I Have A List...

 

I have more than a few steps left to complete my Monarch butterfly, so I made a list. Thanks to my trusty notebook from my class with Owen, I have all his instructions from start to finish. I'm really glad, too, because there are a few steps I know I would have missed.

Once these steps are completed, my butterfly will be finished. 

I know I'll get back to my needle dancing soon, but these days I've been consumed with clearing out clutter. I've come a long way, too. I have boxes of things going away and already the spaces I've been working on feel lighter. I'm motivated to continue. 

The heat has broken (finally), so it's perfect for clearing, boxing and cleaning. I guess this is where farmers came up with "Make hay while the sun shines". (I know that's not completely appropriate, but I'm going with it, and I know you understand my usage.)

This afternoon is another classmate dinner. Another of our group has lost her husband, so I know some heavy-duty support will be in order. We'll have another group photograph taken, so I'll be sharing that tomorrow. See you then. I'm off for my morning cuppa.

A Good Day To Be Indoors...

I managed to get a lot accomplished on my Monarch body yesterday. Only a few more segments to do until it's finished.

Today will start with my annual wellness check.(oh, joy)  Mid-day will allow me more time for needle dancing, and then work a few hours tonight. Another Friday already. sigh

Tomorrow is Craft Day, followed by a wedding reception for Marie's brother (Linda's son) who married in Colorado last month. I just love a celebration! 

Happy, Happy Weekend, friends. 

Body Building...

I've begun work on the Monarch's body. I actually finished the segment in process above before I stopped for the day. Progress is slow when stitching primarily black on black. (Between you and me, it's hard to photograph, too!)

Saturday was difficult, but my niece and nephew celebrated their dad in a way that was touching and respectful. So many friends and family attended, and paid their respects to Mike and the life he lived. Thank you for the kind messages you left.

I'm looking at another busy week this week. I have a one year checkup for my knee replacement; work; one year follow-up on cardiac tests results pre-knee surgery; annual wellness check; craft day in Portage, followed by a wedding reception for Linda's son and his new bride. Sunday will definitely be a day of rest!

I'll do my best to get a bit of needle dancing in this week, and I'm also working on wool pincushion patterns and an ATC tutorial. Just thinking about all this makes me want to take a nap. Rest assured, I'll sleep well at night. Better get busy now. My doctor's appointment is an hour away. I don't want to be late!

So Close...

I'm nearly there! Once I complete this part, I'll choose the fabric for the Monarch's body and draw it onto the fabric so I can stitch it. 

I still have a body from the class I took with Owen to use as the padding, which will cut out that step, but I'll still need to stitch the cover for it. 

I best not get ahead of myself, though. First things first, and right now, I'd better get ready for work so I'm not late.

Can you believe it's the last day of June already? We're half way through the year, and I still have so much to do!

 

I'm Getting There...

I managed to do a little needle dancing over the weekend, too.  I actually did the right top edge of the upper wing twice! 

You see, I'd thought I'd completed the area with the rusty red color until I stood back and assessed it. In fact, it looked as though the wing might belong to a different butterfly. You know what that meant, right. 

After I'd frogged all that area, I went back to redraw it. Then I began again...and was much happier with the results. Now I can proceed toward finishing this wing part, and I'll have more to share with it very soon. 

Well, not tomorrow actually, because I'm working today. I'll see you tomorrow though. Have a great day!

Teeny Tiny Stitches...

...take time.

 

Work went well yesterday, and I was busy the entire shift. I brought dinner home with me, and Handsome and I had an early meal after I changed from my work clothes into "home" clothes.

After dinner I made the mistake of putting my feet up and enjoying a hot cuppa. You know what happened next. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I spent the balance of the evening not stitching. 

I have a normal day today, meaning I'll get some needlework time in, too. I'll definitely make progress to share tomorrow.

Well, I got a last minute request to work today from one of my coworkers. I had PT in the morning, so I told her I'd only be able to help if I could start at noon. She worked from ten until noon, and I got there as soon as I could after my appointment. 

