Enough, Heatmeiser.

Ok.  It's hot.  I love summer because of the hot weather, but this past week has just been stupid hot.  One of the guys I work with told me there are two designators for how hot it is: Africa Hot, which is for anything 92-98 degrees (but isn't the majority of Africa hotter than that??  Just sayin'...); and Surface of the Sun Hot, which is for anything above 98 degrees.  I told him this was boring, and we need better descriptive words for how hot it's been, and I decided either Liquid Hot Magma or The 9th Circle of Hell.  They seem to be better at giving you a visual as to how hot it's been on the East Coast...and pretty much all over the country this past week.  I'll let you know if he approves of my new terms, because I think they're way better than his.  But, I may be slightly biased.....

On days like this past week (with the exception of Friday, which was just so hot it actually put me into what I'm referring to as a Heat Coma -- I couldn't move off the couch, even though my AC was on cooling down the 1st floor, so I just stared at the tv.  It was even too hot to turn a page in a book or hit the button on my nook.), there is little to do other than stay inside where it's cool and stitch!!

I've been working on a few things -- my Country Cottage project is coming along nicely, but I had to put it in time-out for a bit, since I have to rip out one of the chairs -- it's too narrow.  I'm a square too short.  (sigh)  So, I picked up my Cricket Collection "16 Men" again, and have been feverishly working on finishing that one.  It's going great, and I'm SO pleased so far with the color changes I've made.  Most of the major changes I made to fiber color won't come into play until I get down to the actual ship, but so far, so good!!  Love that moon and the skull flag!!  LOVE.

I also did a bit of work on my Cricket Collection "Spring".  I made a major fiber color change in this one, too.  The "P" is supposed to be a light yellow, but up against the Buttercream Silkweaver fabric, it was too light.  So, I opted for a light orangy-pinky-salmony-color instead, and I think it turned out faboo!

I bought some great fabric for my Little House "Stitch in Thyme" piece that I'll be turning into a needlebook, but I realized I'm lacking brown thread, so I'll have to hit up Joann's this week so I can get cracking on that project.  So many things to do, so little time.

I also, shockingly enough, decided to do a little gluten-free baking last night.  I know, I know, with Liquid Hot Magma temperatures out there, who could think of turning on an oven??  Well, I saw this recipe over at Blacksheep Bakes, and was inspired to make it gluten free!!  I underestimated how much more of the sour cream I'd need in the recipe, so it came out very crumbly, but very good nonetheless.  I'm sure it would be bangin' on vanilla ice cream!!!!  I plan on perfecting this adaptation, and once I do, I'll post pictures and my changes.  I've also adapted it to be refined-sugar free, too!  Keep an eye out!  I promise to post the changes asap!

That's all I have for this blistering hot weekend!  I wish I had more to post, but this week went by so quickly, and the heat made me drag every day.  I bought some nifty stuff for scrapbooking and papercrafting at Michael's this weekend (I had some great coups!), and I have some cool ideas that I hope I can get to before 2015.  I have one specific project involving a travel coffee mug that I hope to finish and share with you all before the fall arrives!!

Stay cool and do something creative!!!

I have a slight problem...

Good morning, everyone.  My name is Jacki, and I have a problem.  Welcome to Obsessive Compulsive Stitchers Anonymous.  The first step is admitting you have a problem, and boy, do I ever.

I can never seem to be satisfied with working on just one thing.  No, siree.  Apparently, it's necessary in my house to have 3-4 projects going at the same time.  Why?  For no other reason than I see something in my stash that I have to do, and so I put down whatever I'm doing, and run and get the supplies and cut the fabric for this new thing that I need to be working on.  Now.  Right this minute.  It can't wait any longer.  I have an obsessive compulsive urge to start everything in my stash...

What's my newest OCD project??  It's Country Cottage Needleworks "Simply Vintage".

I hope you can see these pictures ok.  I must've changed some crazy setting on my camera without knowing it, because I've been having a tough time getting my pictures to come out right.

Anyhooter.  This is that lovely Antique Almond fabric by Silkweaver that I used for the Plum Street Samplers freebie a couple months ago.  I picked a section of the sheet (yes, sheet.  I have so much of this fabric, it's unreal) that wasn't quite as dark as the rest, since the DMC colors in this pattern are lighter in color.  This is 40 count, so it will make a nice little addition to one of the rooms, or even the hallway, on my second floor.  I may even put it on the walls on the staircase.  Who knows!  I'll have to see what happens once I finish it and get it framed.

That's all I have for today everyone.  I hope to get some stitching done on "16 Men" this weekend, but we'll see how far I actually get.  I'm seeing Harry Potter on Sunday, and I CANNOT WAIT.  I may actually have to lock myself in the living room and read the book before going so I can remember all the details.  It's been 2 years since the book came out...so my memory is slightly hazy about every little detail.

Enjoy your weekend!  It's supposed to be gorgeous!