It’s so hot…

It’s so hot…

Dedicated to all of you who are in areas of the world where the heat is the only topic anyone’s talking about.

From the south there’s this one:

“It’s hotter’n a blister bug in a pepper patch.”

And this one:

It’s so dang hot, I just saw a hound dog chasing a rabbit and they were both walking.

This youtube video, which if you have delicate sensibilities is probably not for you, is silly and some of the jokes fall flat, but one can blame it on the heat.

I had to add this one, because… well who doesn’t hum this when everyone starts talking about how insanely hot it is?

In other news I continue to stitch away despite the heat and warnings from ConEdison that New York City is in danger of losing power, yet they still keep lighting up all the massive signs in Times Square, but ask that residents conserve and turn their air conditioners down, which we’ve dutifully done.

I’m wishing all of you a pleasant and not too hot day!

The Weather & Stitching

The Weather & Stitching

My mother hasn’t sent me anything in a few days other than requests for rain, which I’ve done my best to accommodate, but I only have so much reach when it comes to the weather. Speaking of which, it’s in the upper nineties here in New York City for the next couple of days and then will plummet into the mid to high seventies before rising back up. At least this is what we’re being told by meteorologists, who have the cushiest job ever, in my opinion. What other career allows you to be completely wrong more than 50% of the time and still hold onto your job? So much so that there are even a whole bunch of memes out there, like this one.

So, yeah.

But all of this hot weather means that staying inside continues to be a good idea, which means, hand stitching! Here’s what I’ve been working on.

And then there’s this one, the linen was hand dyed and given to me by the very talented Pat Pauly using Painters Threads, Stef Francis threads and The Thread Gatherer Threads. … so much fun!

To summarize: The weather isn’t cooperating, but hand stitching is always there, waiting for us.

Sleepless in NYC & Stitching Projects

Sleepless in NYC & Stitching Projects

There’s nothing quite like being woken in the middle of the night only to then not be able to go back to sleep. I took this opportunity to read. I read about Britney Spears and her ongoing battle to gain her full independence and then an article about how learning a new language will increase one’s chances of not getting Alzheimers. Lest you think me shallow, I just finished my french lesson. Je suis encore très fatigué, mais au moins je suis moins inquiet, which means: I am still very tired, but at least I am not so worried. Added plus, I may even be able to purchase a train ticket and find a bathroom when in France next year! Now to tackle a few pages of Marcus Aurelius.

In stitching news, oh there’s always stitching news(!) I’m working on three different projects simultaneously and am feeling okay about that. Usually this would make me anxious; I don’t like having lots of projects going at once, but at the moment, it’s fine. I have at least four other projects in various stages of completion, but have put them aside for now so that I can concentrate on these three.

And today is the 2nd day of my Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Scissor Case Workshop. We are beginning to stitch the Dorset Buttons and the stitching around the wool shapes. This is one of two workshops I will be teaching again in the fall with thread kits AND fabric kits now available!

I just posted a new video about using the Helix Angle and Circle Maker on fabric with mixed results. I think there are definite possibilities for this little gadget. Go see for yourself.

I have to prepare for today’s workshop!

An Amazing Video From My Mother & A New Design

An Amazing Video From My Mother & A New Design

My mother sends me some truly fabulous things, among them is this video of the Denver Airport. I promise you, this in NOT what you’re expecting!

As the Denver Airport is one that I have frequented many, many times I was particularly pleased to see this. All airports should have things like this. It would make the not so fabulous air travel experience just a bit nicer and more fun.

On the stitching front, I finished my pin cushion or potpourri satchel or whatever else you might want to use this for. So much fun!

The Basics Cushion

As you may remember this was begun as a demonstration for The Basics Workshop that I taught and which I’ll be teaching again this fall. Kits are available!

I have to end this post with a comment to all of you who watched my video entitled, The Ice Cream Situation, which should really be called, The Ice Cream Situation: A Cautionary Tale, but that title while better, is too long and unruly for most social media postings, so I went with the truncated version. Now many of you have reported looking for this particular ice cream, some even saying they went to several different stores in search of it. And yet, this was meant to be a “cautionary tale“! You know, one of those – do as I say, not as I do, videos, but it is now obvious to me that hand stitchers are a bunch of rebels. No, seriously. Rebels. All of you. And here’s another thing that I’ve decided; you’re rebels AND you like to live dangerously. Either that or we (I’m including myself in this group) have a fatalistic streak that forces us to do things that we have been warned, explicitly, will be our undoing. This had to be said. I do not want to be the one who says, I told you so, when there are tears and stories of cases of ice cream being shipped all over the place, except that I did tell you. Just pointing that out. I told all of you and I have it on record.

So there’s that.

Life, Balance and Road Maps

Life, Balance and Road Maps

It all comes down to what you’re willing to say out loud. Which, one could argue, if you’re asking yourself this question it’s probably best left unsaid. You know?

However, never one to stay quiet, I did just post a video regarding The Ice Cream Situation. You can view it below.

So there’s that.

Do you ever feel like there’s so much going on you can’t really keep up and so you end up being less productive rather than the reverse simply because it all feels like too much? It’s all about balance, I think. That’s kind of what’s been going on around here lately. Nothing bad, all good things, but just a lot of things. So I’m scrambling, and feeling a bit like a hamster on a tread mill, moving quickly but not really getting anywhere. That’s how it feels anyway. I know this isn’t the truth, but it feels that way. Feelings are not facts. Hence the deep dive into The Ice Cream Situation. It’s okay, I’ve extricated myself and am now ready to face my never ending “To Do List”.

I’ve written about the To Do List before. It’s kind of an essential part of my day, a kind of road map to follow and then whatever doesn’t get done gets rolled over to the next day. Kind of like frequent flier miles or data storage on your phone, except there are no hidden costs. A win-win, right? Well, sort of, except that sometimes that to do list feels like an anchor so then one has to ignore it or make the decision that it’s a “to do tomorrow” list. But you can see where this leads, can’t you? Fortunately I don’t often procrastinate and my To Do list can be very bossy, but in a good way.

To Do List: email so and so.

Me: Right. I’ll do that in a few hours.

To Do List: follow up with a phone call.

Me: Yes, ok. I’ll do that in a few hours.

To Do List: Give it 24 hours then email again.

Me: Oh all right. I’ll send them an email now.

To Do List: Work out cost of thread kits

Me: Ugh.

To Do List: Work out cost of fabric kits

Me: Isn’t there anything on this list that is actually fun?

To Do List: Work on improv piece.

Me: Oh! I can do that!! That will be fun.

To Do List: Work on Abstraction piece.

Me: Oh, yes, another fun project. I’ll pull that out.

To Do List: Clear up sewing machine desk area.

Me: Right, now where is my improv piece?

To Do List: Website Issues – (and then a three page list of things that I need to learn, figure out or actually do)

Me: I love my improv piece. That’s what I’m going to work on.

And so it goes. I’ve found that if I put at least a few things on the list that I really, really love doing then I can usually start on that and then work in a few of the not so fun things in between. Kind of like when you’re hiking and get a blister and then keep going anyway because you know the view at the summit is going to be spectacular and you don’t want to miss it.

Just like that.