Stitching Related Activity

I had so much fun last night with Debbie and Becky but I really got in trouble when I got home. Nick was asleep and Randy was about to go to bed so they were ok with the fact that I got home late. My friend, Bella (my pet rat) however, wasn't so happy. I usually feed her a yogurt treat around 9 and when I didn't get home until almost midnight she was a bit upset with me. Here's how the conversation went:

Jan: Well, hello Miss Bella. Are you ready for your night treat?

Bella: Yes. Where the h*** have you been?

J: I was out with the girls.

B: You were out with the girls until almost midnight?

J: Yes

B: Doing what?

J: I can't tell you. It's a surprise.

B: You have a surprise for ME?

J: No. It's a surprise for my stitching friends.

B: Then why can't you tell me?

J: Because you might tell someone.

B: You are such an idiot. I only talk to you and it's only in your mind.

J: Well, some of my friends might be as crazy as me and they might hear you.

B: (Good Lord) Alright Well give me a hint.

J: It is a Stitching Related Activity.

B: I probably could have guessed that much all by myself. Even with the mind a size of a rat, I had that much figured out. More info needed. And, why until almost midnight.

J: We went to Hobby Lobby first and then ate out at a Mexican restaurant.

B: Did you eat out just with Deb and Beck?

J: Yes.

B: Noone else?

J: Well, there were two very handsome men in dark blue uniforms from the police department but they ate alone. We just enjoyed the view. You know, men in uniforms.

B: Yes, I know what you mean. Go ahead.

J: OK After we ate we went to Debbie's and started working.

B: How do I know you were really working at Debbie's?

J: We took pictures.

B: Can I see them?

J: Sure thing. Here's the first one:

B: That doesn't even look like you and if I do say so myself, that does not look like a Stitching Related Activity.

J: Well, it is me and it is a SRA.

B: Prove it.

J: OK. Here's another picture:

B: OK. That sure does look like you but it still doesn't look like a SRA. What does hammering into a piece of plastic have to do with stitching?

J: Well, stitching involves placing thread into holes in the fabric. Maybe we are stitching something through the holes I'm making.

B: I don't believe that at all. Where's my yogurt snack?

J: Here you go. Can I go to bed now?

B: No. I still don't believe you were stitching and still don't believe you were with Becky and Debbie. Do you have more photos?

J: Of course. Here's another one:
B: That is Becky alright. She's so pretty. What is she doing? Is that rice?

J: Yes, that is rice. I can't tell you what she's doing.

B: Right the crazy mind reading thing. You aren't doing very good at convincing me you were actually doing something productive instead of coming home on time and feeding me my snack, which was delicious by the way. Thank you very much.

J: You are welcome. Would you like to see another picture?

B: Of course I would. I have a feeling there is much more to the story than this.

J: OK. Here's one of Debbie:

B: That's not Debbie. She's taller than that.

J: OOPS. Well, that's me of course. I pushed the wrong button.

B: And what is that you are drinking at the SRA?

J: Uhh, root beer.

B: You expect me to believe that? I wasn't born yesterday. That looks like beer.

J: But you know me better than that.

B: You didn't come home until midnight and you want me to think you were just drinking root beer, hanging out with the girls, eating Mexican food?

J: Yes.

B: I still don't believe you. Where's the photo of Debbie?

J: Here it is:

B: She looks like she's as tired of listening to your story as I am.

J: She's tired because we were working late and I kept taking pictures. See how hard she's working?

B: Yes, and she actually looks like she is stitching.

J: She is. We were.

B: It's getting very late and I'm very tired. Do you have any more photos?

J: No. No, I don't. Not right now.

B: You DO! Show me!!!

J: I can't. After we give them away, then I'll show you more photos. I promise. Can I go to bed now?

B: Yes. But, remember, I am nocturnal. If I find a way out of this cage tonight, your secrets will be revealed to me!

J: You are psycho.

B: You are the one talking to a rat.

J: You are right. Good night.

