Now This is a use of ORTS!

I love Mr. X Stitch! If you don't follow him on facebook or his blog you should.

I know a lot of us are keeping our orts for the TUSAL. What do you do with them at the end? I'm interested in the making paper bit. Some of these are far more creative than my rectangular rainbow tribbles!

Update You should now be able to click on Mr. X Stitch and be taken to the blog link. I did the link before but there were no words to click on :p

Slightly Unsucessful Unplug and Read

I have made progress on the Dream bookmark for the Grow Your Blog prize. I have charted Topcho's Madam name, maybe since Tuesday is Mardi Gras I will be inspired to stitch Mardi Gras colors. Though not while drinking. Having a beer while watching hockey and stitching resulted in the off placement of part of the stem on Dream but it's not going to effect the placement of anything else so it stays! The TUSAL jar is hiding it a bit. ;) I swear the widgit I have on here has the wrong moon phases is today really the new moon? Also this is the start of Unplug and Read. I pledged 7+ hours and I read for about an hour and 20 min today. I had a Doctor Who due back at the library that I hadn't listened to the audio commentary or the special features on so I did that first while stitching :) The I read some crafty books and through some food magazines. Wrote up my reviews for the Library Winter Reads. The books were Eco Books by Terry Taylor and Art at the Speed of Life by Pam Carriker. Really great craft books to get you thinking. Though I did think what on earth would I do with all those books if I were to make them though it has given me second thoughts on throwing out my cereal boxes and I do have a huge bag o plastic bags. The Art at the Speed of Life was good on advice to get yourself creating everyday even if you don't do mixed media art. I did like the little art journal so there's one book I could make for myself. I haven't started the art journal challenge over at Flying Unicorn's forums though it looks like a fun challenge. I have journals but ones you write in and the pages are normal weight so a bit to flimsy. Tomorrow after work and gym I hope to get busy on some cards. I need to make a Valentine for hubs and then I had done some other bookmarks with paint chips again for my stitchy friends. Like they want another one after the Christmas ones but they were too fun not to. I missed my Aunt and Uncles Anniversary and one Aunt is about to have her 60th birthday and my other Aunt and Uncle's Anniversary is this weekend too. (For some reason they thought it was a good idea to get married on his sisters birthday but it works) I should also make a friendship card for a good friend of mine who even though we're in our 30's is still being bullied by people. It's just not right. I hope everyone had a nice weekend and makes time to read and craft this week!

Winter Reads Week 3!

Yes I forgot last weeks post since I was on vacation. Topcho remembered and posted in my original Winter Reads post! Good going! The library just posted they are doing theirs. At least I give a little longer to read 6 books! I forgot about the sign up until I was walking out of the library but they have the forms to print off this year. For Winter Reads instead of doing a list they have you write a review of the book you read. Since it's only for adults and teens over 14 it's not so hard. I guess they figure all the other kids are reading a bazillion books in school for reading programs they don't do a kids thing. I did get a book mark started while on the way home. I bought a piece of fabric for $1 since it was cheeper than the predone bookmark and I could stitch more. Of course the one I cut out was too small! I had to stop and start on the edge to get it in the right spot and then I'll cut it out and finish up the edges. Also pictured, is the book I checked out and my new orts container that I got for Christmas. My friend S made it for me. She kept seeing the Eeyore at the store and wanted to get it for me but didn't want to just give it to me as it was so she took some fabric and edging and glued him to the top. Its adorable! I guess if I fill it up I can dump them into the RRTM (Rectangular Rainbow Tribble Maker). I still haven't hit up last years Rainbow Tribble with spray adhesive and I need to do research on what Jim Kirk's sons name.

So what has everyone else read? How many books are you up to? Anything you started 2 Wednesdays ago counts, I take ebooks, audio and children's books you've read to your kids for bed time too ;) What is everyone crafting? We went out today and I spent $51 and some change on a new needlework project that I had gotten the pattern for at Christmas. That's not counting the bit of floss and pearl cottons I had managed to get at Michaels and a few other stores. So I'll be working on that, the book mark and I need to get some scrapping in.

Dec TUSAL

Yeah for Sharing to Pintrest.  I have one min to get this posted before heading to work :p  Next time I will remember it earlier since I'm trying to get up earlier.  I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Conglomoration Post

 oi, if I load the pics first I can't find where to type.  Ok first pic to get my London key chain in the pic.
2nd pic I managed to finish the 1st page and a bit of London during the London 2012 Olympics
3rd, just watched morning session of Athletics for the London 2012 Paralympics.  Hope to get another page done for these games.  Already took 9/9 off to watch the closing and catch up on things.  Haven't watched the Opening Ceremony yet :p
4th TUSAL it finally broke along the crack and I had to use epoxy glue to stick it back together.  What's with all my TUSAL's breaking?
The mound of floss in the back was for a stocking project.  Probably won't start it this year but the floss at JA's is on sale 4 for $1.  Then I checked Love Quilts and forgot I had signed up for another child so I'll have to check if I have all the floss for that one and make another run before Monday :)
I promise September to be a better blogger.  If I don't blog on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday someone come round to facebook and bonk me on the head ;)  or e-mail me @yahoo.com

Conglomoration WIPacolypse, TUSAL and sorta Themealious post

Hi, I'm Ziggy and I'm addicted to Pogo.  If you don't know what that is I shouldn't tell you as games are really addicting.I haven't been neglectful of my stitching and did get the Love Quilt Square for Cristobal done and mailed.  I just uploaded pics and didn't realize it was tilted :p

 I had been doing it at work and I brought it around to show.  I told one of the guys that it was going to be a quilt square for a child and he started asking me how much it would cost me to do one.  I was thinking like others he wanted me to stitch something for him.  However, he basically wanted to sponsor me to do a quilt square!  I couldn't justify the price that I normally would have charged so I told him 20 and the cost of stitching and the 3 dollars for the donation.  (Which reminds me I forgot to send 3 bux for the other square.)  I was going to wait till the beginning of Aug when the new children were released but there was a call for stitchers to fill the last 2 quilts.  So I jumped on the chance to do a sports theme but I took the book for my coworker to decide and when I got back home it was too late.  The other square was still open so I jumped on that one and had to run to buy fabric so he owed me 7 more dollars.  The patterns have to be 9X9 and if I had used the fabric I had it was going to be too big so I had to buy smaller count but that's what coupons are for.  So here is the beginning of Noah's Ark.

 I got all the floss wound and it's in the box with my London colors  I was looking at the fabric to see what size to cut when I was going to do Noah's Ark and I realized then the blue fabric was way too small.  But I think the blue fabric only comes in 14 count at that size so I may have to use white after all.  I'll be putting a pause in Ark while the games go on.  I'm a little torn right now because the Opening Ceremonies don't start till Friday but some of the games have all ready started.  I guess I'll find the Olympic Colors in the pattern and stitch on  that.

Here is TUSAL, filling up nicely.  With so much floss in the box I don't have a place for orts so I'll have to bring it to work so it gets filled up with Ark and London.
I don't really have anything to go with the Jolly July Theme but the Noah's Ark is pretty happy. 
Also, did stitch on Computer Dragon on Saturday at my stitch with the girls.  I need to do something on it other than stitch across the top row I feel like a typewriter starting at one end and working my way across the top to the right.  I was saying 'ding' as I started over with a different color. 
I also finished my Ferret Friday over 4th of July weekend when we went up to see my MIL and family.  Her husband had fallen off a ladder and broke his pelvis in 2 places.
A friend suggested I put Pratchett's name on the piece and I think I'll do that so still have a little to do on the ferret that should have been done in June but I didn't stitch on it on Friday's :p
I'll keep better progress of my projects over the Olympics I swear!
Speaking of which does anyone know what happened to Milly?  I sent her my Olympic Relay Pattern and she got it and then when I had been checking blogs she's completely gone?!

Stitched and TUSAL

 I managed the border, band 1 Herringbone stitch and some of the cross stitch before running out of the second length that I cut.

My TUSAL with my project.

I've also been working a bit on a Love Quilt Square that will be a space ship and a Princess crown square.  I think my Ferret Friday I just don't want to finally finish.  If I had sat down and worked on it all day last Friday I know it would have been done but I just did a little bit.

Just got scared by some noise on my computer.  I sat and stitched while watching some of the pre-videos on the Olympic Torch Site and then watched some You Tube.  Apparently though the live coverage has now started.

