Japanese Garden: In Need of Desperate Help!!

Years ago when I kitted up the Chateline Japanese Garden, I decided to go with the Victoria Clayton Hand-Dyed Silks. Vikki suggested the conversions and I went with it. I recently visited her website to order the colors I was low on and didn't see them. So, I emailed Vikki and found out that the colors I need have been discontinued! Yikes...

I am enlisting the help of you, my devoted readers and vistors. Do any of you have some of her silks in your stash that you're not using and would be willing to trade or sell to me??

These are the colors I need:

(Photo clickable to enlarge)

Irish Moss Found!
Lichen Found!
Mint Found!
Pine Found!
Ocean Found!
Walnut
Vikki is trying to find substitutes that are a close match, but isn't sure she can since she doesn't dye greens or browns anymore.

If anyone can help me, it would be greatly appreciated!!

Marvelous Monday Update 10/29/12

HEALTH UPDATE
I saw an orthopaedic surgeon last Thursday regarding the carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndromes I have in my right hand/elbow. According to the EMG (nerve conduction) tests, I have moderate-severe carpal tunnel. Neither syndromes require surgery at this point, which is good because I didn't really want to have surgery! Basically, I have to deal with the symptoms.

STITCHY STUFF
If you've read some of my previous posts, you'll recall that I use MagEyes when I stitch. I wear glasses and the Mags allow me to stitch and see the TV or read the chart without switching glasses or taking the magnifiers off.  Over the past month or so, I've been annoyed that the foam strip on the inside of the Mags kept slipping up. My forehead would heat the foam, which would then heat up the glue and slippy-slide it would go.  I was constantly readjusting the foam!  I decided to make a removable band to replace the foam.

Isn't it cute?  It's lined with a piece of felt and held onto the Mags with velcro. That way, I can wash it if necessary.

A while back, I showed you the mailart I made for Connie in WV.  I received mailart from my partner last week.  Look what Chris B sent me:

See the little bottle?  That's a bottle of sand and seashells.  Chris told me, "The shells are from my mom  when she went to Bermuda. The sand is from Pensacola Beach which is about 20-30 minutes from my home."  Isn't that cool?

And for your viewing pleasure, I thought I'd share a photo of all the mailarts I've received over the years. From Finland, Malaysia, Florida, West Virginia, Nevada, and Australia...

(Clickable for larger image)
The postman must've really liked me because I got another package. This one was from Lisa (The Social Cross Stitcher) in the UK. I was the winner of her first ever blog giveaway!  She sent me a lovely pillow that she made:

Don't you just love the saying?

A couple weeks ago, I finished a prize gift for a winner of the box finishing contest held earlier this year.  I have received word that it has arrived at its new home with Debbie B.  Here's what I sent her:

Stitcher Sampler

found HERE.

Fabric: 22ct Hand-Dyed Purple Hardanger

Fibers:  Anchor 112

Embellished with handmade cording and tassel

 

Edited 2/23/2017: I researched to figure out where this freebie came from... The blog is called Nuestras Miniaturas. It was posted on December 29, 2010. The post can be seen HERE.

 

I put the fob together at the stitcher's GTG so Nancy, Mary, and Faith (as well as all the other attendees) got to see it in person.  I still want to make one for myself.  However, after making three fobs I need a break from making them for a while, lol.

I didn't think I'd be able to do it since I got started late... I finished the Autumn Mystery SAL!  Instead of the WDW called for in the chart, I subbed blended GAST Buttercrunch and Burnt Orange.  I also changed the ecru to white.  I created 3-D pumpkins with Rhodes stitches in DMC 640.

Autumn Mystery Sampler

Designer: By The Bay Needleart

Fabric: 28ct Mocha Linen

Fibers: DMC, GAST

Until next time,

Marvelous Monday Update 10/22/12

HOMESTEAD CRONICLES
There's been a whirlwind of activity at The Homestead. The past week involved pulling all the plants out of the garden and raking the leaves to the garden area. I then used the mower and mulched up the leaves. In the next few weeks, the leaves will be tilled into the garden.

A new dryer vent was intalled out one of the basement windows. New window well covers were installed. I talked to my "good" neighbor about not blowing snow into the window where the dryer vent was intalled. Guess what I found out? She hires the "backyard breeder" neighbor to clean her driveway! Great... Any bets on whether snow will be blown on that window?

I bought a roll of insulation to put into the perimeter of the rafters in the basement. Two hours later, the roll was used and only one wall was done! A job not finished... *sigh*

Menards (cue music... "Save Big Money at Menards") had a Price Pfister dual shower head on clearance. Since I had been debating getting a new shower head for over a year, I decided to go for it. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. Despite wrapping the joints with plumbers tape and following all the instructions, all 4 joints leaked! And leaked terribly. It was returned to the store, and I picked up a Waterpik head that didn't require tape or putty... just install and go. So far so good.

TREASURE HUNTING
While out killing time, I found a couple of "treasures" at a thrift store. First up is a vintage sewing box... only 89cents!

There was some kind of adhesive around the panels which leads me to believe someone stuck something over those areas. Why, I'm not sure since I like how they look. A bit of Goo Gone and I have an awesome sewing box.

The other thing I picked up was a complete Daydreams kit featuring a Cardinal. I couldn't believe it was only 54cents when these kits sell for over $10.

STITCHY STUFF
I've been a busy little beaver working on three different projects in the past week.  First up is the BTB Mystery Autumn SAL.  Here's Parts 1-2½:

I had planned on getting Part 3 finished, but I got sidetracked by an ornament I started... and finished. Can't show a pic since it's for the SNS2 Ornament Exchange.

Japanese Garden now has complete bamboo trees!

NEW PHOTO STORAGE SITE
For the past 5+ years, I've been using Multiply to host my photos. When I found out they will be doing away with the social media (i.e. photos and blogs) portion of their business, I scrambled to find a site host my photos. I've tried a LOT of different free sites: jalbum, flickr, photobucket, picassa, myalbum, photoape, flashmint, shutterfly, picturetrail, and on and on.

When I couldn't find a site that I liked, I started to use Webshots since I've had an account there since 2001 but never used it. After uploading about 12 albums worth of photos over the course of a month, I was notified that Webshots was becoming Smile and would be a paid service. Argh!! So, the search was on again.

There were either limits on the number of photos, the total size of all photos, no space for additional information (important to me because that's where I keep the details of my projects), no ability for actual photo albums, or the ability to change the names of photos, ability to rearrange, etc. I wasted spent a lot time signing up for accounts, uploading photos, and trying the sites out.

Enter Ipernity! They allow up to 200MB of photo/video uploads each month for free. I can upload photos into albums and rearrange them. I can also add notes to them. It's very similar to Multiply in that a user can have a network of friends, and people can leave comments to the photos. A user can also set up permissions for the photos limiting who can see what, who can "tag" or add notes. There is also a blog feature like in Multiply. I don't plan on using it so I can't comment on how well it works. The user's "homepage" can be customized and a "web ID" can be entered in order for people to find the albums easier. It's got a light background (unlike webshots). There are no ads like a lot of other photo hosting sites (ahem... Webshots, Shutterfly, etc). You can also upload music files to be connected to slide shows. I haven't used it too much yet, but so far I like what I've seen. My new albums are located HERE: www.meari.ipernity.com

Until next time,

TUSAL 10/15/12

I'm a few days late. Did anyone notice?

The Totally Useless SAL is coordinated by Daffycat.

This month, my ort pile features threads from:
• Japanese Garden
• Scissor Fob #4 (Can't show a pic yet)
• By the Bay SAL - Parts 1 and 2

Do I Love Thee, or Do I Not

The blogging prompt for blog hop #10 is:
  What’s your absolute least-favorite thread to work with?  
I would have to say it's Eterna silks. They are slippery and are similar to DMC's satin floss. When I kitted up JG, I bought Eterna mini-twist and HDF. Mini-twist is better than the other line they have, but had I known... I'd have used DMC for the solid colors.

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
Find the instructions on how to participate in this round by clicking here.


Until next time,