• Ramblings

    Fowl Play

    Ever since I started keeping my bird feeders filled, I've had birds in my back yard that would make Alfred Hitchcock envious. (Nevermind that his movie wasn't called The Finches.) However, lately I've noticed a peculiar absence of fowl at my feeders. Nary a feather can be found, except for the stray one on the ground.

    Don't worry, that verse will not be made into a sampler.

    So the other morning, I discovered why my feeders are still full…

    Cat tp 6 

    Why, oh why must I be plagued with one oversized Golden Retriever who couldn't catch a ball if it were sitting still, and 2 tiny ankle-biters who can only jump as high as my kneecap?

    Cat tp 5 

    I think he heard me think that.

    Actually, I love cats, so I didn't mean that anyway.

    As a matter of fact, Sophie was the first one to spot him – on our porch, earlier that morning. So I let her put some cream (okay, half-and-half) on a saucer like you're supposed to do, but after a couple of drinks, the cat disappeared. (I'm sure it was bc there was no coffee in the half-and-half.)

    Cat tp 4

    Later on is when I spotted him up on the fence.

    Cat tp 2 

    I think he noticed the dogs inside the window, who were completely oblivious to the fact that a would-be mortal enemy was in their yard, looking at their birds.

    And then he saw me.

    Cat tp 3

    He quickly vanished into the trees behind the fence, but was back again the next morning, waiting patiently for breakfast.

    My sister used to have a cat just like this one, named Sinbad. He used to laze in the grass, enjoying his life, until, one day, a bluejay spotted him and started dive-bombing him on a daily basis. He decided then that he didn't like lazing around anyway.

    I'm off to buy some peanuts, bc I think my back yard would be pretty with some blue in it. Orange and blue don't really go well together, unless you're a Denver Broncos fan. And thankfully, I don't have any broncos in my back yard.

    It just looks like I do, thanks to my oversized Golden Retriever.

    Needless to say, I've spent the latter part of this post thinking out loud.

  • Ramblings

    Thank you!

    I got the sweetest gift in the mail from Queen Betty, and I just had to share it here! I love rubber stamps, and what could be better than a crown stamp? LOVE!

    Stamp tp

    What an unexpected surprise! Thank you sooooooo much, Betty! 🙂

    And while I'm sharing, I have to show you Karen's finish of one of the patterns in the My Pretties chart…

    Karen 

    Thank you so much, Karen! (I hope your husband's friend liked it. :))

    I'd also like to thank every one of you who were so very kind to donate to Mike's team for the American Lung Association. What a very pleasant surprise it has been, and Mike is floored at everyone's generosity. I'm so excited for him to run on the 20th, bc he's been training every day – and Sophie has been his running companion, although she's been on her bicycle next to him, encouraging him to keep going. 🙂 (Btw, she'll be taking part in the 100-yard-dash on race day!)

    Thank you again, to everyone!

  • Family

    Funds for Lungs

    Mike has been running every day, training his manly self to run in Omaha's 10K Corporate Cup on the 20th of this month. He is not a natural-born runner, nor has he ever aspired to be, but when a friend on the police department invited him to be on the team, he decided to give it a try. Then he asked me if I would post it to my blog, just in case there was anyone wanting to donate to the American Lung Association. His goal for his team is to raise $200.00, but he asked that I please stress that he doesn't want anyone to feel any obligation!

    Just in case you feel moved to give, however, here is Mike's page… and here is what he had to say:

    I have signed up as a participant in the American Lung Association's Corporate
    Cup, scheduled for September 20th, 2009 at Civic Auditorium (17th and Capitol).
    I have set a personal fundraising goal of $200.00 to help the Lung Association
    in its fight to for cures, clean air and smoke-free kids, and I would appreciate
    your support in helping me reach this goal.

    Please visit my personal web
    page and follow the instructions to make a secure online donation. I would
    appreciate any contribution you decide to make.
    Thanks in advance for
    your support.

    Mike Stewart

    025 edit tp

    Btw, I've been teasing him about this picture, bc it was taken when he was driving me around downtown, showing me various places I could perhaps take Sabrina's senior photos. So I told him to pose for me and I'd do a senior citizen shoot for him. 🙂

    Good luck with your run, you studly husband, you! Look at the bright side: if you can't make it to the first mile mark, you can always join the kids for the 100-yard dash event.

  • Crazy Kids,  Family

    Hodgepodge

    As most of you know by now (bc of my gushing on Twitter and Facebook), Breanna has started her own cross-stitch designing business under the name Hodgepodge Cottage. The name she finally settled on couldn't be more perfect! (She started out with Frilly Lilly, but found that the domain name had already been claimed by someone… then she jokingly called herself Blueberry Lane Samplers as a mock of Plum Street Samplers… but considering the wide variety of her interests in life, I think "hodgepodge" describes her perfectly.)

    Breanna has always been a creative soul, finding great satisfaction in writing, drawing, music, and fabric. Last summer she discovered sewing, and spent a lot of time with my mom, who taught her how to quilt. A few years before, when she was in high school and was grounded from her social life (ha! I miss those days…), she was so bored, she decided to learn how to cross stitch. And now here we are! 🙂

    She will be debuting her first design at the St. Charles Needlework Market on September 24th, and I couldn't be happier for her! Here are some close-ups of the three flags she designed…

    This one was stitched by her Meems (my mom)…

    Hf tp 2 

    The flag "pole" is actually a wooden skewer used for grilling, painted black. We then used tapestry nails to anchor down the pole, with a small amount of tacky glue applied underneath.