That meant no stitching all day, but I did manage a few hours while Handsome was at band rehearsal. I drew a few changes on the fabric to coordinate with the other upper wing. I'll be able to look at the other wing as I work this one. The markings don't have to match, but I try to get them close.

I'll be working my regular shift today, so I'll see what I can do after I get back home. I'll definitely be ready for a little needle dancing by then.

My Views Yesterday...

I was making great progress, as I sat in my favorite stitching spot. This wing part will be completed soon.

I take frequent "stretch" breaks for the benefit of my legs, back, and hands. Sometimes I get up and make a cuppa tea (or grab a snack), and other times, I stretch in place and check to see what's going on outside our dining room windows.

Yesterday, I was looking out the window more frequently because we had storms rolling through and it got really windy and rainy. I noticed movement in one of the dark tracks you can see in the field. At first I thought I was seeing deer because of white tail flashes. I was wrong.

Handsome grabbed our binoculars and we realized I'd been watching two foxes playing with each other. Even as it started to rain, they continued running up and down the right side, chasing each other. It was adorable! 

Coincidentally, I'd also seen gophers running around in our yard, and had really just been wishing we had foxes.

I hope they're denning nearby, because those gophers are digging holes in our yard. You can just imagine how that could harm Bella or Carly if they stepped in a hole while running around. They could do catastrophic damage to a leg or foot.

I think these critters might be the perfect meals for the foxes, and a much better alternative to us trying to get rid of them (the gophers, not the foxes). I think we need to put up a sign saying, "Foxes Welcome". In the meantime, I hope they'll continue to hang out nearby!

Working On Wing Part Three...

Even though my orange silk thread arrived, I need to work my way up to those areas first. I made great progress when I worked on my third wing part over the weekend, and am expecting to complete it soon.

I have PT mid-afternoon today, so I'm baking cinnamon rolls to take with me for the therapy department personnel. I'm hoping to do more needle dancing when I get back home.

I also work tomorrow, and I'll be doing more canning in a few days, so I'm looking forward to a fun-filled, productive week. Come along, and I'll happily share it all with you!

I'm Back In Business...

My order arrived right on time, so I'll be able to continue work on my Monarch butterfly.

The best part is that there was no discernible difference in color. Great news considering I purchased my threads in 2019!

I've been taking it easy the past couple days because my shoulder and arm have been giving me grief. That's why I've been going to physical therapy. We've determined nothing is torn - and thankfully, my shoulder joint looks great in the xrays - but some days it still hurts like the dickens, and no medicines help. So, on those days, I rest. 

The strangest thing is that it never hurt the days I was busy canning, or the day after, so the amount of activity isn't necessarily the culprit. Yesterday was a good day again, so needle dancing won't be an issue, and neither will work for a few hours tonight.

No time to feel sorry for myself. Now that my thread arrived, it's time to get busy again! Happy Weekend!

 

A Wee Bit More...

It wasn't much, but I managed to start on the oranges yesterday. In reassessing my raw materials, I've realized that there's no way my remaining Kreinik Au Ver A Soi- Soi d'Alger color 614 skein (my main orange) will last for the remaining wings. So, last night I went online and purchased more to make sure I have what I need. Now I can rest easy, knowing I won't run out. 

I'll continue on this wing today, and then move to the next one while I wait for my order to arrive from Colorado. I'm hoping it doesn't take too long.

I work later today, so after I refill the bird feeders and feed the girls, (and enjoy a hot cuppa), I'll be seated back at my hoop for a while. Happy Friday, y'all!

 

More Progress Has Been Made...

First Upper Monarch Wing Completed

I managed quite a bit of needle dancing over the holiday weekend. We had one rainy day that was made for stitching, and I finished this wing part that day. I'm so pleased to see it done and now waiting for the other parts to come alive.

Beginning Work On First Lower Wing

In fact, I even got a healthy start on the first lower wing! This all happened before Monday when I spend all day in the kitchen. (I baked four loaves of bread, and a half dozen hamburger buns.)

