Mar 12, 2012

Journey of the Needle

Sounds like an interesting blog title, doesn't it? I bet you're wondering "Hmmm, wonder what she's going to to talk about now?" Well, let me explain...

When I stitch, I sit on the sofa usually covered with an electric blanket. On more than one occassion, I've temporarily stuck the needle into the blanket while I switched thread colors. On more than one occassion, I've lost said needle. Usually, I end up finding it. On more than one occassion, the BF has teased me that one of these days he's going to be the one to find it and it probably won't feel good, LOL.

See said needle above?

Apparently, it was one of the ones I lost and never found. It survived a go-round in the washing machine when I washed the electric blanket last week. It even survived a windy day of riding the coat tails of the blanket hanging on the line to dry!

Imagine my surprise when I went outside to take the blanket off the line and I saw something tiny on the blanket. Thinking it was string, I grabbed it. Whoa, it's a needle! Now, it's back nestled safely in my needlebook.

GIVEAWAY
Victorian Motto Sampler is hosting another giveway for Easter charts. Hop on over and check it out.

TREASURE HUNTING
I hadn't been treasure hunting for quite a while, so I took a journey through the local thrift stores. A few nice things found their way into my cart. Imagine that!

First up is a stainless steel strainer. This steal-of-a-deal was only 99cents! Not a scratch on it. It's a little smaller than the 20+ year old aluminum strainer I've been using, but perfect for draining washed vegetables and smaller servings of pasta.


This is a Leisure Arts book filled with beautifully stitched Christmas stockings. It also gives alternative ideas if you don't want to stitch the entire design, which I thought was really neat. Harcover books were only 50cents. Not bad, eh?


Last, is an embroidered, pearl-embellished velvet covered journal. I was thinking this might be a neat way to chronicle my finishes. There's a price tag inside: $14.99. I picked it up for $1.99! Another awesome deal!!

Isn't it beautiful?


COOKING
Have you ever heard of Doughnut Muffins? I read about these on Evalina's blog, This and That. She read about it on Pea's blog, Pea's Corner. Pea read about it on Zoey's blog, Perrenial Passion. Zoey found the recipe on the King Arthur Flour website. How's THAT for a traveling recipe?

Since all the ladies gave it rave reviews, I had to mix up a batch and try them out! I didn't dip mine in sugar/cinnamon or glaze them. Instead, I used a crumb mix left over from a dutch apple pie.


The crumble makes a huge mess while eating, LOL. Next time I think I'll do the glaze or cinnament/sugar dip. They taste better cold than they do warm.

For our Saturday night meal, the BF and I made spaghetti and meatballs. I made the meatballs out of ground turkey. They taste just like sausage meatballs! The BF is not a fan of ground turkey, but he really likes these.

Yummo!


STITCHY STUFF
I didn't get much stitching in last week... I think I was procrastinating because I didn't want to work on the specialty stitches involved in my next UFO/WIP. Turns out it wasn't the specialty stitches that gave me nightmares, it was the regular cross stitches! I had to rip a set of leaves out THREE times. They're still not right, but I'm not about to frog them again. Can you tell which ones are messed up?

Here's what it looked like before:

12/11/09
(Yeah, it's been THAT long!)

Here's what it looks like now:

Other WIP pics can be seen HERE.

I worked on Forgive Quickly, too. I only have the right border to stitch up, then the final finishing. I've been struggling with how I wanted to finish it, but a light bulb came on last night... so I think I have it!



Until next time,

37 comments:

Faith... said...

Such a great find with that beautiful journal cover!

Never heard of Doughnut Muffins but I may have to give them a try. Thanks for the recipe.

The UFO looks great as does your LK.

sally said...

Love your bargains, food looks yummy

Sunshine said...

I finally got to visit your blog....
Love the new look! Very Springy!
You're making me hungry, and love the journal cover!!! Perfect to record your stitching. Looking forward to seeing how you finish this piece.

Carol said...

What great bargains, Meari...I used to go to yard sales all the time and really miss them! Maybe I should try a few local thrift stores for treasures :) Hope there are some nice charts in that book!

Both the muffins and spaghetti dinner look yummy... I've tried turkey chili, but not turkey meatballs--they sound very tasty.

Funnt that it was the regular cross stitches caused you to have a visit from the frog and not the specialty stitches! Both of your pieces look great and the first has such fun, springy colors...

Have a great week :)

Anonymous said...

LOL about your needle! I think I've only ever lost two - both to the black hole between the wall and the window seat on an airplane, LOL. Congrats on working on a UFO from 2009!

Karin in CA

Carolyn NC said...

Love the journey..and what finds at the thrift shop. Nice stitching...even though the frogs landed!

Katie said...

Too funny about the needle. Do you think it was hoping you would find it so it could stitch with you again?

Great Treasure Hunting. Love the journal. Your yummies look yummy and your stitching looks fantastic.

Denise SA said...

Love all those bargains you got especially the journal.I have bookmarked the recipe and I would not worry about those leaves.It looks a simple piece but sometimes those are the worse to get right.

Mary Ivancicts said...

I think i will give doughnut Muffins a try, they look good!

Love the journal....great find!

Love the LK, I working on the same one!

Berly said...

I have to laugh about the needle. I have a bad habit of sticking them in my shirt & forgetting! Your finds were great - that journal is beautiful! Great progress on your UFO!

Bette said...

I usually end up wearing my needles to work. Love the journal you picked up. It will be perfect for your finishes.

Diana LaMarre said...

Hi Meari,
Thanks for stopping by to let me know you made the muffins. It sure is ineresting to see the recipe go from blog to blog!

