Saturday, April 18, 2009

Space Invaders, Stitching and more Tooth Drama

Well, it's been one of those weeks! The space invaders I'm referring to are DH and the kids - they were home all week. Talk about cramping my style! LOL Well, not really - we've had a good time going to movies, out to eat, etc. DH and DS have gotten in some quality golfing time and DD and I have gotten in some quality shopping time. Shopping with a 12 year old is like being put into a revolving door whose speed has been stepped up to warp speed. Man, can that girl shop! LOL Makes my head spin!! She's adorable though. She'll hold something up to me and say, "This would look good on you mom" and I have to laugh under my breath because I'd be lucky to get my right breast into it! LOL It has been fun, but not a lot of stitching time for me (or as much as I would have hoped).


I worked a little bit more on Cape Cod Girls. Siobhan blew me out of the water on this one! Working on this gave me a little bit of heartburn because it wasn't until I was on the "they have" line (and seeing Siobhan's finished one) that I realized that I did a major screw up on the top. The background under the curley cues at the top were suppose to have alternating colors - one for each curley cue. I'm using the creative license thing and not changing it!

April 15th was looming so I started on Block 3 of Houses to fulfill my monthly requirement. Have I ever mentioned that I hate stitching with white thread? Yep, I do. But the house is coming along. I've really been wondering if I'll actually get through this entire thing. I wouldn't place any bets on it. I love the design and hope that by treating each block as a small project, I'll make it through. I had a wee bit of incentive the other day to keep going when I received my sampler guild's newsletter mentioning that Kathy Barrick is once again coming to our Guild next June and teaching another class! This coincides with when we were suppose to have our respective HoHR pieces finished. But again, a small incentive for me - would love to have it finished, but would not suggest anyone place bets on me getting it done.

During the week while the kids were off with my DH, I started actually going through my craft room and purging out what I know that in a million years I will not use. My tooth had started acting up again, DH got the kids out of my hair because I was just a miserable grump, and I had to find something to do. My dentist has now recommended me to a periodontist. Looks like the tooth is going to have to be pulled. But here's the kicker. It seems that there has been an inflection in there for quite some time and has disintegrated the bone. I never felt a thing - the tooth never swelled up around it, never hurt or anything. How my old dentist missed it would be interesting to figure out. The root had cracked and infection set in. The new dentist asked me if I was going to be in town for awhile! Yikes. Sounds like I did something crimimal and can't leave town. Well, seems like I'm going to have the tooth pulled, bone grafts done and an implant. Six month of extreme fun! NOT! Wednesday is my first appointment with the periodontist. Wish me luck!!

Anyway, while I wasn't feeling too good and the house was quiet (before the penicillin kicked in) I decided to get into that craft room. First thing I'm tackling are my bookcases. These are before my attack - you don't want to see what it looks like now - I've got a huge mess going on:

This cabinet holds all my quilting patterns, Sew News magazines (which are going to go to a good home), and miscellaneous things - decorating books, etc. Just spending a little time down there I found some great things - like old issues of Folk Art Magazine that I didn't know I had (and don't even think they're publishing it anymore), great papercutting patterns (something I keep saying I'm going to try), rug hooking, oil painting books (yeah, used to do that too). I really wish I'd gone through these last fall - I could have spent our nasty winter holed up actually trying out some of this stuff.


A few of my first, rather primitive attempts at oil painting.


Then we have the second cabinet (need to lose the ironing board in the picture). This cabinet is filled with cross stitch, needlepoint and knitting and crochet books. I seriously need to downsize. All the binders hold cross stitch patterns. I would be embarrassed to reveal just how many are in there (and there are quite a few, well more than a few, that still need to be filed because I ran out of binders and space). The top shelf of binders hold the cute, but no longer on my radar screen, Alma Lynne, Gloria and Pat books - you know, those cutesy country patterns. DD is going to go through them and then rest I'm going to donate or Ebay. Haven't decided what to do. To the right of the cupboard is a walk in closet. You don't want to see that - there is a whole other thing going on in there.

So anyway, I have a lot of stuff to do. I'm revamping the room, but figured it was best to purge first, before I have to completely empty the room and paint, get my worktable in there, etc. I know it's going to take me a while, but it has been fun finding treasures I forgot I had.
So that was my week. Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets a lot of stitching done!!

37 comments:

doris said...

Oh, good luck with your tooth. I'm a huge big fat wimp, so just reading about it brings tears to my eyes. Let's think about stitching instead! And when will you be over to work on my badly organized stash?

Sheila said...

CC Girls is coming along nicely. I like to see inside people´s craft rooms - - guess I´m nosey! Or looking for ideas - that sounds better than nosey. Good luck with your tooth/jaw... not sure I could go through with that.

