TUSAL, Gifted Gorgeousness and it's IHSW

 So far my blogging and stitching plans are working of course I have now cursed both of them.  I am making progress on both but not stressing myself out.  I think my brain has finally settled into this "new" and I'm not thinking too hard on "what happens when I have to go back to the office".  Based on an email from the Secretary (of Agriculture) my "when" sounds like it's still a ways off and even when we reach that point, it will be very different than before.  He is reinstating our old telework policy that allowed for up to four days of telework per week and they're doing position reviews to see which ones can be done virtually (obviously the majority can as we've been doing it for a year now).  My direct manager is all on with the four days of telework, and hopefully upper management will be too I did hear that our Director said that managers had better have a very good reason for not allowing maximum telework so it sounds promising.  

Looking back at my stitching  "journal",   was March 13th.  TUSAL is hosted by Sharon at It's Daffycat and is a just-for-fun collecting SAL.  What do you have to collect?  All those little snips of thread or yarn or what-have-you that you normally have hanging on your pants leg  throw away.  Instead of throwing them away, put them in a decorative jar and on the new moon, post a picture.  I'm a little late but fortunately, this isn't a high stress SAL.  Here's what's in my jar right now:

I added quite a bit of frog fuzz this month. It really is leaning towards darker/earth tone colors right now, except for that splash of blue Kreinik, isn't it?

check-in is the 15th of each month, but our lovely hostess, Jo at Serendipitous Stitching keeps the check-in open until the end of the month.  What is Gifted Gorgeousness?  It's our chance to thank everyone that has given us stitching gifts, or to show things we're stitching as gifts or anything else you can shoehorn into the theme of "gift".  I have two focus pieces that fit perfectly in this SAL as they are both gifts.

Goldie is charted by Heaven and Earth Designs and is a gift for my MIL and her husband.  I was coming to the tail end of her rotation time in my last post but will show from the beginning of her rotation time.

She started here the 1st of March and when her 10 days were up, she was here: LOTS of blue was filled in, there was some frogging and restitching, lots of body stitching and all that brown in her face.  EXCEPT the majority of the "brown" is DMC 934 which is actually a green, "Black Avocado Green" according to the DMC website.  It is things like that color choice that lead me to ask no questions when stitching a HaED pattern.  Should a green work, not in my mind, but it does.

After Goldie came off the frame, Japanese Zen Moss Garden went on.  This one is a gift for my son.  It was here at the start of its 10 days:  

and today it's here:    I finished the Buddah - that took the better part of a weekend, I'm not sure why it gave me so much trouble - added some of the "stones" in the water section, and started the fill-in of the center - lots of Rhodes stitches and Algerian eyelets.  It will be on the frame today and tomorrow and I am aiming to finish the center fill-in and maybe add some beads.  Chatelaines can be very heavily beaded, like all those swirls around the sandy center, so I add the Delica beads as I go, so I'm not facing days or weeks of beading at the end.  I'll roll a piece of quilt batting or sometimes a tea towel into the top scroll bar to keep them from damaging the fabric - if I use a tea towel it also provides a nice dust cover for my stitching.

This weekend is also March's   What is IHSW?  It happens on the third full weekend of each month and is permission for you to take time for yourself and stitch while knowing stitchers around the world are doing the same thing.  No set amount of time, no minimum or maximum number of stitches, no specific project, just stitch when you can from your Friday to your Sunday night. You can participate in blogland or the Facebook group.  As I mentioned, Zen will be on the frame today and tomorrow.  Sunday I'll fill in leaves on Temperature Tree and then work on my secret stitching piece.  Once that piece is done, I'll spin the "what next" wheel for my rest of the month stitch.

I have also been knitting and crocheting but I keep forgetting to take pictures.  While I'm not working on it right now, I did rip out what I had on my Heavy Metal Shawl.  I just wasn't happy with how it was working up - I did get a new needle - a Hiya Hiya Sharp (my favorites) - so am hoping that will make some difference when I start it again.

Hope everyone is well and has a chance to hermit and stitch this weekend.

