Sweet Pea Stitches

Have you purchased from this store?

2008-07-23T15:04:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back, okay, six weeks, back on June 13, I ordered a chart from Stitch1 Knit 1, a UK based company (the chart I wanted was a UK designer). I made payment through Paypal.com. By July 10th, it still hadn't arrived, so I emailed to find out if the package had been sent out and based on their experience with international shipping, what they expected the arrival time to be. No answer. A week later, I emailed them again. Still no answer.

Then I tried contacting them through their website. No answer. So I tried contacting them through Paypal.com's dispute resolution process. Nothing. Not a single word. I can't even tell you how frustrated I am by this. If someone screwed up and forgot to send the package, fine. I can understand that. If the item is backordered, let me know. But don't take my money and then not even have the decency to respond when I ask you very politely when I can expect my chart.

Finally today I got so fed up with not hearing back from them, I escalated the issue to a claim with Paypal, and hopefully I'll be able to get my money back so I can order it elsewhere. Has anyone ever shopping in their store or ordered from them online? Is this something that happens to a lot of people or is this just a fluke of bad service? I tried googling the store name but didn't come up with much, so I am interested to know if anyone has dealt with them. Also, has anyone ever filed a claim through Paypal? If so, how did it work out?

And something else you can vote on

2008-07-21T09:43:00.003-04:00

I went to a wedding shower this weekend for a long time family friend, Jenny. Jenny is getting married in September and I really want to stitch something for her and her new husband, but I'm having trouble picking a design. I've narrowed it down to a few choices and am looking for some opinions.

Before I get to the designs I've chosen, let me fill you in a little. Jenny and her soon to be DH are in their mid-twenties, they're fun, active and into the outdoors. Their home is decorated with a lot of neutrals and earth tones, and many things on their registry were olive greens, linen / flax, burnt orange, oil rubbed bronze, chocolate brown, etc. The wedding colors are similar - their invites were a cream color card with an olivy-green monogram and brown ribbon, so that's narrowed down the color scheme for me. These are the designs I've picked, in no particular order, and I've set up a little poll for voting.

#1. I Do by Bent Creek

#2. The Wedding by My Big Toe Designs (to be done in green and brown)

#3. Two Shall Be as One by Lizzie*Kate

#4. Wedding Row by Bent Creek

Thoughts? Opinions? Different suggestions?

Exercise your right to vote!

2008-07-21T09:34:00.002-04:00

The finalists have been announced and voting has commenced. Head on over to Feeling Stitchy and cast your vote. Preferably for dear Emily, whose blog The Floss Box is a wonderful read and an amazing source of inspiration and freebie patterns.

Interview with an Author

2008-07-18T17:14:00.002-04:00

My friend Julie was recently interviewed about her book, The Hard Way, by her local newspaper.

Additionally, she'll be signing books at the Borders in Stroudsburg, PA, tomorrow from 1-3. I know the likelihood of any readers of this blog being in the area is slim to none, but on the off chance you are around, stop by and say HI!

I am a posting fool today....

2008-07-18T16:42:00.004-04:00

Since there doesn't appear to be a Friday Feast this week, I borrowed this from Mel. (And I know you may be wondering where my stitching pictures are. Me too. LOL)

5 Things in your bag / purse:
1. Cellphone

2. Wallet

3. Keyring filled with club card keytags (I'll sign up for anything)

4. Pill box - I always have advil, immodium, acid reducer and aspirin in my purse. Always.

5. My iPod. I don't leave home without it

5 Things in your bedroom:
1. King Size bed - I detest sleeping in anything smaller

2. A rocking chair I've had since birth (it belonged to my grandmother before I got it)

3. A love seat and ottoman - I admit, it feels a little decadent to have an entire separate sitting area, but I absolutely love it

4. The teddybear I still sleep with

5. My wedding gown, in its acid free box, under the bed. The best temperature controlled, dust free place in the house!

5 Things I have always wanted:
(I am going to be completely, completely selfish here)
1. Pets - dogs, cats, fish, doesn't matter. I have the cat and fish, now I really want the dog

2. A sailboat - I love, love, love being on the water

3. A weekend house, somewhere by the water. Doesn't matter if it's a lake or the ocean, so long as it's not that crowded

4. A PhD. Someday....

5. Kids. My nieces and nephew bring me such joy.

5 Things I’m really into:
1. Lighthouses. DH and I have seen over 200 of them and have been known to plan vacations around going to them

2. Cross Stitching, blogging about cross stitching, reading about cross stitching...

3. Reading. Always have been, always will be. The movers were annoyed with the size of our book collection. We easily have over 2000 books in our house.

