Take Your Pick…

First 2009 Finish!

TA-DA!!!!!!!!!

"Toil & Trouble" by Plum Street Samplers on 32 ct. Lakeside Linen "Patina" and recommended flosses with a few color substitutions

Snow Day # 39..

more snow today. Based on dire forecasts from yesterday, my boss & I made the executive decision to remain closed today. Of course when I cracked my eyes open at 7:15 this morning, it hadn't even started snowing yet.  Minor pang of guilt, beaten out of me by a little dog crawling all over my stomach wanting scratchies and a tinkle walk.

Here's my Toil & Trouble progress:

I'm hoping to at least finish that tallest tree today; I have bills to pay and the dreaded taxes to finish (I've been avoiding!! and procrastinating!!!) and Em need a new cell phone, so I have to waste countless hours on the phone figuring out how to do that (major logistics problem too boring to tell)and then my farrier is coming out this afternoon at 4:00.

I think I might be starting a new head cold- no heat Monday at the office again- it was 39 degrees at 8:00. My boss strolls in around 9:30 after his gym workout and gets the heat back on. It doesn't hit 66 degrees until almost 1:00. I had a little space heater but it only seems to warm the body part right in front of it. So my hips down to my calves were roasty, but my hands and feet were ice cubes. I knew I was too chilled for too long when I got home and went riding because I thought I felt warm. It was 15 degrees at the barn. ........Yeah riiiiiiggght!

Here's my home-dyed linen that's too small for "Garden Grew":

It's the fabric on the left- it started as a 40ct piece of "Bisque" linen. I dyed it twice in a bath of Pomegranate Pizzazz herbal tea. The other piece is a 40ct piece of "Ivory" linen for contrast. I like how it came out, but alas, it's about 4" too short to use. I ordered a new larger piece of already dyed fabric that hopefully I shall have soon. Glenna already started her sampler. I can't wait to start!

Insert adjective here_____

So I bought a piece of linen upon which to stitch "And a Garden Grew". Why I can't do simple addition is beyond me. I knew for 32 ct I'd need 24" SQ.  by adding 6" to the 18"  SQ. design size. Somehow I got that I'd need 18"Sq. for 40 ct. fabric- design size of  14-1/2" SQ. And after I spent the better part of yesterday dying my 18" x 27" "Bisque" linen to a beautifully muted mauve, I measured and it shrunk to 17" before pressing. It won't be big enough girls! Damn! I wanted to start this weekend!

Ms.Axe's ankle is looking fabulous. Now I need to start riding her again. Except it's too darn cold.

Bob is feeling better (did I mention he was back in the hospital all last week?) They seemed to have dislodged the mucous blockage by literally pounding on his back, plus 8 days of progressively stronger IV antibiotics  to knock down the pneumonia infection for good (we hope)

I have one of the last trees on Toil filled in; you'll just have to use your imagination until I'm not too lazy to pull the camera out.

Keep it Going....

More T&T progress:

I think all I have left is infilling those 4 trees. I substituted WDW Turkish red on that midlish one.

Also- here's some stash I picked up a while ago- between Thanksgiving & Christmas:

"I'm good with that."

I'm Telling you:

You have to keep up with me people!!!

A timely health alert from our favorite cocktail-swizzling mom:

Happy Meals & Happy Hour

And these cakes are just wrong, but anatomically correct:

Cakewrecks

Oh and progress picture on Toil & Trouble:

(I heard those sighs of "finally"!)

So Close!

I'm closing in on the end of Toil & Trouble- if I just sat down & actually stitched on it.

No heat at work this morning- 50 deg's at 8:00, dropping to 49. No propane. Delivery "before the end of business today". He gives me the word to go home (Yay! I can stitch!), just as I go down the stairs to leave, the propane truck shows up. Damn!

Now it's up to a balmy 52. It's supposed to be snowing at home, too. Perfect day to go home early on his dime.

Axe has a puffy back ankle. I think she strained it in the paddock.

