Confessions of a Floss Licker

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sad News and Personal Challenges

I am saddened by the news that we've lost yet another Designer. Marc Davis of Needlemania passed away yesterday. He was at home, in his chair with his stitching and his dogs. My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.

I really dislike reminders of my mortality. It makes me think of what will happen to all my projects that are in various states of being worked on. So this is a wake up call to me. I'm setting a personal challenge to myself. I'm going to try to not start anything new for the rest of the year and just work on already started projects. Wish me luck! (Of course the exception is if I finish Book of Ink Circles so I can start Brambles and the Rose.)

The second challenge is to not buy any new charts for the rest of the year. I subscribed to the Gift of Stitching magazine and have the latest two issues of Just Cross Stitch. (Of course the exception there is the Christmas ornament issue of JCS.) This should help me concentrate better on the first challenge. I'll try to remember to post progress here more often.

June Update Part II

I went to Needle in a Haystack on Sunday. I got the French grape monogram book. Yay! Even better, it was an older copy marked at only $25.00. I got the beads to continue Castles in the Air. I got two packs of needles (one pack of beading needles that I'm continuously losing!) and a new nail file. The last thing I got was a skein of Silk N Colors - Camouflage for the new Ink Circles Brambles and the Rose. The sheen of the silk will give the two shades of green the rose bush look and the small bits of brown will give it an extra little dimension. I'm looking forward to starting this one.

Now, onto the disappointment! I am a self-proclaimed scissors nut. I am collecting scissors and cutting instruments. I have 30 pair of scissors, a pair of nippers and two Clover cutters. That being said, I posted previously that I was hunting the the grape bunch scissors from Uncommon Scissors. Needle in a Haystack had the entire line! I was able to pick up and feel each and every one I was interested in. Unfortunately for me, the grape bunch scissors finger holes were so small that I could only fit my fingernails into them! (I would honestly think they were made for children if I didn't know better. Or maybe they were?) I may be a nut but I'm a practical nut. If I'm spending over $25 for a pair of scissors I want them to be usable. Therefore I was very disappointed that the grape bunch scissors were not usable for me. I then tried the sheep scissors. Nope, the legs stuck out at an angle that hit my fingers when trying to use them. (Scratch those off the list.) Then the primrose scissors. Those too had too tiny fingerholes. Then the clinging vine. Their fingerholes are not round. They feel weird on your fingers. I couldn't see using them because they weren't exactly comfortable for me. So all the scissors came off my list and I left the shop without buying scissors. Sigh I was very disappointed and out of sorts that I couldn't buy scissors! But after looking at my list I found a pair of Ginghers that I don't have and they're on sale at Joann's. Maybe I'll pick them up this weekend...

Friday, June 12, 2009

June update

Castles in the air is going slowly. There's lots of changes of color so lots of starting and stopping.

Book of Ink Circles is moving along well. I've finished a couple of parts. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/570412802fykkas (I hope that link takes you to my album.)

Tuscany scissors fob is going slowly.

Mickey Mouse is going even slower.

I've at least kept myself from starting anything (else) new.

Plan on going to Needle in a Haystack this weekend. I'm looking for more beads for Castles in the Air, variegated green-something (fiber) for the new Ink Circles - Brambles and the Rose, the French grape Monogram book I've seen the last couple of times I was there and hopefully a new pair of scissors - grape bunch by Uncommon Scissors. (I believe they were released that the online Needlework show. I hope the store has them.)