"Trick or Treat Heart" by Sekas & Co. -- July 22, 2009

I have some more progress on my "Trick or Treat Heart" to share with everyone. When you last saw this project, almost all of the stitching was complete. I needed to add some details to the Trick or Treaters and I needed to finish adding the top stitching on the orange and green patches. Well, I'm done!

"Trick or Treat Heart"
by Sekas & Co.
DMC #5 Perle Cotton, DMC Floss, Caron Impressions, Caron Watercolors

Now I just need to decide if I want to stitch the area behind the Trick or Treaters as the original instructions does not have you stitch this area. I must admit, I'm not sure if I like the bare area. Hmmmm...

Well, thanks for stopping by and I hope you are keeping cool during these long, hot summer days!

Cynthia

Windy Meadow

So Many Posts so Little Time! -- July 21, 2009

I turn my back on you all for one minute and everyone starts posting like crazy! LOL!

It's wonderful but I can't keep up right now! Thank goodness the posts will still be there when I can read them. :-)

Not a lot of stitching progress here in Windy Meadow. We are still working hard on DD's large service project and it's taking up all of our spare time. I plan on sharing pictures soon.

In the meanwhile, my daughter's Mini-Kimono was returned from the finisher and it's so cute. Also, two of my recent projects were finished. I hope to take pictures this weekend and I'll have them up on the blog shortly.

Thanks for stopping by even though I don't have pictures for you yet. :-)

Cynthia

Windy Meadow

Nobody "Nose" the....

As we remember from previous episodes, I mean posts, problem number 1 with Uncle S. was  a dye lot issue with the DMC floss I was using for his face.  I can't blame anyone but myself as the original floss was a little bit old (okay 7 years old) and it didn't match up with the floss that I purchased to finish the face.  Please note that there was plenty of floss in the original kit but due to earlier ummm...  undo stitching I ran out of the original floss with the left cheek unfinished.

Soooo once I was done undo stitching his face, I started re-stitching his face after purchasing two, count them two, new skeins of DMC floss from the same dye lot.  We were stitching quite merrily along when I realized that, dang it, his nose was getting ummm...  rather ummm... there is no other word that works as well, his nose was getting rather fuzzy.  Sigh...

After much thought and two consultations with DD, I finally decided that I would have to undo and then redo Uncle S' nose.  Sigh...  Sigh...  Sigh...  

So I think I'm going to have quite a pile of undo stitching orts for the July installment of the TUSAL.  Sigh...

Uncle S. does not want the official photographer to stop by and take his photo until his face has been "fixed".  So you all will just have to wait a little bit longer to see him again.  And knowing Uncle S. he's going to want to have more than just his face stitched before he makes another appearance for his fans.  :-)

In other news the main computer, which was at the computer doctor, is home and we are working on reinstalling what needs to be reinstalled.  DH wanted to make sure that all of my emails were restored correctly so he did it twice.  Yep, twice.  I now have duplicates of all of my messages in all of my folders.  And yes, it's driving me crazy.  Soooo every night I'm working hard to delete the duplicate messages from at least one folder.  Did I mention that some of these folders are quite large and that this is taking a while???  He is a wonderful DH so I'm not actually complaining as he has been bringing me cold beverages every night as I spend an hour or so deleting duplicates.  LOL!

We are also working on another large family project which I hope to share pictures with very soon.  It's not a stitching project but my stitching design expertise has helped DD with the design of the project.  Or at least my ability to look at a picture and see it as pixels/stitches.  Once I can take some more pictures in the daylight I'll post an entry to let you know what we are up to.  Cause you know us, it's going to be interesting!  And all 6' by 12' of it is interesting.  LOL!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and I'm very thankful that you are still stopping by since it's been a while since I've posted a picture!  

Thank you as I appreciate all of your lovely comments!  Especially the ones that make me grin or laugh.  LOL!

Cynthia

Windy Meadow

A Fun Questionaire or We Have No Computer... :-(

I was planning on sharing a new picture of my progress on "Trick or Treat Heart" tonight but our main computer which contains my recent pictures is down and out for now. Sigh...

We should have it back by the weekend so in the meanwhile I thought I would have some fun. I came across this fun quiz some time ago and thought I would post it and my response on my blog when I was stitching away and didn't have any progress to share. I guess that's now! LOL!

Anyway, here's the fun questionnaire.   I thought it was interesting that of all the things that I have not done there are only two that I would like to do.

Enjoy and feel free to borrow if you think it would be fun! :-)

Cynthia
Windy Meadow


Things you have already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to: leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
Yes, as you can see here. :-)

2. slept under the stars
Yes, camped a lot when I was a child and teenager.

3. played in a band
Does Middle and High School Band count? If so, the answer is yes.

4. visited Hawaii
Would love to but actually I want to visit Alaska first.

5. watched a meteor shower
Layed in the grass at night and watched. Lot's of fun!

6. given more than you can afford to charity
When I was a lot younger, at times I gave more than I should and then raided savings to make it to the next paycheck.  Does that count?

7. been to Disneyworld
First trip was when I was an adult and we took the kids.

8. climbed a mountain
Kind of as I've hiked mountain trails when I was younger.
Have actually not scaled a mountain.

9. held a praying mantis,
Didn't actually hold it in my hand as it's not good for the praying mantis but have moved them to safer areas.

10. sang a solo
No, and you would not want me to! :-)

11. bungee jumped
No, and have no desire to! LOL!

12. visited Paris
No, and actually it's not high on the places that I want to visit.

13. watched a lightning storm at sea
Yes, I have watched lightening storms over the Atlantic and
over the Chesapeake Bay. I've also watched a lightening
storm over the ocean on my one and only cruise that I've taken.

14. taught yourself an art from scratch
Does needlework count?
My grandmother and mother got me started but I'm mainly self taught.