I also mixed, froze, and vacuum-sealed thirty four fresh rhubarb scones for sharing and later consumption. Lastly, I made rhubarb custard pie in a long baking dish which finished baking at midnight! I went to bed shortly after that, but not before Handsome tried it and gave it his seal of approval. (He did stay up later than I did.)

I worked my shift yesterday, and I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I changed clothes when I got home, and took a two hour nap. 

Today is going to be a "take it easy" day. I'm going to play it by ear. See you tomorrow!

 

Cha Cha Cha...

I began my day of stitching by unstitching a section of my wing. I decided that I needed an intermediate color between the peachy gold and the monarch orange, so I had to surgically remove a large swath of black silk to get to the gold color spots near the top edge of the wing. Two steps forward. Once step back. Cha cha cha.

Once that was accomplished, I had to leave for a PT appointment. By the time I got home it was late afternoon. Plenty of time to return to my needlework.

This is how far I got before calling it quits for the night. I'm much happier with the color adjustment, and I'm looking forward to getting in a few more hours with needle and thread before I work later. I admit I was a bit enthusiastic about how much I could get done on my wing, so today, I'll just do what I can do and be happy with that.

It's hard to believe it's already Friday again. I hope you have a good one. 

Progress Has Been Made...

 

I was able to blissfully stitch the day away yesterday. You can see I made a little headway on my first wing, too! 

I'm quite happy with the way it looks, so I'll continue with the black, and will add the signature orange as well. Optimistic Me thinks I might even finish this wing today! Come back tomorrow if you want to see how much I did today.

Slow Start...

As you can see, there isn't much progress to share. I started stitching in the morning before we went to my appointment, but when we got back home and I looked at my work, I was less than happy with it. You know me. I took it all out and started over. This was all the progress I made on my second run at it. 

I'm working today, so I'll share something else tomorrow. I doubt I'll get any "after work" needle dancing in when I get back home. I'd better go now. See you later!

 

Adding The Bling...

 

Brynwood Ladybug WIP

All I have left to do is apply the red chipping so it's sparkly. Once that's done I can cut all my brooches free and create the brooches. I'll do that this weekend. Next week, you'll see finished brooches!

Happy Easter Weekend!

Ladybug, Ladybug...

Earlier Ladybug Brooches

I actually didn't get much any needle dancing in yesterday. Handsome had a doctor's appointment for a wellness checkup, and I needed to get a few things for an Easter project, so we went out together. (One vehicle, remember?)

By the time we got home it was late afternoon, and I had orders to pack for tomorrow's mail.

So, I thought I'd remind you what the ladybug brooches look like. The one I'm making now will also have a magnetic back. I'm doing the same for the baptism brooches, specifically to avoid the pin backs on babies.

So, I'll plan to get some stitching in again today. After all, this ladybug isn't going to stitch itself!

 

No Fooling...

I've never celebrated April Fool's Day, and frankly, I'm too old to start now. I'm going to celebrate April and Spring instead...sprinkled with a little needle dancing. 

Happy April!  

 

Acorn Brooch...

I finished stitching my acorn brooch last night. You'll notice the drawing for the oak leaf is larger than what I made. I decided the first one was a bit overpowering, so I sized it down.

I got all my planned baking done, too. Bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and a batch of molasses cookies. The cookie recipe was new, and I must have over baked them (even though I used the time called for in the recipe.) Handsome likes crisp cookies, but these are hard. I prefer chewy, so these definitely missed the mark.

I didn't taste the cooled results until after I'd sent some up to Shelly. I sent her a message apologizing, and she sent back a reply that made me laugh. She (graciously) said she considered them "dunkers". I promised to send up replacements when I go back to my old recipe.

Today's my work day, so I won't be stitching, but I am going to finish the ladybug this week. 

One more thing...I've decided to run my shop sale one more month. No April Foolishness here. No code needed. Everything in my shop will still be 40% off, plus I'll add more items soon. 

I'd better get ready for work. See you tomorrow!