Monday, July 29, 2013

Another week.


It's crazy how fast this summer is going by!! It doesn't help that I've been seeing a lot more Halloween beads being ordered from my web shop the last couple weeks. (Yes, Halloween. Already. I do love the colors in Halloween stuff though so I don't mind it.)  

Mostly everything is put back to rights from the lightening strike. (Was that LAST weekend? Good god it feels like a MONTH ago already.) New grass is being grown to get rid of the dirt runway in my lawn, we've started purchasing some new flowers and plants to replace the big bushes that were pulled out near my front door, and all the smoke damaged clothes are off being handled by a service that specializes in that type of thing. Insurance paid for everything right away so....WHEW. No worries there. (Thank you, Safeco Insurance. You were, dare I say it, quite amazing to deal with?)

Hey! Do you want a free pattern?


I finished up my Dandy Dreams and, in the spirit in which it was given to me (thank you, Maggee!), if you'd like to stitch it too I will be happy to send it along to the first person who asks. I stitched this up with no mods in the colors, on a.......I believe it was 36ct fabric? Loved it, aside from blurry issues with my eye sight, that seems to be affecting everything I do lately. (Not sure if I 'suddenly' need bifocals or what. Does that come on you real quick like? I'm off to the eye doctors in a couple weeks at any rate because it's really annoying. It seems a little better when wearing glasses vs. contacts so I'm just sticking to glasses when doing my handwork stuff.)

I've been meaning to get to finishing up another WIP project so I went digging in my storage ottoman (where things go to die) and came up with this........

You know what? I kinda hate this project so there doesn't seem any point in finishing it, to be honest. BYE BYE, FISHIES. (insert 'swim with da fishes' joke here)

Like: the pattern, the colors. Dislike: the linen, linen, linen
I feel like the stitch count is too big for such a simple pattern. It needs to be done over one or over two on a much finer linen, like a 40ct. It's hard to tell in such a random picture but the fish are just too.......BIG. Don't like. Moving on.

I started something else but it needs more work before it has a TA-DA!!! moment. :)

If you ever wondered (which I'm sure NO ONE has) where my interest in handwork type things come from, I offer the above towels as evidence that it came from my mother. She did those last month for me. All freehand and her own pattern. She doesn't care for cross-stitch because it's too 'structured' but she can embroider the hell out of most anything. (Thanks, Mom!)

My wee little kitties-to-be are getting bigger and are *almost* big enough to take home with us. They are being weaned this week so we're almost there. :)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your mom ROCKS!

Cath said...

Fab stitching . I have already done Dandy Dreams , but thanks for the offer.
Love your kitties . Do they have names yet ?

Annie said...

Love the look of the shiskabob beads!

Glad to hear the cleanup is going so well.

Your stitching is lovely. I'll pass on the pattern.. just too much stash and too little time as it is!

You don't need bifocals 'suddenly', but it does hit a tipping point where you notice it more. Really good light helps some too til you get readers.

Poor fish. Sometimes you just have to let things go.

Your Mom's embroidery is stitch-tastic! Love the colors and the fact that she did her own designing.

Barb said...

Well, I would love to have Dandy Dreams. Am I first?

Vickie said...

Oh wow! Your mom has wonderful talent. Aren't you hesitant to use the towels then Melanie? I have embroidered a poodle on one towel and use it occasionally.
Your kitties are SWEET!!! Love them!

Carol said...

Oh, the kitties are getting big--can't wait 'til you get them home! Sometimes I wish they could just stay little fluffballs :)

Sorry about the fish piece, but it's better to forget it if you aren't enjoying it. Maybe someone else would enjoy finishing it? It would be cute for a cottage or camp...

Your mom is very talented--I see where you inherited those creative genes from! Glad your Halloween beads are flying out of the shop :)

Cole said...

Look at those kitties! Too cute :D

Margaret said...

OMG! The kitties are sooooo cute! I can't wait for you to get them home! Your mom is amazing. What gorgeous towels! I love the fish project, but of course, it's impossible to tell the scale. Will you stitch it again on a higher count linen? Hope so. Glad all is getting back to normal from the whole debacle. Thank goodness for good insurance! Oh, and I find it pretty funny -- I like cross stitch precisely because it's so structured. lol! Freehand embroidery or anything else that requires a bit of creativity on one's own account freaks me out!

Julie said...

Stunning freehand wok by mum and a super finish you did on Dandy Dreams.

Penny said...

Lovely finish! I think the fish pattern is cute. Maybe you can give it a fresh start someday on a different linen. Those are some beautiful towels your mother embroidered! I love the structure of cross stitch. :) And those are a couple of beautiful kitties!

Catherine said...

Such sweet kitties ~ how exciting that they will soon be big enough to come home! Glad that your beads are selling well, but yikes ~ Halloween! Love the fish, but can understand what you mean about using a smaller count. Glad all is going well with getting things back in place at your house.

Pumpkin said...

Glad to hear that things are getting back to normal for you. How scary! I get shivers just thinking about it...

Lovely stitching Melanie. I love this pattern and it's on my to-do list :o) What's wrong with the fishies???? I've never seen that pattern before.

Wow, your mother is very talented! I can see where you get it from ;o)

Awwwww! Are you getting one or two kitties?

Anne said...

Congrats to your Mom on such wonderful embroidery! And I love your little kitties! So happy for you that they will be home soon. I wish I wasnt allergic, I would love a cat!! :)

Maggee said...

You must have 'focused' on Dandy Dreams alone! I rarely do that... get bored I guess. Nicely done tho! And your Mom's embroidery is so beautiful! Glad you stopped stitching on the fishies if you were not enjoying it! If you really like the pattern (it IS cute!) you will find another piece of fabric! What little fluffy kitties! Enjoy!