She's walking on it, but it's warm and swollen. So no riding, as if I'd do that in zero degree weather!

Back to my shivering. It's hard to type in gloves.

What's the Antidote for Sugar High???!!!

before I get to the FOOD portion of our program, let me give you a long-awaited stitching update on Toil & Trouble:

That partially-infilled brown tree represents 5- 2 ply, 18" lengths of floss and about 38 minutes of stitching at lunch today. I worked on the text & grass  Monday.

Now for the good stuff!

A Seemingly innocent chocolate cupcake.

Let's look a little closer, shall we?

OOOOOOO!!!

It's hiding the culinary equivalent to Victoria's Secret lingerie!

CREAM FILLING!

I'm calling these "Mostess cupcakes"! I've made 2 other filled cupcakes for tomorrow night. I'll post pictures then. This is just a tease in case any of those bitches read my blog before then!

Starting the New Year with a Drip

instead of a bang. Heart palpatations from the boiler- the drain valve started dripping yesterday.
Luckily Bob has a friend who does heating and he came up & looked at my beast. He was able to successfully tighten the valve (I didn't want to touch it for fear the corrosion would cause it to snap completely), and he determined a few problems that need to be addressed in the spring. I just need to keep a vigilant eye on it thru the rest of the winter.
I went to ride yesterday, and the indoor seemed to be locked. ? I'm about to go up after this post to make another attempt. Jodi's usually good with warnings about anything, so maybe I didn't jiggle the knob enough, or it was an accidental lock-out.
Em's off to Southern Californiafor a few days. The pleasures of young adult-hood. She has a good friend at MIT who just sold a video game of his own invention, for a very large sum of money. Large enough to take 10 friends (I think that's how many are going) to CA and pay their airfare & hotel for the trip.
Me, I get to stay home and run down cellar with a flashlight 10 times a day.
Bob finally is able to get around & about. He's not 100%, but he's bored with staying home. He & his doctors are still trying to get his breathing on an even keel. Every visit to the hospital in Wareham really screws him up with their non-sensical procedures and prescription practices.
Instead of stitching, I have to confess, I've been reading. I just can't do both. I really, really, want to do some work on Toil & Trouble.
I'm going to attempt filled cupcakes for stitching Thursday night. I have 3 flavor combos planned.
Big secret for now.
Well, I need to get changed to ride.
TTFN

She's Makin' a List....

Toil & Trouble:

Cookie swap production:

Unfinished tree:

This is how it will probably sit until this weekend. How lame!

"It would look better if you sat next to me, Mommy!"

I've also wrapped and boxed for shipment my neice & nephew's gifts to go to VA; I cut out one tote. Horse shoes tomorrow.

Progressing:

Toil & Trouble:

On to another doll outfit before CSI starts with Lawrence Fishburn. Can't wait!

Mad Dash:

Another doll dress done:

As modeled by my pencil jar.

"Hey! Hey you in there! I need some scratchies and a fire in the stove would be oh so snuggly nice! Are you done yet???!!!Mommmmiiieee?"

I even managed to take Toil & Trouble out today at lunch. I was dreadfully over tired, but couldn't take a nap. Damn Tami Hoag book until 1:40 am last night!:

Haven't finished the "N" in "cauldron", but if you see any typos, now's the time to let me know!

PS-

Haven't mentioned the horsie lately because she's been really good for me- we've been having awesome (for me) workouts, aside from a couple of bitter cold days I just couldn't bear to get on.

Insanity Reigns

Because one can never overextend oneself too far, I decided to sew some doll clothes for my niece as a Xmas present. I have 4 more pieces of clothing to start & finish: The pink one I have to redo the collar as the raw edge didn't catch in a couple of places. And I still have dishes to wash and my lunch to make.

Here's Toil & Trouble- sounds like my life at the moment:

 

Doesn't seem like a lot since last time, does it?

Here's the kid at the Fall River Christmas parade- she had to drive Santa & Mrs. Claus, then give rides in the parking lot after.

