Sadness and Random Crafting

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Thank you for your commiserations on the Super Bowl. Before the game, I did some "old school" crafting with Shrinky Dinks.

I ended up with some earrings that I wore to work on Monday, which was gray and rainy as the sky wept for the Falcons. We're still proud of them, though, and hope the Brotherhood will Rise Up again next year!

I attempted to stitch on Curios during the game...

but since I spent all except the first quarter and the beginning of the third quarter standing up or pacing, I didn't get a lot done!

I tried something new last week...embroidery on felt. This is completely Amy's fault (I get in a lot of trouble following her blog), as she showed a "maid-a-milking" she was working on, and of course, I had to go check it out, since I love 12 Days of Christmas ornaments!

Here's a link to the designer's blog, in case you want to be enabled, too. =) Her pattern instructions are GREAT; the only tiny complaint I have is that she doesn't give you the felt color names/DMC numbers that she used for each ornament in the directions. However, she is very responsive to questions; I asked one on her blog and she answered that day!

I found this picture and had to post it because so many of you complimented my color choices on my Butterfly Wing shawl.

I replied to most of you that my pajamas had subliminally influenced my color choices...this is the moment when I was knitting and looked down and realized I'm not so brilliant after all!!

JiffNotes
The Falcons may have lost the Super Bowl, but they're still winners to us! And after all, we get to live in beautiful Atlanta with the League Most Valuable Player instead of having to live in frigid Boston with a guy who doesn't know how to handle his balls.

Long Weekend of Gorgeousness

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I just got back from a long weekend with "the girls" in Highlands, NC. A good friend has a condo there and allows us all to descend on her and her husband and plop ourselves in comfy chairs to stitch for the weekend from time to time. There is much laughter and food and fun. And stitching. Oh, yes, there is stitching! While some like to stitch on one thing the whole weekend (those people that actually finish things), OTHERS of us tend to bring enough stitching for six months and flit from project to project like a hummingbird on Pixy Stix. I pretty much switched projects every time we stopped to eat a meal.

Since I'd been knitting for so long, and I just "reorganized" my WIPs, I really brought a random selection of projects that would travel well. (Read: I grabbed whatever I could find that wasn't mounted on a frame or stored in a giant container.) Here's what I ended up stitching on (yes, there were even a few things I brought that did not see the light of day)...

Purrfect Christmas Santa (Jim Shore) from Mill Hill

Always good to have a "my eyes are too darn tired to see much of anything" project along.

In Full Glory by Blackbird Designs

You might remember this from the Lottlympiad. It's a conversion to Gloriana silks by Jean Lea at The Attic.

Bluebell by Nora Corbett (Mirabilia)

I did not get too much done on her (tired eyes!) Someone asked why I started her at the bottom...there is a little swirl in the fabric that I wanted her to be "skipping over", so I had to place her feet first. =) See that cute little bee skep pincusion at the bottom? That was part of my Christmas gift from our hostess that I forgot to take a picture of when I took this picture:

Can you believe she found a bag with a knitting squirrel on it?? And the other squirrel there is holding hand sanitizer. I don't know which of those two needle minders I love best! Oh, and as if that wasn't enough, she ALSO gave me...

This gorgeous squirrel canvas!! She is trying to tempt me to the dark side (needlepoint). I think it's working... ;) She also gave us cute goodie bags with things like hand moisturizer, scissors, and that super-cool green twisting needle case. You twist it like a tube of lipstick and it fans out your needles like an old-fashioned soda shop straw dispenser! I am fascinated and may have played with it like a 5-year-old....

I was really excited to work on Prancer (by Mirabilia)!

Although, technically, I did not stitch on poor Prancer, just his GIANT Christmas stocking. It's big enough to fit a tree in! Oh, gargantuan stocking, where were you when I was a kid???

Peacock Cypher by Just Nan

If you've never seen this piece before, you may be thinking, "What language is that??" Well, it is a code (hence the "Cypher" in the title). It's difficult to explain without seeing the whole piece, but you need to find a letter that makes the words make sense. I'd tell you what it is, but Nan assures you in her directions that if you reveal the secret, all your needles will rust and all your stitches will unravel! =)

Castles by the Sea by Teresa Wentzler

I bet not many of you have seen this piece. It was taught at a retreat in 2004. I am changing the verse. Here's what the original looks like:

Finally, I tried something new this weekend...soutache embroidery!

The kit makes three snowflakes, and I got four out of six pieces of the first snowflake (the right-most one in the picture) done. I wish you could see how sparkly this really is! One of the pieces of soutache is an iridescent pearl.