15. adopted a child
No, but I've done an awful lot of volunteer work with children who are not mine. :-)

16. had food poisoning
Yes, and let's not go there.

17. walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Always wanted to do this but on my one and only trip to New York City in the 80's was when it was being repaired so the top was closed to visitors.
Did visit the island and walked around the base.
Then it was closed after 9/11.
They have just reopened the top for tours so maybe I will be able to do this...

18. grown your own vegetables
Oh yes, we grew up in the country and I had my own garden and worked on the family garden.

19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
No

20. slept on an overnight train
As a child we would visit family by going on a train but we never traveled overnight.

21. had a pillow fight
Oh goodness yes! More than once and also as an adult with my kids! :-)

22. hitch hiked
Never as this has not been safe as long as I remember!

23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Oh yes, that's why they call them mental health days!

24. built a snow fort
And then had the snow battle! LOL!

25. held a lamb
Not that I can remember but we were around farms and animals a lot when I was a child.

26. gone skinny dipping
Yes, and don't ask for details! LOL!

27. run a marathon
No, and don't plan to.

28. ridden a gondola in Venice
No.

29. seen a total eclipse
Yes. There was a total eclipse over the east coast when I was a lot younger. We made the plates so that you could see the eclipse happening without looking at the sun.

30. watched a sunrise or sunset
Yep.

31. hit a home run
With neighborhood games but I don't think that counts.

32. been on a cruise
Yes, once.

33. seen Niagara Falls in person
No, but I hope to someday.
Can't convince the DH and the kids to go in that direction for vacation.

34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
No, as that would include Wales, Germany, England, Ireland, and who knows what else. :-)

35. seen an Amish community
Spent my early years in PA and lived next to an Amish farm so saw the real thing.

36. taught yourself a new language
No, as I'm not good with languages.

37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
Yes as I've been fortunate but I also think it's in how you think and what you do with what you earn.

38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
No.

39. gone rock climbing
Not as we think of it now, but have clambered up rocks while hiking.

40. seen Michelangelo’s David in person
No.

41. sung karaoke
No, and you don't want me to!

42. seen Old Faithful (geyser) erupt
No, but dear daugher has. :-)

43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
No.

44. visited Africa
No.

45. walked on a beach by moonlight
Many times.

46. been transported in an ambulance
No, thank goodness.

47. had your portrait painted
Does having my portrait done in chalk count?

48. gone deep sea fishing
No, as I rather just sit on the boat instead fishing.
Though I have gone fishing and crabing lot's of times in rivers and on the Chesapeake Bay.

49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
No.

50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
No.

51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
No.

52. kissed in the rain
Yep and no telling!

53. played in the mud
Yes, hey I was a kid once and it was fun!

54. gone to a drive-in theater
May times.

55. been in a movie
No.

56. visited the Great Wall of China
No.

57. started a business
No.

58. taken a martial arts class
No.

59. visited Russia
No.

“Totally Useless SAL” -- July 5, 2009”

On January 26, 2009, Yoyo of the "Dragon My Needle" blog started the Totally Useless SAL.

For the Totally Useless SAL, you first find a clear container. Then throughout the year you put in the container any of the following (in her own words);

- regular Orts (thread ends)
- little snips of fabric
- broken buttons you were going to use on that little Lizzy Kate flip it
- a bead or two from your Mirabilia design
- worn out needles
- the labels from used up floss skeins
- whatever you like, as long as it is, or rather, was (LOL)
going to be part of a stitching project currently underway.
- you may include orts from any type of stitching project:
cross stitch, knitting, crochet, whatever, but please
do not include other craft leftovers such as paper crafts,
rubber stamping, etc.

She asks that you post a picture of your container each month on the day of the new moon.

When I read this I laughed out loud at the thought of a Totally Useless SAL. No pressure except to post a picture every month. So I signed up in May, 2009 expecting this SAL to be very easy. Well it should have been! LOL!

I failed to consider all of the end of the school year activities and day camp let alone working full time, family activities, and the annual family reunion. Well you get the picture. Though actually you didn't get a picture in June. :-)

Needless to say, I haven't been doing much stitching. My main contribution for the last several weeks has been my undo stitching of Uncle Sam!

I'm a little late but here's my picture of what I have accomplished since I joined the Totally Useless SAL. All of the remnants from undo stitching Uncle Sam. Well at least it's something so stop laughing! LOL!

I'll decide next month if I'm stitching enough to continue participating in the Totally Useless SAL. Next picture is due on July 22, 2009!


Yoyo is keeping a list of all of the Totally Useless SAL participants. There is at least one international member. Have fun checking out the blogs of all of the participants!

Thank you for visiting my little home out here in blog land and I appreciate and love reading your comments. :-)

Cynthia
Windy Meadow

“Liberty Heart -- July 4, 2009”

Since this is the 4th of July I thought I would share another patriotic design with you. I’ve stated stitching the cross stitch freebie design “Liberty Heart” by Trail Creek Farm.

“Liberty Heart”
Trail Creek Farm
Crescent Colors

I’ve made a little bit of stitching progress on “Liberty Heart” in between family activities and working on Uncle Sam.

Thanks for stopping by. :-)

Have a Happy 4th of July!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow

Uncle Sam's Status -- July 3, 2009

Uncle Sam asked me to tell you that he will return shortly. All of the undo stitching has been completed but he does not want to pose for any publicity photos until he has put his face on. In other words, he has asked me to hurry up and finish the redo stitching!

Guess what I'll be working on all weekend? At least I'm stitching Uncle Sam on the 4th of July weekend! :-)

Have a Happy 4th of July!

In our neighborhood it appears to have started tonight as we are hearing lot's of people setting off fireworks in their backyards. The big ones will be tomorrow night!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow