Mar 19, 2012

Punctured!

Since most of the U.S. had above normal temps, my area included, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather by cleaning the flower bed on the north side of my house. I was on the homestretch when a stubborn sedum decided to strike back almost caused me to commit suicide.

Scenario: I had my pruners in my right hand. With my left hand, I grab dried sedum flower stems and pull. Hard. Said sedum didn't come out of the ground. My hand slipped off them and into the pruning shears. I impaled my wrist right below the palm, smack dab in the middle. Can you say OUCHIE?!?

I had a puncture wound that didn't bleed right away, but then it did... and did some more! That put an end to cleaning the flower bed for the rest of the day. Boy, was it tender and sore. I'm just glad my wrist didn't slam any harder into the pruner. The first thing I thought was that I could've cut a vein!

HOMESTEAD CHRONICLES
Over the past couple weeks, I've been doing some updating around The Homestead. First up is some new lighting fixtures that Menards had on sale: Two for $19. Normally, I would've gotten light fixtures at the Habitat for Humanity store, but I don't think I could beat the price.

Previously, I had brass and glass light fixtures.
The glass parts are a PITA to keep clean.


I like the new modern look of these:


Next, the BF and I (OK, he did most of it. LOL) replaced my kitchen sink faucet. I had to fiddle with my previous faucet to make sure it didn't drip, drip, drip after each use.


I didn't know there was so much hard water scale on the underside. Nasty. Who knows how old the old faucet was!

I just happened upon one that was on clearance for $100 OFF! For $59, I now have this beautiful Price Pfister stainless steel faucet:


Not only do I have a new high arch faucet, I also have a sprayer... which I didn't have before. The nice thing about it is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. Big THANK YOU goes to the BF for installation.


STITCHY STUFF
I now know the trepidation of making that first cut on Hardanger stitching! Yikes!! I bit the bullet and did it, though. Apparently, I did it correctly since the Earth didn't shatter or anything like that.


I finished up the stitching on Simply Elegant scissor case, and started the beading. I may just keep working on it until it's done since I'm soooo close anyway. Then I'll be back to working on JG.

Clickable for larger image

Until next time,

43 comments:

Sue said...

We have one of those light fixtures; ugh! they are a PITA to clean, but Butch does it for me...LOL...your new one is beautiful; so sleek.

The new faucet is the same one we have! LOL....we got ours at Home Depot. Love it!!!! The high arch is much nicer.

You did a fantastic job on the hardanger gal! Beautiful!

WOW; you were lucky; you could have sliced a main vein and had some real trouble.......be careful when using those pruners..!!

Hugs,
Sue

Vickie said...

Love your stitching, so beautiful. Thank goodness you are okay. Hope you mend quickly. :) http://astitchersstory.blogspot.com/

Katie said...

Would have been kinda funny trying to explain to the ER you didn't really try to kill yourself....really you were being clumsy haha.

I like your new lamp a lot better than the other one. The sink looks a lot better too! Great Job BF!

Your stitching is beautiful. Great job on the cutting. I've done hardanger before but just didn't enjoy it.

mab3500 said...

It's so nice when the men decide to be helpful. I had to teach mine how to do the stuff first (don't ask him he won't admit it).

Beautiful stitches! ~Hugs

Christina G said...

Seems like you had a very productive week end. Congrats on the lighting fixture and the new faucet. Those sprayers make cleaning much easier. Your needle case looks lovely. I have yet to try cutting on hardanger. Good job!

Pam in IL said...

Ok, you made me cringe!!!! I can actually feel that wound of yours. No more of that!

We have those new light fixtures too. Hubby couldn't beat the price either. We also have a similar kitchen faucet. I really like the decorative aerator on faucets these days. Great minds...

Your scissor case is looking awesome too. Can't wait to see your finishing!

angel parker said...

Love the light fixture! I have one like it in my kitchen, my hallway, and my bathroom! As you can tell, we really, really liked the fixture!

Anonymous said...

Hello

So sorry to hear of your pruning accident.

Great new lights and taps.

I love love love your Hardanger piece!

Happy stitching.

Anonymous said...

OUCH!!!! Actually I think I would have yelled something else & loud too. Hope your wrist injury doesn't keep you from stitching. Love the new light fixture & faucet. Great buys both of them. Your needle roll is gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing.
Betty in AZ (ILCS)

Carmen said...

Ouch! so sorry for your pruning accident. Great home improvement, and beautiful stitching.

Anonymous said...

Yow!!!!! I cannot imagine the pain. Please take care of it and as Sue says, watch for infection. Neosporin works wonders.

Debi

Irene said...

Ouw! What a nasty, nasty plant!

Love the light fixtures (I have almost the same ones, although with a antique brass finish) and the faucet is gorgeous!

Cutting cloth is always hard! I've been learning hardanger and drawn thread work lately. Lovely work as usual.

Berly said...

Ouch! Glad you didn't cut your wrist any worse than you did. I love the new fixtures and the faucet! You are a braver girl than I to try hardanger. It looks beautiful!

valerie said...

Ouch! I hope your hand is ok! You did some fantastic improvements at the homestead. I am sure it is so nice to have BFs help! Congrats on accomplishing the hardanger. I'm still so scared to try! lol

Mel said...

The new modern light fixtures are just lovely Meari. Great choice.

Simply Elegant is just "simple elegant". :)
good on you for taking the hardanger step. It's one of the few I've skirted around for the last few years, I just can't imagine cutting into the fabric. eek! Yours is just lovely! :)

Patricia Cecilia said...

I'm so glad you didn't do more damage to yourself, Meari! (P.S. When was your last tetanus shot? Oh, no...ouch.) I stepped on a tenpenny nail in the barn when I was 16; it went right through my foot. Not doing that again.


I had to laugh--a very similar style of flush fixture is one of the fixtures in our walk-in closet. One of the hanging ones was, in our local building code, too close to the top of the shelves, so we changed it out. And I love that faucet! Our kitchen one is very similar. DH--the chef of the house and a chemist--insisted that the handles had to be wing handles "like in the lab, so you don't have to touch the handles--you can just backhand them, especially when your hands are floury/greasy/messy" LOL We have that style in the laundry room as well. In fact, because we were being so handicapped/elderly friendly, all the faucets have wing or rod handles, not twist taps, and all the interior doors have levers. I sometimes notice it when I've been in someone else's house and come home and go 'hmmm'.

Lovely job with renovations and stitching!

OctoberLace said...

Nice stiching, nice fixtures, but most importantly, I'm really glad your wound bled! Sound odd? A while back my husband worked as an auto mechanic and managed to puncture his hand with a screwdriver while working on a truck. It didn't bleed, but the next morning it was so swollen and red that he stopped at the ER. Soon afterward, I got a call saying they were admitting him! A staph infection was eating his muscle, and they had to pump him full of antibiotics, then operate to remove the infected part of his hand and surrounding tissue so it wouldn't spread any further. It was not fun!

Mouse said...

ouchiieeee ... hope you are feeling better now :)
lovely stitching and well done on the cutting :)
and can I borrow said BF to do my tap in the bathroom for me prettttyyy please ...lol love mouse xxxxx

Anonymous said...

Did you go to the ER to get it checked?

Your new light is similar to the ones I have in my kitchen area.

Your stitching is beautiful.

Marl

Vicky L said...

I am so glad you are okay. I love your new faucet. I always liked the arch ones. Your stitching is looking good.

Veronica said...

Ouch! I literary winced when I read you impaled your wrist. Do be careful next time.

Your new light fixtures is pretty but I must say, your new stainless steel faucet looks amazing!

Beautiful stitching. Glad you did the cutwork correctly.

By the way, how is Charley? Been a while since I've seen you mention her.

hugs,
Veronica.

Anne said...

Oh my gosh! Are you okay?! That sounds soooo painful. Maybe go get it checked out please!!! Great faucet find!! Your BF sounds really handy...wish mine was more handy!! Lovely stitching too!!

Denise SA said...

I like your new light fixing as i live in the land of dust storms I hate anything that collects dust.Your sissor case looks interesting can't wait to see it finished.Please try and be careful in the garden it is almost as dangerous as the kitchen.

