Tiny Trinkets

Back in February I talked about a project that I had finished stitching but as I hadn't finished it, I could not claim it as a finished UFO. "Tiny Trinkets" (http://2busyhands.blogspot.com/2012/02/tiny-trinkets.html) was an online project of CyberPointers, an Yahoo group that I belong to. This project finally spoke to me in the form of a wonderful gift for Mother's Day. Truly a garden for a gardener!

 I quilted the inner borders and made it puffy with batting.

I finished it up and sent it on it's way to arrive in Canada while we were on the road. What a hassle - now the shipping company has to have Power of Attorney to take things like that across the frontier into Canada. What a hoot! But it arrived safely, without duty, and now holds the place of honor on the TV in the living room for all to see, enjoy and comment on.

The Saga of Cleopatra's Cat

In 2010 while in Panama, I came across a wonderful needlework project called Cleopatra’s Cat.  Tracking it down, I was informed that it actually was an American Needlewrk Guild’s (ANG’s) class and I would be able to get it through my local chapter ad a group project. Wel, as I was currently in Panama without a local guild I wrote to my online chapter. Yes it would be offered but not this year. Keep watching for it and no, the pattern can not be bought outright nor shared .

So I enjoyed the online chapter, joined in a coupe of other project events and then, word started to pop up now and then about a possible upcoming class. I wrote, I begged, I waited … finally it came up for late 2011. I immediately put my name down for it. Again I waited, I wrote, I waited, I wrote … finally it became apparent that due to internal issues, yes it is offered; yes, you are signed up; you shold get notification in January 2012.

By this time I am in Colombia, again waiting. January came on, no notification but a new Yahoo group is originated. Joined in as soon as I got the notice. Finally a bill comes through which is promptly paid. At this time I moved back to the USA and changed all my addresses so as to continue to receive the magazine and any ordered items. I wait … then low and behold, the class is to start in June and the instruction booklets should be mailed out shortly. I won’t be in the US due to holidays at the start time but it will all be there when I get back in. I have ordered the supplies and have them so just need the instructions.

Off I go to Europe, enjoying my holidays and reading the postings of the various people in the group receiving their packets. Oh boy, I can hardly contain myself with impatience.

Upon our arrival back in the US the last week of June, I coerce and cajole my DH into going immediately to pick up the mail. Bear in mind, that was a 4-hour drive each way. Needless to say he was non too happy about it “why don’t you just have them mail all the mail out?” “But that will take 4-5 days! So he gives in and off we go. Happily we retrieve the 6 weeks of mail and I literally paw through it looking for my instruction packet. IT’S NOT THERE!

When we get back, I write to the coordinator asking to where she sent it, hopefully to Livingston. A couple of days later, an email comes in, No, it was sent to your Miami address. Shocked and whining I return with “but that was closed in February. I don’t get any mail nor have any way of getting mail for that box. And probably it as been reassigned by now to someone else.” Not getting any where either a new booklet nor the authorization for a copy to be made, I pout and my mind goes ballistic.

Finally I look online. A couple of days of trying to access my old account – nada. Next I try and send an email – no account, no email allowed. Then I try for the chat – not available. Now we are talking days have gone by. Aaah let’s try a phone call to Miami. No I have to call Panama and here is the number. So I call Panama’s office and “there is another person now using that box and we have no idea if they received your packet. We don’t look at the names, only the box number.”  “Ok, so if I send you a note for these people, will you send it on to them for me without charging a delivery fee?” Nope, I have to pay the delivery fee but they will do as I request. She readily gives me her name to send the note to. So I write it and mail it off. I ask if they have it, and if they still have it can they please send it back to me in the US by FEDEX. I will pay the fees for this as I can get them from the office person in Panama City. Off goes the letter. I wait and wait and wait – finally a “yes, we have it and will send it back.” The person in Panama City says, “if they will bring it in, I will find out all the fees and costs, email you the amount, you can pay by credit card and then I will send it out per your requested mode.” Ok, a done deal! Again I wait and I wait, and I wait. Ah finally an amount is emailed and I call to pay by credit card.

I can see the end is in sight. But wait, they still have to bring it in to the city. Ok I can go with that!

And today, August 22, I pick up my mail, and YES there it is!   the instruction packet – WOW it is huge.

 my colorway and supplies

 the choices for the Christmas Cat on the opposite side of Cleopatra.

YEAH now I can get started!

Back in the USA but ...

Back in the USA but ... what have I been doing? I sure haven't been blogging like I should.

Quilting in the RV requires an awful lot of prep work - get out from underneath, unpack, set up table, take up 2/3 of the front of the coach, find tools & fabric, plan, cut, sew, ripit, and when DH comes home, repeat process backwards as there needs to be space. Oh well, "c'est la vie!" as the saying goes. This is my sewing space when I do get it all out!
 fabric and projects found on passenger seat.
.... and this is my ironing board.


I am managing however, through all the trial and tribulations to get a project done that I will describe in the next posting. Think, hot summer days, picnics, lakes, icy cold food items, and infestations ...

Then there is my needlework ... it sits patiently by the la-z-boy waiting for me to sit and stitch in the evening or whenever DH is around. I am alternating between 3 projects at the moment, having finished up one small project. This small project however is waiting to be put into a quilt. So it still qualifies as an UFO...


The main piece of needlework I am working on is a Christmas gift for a dear friend (DF) who also reads this blog so I do not want to divulge any info. Suffice it to say I hope to have it finished by next week so that I can get it in to the finishers.

Then there is a piece of cross-stitch that is kind of cute. It will also be a Christmas gift once I complete a quilt to accompany it. Here again, I find that I don't have a photo of the project. Home I will go later today and take one. The stitching will make the pillow and the lap quilt will be of the same theme - patchwork Santa..... Later:

The last one is a tablecloth that I occasionally work on when I am bored with everything else. This is, as previously described, a whimsical Christmas motif that is very cute, but there is a lot of work. Who ever heard of Rudolf have purple hooves and Santa ice skating. But it will look absolutely wonderful on our little dining table. Might even have to make napkins and a breadbasket cloth to match, when I get it finished. It surely won't be this year!


By the time that I finish my DF's gift and get it sent off, I hope to have the instruction booklet for a project that I have wanted to do for about two years now called "Cleopatra's Cat". I have all the supplies, just waiting for the booklet which should be on it's way now, coming from Panama. It was sent there inadvertently and I have had a h*^@ of a time getting it back.

I am going to make a reversible one - one in blues and then one in Christmas colors. Naturally, the stitching will be done as mirror images for finishing.

As Always, my mind continues to roil as I think of all the things that I would like to accomplish. But the main thing that I have learned lately is that I don't take enough photos of my projects as I go along in order to do a proper blog. Something that I am going to have to change and improve upon.