14 April 2025

Recovery Stitching

 

Well, that didn't go as planned! In my last post I mentioned I was about to get into some finishing and framing. Even as I was typing that post on Saturday, I had had a sore throat for a few days and had lost my voice. But I had no other symptoms, so I wasn't bothering about it much.

And then Monday, the worst head cold I have ever had knocked me flat. After suffering all week with useless cold medicines, I discovered you can still get real cold medicine from the pharmacist if you show ID and sign for it. Did you know the FDA has known for 20 years that the active ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicine doesn't work when taken orally? For you young 'uns, back in the day, you could have a cold and still function because cold medicine actually worked. Then the FDA required the removal of the ingredient that did the trick, and the replacement ingredient has never worked. It isn't that it wasn't as good, it literally never worked. Anyway, off went Mr. Wonderful to get some real medicine for me and what a difference that made. 

I carefully avoid ranting on my blog, but I had to make an exception here in the interest of preventing needless suffering and wasting money on medicine that doesn't work. Perhaps everyone knows the good stuff is available behind the counter if you're willing to sign for it like the old fashioned poison books, but I didn't. I almost never get sick and when I do, it's usually not much of anything, so less-than-effective cold medicine hasn't been an issue for me. But this cold... wow. I was desperate for relief, so I started doing some research, namely, "WHY doesn't all this medicine work?!" Needless to say, I was pretty angry when I read the article I linked above.

So I've been sick for a couple of weeks and got nothing done. I didn't even stitch until this past weekend. I still wasn't feeling great but I needed something small to work on so I pulled out this little sweetie and stitched him up. Isn't he cute? 

I think I'm finally starting to get over this, but slowly. And if you're wondering, I did test negative for Covid, never had any fever or aches, but did have that lovely burning in my nose and eyes that goes with a good ol' rip snorter of a head cold. I think I caught it at the funeral (there were 300+ people there) and my suspicion is that I was exposed more than once and got a very high viral load, which is what caused it to be so bad.

Apologies for being so far off topic, but I felt the need for a Public Service Announcement. Also, product endorsement: Puffs Plus Lotion tissues have saved my poor nose.

Y'all stay well and Happy Stitching!


05 April 2025

Saturday Sampler: Spring Stitchy Goodies Edition

 

Happy Saturday, y'all! Got a few new things over the last couple of months so it's time to share and enable! 

First up, for my birthday I got a couple of new floss organizers. I absolutely love these things and have a collection of the 12 and 20 bobbin sizes. This time I splurged a little (30% off sale!) and got a 25 bobbin size (the white one). These are hands down my favorite way to organize DMC for a project and they come in lots of sizes. She has sales fairly regularly. 



It's sparkly!


Next, Market goodies! I don't usually get much from Market, some years just the cookbook, so this year is kind of a haul for me. 



I literally gasped when I saw that Blue Flower bird design and couldn't wait for it to get here! It's such a perfect addition to my bird display!

Speaking of birds, this beautiful hand painted fabric is Woodland by Crossed Wing Collection. It's for a bird project. It was impossible to photograph accurately so I had to actually fiddle with the color, which I never do. 


I found some very pretty Czech glass beads to make counting pins & maids-of-all-work. I'm a little picky about the size and feel of the beads I use for those (the maids, not the pins) and these are ideal.


The perfect size, complete with a small indentation that fits my finger so nicely! Don't you love it when you find *exactly* what you're looking for, even if it's just a little bead? Makes me so happy.


And those are my latest goodies. I've spent almost no time in my sewing room over the last few weeks. In mid-March, we unexpectedly lost a dear friend and the shock and grief have been a bit staggering. I know many of y'all know this feeling. I've settled down somewhat now and am looking forward to pulling out my pile of finishing and making a giant mess in my sewing room. I find the finishing process very absorbing and therapeutic--if I have the brains for it! I think I need that at the moment. 

Hopefully over the next few weeks I'll have some pretty things to share with you. In the meantime...

Bonus Pretty Werewolves!

02 April 2025

Wilbur Wednesday: He's Finished!


What a fun stitch! Here's Wilbur, in all his toofy, goofy glory! He's available in this Etsy shop. I stitched him with the recommended DMC on 32 ct Sandbar by Under the Sea Fabrics.