So much to catch up on!

I've been slacking in the reading and blogging departments because of the househunting. I nearly have all the real estate listings in 2 Pennsylvania counties memories - our real estate agent is amazed that I know so much about the inventory! I think it comes from my job in pharmaceuticals, having to know where each piece (of hundreds!) of promotional material is in the system at all times. I have pretty good recall for things like that.

Anyway, to give myself a break from searching and stressing, I did a little stitching, and I FINISHED a Blue Crab! First up, though, is my progress on Carriage House Sampling's Acorns and Threads. I went from this:

To this:

This is the smaller of the 2 patterns included, and I'm stitching over 2 on 40 ct. fabric. I'm using GAST Dark Chocolate and Apple Cider for this one. I am loving how it's coming out, and it's a very relaxing pattern to stitch. Seeing the progress happen so quickly is gratifying, and it's especially nice the longer our house hunt drags on.

And now for Blue Crab, which I finished the other night:

Blue Crab by Judy Greer Carmean
Chart purchased at Sea Needles, Bethany Beach, DE
Stitched on 28 ct. Lamsbwool Jobelean with DMC Threads

This is what a real blue crab looks like:

I think mine turned out pretty good! I can't wait to get him framed and hung up.

In case you were wondering, I do in fact have a fondness for crabs, both eating them and the crab motif. Also, my husband and my best friend are astrological Cancers and are represented by the crab, so crabs remind me of them as well.

SBQ: Downloads

3/26/08: When you stitch a pattern that you have downloaded do you print out the pattern or do you stitch directly from your computer screen?

When I first read this question, I thought, "How can anyone possibly stitch from a screen?" I was sure the answer would be that they couldn't, so imagine my surprise when I discovered some of you are capable of doing just that! More power to you - I'd probably make myself blind and/or stab my screen with scissors at some point! LOL

I absolutely must have a print out of any chart I stitch. Our computer is in our guest room upstairs, and I prefer to stitch with the TV on. We don't have a TV upstairs or a computer downstairs, hence the need to print things out. Also, I spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen during the day - I'm not so sure I want to continue looking at it while I'm stitching. And I like to keep my stitching portable, and a printed chart lends itself to that much better than a desktop computer.


In other news, I am making some progress on my crab - he now has the rest of his legs at least partially completed, so he's a least a little in balance. He's the only thing I've been stitching on - yes, my ornaments for my SALs have fallen a bit by the wayside. (Extra shameful for me, considering I administed the 2 ornament SALs.) I really do need to get back to at least one set of the Bride's Tree ornaments, seeing as how the wedding they're for is coming up in August.

I haven't been stitching (or blogging) as much as I normally would because we're in the process of house hunting, and I am so frustrated with it I could just cry. DH and I have a set budget that we're not flexible on. We've both read too many stories of people getting in over their heads and we don't want to put ourselves in that position, even if it means we don't get everything we want. We had what we thought were pretty solid ideas about what we wanted, but looking at houses, considering our budget, etc., has forced us to change some of those ideas, and unfortunately, DH and I have gone down slightly different paths. He wants a bigger house with more space and an opportunity to fix it up, something we can "grow into". I'd love that, but I don't think it's practical for us right now, especially since we want to have a child. I'd rather a more finished house with a great yard and a good neighborhood, even if it is smaller. Really I just don't know what we're going to do.

A thank you and some progress

I've been bad about blogging - I'm spending most of my time stalking the real estate websites looking for a house. (Yes, I have an excel spreadsheet for it. Shut up). It's not nearly as much fun as I thought it would be, and my eyes are starting to glaze over at the mere thought of looking at a computer screen. I have been trying to keep up with reading blogs, though. It's a welcome break from real estate listings.

I've also been bad about sharing something I got in the mail a little while back. Sweet Dianne sent me these two lovely ATCs (artist trading cards). She also sent me a Cape May Lighthouse chart - Thank you, Dianne!

Aren't these so cool? Dianne knows my fondness for lighthouses, so she featured one, along with the cutest sandpiper, on a card for me. And for my husband, she did one with goldfinches from an antique book! Goldfinches are his favorite birds, and he was really touched by Dianne's gift. She even included a "certificate of authenticity" to sign the cards.

And in keeping with a somewhat nautical theme, check out my new friend, the Blue Crab.

I picked up the kit for this one maybe last year or the year before at Sea Needles in Bethany Beach. All the DMC threads and Aida fabric were included, but I switched out the white Aida for a more sand colored lambswool Jobelean (I love, love, love this fabric) He's coming along quite nicely, especially since the chart and I have long since made peace. The pattern is done by a local artist, Judy Greer Carmean, and the chart is handwritten. I struggled to read it for a while, until I got smart and made a copy of the chart, which I proceeded to mark up with highlighters and colored pencils. Ahhhh! MUCH better. If you've never tried this and you're struggling with a chart, I urge you to try making a copy and use colored pencils to separate the various symbols. I picked up a pack of pencils and a sharpener that will have a permanent home with my other stitching tools.

This has been stitching up quite nicely and makes for a very relaxing evening. I have an attachment to crabs - both the crab motif and eating them. Hardshell crabs were popular with my family and we had them every so often - a big pile dumped on a paper covered table with a hole in the middle (and a bucket underneath for the shells). A little Old Bay seasoning and maybe some vinegar for dipping, and we were set. I got very good at picking the meat out of the crab, something that frustrates my husband to this day (he doesn't enjoy hardshells quite as much as I do). And I do like the crab motif - we have 2-3 crab ornaments for our tree, and I've been eying up a crab chip and dip plate at several beach gift shops.

Okay, I've fooled around long enough. Time to do my Friday Feast and get back to those listings!