Monday, July 11, 2011

Ow?

The weekend flew by...as usual. I forced myself to relax, stitch and organize. Ok, maybe force is a harsh word. But I kept on thinking up things to do this weekend and then kept on reminding myself, "you're supposed to be mellow this weekend". Yes, I lecture myself sometimes. Don't we all?!

I had a new start! So far, it reads "Ow" but will soon read Halloween. Here is my start on The Drawn Thread's Almost Halloween.

I bought this as a kit back when it was released last year. I thought it was the cutest so I am using the recommended 32 count Wichelt Tumbleweed linen and the DMC/Anchor/Theadworx. Boy is this linen stiff! I hear a little *pop* each time my needle pierces the fabric.

The pumpkin is a little off but I didn't feel like frogging it out and going back to the beginning. Would you have noticed if I hadn't told you?

I think this project will be a quick one.

I can't believe I started yet another project. This isn't like me. I tend to be more of a one at a time project type of stitcher with one in the sidelines in case I get bored with the main focus but I think this makes 5-6 wips now!

I came across a little dilemma with Christmas Rules and just don't feel like figuring things out just yet. I am almost done with the header with the exception of the dark green background on the letters U and E. The green is WDW Bullfrog but my skeins of Bullfrog are more medium green than dark green and it so obviously looks dark green in the photo of the header. I much prefer the look of the photo. I pulled the DMC equivalent and I'm not 100% thrilled with that either and I really prefer overdyed to DMC as it is. I am just too lazy to look for an alternate and I also wonder if I just got some bum skeins of Bullfrog. You know, dyelots and everything. They can be so iffy! What would you all do?
So until I figure out the Bullfrog situation, I am putting Christmas Rules on the back burner.

I did spend some time each evening cleaning out one of my closets. I knew I had a lot of clothes that I haven't worn in years and it was just time to really assess what I have. From that little closet, I have 1.5 bags full for donation, about 8-10 pieces I will try to consign and a couple of things I may set aside for a future garage sale one of my co-workers may put on. Living in an apartment, it's hard to have a sale. One closet down, three more to go!

Getting rid of clothes is hard for me. There's always this feeling of "what if I need it", "what if I lose the weight", "what if I gain weight", "do I really want to get rid of my fat pants". This time, I pulled out things I've saved for years and I don't know what I was thinking. I had things that were too high waisted (hello 90's!), too big, too long (I must have shrunk), too out of style. I had a couple of surprises with pants I thought were too tight which miraculously fit...with room to spare. And there were a couple of things that were a bit too tight which will now be my incentive to get my lazy ass to the gym. Ugh...I hate the gym!

I hung a couple of skirts I like on the door which I never wore because I figured I would lose the 5 pounds easily and I'd be able to wear them. Well, they are still tight. So I will hang them on my door so I can see them.

Maybe it will motivate me and I'll have cute outfits for upcoming dates. Well, none are planned but I'm open to the possibility.

Did I mention I have three more closets to purge. Sheesh...how does one person acquire so much stuff yet wear the same things all the time?! I can at least find work pants and my weekend pants now.

I also took myself to the movies and saw Midnight in Paris. I loved it! It was Woody Allen in true form. Owen Wilson did a fab job although I really wanted to strangle Rachel McAdams. She was a pain in the ass and such a money hungry snob. You'd think for all that attitude, they'd at least touch her roots up to act more the part. But anyways, if any movie is filmed in Rome or Paris. I am apt to watch it. I figure that even if the movie is terrible, I am getting my money's worth in seeing beautiful sites I would love to visit. There are movies I can see over and over which I think are fun but I also watch them to see the backdrop. This was no exception. In 2000, I took me, myself and my broken heart on a 9 day trip to Paris and I walked every inch of that city. Throughout Midnight in Paris, I kept telling myself "I've been there and I've been there". They even showed the Shakespeare and Company bookstore I spent an afternoon in browsing the titles. It made me itch to go back but with a fun someone and not nursing a broken heart. The movie also features an era I love! So seeing the costumes and hearing the music was thrilling! I would totally recommend it if you're into Woody Allen's quirkiness.

Well, that's it for me tonight. Going to see if I stitch for a little bit before bed. Hope you all have a great week!

Until next time...

23 comments:

Gabi said...

That looks OW so great. So does Christmas rules.

Theresa said...

Love your new start on OW~ I can't tell what's wrong with it at all!!!! As for your Bullfrog situation, do you have a lot of it on your whole piece? I think the DMC looks fine if its just for the tree.

I just gave a whole bag of clothes to my sister who is much skinnier then me!!! Some of the clothes I gave her was almost brand new!!! I also donated 13 pants away..... I know I would never fit in them ever again.... It was difficult to let them go, but seeing all the spaces it freed up is really worth it~~ That means more spaces for new clothes!!!! LOL~~

Chris said...

Hi Valerie,
It looks like you had a good weekend and did accomplish a lot.
The new Halloween start looks great. I hope that you find the right floss for Christmas Rules.

Michele B. said...

I still can't see where the o went wrong - looks great to me. I hate it when the floss doesn't match the color on the chart picture - hope you find a good match soon. I have some skirts I ought to put on my door to inspire me to lose a few pounds - great idea!

Mother of Mayhem said...

Your stitching looks great. I think the green in Christmas Rules looks fine. I have seen finished models of it and they all have a similar shade of green. I also loved Midnight in Paris - the best film I have seen this year. It makes me want to hop the next flight to Paris!