I have already identified this as one of my Theme-tas-stitch 2017 projects for Focus Finish February! What's that? You haven't heard of Theme-tas-stitch? The wonderful Kerryp77 at Ramblings of a Biscornu Addict kindly contacted me to ask if I'd mind if she hosted a SAL reminiscent of my Theme-a-licious SAL from years past. I was happy to give her the "go-ahead"! And I'm thrilled to participate in a themed SAL that I don't have to host. ;)

I am linking up with Jo at Serendipitous Stitching for Gifted Gorgeousness 2017, because I posted about some really lovely gifts I received, a friend gave me the gift of stitching time, and I learned about soutache embroidery (I am getting the gift of knowledge!) ;)

JiffNotes
I came, I sat, I stitched (on a girls' weekend away). I'm excited for Theme-tas-stitch!!

Marching into Madnes

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I thought I'd post an update of what I've been working on during March Madness so that my month-end report wouldn't be so long it would require a couple gallons of Gatorade for anyone to make it through.

So, the day I got back from vacation, all tired and sad to be back at work, the Sparkly Compote of Decree decided I needed to frog.

Because that's where Magical Night is at this point. I backstitched the wings in the color called for, but I had changed the fabric to a darker shade, so it didn't really show up very well. So, I'm in the process of ripping it all out. I got a good bit done.

Next, Ye Shall Prosper came up.

 

This is the pin keep from the set, and I did some boring chain stitch. This is actually an older picture, since I got so little done, it seemed kind of pointless to take a new one!

Les Rubans was next. Here's a shot of the whole piece:

And the bit I did:

That bit is part of a ribbon that I've already finished one section of...so it will look a lot like this when I'm done with it.

Whew, that's a lot of stitching so far. Let's take a quick break while I announce the theme for April!

April Showers

What pieces can you find in your flood of WIPs that include water? Rivers, lakes, oceans, or rain (and anything that lives within).

The idea for this theme actually came from two people! SoCal Debbie and Shebafudge, but since Shebafudge gave us February's theme, the prize is going to go to Debbie this month. Debbie, please send me your snail mail address!

And now, back to the Madness...

Next, an old class piece came up, a Christmas drawn-thread border piece.

This is just the smaller class piece, but I did almost get one whole side done. The picture doesn't show how sparkly it is...all the stitching is done in DMC stranded metallic floss.

Obviously the SCOD was still in a Christmas mood, as the next thing it spit out was this Partridge in a Pear Tree.

It is possible that I've only worked on this piece during March Madnesses Past.

Continuing the theme within the theme), this Hearts and Flowers ornament was next.

It's a 3-sided ornament, and once I get the middle peyote band done, I will have to learn brick stitch to do the six top and bottom panels!

You'll see the rest of the projects I worked on on April 1st! (No foolin'!)

JiffNotes
In case you missed it amongst all the pictures, the theme for April is April Showers!

Theme-a-licious September Smalls Wrap-Up

First of all, I'm so sorry this post is late! I wanted to get it done before I left for vacation, and that didn't happen. But I convinced myself that it would be OK; we were getting home on the 29th and I could do the post then. Except we actually were getting back today on the 30th!

Anyway, I'd like to tell you that I was able to finish the squirrel in the center of the pincushion that I'd started at the beginning of the month.

 

But I can't. Poor little guy. I didn't want to take him with me on the trip, so there wasn't much time to work on him.

Speaking of the trip, I did get a "little" something done in the car...

 

Hexipuffs! I finally found a stuffing I like...I had tried cotton balls, but they did not have enough give to make good stuffing. I found a bamboo-rayon combo suffing that feels quite nice--almost silky. I think I need someone to look at the way I'm finishing the top of them...I get a weird wonky edge at the very last corner.

And here's the rest of the picture of the little teaser I showed last time.

 

I've completed the main part of the bracelet I started during the Lottlympiad! There's just some peyote bands and little embellishment left!

Now it's time for...
Obligation October

Wow, the holidays are only a couple months away! Avoid that last-minute crunch and work on some gifts now.

This month is not all about gifts...any obligation stitching counts (round robins, anyone?) The only gift I have planned is an ornament for my sister. And to be honest, I have NO IDEA which one to make her. I will have a few other "obligations" to fulfill, though. I'm starting (yet another) online class this month. I also promised to do a KAL with Sue...we both have scarves that have been in progress waaaaAAAaaayyy too long. We haven't ironed out the details...I think we're going to go for an hour a week. I may designate it as Dancing with the Stars knitting for the season. Anybody want to join us?

