Do I like it, can't decide, and have you heard?

 I ended up restarting "Do Bears" Long Dog Sampler.  I was just having a hard time working over one on the linen, stitches would slide and disappear or no matter what I did they just would not lay straight.  So I decided to resort to my old standbay Evenweave (should of used it to begin with).  I order some Fabric Flair Stone, which I didn't realize was overly hand-dyed..  So without further ado here is my new start..

Now for comparison here is my previous start on the linen.

 

In the bottom picture, I'm using DMC 761, and in the upper one (new start) Im using my favorite silk, Gumnuts Forest Green (the have hue of 4 variations its the darkest). 

So while I was waiting for the new evenweave, I went back to "Quaker Virtues" by ByGoneStttches.  

Here is the progress so far...

Laguna Evenweave, Ivory with Gumnuts Denim

Hopefully if the power holds out while we get this storm coming to Virginia and up the coast, I will be able to do some stitching.  However, I told my husband this was coming a week ago. Nor'easters are never good. ( I needed to take another science for my degree, so I took a weather class, learned alot about maps. Thankfully, the temps and humidity are warming up for today and onward, which is a BIG help.  When we had snowmaggedon, in 2010, we did not have power for 4 days, the power line at the end of drive snapped and down it went in the street.  We couldn't get our street plowed till it was repaired.  It was a mess, and it was so cold, we huddled the kittens, to keep them warm, but they got kitty colds.  The cold came in with the snow.  But fortunately, there is warming with this snow ... but since I don't drive, I can't get to store, so we have to plan so carefully.  Paul picked up some milk and some more logs and filled his tank.  He will come home early tomorrow, because they are going shut down trains from DC over the weekend. But we are so hoping it's not as bad and we can get to the store Sunday, or Monday night if he can get to work Monday, if not perhaps Monday.  We have food and I order the kitties food from Chewy.com, every two weeks.

I have been feeding and trying to be friendly with feral black year old cat, I"m really worried about this baby, I will clear deck like I always do when it snows.  I feed racoons, squirrels and birds, and now the baby.  I will make a place for its food.  So say pray for this little one.

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Happy New Year

 As with tradition for all stitchers, I made a new start for the New Year.   I also joined a group called "Long Dog Samplers-Designed by Julia Lane Stitch-A-Long" on Facebook.  The goal is to stitch a "Long Dog Sampler Design" within the year, there is no time limit other than the year, no pressure, just joy in sharing your progress.  The other great thing is that you can pick any Long Dog Sampler you choose.  So, I picked "Do Bears"  I have had this one in my stash for a long time.. and wanted to get it done..

Do Bears - 28 ct Ivory, DMC 561, Over One

As noted in the caption, I'm stitching over one, and using DMC 561 on Ivory Cashel Linen.  I also had to employ the marking off  of 10 stitches (squares) in order to keep track of length, using a basting stitch that easily be removed when done. My plan is alternate this with my Ann Grimshaw..

So did everyone watch Downton Abbey last night... it sad to see it go.  Did you know that Julian Fellowes has book that he's releasing in installments, called "Belgravia" it sounds interesting.   I did some checking on Amazon (my favorite resource) and you can get it for your kindle, but it won't be out till March.  Speaking of Sir Julian, our PBS did run two episodes of "Julian Fellowes-Great Houses" I enjoyed it, and discovered through youtube that there was a series, but so far all they have shown was two..oh well, who knows.  As I said its sad to see Downton go,  but I understand the why and wherefores.. but I would like to see a spin off of sorts with stories of the younger ones..upstairs and downstairs. What do you think?