Barb said...

I don't like stitching with white either and always put it off til the end if I can. The white seems to show off every ill placed stitch.

The tooth thing sounds like a real ordeal. Yuck! It is very weird that the dentist never noticed what was going on. Good luck!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

Hey Deb! CCG's is looking great and I think the all one color band at the top looks great! You have such a big space for a craft room and I can't wait to see it all done!

Good luck with the tooth...... ouch!

See you at Guild, tomorrow!

Loraine said...

Hey there,
So sorry to hear about your tooth! Man that sounds awful. Wish I could make it better for you.
Love your progress on Shores and CCG. (I really love that pattern.)
I haven't started my 3rd block yet, but I'm hoping to get some stitching in tomorrow. You've definitely spurred me on!
Nice weather means working in the yard, which we have been doing all week. Not to mention, I've been spring cleaning as well. I don't know how we manage to accumulate so much stuff. It's so "freeing" to get rid of it.
Good luck dejunking your sewing room closets. That's a hard job. Last year I did that. I spent a whole week going through files and books. I listed a lot of it on EBay. I had one set of "The Needleworker" magazines (12 issues) that went for $75.00 to some lady in Japan. I was shocked! It was way worth listing all of my old patterns.

Hope you have a better week. Good luck with your tooth. I'll be thinking of you!

Anonymous said...

Hope everything thing goes well with your tooth. I hade something similar happen to me last year...but I just ended up having to have a root canal.
It's a job, but we all have to go through our craft rooms and get rid of stuff...and reorganize. I did that last year and sold a lot of things on eBay that I just knew I wouldn't use anymore.
Best wishes as you go through your room and with your tooth.
Cindy

Diane (di) said...

I really like what you have done with Shores. That house is gorgeous. As for CCG, l love it when we get to take a little 'creative license' with our projects. It still looks fabulous to me!! :) Once you get those cabinets reorganized I bet you will feel terrific. However, if you don't get around to it, just remember... they both have doors (and we won't tell a soul)! ;)

Patricia Lessell said...

I do hope your tooth is feeling better now. I love CC Girls and I love that you have individualized it. I too hate stitching with white and will only do it during the day. Lots of Love Patti xxx

Kim said...

Oh OUCH on the tooth! Hope it all goes off without a hitch for you!

Isn't there something cleansing about just pulling everything off the shelves and purging? It's actually kind of fun, like you said, to rediscover things!

On CCGs...I never would have even noticed the curly-q color thing! I think it looks great!

And how awesome to have a sampler guild! Heck...you can't even buy a sampler CHART around here! Hmmm...untapped market? Perhaps there's others like me here in Sioux Falls. ;o)

Siobhán said...

I think CCG looks great as is--good for you for not changing it! Shores is coming along great, too. Urgh on the teeth drama!! :P I hope it goes quickly w/o too much pain. Love your craft room!

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

Oh I hope your tooth gets better soon. Your stitching looks GREAT!
I wish I had a cabinet like that to put my stuff. Right now, I converted a closet to a sewing nook and its already full........get some rest from your week with kids! LOL

Ranae said...

Hi! Thanks for leaving the sweet comment. I was browsing and browsing your blog and found so many interesting things. I couldn't stop myself, lol
I am going to add you to my GR and I will be back.
I sure hope your tooth gets better, that doesn't feel very fun.

Margaret said...

Deb, what a bummer about your tooth! Ugh! I hope the whole process goes well and without too much pain. Your oil paintings are wonderful! You should sell some -- think of Liberty Hill and the boxes they sell! And your WIPs look great too! Good luck with the sewing room1

Debs said...

Ah Deb, so sorry to hear about your tooth drama. I do truly understand. (diabetes has destroyed most of my "gum line" and made the bottom teeth fall out-can't get dentures, no bone ridge to sit on, boo, hiss. So, I'm looking forward to that same pain as they graft bone, ick, and ick.)
Love your dabble in the oil painting, and in fact, I've fallen in love with that barn in winter piece--how totally gorgeous. And between you and Siobhan, I'm going to have to do that CCG--darn you enablers!

I had the thought to sell all of my Cross stitch and country crafts mags--have them all, but about the time I sell them, I'm sure I'll need to find something to stitch as a gift. And can you image the cost of mailing that many mags? Another ick.

Hope you can deal with the pain--a pill and some stitching should help.

hugs
Debs

mbroider said...

You have a great blog, that i am going to follow:)

I love doing cross stitch, and am an avid reader myself, although currently XS is taking more of my free time. And i keep cracking sudoku puzzles myself, lol!!

samplerlover said...

I agree with Doris, good luck with your tooth. They can be such a pain in the you know where.
Your CC Girls and Shores are coming along beautifully. = Sandra.