I think I made two

SAL check-ins that is.  A warning up front, this is going to be long and very picture heavy.  When the bug returns, it returns full force!  And you don't need to adjust your calendars, it is Wednesday.  I'm on vacation (When I turned off my computer on Thursday, I wouldn't need to turn it back on for 19 days (excepting, of course, if we don't get a continuing resolution signed and we have to go through all the furlough preparations again!!!)).  Lots of crafting and stitching, two trips and Thanksgiving are all happening in the next two weeks.  I have a list of things I want to accomplish each day and so far, I'm on track.

Before I get to that

Yes, that is snow, falling from the sky, in my backyard in central Virginia, in November!!!  I know, it's not anything near what others received, but it was a jolt to our system.

A couple days later I looked out and saw:

Sorry for poor quality, picture is shot through a window and window screen

That's a doe with two fawns and if you look closely, the fawns are still spotted!  They all looked very healthy but it is awfully late in the year for fawns this small.  We still have green in our yard and usually do most of the winter, but I don't think it's terribly high quality (I'm tempted to go to the supply store and get some food to put out for them but it's hunting season and don't want to be charged with baiting).  We've also got a few either-sex hunting days coming up.  If they stay on our land and the neighbors' they're safe (and have almost 40 acres among the three of us) to roam, but if they roam further (which they may have to do given the lack of food) they won't be.

On a happier note, first on the list was to FFO (fully or finally finished object) the Mom and Dad pillows for DNiece and DNephew: 

The pillows finished up about 7-1/2" square-ish.  There are a few mistakes, but I'm happy with them (and I got them off the to-do list).

and Jack's stocking:

The photo is dark but by the time I put the last stitch in, it was close to midnight (I am very much a night-owl when I'm not working).  The piping and backing fabric are a dark mottled blue (close to DMC 939).

Once I FFOd the stitching, I started paper crafting.  I have a thing for exploding boxes and made three.

One for DNiece Jenn who is getting married on December 5th:

One for DNiece Libby's baby shower (this coming weekend!!!! and trip one):

Here's the outside:

And the inside:

I had a bit of trouble with this one as I had a completely different idea for the center panel.  When I tried it, it looked "blah", so I was stuck - you know when your initial idea doesn't work and your brain refuses to think of anything but the original idea?  Yep, that happened to me.  Finally came up with this, but still not thrilled.  Last night, just as I was falling asleep, I thought "rocking horse", but I don't think I can take the middle apart without tearing the whole thing up, so will leave the cradle and save the rocking horse idea for another card.

And one for Jack's birthday (hard to believe he'll be one in two weeks).   Anyway, the invitation to Jack's birthday party (that's my second trip) was farm themed, so I made a barn and toddler (YES!! he's walking!  The family text got a video of him last week.  He started towards Mom but saw Dad and headed straight to him and gave him a big hug when he got there (so stinking cute)) appropriate animals:

Please excuse the mess in the background - I hadn't cleaned up and I am, despite my best efforts, a very messy crafter.  Other than the one panel for the door, the outside of the card is plain red paper embossed with a wood grain.  The lid is embossed with a quilted heart pattern that I thought looked like shingles on black and has a weather vane with his monogram in the middle and the little border around the middle of the inside is "carrots" and "tomatoes".  I love, love, love how this one turned out.

So stitching and SALs...

I definitely, unofficially, participated in  this weekend.  I totally lost track of time so didn't register, but I stitched.  If you're not familiar with IHSW, it's a chance for you to say "not this weekend dear(s), I'm stitching" and just enjoy your stitching time.  No pressure or stress, no stitches to count, no hours to log, just stitch what you can - when you can.

I worked on Forever and Ever by Cottage Garden Samplings first.  I almost had the second flower's outline done but it didn't line up.  I was one off.  I could have fudged it, but it would have bugged me so found the error:

rrriiiggghhhttt there I needed to be over one to the right so ripped it all back.  Got that done and restitched the outline and started filling the flower in.  I got to here:

Stitched on 40-count Tin Roof from Week's Dye Works with DMC conversion. 1 thread over 2

Rather then continue with this one as I should, I went on a starting spree.  Oh yes, I started five new projects in two days (I knew inventorying my stash would be dangerous - not sure how many will be started by the time I'm done with that task).  

