Total Hodge Podge

Edited to add - sorry for the funky font colors… no idea what's going on with that.  I've tried to fix it a couple of times but it's taking too long and I'm tired.  I'm going to bed.  Good night, all!


Dear friends, 

I started this post when I was in Florida.  But, I am restarting it now, back home in Michigan.  I just couldn't seem to get it done.  So much has been happening.  I've been so busy and have a lot of changes coming up in our lives that we are beginning to prepare for.  My parents are going to be moving to Michigan to live with Rob and me, in the Spring.  We will do some renovations on the house to make it comfortable for all of us.  I am excited that they are coming - it will be a big change for all of us but one that I think will be a blessing for us, too.  I think it's a good decision and am happy that we are able to do it.  My Rob will be good for my dad (golf, beer, sports) and I think my doggies and I will be good for my mom.  The boys, whenever they're around, will be good for everyone!

How about some stitch pics???

 

You may recognize these as Birds of a Feather; Love, Honesty, Loyalty and Patience.  I put my initials on one and Rob's and the boys on the others.   It was a long time ago that I stitched these and I didn't make a record but I believe they're stitched on 32 count (no idea of the linen color) with two threads, using the called for fibers.  I could be wrong about all of that however so if you decide to stitch them, don't hold me to any of the specifics.  I took this pic a couple of weeks ago when I was in Florida.  There are no flowers blooming in Michigan, right now!

The next piece I had taken to stitch while I was there is another one I started long ago.  It is the With Thy Needle and Thread mystery sampler.  When I initially stopped working on this, I had made a mistake somewhere and got so frustrated, I just tossed the whole thing aside.  When I went back to stitching it I couldn't find the original mistake!  I know it was there, and I was certain I knew where it was, but when I started working on it again I couldn’t find it.  Cue the Twilight Zone music: Doo do, do doo.  I searched, counted, examined and searched some more but couldn’t find it so I gave up and just started stitching.  I thought I would finish this while in Florida but I didn't get much stitching done whilst there. 

Here is my progress so far but I hope to finish this soon.

 

You may notice some of the alphabet letters are in a deep scarlet while others are not.  I am frogging the ones that are not scarlet and will be re-stitching them.  The red letters are going to give the sampler a bit bolder look, but I think I'll like it.  I stitched another sampler years ago that used a tone on tone alphabet and I really regret not changing the floss color on that one.  I thought the suggested color would grow on me but you can't really see it at all so I’m gonna change it, so I don’t regret it.  

The very day I flew into Florida, I attended a small Halloween party at my parent's clubhouse.  Because I had to come up with costumes and transport them as well, they had to be easily transportable, cheap and easy to assemble.  A quick internet search for 3 person costumes and here we are:

 The 3 Blind Mice:
Easy? Check.  Cheap? Check. Transportable? Check.  Cute? Double check!

 I think my dad looks pretty bad ass.  Don 't you?

 

My sister went as the farmer's wife who cut off our tails!

I also attended a Trunk or Treats at their church and assumed that everyone decorated their trunks (boots in the UK, I think) like we do in Michigan.  I was wrong.  We were the only car decorated but we were also the hit of the event.   I built the cardboard house from moving boxes someone in the sub was tossing.  I got it all done the night before the big event after working on it in un-Godly heat and humidity.  I had it set up in the driveway and was completely devastated when I got up the next morning and the entire thing had collapsed.

Completely Collapsed. 

Damn humidity. 

  Honestly, the humidity was ridiculous and the whole thing was a mushy, crumpled mess. 

I almost cried.  Instead, I hauled it all out into the yard, laid it flat, let it dry out and got it reassembled about 20 minutes prior to trunk or treats that evening.  It turned out pretty well for a first time effort and a non-architect type!  It was quite the challenge getting it into the car but I did it and all went well.

That's my sister, Cheryl, and my mom and dad in the upper left and I'm in the pic on the lower right.  The "house" looked great as night fell and the car lights illuminated the windows.

Back to stitching.

Merry One, by Paulette of Plum Street Samplers, is finished!  I took this little piece to Florida, hoping to find some inspiration for finishing.  Instead, I found a new frame molding that was perfect!  I got it framed while I was there and then gifted it to my sis. I thought the frame was perfect.

I can't remember the color of linen - it's a kind of green and on my monitor, the color looks very true to the fabric.  I had to change some of the colors of the fibers to work better with the fabric but I just pulled them from stash and didn't make notes.  I got the kit from Dyeing to Stitch in VA Beach.  If you can't get this one, they do have some wonderful, exclusive clubs you might be interested in.  Check them out!