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So how did September go? Did you make a lot of progress...or just small progress? =) Please add your link below (to your check-in post), and visit some other Themers if you can (everyone loves comments and encouragement!) Our next post will be on the 15th, when we'll check in with our progress for Obligation October! And don't worry if you haven't posted before...just jump in whenever.

1. Jackie 2. Sue

3. Sherrie 4. Joanne P

5. Valentina

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Lottlympiad Closing Ceremony

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...inspiring music plays...

Bob: The majesty of another Lottlympiad...

...music swells...
camera pans over a vast array of craft tools scattered across a landscape of half-eaten scones and empty tea cups

Bob: ...dreams are achieved, or missed...

sound of a record needle scratch

Bob: Jim, what are you doing??!?

Jim: Bob, it's been over a month since the Lottlympiad ended. Let's just get this over with.

Bob: Jim, what happened to your accent?

Jim: I don't want to talk about it.

Bob: I take it that your tea didn't go too well.

Jim: I said I don't want to talk about it. Can we get started, please?

Bob: Uh, OK, Jim...we are very behind schedule. First, let's go out to London Olympic Stadium and check in with Tom and Ato for an update on the Random Relay!

Jim: Wait, Bob, I thought that Random Relay was a swimming event.

Bob: Just go with it, Jim.

Jim: Uh, OK, but can we have Craig report it instead? He goes so much faster....

Bob: Good point, Jim. Craig?

Craig: Thanks-Bob-and-Jim. We're-here-for-the-Random-Relay-and-we-just-have-to-hope-the-baton-doesn't-get-dropped. Otherwise-four-more-years-with-no-gold. We-need-a-finish-of-the-bottom-row-for-a-silver--the-border-for-a-gold. We're-rounding-the-bend...

AND-IT'S-A-PHOTO-FINISH-FOR-THE-SILVER! RIGHT-AT-THE-LINE! But-how-does-the-overall-field-look?

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!!

Bob: Wow, that was fast. I think Craig may have been listening to Andres Cantor too much. So there we have it, folks, the first gold medal in these Games! What do you think of that, Jim?

Jim: Whatever, Bob.

Bob: Jim, seriously, what happened at tea?

Jim: I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

Bob: OK, Jim, but you can't just blow off the rest of the update.

Jim: DON'T SAY THAT PHRASE, BOB!

Bob: Jim, calm down! What phrase? "Blow off*"? Ohhhhhh...Jim, did you say that at tea?

Jim: YES! NO! Shut up, Bob.

Bob: OK, tell me the whole thing, Jim.

Jim: Well, the host was seating me, and I was just making conversation, you know?

Bob: Of course.

Jim: So I was telling him I was a broadcast journalist, and he seemed really impressed, until I told him I had blown off* work for the afternoon...then he just laughed and laughed.

Bob: Oh, Jim, what else did you say?

Jim: I'm...I'm not even sure. I had just gotten a haircut and even bought a new suit for the occasion, with Union Jack suspenders* and everything...

Bob: Uh-oh...

Jim: And so the first thing I did was ask the waitress if she wanted to see them...

Bob: What did she do, Jim?

Jim: She...she looked at me like I'd just said I was wearing women's underwear or something! So I tried to change the subject by asking what she thought of my haircut and if she liked the bangs*.

Bob: Oh dear. How did the rest of the tea go?

Jim: Well, she went away after that...for a while, actually...but eventually she came back with my tea, and I told her I needed some Splenda, if it was no biggie*.

Bob: Jim, did you get thrown out of the tea room?

Jim: *sobs*

Bob: While Jim tries to pull himself together, let's head out to Andrea and Elfi at the North Greenwich Arena for some Rhythmic Gymnastitch.

Andrea: Thank you, Bob. I hear we're short on time, so we'll get right to it.

Elfi: This is one of my favorite events. It's easy to see, because it's so visual.

Andrea: You really know how to boil things down to their essence, Elfi. So let's take a look at our result.

Elfi: What this young lady can do and what she does so brilliantly is her work is exquisite.

Andrea: Ah...yes. But I see this performance has earned a dreaded yellow. That was a lot of deductions.

Elfi: That's just because she's so good!

Andrea: I...see. It's still a bronze medal-winning performance, though. Back to you, Bob.

Bob: Thank you, Andrea. Elfi has her own way of expressing things, as usual.

Jim: She'd better be real careful here, Bob.

Bob: For our last report of the Games, we've received word from that the second gold medal of the games was earned in the Bead Triathlon! Let's take a look.

Bob: A shining result, and a great way to wrap up the games! Here's the medal count...

Final Medal Count
Gold	2
Silver	3
Bronze	7

Bob: Well, that's it for this Games. We'll see you in 17 months in Sochi!