 First, I started Luna from Nora Corbett's Bewitching Pixies series.

The fabric is a 28-count EErie Twilight from Sunny Dyes Fabrics and I love it.  It's a painted fabric so the back doesn't have the moon and trees but it does have the blue/grey/black coloring.  She has a bunch of very unique fabrics and the shipping was quick.  I'm using all the called for DMCs, Kreiniks and beads.

Then I started Temperature Tree from Stitchin' Mommy.

I plan to get the tree done so I can start stitching the leaves on January 1st.  This is being stitched on an 18-count Fiddlers Light (it was one of the many tubes of fabric I had in the dresser) with her called for "extreme temperature" colors.

Next up was part 1 of Time for Seasons from By the Bay Needlearts.

I am doing one of the alternate corners that Donna provided.  I'm stitching this on 18-count Rustico/Natural Aida with the called for DMC.  I'm sure I won't keep up with the releases, but it's nice to have the start.

And another SAL that I won't keep up with - Jardin Prive's 2019 Noel Stitch Along:

I'm stitching with White Etoile on a 22-count something (I bought it at an estate sale and the color was worn off the label).  It's not as bright a red as shown here - somewhere between Christmas red and burgundy.  The sparkle in the Etoile, as many have said, really doesn't show on camera and the contrast between the fabric and thread is driving the focus crazy anyway.  This is part 3 of 5 (she is uploaded a part each Saturday).  I started with part 3 as it's the top left corner of the design.

Next was:

Gingerbread Lighthouse by Shannon Christine Designs.  I'm stitching this on a 14-count opalescent Blizzard Blue Aida with the called for threads and beads.  I started this on in the bottom right corner.  Here's a really bad picture of the pattern cover - 

Despite this picture, it is a high quality download

Last, but definitely not least and one I'm really excited about is J from Letters from Nora by Nora Corbett.

This is one evening's stitching.  I'm using 32-count Summer Sky Jobelan (it's much lighter than showing in the picture) in a DMC/Kreinik/Mill Hill/Just Another Button Company Christmas conversion.  I saw it at The Rocking Horse cross stitch shop in Farmington, Michigan right before they closed and was able to get their conversion. They used to have it on their website, but I honestly haven't checked to see if they still do.    

So, yes, I hermitted and stitched.  I'm also counting all of the above for .  Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching and is a way for us to say "thank you" for gifted stitching goodies, show things we are stitching as gifts or whatever else we can shoehorn into the theme.  For the above,  Forever and Ever is a gift so that's an easy one.  I'm shoehorning the rest as I gave myself the gift of time (and permission) to start them.   

So 14 more days of vacation.  Today I plan to work on Christmas cards and then stitch and crochet (I am getting close to a finish on DSon's throw).  If you've read to here - thank you.  Seems that along with the stitching bug, the blogging bug has returned (and posting keeps me accountable).

Anyone Still There?

For those of you that have kept me on your blogroll - thank you.  The double+ job thing is really stressing and tiring me out.  Only 6 more weeks.  I'm not sure what will happen after that, as everybody that's been asked to take it on has said "thanks but no thanks".  I suppose it's not my problem, but I have a horrible feeling they're going to ask me to continue.

So what's happened since I posted back the beginning of March?  Yikes, I think this is the longest I've ever gone without posting.  This is one of the reasons I don't take anyone off my blogroll even if they haven't posted in years - they might start again and I don't want to miss it.

I've been to Michigan for Jack's baptism.  He pretty much smiled through the whole thing.  There was a quinceanera at the same time so quite the festive day at St. Kenneth's. I'll be heading back in two weeks for Dad's remembrance.  Dad's funeral was in his home town so about three hours from where they've lived the last 30 years.  Many of my parent's friends are snowbirds so weren't in the area for the funeral or it was just too far for them to drive for the day, so Mom decided to do a remembrance luncheon in the spring there.

Of course I have Jack pictures:

Isn't this the best pacifier ever?

*sigh* they grow up so fast ;-)

And because I have not been giving him the attention he deserves -

This is my niece's dog Winston.  And yes, those eyes let him get away with a lot!