4. Antiques - jewelry, furniture, depression glass, etc. Again, DH and I can spend hours perusing antique shops, but we don't do it for the money, we do it for the value the pieces have to us and our memories / interests. For instance, the jewelry and the glass remind me of my aunt and grandmother, two incredibly important women in my life.

5. Cooking and food. I love grocery stores, gourmet stores, cooking shows, the Food Network, and making my own food.

Thanks, Meari!

2008-07-18T13:45:00.005-04:00

Sweet Meari awarded me a KreativBlogger Award, with the stipulation that I pass it on to five more bloggers who will in turn pass it onto another five (and so on and so forth....). As is usually the case, it's VERY hard to narrow it down to just five, but I'll give it a shot.

Yuko (Be Happy!) - Yuko takes the loveliest pictures

Olga (Olenka's Stitches Blog) - Olga is wonderfully creative and her finishing is perfection

Patty (PipStitch) - Patty's blog is a TREASURE TROVE of goodies

Andrea (The Craft Room) - Andrea is an absolute genius when it comes to finishes

C (Pencil Crossings) - A stitcher as avid about her craft as she is about reading. I love it!

Whenever I get one of these awards, I try to highlight different blogs, perhaps some blogs that people aren't as familiar with, as it makes me sad to see stitchers post they are considering deleting their blogs because they don't think anyone reads them. I read over 200 blogs and each and every one of them brings me some kind of inspiration, joy, happiness, etc. I try to comment whenever possible, especially if I have a more in depth comment. "Nice work!" comments are wonderful and ALWAYS appreciated, but a more detailed comment that engages the author in some way is especially nice.

If you read some wonderful blogs, take a few seconds and leave a comment for the author so they feel appreciated. Even better, put a link to their blog on yours or find some way of spreading the word. I can't tell you how many wonderful stitchers I have encountered just by following a trail from one blog to the next.

You know you want to...

2008-07-17T15:10:00.003-04:00

Sign up for a PIF, that is.

Tammie (A Stitch in Time) is the future recipient of one of my PIFs, so she's looking for sign ups for hers. Why not stop on by and check out her blog, and perhaps sign up for her PIF? She's feeling a little down that nobody's signed up, and I think it would make her day. Remeber, PIFs don't have to be extravagent. I think a lot of stitchers get caught up in big exchanges and sending out all kinds of goodies, which, let's face it, gets to be quite expensive. You have a whole year to send out a PIF, and it doesn't have to be a huge package of goodies, but it is nice to be able to share your stitching with others, and pass a little goodwill on. Some days, this world needs all the goodwill it can get!

Shel (Stash of Sanity) is also in need of more targets, as is Danica (Navy Stitching).

As for me, I've been happily plotting away on projects for my 3 recipients and I'm looking forward to sending out their gifts. One of the things I like about doing the PIF is that all three who signed up are "new to me" blogs. I love that I have the opportunity to meet three more fabulous stitchers, and I've been enjoying their blogs as well. If you're not spread too thin, I hope you would consider joining one of the PIFs.

Check out "Feeling Stitchy"

2008-07-15T08:10:00.001-04:00

If you haven't seen it yet, head on over to Feeling Stitchy and check out Emily's banner. The site is having a banner contest, and Emily (aka The Floss Box) is one of the finalists!

Friday's Feasts: 194, 195 & 196

2008-07-11T19:02:00.004-04:00

From Friday's Feast: A Buffet for Your Brain

Feast One Hundred & Ninety Four

Appetizer: If you could live on another continent for 1 year, which one would you choose?
I'd have to go with Australia. I've been interested in (obsessed with at some points) Australia for as long as I can remember. I went through an obsessed period in high school and I even had a shirt with various depictions of Australia printed on it in blue, almost like a toile fabric. I like Australian music (INXS, Midnight Oil, TOFOG, etc.) I have a collection of kangaroos (probably about 100 or so, in various forms) and various other Australian paraphenalia. My second choice would be the UK.

Soup: Which browser do you use to surf the Internet?
I probably should be ashamed to admit that I am an Explorer girl, but I'm not.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you know about the history of your country?
Probably a 7 or 8. Used to be higher - I had quite a few history classes in high school and college, but some of the information has escaped me. But my DH likes history and documentaries, and we both like traveling (I've seen a great deal of the US), so we've been to many historical sites. It also helps that we've lived in and around Philadelphia most of our lives, so we're readily familiar with the founding fathers and all that.

