Binx, You Are Not Helping!

Hello Friends!
How is your week going? It was beautiful and 70 degrees here today.
I got a wonderful package in the mail from my friend. It had the Sotheby's catalog for the Betty Ring sale in it.



This is a wonderful book! The pictures are wonderful. I will be spending hours with this one.
I am finally getting some stitching time but Binx has decided that there is no stitching tonight.



Really Binx?



Oh well. I will try again tomorrow.

My friend sent me this.



I am definitely in the 2nd category.

Sweet dreams!

Chris
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Soooo Close

It was a quiet weekend here. Saturday after Zumba and grocery shopping I had a quiet afternoon. I did get some done on Loose Feathers, I really wanted to get it finished.



This morning Rich and I went for a hike. The trail was open by our house, so we hiked there.



I was surprised at the area that burned. It really wasn't near a campsite. It seemed like the leaves and branches on the ground burned and that the trees are ok.



About 70 acres burned. It is a blessing that everyone and their homes were safe.
I am looking forward to seeing everything from Nashville. Other than that I wish everyone a great week!



Hugs!

Chris
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Another Bird

Last night I was able to finish the last bird on the Loose Feathers design.



Binx helped by hanging out on my lap.



The hellebores are happy right now.



This one is different.



Here's another.



And 1 more.



I try and add 1 more to this group every year.
By the time I get home today some daffodils will probably be blooming. It is supposed to be 72 today.
Safe travels to all my friends who are traveling to Nashville today.

Chris
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Mani-Pedi Binx Style

My friend Binx does not like his paws to be messed with. He makes this awful noise(turn up the volume). Since declawing is not an option, he goes to the vet to have this done. The lady holding him used to carry him around in her pocket when he was a kitten and before we adopted him. He is now a healthy 13.5 pounds:)

Today my friend knocked his water bowl off the counter in the bathroom. It is usually in the tub since he thinks water should be everywhere but in his bowl :) Not a good start to my morning. Can I have a do-over. I think I am going to go stitch now.

Chris

P.S. No animals were harmed in the making of this video.

February TUSAL

Happy Tuesday!

Chris
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Frosty Monday

Good Morning!
Yesterday we had rain all day but this morning I woke up to this. Zippy is frozen solid. Rich leaves for work at 5am so we were on snow plan, which means he drives the truck and I drive the trusty Subaru. The roads in Asheboro were still bad and the overpasses on the highway were too. It is supposed to go up to 50 today so everything should be gone for the drive home.




I hope that everyone had a great weekend. It was very quiet for me. After Zumba and grocery shopping on Saturday morning, I stayed in. I made a pot if minestrone on Saturday and chili on Sunday. Rich made pesto pizza last night for dinner. Can you tell that I am working my way through the pantry and freezer!
I did get some stitching done. Not as much as I would have liked.




I am looking forward to seeing all the new things from the Nashville show this upcoming week. I am sure that there will be some temptations that I won't be able to resist.
That's it from here. Be safe and have a great Monday!


Chris
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Mid-February

Where is the time going? It is just zooming by.

I hope that everyone had a good Valentine's Day. Ours was pretty quiet. On Monday night the Zumba studio had a couple's Valentine class. The guys got in free. Rich went with me. I think that he had fun but agreed that it was harder than he thought. There were 14 men there. It is really nice that so many men showed up to spend time with their girls. The only problem is that they did a lot of squats and then class Tuesday was a lot more squats, so now I am walking funny.
Tuesday night rich and I went to see The Woman In Black. It was ok. I enjoyed the sets, I spotted a couple of samplers and a sailor's Valentine.
I received this lovely thank you note from Cucki.



She did the quilling. It made me smile.



I also got these 2 Bent Creek kits from eBay. I haven't stitched many patriotic pieces and I like these as travel projects.

I haven't stitched at all this week. Hopefully I will this weekend.
I want to make some minestrone and just stay close to home.

Happy Thursday!


Chris

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Fire!

Big excitement here today at Tot Hill. Rich and I got up this morning and got ready to head out for a hike. It seemed a lot less windy than last night and was clear and cold(20's). Usually we just go about a 1/4 mile down the road to the trail head. Today when we got there it was full of forestry trucks and we were told that there was a fire about 1/2 mile in. We could not see the smoke from our house. We still wanted to hike so we drove out to a different area. I was able to see the smoke column on the way to the other trail head but I did not get a picture of it. The paper said that a helicopter fire crew flew in from Asheville. Fortunately no houses have been threatened and at this time I think the fire is out.
So we went for our hour and a half hike on a different trail.



Cool looking boulders.



Lots of pine cones.



I can't imagine what it was like here a 100 years ago.



The sign of an old family graveyard.



Crude stones marking the graves.
A couple I years ago I went to a lecture about Southern family cemeteries. Another sign that this might be a cemetery is the vinca.



It is hidden under the leaves here. If you see a field of vinca it might be covering an old burial ground.
It was a very interesting lecture. This spot was about 2 miles back in the woods. Again it must have been very different 100 years ago.



Here is some progress on Loose Feathers.
I am tired and getting ready to go to bed.
Have a great Monday Friends!


Chris
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Funky Trim

It is very blustery in NC today. When I drove past the Randleman reservoir today there were actual waves. I drive past this every day and this is the choppiest that I have seen it. It is chilly too!

Today was the first meeting of a local Sampler group that we are starting in Greensboro. Today's program was "Get to know the sampler stitcher." We had a great discussion on what kinds of needle, scissors, fibers, designs, etc. we use and stitch. It was a lively discussion and a great way to get to know each other. We are meeting every other month. In April our program is on "Carolina Girls." After the meeting we had a great Greek lunch. It was a wonderful morning.