TUSAL and Ferret Friday

Ferret progressing a bit slowly.  I had to take out a bit of the yellow of the box and redo it but not as bad as Monopoly.  I still haven't decided what to do for Monopoly.  My friend C gave me some of her orts she kept in a little altoids tin so I had to break them up to try to fit them in the ornament.  Something going to have to tamp it down really well or I'm going to need another one! 
We've had beautiful weather so hubs and I took a walk in one of the local parks.  My feet made it out better this time.  He's airing out the tent right now so in a few weeks we may do some camping for his birthday if the weather is nice.  We'll be going out soon so I'll have to bring one of my Dolly Mama's with me.  I finished the back stitch on Best Stressed and I found I had put the beads in the Ferret project so I just have to add those.  We'll be going close to a quilt store so I may bring all the ones I've done and find some fabric for my wall hanging idea.  Maybe they can help with some ideas on how it can look.  Of course it'd probably be cheaper to buy some of the fabric at Hobby Lobby when it's on sale.

eek don't let me slip back into old habits! TUSAL Report

Ok here's my TUSAL for the month.  I like my orni.  It makes it look like there are a lot more orts than when I did my rectangular rainbow tribble maker.  They might need to get tapped down.

I was hoping to stitch with my friends at Shoney's but when I called at 7:30 they were leaving because there was some other group in the backroom doing a meeting and they didn't want to disturb them :(  Maybe next week.

Not blogged for a bit but I've still been stitching on my Love square though I haven't touched the Dolly Mama's.  On Saturday I bought the 18 count material to do my Monopoly board to scale.  I started on Monday which marked a year since my Granny had passed away.  I hope to find 3 charms to put on the board: her, Pawpaw and their son Brian who was 9 when he passed from Leukemia.

I don't have anything planned for this weekend.  Tomorrow I will stitch more on the ferret and maybe scrapbook.  My Aunt and Uncle and their kids went down to FL to see my parents and will be coming back this way on Saturday so I may go out to eat with them.

Since I broke down and got a can of Dr. Pepper I will now be up all night so I'm debating on scrapping or stitching.

Mental Floss magazine posted a brief article on their fb page of 11 people that overcame disabilties.  One was this woman, Peng Jiangya, in China who burned her hands as a child and with no hands has learned how to cross-stitch and is hoping to sell her pictures to tourists.  Amazing video of how she stitches.

Where George and Jim sit

George and Jim sit under my computer monitor with whatever other stuff wedged in like Oliver and Sinclair Chocolate, a fishy and shell turtle from friend who went to FL, Myrtle the turtle getting crushed by hubs' Valentine's card, some necklaces, a number for a dairy?, the book I was keeping track of my WIPocolaypse in, etc.

 The TUSAL's didn't get named until the start of Jan 2011.  I had been using a glass bowl from my wedding when I started TUSAL  in 2009.  At the start of Jan 2010 when I was trying to figure out what to do with the orts, my ferret Pratchett decided for me.  He finally got onto the couch and the end table where I had left it and knocked it over. :p  Bad Ferret!  So I dug through my stuff for something durable.

My next TUSAL container was this, it was meant to hold playing cards.  I had Monty Python Holy Grail game cards but as I was the only person with time, out they went and in went orts.  When I dumped the orts into a mug in Jan 2011 to start over they stayed clumped together in the shape of the container.  I immediatly got that Loony Tunes feeling when that loveable big off would find a wee little creature and say he was going to love them and squeeze them and hold them and call them George.  So George was named. 
After I set George on my computer desk I decided he looked like a Rectangular Rainbow Tribble (RRT).  I then remembered watching the new Star Trek movie and James T. Kirk's father was named George and his Grandfather was Tiberius.  So the RRT got named George, the old one got posthumously named Tiberius and the new RRT became Jim. 
I do not have a name for the ornament beyond TUSAL 2012.
Sadly I've only caught bits of the Star Trek episdoes.  I plan on stitching something appopriate and watching all TOS sometime on Netflix.
As of yet the RRT's have yet to be hit with spray adhesive but moving them to be photographed caught some bits coming off so they will need to be.

TUSAL

TUSAL day!  On the left we have George (edit 2010) and on the right is Jim (2011).  Then my new TUSAL ornament for '12.  I think George needs some spray adhesive now, he's starting to lose some bits.
My interesting lasagna is baking away for work's potluck.  I say interesting because hubs said there was parm and ground meat in the fridge.  There was barely enough parm to mix in the bowl w/cheeses and the ground meat I didn't check the night before and it was still in the freezer.  The only meat we had then was smoked sausage.  So in went the smoked sausage w/zucchini and the thing got topped with 4 cheese Mexican Cheese Blend.  It's edible!  
Now off to find the beading in the couch that I lost the other day and maybe watch some Robin Hood and stitch before work.
Have a great day everyone!