Main Course: Finish this sentence: Love is…
All you need? (We used it as our entrance to our wedding reception)

Dessert: Have you ever been in or near a tornado?
No, and I don't care to be. Scary stuff.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feast One Hundred & Ninety Five

Appetizer: What is the weather like today where you live?
Warm, but pleasant. Upper 80s, but the humidity isn't so bad. Bright blue skies. I hear nasty hot weather is coming though.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how career-minded are you?
Eh, these days probably about a 4. I used to be much more focused, but my priorities have changed. Doesn't mean I still don't love a nice fat paycheck though!

Salad: What type of window coverings do you have in your home? Blinds, curtains, shutters, etc.?
We have fancy wooden blinds courtesy of the previous owners in the front windows of the house, some weird drapey stuff (which will be going at some point) on the windows in the living room and dining room, mini blinds on the back windows, and plain cotton canvas on the family room windows. Other than the nice wooden blinds, I can take or leave the rest of it, and will most likely change it when we start painting the house to our tastes.

Main Course: Name something that instantly cheers you up.
My 5 year old niece. I adore that kid and she cracks me up. Also, flowers, little presents, phone calls from my best friend, cards from my grandmother-in-law, setting foot on the beach

Dessert: How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning?
at least 3x. I set my alarm to account for it. See the career minded question above.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feast One Hundred & Ninety Six

Appetizer: When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?
Right before we moved in early June. I knew it was going to be a while before we got settled and I found a new salon, so I had it done. It does, however, desperately need to be colored.

Soup: Name one thing you miss about being a child.
GOOD Saturday morning cartoons and cold pizza, followed by playing Barbies. I know that's more than one thing, but it's hard to narrow it down.

Salad: Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.
Pick one to throw out the window? Margarine. I hate that stuff. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I usually cook with olive oil, but sometimes there's no substitute for butter.

Main Course: If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?
Spanish would be the most useful. Gaelic would be closest to my heart. German would be closest to my DH's heart. I've started learning a little German, but the Gaelic is tough.

Dessert: Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…
A parent.

Yay! It's FRIDAY!!!

2008-07-11T17:54:00.003-04:00

Boy, am I behind!! I have three Friday's Feasts to catch up on, as well as several SBQs. Not to mention I owe some actual stitching pictures on this, a stitching blog. I just haven't been able to get motivated to get the camera out and take some. I'm in the midst of a love-hate relationship with the camera and photography in general. Our camera seems to have an internal spot on the lens, leaving a dark shadow on our photos. Trouble is, it comes and goes; some pictures have it, others don't. I'm guessing it's probably time to get the camera cleaned, but it's been so far down on the priority list lately that I haven't made time to find out where to take it and actually get it done. Which means that I am spending quite a bit of time (and working up a good eye strain) digitally touching up some of our photos.

Which is another story in and of itself. I try to be very organized with our photos. We have an external drive, and every year, I set up a main folder for the year (2006, 2007, etc.) As we take pictures, I set up numbered subfolders to keep track of date and activity, and number them to keep them in order. Every six months or so, I burn the photos to CD, and once a year, I delete everything that has been burned onto CD from the hard drive. (After I make a second copy, of course) I'm a stickler for photos looking good, which means I do some retouching and fix all the red eye before I burn or upload photos. (My MIL thinks we have the most wonderful camera since she always looks so nice in our pictures!) With everything going on over the last couple months, the last thing I wanted to do was sift through all these pictures, so I just kept dumping things into folders. Now I have to go back and fix them little by little, removing that annoying spot.

Oh, and did I mention that my DH is quite fond of taking photos in TIFF format, which is nice because it gives me a good file to work with for touching up, but a pain in the backside because the file size is HUGE and takes a while to load. AND I have to convert them to jpegs before I can upload them. Yes, I do have quite a bit of work in front of me, since I haven't done anything more than take photos and offload the memory card into appropriate folders since last July. So there's a couple folders filled with pictures to label and touch up as needed, including almost 800 pictures from our vacation to Massachusetts last fall, and all the holidays since. Whew! You can see why I've been avoiding the camera.

In stitching news, I swear I have been making progress on Home By The Sea. My ornament projects, however, have really fallen by the way side. I can't even remember when the last time I stitched on an ornament was, and I feel terrible because one of the Bride's Tree sets I started on was for DH's cousin's wedding, which happens to be in about 2 weeks. I have exactly ONE ornament completed and "ornamentified", 2-3 more are stitched, and the rest of them are merely printed out charts. I suspect that I will wrap up the first ornament as a gift, with an IOU for the rest, to be delivered before the end of the year. I do believe etiquette gives a wedding guest up to a year to give a gift. I hope it doesn't take me THAT long. As for my own set, and the set I was working on for my best friend and her husband?? Well..... that's going to be a while yet.