Trick or Treat

We have a Hardanger Stitching Group as well as a Christmas Group, UFO, Sampler and Quilting Group. We do not have a Halloween Group. Oh well, there aren't enough hours in the day or days in the month to have one for everything, I guess. Since the show is over I've been working on my Promise Piece in hopes that I can finish it by the November meeting. I keep these small projects handy for when I'm in the car or waiting in the doctor's office. These are both Prairie Schooler designs. I love the books they are in. There is one for Fall and one for Christmas as well. Each leaflet has about 9 designs and they all use the same threads. They are small and easy to finish and with the limited number of threads, very affordable to do. I love them because they work up so quickly. I love it that I actually completed something BEFORE the holiday it was meant for.

Secrets revealed

These are the items I've been working on for a couple of weeks with Lanna. I wasn't able to show them before because they were favors for the ladies who entered pieces into the TANA show this past weekend. We all had a great time. The exhibit was beautiful, the food was absolutely fabulous and stitching with friends was as fun as always. I didn't get any ribbons from judging, but I did get 2nd place in Viewer's Choice for the Feed Bag Buddies. I was really happy about that. It's cool that the only stitched piece I have in a frame now has a ribbon.

Here are a few photos from the show:

Retreat

Everyone is having a great time, as usual, at our fall retreat at Cedar Lakes. The leaves are changing color so the scenery is absolutely beautiful.

We met some quilters that were here this weekend as well as meeting some very nice people at the blacksmith auction. Debbie, Glory, Marsha and I went. We all left with something very interesting to show.

And, yes, I did manage to get some stitching done. I started on the Blackwork Princess for Alyssa and make quite a dent in it. I also finished a scissor holder that I had stitched awhile back but had never "finished". I brought it to get some ideas from the ladies about how to finish it. They cut me batting and bought me fabric to line it. That motivated me to finish it for them so they could see it. I still want to put cording around the edges to hide the stitches but I will have to wait until I get home to get the matching floss.


Some people like to show and tell but not have their photo taken. I completely understand. Isn't the dragon beautiful?

c

Finishes

Tonight's the TANA meeting and I finally completed a few things for Show and Tell. I had finished stitching the nametag last week but had to put some fabric on the back to stabilize it. I used designs from two different patterns to do the black designs and then I couldn't find an alphabet that would fit in the space so I used graph paper and made up my own.

Another Penny Rug. There was a room full of people while I was assembling it and I wish I had been paying more attention. I would have put the black dot in the center. I may still change it. I'll have to think about it.

The lighthouse was just finished about 10 mins. ago. It's from a DMC pattern that was $1 you could send from a magazine. Lanna gave me this one. There are several lighthouses in the pattern but I want to do them one at a time and may not do them all.

Little bit of stitching

I don't have any stitching photos to add. I have finished 11 items but can't show them yet because they are secret gifts. I will show them after they've been given. I've only gotten a little bit of stitching done because the girls have been here since Friday and may be here for quite awhile so I'll have to work out a stitching schedule. They sure are a lot of fun to hang out with so I don't feel like it's a bad thing.
I love Autumn. This is my favorite season of the whole year. It's the only season that I think has it's own smell. The colors are beautiful and the air is cool and refreshing. Also, Thanksgiving and Halloween are my fave holidays besides Christmas. I love decorating for the fall with leaves, pumpkins, and all the scary ghosts and goblins. I love pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie. I know Winter is on it's way and that is my least favorite of all because my body reacts badly to the cold.
Nick and I went to see Zombieland. Woody Harrelson is in it and Bill Murray has a short scene or two. It was absolutely the funniest movie I've seen in ages. There were several times in the movie when the whole audience applauded.
I took Nick to get xrays on Friday morning. No breaks or fractures thank goodness. He has to take a week off of football and that really bothers him. They only have a couple of games left and he'll have to sit out the one next week.
I go to my doctor Tuesday morning to hopefully find out the results from the three MRIs I've had done. I'm thinking that the final diagnosis will be MS since that runs in my family and I've had problems for years. It could be something less but I've always done better in life when I contemplate and prepare for the worse, that way if it's anything else, well, all the better and if it turns out to the worst, then I'm ready for that. Just keep me in your thoughts and prayers and I'll keep everyone updated.