No Pants Day 3

OK I need to get the Christmas stuff cleaned off so I can stack the DVD's and take pics on the stairs again. You can't really see my black skirt in the picture but you can kinda see the texture on the hose.

Last night I did some quick crafting and added the year to my ornament like Mouse
suggested. I think it looks good. I thought of doing TUSAL on it or 2012 but it was just a little too big.

Tonight I'll go to the gym and remember to take my clothes in with me to work so they aren't freezing out in the car :p Hope to get some other little crafty thing done but first I need to clean before getting out to work.

First Post of 2012

I took pictures yesterday so I have some of Jim and George. Jim is much smaller but in May of this year I took a new job. My hours cut into going stitching on Thursdays and much of my other stitching time.
So here's George and Jim side by side

And my friend had given us little ornaments with her orts. Which I almost thought of doing myself and then I was glad I went with tinsel since she gave us these. I have a big square one though that I think I'll put my orts into rather than make another rectangular rainbow tribble.

Here is a picture of me today. As the first day of the month I follow along with No Pants and wear my skirts and dresses. I put her Veel Liefs blog in my Fun Sites list. I did have hubs take a picture of me but he failed to get my stockings so I took this one on timer function.

It's just now 8 o'clock. Finally caught up on the Dr. Who Christmas Special so now I just have to wait for next season. Still enough time for me to get crafty tonight so dragging out some stitching and watch something else off my Netflix queue.

Going to be a New Year

I promise next year will be a good year for blogging! Yeah we'll see about that ;)
I will have to post every new moon for TUSAL
I need to get my last pic of Jim up. I stopped posting around what June July? He looks to be a pretty good rectangular rainbow tribble but I think George from last year is a little bit bigger. I'm still debating on creating another rectangular rainbow tribble or filling an ornament that I got from Hobby Lobby for decoration next year.

I have signed up to do Measi's WIPocalypse
So during a break on my hockey game I found a little altered book that a friend had made me and I listed on each page 10 WIP's (works in progress)
1. Computer Dragon
2. Rivalry
3. Best Stressed - Dolly Mama
4. Merry Catmas - Dolly Mama
5. Have to Wrap - Dolly Mama
6. Mardi Gras Motif's (a 'feb' stitch from last year)
7. Wine Coasters (I don't even want to think about when I started these)
8. Welcome Friends
9. Dragon Wintzler (sp?) (also a feb stitch from last year)
10. Winter Snowman Bell Pull

When I got to Winter Snowman which was a bell pull series in Cross Stitch and Needlework 2010 that reminded me somewhere was the mag for Autumn that I didn't start. So I have 10 things I have to start this year too. It was almost 9 because I didn't have enough pages but I did front and back of the ornaments. Which should technically be WIP's because I did make them for my Mom, Dad, Granny and I did finish friend 2, and an aunt and uncle. The Aunt and Uncle I think need beads and finishing. One of the friends one I washed and the overdye ran so it's not good and the other friend that I made it for fell off the face of the earth. I guess if I ever see her or hear from her she'll get one but I've started communicating some more with my other friend so maybe I'll redo hers :p
Anyhoooo Here is the 10 things I want to start this year.

1. Autumn Snowman (if anyone has this it was Sept 2010 if I can't find my mag!)
2. Monopoly (remind me to send money I don't think I ever did!)
3. Ferret
4. London (to be Started May 18th when they start the marathon)
5. Ornaments Aunts
6. Ornaments Uncles
7. Tree of Stitches (get back on that site and find out how much it is!)
8. Wedding Sampler (there's a mag image somewhere I need to dig out)
9. Wine Apron
10. Wine Country

9 and 10 were my Christmas presents from my friend. I don't think the kit is called that but it's wine themed and last year she got me the apron and I just bought the thread over Thanksgiving. Everything else I pretty much have thread for, might need to get more fabric but I won't buy any new patterns! Now the hard part will not be dling free ones! London is a freebie pattern I will search for the link. I don't think I have anything for it yet. Ok that appears to be it I think I printed off Tower Bridge and one other one but I don't know which I will stitch yet.