And I finally broke down and emailed my former LNS to find out if they had all 6 Lizzie*Kate Double Flips in stock before I made the 90 minute drive down there. They do, and they're holding them for me. Normally I'd have them send them up to me (I haven't found an LNS here yet), but I wanted to poke around the shop a little. I have a completed punch card worth 20% off my purchases, so I'm definitely going to put it to work.

Speaking of which, I have one more PIF spot open. So far, I have two takers, Shel (Stash of Sanity) and Tammie (A Stitch in Time). If you'd like to receive a stitchy gift from me, post a comment and let me know, on the condition that you make the same offer on your own blog to send out 3 more PIFs. If you're on the fence, now's the time to jump. I have some plans in the works for Tammie and Shel that I'm very excited about. This is the first time I am participating in a PIF and I am really looking forward to it. If you're interested, let me know!

Pay it Forward....

2008-07-05T13:28:00.004-04:00

I've been avoiding exchanges and PIFs because of the move, but now that we're more or less settled in, I've decided I want to get my feet wet a little.

A while back, I received a lovely bookmark from Barbara, my very first piece from a fellow stitcher. And just last week, I was picked to receive a PIF gift from the wonderful Yuko. If you haven't seen her blog, Be Happy!, yet, I highly recommend you check it out. Yuko creates some of the loveliest pieces and her blogs are a delight to read. I am so excited to have been picked to receive one of her gifts as I have admired her work for quite some time now.

And now for the fun part for my readers. By participating in Yuko's PIF, I have agreed to offer up my own PIF for three recipients. I will take the first three commenters (with whom I can get in touch) who promise to pay it forward as well and make the same offer on their blog. If I get more than three commenters, I will use a random number selecter to pick three commenters at random.

Animal Theme Baby Gift

2008-07-03T17:02:00.002-04:00

I forgot to mention I picked (and ordered) a baby gift for my friend. I ended up going with this one. Safari Birth Sampler by Mary Stickley for The Coleshill Collection

I wanted to pick something that wasn't overly cartoony so they'd be able to keep it hanging longer. I had done a previous Janlynn jungle themed piece for another friend, but I would never stitch it again. It was absolutely adorable when it was done, but once was enough, thanks! In fact, if anyone is interested in the chart for it, it's in my Swap or Sell pile.

Teaching and reading

2008-07-03T15:45:00.005-04:00

Well, we're all moved in, mostly unpacked and back from vacation. I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse to go away in the middle of settling into a new house, though! I did get a little stitching done down the shore on Home By the Sea, and I will have to take a picture of my progress later. I've been trying to get back into the routine of stitching at night, and so far, things are going well.

In other stitching news, I started teaching my nearly six year old niece how to stitch. She absolutely adored the movie Finding Nemo, so I picked up this little piece for her to start teaching. I probably should have paid more attention to the age range (8+) rather than the content, but I tried to make it as fun as possible for her. She's a smart little cookie, so I didn't think it would be too difficult, and I made sure to explain that it was going to take some time to finish.

She got the hang of threading the needle VERY quickly, much quicker than I ever did when I started learning, and she was surprisingly patient with the stitching. She had a hard time bringing the needle through from the back of the fabric, but she let me guide the needle for her, and it worked out well. She was good for almost an hour before she started getting bored with it, which was much longer than I expected. We worked on it here and there throughout the week, a little at a time, but I ended up finishing it for her at the end of the week. She was just thrilled with her Nemo, and very proud of the work she did.

I think I'm pretty lucky that my niece is so patient - there's a lot of 5 year olds that aren't so willing to sit still. It also helps that I'm her favorite aunt (she's said so herself to her mom). :-) I think next time, though, I'm going to teach her what I started out doing - stamped cross stitch. That might be easier for her to get the hang of, and this is something I'd really like to be able to share with her, especially since she seems so interested in it. I started teaching her because she'd always be hanging over my shoulder wanting to know what I was doing and wanting to help whenever I worked on my own projects. I'm hoping the stamped stuff will go over well with her.

And on a non-stitching note, Carolien has recieved the "advance copy" of The Hard Way. Imagine my surprise when it went all the way to the Netherlands in about a week! Julie had several extra copies of her book that she gave to friends and family members with the stipulation that they had to be passed on. You can read more about it here. Once Carolien is done reading, she's going to pass the book on to the next reader, so if you'd like a chance to get in on her drawing, be sure to leave a comment on her blog.

I'm still alive!

2008-06-13T08:42:00.004-04:00

Moving has sucked up much of my days (and evenings) and by the time I am finished for the day, I am too exhausted to stitch, so I've been spending some time trying to catch up with all the blog posts in my Google reader.

