Last night, I watched the end of the 2008 U.S. National Spelling Bee. It featured middle school kids (up to age 14) spelling words that none of us have probably ever even seen, let alone used. The boy who lost had to spell "prosopopoeia". The boy who won had to spell "esclandre" and then "guerdon" to win. Somehow, guerdon doesn't seem like it's in the same league as prosopopoeia. I'm just saying...
You can see the complet list of previous champions and their winning words at Champions.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Framing and Sampler Update
Today, I took my niece's sampler to my LNS to be framed. They had a pre-made frame that was perfect for the sampler. It cost me HALF of what it would have if I'd stayed with the big craft store with their so-called 60% off discount. HALF!!! I've learned my lesson.
In other news, I'm making progress on my nephew's sampler. Here's the latest photo. I just have one more row of the *$&*! vining to do and then the beading, and I'll be done with it. Yea. Again, this is the North Star sampler from the Sweetheart Tree.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Kitchen Renovation
We have been working on renovating our 100+ year old rowhouse since we moved in almost 10 years ago. It's had it's ups and downs, but we're finally nearing the end. We've re-plumbed, re-wired, re-walled, re-floored, etc. The last major piece of this was to do the kitchen. We've been putting it off since we moved in, but we finally decided to tackle it this year.
Not everything is done, but you can see the best of it in the photos below. It took about 4 months to be done, which included taking out the wall where the return in the island now sits (to the right in the top picture). I'm jumping up and down for joy.
Memorial Day
Today is the observance of Memorial Day here in the U.S.A. It is the more somber of the two patriotic holidays celebrated on a wide scale. The other, of course, being Independence Day.
Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, was started to remember those who died in service to their country, which at the time meant as a participant in a war. It has been expanded beyond military service to include various forms of civic service, and, I think, many people use it as a time to remember any who have gone before us.
I grew up in a very small town. Memorial Day was always a big deal. My grandparents and parents belonged to the American Legion Post in our town (one of two active social organizations). I spent a lot of time selling paper poppies (in remembrance of Flanders Field) in middle and high schools.
The big event was the town parade and memorial service. The parade was fairly short, in both distance and length. The marchers completed an eight block circuit. The participants were the Legionnaires, any active duty service members home for the weekend, boy scouts, girl scouts, high school marching band, and volunteer firefighters.
The first time I took my now-spouse home to meet my parents was over Memorial Day weekend. I think he was both bemused and touched by our small town celebration.
After the parade, those gathered would move from the center of town to the cemetery on the outskirts of town for the memorial service. It was a simple ceremony that lasted a short time. It always ended with a trumpeter from the high school marching band who was hidden from sight playing Taps. It was eerie and moving at the same time.
My family would then proceed to my grandfather's grave in our own personal remembrance activity. Mom and grandma had usually placed an urn of geraniums, other flowers, and a flag a couple of days before. While Grandpa was a WWII vet, he didn't die during the war or from injuries sustained during the war. It was just our way of marking the day.
I don't remember ever travelling as a kid on Memorial Day, unless it was into the city to visit the graves of other relatives. We'd usually go home and have a picnic, sometimes with neighbors or cousins. While I have at times participated in the great migration, I usually think of the day as a time for reflection and picnics.
Wherever you are, I hope that you are enjoying your day, and if you so choose, think about your ancestors, particularly those who have served their country in some capacity.
Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, was started to remember those who died in service to their country, which at the time meant as a participant in a war. It has been expanded beyond military service to include various forms of civic service, and, I think, many people use it as a time to remember any who have gone before us.
I grew up in a very small town. Memorial Day was always a big deal. My grandparents and parents belonged to the American Legion Post in our town (one of two active social organizations). I spent a lot of time selling paper poppies (in remembrance of Flanders Field) in middle and high schools.
The big event was the town parade and memorial service. The parade was fairly short, in both distance and length. The marchers completed an eight block circuit. The participants were the Legionnaires, any active duty service members home for the weekend, boy scouts, girl scouts, high school marching band, and volunteer firefighters.
The first time I took my now-spouse home to meet my parents was over Memorial Day weekend. I think he was both bemused and touched by our small town celebration.
After the parade, those gathered would move from the center of town to the cemetery on the outskirts of town for the memorial service. It was a simple ceremony that lasted a short time. It always ended with a trumpeter from the high school marching band who was hidden from sight playing Taps. It was eerie and moving at the same time.
My family would then proceed to my grandfather's grave in our own personal remembrance activity. Mom and grandma had usually placed an urn of geraniums, other flowers, and a flag a couple of days before. While Grandpa was a WWII vet, he didn't die during the war or from injuries sustained during the war. It was just our way of marking the day.
I don't remember ever travelling as a kid on Memorial Day, unless it was into the city to visit the graves of other relatives. We'd usually go home and have a picnic, sometimes with neighbors or cousins. While I have at times participated in the great migration, I usually think of the day as a time for reflection and picnics.
Wherever you are, I hope that you are enjoying your day, and if you so choose, think about your ancestors, particularly those who have served their country in some capacity.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Would you like some whine with that?
Sorry, folks, just feeling the need to grumble a bit.
I mentioned a while ago that I am a subscriber to Take Ten, a magazine featuring stamped cards that could be made in about 10 minutes. The last two issues, including the one I received this week, have been published under a new editor. Sometimes when magazines get a new editor, one can hardly tell. In other cases, it's really obvious.
