I know some of you are probably wondering why I haven't been posting more photos of finished cross stitch projects. The reason is ... I haven't finished any!!! I have been stitching but I've run into a couple snags. For two ornaments I an awaiting special buttons needed for the designs. I ordered these buttons two weeks ago from two different online sources. Both of these sources promised I would receive the buttons this week. Here it is, the last mail delivery day of this week, & no buttons. I've never done business before with one of these shops but they were the only ones who "had" the particular buttons I needed for the one ornament. At least they were shown in their online catalog. Apparently something offered in their catalog does not mean it's in their shop. And I really knew better than to order from the second shop because their customer service ... well, it stinks. But again they were the only ones whose catalog showed that they "had" these other particular buttons I needed so I was stuck. Sigh!
Yet another ornament turned out to be too big for the only embroidery hoop I own. I don't like to smoosh down completed stitches if I don't have to. Do you think anyone in this town sells embroidery hoops? I will have to wait until Monday when we travel 50 miles to Lexington & I can stop by JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby to get a bigger hoop or two.
While waiting for the above buttons/hoop I decided to start another ornament. This one, I discovered, is stitched over one on 28-count evenweave. I didn't notice until after I started stitching it that you are supposed to coffee dye your fabric first. Why the designer didn't just have you use a darker colored fabric is beyond me. I took out the stitching I had done ... not very much thankfully ... & did the coffee dyeing/baking in the oven last night. The finished fabric was a mass of wrinkles which I steam ironed just a little while ago. I must admit that the coffee dyeing/baking gave an interesting look to the fabric. You would think both sides would turn out the same, but no ... one side is darker & more evenly colored, the other side is somewhat lighter & very splotchy.
Kinda cool, huh! I think the lighter/splotchier side would look really good for something but not for this ornament so I will opt to use the darker/more even side.
My birthday trip to the UP of Michigan has been canceled since doctor visits & tests seem to be never-ending & always interfere with the days we plan to be there. We finally gave up making plans this morning & my hubby said he would just buy me something instead. I will be going online shopping this afternoon for some cross stitch goodies & I'm also going to get some supplies so I can start learning punchneedle! Your prayers regarding this new endeavor would be greatly appreciated : )
I also wanted to tell you about what may be one of the best kitchen items I've ever owned! Another gift from hubby ... what he calls a "love gift" : ) I love-love-love hot chocolate in the wintertime & for a couple years now I've thought how nice it would be to own an actual hot chocolate maker. We saw one at Williams-Sonoma when we went to Cincinnati but didn't buy it at that time. Our Lexington W-S didn't have it. I therefore looked it up on their website but found out it was not really something I wanted ... but there was an alternate suggestion offered that was, of course, more expensive but looked intriguing! It's the Breville Milk Cafe Electric Frother.
Does this look like you're about to drink the same hot chocolate the angels drink or what! Since I must avoid sugar pretty much like the plague, I came up with my own hot chocolate recipe using organic cocoa powder, unsweetened dark chocolate, skim milk, & stevia. It is, as the saying goes, "to die for!" You can just blend the hot chocolate, or you can use the frother which gives you the result shown above. Yummy-yum-yum! It is for this reason that I am searching for unsweetened white chocolate. If anyone knows where I can get some, do let me know : )
After a trip to Walmart early this morning we stopped at Lowes to see if they were selling the old-fashioned kind of outdoor Christmas lights. They were (hooray!) so this afternoon I will be taking them outside to decorate the little Christmas tree we had planted this past spring. In all my adult years I have never lived anyplace where we've had a Christmas tree in the yard that I could put lights on. This will be fun : )
3 comments:
Bummer about the buttons - I, too, have been a little frustrated ordering things on-line - especially cross-stitch related. Seems like everytime I order linen, it's "backordered." I know it's not the online shop's fault as I understand there's been problems and delays getting it from the manufacturers - but if I knew that upfront, I'd likely not have ordered it and the pattern to go with it! One piece I've been waiting on at least 3 months already. Yikes - hopefully it will arrive in time for NEXT Halloween! And - oh - that little machine looks magical - I've never been a huge hot chocolate drinker (probably cuz it's usually Swiss Miss out of an envelope??) - but that looks positively heavenly! Hmmmm...now you have me thinking....Have a great night - hope your lights are on! Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin (PS - It's snowing here....)
Put the lights on the tree and then make your hot chocolate and enjoy looking at them. This is the first time in years there will be no outside lights at my house. Tell me more about this chocolate you are looking for.
I hope you get the buttons soon! I have an abundance of hoops, most of which I got at the thrift store. If only I knew where they all were...
Your stained fabric turned out nice. I do like how the back turned out!
Sorry to hear about your birthday trip. But shopping is fun too. :) I hope your punch needle endeavor goes well. It's not something I have tried. I already have too many "eggs in my basket" regarding crafting! LOL
I don't drink a lot of hot cocoa, but I do love white chocolate cocoa and the occasional peppermint hot cocoa during the holidays. Have you heard of Torani's syrups? I can't remember if they have sugar free or not. They have a white chocolate, but it is so hard to find, at least for us. The one and only bottle I've ever been able to get my hands on, I used in my coffee and it was yummo.
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