I've just about finished unpacking, or at least unpacking in the main part of the house. There's still the matter of the basement to deal with (more boxes down there, but they're storage items) and the garage (DH's domain). DH has been putting in time on a frustrating project at work, so when he gets home, he doesn't even want to think about dealing with the garage. And just as I finish UNPACKING, I have to start REPACKING as we leave for the shore tomorrow morning for a week long vacation. Don't get me wrong - we're desperately in need of a vacation, and I can't wait to see my little niece and nephew. It will be nice to live without boxes for a week!

C in DC has received her signed copy of The Hard Way, so I hope she enjoys it. Carolien, I promise I will get your copy out to you as soon as I find it. I swear I had my hands on it earlier this week, but heaven only knows where it is now!!! And if anyone else has picked up the book, please let me know how you liked it. Julie's friends and family have been reporting back "book sightings" at local bookstores around the country, and it's some pretty exciting stuff. She'll also have her first book signing at a Borders in her hometown in July, so I am hoping that goes well. I'm just so proud of my friend!

I have a new project to start down the shore, Home by the Sea by Designs from Pamela. I spotted it at the online needlework show and fell in love, so I'm stitching this for a housewarming gift for my DH and myself. I may even finish it as shown with the hooks for the keys, or rather, have DH finish it like that! And I already have the perfect hanging spot for it - right inside the door as you enter the kitchen from the laundry room. The laundry room connects the kitchen and the garage, so that will be the door DH and I use most of the time, and I'll be able to see it every day. I'm going to modify it to include our family name and est. 2004 (the year we were married) on the bottom. I've decided that whenever I do a housewarming gift for a married couple, I am going to use the year they were married instead of when they bought the house because IMO, that's when the family was established. I think I'll stitch the personalization in the same brown as the treetrunks.

Now onto the Friday Feasts. I'm not quite as far behind as I thought I was, even though I haven't done these in a long, long time! (or rather it seems that way). And once I am done with those, I am going back off the grid for another week. See you when I get back!!

From Friday's Feasts: A Buffet for your Brain: Friday Feasts #192 & #193

Feast One Hundred & Ninety Two

Appetizer: When you drink soda/pop/coke, do you prefer to drink it from the bottle, a can, or after pouring it into a cup?
Most of the time, I drink straight from the bottle, especially if we're on the road. At home, we usually buy cans of soda, so I drink directly from them. Really the only time I ever drink soda from a class is in a restaurant or someone's home and they make me drink from the glass.

Soup: What television show are you willing to stay up late to watch?
None, really. That's the miracle of cable television. Sooner or later they're going to repeat it. I have been know, however, to keep going with shows on DVD until we finish the disc, which could be very late indeed.

Salad: Name one person, place, or thing you think of as brilliant.
Hands down, my DH

Main Course: Would you be willing to work 4 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days in order to save gas?
Absolutely. I've done it before to have the extra day off, and it's not that big of a deal, especially since I like to be in the office early (7-7:30)

