Jumping from One Project to Another ~

 

My foot issue is getting better each day.  Now it is just becoming an annoyance . . . and I have four more weeks of this.  ARGH!  I am not used to sitting so much.  I "almost" miss my daily 30 minutes on the dreadmill treadmill.  I am jumping from one project to the next.  I just can't seem to stay focused on any one thing.

I made five more of the paper hearts made from 1936 sheet music.  One was given away before I took this picture.

I finished the little Valentine cross stitch and found another little Valentine freebie I have started.  

I'm working on "true", a sweet little pattern by Winter Cottage Studio that can be found here.  Terri has so many fun patterns.

Last but not least, after searching high and low over a couple week period, I found my punch needles.  I found this pattern by Lori Brechlin (that can be found here) I had kitted a number of years ago, so thought I would give it a go.  Now if I could just find my small punch needle frame with the gripper strips!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs😊
Lauren

This 'n That on Sunday ~

 

I have been working on a little freebie Valentine cross stitch.  It will be about 3 1/2" x 5" when complete.  I am stitching it on a piece of mystery 30 count linen found in the closet.  WOW!  After stitching on 36 and 40 count linen, this 30 count is easy peasy.  I don't think I am a "higher count" kind of gal.

I thought I would show you the wool I used to hook my snowman's face.  It is a great "dirty" color.  It is from The Wool Studio's October 2020 mailer called Oyster Bar.  I really wonder where they come up with these names.  Years ago when I perused wallpaper books, I wondered the same thing.  It must have been someone's full time job thinking up the names.

To my "no reply comment bloggers" . . . I would love to respond personally but cannot.  To "Unknown" . . . so sorry to hear about all the problems you have had and wish you a speedy recovery from your upcoming surgery.  To Amazon 59 . . . welcome to the world of hooking 😁.  I hope you are back in normal shoes.  Have you discovered Saundra's blog?  She is a wealth of information for new (and old) hookers!

I was the lucky recipient of some "Happy Mail" from Donna over at a little of this and a little of that blog.  She randomly sends a little something to a blog reader.  It truly made my day.  Original watercolors.  Oh, she is so talented.  She also hooks, knits, and who knows what else?  Thanks, Donna 💗

Now I don't care about your political leanings, but you have to admit the Bernie meme that has gone viral is too funny.  Here are a few of my favorites. 

Thank you so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

A Little (?) OCD~

 

Often times, when I start making something, I just don't know when to quit.  The paper hearts are a perfect example.  I was going to make a few . . . so far, I've made ten.  I thought I was done, but The Merry Needle posted more free graphics today that are just so sweet.

My hooking has been in slow motion.  It took me a couple weeks to hook this little snowman chairpad by Woolen Memories (and it still needs a steaming . . . and have no idea how I will bind it).  I don't believe it is on the website, but you can contact them through Facebook.

And finally, these little red, white and blue hearts were hooked several years ago.  At long last they have a back sewn on and are lumpy stuffed with snippets.

Please forgive the grammatical error 😒  I just copied and pasted.

The foot seems to be doing well.  I am no longer using the walker (though the doctor says I should use outside the house . . . my bad).  Doctor also says to wear the shoe for six weeks and NO DRIVING!  That is going to be a tough one to adhere to.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

A Few Finishes ~

 

Winter in Ohio continues to be mild.  No complaints from me.  Last eve we got a dusting of snow.  By this afternoon it was all gone.

The four hearts I hooked with handtorn strips are D.O.N.E., sewn in to little pillows.  I backed them with the wool I used to hook them.  No patchwork backs this time.  I've shown the wools so you could see how they hook up.  Oh, how I do love plaids 😉

It's hard to tell, but the wool used on the heart on the right is reversible.  

Surgery-wise, I am doing okay.  There is a bit of pain, but not too bad . . . though I am taking pain meds.  I've never used a walker before (thank goodness!) and that is causing me arm, neck and shoulder pain.  I have my first post op on Wednesday.  I am going on the assumption that all is well.  All day today I have felt like I am just spinning my wheels.  I feel I should be accomplishing miracles since I am basically sitting, but have had a serious motivation problem.  I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Gimping Around ~

 

Does this shoe make my foot look fat?

I had bunion surgery yesterday.  I definitely underestimated it.  I was basing it on my niece's experience and since her bunions were so much worse than mine, I thought it would be a piece of cake . . . not.  Let's just say there is more pain than anticipated and I did not realize I would be needing a walker to get around.  But all in all, it's doable and this too shall pass.  I'm just not sure about the "not driving for six weeks" part . . . and it is my driving foot. 😢

If you haven't visited the Merry Olde Dame, you are missing out on some great ideas.  She also offers free graphics on the blog and even more graphics in her etsy shop that are so cheap they are "almost" free.  A couple weeks ago, she showed some hearts made from book pages.  You can check it out here.  On the same post she offered some sweet graphics to use on the hearts.

When at the antique mall a couple weeks ago, I found some sheet music I thought would work well.

In today's dollars, this was would be $18.93.  Sounds kind of pricey to me, but I haven't a clue on the cost of sheet music.

The first heart I stuffed with a bit of fiberfill than remembered I had some lavender, so the others are filled with a bit of it.

I was also able to use some of the graphics for the reverse side.

I will leave you with your Saturday chuckle.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

OOPS ~

 

What happens when a year and a half old chocolate lab mistakes a little hooked pillow for one of his toys?

