Heating Up on Monday

Yesterday we didn't break 60 degrees. Today we may hit 80. And tomorrow we're back in the 50s. This weather is killing me. It's 60 out there now and I wish it would warm up quicker as today we are having our front door and window replaced and the old ones were removed about 90 minutes ago. I was okay while moving around making goulash for dinner, but sitting here I'm starting to slowly freeze. 

So what have I been doing?

In a word, Pischke. I can't seem to get enough. 

 The first turtle has left the beach. I was going to stitch all the background first, but I couldn't resist seeing what the turtle would look like. I guess I'm stitching them as I go now. 

 Unfortunately you can't really appreciate the beauty of the overdyed green that goes from green to turquoise and back from these photos. But I'm so pleased with this project that I'm scheming to get another one! It's 10 count and stitches up so quickly. 

 I've also been doing things like this. These are thread sticks made according to Ms. Mary Shipp's directions in her Color for Embroidery class. A pain in my hand to make, but I can see the value (I didn't mean to make a joke...) in doing these. In fact, if I had a bunches of free time, I would take my DMC and make my own color cards. 

She recommends making these for projects when you're choosing your own colors. Make a thread stick with proportions of color you'll be using. You'll know what is working and what is not. I'm thinking this could be a very good thing to do when choosing threads for hand-painted canvases. 

And finally, we were happy to have our favorite Marine, recently returned from Afghanistan, join us for dinner on Friday. We're so proud of him! He was such a pain in the @$$ when we first met him nine years ago. But he's a splendid young man now. I bet his parents no longer want to give him away to us!