Karen K. in Maryland

Jackie's Stitches said...

Cute skirt!

I don't see anything wrong with your pumpkin piece and I like the colors in Christmas Rules. Some of the overdyes varies SO much.

Margaret said...

Oh I want to see Midnight in Paris! I'll probably wait till it comes out on video though. I'm lazy. I think it's only showing in the city around here. Love your "ow" piece. lol! It's so cute! What a good idea about cleaning out closets. I so need to do that myself. My poor DH is very tolerant of the messy closet. lol!

Lisa said...

I believe that we are our worse critics when it comes to our projects - the "o" in soon to be Halloween looks good and very cute. Regarding the green in Christmas Rules, try your best to find a match, but if not successful don't stress over it. Find something close or a shade you like and make it unique, make it yours. Who knows, maybe the model stitcher didn't use the called for thread and the publisher didn't make that notation(?).

Good job cleaning out the closet. We did that a couple of years ago before the neighborhood garage sale (some we sold and much we donated to the women's shelter). It is such a freeing feeling when you get the clutter out. The only problem is that there is space for new clutter that tends to build up again over time.

Oh, well...sounds like you had a good weekend. Take care my friend!

Jeannine 520 said...

I LOVE Woody Allen. As a matter of fact I watched "Hannah and Her Sisters" yesterday at 3am. I've been trying to get to "Midnight in Paris" for the last three weeks. Glad you liked it!

As for LK Christmas Rules, I'd take it over to Needle in a Haystack and just scan the racks of hand-dyes until you find a color that works. Sometimes that's the only way to solve a color problem. I had to do that on Sat. with my Tomb With A View after fussing over a color problem for months.

Giovanna said...

Very nice stitching! Love your new start.

Branlaadee said...

Ow looks great. I still dont see the mistake. As for CR's, I'd go find a color I like for it. I am always changing the colors of my charts anyway.

I cant believe you have 3 closets of clothes! I have about 1/3 closet of clothes. Those door skirts are cute. Go to the gym! I want to wear the one with the red roses...pretty!

Katrina said...

Cute little pumpkin!!! Hope you figure out your Christmas Rules dilemma too.

I desperately need to clean out too!!! But I am not willing to give up my skinny clothes quite yet.

Catherine said...

What a cute piece your pumpkin will be when finished! I'm sure you'll figure out what you want to do on the Christmas Rules. Wish I had the threads to help you out!

Love those skirts!

LoriU said...

Lobby I have to look that patter from DT up!

Have you been nursing that broken heart for ELEVEN years? Or was that a previously broken heart?

Shelleen said...

2 great starts. Clothes philosophy for me. I have been losing weight and don't want to gain it back so I get rid of the clothes as they get big on me. I also get rid of clothes that I haven't worn in a year unless my goals is lose the weight to wear them again.

Carol said...

Oh, oh, your "OW" looks so cute, Valerie--I've never seen that piece before...

Good for you for tackling closets--want to come do mine? I am making myself spend just 10 minutes a day on my sons' old closets so I can eventually get them all cleaned out (more room for my clothes I think as I gleefully rub my hands together!!)...

Hope you're having a great week so far :)

Myra said...

Your "OW" looks great! I don't think I have ever seen that design and I usually know all about the Halloween ones. :o) Sounds like you had a good weekend, although busy. I hope you are having a great start to the week!

Julie said...

I've really enjoyed my biog cath up here Valerie.

You have been busy, well done on the closet clearing, i could do with one of those times here

Sending love to you from the UK

Take care xx

Christina said...

Your Drawn Thread 'Almost Halloween' is looking great. I know what you mean about 'stiff' linen, it seems to take ages to become a bit more supple.
Hmmm, the dilemma with 'Christmas Rules'. The U & E do look very dark (I googled Lizzie Kate Christmas Rules!) Can you so it in the same green as the Christmas tree?
That's a great idea to hang clothes that are a wee bit too small, in view! A bit like sticking a 'fat' photo of oneself on the fridge (which I've done and it didn't work!)

Sally said...

Love your "OW" and your L*K looks fantastic.

Rachel S-H said...

I like your WIPs--I don't think the green is too "off".

I'm like you, I don't like cleaning out and giving away clothes because of the what-ifs. But I'm trying. I hung my inspiration pants at the foot of my bed. They're a good reminder of where I want to be.

Melanie said...

I didn't notice anything 'wrong' with the pumpkin?? I say keep it the way it is. :)

It's hard to say what to do about the Bullfrog color. I've had some really bad luck with hand dyes in the last year or so. They *never* seem to match the designer's samples lately. It's frustrating because I don't have a LNS unless I want to drive well over an hour away, so picking them out in person isn't an option. If you can get to a store to pick them out, I say do it. There is SO much variety in colors, I bet you would find some Bullfrog in person that you liked better.

While we've been working on putting the wood floors down, I've been going through closets and managed to dig up 5 HUGE garbage bags of stuff to donate to Big Sisters. (And that's not including the bags of stuff I threw out.) I'm like you - how the heck did I end up with so many clothes??? It feels great to purge though. :)

Siobhán said...

Lovely stitching! Truthfully, I'd keep both as is--the pumpkin on OW (LOL) and the Bullfrog on Christmas Rules. I think both look fine and wouldn't have given it a second thought if you hadn't mentioned it.

Yeay for you on the cleaning out of clothes! I need to do that. Blergh.