Tuesday, August 21, 2012

August's Angel


Here's August's Angel...she was really fun to stitch, and I wish *I* had a swimsuit that was that cute!


And in case you missed her, here's July's Angel -- she's picnicking with her best doggie pal and some butterflies.

Hope you've been having fun stitching these angels.  It's fun to come up with a theme every month.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Cupcake Tree


Here's a new piece from Raise the Roof Designs ... ME!  I had designed this one a few months ago, and when I got it back from my model stitcher, I didn't like the color I had picked out for the verse.  Knowing I would have to rippit-rippit, I had put off finishing the piece.

But Cecile at Just Another Button Company designed me that cute cupcake stamp, and so I finally picked it up this week, ripped out the old, put in the new, and I'm much happier with it.  It's on Alluring Blue Belfast linen (32 count) with Sampler Threads, one Crescent Color floss, and a few colors of Anchor.  I think it turned out very cute, and that little bird on the left makes me so happy.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

June's Angel


She's ready!  I wanted to go with a really neutral color palette for June -- I like tan with yellow...and then there's that little splash of blue in the flowers she's holding.  Here are the threads you'll need to stitch her:

Sampler Threads Heirloom Gold, Espresso Bean, Apricot Blush, Tea Rose, Grasshopper, Roasted Marshmallow, Sable and Ohio Lemon Pie.  The buttons and pins are by Just Another Button Company, and the fabric is R&R Reproduction's Olde Towne Blend(e).

Thursday, April 12, 2012

What is love? It's grosser than you think.

Last week, Harrison was complaining a little about his roommate...another young man just starting out in the world.  This roommate is very nice, but not very interested in cleaning.  Their apartment isn't nasy/dirty, but things like the bathroom, the vacuuming and the kitchen dishes either get done by Harrison, or not at all.

I told Harrison that it would make me happy to come help him clean.  He accepted.

He took the bulk of the apartment -- picked up trash, vacuumed, did the bathroom (thank goodness).  I took the kitchen.  And while I was washing dishes in the sink, Harrison asked: Did you put the stopper in the sink?

Yes, I said.  Why?

Oh, he said.  You didn't need to.  The sink won't drain.  We should probably call maintenance.

Well, I finished the dishes, pulled the plug, and of course the water went ... nowhere.  I tried the disposal. Nothing.  So, I s-l-o-w-l-y reached my hand down the drain and felt something terrible down there.  As I was pulling it out, I said to Harrison (who was standing right behind me): Do you know what love is?

I'm watching it right now, he said.

I had yanked out a Brillo scrub pad completely encrusted with food barnacles.  It smelled terrible.  Harrison fetched the garbage, and I threw the dripping mess away.

I put my hand back into the drain ... slowly.

Oh, Harrison said.  Be careful.  There's broken glass in there!

Did you break a glass in the sink? I asked.

Well, I dropped a small glass, and it went down into the drain, but I couldn't see it.  So I turned the disposal on.  (This would explain why the disposal no longer works.)

I pulled out about half a dozen chunks of jagged glass, then smaller pieces.  Then small handfuls of what can only be described as sink poop.  It stank like poop.  It was mucky and yucky and smelly and there were only very small bits of it I could identify (like the tops of carrots.  Thank goodness he's eating all right, I guess.)

Then I washed my hands several times and said I was going to the store for Liquid Draino.  And I came back, and poured the Draino down the sink (making sure to read the directions NOT to drink it.  Good lord.)  And the sink started to drain by later that evening.  Harrison said it's working better, but it might need another go-round with drain cleaner.

And just like I had to tell Graham NOT to pull on fire alarms (after forgetting to tell little Harrison...with horrendous, building-clearing results), I had to tell Graham this week NOT to try to run a glass through the garbage disposal.  Common sense?  Apparently not.

Friday, April 6, 2012

May's Angel

My husband thought rain was more of an April topic...but I did Easter for April, and it rains in May. And what does he know? Actually, he's quite the smarty pants, but that's beside the point. I couldn't resist adding a duck, a few button raindrops, and a purple umbrella. I also used to have a real problem with walking THROUGH puddles. I ruined all my shoes. I TRY not to do it anymore, but sometimes a puddle is hard to resist.

I find rainy weather to be most enjoyable -- I love feeling all snug and protected inside with my stitching projects when it's raining away outside. And, I recently purchased a RAINBOW umbrella. It's the coolest thing, and it's big enough for two people underneath (or one person and a duck.)

I'll be sending these charts off to the distributors next week, and you can order the charts and kits through my web site at www.shakespearespeddler.com. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Peek at The Cupcake Tree

This picture stinks, but it was just a quick snapshot of a new piece I have that'll be coming out soon...The Cupcake Tree! It's on "Alluring Blue" Belfast (ooh...alluring...so fancy.) It's just a Zweigart standard color. BUT, this would be a fun piece to stitch on some sky-colored hand-dyed fabric you've got laying around, too.

Cecile at Just Another Button Company is designing me a cupcake stamp button to go on this piece, and I'm playing with some other buttons...some bumblebees and hearts, I think. It's stitched in a variety of threads, and I am pleased at how it looks so far.

Of course, once I get it in a frame, it'll look so much more presentable.

But you like sneak peeks, don't you?

Thursday, February 23, 2012

New market releases!

I don't have time to get all cutesy-wootsy with what I have to say about the following. These are some new things I'll have for market. All are graphs, except for the Quilted Spring piece, which is a kit (that's the piece that's in a blue frame that looks like a quilt, Einstein.)

I have another piece that's being stitched by my cousin Carri that will be released soon called "The Cupcake Tree." I'm releasing ten new things at market, so I didn't want to...you know...over-do it.



Go to my other blog at www.shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com to see my other crap. (wink!)