Dessert: If you were a superhero, what would you call yourself?
I'm Batman. (it's a joke)

~~~~~~~~~~

Feast One Hundred & Ninety Three

Appetizer: Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

I used to be very pessimistic, but I've tried to be more optimistic lately. I'm still no Little Mary Sunshine, but I think trying to see the good side makes me a nicer person to be around.

Soup: What is your favorite color of ink to write with?

Black, preferably fine or ultra fine point.

Salad: How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?

Occasionally I will treat myself to a salon manicure. But I also have quite a collection of tools and polishes, so I used to keep up with doing my own manicures pretty regularly until we started the packing and moving process and my nails went to hell. I'll be fixing that this week while on family vacation. My 5 year old niece loves when I do her nails - I've even taught her to properly ROLL the bottle to mix instead of shaking it! We've made a family tradition to do manicures on vacation. As for pedicures, I don't care for them at the salon. I'd rather do my own at home, and my toes are almost always nicely painted.

Main Course: Have you ever won anything online?

If so, what was it?I won a sweet bookmark from Barbara.

Dessert: In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?

It's in our guestroom for now but may eventually move down to the craft room in the basement. Once we set up a wireless router though, we can really go anywhere.

Calling on my fellow stitchers for ideas

2008-06-03T17:50:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine and her husband are expecting their first child this September and I've been trying to figure out a nice piece to stitch for them. They're not finding out the sex of the child until the birth, so that makes it a little harder to narrow down. They've decided to go with a jungle animal theme, but they don't really have any specific colors or anything in mind.

The closest I can find to something resembling a theme are the hooks they've selected:

What I need now is a project that fits this theme. Any thoughts or ideas on what I could stitch?

And the winner is....

2008-06-02T22:07:00.002-04:00

Using the random number generator at Random.org, a winner was selected...

Lucky #7! C in DC (Pencil Crossings). I'll be contacting you for your address.

I'd love to send copies to everyone and help support my friend's book, but with the new house, it's just not possible. However, I do encourage you to check out the book next time you're out shopping and hopefully pick up a copy for yourself. If you're interested, I can hook you up with an autograph from the author. Just let me know.

Alternatively, you can request that your library purchase a copy (or several copies!) and borrow it from them.

On a related note, I have a promotional copy of the book I will send out as well, but there are conditions for this. Julie had 13 promotional copies of this book and gave them to her friends and family members. I have a copy of the book and I'm going to set it free, but only to a recipient who promises to leave a comment on the book's blog and pass the book on. (The blog explains the whole process in great detail)

The Random Number Generator selected #20, which is Carolien. Carolien, if you're up to the challenge, let me know. If you'd like to opt out, I'll offer the book up to the next person.

The Hard Way

2008-05-28T14:16:00.005-04:00

I am so excited! Julie is one of my best friends in the whole world, and her very first book was released yesterday!!!!

The Hard Way by Julie Luongo, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and other fine retailers.

Julie and I went to grad school together and I've seen this work in many, many variations, drafts, outlines, etc., and it just kept getting better and better. I am so unbelievably proud of her and I know it's going to be a huge success. I was thrilled to open my package from Amazon yesterday and see the finished product in my hands, and I got an email a little while ago from another friend who ran across it in a B&N in New York. Very exciting stuff, I tell you.

This is also my 100th post, so in honor of that as well as my friend and her fabulous book, I will give away a copy autographed by the author herself to a randomly selected commenter on this post. I'll leave it open until Monday, June 2, to give everyone a chance to get in on it.

Friday Feasts #190 & #191

2008-05-16T10:04:00.004-04:00

From Friday's Feast: A Buffet for your Brain

Feast One Hundred & Ninety One

Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home?
I'm in a good spot here on the east coast - within an hour of Philadelphia and within 2 of Washington, DC, and New York City

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
With my DH, 0 to -5. I rarely keep anything from him. In general, however, I am about an 8 or a 9. If someone asks me to keep a confidence, I do.

Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length).
Gillian Anderson was my "hair idol" in the 90s. My cut and color was very similar to her. The color remains some shade of red, but I've been getting it cut shorter ala Mariska Hargitay's new do for this season. My stylist tells me this is an ideal cut for someone with baby fine hair such as mine.

Main Course: What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?
I am a fast, aggressive driver, though I have slowed down over the last few years. I'm not aggressive just to be mean - it's just that I hate driving and like to get where I am going as quickly as possible. I'm fine as long as people stay out of my way. I will add, however, that I always take road conditions into consideration and never drive too fast for the conditions or the area. Also, whenever possible, I will move over into the next lane to allow someone to get onto the highway, something my driving instructor in HS instilled into each and every one of us.

Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week?
An entire bad week? Probably a year and a half ago. I get the random bad day here and there, but really no long stretches of bad days in recent memory.

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Feast One Hundred & Ninety

Appetizer: When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?
Usually, yes I do.

Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?
