Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

The old and the new

I hit an unplanned stopping point with the big M canvas.  I ran out of Seagrass, so i had to order more from Amy's (where I got the first 2).   We had a big debate at the time we were pulling threads for it, and we all thought 2 packs would be enough.   This is a lesson that I leave tails longer or botch thread more than most people.  Who knows?

But it arrived yesterday and I'm back in business. 

In the meantime, I have gotten somewhat interested in genealogy.  I use ancestry.com and have had a lot of fun figuring out where I came from.   Mark thinks it's a waste of time - he thinks I'll end up finding out that I'm 10% Pomeranian, like our dog.   (I had her DNA tested last year to know her breed composition.  She's mostly chow, some belgian breed and POMERANIAN!!)  And besides, he thinks he's 7/8 Irish, and he wants to stay that way. 

So far, I'm German (which I kind of knew already), Irish (had no idea about this) and English (thought I was probably at least 1/2 English, but that probably isn't the case).  So I'm definitely a mutt.

I got interested in it after watching the Henry Louis Gates shows on PBS.  Very thought provoking. 

And on the other end of the timeline, Mark got me an iPad for Mother's Day.   We have since canceled our home newspaper deliveries and are working on getting rid of magazines, too.

So, I'm dipping into the distant past and going high tech (for me, anyway) all at the same time.

I hope you're planning a fun Memorial Day weekend.  We're having kids over, which reminds me -- I need to get busy with menu planning. 

Happy stitching and memorializing!
Jane

All business. Sort of.

I have been asked to make a presentation at my EGA guild's monthly meeting on the topic of blogging.  This is the title slide.  I guess you're not surprised it's pink.

The meetings are on Tuesday - one in the morning, and one in the evening.  I'm working on the rest of the content, and I'd love to hear from you about your experience with following blogs or having your own blog.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?  following other people's blogs?  How many do you follow? 

What is your favorite beading blog?   your favorite cross stitch blog?   your favorite hardanger blog?   your favorite blog, whether it's a stitchy blog or not?

For those of you who have your own blogs, what is the biggest surprise you've had about blogging?

Anything else you'd like to tell me about blogging? 

Ok.   Talk to me.   I need to hear from you!!!!

Happy stitching and blogging.
Jane

Resolutions, so to speak.

I convinced Mark that I didn’t really need to go with him and our friends this afternoon to ride in the cart while they play golf.  Even though the scenery here is usually breathtaking, I held out for staying here at the villa, watching the water, and trying to organize myself.   Just a tad.

Can you blame me for staying here??

At the beginning of every year, I set goals.   I don’t really make resolutions.   I don't try to CHANGE much of my behavior, just organize and manage it.   But I like setting goals – even if they’re the same ones I decided on last year.   Several categories always repeat themselves.  How many books to read – how often to entertain - number of projects to finish - you name it.

I'm focused on two perennial topics right now - stitching and reading.  I MUST complete a few stitching projects this year.  For several years, my projects were small ones - the 12 days of Christmas stockings, Petei Santas, even the Kelly Clark Santas of the month - and they were pretty easy and quick to finish. 

In 2009, I started big projects - most of them with stitch guides - therefore, more complicated and requiring more time.  So I feel like I didn't really accomplish much last year in the stitching world, except have a LOT of fun.

So in 2010, I want to finish this....

and this...

and a few more of the Kelly Clark Nativity pieces...

And try not to buy more than I finish....(of course we're not counting the Halloweenies pieces that Amy Bunger is starting in February that I've already spoken for).

So, I'll keep my fingers crossed and do the best I can to finish, finish, finish this year.

Happy stitching and Happy New Year,
Jane

In honor of my friend, Kelly....I bring you ORTS!

When we moved into the apartment, I got a little glass out of the cabinet to use as an ort catcher.  Usually I would have emptied it a few times into the trash, but I haven't done so -- and now I have a collection of all the orts I've "made" since we moved in - about 6 weeks.

It's absolutely all of them except the ones from our trip to NC a couple of weeks ago.

My own little interpretation of Jackson Pollack.

Back to stitching,
Jane

Still here. Just not stitching.

Don't be thinking about getting your hands on my stash.  I'm still alive.  I'm just not stitching or blogging these days.   We're staying at Matt and Manda's for a week while they're in Cabo - we're watching Maddie.

I promised Manda I'd take pictures of Maddie along the way and post them so she could see how Maddie's doing.   Not happening.   Too many other things going on.

My dad arrived on Thursday and was here until this morning.   We drug him all over town yesterday trying to make decisions about things on the house.

Crazy days.

Yesterday, my dad accidentally let the dog out the front door and Mark had to chase after her in the car.

After he got back, I said, "Don't forget.   We have a dog, and a cat, and a grandbaby, and a grandpa. We've got a lot going on right now."

Sorry, I don't have a picture to show you what my stitching looks like these days, but I think you get the picture.

Love,
Mimi