You all shame me

with the number of posts you've managed lately.  I'm short on blog material yet when I log in to my reader, I'm amazed at how productive everyone else is. 

Soon.  I know I've used that word quite a bit.  But, when it rains it pours.  First, the quilt I took to be quilted 2 weeks ago was done in 3 days.  Amazing.  I went to get it yesterday.  My friend Robin and I turned yesterday into a shop hop day.  200+ miles and 4 shops later I feel like someone needs to lock me in the basement (where my sewing room is) and only let me out to go buy more thread.  I have plenty to work on this fall and winter.  BUT, THEN it gets better.  When I got home yesterday I had a message that the framing I dropped off on Monday was finished!  Wow.  Must be nobody else is finishing anything right now so I get to reap the benefits by having my things done with virtually no waiting.  Go figure.  I will ask my husband if he can swing by the frame shop in the next couple days and once I stitch the binding on the quilt I'll show you.

In the mean time... I couldn't resist poking fun at this magazine picture. It's from the September issue of Country Sampler.  Don't get me wrong.... I love this magazine...never miss an issue but, clearly, whoever created this decorating 'tip' doesn't cross stitch. 

 Can't see that, right?  Take a closer look. 

 The tip in the tip box suggests that with a few stitches in each corner, tack embroidery samplers to plain chair pads for a homespun graphic appeal.  WHAT?  You're going to let people sit on these?  I am speechless.  Where do I begin with how very, very wrong this is?  Useful if you don't ever want anyone sitting at your dining table, perhaps.  Any thoughts? 

As for the framing...here is what didn't make it into this latest batch.  Darn.  I wanted this done by the end of July.  Now I feel like I'll be lucky if it's done by Christmas.  Such a slow stitch for me.  Please excuse the wrinkles.  I pressed it but didn't go all crazy with the spritz and steam. 

 And finally, because the Internet is a wealth of information and the casual blogger is no exception, I'll include this little story. Our kitty got a manicure.  They're hard to see, I know, but they're Soft Paws on her hind claws.  Thank heavens someone blogged about them a few years ago.  I seriously didn't know what we were going to do about her scratching.  Without going into all the gory details, she wouldn't stop scratching a couple sore spots.  I was having anxiety attacks of my own thinking about hauling her back to the vet for the 3rd time in as many weeks when I suddenly remembered someone posting about these.  Well, let me tell you, they have saved all of us.  Our local pet store had them and she actually let us put them on.  Phew.  I wanted one of the cute colors but the store only had clear.  A color would be easier to see so I'd know if one fell off, but so far, they're working like a charm.  In another week she should be healed and, if they stay on that long, I won't have to reapply them when they do finally fall off. 

Now, back to the housework.