    Hf tp 7

    Here, you can see the underside of the flag pole…

    Hf tp 5 

    Since double-sided tape is my very best friend when it comes to finishing (please don't tell anyone that or I'll just deny it), that's what was used to apply the ric-rac. And then a few more tapestry nails were used to embellish the remaining sides.

    Hf tp 3

    Here is the one that Breanna stitched…

    Hf tp 10

    I can't believe she stitched it all by herself! :)  And the cheery purple trim and bright backing fabric are so…hodgepodge! I love all the happy colors she chose.

    Hf tp 9 

    Finally, here is the one that I stitched for her…

    Hf tp 4

    And if the front is too "dark" for you… check out the underside!

    Hf tp 8

    If I remember correctly, I believe that fabric came from Kwilty Kim. 🙂

    If you happen to be going to Market, you can check out Bre's models in the Kelmscott Designs suite. Each of the models are stitched on 32 ct. Vintage Pearled Barley (Lakeside Linens) and they use Crescent Colours cotton floss in Blackbird, Plymouth Rock, Antique Lace, Tangerine, Bamboo, Eve's Leaves, and Mulled Berries.

    Halloween Flags model email 

    Congratulations, Bre! I love you soooooooooooooooo much!

    Sisters 120 edit tp 

  • New Designs

    Market Releases

    Okay, no more sneaks, since the cat's out of the bag anyway! 🙂 Here are the three releases that will be available at the St. Charles market later on this month…

    Meet Boris; he's Olga's "companion"…

    Boris model email 

    This is Dust of Snow (the poem was written by Robert Frost)…

    Dust of Snow email 

    And finally, here is Sea Hag…

    Sea Hag model email

    I hope you like them!

  • New Designs

    Market Sneak #1

    The St. Charles needlework market is just a couple of weeks away, and I've been printing like mad, mad, mad. I've only got 3 charts to release this time, but it's all I could manage! I showed you a sneak peek at Sea Hag a few weeks ago, and here's another. I had a lot of fun stitching this one…

    Sea hag tp 2 

    The frame, by Valley House Primitives, is outstanding! Janet and Joy are calling this texture "Hag's Hair," which makes me laugh…

    Sea hag tp 1 

    And here's one for my picture-taking friends Robin and Jaime (who needs to take up stitching as well as photography!)…  😉

    Sea hag tp 3 

    I hope you like Sea Hag! I'll have more sneaks soon!

    Sea hag tp 4 

  • Crazy Kids

    ‘Tis the Season!

    I absolutely love the start of football season – high school, college, pro… not necessarily bc I understand the rules of the game very well or I'm ready for Fantasy Football drafting to begin, but rather for the simple excitement it brings to seemingly everyone – young and old alike. Perfect strangers will stand around in the gas station, chatting about this play or that, and sports bars everywhere are filled with menfolk who have donned their favorite jerseys.

    Sophie is a huge fan of football season too, mostly for the hundreds of spicy garlic chicken wings she and her dad will consume at Buffalo Wild Wings during gametime(s). And although the high school games don't offer chicken wings at the concessions stand, there is plenty of popcorn and candy to share with friends – which is exactly what Sophie did last weekend.

    She and two of her gal pals decided they were going to give themselves makeovers and get dressed up in Wildcats colors to cheer on their future high school's team.

    Here is her "before" picture…

    Game tp 12 

    And here is her "after" picture!

    Game tp 11 

    She then realized that tickets cost money, so she sheepishly approached her dad, who is always ready to help his homegirl out…

    Game tp 9 

    However, since Sophie is a sensitive soul, she felt it necessary to ask, "Are you sure, Dad?"

    Game tp 10 

    And since Sophie is a clever child, she never asks a question without first knowing the answer. 😉

    So she happily walked a couple of houses down to meet up with her gal pals, cash in hand.

    Game tp 5

    Game tp 4

    Game tp 2

    Game tp 7

    Game tp 8

    Game tp 3

    Game tp 6

    Watch out, Class of 2018. These girls have spirit, yes they do.

    Game tp 1

  • Holidays,  Stitching

    Love and Joy

    I got my Just Cross Stitch holiday ornament issue yesterday, so I guess that means I can share these now. I really enjoyed designing this ornament, and was very happy to be invited to submit one this year…

    Christmas JCS email 1 

    Christmas JCS email 2 

    Christmas JCS email 3 

    The only problem is, every single time I see it I immediately start singing the Christmas carol in my head, for at least an hour afterward. I suppose that's okay though, bc I really love Christmas carols.

    Love and Joy to you  – and Happy Memorial Day too!

    ETA: Thank you, Bonnie, for pointing out to me that it is NOT Memorial Day today. It's LABOR Day! Oh good grief. See what happens when I blog without caffeine?

  • Crazy Kids,  Saturday Reblog

    Saturday Reblog

    A little while ago I was browsing through my old Xanga blog for a particular picture, and I ran across a couple of Breanna's "Coaster Cams," taken when our family rode roller coasters in Adventureland, Disney World, and Worlds of Fun. As I sat here watching them, I started laughing so hard, remembering what a crazy girl my Breanna can be.

     

    The Mamba Coaster Cam from Paulette Stewart on Vimeo.

    Expedition Everest Coaster Cam from Paulette Stewart on Vimeo.

    Amusement parks are getting much more strict about allowing cameras on board their roller coasters, so I'm not sure I'll have the pleasure of being Bre's coaster companion again.

    But it was a fun ride while it lasted. 😉

    (Btw, I never did find that photo I was looking for.)