Anyway on to household things, washing clothes, cleaning and the like..plus I'm organizing my office and throwing out things to get my genealogy in better order so I can proceed.  I have death, birth, and marriage certificates to get.  Plus copies of my parents 301 files, with the Federal Government.  My mother retired as GS13 in 1980, unheard of now a days for anyone without a college degree.   She did the budget for weapons they are using now in Iraq like the "Abrams" tank. and the "Apache" Helicopter.  My dad went from the career Navy, to a government civilian career, he died while he putting in his retirement papers (he knew he had terminal cancer). There is so much about that part of their careers that I need to know and want to know to pass down and document.  Also those records give you schools and references that can help, as you look as their career.  So that's the goal in the genealogy area.  So meanwhle I have Lucy helping with unpacking of the cat food (with 9 cats) we have food/litter delivered every two weeks from Chewy.com (its cheaper and easier)... she keeps her eye on things...

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Merry Christmas to all...

Christmas seem to come so fast this year, one minute it was Thanksgiving and now its that blessed time "Christmas" wow where has the time gone.  I have been busy stitching away when I can since I started Ann Grimshaw... so here's an update

28 ct Ivory Cashel, Mulberry Gumnuts Silk, 1:1

I haven't been doing any genealogy stuff, probably won't resume in earnest till after the new year, but you never know.  I have been organizing my office and doing other stuff instead, like a little online shopping.  I have really been enjoy the holiday movies on TCM.. 

TCM Holiday Snapshots
Earlier this week a fan reached out wanting to see all the holiday spots we show on the air. We made this reel for him, and we hope you enjoy seeing this too. Happy holidays from everyone here at TCM!
Posted by Turner Classic Movies: TCM on Thursday, December 17, 2015

So Merry Christmas from warm Washington DC...

 

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Thanksgiving is over and on to new things..

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving Holiday, we did, a quiet one as always.  Its always just us and the fur kids. On the plus side, DH was off the day after Thanksgiving, so we got some household things done.  Now I wanted to get some stitching done, but I lost my 9-11 book.  I looked everywhere, and I mean everywhere.  No go. 

So I started something new, Ann Grimshaw. 

28 ct (Cashel) with Gumuts Silk Mulberry, over one

In case you aren't familiar with Ann Grimshaw, here she is..and you can read about her here

I'm really pleased with the start, its going well.  As far as the 9-11, I really want to move on with this sampler but the size bothers me, that's why I enjoyed working over one and I keep going back to working it over one.  But back to the lost chart.. I bind all my charts, with plastic sleeves and binding machine.  I sometimes have to take sheet out to work on per page.. but it keeps things all together and helps with damage control.  Well the bottom line was this, I ordered another one, so that's in the mail, and guess what, I found the chart, it was on my desk in my office.  I remembered I took it there to order some threads that I was running out of, I had written my conversion on the thread key.  But all is not lost, I did have some pages that are worn so I new chart will be nice..at least that's what I'm convincing my self with, sound good to you?

I have been doing some genealogy work as well, on my husband's side.  Paul is 50 percent Norwegian and English, and god knows what else.  So on his dad's side, which came from England original to Connecticut, then out to the plains, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois and then on to Washington state to finally settle, till Dad joined the Air Force and went all over, including Japan (part of the restructuring after the war), then to midwest and Virginia.   So I was working on his 3rd great-grandfather who turns out to of been a major figure in the Black Hawk War, in Kansas,         have a read..

So that was really interesting.. for those of us who are interested in this stuff.  Anyway it was something to do other than deal with depressing weather and news.  It has been dreary and wet here since Sunday and then came the horrible news of yesterday in California. It's becoming more and more a world I don't understand. 

Yesterday 12-3-15 Gloomy and dark

Today 12-3-15, Beautiful and mild... and will be for a while

So now I will leave you with, my daddy, today would of been his 96th birthday.. we lost him way too soon, he was only 56 in 1975 when he died of terminal cancer.  He served 25 yrs in the Navy and 25 years in the Dept of the Navy, and is buried at Arlington Cemetery.

Also Wreaths Across America, is short for this year..for placing wreaths for Arlington (because they burials increase per year) it only costs $15 for a wreath.  I donated in my dad's memory, as before.  (Actually both parents are there), but if you want to help, please if you can. 

  

Sorry to be so long with post.. will try to come back more often.. Thank you for stopping by.
Your comments mean so much..