Jim: I'm never speaking a foreign language again, Bob!

Bob: Um, Jim, you were just using an accent...you weren't really--

Jim: NEVER AGAIN, BOB!

Bob: *rolls eyes* Good plan, Jim. And goodnight to you all!

JiffNotes
The Lottlymplete can't seem to make it past two Golds. All in all, though, a successful Games. *To understand why Jim came across as so crass to his poor waitress, take a look at the slang here. And do a little research before you travel. =)

Theme-a-licious September Smalls Check-in

I haven't had much time to stitch because of work, so it's a good thing all this month's projects ARE small!

I'm working on Ye Shall Prosper, which is a set of smalls designed by Moss Creek Designs (it's picture 4 =). Right now I'm working on the pin pillow (bottom left in this picture). It doesn't look very interesting right now, but soon there will be a SQUIRREL!

 

The bit at the top of the fabric is the top of the acorn-shaped scissors sheath. I've already stitched the needlebook (the picture's on my WIPocalypse page) and the front of the scissors sheath. Here's a lame picture of it...

 

Yeah, I didn't even take it out of the frame to photograph it. Nothing but the best for you guys. =)

The other small thing I'm working on, I can only show you a small part of...but you'll see the rest of it soon. (Foreshadowing! Your key to quality blogging!)

 

Very small...those are Delica beads.

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Are you enjoying stitching smalls? Or at least smaller things? Please add your link below (to your check-in post), and visit some other Themers if you can (everyone loves comments and encouragement!) Our next post will be on the 30th, when we'll wrap up September Smalls and talk about Obligation October! And don't worry if you haven't posted before...just jump in whenever.

1. Joanne P first again!

2. Karoline

3. Sue

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Lottlympiad Week Two Update, on Tape Delay

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Bob: Welcome, once again, to the Games of the Second Lottlympiad!

Jim: Wotcher, Bob! What ho!

Bob: Jim, have you been reading Harry Potter?

Jim: Yes...why? I mean, blimey, Bob! What are you on about?

Bob: Nothing, Jim...I'm just wondering if this is better or worse than the Australian "accent".

Jim: Don't get shirty with me, Bob! Tally ho, let's stop mucking about and soldier on, guv'nor!

Bob: (muttering) oh, it's worse

Jim: What's that, old thing?

Bob: Nothing, Jim.... So, folks, you may be wondering why we're coming to you after such a long delay. It turns out that after our last, spoiler-filled update, Jim was...overly protective of letting any updates out.

Jim: Oh, go on, then, old bean!

Bob: That wasn't a compliment, Jim.

Jim: Wot d'ye mean? Saved everyone from spoilers, I did!

Bob: Jim, you deleted all the coverage you and I filmed! It's taken weeks and weeks and weeks to reconstruct it!

Jim: Well, think of the fun we wouldn't be having now if I hadn't done!

Bob: (sighs) Let's go to Dan and Rowdy at the Aquatics Centre for a report on the Random Relay.

Dan: Thank you, Bob. We had a very exciting start to the action here.

Rowdy: Yeah, Dan, it's really hard to tell from this overhead shot of the pool, but we made it to the end of the row!

Dan: A great result in the opening heats, but so far it's just a bronze medal performance.

Rowdy: Dan, what you want to do in these heats is just shut down at the end...leave something in the tank for later.

Dan: Well, there's plenty of swimming yet to come. Back to you, Bob!

Bob: So, a bronze medal in the Random Relay so far, but there's a long way to go to get to the next level.

Jim: Stiff upper lip, old man, I'm sure we'll get to gold!

Bob: (sighs) Ah...thanks, Jim. Say, that's quite a lilt you have there. What else did you watch in preparation for your "accent"?

Jim: "Crazy for You" and "My Fair Lady," of course.

Bob: (rolls eyes) Both with perfectly accurate portrayals of British characters. We've received a report from Steve and Julie at the Bead Triathlon, and we can show you that a silver has been achieved in the second leg.

Jim: I say, old crumpet, what a smashing result!

Bob: Jim, do you even know what a crumpet is?

Jim: Righty-ho, Bob, I've got one right 'ere!

Bob: That's an English muffin, Jim. It's not quite the same thing.

Jim: What? I mean, Wot? But it is English.

Bob: Not really, that's just what we call it. Kind of like "French fries" were actually invented in Belgium.

Jim: Well bugger me...

Bob: Let's just go out to Al, Tim and Elfi for a report on Floor Exercise.

Al: The drama. The intensity. The multitude of rhinestones. A single toe out of bounds can suddenly put emotion into a very emotional weekend.