One trip did not take up all my time, so what have I been doing?  I honestly can't tell you not because it's a secret but I just don't remember.  I seem to be doing a lot of planning and arranging and planning some more.  Keeps my busy but doesn't accomplish a lot.

I have worked on the temperature throw a bit and have finished January!  Only 10 weeks behind.  I did a lot of thinking about how to mark the months.  Originally I was going to do a row of black but decided I didn't really need to add 12 more rows to an already huge blanket so decided to do 10 stitches at the beginning and 10 at the end of the row.

Here's the whole piece - sorry for the glare.  There's a row of white and a row of light beige and I could not get it to photograph well (for those interested white means that the high was below 0 (that's Fahrenheit) and the light beige is 0 to 5 so a couple of really cold days.  It's mostly been in the low- to mid-30s.

Here's close up of the beginning of the row and you can sort of see the difference between the colors in the previous two rows:

I have also been working on the Savannah Sampler:

The turtle and one more block and the stitching will be finished.  Then a ton of back stitching.  I need to get through this one as I had a call from my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law is expecting twin boys the end of August so need to get busy on something for them.  I probably won't stitch anything but crochet still takes me a lot of time.

I just thought of something!  It's not too late to include this post for the  check-in!  Yaaaaa!!  Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching and is a way to thank the people that have given us stitching goodness or to show the things we are giving as gifts.  You can jump in at anytime.

This weekend is also . So snuggle up with your stitching and enjoy a guilt-free weekend/day/hour of stitching.

I have this photo on my computer screen at work.  It's hard to have a bad day with this face looking at you (stressed, yes, but not bad)

January IHSW

You all have heard more than you probably care to about my two guests, but just a little more.  In an effort to help them settle in I've been spending a lot of time with them.  I've also been spending a little more time with my three so they don't feel left out.  Of course, being cats, they really only want to accept the attention on their terms.  What's that got to do with ?  Well both Saturday and Sunday evenings, Salem decided that he wanted his attention NOW and I spent a good chunk of both evenings like this:

While it is very sweet, it also cut into my IHSW time in a big way.  My goal was to finish Goldie's ear.  It went from here:

to here:

I made good progress just not what I had hoped but Salem is happy and content and that's more important right now.

TUSAL and IHSW

A twofer post today.  I'm a couple days late with my  but right on time with .

Looks like I'm on another period of unpaid time off until Congress can get its act together.  Here's hoping it doesn't last as long as the 2013 one did.  Fortunately, none of my customers will be impacted until Monday as I don't normally work on Saturday or Sunday.

On a happier note, the guest cats are well settled into the guest room and seem to be enjoying their new found freedom (they had been kept in large cages - they did have vertical space so they were able to jump and move around a bit).  Working on how best, or if, to introduce them to my herd but it's being taken slowly.  I say "if" because I know if I let them out they'll just merge into the group and before we know it we'll be saying we have five cats.  I read an adoption form for a dog that said it had been in the foster home for 7 years!  Ummmmm, after 7 years you really can't say you're fostering it anymore.

I'm a little late on my TUSAL posting.  You've never heard of TUSAL?  Well, it's the easiest SAL you will ever participate in.  All those little snips and bits of thread and what-have-you from your stitching/sewing/knitting/crocheting that you'd normally throw away?  Put them in a container, take a photo and post it every new moon and you're "doing" TUSAL! Hope on over to It's Daffycat to sign up and get the longer version of the directions.

I am using an old Yankee Candle medium jar candle jar for my ORTS.  It's not the prettiest and I don't take the most artistic photos but fortunately this isn't a contest just fun.

This is also the start of .  IHSW is a chance to tell everyone to leave you alone because you're hermitting and stitching with folks from around the world. Don't question it too much, just go with it.  I was all set to start at noon, but got distracted when I sat down at the computer to do this update and ended up finishing my taxes (well to the point of submitting, the IRS won't begin processing until January 29th), and cleaning out my emails and reading a few blogs and, and, and it is now 20 to 2 and here I still am.  I have one load of laundry to throw in the washer and I'm pretty much done with the housework for the weekend, so plenty of time for stitching.  I will be focusing on Goldie.  Here's where it is today:

I would like to finish or at least make good progress on that ear. Back tomorrow night or Monday to update IHSW.