Incoherent Scribblings

Goals for July and August

Since it is nearly the end of July, I think I will go ahead and do my goals for July and August.

For July I hoped to:

1. Start and finish my piece for The Monochromatic Exchange (Post date August 15). - Yep, all done!
2. Start “Spring Queen.” - Yes… Finally!
3. Continue working through my rotation. - According to my records, it took me a little less than two months to work through my current rotation. I worked on 5 major WIPs and finished five small projects. I guess this 10 Hour Rotation System is working pretty well for me.
4. If time allows, stitch (and finish) a “small.” - Yep!

Now, for August I hope to:

1. Mail my Monochromatic Exchange (Post date August 15).
2. If the fabric arrives, start “Kitty Cat Row.”
3. Continue working through my rotation.
4. If time allows, stitch (and finish) a “small.”

A Yellow Blob

Normally I buy fabric to match charts and I had originally intended to use this piece of 32 ct Belfast “Chasescape” by Silkweaver for Passione Ricamo’s “Romantic Stitcher.” However, when the fabric arrived I realized it wasn’t appropriate for RS so I went on a quest to find the right chart for my fabric…

While visiting the Mirabilia website one day, I saw “Spring Queen” and just knew it was the right chart for my “Chasescape.” However, I was in the middle of my 25 Project Challenge and I knew I really shouldn’t buy the chart. But when I found it on eBay, I couldn’t resist: I tumbled off The Wagon, ignored my Project Challenge, bid ridiculously low, and to my surprise, won the auction. I then made up for my indiscretion adding another project to my 25 Project Challenge and promising myself that Queenie would be my next BAP.

It is now three months later and I have finally managed to finish my initial ten hours on “Spring Queen.” I know that she mostly looks like a blob of yellow right now, but I am sure Queenie will begin to take shape soon. And I was right: She is going to look absolutely fabulous on that “Chasescape!”

SBQ: Insurance Matters

Since I will be away from my computer this coming Wednesday and because I never got around to posting this week’s SBQ on Wednesday or Thursday (or Friday for that matter) I have decided to do it now.

Suggested by Dani, this week’s SBQ is:

Have you ever thought of getting a rider on your household insurance to properly cover your stash (some of us have quite an extensive stash that an average household policy wouldn’t fully cover) in the case of some sort of damage to your house that would destroy/ruin charts, fabrics, floss, etc?

This is a very interesting question but seeing as I am currently sponging off my relatives, I have never even thought about it. However, if I ever get renter’s or household insurance perhaps I will look into it.

Hello Dolly!

Hello Dolly!
Originally uploaded by blondelibrarian.

A wise man once said, “You don’t choose a cat, a cat chooses you…”

I wasn’t looking for a cat considering the health scare I just had with Harley, (the FIP test was inconclusive, but that is not unusual in a vaccinated cat) but after six years, it appears that I have been chosen again.

She is an eight-week old calico that belonged to a litter out where my step-dad works and was in need of medical attention. I was not too involved to start with. Not only does step-dad have a soft spot for animals, he tends to exaggerate the state of outside cats’ conditions. Therefore when he told me about the kitten that had a sore on her neck, I figured she had just been playing too roughly with her siblings.

But on Friday morning he told me that the kitten had taken a turn for the worse and he had taken her to the vet’s office. Apparently she had gotten some sort of parasite and it had led to an infection. The vet removed the parasite, lanced the infected area on her neck to let it drain, and sent step-dad home with the kitten and some antibiotics.

I took one look into the carrier and knew at that moment that I had been chosen. The kitten attempted a half-hearted hiss as I lifted her out of the carrier, but it turned into a purr as soon as I held her close to me and presented her with water and kitten food.

Not twenty four hours had passed and I was already a surrogate mother to the little doll: I was feeding her, showing her the litter box, and giving her baths. I felt the sting of sharp milk teeth and the even sharper scratch of baby claws. I kept calling to her my little dolly and when I noticed she responded to it, it became her name.

Dolly has not yet met the rest of her new family and I doubt Mouse, Scooter, and Harley will be as enamored with her as I am when they finally do meet. However, I am sure they will get used to her… eventually!

Good Luck Biscornu

Good news! I started “Spring Queen” the other night! Unfortunately I was so tired that I only managed to stitch on her for an hour, but she is officially started nevertheless.

Before I got my floss for “Spring Queen” the other day though, I started a little project that had been buzzing around in my head for sometime. Inspired by a pair of socks that I have, I had been envisioning a good luck design with ladybugs/ladybirds and four-leaf clovers. I had also imagined said design using some fabric that had been previously cut and partitioned for another biscornu but was later abandoned.

The fabric in question was 40×40 and divided into 20×20 sections. In each section, I thought it would be cute to put ladybugs/ladybirds and four-leaf clovers in different arrangements. From that idea I found my graph paper and began charting away. Then I grabbed the first colors that jumped out at me and started stitching.

The result is my personal design entitled “Good Luck Biscornu.” As the old saying goes, “I suppose I shouldn’t quit my day job,” but I am pretty happy with my little biscornu nonetheless.