In this case, it's been really obvious. The cards being featured are of a different style than under the old editor. My problem with this is that I think the new editor has missed the whole "take ten" concept. I look at the cards and think, "I can't even assemble the supplies in 10 minutes, let alone create this card in 10 minutes." And this is with cards that I don't even have to think about designing, I just copy them for the most part. The newer cards are very elaborate, which follows the trend in the industry, but they're not quick cards. I also don't really like the style of most of these cards.
With my magazine this week, I received my renewal notice. I've waffled about renewing. I thought about asking you, my readers, for your opinion, but I knew deep-down what I needed to do. So I'm not going to renew, which disappoints me because I was really excited about this magazine when I first subscribed last year. I think, instead, I'll use some of the money I would've spent on the renewal and order some of the back issues, which I think I will enjoy more.
On a totally different topic, why oh why do I keep picking cross-stitch patterns that involve lots of backstitching detail work? I'm working on the North Star sampler for my nephew, and I think that the amount of vining I'm stitching is going to drive me insane or at least blind. Worse - the sampler I've picked for his brother has the same kind of vining work, although not quite as much of it. As NJM said to me today, "Didn't I learn my lesson with the pumpkins?" I worked on those 7 or 8 years ago (and started the project 9 years ago), and I still cringe when I think about working on that project.
I mentioned a while ago that I am a subscriber to Take Ten, a magazine featuring stamped cards that could be made in about 10 minutes. The last two issues, including the one I received this week, have been published under a new editor. Sometimes when magazines get a new editor, one can hardly tell. In other cases, it's really obvious.
In this case, it's been really obvious. The cards being featured are of a different style than under the old editor. My problem with this is that I think the new editor has missed the whole "take ten" concept. I look at the cards and think, "I can't even assemble the supplies in 10 minutes, let alone create this card in 10 minutes." And this is with cards that I don't even have to think about designing, I just copy them for the most part. The newer cards are very elaborate, which follows the trend in the industry, but they're not quick cards. I also don't really like the style of most of these cards.
With my magazine this week, I received my renewal notice. I've waffled about renewing. I thought about asking you, my readers, for your opinion, but I knew deep-down what I needed to do. So I'm not going to renew, which disappoints me because I was really excited about this magazine when I first subscribed last year. I think, instead, I'll use some of the money I would've spent on the renewal and order some of the back issues, which I think I will enjoy more.
On a totally different topic, why oh why do I keep picking cross-stitch patterns that involve lots of backstitching detail work? I'm working on the North Star sampler for my nephew, and I think that the amount of vining I'm stitching is going to drive me insane or at least blind. Worse - the sampler I've picked for his brother has the same kind of vining work, although not quite as much of it. As NJM said to me today, "Didn't I learn my lesson with the pumpkins?" I worked on those 7 or 8 years ago (and started the project 9 years ago), and I still cringe when I think about working on that project.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Three Projects
In today's paper (which we received yesterday), there was a flyer for one of the big craft stores, advertising 60% off a complete custom framing order. Great, I thought, I can take my niece's birth sampler in to be framed. I pulled the ironing board out this morning, prepared the sampler, and drove down to northern Virginia to the craft store.
Naive me. I thought that at 60% off, that my framing order would be significantly less than what I usually pay at my LNS for framing. HA, HA, HA. After 60% off, it would have cost me about the same as my LNS. I brought the sampler home and will take it to my LNS instead. I'd rather give them the money, and they'll do a nicer job. They might even have a pre-made frame that will fit it's unusual size.
Here's an updated picture of the sampler. You'll see I added name, date, and a spiral of my own design. The spiral was to fill in the blank space left by centering the name. The spiral should have probably been a few more spaces to the right, but I'm pleased with how it came out overall.
Since I was ironing anyway, I thought I'd pull out my stash of FUFOs that need ornamentifying. All of them are washed, ironed, and trimmed of excess threads. The pile included 7 of the 8 ornaments that I've stitched this year (the 8th, my February heart, is completely finished already). It also included 5 more projects.
Pictured here are 2 that I stitched in late 2005 out of the 2005 JCS ornament issue. It was the first JCS OI that I bought, and it's probably the one that I like most to date. It's also the only one from which I've stitched any projects, and I think I've stitched 6 or 8 different ornaments. I've given most of them away, as usual.
Both were stitched on scraps of fabric with DMC threads. I liked the second one so much, I stitched it twice, giving one to a non-religious friend as her winter holiday gift that year.
Friday Feast on Sunday
Borrowed from Jennifer at Sweet Pea Stitches.
Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home? I live in DC proper. The next nearest big city would be Baltimore.
Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix? We have hardwood on the first floor, stairways, and hallways. The bedrooms have carpet. The bathrooms are all tiled. Our basement is currently unfinished, but will have a mix of tile and carpet.
Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length). Chin length, baby fine, slightly wavy (unruly), and medium brown with some highlights. It's cut in a layered bob to give it some shape and volume.
Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption? Yes. One of my closest friends is an adoptee. I have a couple of other friends who have siblings who are adopted.
Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week? In March, when I was sick. Prior to that, it was probably the entire six months before I left my previous job, and I was only in the job for seven months.
Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home? I live in DC proper. The next nearest big city would be Baltimore.
Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix? We have hardwood on the first floor, stairways, and hallways. The bedrooms have carpet. The bathrooms are all tiled. Our basement is currently unfinished, but will have a mix of tile and carpet.
Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length). Chin length, baby fine, slightly wavy (unruly), and medium brown with some highlights. It's cut in a layered bob to give it some shape and volume.
Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption? Yes. One of my closest friends is an adoptee. I have a couple of other friends who have siblings who are adopted.
Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week? In March, when I was sick. Prior to that, it was probably the entire six months before I left my previous job, and I was only in the job for seven months.
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