Monday, February 08, 2010

The House That I Built

So I'm back a day later that I thought. Let me tell you something...furniture shopping is really tiring!

Friday, we ordered chinese delivery and I stitched my little heart out. I built this house.
This is a sneak peek of part of the gift I am stitching. I think it's cute! The windows need to be backstitched but I am holding off on that until I finish all the cross stitches because I am fearful I'll run out of the Gloriana I am using and all the stores near me are out and let's not even get on the topic of dye-lots, etc. I hope I make it to the end! Hmmm...looking at this pic, I realize I missed a stitch...

Saturday, I made my pitstop at NiaH and had my list with all the fabric, threads, accessories and charts I was looking for and sadly, almost everything I wanted was out of stock! I walked away with this small collection.
Some black belfast for some ornies I will be making later in the year, some WDW for another project I plan to start late Summer and the dowel I think I will be using for the end result of the gift I am making.

And the kicker is that while I was shopping, *the boy* said he was going to go for a walk and I had to remind him not to walk far since we'd do more walking. So I shopped and was pretty much done fast but he hadn't come back yet and so I did more circles around the shop and he still didn't show up. I checked out and you know where I found him?! Asleep in the car!? We'd have gotten a move-on sooner if I had known that! *sigh*

The we hit four furniture shops. We sat down and got up like a million times and by the end of the day, I couldn't bear to get up one more time and was a log on the futon for a good part of the evening. *The boy* fell asleep the minute we got back home and he laid down. How does he do that?! The only times I nap is when I'm sick or incredibly exhausted! I think I am set on a Lane Snuggler and a Flexsteel sofa. I was disappointed to find out Lane doesn't really manufacture Snuggler and stationary sofa combos hence the mixing and matching. I still have more shops and research to do but that's the road I'm headed.

Sunday, I headed out for girly pampering and while I was at Hallmark picking up the month's selections of cards, I came across a display of Peanuts paraphernalia celebrating their 60th Anniversary and came across this cute little trinket. There were 4 to choose from and even though I wanted all of them, this one made me laugh out loud! It has a place of honor in the bookcase.
OK, this is getting pretty long but I have a couple of other things to share.

First off, thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a comment and share in our happiness. *The boy* came by and read all the comments and says thank you for the congratulations and good thoughts. I think he realizes that there were really people everywhere who were rooting for him and us and you all have been a great support system over the past year. For reals! He's also very happy I didn't chuck him off the balcony. haha He doesn't start until the Monday after next as they conclude his background and get things set up for him. His position is an entirely new one...not him replacing someone.

Second, Hillery pointed out I didn't share I am the new moderator to the Mary Wigham USA SAL blog. I didn't want to take away to *the boy's* news. So I'm the new moderator and I'm hoping to get everyone all excited to stitch on their Mary's and share. Of course, I do this transition when I am solely gift stitching and Mary is yelling at me every night. What a contradiction, right?! I am stitching as fast as I can on these gifts so I can return to my Mary. I can't wait! I hope everyone is stitching on their Marys! And if you want to join in on the fun, there's one spot left and I can start up a waiting list if anyone is interested! Just email me and let me know.

Thanks for sticking with me and this long post. I better peel off...I need to draw up *the boy's* to do list (taking full advantage of the time before he starts working full days) and figure out if I owe Uncle Sam and money or he owes me. I betcha...I owe him! And if I can stitch a little bit, that will really round out the day.

Until next time...

18 comments:

Annie Bee said...

Furniture shopping is the pits - I HATE IT......LOL. Your house is looking lovely.

Julie said...

Your little house is looking good, i had to look really hard to see where you missed the stitch - i did find it though LOL

Love the peanuts quote?

Siobhán said...

Love the house--and that Peanuts card is just too cute! I love Lucy. Congrats on the moderating gig!

Margaret said...

Nice house! What a bummer that NiaH was out of practically everything on your shopping list! And the boy being asleep in the car -- silly boy! Like that Hallmark card -- lol! Hope you end up with the furniture pieces you like best! (I know we're going to end up owing too btw. Bummer, huh?)

Jackie's Stitches said...

Furniture shopping is such a pain. When we bought our couch, I fell in love with the first one we saw but felt I should look some more. Guess which one we bought?

I love Lucy too! Cute!

It's always a bummer to go shopping with a list and come away with so little of it. I hope you find what you need (and on sale) soon!

Carol said...

Love your red house, Valerie--don't you wish they were that easy to build in real life!

Lucy sounds like me around my house--that is something I jokingly say to my husband all the time :)

staci said...

Kudos to you for becoming the new moderator for MW...I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job :)

Deb said...

That's cracks me up about the boy falling asleep. I have always wondered how men can do that so quickly. Furniture shopping is nasty I think. It can drive you crazy trying to find the right thing.

doris said...

Why is it that men can sleep anywhere? I'm thinking it's testosterone poisoning. Or maybe it's just that they're more relaxed. Who knows?

Have fun being the Mary moderator.

Theresa said...

That Lucy card is tooooooo cute!!!!! I love it!!!!
Sounds like a very exhausting shopping trip you had there. Hang in there, you will find the perfect set!!
Your little house is adorable~ Can't wait to see this in its full glory!!

Daffycat said...

Darling little red house, Valerie!

Have (ever so much) fun doing those taxes!!!

Carol R said...

I think red stitching might be catching!! I love your little red house.

Congratulations on the moderating - I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I must own up - I can sleep whenever - Ken left me in the car earlier today while he popped into a shop. He was gone 3/4 hour - he sure can talk for England! I had no book or stitching with me so I napped instead!

Jennifer said...

We are furniture shopping too and it is certainly tiring. Love the new little house you built. Congrats to the boy. Good to hear some good news for a change about job and health. That is funny about being asleep in the car. enjoy your blog and stories/ beautiful stitching. Happy Valentines day!

Valerie said...

Hello from a fellow Valerie! I am relativley new to your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts! Amen to furniture shopping being exhausting! Up, down, up, down. Not fun after about 30 mins.

You have lovely stitching and I look forward to seeing more progress pics!

Valerie - A Shenandoah Sampler

Michelle said...

Cute little house. I love stitching with Glorianas. Pretty threads you bought too!

Missy Ann said...

You're modding Mary Wigham now?! I guess this means I really do need to start mine.

I'm a big believer in naps. In fact as soon as I clean up my reader; I'm going to go spend a quality 20 minutes with my couch.

Yoyo said...

I'm with the *boy* on this one, I can nap anywhere-anytime (LOL). Soooooo, you're that Valerie, I didn't make the connection on my last visit to MaryW-USA, congratulations! Hope you enjoy your new {{{ job }}}.

Wanted to say, though, that I have a 'duo-recliner/loveseat'. I bought it at my daughter's suggestion because the place I wanted to set it wouldn't take a whole sofa but a regular chair was not really what I wanted either. It has turned into my favorite piece of furniture. If I'm stitching I have lots of room to set my tools and if it's movie time there's room for the hubs to sit with me (or more likely a grandchild). I say go for it, in lots of ways it more practical than a big sofa and having the extra recliner is just way too cool!!

(Oh yeah, just saw your latest Totally Useless Container -- you go girl, looking really good!)

Dani - tkdchick said...

That's a great house! Sometimes I feel like I'm sitting on pins an needles when I stitch, worrying I have enough thread. I don't even have a shop to go pick some up so its waiting for the mail for me!

I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you and the boy. I hope your relationship starts to flourish after all the hardship you've gone through.