Hello -- long time, no posts... well the last couple of weeks have been very interesting, haven't they? and very trying too... I've gotten a couple of messages asking if I was all right or if the Covid got me... well I haven't gotten it (and hopefully won't) but it has certainly gotten to me... lots of people seem to be taking this more in stride than I have... staying home as much as I have has been an adjustment... I use to think I spent a lot of time at home but I was mistaken... the short trips here and there everyday are sorely missed... eating out a restaurant is sorely missed... going for a stroll around Hobby Lobby is sorely missed.
While others jumped in and took advantage of more time at home I found it hard to focus... I deeply resent being told to stay home... I resent being told I'm OLD... I know I'm over 65 but I don't feel old... and I certainly don't like being told what I can and can not do...I am angry and hurting over all the people who've lost their jobs and heartbroken over all the small businesses that are suffering... I've been trying to frequent my favorite restaurants and pick up carry out as much as possible... I want them to still be there when this is all over. I've made some masks for my family and neighbors... I've Face Timed with friends... but it isn't the same as having lunch or coffee together... I miss the ordinary-ness that use to be my life...
The open-endedness of the situation has given me much anxiety... and to add to it I've been dealing with a dental issue that has been driving me nuts... side story here: 35 year old dental work, root canal, crowned with post... infection under the tooth... 3 or maybe 4 rounds of antibiotics and it isn't getting better... saw dentist 2 days before everything shut down in Ohio... we agreed tooth needed to be pulled and I'll get an implant in a couple of months when it heals... tooth hurts, heck my whole upper jaw hurts... set up appointment for extraction but then it couldn't be done... rescheduled for May 6... tooth has given me more and more problems... lots of texts with my dentist and he finally said I know an oral surgeon who is seeing emergency patients... saw oral surgeon on Friday... now scheduled to have the tooth removed tomorrow... going to sedate me as he explain the way this tooth was fixed 35 years ago will require it to come out in pieces... isn't going to be pleasant... will definitely be better for me if I'm not awake... I agree but I'm anxious about being sedated... the doctor does have an excellent reputation and I'm probably better off with someone who does this kind of work on a daily basis versus my general dentist who only does it occassionally.... that's what I'm telling myself... if you are so inclined a prayer or positive thought for me on Monday around 9am would be appreciated... I'm one of those people who've had bad experiences with dentists throughout my life from childhood on... the last time I had a tooth pulled it was the result of a dentist (not the one I see now) accidentally breaking a tooth while trying to re-cement a crown... ended up having the tooth removed with only novocaine...traumatized me for years...
Hopefully after the tooth extraction I'll have one less thing to worry about and with any luck some things in Ohio will open up May 1...which seems like it is soon but is still 2 weeks away... arghh... as for what I have been doing ...
For quilting I have the orphan American Jane blocks sewn together... need a back and then it's off to Quilting by David...
Worked on another American Jane quilt... this pattern is Simple Pleasures by Brenda Riddle and you can see it here....
I've used fabrics from almost every collection she's done in this one ... think it will look great on my bed this summer...
As for cross stitching ... that's what I've played the most with... I've been taking advantage of every single day the sun has been shining and sitting out on the sunroom porch to stitch... it has been a salvation for my gray moods...
Here's where I am on BBD O Joyous Day.... that middle section is almost done...
not sure as yet what I'm going to stitch where it says O Joyous Day...
And while I've been stitching I've been watching FlossTube videos... Brenda and the Serial Starter have touted the value of comfort stitching BBD designs so I went through my charts and found a small one I've always liked...
This is called Pins & Tulips Pincushion from the book Thank you, Sarah Tobias... I think this is OOP...
the bottom line of the alphabet was suppose to be the back of the piece but I like seeing it all up front... not sure how I'm going to finish it ... and this is my first foray into stitching on 40 count which was also inspired by watching Brenda and Laura... it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be... I definitely need my high power reading glasses but one ply over the 2 threads does stitch nicely... and some of the larger charts I'd like to do would be smaller in size on 40 count and space for hanging and displaying stuff is at a premium now days... the linen is painted pale green and yellow... I lightened up the tulips and changed the greens to GA Dried Thyme... I must have 10 partial skeins of that color... sheesh...