Anonymous said...

Great going on CCG and Shores! All the best with your tooth, it sounds frightening...

The Scarlett House said...

Gee, that really stinks about your tooth. That has to be the worst kind of pain. Hope you can get it taken care of soon. Your craft room project is right up my alley. I love to organize and purge like that. I need to do the same in my own room. I don't have any Alma Lynne, but I have some Paula Vaughn, lol!

Holly Hills Primitives said...

Wow, sounds like you have been BUSY! It is fun to see things you forgot you've had though. Thanks for visiting my home tour, hope to have part two on there soon. I feel terrible about your tooth, what a thing to have to go through! Hope to see you soon, Dawn

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I hope you tooth starts feeling better soon! The project you are working on looks great. You are very talented!

Mel said...

Hope you are starting to feel better.
Sounds like you had some good fun with your family! :)

Dona said...

Deb, I like your Cape Cod Girls change and glad you are keeping it. Your Shores looks great, too! I hate stitching with white and am contemplating using some other color in block three (that is if I ever get there!). And wow! You have a lot of stash!

Michelle said...

Love how both your WIPs are looking - and I'm glad you can get back to regular stitching now. Good luck with your tooth - no fun!!

Brigitte said...

Your WIPs are coming along great.
Your tooth problem seems to be a bigger one, so good luck at your next appointment. But often it's not as bad as it seemed in the beginning. The most important thing is that you don't have any more tooth ache.
And good luck with your decluttering efforts. Afterwards it's a wonderful feeling!

Holly Hills Primitives said...

Hi Deb, I think another visit would be great! I'd love to see you again. We should have lots of new goodies by the end of the week. I've been going like crazy today trying to get some things finished up. I'm also hoping to get more antiques in on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. Hope to see you soon! Dawn

MyLifesAStitch said...

Oh man... the tooth thing really bites. :(... Oh sheesh... did I really just type that?? I hope all goes well with getting that fixed!

Have fun going through your stash! I love purging - it leaves me with such a free feeling, you know? What is it FLylady says (yes, I am a FLylady flunkie... but I must admit some core concepts have stuck with me)? If it doesn't make you smile, out it goes. Something like that anyway. Til next time!

Holly Hills Primitives said...

Hi Deb, glad you are enjoying my little "tours". Ladies Night Out should be lots of fun and your friend Terri is coming too! I hope to have the shop FULL of goodies by then with lots to choose from. Hope things go well with you tooth though! That's so terrible to have to go through all of this - just when spring is getting here too. See you soon, Dawn

Kellie said...

Deb, Cape Cod Girls and SoHRH both look fantastic! Your poor tooth...I hope the surgery goes really well. Keep sharing your organization! I love to get ideas on organizing my own. :)

Joy said...

Deb, I sure hope all goes well with your tooth. Ick. I loved seeing the photos and reading about your craft room and your stuff. I was espcially charmed by your paintings. I love them! And last but certainly not least, very lovely stitching progress!

woolwoman said...

Deb your tooth and bone ordeal sounds horrifying - I feel bad for you to have to endure that but I guess you don't want it to continue to worsen.

Your CCG's and Shores are wonderful - I was inspired by several of you to get back on my Shores - had just barely started last year when I thought I didn't need another BAP in progress and now I can't even locate the darn thing - LOL - maybe that's a sign- take care of yourself - Mel

Tanya said...

Oh that is bad news about your tooth. Your CC & Shores is looking good. Take care!

Jan said...

OH Debbie you poor dear! What a trial and just over one tooth! Hope you feel much better and soon and that the first trip to the pero guy is as pleasant as possible, under the circumstances! Love your progresses on both of your projects!

Glad you got to dig and purge some in your bookshelves! I have been doing a bit of that myself, and heck, I just moved here last August! Course I didn't get that much time to pack, etc so I have that excuse!

Oh and I really don't care for stitching with white fibers either, but they are worth it in the end! That house really is popping on Shores!;)

Denise said...

Hurrah for creative license!!!!

Isabelle said...

Hi Debbie, I am so sorry to hear you have problems with your tooth :-(
Your stitching is looking great ( Ilike your samplers very much and I also like your room : many space in it .
Isabelle

glamlawlib said...

Oooh, I hope your dental appt was not too bad, I feel your pain! Only this week I had to have a big filling redone as it had fallen out.

Your craftroom is fab, good luck with the re-do!

Kajsa said...

Good luck with your tooth, it's awful to have tooth ache. Your Cape Cod looks great!

Love to Stitch said...

I love how organized you are! That is wonderful, to know where all your goodies are, and in 1 location! Fabulous!! Love your Shores, you are moving along wonderfully on it! Keep up the great job!