Random Thoughts on a Monday

About My Stitching: 

This weekend I got to finish a piece started to fill in  an empty space on the linen I used for my Pineberry Lane pin pillows, A is for Autumn from Elizabeth Designs.  I used the recommended DMC, and GAST fibers with only two substitutions to keep this a "stitch from stash" project.   I didn't have the CC Barrel Cactus but I did have a lovely Catherine Jordan over dyed cotton in a medium olive to a light olive to a golden olive colorway left over from a CATS class that she gave and I didn't have the charted purple for the Rhodes stitched grapes, so I have substituted GAST Hyacinth.

I also worked on my May goals and accomplished a few of them.  I got my monthly Town Square ornament stitched.  This month, it was The Toy Store.  I believe I have mentioned that a number of these charts are outline only affairs resembling nothing so much as a child's coloring book.  I don't care for that look and whenever I stitch one, I modify the chart to suit my preference for solidly stitched designs.  I used the recommended GAST and WDW but added GAST Pineapple Sherbert to fill in the facade of the building.  I had to change the roof line a bit as well as the windows and doors.  Instead of simply outlining the white picket fence, I stitched in a sort of modified bargello in order to get the pointed tops on the pickets.  All in all, it was an interesting exercise in re-making the chart to my liking.

Then, I moved on to my designated new start for May, Homespun Elegance's Owl's Night Out.  Again, I was able to kit this up with only one substitution, CC Poblano Peppers for CC Guacamole, to keep this a "stitch from stash" project.  So far this year, the only stitching purchases I have had to make have been two skeins of DMC.  I am feeling so very frugal.  This is what all the earlier stash building was for: now that my husband is retired and our income is reduced, I can still enjoy my stitching.  This piece is another I am stitching on the Silkweaver Golden Promise 28ct linen.

 
About my Giveaway:  The winner is Pam from Iowa.  I couldn't resist her explanation that she liked the way the people are charted in primitives.  I shall contact her by e-mail later today.

About My Gardening:  Rain, rain, go away.  I can't garden in mud and muck.

About the Weather:  I am sick of the fluctuations between 40 degree days and  70 degree days.  I thought Spring had finally arrived three weeks ago when I sighted my first motorcyclist, which is the real harbinger of Spring 'round these parts.  Oddly enough, I saw my first robin three days after the first biker.  In any case, I was expecting days where the weather advanced at a dignified pace from 40 to 50 to 60 to 70 until Summer brought the real heat.  Instead, we are alternately shivering and sweating through Spring.  But mostly I am sneezing uncomfortably through Spring.  I have the distinct impression that 2014, which started with a vile winter, will continue to disappoint throughout the remaining seasons.  I am dreading Summer, which at the best of times is a torturous mix of high humidity and higher temps in the NY metro area.  If the current trend of foul conditions continues, Summer will probably be twice as insufferable this year.