Should I be crazy and do my own SAL (stitch a long) in May for the Olympics? Surely someone else out there has one all ready? Well I didn't find a SAL but I did find some patterns.

Ok this blog post is long enough. I'm going to take a picture of Jim and all the Christmas Decorations. I work from 8-4:30 tomorrow (cross your fingers for Early Release! No one call your cell service provider tomorrow :p ) so when I get home I hope to craft. My desire is to craft something every day. Even if it's just putting 10 stitches in a project.

Sigh

Ok I promise to get on here more. I've missed several TUSAL check ins but Jim has been growing a bit. A little green with all the stitching from Joy and now I'm working on a sampler and had to tear out a lot of green. I had a friend buy the last skein of the color I needed last night and it's of course different than what I had. But ahwell that's what happens when you run out of over dyes.
I need to wash Joy and get it pressed and then I'll share the picture. Right now I have to run out and buy my friend a B-day present, then we're meeting for pedicures and lunch with the girls :)
Remind me to take pictures!

June TUSAL

Eek it's that time! Dusting off my blog a month later. I haven't been stitching much since I started a new job 4 weeks ago. I'll be doing call center stuff whoo hoo!
I took my stitching with me the other day to try and do during breaks but I don't think it's too feasible, not supposed to have paper on the floor :p But My Dora Square for Love Quilts did get worked on. Forgot Jim so the orts just got thrown in the bag ah well.

Tomorrow is my 7th Anny. Which reminds me some stitching needs to get in on the 10 year anny present if I'm ever going to get done in 3 years!

TUSAL May

Well just barely making it but HEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeerre's JIM!

Well I hope to have more for you this Month. I've started a new Love Quilt. I told myself I was going to wait but it was Dora Princess and I found a pretty JPEG and made my own pattern so I hope it turns out OK.

My Birthday party is next Saturday. I had hoped for a Friday 13th party for my Halloween theme but I started a new job and work interfered.

Hopefully I'll have some awesome party pictures to show! Remind me to take pics people!

Now I have to run, get gas and head to my friends son's baseball game.

TUSAL New Moon

It's that time in the Lunar Calendar!

Hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's Jim!


He's looking pretty good. Some orts were put in by my friend at the Thursday stitch and I need to get a little baggie for the bookmarks I'm doing because I keep that in a bag in my purse. So some orts have escaped the Rectangular Rainbow Tribble Maker.

I finished this in March on our way back up from FL.


This was one of the first patterns I bought when I learned to Cross-stitch and I'm glad it's done! Now it will just sit in the too be finished pile :p

I'm working on some bookmarks now for Stitching for Literacy. See stitching blogroll on the left for details. Their book this month is Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I love anything Neil Gaiman and have read this book multiple times all ready and listened to him read it via his blog. Also, to the left in the Fun sites ;)

Falling Behind

TUSAL report was last week and I just never took the memory card out of the reader until now!

Here's Jim he's really looking like a tribble all rolled up in there.

February Crush

I was too late for the January Crazy challenge so yesterday I remembered to start for February. I'm calling it February Crush Challenge but it's just me :p so just work on what you started in January or if you missed out like me you can start now and just start a new project until Valentine's Day :)

I bought these patterns and fabric back in 2004 when I first started stitching. I finally got most of the over dyed floss around my B-day when a friend game me a gift certificate.



Here is my first pattern. I need to dig out my first piece ever to show just how much I Like the bunnies ;)

This is what I did last night watching Hockey (I did stitch a little of my Hockey stitch since I got in the floss I needed from Dimensions)



Look Words! and not some blobby bit of a snow covered tree!

Tonight's pattern.


I see these are numbered or in a series so now I'm wondering if I started with one or two.



More words! 3 words seems to be it for a hockey game though last night I did stitch some of the Hockey stitch but the game went into a shoot out so I had more time to stitch!

While I'm at it since I believe New Moon is tonight or tomorrow the TUSAL!

This is Jim in the making ;)


Isn't he adorable! LOL. George is still sitting under my monitor if anyone is wondering. I need to carefully take him to a friends house and see if she has some spray adhesive I can use to set him.

And just because I scrapped today! This was for the Let's Scrap sketch challenge. The pictures are from my Aunt Ouida's 100th B-day. She passed last year at 101 1/2.
Most of the papers are by Colorbok Woodhaven. The gray papers sticking out of the photos are something else. The stamp that says Family is Colorbok Woodhaven, too.