Here's Jody:

That guy behind was the Comcast camera man following her around in circles in the parking lot.

It was cold.

Are we there yet?

Stitching post:

Toil & trouble:

On to page 2!

Ornament:

"To Thee, A Very Merry" by Bright Needle designs

on 32 ct. ivory Jobelan w/ threads from stash (WDW, GAST) over one

I've run out of energy; I still have to bake my Flat Apple Pie, and I should make my dinner rolls and clean my house. I had to drive daughter o'mine up to Braintree to catch the T back to Boston because we just missed the 6:00 train and the next didn't leave until 9:30. So 2 hours in the car, in heavy traffic, has done me in.

I have a sink full of large mixing bowls. I've tried a twist on my cupcakes- I filled some chocolate ones with a peanut butter cream, then frosted with chocolate icing. I can't wait for Em to tell me how they came out.

She had a great ride on her horse tonight. They have such a bond, and Axe goes so well for her. I suck.

This will have to suffice...

for tonight:

Progress on Toil & Trouble:

After I finish that tree, I'm on to the second page. Other than that, I'm feeling a cold or something not right coming on. I need to start my wood stove and get to bed.

TTFN

Next to Nothing...

It'll be a bloody miracle if this post is successful. I would have a progress photo of Toil & Trouble, except that I am running that dastardly Norton system scan, yet again, on Emily's side of the computer, because one of her files contains a t.r.o.j.a.n. (Trying to avoid random google word search hits). I am literally clicking a function button, then having to walk away to the next room to do something else out of utter frustration at the slowness of my computer. By the time I come back, my request has occured.
I also made the mistake of calling to see if my car might possibly be ready tomorrow, so i won't have to keep the rental thru the weekend. Uh, no way. The appraisal came in absurdly low (which was my assessment, but I haven't had body work done by a shop). The shop is seeking a "supplemental" payment to cover the labor costs of removing the head liner to bang out the dents in the roof. The dents are too deep to just fill with Bondo, they have to be pulled so a thinner application can be applied, otherwise the filled spots will probably crack and pop off in the cold, or if the metal flexes at all. Which was why I thought it would be at least $2000 to fix prpoerly, and the body shop guy agreed. But they have to wait for a re-appraisal before they can do anything.
And on the way home tonight I had to drive by a fully-engulfed truck. Believe me when I tell you I was shouting at the cars in front of me to "step on it!!!!" instead of gawk at the inferno one lane away. I was afraid it was going to blow up just as I went by, but I made it, thankfully. I was surprised the state trooper was letting people drive by; the other time I happened upon a car fire, they shut down both sides of a 3-lane highway (3 on each side).
Well, see you on the other side if this posts. I will take photos tomorrow.

Let's Try that Again

Mini- rant about Norton Internet Security: it totally sucks every system resource available while it's scanning the system!!!!

I had to make two attempts to upload photos off my camera, then two attempts to start Windows Live Writer, two attempts to open my Task manager to see what was causing problems...................

All right rant over.

Photos:

A minute amount of progress- the gray (?) star and a length of floss in the unfinished tree. Next:

Sorry about the blurry: too close and too dark.

ARRRRGGGG! Every thing is taking SOOOOOOOOO long to do!!!!!!!!!

Nothing Much...

Just a T&T update:

Witch has a face now.

I'll have a big 'to-do" tomorrow!

Every Witch Way..

In my deep despair over my car's damage I neglected to post my  T&T progress yesterday:

This had a bonus though- I could save it for today's NaBloPoMo entry.

Good Times...

at Stitch & Bitch tonight. Carol brought a scrumptious 7-layer bar and Joanne brought a cheese& cracker assortment - dinner and dessert! Yummy! Thanks ladies!

Toil & Trouble update:

Chickpea looking for some cheeeeeeeeze:

As requested, another Bumblebee Tuna pic with his silly "dad" Luke:

*****Edited to add: Luke needs to do some laundry.