Katrien said...

I hope your ouchie is healing well.
That must be handy, such a handy BF :)
Your handanger looks great!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear Meari, I hope your hand does not hurt too much and that it heals quickly.

Love your stitching, it is so pretty!

Kelly

Nancy M said...

You could have committed suicide without trying! Crazy weather around here, huh? I think I brought it back from CA. It's going to be 86 today....just crazy. Your light fixture looks just like the fixtures we replaced our brass stuff with last year. You''ll enjoy your high faucet and sprayer for sure! Can't believe you didn't have a sprayer before. Congrats on the hardanger piece!

Deb said...

Your new light fixture is like the ones DH and I bought to replace all the ugly fixtures that were here when we bought the house. I owned a high arch faucet in VA....and hated being without one here. That got quickly remedied!!! So much easier to fill big pots or bottles, etc. Love your stitching!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! You're lucky you didn't do more damage! The faucet and light look great. :)

Karin in CA

Sunshine said...

You be careful out there doing the gardening chores. I still have yet to tackle mine, but I have pulled some weeds around my rock borders. Need to do some raking too.....
Love the hardanger! Dontcha just love how fast it works up. Yep, I was scared to cut my 1st too, but as long as you follow directions and are real careful, it's not as bad as it seems.... Congrats to you!!!
Love the homestead updates. I did mine a few years ago, and still looks new :)

EvalinaMaria said...

So sorry to hear about your hand, I hope it will heal quickly. Congrats on the new home improvements, all looks lovely. And your stitching, wow, you are a master!

Rachel S-H said...

Very pretty and I love the faucet. It's one of those that is high enough you can actually get a pot underneath. And the sprayer makes everything SOOO easy.

Ruth said...

Owww!!!!! Please, please please be careful--- we have to have you in full stitching form! Dang plants!

Anonymous said...

Ouch! Glad to hear that you didn't do any more damage to yourself, Meari!

Hugs,
Lynette

Carol said...

That sounds like one very painful place to get "stabbed," Meari! I hope it's okay now and hasn't gotten infected...

Love your new home renovations--the faucet set is perfect!! Great job on your updates :)

Simply Elegant is looking wonderful--good for you for doing the Hardanger. I'm too much of a wimp!!

Daffycat said...

OUCH! I hope your hand heals up quick and clean.

Your stitching is just stunning! Isn't it fun to try something new? Good for you!

Lana said...

I've never tried Hardanger, but I think it is gorgeous! You did a great job! It looks lovely!!

Kay said...

As always you make it look so easy to be creative! My imagination and creativity only stretches so far, lol. I love Hardanger, from what I have seen of others who have done it, it looks hard to do. Hope you are feeling better soon after what had happened to your hand.

Anonymous said...

Ooooh ouch!! I did something similar once with a utility knife. Poked myself right in the wrist, right next to my vein. It didn't bleed at all but it sure hurt like the dickens!! I told my hubby if he ever finds me dead by wrist slashing that it's definitely murder!!!! I can't imagine doing that on purpose!!!!

I need to take a photo of my ort jar sometime! I've been collecting for several years now! :o) The lights and water faucet look great and I love your Simply Elegant!!! Beautiful!!! :o)

Happy Trails,
Pam K. :o)

Carolyn NC said...

Glad you didn't have more damage to your wrist! Love your SE - glad the cutting went well. And the light and faucet look fantastic!

Anonymous said...

Meari, i just love your new faucet....i want two of them.....one for the bathroom and one for the basement....

Sharyn

Akila said...

OOPPSS!!! Hope your hand is better now.
Hardanger looks great. Hey did you change your signature? Very beautiful. How did you do that?

Anonymous said...

I like the updates to the Homestead, Meari. I'm glad your injury wasn't worse. Simply Elegance is beautiful.

Sandy in NM

CJ in OK ;-) said...

Nice updates Meari I may be doing some of this soon as I have been shopping for a house. Love this stitchy piece too congrats on the thread cutting always nerve racking for me too. CJ in OK ;-)