In our current house, it's tile in the front entry, carpet through most of the rest of the house except for the bathrooms and kitchen where there's craptastic vinyl flooring. In our NEW house, it's tile in the entry, carpet in the LR, DR, hallway and bedrooms, tile in the bathrooms and kitchen, and hardwood in the family room. At some point, the DR will be getting hardwood as well.

Salad: Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.
Jennifer jumps joyfully.

Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?
More than the average person, I think. My husband and his two first cousins are all adopted. I also used to baby sit for a couple who adopted their son after many years of trying (unsuccessfully) to get pregnant. Soon after they adopted him, they found themselves pregnant with his sister, and another one followed shortly after.

Dessert: Name 2 blue things.
My beloved dark blue Dallas Cowboys Troy Aikman jersey and my nearly as beloved Tiffany Blue Boxes.

Tea Drinker's Tip

2008-05-08T08:32:00.003-04:00

I drink a lot of tea, and I suspect quite a few of my fellow stitchers are tea drinkers as well. I usually drink my tea hot with a touch of honey and milk, and since I drink so much tea, I buy honey in bulk at the local warehouse store in a large plastic bottle. Sometimes I get lucky and can use the whole thing before it starts crystallizing, but sometimes, it starts crystallizing by the time I am halfway through the bottle, and it's hard to use.

However, I found a great tip to cure that - microwaving. Put some honey in a small glass jar and microwave on high until it melts, stirring occasionally (every 15-20 seconds). You need to be SUPER careful when you do this and you cannot leave the honey unattended. Honey in the microwave gets very hot, very fast. Be very careful when you do this! I tried it the other day, putting thick, crystallized honey into the jar. It melted down nicely, and more importantly, has STAYED melted. I was afraid it would go back to its crystallized state once it cooled, but it hasn't so far. So if you have problems with crystallized honey, give it a try!

Vera Bradley on Sale

2008-05-05T17:10:00.005-04:00

I know how much my fellow stitchers love their Vera Bradley stuff, and I just ran across a sale on ebags.com that you might be interested in. They have a few discontinued colors - I picked up a couple things in Nantucket Navy, but there are limited quantities of other discontinued colors and styles as well. Definitely worth checking out - the prices are GOOD!

Also, if you shop through Ebates.com, you can get an extra 6% cash back on your purchase. I've been using ebates pretty much since they started about 8 years ago, so I know they are VERY reputable and you don't have to worry about signing up with them. They have a ton of stores, and while the percentages don't seem like a lot, they do add up, and even 2-3% is better than 0%, right? And the nice thing about shopping through them is that you can also use coupon codes in addition to your cashback discount.

If you click through this link, you get $5 and I get $5 for referring you.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: You DO NOT need to download the MoeMoneymaker toolbar. All it does is check where you are and remind you to shop through ebates if they have a discount. I always check ebates before I start shopping, so I do not use the toolbar. IMO, I don't particularly care for this kind of software anyway as I find it intrusive and cumbersome.

Finally, some stitching related content

2008-05-02T18:58:00.005-04:00

But no pictures!!

Actually, I've been absent from blogging as much because we were deep in the midst of a house hunt, which, fingers crossed, has been successful. We had our offer accepted on a house and are now working on removing our contingencies, namely acquiring a mortgage, getting a home inspection and a radon test. We're hoping they all go smoothly and we can be in our new house sometime in June. This is our new house:

It's 4 BR, 2.5 bathrooms with central air, a 2 car garage, and a basement. The yard is smaller than we originally wanted, and it's in a development, but I think it's going to be a great house. It's been on the market almost a year, and was priced well above other houses for sale. Finally, the owners relented and came down in price, something our real estate agent was really surprised about. But I really did my research - I was well versed in every house for sale in 2 counties and part of a third, and I knew the offer we made was low but fair. I'm just really glad they accepted it!

And now for the stitching related content...

I finished up most of the stitching on the small version of Acorns and Threads, and decided I didn't want to do the title or the alphabet in the top portion, so I'm currently working out what to change it to. I was thinking about making it a Welcome sign for the front hallway. I originally thought to put in Willkommen (my DH is German), but it doesn't quite fit in the font I'm using and I've already stitched in the border, so I'm not tearing all of that out. I might just look for a different font, or I could stitch the larger version and use the Willkommen for that instead. We'll see.

I've also started a new freebie by Pelin Tezer, called Moire. I'm doing mine in shades of teal green and will finish it as a biscornu. It's a very relaxing pattern to stitch and I think it will be beautiful when it's done.

So that's what I've been up to. I hope everyone is doing well, and now I am going to catch up a little more on my sadly neglected Google Reader!

Friday Feast #188 & #189

2008-05-02T18:37:00.004-04:00

Friday Feast #188

Appetizer: Name something you would categorize as weird.
This was hard to answer because I try to be openminded and tactful. Even if I don't agree with something or think it might be weird, I don't usually like to say so publically because I don't see the point in unnecessarily hurting other people's feelings. To each, their own.

Having said that, I will say that some of my eating habits are weird. For instance, I usually don't eat the bottom bun on a burger, usually because it is too soggy. Also, I usually eat what I like the most last, meaning I eat all the vegetables on my plate first. I've come to discover, however, that this is not as uncommon or weird as I might have thought at first.

Soup: What color was the last piece of food you ate?
Brown and white - I ate some parmesean breaded chicken breast

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?