I've invited my guild members over to my house on Saturday.  I've got the house decorated and I'm excited to have this beautiful, talented group of women come to my home.   Here's one of my small trees that I hope they'll enjoy seeing.  It's decorated with my vintage (and not so vintage) tomato pin cushion collection.  I think this may become a tradition, I like it that much. Whenever I find these old tomatoes, I keep them just as they're found with all the pins in them which is what makes them so charming, I think.  

You may have to look closely to see Gracie on the left, and Sophie on the right, in the chairs.

Thank you so much for stopping by and especially for leaving a note, when you can.  I love reading your comments and truly do appreciate that you take the time to let me know you stopped by!

Be well.

Peace,

Terri

Dear friends,

So, it’s been a busy couple of weeks.  
I’ve been stitching, I’ve been traveling and I’ve been shopping.  
This first picture combines stitching (not mine) and shopping.  

I saw this sweatshirt in a shop in Traverse City, Michigan last week and picked it up to buy it because, why wouldn’t I, right?  
It is perfect – the stitching is lovely, the design is pretty.
Yeah, the sweatshirt color itself isn’t one of the prettiest shades of gray (LOL) but the colors pop on it and I could live with it.  
Until.  
Wait for it.  
The price.
Can you see the ticket?
 No?

The sweatshirt was $189.00 US$.  Yes, I'm serious.
I mean, it was a SWEATSHIRT.  Not, a sweater. 
A GRAY sweatshirt.  
The cross stitch was pretty, and I can imagine that some poor girl in a horrible environment got less than $10 (that’s being optimistic) to make it but I couldn’t buy it.  
Would you have bought it?

I finished this sweet, little Santa and reindeer from Plum Street Samplers.

The pattern is Merry One.
The fabric is LL Green Pear and it is much more green than the photo is showing.  
The darker fabric means I had to change some of the fiber colors.
Nothing drastic, just a tad darker in shade and randomly pulled from stash.

I don’t fancy myself a finisher but I’ll give it a go this weekend and maybe, I’ll let you see how it turns out.  Maybe.  

Rob and I took a mini vacay and visited Mackinac Island,
Traverse City, Petoskey and several other small towns and wineries.
Lots of wineries and micro breweries.  There are a lot of them in Northern Michigan.
We visited a few.
Mmm hmmm.

Here are a few pics from our trip for you to gander at.

Some antiques from a beautiful store owned by a beautiful woman from France (is there any other kind?).  A little, wooden piano and baby bank (never seen anything like it),  an antique sampler that was very inexpensive but it wasn't the finest work and the colors are a bit bright and an old game.  

At the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. 

In Petoskey and biking around Mackinac Island.

Stone piles all over the island, in town for dinner, a selfie (you can see why I hate them), and our beautiful room.

We had a grand time.

Have you seen Paulette's  THE SUNDAY MYSTERY SAMPLER?
Paulette is doing another Christmas SAL!  
And, guess what?  

It’s free.
Yep, free.  

And, it’s the 12 days of Christmas.
Twelve, TWELVE little ornies, stitched together or separately, 
all free and all designed by Paulette.

What’s not to love?
I'm so excited!
 Clich HERE for all the details.

I can’t wait to do this one and now I have the perfect thing to hang them on!  You see, a last stop store in Petoskey was having a closing for the season sale.  

This was a display item but I just knew I needed it forSOMEthing so I asked if they'd sell it to me.  The gal working in the store called the owner and she said I could buy it.  For $12.  Score!!!
  

Serendipitous, don’t you think?  
There are 14 little hangers on the tree but I’ll do something to make it work.  
Maybe hang a couple of antique ornaments on it, or something.   
Oh, gosh.  
To make this work, I have to stitch AND finish 12 ornaments.  


Finish them.  
That means sewing.
Uh-oh.

Maybe they’ll all be done in time for next year.

Will you stay tuned? 

Pictures of Petoskey borrowed from Google

Most of the stores in the quaint towns in Northern Michigan, like Petoskey, close for the winter but we got there just before they all closed for the season and between those and the wineries and the lovely dinners, I had a blast.

Can you blame them for closing?  Brrrrr….

Finally, since this IS October.  

This is my kitchen table.  

The two cheese graters were found at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago for a quarter a piece.

I love them and how they glow with a candle.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a note, when you can.

Be well,

Peace,

Terri