Tim: Al, when you get right down to it, it really does all come down to the scores.

Elfi: Yes, what you have to remember, and what you have to pay attention to, are the deductions.

Al: But all these tenths of points...how does it all add up? How can we figure out who is really doing well?

Tim: Well, I'm no great shakes at math.

Al, Tim and Elfi: (laughter)

Al: Who is? So we've come up with a simple symbol system so you can know, instantly, if a gymnast is doing well or...not so well.

Elfi: Right, because you certainly can't tell just by watching if you're seeing and observing an excellent performance. We've trained for years so we can alert you each time a gymnast gets a deduction by stepping out of bounds, or falling.

Tim: This is a really good idea, Al. So we're going to have, like, a range of scores that would be considered good, bad or "on the bubble"?

Al: Not exactly.

Tim: So then we'll have a symbol so that you don't have to subtract the deductions from the initial score yourself.

Al: No, we'll show you all three -- starting score, deductions, and final total.

Tim: So what's the symbol telling me?

Al: Well, I'll tell you, Tim. Better yet, I'll show you.

Tim: Oh, I see! Now I won't have to remember that a random range of deductions is "good", another random range is "OK", and a third random range is "bad"!

Al: That's right, Tim. So if you see a green triangle, you know the gymnast got a really good score and can expect a medal.


Al: A yellow square means the gymnast needs her competitors to make some mistakes to be assured of a medal...she's not sure where she stands.


Al: And red means...well....


Al: So on to tonight's competition! How is it stacking up?

Tim: Well, there's a lot going on out there on the floor right now.

Elfi: That's true. But I think what you'll find, and what you'll see about this athlete, is that she is very careful to think about the considerations of her choices.

Tim: Are you saying you like the yarn, Elfi?

Elfi: I am saying that there is yarn there, yes.

Tim: Those are some good lines there.

Elfi: But a little unevenness towards the hem. Maybe a couple tenths that the judges can take off there, and believe me, they will be very careful to consider and observe all those things.

Tim: And judges are just like horses; if they smell fear, they'll pounce!

Tim: Oh, uh oh.

Elfi: There are some pins there.

Tim: Yeah...there are.

Elfi: And also some yarn.

Tim: I think we're going to be seeing a yellow here.

Al: It's a green!

Tim: She's got the silver!

Al: A silver! As if it were written...

Bob: Ah...thanks, Al. That was...enlightening. So a bronze, silver and our first gold of this Games! Well, I'm afraid that's all we have time for in this update.

Jim: Pip pip, Bob, I'm off for a spot of tea at the Savoy!

Bob: Jim, you're not going to keep using that fake British accent while you're out are you?

Jim: It's tickety-boo, Bob!

Bob: If you say so, Jim.... We'll see you back here for the Closing Ceremony soon! That is, if Jim can keep his hands off the footage this time.

Jim: Jolly good show, old chap!

Bob: (sighs)

Jim: No, seriously, Bob, that was actually a good show.

Bob: Good night, everyone!

JiffNotes

Is there more gold in the Lottlympiad future? How will Jim fare at a proper British tea? The Games are long over, but the suspense continues! Wondering what in the world is going on? This should explain. And be sure to enjoy the first 2012 Lottlympiad update if you missed it. And to my British readers...remember that any views Jim expresses are not those of the Lottloft. What do you expect from someone who researches British accents solely by watching Broadway musicals?? (That's Jim, of course, not me. =)

I found them!

I found pictures of Erin's blog candy (don't know why I forgot to link to her yesterday!) She had asked for "something beady" (given that choice, "something stitchy" or "something knitty"), so I made her some stitch markers (for needlework) and a bookmark (which I liked so much I need to copy for myself!) The book was part of her blog candy, since I knew one of her 1001 things was to read a manga, this is one of the very few "standalone" manga I know, I love the authors' work, and it was on the clearance table for a steal! =) Sadly, I futzed around with the bookmark FOREVER! Construction, what the tassle should look like...it all seemed to flummox me! But I love how it turned out!

Oh, mercy, I am sooo tired today. Last night I was awake from about 3-5:30 or 6...getting tenser by the moment 'cause I couldn't fall back to sleep! It wouldn't be so tragic if I hadn't gone to bed so late Sunday night and woken up early Monday, losing about 2 hours sleep there as well. I'm destroyed today. I hope I can catch up before this weekend, because DFs Teresa and Ann are coming into town and we have a wonderful but busy schedule that I'd like to enjoy. That'll be impossible if I'm this tired.... Based on past experiences, I wouldn't even remember anything we did if I'm still this tired!