Disaster.  This was beyond hope, so I have hooked a replacement.  Here it is getting the Molly seal of approval before the backing has been sewn on.

Can you relate?

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Struggling with 36 Count Linen ~

I can't believe how long this little piece has taken me.  The finished size is about 5 1/2" x 4".  Stitched on 36 count linen, a first for me, I truly struggled.  Those snowflakes were almost the death of me.  Though they are showing well in the picture, while stitching the  color of the floss was almost the same color as the linen.  I found it easier to stitch on the 40 count, and I've figured out why.  The piece on 40 count linen was a sampler where the letters are close together.  It was easy to check and recheck to be sure I was counting threads correctly.  On this piece, with motifs far apart, it was easy to miscount, even double checking.  There are more errors, one thread and in some cases two, than anything I have ever stitched.  I'm sure 98% of you would never know . . . but I do.  I am just glad to finally have it done.  Now it can go in the "stitched" but not "finished" box.

Something to make you smile.  I hope you can read this.  If I enlarge it any more, part of it is cut off.

My post office stories are still not over.  I got two boxes today from my sister, mailed priority mail from Mobile, AL, ON DECEMBER 12.  Really???

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Lauren's Memento ~

Dear friend Melinda of Merry Wind Farm reproduces antique samplers and offers them in her etsy shop.  She has reproduced several of my small antique samplers, and Lauren's Memento is the most recent.  Here is the original.  I have it pinned to a piece of an old coverlet draped over the back of a chair . . . why it looks so wonky.

This is what Melinda has to say about the sampler.

"Merry Wind Farm is pleased to present this free chart of an antique German red marking sampler as my Christmas gift to you!  Thank you so much for your support of my humble little reproduction sampler business.  My dear friend Lauren has generously allowed me to reproduce this sampler from her collection.  Her initials are also L F so I have named this Lauren's Memento.  

The German word Erinnerung translates as remembrance, memento, or souvenir.  Perhaps L F stitched this as a souvenir from her school.  I have used Gentle Arts School House Red which is closest to the original.  I have stitched on 35 count Angel Hair linen from Weeks Dye Works with 1 strand over two threads of linen.  Choose a linen and floss from your stash and have a sampler stitched in a few days!  The stitch count is 125 x 162.
Enjoy this with my compliments."

I can't figure out how to attach the PDF to this post, but if you send me an email with sampler in the subject line (so I don't miss it!), I will be happy to send it to you.  It is also available in her etsy shop but etsy would not allow it to be free so she has to charge $1.00 😁

Sorry, I just have to post another comment about the USPS.  In yesterday's mail, I received a Kohls ad and got a 30% coupon.  Please note the dates the coupon is valid ~ and I received this on January 6 😒

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Too Much Stuff ~

I must confess, I love my stuff.  I wish I would purge ~ think that less is more ~ but I think acquiring stuff is in my blood.  My mom had too much stuff, my brother has too much stuff, my sister has too much stuff.  Sometimes the acorn doesn't fall too far . . . sigh.

It's taken 3 days to take down the Christmas decorations.  The house looks so dark and bleak even though I leave the electric candles in the windows and have quite a few other lights burning 24/7.  On today's list is to haul it all up to the attic.  There are roughly 35 boxes (some small and some almost too large/heavy to handle) and about 20 trees to go up.  Then it will take another couple of days to put the house back together.  The biggest challenge may be finding where I put stuff 😁  It's in the attic, basement, cupboards, etc.  As I've said before, I am my own worst enemy.

All the hooking/stitching time I thought I would have didn't happen so really nothing to share just yet.  I am getting close on a couple small things.

As several have mentioned, longer evenings are being welcomed.  Our winter here in northern Ohio has been extremely mild so far.  Temps this week are in the mid to low 30's during the day and the upper 20's at night.  BUT . . . this is so wrong.  It is way too early for things to be sprouting.  Hopefully the daffodil bulbs will not appear.  It is sad when that happens and we get a hard freeze because though they can survive some cold weather, a hard freeze will do them in.

I hope everyone's new year is off to a good if not great start.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Saturday ~

It just doesn't feel like a Saturday.  I know, being retired it is sometimes hard to know what day of the week it is, but with Christmas and New Year's Day being on a Friday, I am totally confused!

Remember Cindy Lou Who, the foster girl, a pug wannabe who I got in December of 2018?  The poor baby who came to me in diapers?  Being treated for a UTI.  TOTALLY misdiagnosed by the vet she saw.

Here she was being taken to another vet because the "UTI" was not improving with the meds she was on.  This picture just cracks me up.  She looks totally pathetic.

It was discovered she had a HUGE bladder stone, filling her entire bladder.

This poor girl must have suffered for years.

She won the pug lottery the day Ohio Pug Rescue came in to her life.  Today she is living the good life with her humans and puggle sister.  Here she is chilling out on her Christmas present.  How I love a happy ending 💖

Hooking and stitching have been extremely slow but I finally finished the cat's paw tree and even got it bound.  It measures 21" x 17 1/2". I am still not wild about it.

A few final Christmas pictures ~

A beautifully painted St. Nicholas by my mom.  One of my most treasured pieces.

USPS finally delivered all my packages, the last of them 2 weeks after they were mailed.  A Christmas card from my brother and DSO who live less than 25 miles from me took 20 days to arrive.  A card was delivered today that was mailed December 10 from Alabama.  I'm sorry, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but this is totally unacceptable 😠

And I'll end this post with a laugh ~

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren