pair of (darling) purple scissors (perfect for traveling) and there is another little magnetic skull inside to hold needles and pins. Fridge magnets, a vampire lips pin, candy and a pencil rounds out the package. Missy was so clever putting these prize packages together!

I was so good not peeking at Missy's photo link on her blog. It was hard to resist! Not knowing made it loads of fun to open the box. Thank you ever so much Missy!

Deborah ~ nah nah nah nah nah!

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

She threw a party...

...and everyone came.

It's my 2nd Blogoversary! A very big THANK YOU to all my readers. Your comments inspire me. Your visits to my blog are treasured. I could not do without you.

Don't forget to sign up for the Simon's Cat book giveaway a couple of posts below. The giveaway ends on November 7th, 2009.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Trick Or Treat!

You are not allowed to laugh. This is the very first pillow I've ever machine sewed. However, overlooking goofy corners and a badly seamed shut end, it turned out satisfactory. I love how the black & orange gingham matches so well with the cross stitched border in the design. I glued on wiggle eyes instead of the tiny buttons included with the pattern as I'll want to use those buttons when I eventually stitch up the entire Boo Club design. I added a black poofy bow and spooky little bells to each corner. Hoping those bells will disguise my poor sewing skills? Again, the camera refuses to draw the fabric color. *&%$$#*&@

Design ~ Boo Club Series Creepy

Designer ~ Lizzie*Kate

Fabric ~ 28 count Wichelt Jobelan, Daffycat dyed Tangerine Orange

Fiber ~ DMC

Finish ~ Pillow

I'm Missy Ann's day 11 winner of the 13 Days Of Halloween! Go me! That is the sneak peek photo. I wonder what it is??? I'll find out very soon as Missy already had my address and got it mailed today. I can't wait to see. Thank you Missy, this has been a very fun giveaway!

******

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Daffycat's 2nd Blogoversary!

November 1st is my 2nd Blogoversary! I am so excited! To celebrate, I decided to host a giveaway but what to give? I have so many blog friends! In the end, I came across a new book that I figured was purr-fect for my giveaway. In fact, I got two since it's my second Blogoversary. Everybody knows and loves Simon's Cat, right?

Okay, I'm sure there are one or two that haven't seen Simon's cat. Get out from under that rock! So you can see his home page here and see his hilarious YouTube videos here. I love this crazy kitteh!

Official Giveaway Stuff

1) I'm giving away a copy Simon's Cat by Simon Tofield to two lucky readers of my blog.

2) Enter the giveaway by leaving me a Happy Blogoversary comment on this post only. (Click the link at the bottom of this entry that says Amicable Purrs.)

3) Get a second entry by being a Follower of my blog. Let me know in your comment that you are a Follower.

4) Get another entry by posting about my giveaway on your blog. Leave another comment, please.

5) The winners of the books will be chosen by random drawing on November 7, 2009.

6) I must have a way of contacting the winners. Make sure you leave your email address if your email is not available in your profile. No blog, no problem...but leave your email!

This giveaway is hosted to thank you all for reading my blog, for leaving me so many lovely comments, and for brightening my days with your wonderful blogs as well. Thank you all. And good luck!

The giveaway is closed for entries and the winner will be announced shortly!

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

xox