Monochromatic Times Two

Here's what I've been working on lately. First, my July SAL ornament. The theme was fish. Yes, I realize it's still only June, but I'm trying to get ahead, as I know that the end of the year is going to be crazy here. Isn't it everywhere?

This is a freebie design by Nathalie. I stitched it on a leftover piece of 30 count white evenweave with WDW scuppernong. (I just learned that scuppernong is a type of grape.)

My second project is from Milady's Needle. The pattern is Rejoice. This will be my ornament for November (angels/churches). I'm stitching it with GAST Cranberry, over one, on 28 count platinum cashel linen. When I stitch over one, I use two threads and half-stitches (/), rather than one thread and full-stitches (x). It's much easier that way.

What you see here represents 3 or 4 hours of stitching. I knew I was going to be sitting in waiting rooms a lot last week and wanted something that wasn't too fussy as a project to keep me occupied. This fit the bill perfectly, although it's going to take me *forever* to finish at this rate. It's a good thing I got a jump on it.

For reference's sake, here's a picture of the finished project.

Finally, since I mentioned the 28 count platinum cashel linen, I finished the vining on my nephew's birth sampler. Yea! I'll wait to show you a picture on that one until I have the beading done. (The angel project is being stitched on a scrap of fabric left over from the sampler project.)

Friday Feast

Jennifer over at Sweet Pea Stitching has me hooked on these, so you may be seeing a few more in the months ahead. The questions come from FridaysFeast.com.

Appetizer: What is the weather like today where you live?
Hot and humid. "Summer" has come to DC with a vengeance.

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how career-minded are you?
7.5

Salad: What type of window coverings do you have in your home? Blinds, curtains, shutters, etc.?
I have sheers in our computer room; roller blinds in one bedroom; bare windows in the kitchen, bathrooms, and basement; and pleated blinds everywhere else in the house. Two of our doors have internal miniblinds.

Main Course: Name something that instantly cheers you up.
Yellow flowers. Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. A beautiful day. Unexpected contact with a good friend (phone, mail, email, in person, ...). Thoughtful surprises.

Dessert: How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning?
Many. Way too many most days.

Pineapple for June

Here's my June ornament. It's a freebie available as a PDF here, or go to the Rainbow Gallery's website and scroll down towards the bottom.

A Traditional Welcome by Erica Michaels
Stitched on a scrap of 14 count off-white Aida with the following substitutions:
S933 - DMC 743, S909 - DMC 728 , S971 - DMC 744
S847/848 - DMC 471 only, S848 - DMC 470, E899 - Ecru

You can't really see it well in the image, but the cross lines are couched down. I thought doing the couching was going to be really annoying, but it wasn't and it went quickly. The couching definitely gives the look of the little pineapple nubs more than I thought it would.

What are you grateful for?

Special K asks, "What are you grateful for?" As she writes:

This post comes close on the heels of the previous one, but this seemed worth posting. One of the blogs I read regularly is Zen Habits and today's post (by a guest blogger) is "Three Truths to Help You Create a Life of Gratitude." Towards the end, the author issues the "The Zen Habits Gratefulness Challenge." The first part of the challenge is to "Spend three minutes every morning writing down a few things you are grateful for that day." So, although some readers may find it self-indulgent, I thought I might as well document those things in this space. Ok, the three minutes starts . . . now!

I am grateful for my husband. He is loving, kind, thoughtful, and smart. He can be a bit of a goofball, but in the grand scheme of things, he's one of the good guys. Having had my share of dysfunctional in the past, I really appreciate that he is one of the good ones.

I am grateful for my life. It has had it's ups and downs, but the ups outweigh the downs. I have had some amazing opportunities that I never dreamed were possible when I was growing up. I've had periods where the downs have brought me down with them, and it has taken me a long time to deal with some of them, but most days now I can step back and look at where I am and what I've achieved and say "Well Done!"

I am grateful for my friends. My Myers-Briggs profile will tell you that I'm one of those people who have layers of friends. I value most my "inner circle". These are the friends who are with me day in and day out or whenever I have needed them. I hope I am the same to them; I try to be.

The second part of the Zen Habits Gratefulness Challenge is to pass on the challenge to others. I ask you, my readers, "What are you grateful for?"