Tonight I actually did the finishing on my February Xmas ornament. This is some finely trim I bought at Hobby Lobby last weekend. Myra used a red and white version to finish an ornament too.










I am very happy with the results.
Now to do some stash diving to pick out my project for March.

I also need to get back to stitching my Loose Feathers project.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I am looking forward to a hike tomorrow and hopefully some stitching.

Hugs!

Chris



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Orts, The Newest Thing In Cat Treats

Usually when I stitch I put my orts on the arm of my chair to be put it my TUSAL jar at the end of the night. Binx hops up on my lap and then starts eating the Orts.



Anyone else have this problem?
Binx just has a teeny tiny little brain.

I think he is snoring now.

Goodnight All!

Chris
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Midweek Recap

Wow! Wednesday already and the middle of February. Time is flying by!



Beau wanted to say hello. Binx may be my rock star but Beau is my stealth ninja cat. You would never know that he came to us after recovering from a broken leg. He leaps amazing lengths from the sofa to different chairs.



I finished the stitching part of my February ornament now I am thinking about the finishing part.
It has been a week where I don't have any commitments after work so I have been able to pick up BBD LF again.



Hopefully I will get some stitching time the next couple of nights.
I have been still going to Zumba. I am frustrated because even with the exercising and watching my calories the scale isn't moving and this week I have been wicked hungry. I just need to push through it. Aaargghhh!
It has been great seeing everyone's WIPapacolypse projects. I will be anxious to see the new releases from Nashville and I will be compiling a wish list:)
How about you?

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Chris
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Weekend Recap

It was a dreary, gray weekend her e in NC. Perfect weather for stitching and watching the big game.
On Saturday I met Myra for lunch. We met in Asheboro at the Hobby Lobby. We both had a couple of things to pick up. I got some trims for finishing.
After that it was off to lunch at a local restaurant. After caching up on everything we did a little holiday exchange.



Myra gave me a wonderful mug mat that she stitched out of some of the BBD fabrics. It is now on the table next to my stitching chair. I also got one of her little birds. He is sitting on my mantle where I can see him and some of my furry friends can't reach him.
Myra also gave me one of the fabric Valentines that she made and some Russian tea mix. I appreciate the gifts mouth especially since I do not sew and Myra is so talented.



I also had something for Myra. I stitched this small freebie from Chateau des Perelles. I stitched it using the colors that I have been stitching the BBD Autumn Loose Feathers Design with. I had stitched a bunch of the summer freebie.



I definitely need to stitch up more of these little fall ones.
After lunch Myra and I went our separate ways. I went to the grocery store, along with lots of people shopping for Super Bowl parties.
The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet. I stitched on my Christmas tree ornament. I hope to get back to my Loose Feathers soon.
I get a haircut today! Yea! I am way overdue!

Happy Monday!

Chris
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A New Start

Here is my February start for the Christmas All Year Long SAL.



It is the 2007 JCS Cat's Whiskers Design Studio Design. I hope that once I finish it I will be psyched enough to do the finishing or will I just put it in a pile to finish at a later time.
I had a good mail week. I received the new JCS issue and there are some very nice projects in it. If you see it on the newsstand check it out.



I also got the new Long Dog Design book.



I love this designer. I stitched Moulin Rouge in 2005.
I also got the new issue of Fine Art & Antiques, eye candy!
That's about it tonight. I am going to Zumba in the morning and then lunch with Myra. It should be a great Saturday.
Have a great weekend!

Chris
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Surprise!

Yesterday was a nice calm day at work. After leaving work I had to run a bunch of errands before making it to my Zumba class, library, fill the car and the post office. When I opened my mail box there was a package waiting for me. I wanted to open it right away but I controlled myself and made it through the Zumba class and home.



Beau had to inspect it before I was allowed to open it.



I had answered a question on Nataly's blog about the mystery sampler and she sent me this for being the first response.


I love the black and white design on these accessories.



Look at this fabulous fob! I didn't know that floss bobbins could be found on patterned stock.
I immediately got my Ella scissors that Myra had given me.



Is this perfect or what?
Thank you Nataly for the wonderful personalized gift. It will bring me lots of joy every time I stitch! Myra, that goes for the scissors too.
I hope that there is some joy in your day today dear friends.


Chris
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Hello February

Hello Friends!
I am still trying to catch up from my computer downtime. I am working on trying to restore some of my iTunes purchase with Apple but have told them that I can't address it until this weekend. I have just been really over booked the last 2 weeks. It is looking like things will slow down a little for me. I have been trying to fill in my calendar since I lost it during the update. I have been calling the dentist and the Dr. Office to find out when my appointments are. Maybe I shouldn't have given up my day timer?? It also was a great place for all my coupons.
I have been participating in the Christmas All Year Long ornament SAL. February's theme is Christmas tree. So after I did some stash diving I chose this ornament.



It is from the 2007 JCS ornament issue.


It is the Cat's Whiskers Design studio ornament. I will probably start on it this weekend. It was all kitted up for me from an ornament kit exchange that I used to be involved in.
Last night a group from work and some friends went to see One For The Money. It was cute and I think they did a really good job. I think everyone has been waiting for this to come out as a movie for a long time. I will be interested to hear what my friends think of it.
Zumba class tonight hopefully followed by some stitching.
I hope that everyone is having a great week! Thanks for all the kind comments. Binx thinks that he is a rock star! Lol!
Hugs!
Chris
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