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem with my needles. Because of that my DH won't let me stitch in bed anymore. Unfortunately he found one of my needles while getting into bed. I tried not to laugh, but wasn't successful. You did great with your shopping. That journal is beautiful. Your WIP's look great. I can't tell what is wrong with the leaves. So I wouldn't frog them either.
Betty in AZ (ILCS)

Vicky L said...

The needle story is funny. I have stuck them on my shirt and would find them after I had washed them.
Great bargains! I can't see the mistake. It looks great, and so does Forgive quicky.

Elena said...

Love the needle story! My BF is not happy with me when I tell him "be careful I lost a needle". lol.

I can't see the frogs on your WIP. It looks great so does the journal.

mab3500 said...

If hubby sees me with a needle he gives me the evil eye if I stick it anywhere but the pin cushion. He went to hug me one day and got stuck with a needle I had pinned in my shirt. Talk about boobie traps ;)

Nancy said...

The is some journey that your needle took. I am fortunate that I don't lose needles too often. I am so afraid that the kitties will find them with their paws, so I use the little stitched cupcake that Rene gave me to put my needles and pins in. Could you send me your meatball recipe? I use ground turkey alot and I think meatballs would be a good idea for something different for us. Love your stitching. Looking forward to seeing how you finish Forgive Quickly. Oh and I love thrift store sleuthing also. I went yesterday to get the BF some pants for work and came home with some nice china bowls and a cork screw (the BF broke ours at New Year's) and I found two cross stitch leaflets for only 29 cents each.

Kathy A. said...

Glad that you found the needle and not in the boyfriend.
Wonderful stitching. I can smell those muffins from here.
And your new finds - awesome - good eye.

Mouse said...

ohh wow that was one lucky needle ... fab finds love the journal cover :)
ooooo those muffins do look yummie and well done on the stitching front too :)
love mouse xxxxx

Vickie said...

My hubby hates my needles. He has found them in carpet and is continually worried that the boys will find one! Love your stitching! Will have to try out the muffins!

Kay said...

You are always finding such amazing finds! Lucky you, you have a good eye! The muffins and dinner looked good. Been in the mood for pasta for a while, seeing that picture just reinforces it, lol. We use turkey all the time, more healthy and less expensive to buy. Turkey tastes good as well. Been having it for so long that when we have beef it seems odd to, lol Your stitching looks great as always!

Pam in IL said...

I like your needle journey -- I'm sure I've had a few take a journey as well, only I've not discovered their journey -- yet.

I don't see which leaves "aren't" in the right position, so that's good, right? That piece looks great and I really like that variegated fiber you used.

Can't wait to see how you finish Forgive Quickly!

Anonymous said...

Meari your update is a hoot - a needle in the electric blanket made me laugh - we've never owned an electric blanket - we just wear an extra layer on cool days.
You have a great nose for BARGOONS and a good eye - the pearl embelished notebook is gorgeous!

The muffins look delicious - too bad I have to stick to more fiber these days. My mom has concocted a banana/pumpkin bread with whole wheat flour, oats, nuts and maple syrup - great for breakfast or afternoon snack.

Sorry to hear that you too have had a frog infestation - glad to hear that I was not the only one.

Tara

Anne said...

I've heard that needle tale before!! Oh wait! It's happened to me last night!! I have a magnetic needleminder and I put the needle on it, but it jumped off?!! Landed in the carpet that's all nubbly...so hard to see anything. Luckily, I had a flashlight nearby and found it!! Those darned needles!!

Great progress on your pieces! And what fabulous finds!! That book is so beautiful and for 1.99! Wow!!

Those muffins look yummy!

Anonymous said...

That's funny about the needle! My step-daughter found one of mine in the couch last year. It had been about a year since I had stitched on the couch as we swapped the couch and love-seat so now I stitch on the love seat! It seems like I find needles occasionally though, when I'm vacuuming under the cushions! Great thrift store finds! :oD And the spaghetti looked yummy!!

Happy Trails,
Pam K. :o)

EvalinaMaria said...

Darn needles, they hide from us when we're looking and later they show up in the most unexpected moments. Love your stitching and journal cover is absolutely beautiful! Looks like Doughffins recipe made across North America in no time! Thank you for trying it out:)

Anonymous said...

You have found some good deals at the thrift shop. Your food looks delicious. Lots of nice progress on your WIP.

Emily in NC said...

That strainer is awesome, what a great find, new they can be quite expensive, the journal is very nice too.

Sandra said...

Nice findings, the drainer looks fantastic and yep, the journal is just beautiful.

The UFO/WIP looks nice to me, I can't really tell what stitches are messed up. Seems like it will be a lovely finish.

I made some meatballs out of ground chicken, spiced with curry and inserted a "surprise" on each one (an olive filled with red bell pepper), they turned out so yummy!

Nice post Meari.

Shelleen said...

You always find such neat things and my favorite is that journal. It is so pretty. Great job on your stitching.

CJ in OK ;-) said...

Most definitely a journey and a nice telling of the story. The Ufo you are working on is very pretty, even if frustrating. CJ in OK ;-)

Akila said...

What a journey the needle made, and so safely too.
Great finds, espcially the journal. Lovely one.
Nope, can't find which leaf is "wrong". Forgive quickly looks great. Love the border

Deb said...

Fantastic finds at the thrift store and fabulous work on your WIPs. Love your new journal! That was a steal!

Anonymous said...

Hi Meari, Just had a look at your work and its all fantastic.... Glad you found that needle.... Kelly keeps losing her needles, im thinking about buying a Metal detector.... :)

Unknown said...

Great finds Meari and I love the stitching!

Anonymous said...

Great treasure finds, Meari. Your stitching looks great. It's funny what you said about your BF joking about finding your needles. When I was a kid it was my dad who would 'find' my mom's needles in the carpet. Not a pretty sound.

Sandy in NM

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