Making Up is Hard to Do

Totally stolen from Stitch Bitch. I'm a Mary Kay girl for the most part, but I indulge at the Body Shop occasionally.

Foundation: Not on a daily basis.
Mascara: I have MK black-brown and the Body Shop's clear eyebrow gel that works great as a light mascara.
Day Cream: I use MK Timewise daily. In summer, the Timewise with SPF.
Favorite Make-up Product: Sheer, peach-toned lipstick or lipgloss. I own, like, 6 of these.
Perfume: MK Today (which has been discontinued).
Nails: No comment.
Hands: In need of moisturizer.
Feet: In need of a pedicure, but mostly in good shape.
3 Products to bring to a deserted island: Sunscreen, books, potable water. (Hat and sunglasses, too.)
Women I admire for their beauty: I'm not one to have those "gosh, she's gorgeous" sort of moments.
Women with the best sense of style: I had a professor in graduate school who had a great wardrobe and knew what flattered her, but she always include one piece in an outfit that took it from quite elegant to somewhat bizarre, like a scarf or funky hose. In general, anyone who knows how to dress to flatter themselves, rather than bowing to fashion trends. My colleagues MP from our Philly office and JHS from my alma mater are two examples of people who always look "put together" to me.
[Note: Stacey on the American version of What Not to Wear does not know how to dress herself or anyone else for that matter. Why is she on TV?]
My ultimate dream: To have the time to do all the things I want to do (and to be exempt from doing the things I don't want to do).
How do I define womanhood: For me, it's about being yourself and expressing yourself as a woman.
Favorite fashion publication: I generally don't read magazines beyond my alumnae quarterly, unless you count reading People in the doctor's office.

Footwear - Part 2

An interesting recent post featuring Posh Spice and flip-flops from another blog.
http://poppisima.blogspot.com/2008/06/mamarazzi-cross-post-posh-flip-flops.html

Suits

Today's fashion topic - Suits!

The weather here in DC has been brutally hot the past week - in the mid-90s with high humidity. We had thunderstorms the other night that lowered both the temp and the humidity, but not by much.

Today, my hubby is giving a presentation at work, which meant wearing a full suit. Undershirt, dress shirt, wool-blend suit, etc. You get the idea. While I'll admit that he looks nice in a suit and that this is an occasion that calls for one, I continue to wonder at our culture's adherance to tradition. Is it *really* appropriate to expect people to wear full dress suits in the middle of summer? (And don't get me started on full-length hosiery for women.)

Planet Green was running a commercial over the weekend about how dressing more appropriately is more environmentally friendly, because then we can all adjust the A/C to a higher temperature rather than having to chill to accomodate business wear. While their method of displaying this was a bit extreme (two people naked as jaybirds, talking with one person dressed in business wear, complete with sweater vest), their point was one that I've often considered.

What are your thoughts on this?

Lavender Alphabet

I was tired of working on the vining on the birth sampler for my nephew. Instead, I pulled out a different UFO a couple of weekends ago. Before I started working on it again, I had most of the left side done, except the stems and lavender. I worked on this two weekends in a row, and now I have it completed, except for the alphabet. I'm going to replace the alphabet, but I'm not sure with what. This can now go back to residing in the UFO pile, and I can go back to the North Star Sampler.

Lavender Alphabet by Cathy Jean for the Victoria Sampler
28 ct. Dublin (raw or natural) - I think
Generous substitutions in floss

Footwear

Let me start by saying that I'm a proud member of GenX and wholeheartedly believe in a casual workplace. I generally think that suits, hose, and closed-toe-shoes are not necessary to accomplishing one's work.

Lately, though, I find myself becoming more of an old fogey. Nothing brings this out more strongly then the recent trends in footwear. Crocs belong in the garden or in the mud, not in the office (and especially not on escalators). Flip flops belong in the shower or on the beach, not in the office. Flip flops -- and no, I don't care how fancy they are -- drive me to particular distraction because I can hear them slapping down the hallway.

Plastic shoes belong only in places where they're likely to get wet. Otherwise, leave them at home!

What do you think? Is there a current fashion trend that's offending your sensibilities?

I Won Something

I won a book in a random comment drawing on Jennifer's blog. How cool is that? The book is The Hard Way by Julie Luongo, a friend of Jennifer's. Check it out on Amazon.com or your favorite bookseller's site.