Most of the time, about a 9 to a 9.5. I'm an introvert and being around lots of people, especially ones I don't know well, exhausts me. Once in a while though, I get a wild hair and crave social interaction. It's not often, and the craving does not last long. Most of the time, I am very content to be by myself or with my husband and / or a few close friends

Main Course: Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.
I will definitely NOT vote for Hilary in 2008

Dessert: Describe your sleeping habits.
I prefer to go to bed very late (like 2-3 am) and wake up later (9-10 am) . That seems to be my natural cycle. I do not usually nap, but I do have a weird habit of falling asleep in the passenger seat of a car, sometimes even on short trips.

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Friday Feast # 189

Appetizer: What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?
In the late 70s, early 80s, Saturday morning cartoons were the BEST. I loved Superfriends, the Laff-O-Lympics, the Smurfs, He Man and the Masters of the Universe, etc. I was also a big Jem fan and I loved Pirates of Dark Water.

Soup: Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?
I've always grown up with larger dogs like labs, so I love them, but my DH has always had schnauzers. Since we have a pretty anti-social cat, we'll probably start with a schnauzer, which should be less overwhelming for the cat. By family tradition, his (or her) name will be Fritzy. Once I get my labs though, I'm going to name them Dallas and Cowboy.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?
If I have an outfit I like, I LOVE getting dressed up for a special occasion. It's finding an outfit that's the problem!

Main Course: What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?
It depends. I like a variety of classic rock with a pretty even tempo. I've noticed the faster the music, the faster I tend to drive, and I already drive pretty fast, so this is not necessarily a good thing. LOL I have a great iPod playlist that randomizes a selection of songs from sub-playlists, so I always have a new, randomly selected playlist to listen to whenever I get in the car.

Dessert: When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?
I can't even remember when I bought a clock, but it might have been the one that's in our bathroom. I like having a clock in the bathroom - it keeps me on track in the mornings. The last time piece I bought was a new wristwatch, about 4 months ago.

Friday Feast #187

2008-04-18T10:13:00.001-04:00

Appetizer: Name a color you find soothing.
I find most shades of blue, except electric blue, to be soothing.

Soup: Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.
Scary, stressful, and possible scarred for life

Salad: What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?
Cotton.

Main Course: Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?
Hands down, Tom Petty. Not only is he my most favorite artist ever, most of his audience appreciates music and is there for the show, not to put on a show themselves. One of the things I found most disappointing about going to a Dave Matthews Show was that so many people in the audience knew 3-4 songs they screamed along with, and then just talked and carried on for the songs they didn't know. Most annoying!

Dessert: What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?
N

The Online Needlework Show

2008-04-18T09:13:00.004-04:00

If you haven't checked it out yet, head over to the Online Needlework Show. Hurry though, because the show closes Monday, April 21 (sometime around 12 am EDT)

Not all the familiar designers are showing their work. There's quite a few over there that I wasn't familiar with, but I'm very glad I'm checking things out and getting to see "new to me" designers.

A few items that went on my wish list:

Notorious Knight by Arelate Studio
For my nephew, who IS a small but notorious knight.
He hasn't tried to ride a chicken yet though....

Home By The Sea by Designs from Pamela

A Virtuous Huswif by Cherished Stitches

Happy Anniversary

2008-04-17T18:32:00.005-04:00

Count the Stars
Dimension Gold Petite Kit
(modified from the original)

Today is our fourth wedding anniversary and the weather is much like it was for our wedding day - gorgeous and sunny, and even a little on the warm side. The funny thing is we were married the week after Easter, and this year, it seems like Easter was AGES ago!

This is the piece that DH and I stitched together for our wedding. Whenever I make something for a wedding, new house, or new baby, I try to personalize it as best as I can for the recipient and our own piece was no exception. We were fairly new stitchers at the time, so we were lucky to find a kit that only required a little modification. We used stars as a theme for the wedding, partially because we are huge Dallas Cowboys fans. I would have liked more silver in the piece, since our wedding colors were navy blue and silver, but I couldn't figure out how to work in a silver or white sun, so I left it the original colors, and we framed it in navy and silver. You'll have to excuse what looks like some wonky trim there - I took this picture before we got it straightened out and properly framed.I should take a picture of the framed piece - it looks quite nice!

Also, the original piece had the phrase "Look towards Heaven and count the stars", but we changed it to what you see now. If you don't recognize it, it's a line from a poem by ee cummings that has very special meaning to us.

silently if,out of not knowable
night’s utmost nothing,wanders a little guess
(only which is this world)more of my life does
not leap than with the mystery your smile

sings or if(spiraling as luminous
they climb oblivionvoices who are dreams,
less into heaven certainly earth swims
than each my deeper death becomes your kiss

losing through you what seemed myself;i find
selves unimaginably mine;beyond
sorrow’s own joys and hoping’s very fears

yours is the light by which my spirit’s born:
yours is the darkness of my soul’s return
–you are my sun,my moon,and all my stars

My DH is a scientist, but developed a great appreciation and fondness for ee cummings. If you're not familiar with the poet, he's actually quite romantic and several of his poems made it into notes and cards from my DH while we were dating. I knew we had to include something from this poem in our wedding, and changing the wording on the piece was perfect.

We also used a line from another poem on our wedding invites: one's not half two. It's two are halves of one. So there you have it. Happy Anniversary to us!