And since that attempt with 40 count came out so well I dyed some more 40 count linen and started this piece... this is Bower Birds from Hello from Liz Matthews...
I wish I could truly capture the color of this linen ... it is a spring-y yellow-y green... I mixed Rit Apple Green with some Lemon Yellow ... my phone just will not get it right... look at DMC 15 ... that is closer to the real color... as for floss I'm using a skein of Cosmo Seasons... it was in my stash... # 8016... has Japanese characters on the label... got it years ago in a quilt shop... I'm happy with the low contrast tone on tone look ...
Then I started thinking about some new Spring decor when I finally banish the bunnies (they are still out as we speak)... I like to add birds to my Spring decor and found this chart in the newest BBD book Sewing Club... it is called Garden Friends...
The linen is 32 ct I dyed for some other chart and it wasn't right for that ... the dye was Rit Wine... think DMC 223... I pulled the called for over dyed threads and then ended up using DMC instead...my Schneckly - Dirt Roads - Olive were all too close in value and my Oscar was almost black... I wanted springy greens and I wanted the hollyhocks to pop on this linen and the Sanguine and Cinnabar were just washed out... and once this bird was done I perused my BBD charts again and found this little guy...
This is from the book For my Friend ... the chart is called Tweet Hearts Examplar #1... I plan on stitching Examplar #2 too... 32 ct linen I painted a while ago... used most of the called for DMC except the flower... brightened it up with DMC 3712...
And while mindlessly scrolling through IG...something I've done waaaay too much of I saw several people doing a SAL with Vintage Birds by Jeanette Douglas Designs... I remembered I started this a while ago... like June 2017... when I released it from its plastic bin I saw I had stitched more than I thought... this is stitched on a soft green linen... something I bought before I was painting and dyeing my own linen... it is pretty... I want to get this one done and added to the Spring decor... I do LOVE birds!!
So that's where I am with crafty stuff... I might get some finishing done this week ... we shall see how I feel after the dental work... they gave me a prescription for 6 Vicodin... take one every 6 hours for severe pain if needed... take ibuprofen on a regular basis... hope I won't need the Vicodin... but think stitching may be all I'll be up to...
I hope that your confinement has been happier than mine... I'm getting a bit better with the situation after these last 4 weeks... I use to think home incarceration was no big deal... I have changed my opinion... it is still a jail sentence just with better toilet paper... and yes I was totally stocked with TP and paper towels and baby wipes and disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer... my family may have laughed at my "inventory" previously but not anymore... my stock portfolio may have taken a hit but my garage stash of goodies is worth its weight in gold ...LOL
I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... as always there is so much eye candy there... take good care of yourself... I know we'll get through this ... we don't have any choice, do we? I'm trying not to dwell on the disappointments in the last month...no Easter celebration and more importantly no BIG birthday celebration for Elliott's 1st birthday... we did do a little low key cupcake and yes he doesn't know the difference but the grandmas were a bit weepy that day... we are planning a BIG celebration when we can all get together. I don't think I mentioned it by my son and daughter-in-law bought a new house ... put the bid in about 48 hours before everything went to hell in a handbasket... lovely home... about 50 years old... great neighborhood... updated kitchen and baths...nice yard... lots of kids in the neighborhood and the top school district in the area and the state... it is about a 5 minute drive from my house...not as convenient as the 2 block/3 minute walk I now have but it is a lovely house for a growing family... they'd like to have another child and their little house is already too small with just Elliott... they close April 29... hopefully furniture stores will reopen May 1 ...they need a bunch of new stuff ... much bigger house and what they have now is leftover and a bit scruffy around the edges... at the very least they need a new sofa/end tables/coffee table/ottoman for the family room and a much bigger dining room table...I know they've looked online but they want to see it in person...and so would I... okay ... I'm rambling again...
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF!!
happy stitching-
carol fun
