Saturday, March 27, 2021

A Rose By Any Other Name....

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet...."


...so said Juliet to Romeo, suggesting that it mattered not that his last name was Montague and he was from her family's rival house.

In other words, things are what they are, no matter what name you give them.  And no truer thing could ever be said about Woodrose floss from The Gentle Art:  It is what is no matter that it is called Woodrose...  No matter that one Woodrose is entirely different in tone and color from another Woodrose.  (Come to think of it, that is very true of families too....)

I love overdyed flosses for the variegation they have. I hate them for the same reason.  There is just too MUCH variation in the variegation.

I am still in that equivocal place of uncertainty as I have been for some time regarding my next "project," so thought I would once again "fill in" with a quick (ha!) stitch while I decide where I go next.  Besides, I needed a bunny fix.
So I started a little design called "imagine*dream*believe" by Artful Offerings.
It came kitted, but since I (relatively recently) organized my stitching and knew from my journal that I already had the Woodrose floss called for, I thought it wise to use what was started rather than start on a new skein.

After stitching several of the numbers in the pattern, I began have to have throwbacks to the mauve-y pinks and colonial/baby blues of the '80s.  
Not a good thing...so I went back and compared the Woodrose that I had and was using with the Woodrose that came in the kit.  Whoa....2 very different colors: the one I had a very pale pink, the kitted one a definite tangerine orange.


I was already not overly thrilled with the "baby blue" involved, but the pink threw me over the edge, and out it came.  Here you can see (at least a little...it was more dramatic in person) that 0, 1, and 2 are done in the "pink" Woodrose, while the 3 and 4 are done in the tangerine Woodrose:


I had actually already stitched through "5" before acknowledging I wasn't "thrilled," but happily frogged and re-stitched, grateful that I had not settled for the PINK Woodrose.

So grateful, in fact, that I stitched all the numbers AND the verbiage at the top of the design...only to become dissatisfied with the actual "variegation" (or, more precisely, the lack thereof) of the tangerine Woodrose.
(It's not easy being me....)


And, yes, I tempted fate a by going to the LNS: Most Woodroses they had were not only of the "orange" variety, but also more variegated...and less "in-your-face-plain-carrot-orange."

So....out it all came...
....and in went the perfect Woodrose (or maybe not....):
(The "8" and "9" still need to be redone....or maybe not.)

And then I saw it: I totally messed up the border.  The inner 5 vertical rows were supposed to be two rows light, 1 row dark, 2 rows light.  I did 2 rows dark, 1 row light, 2 rows dark.  
Seriously?
It was meant to mimic ticking - my version looks decidedly less like ticking, but I am not certain I have the wherewithal to actually redo it all.
  I think I am over that bunny thing.
I just may coax the Beast out of that dark closet.
Or maybe not.

In other news:  

I have spent the better part of the week at the vet.  This one had a blockage and we spent 6+ hours (and a great deal of money) at the emergency vet:
(Rajah Roo)

This one developed an upper respiratory infection from who-knows-where:
(Liza Bean)

And this one's chronic bronchitis (??) is back and his arthritis is worsening:
(SnowDog)

I have pills, liquid orals and injections...some need refrigeration, some are light sensitive.  I sure hope I keep all this straight.


Easter/spring decorating was sidelined.  I did not even put out my antique German bunny candy containers.  Little carrots and a lone needle felted bunny will be it it looks like.



Maybe next year.  Maybe not.

**********

As an unhappy side note, "Buddy" (from a few posts back about my technology issues) suffered an aneurysm and brain bleed.  They are thinking they will be taking him off life support soon.  😢  Prayers for him would be sincerely appreciated.  All sarcasm aside, he has a beautiful heart.


20 comments:

acorn hollow said...

So sad about the health issues of Buddy.
You are having quite a time of things. Your poor pets all at once. I have tried the cross stitch kit I had and I have pulled out more than I have put in I am thinking it needs to go away far far away
Cathy

Saundra said...

Sorry to hear about Buddy as well. And oh my but the cost of health care for pets it outrageous. But they are like family and we care for the just like family.
OMG, that bed for Rajah!!!!!!! And what kind of bed does poor Liza bean sleep on huh? She's my kinda gal look at her stretching her stuff and not pretentious at all. Poor Snow dog, I can totally relate to the arthritis.
No way I'll ever do a cross-stitch as there is just too much tiny detail and if one damn stitch is messed up I'd want to trash it. Thanks but will stick to my Hartman hook and wide cut wool.

Julia said...

Sorry about Buddy's misfortune. Life is fragile.

Poor pets and poor you, to have to treat them all by yourself. I hope your pets are easy to handle to give them the medicine and that they will be better quickly...
My daughter was a natural at giving cats their meds. We call her "The Kitty Tamer".

Your Bunny cross stitch is lovely.
Enjoy the weekend. Hugs,

Julia

Julia said...

My daughter is still a Kitty Tamer. lol.
Julia

Olde Dame Holly said...

So sad about Buddy. It may be he was already having trouble from pressure on his brain when he wasn't doing a good job on your tech issues. How sad, how sad. I will pray for him. I think your bunny stitching is just beautiful as is, regardless of the dark-light ticking stripes reversal. Or the numerals. It's that huge brain of yours looming over the artistic mind! Poor Artistic Mind ducks down and lets Analytical Mind have its persnickety way, and mean ol' Analytical Mind demands "Frog, frog, frog!" I am glad Artistic Mind did get its way on the pink/blue combo. Definitely ixnay on the inkpay. P.S. Love felted bun-bun decoration.

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

I share your concerns with the overdyes. I hate a love/hate relationship with them (and heaven forbid if you run out of a color before the project is finished). You are a good Momma to care for your fur babies. Prayers for Budd--I think we all need them.

WoolenSails said...

I love your stitchery and the floss. you used, makes me want to do more cross stitch pieces.
I am sorry to hear about your pets, it is hard when they get older, I have one with diabetes and one who throws up everyday, but she is healthy, so with her it is more a matter of daily cleaning and buying new rugs.

Debbie

Jennie in GA said...

So sorry about your friend Buddy. Very sad and yet another reminder that life is short. The Woodrose saga is a bit crazy. How do.you settle on one. Maybe time out till next Easter, though you made a nice start. Hoping all of your fur babies are on the mend!

Jan Hebert said...

So sorry to hear about Buddy, and all of your furry friends having a rough time. Odd that we are experiencing the same types of things here on the East coast. My brother is in the midst of a brain bleed and already had several strokes. Apparently his bleed isn't life threatening so his next appointment is a zoom meeting, seriously? I can't believe something so complex will be addressed in a zoom meeting...my sister, who has COPD just fell and broke her right wrist...and my poor little dog is being treated for a mass on his spleen. So we know all about the meds and now we're learning how to entice a dog to eat. Sigh...On another note, I love how your cross stitch is coming out! I am not good at cross stitch but I do love rug hooking and your newest finish is beautiful. I've never done one of Edyth's rugs. Maybe some day. Stay safe there in Nod. Jan in MA

Jean Bee said...

I am so sorry to hear about Buddy. So sad.
Here's a tip,p for making your own variegated floss. If you put a hank of DMC floss..don't unwind it...into coffee or walnut crystal dye & let soak through then take it out & let dry..still in the bundle. Once dry unwind & you will have beautiful variegated floss. I imagine you could do the same with any you may have in a ball too.

Shrimpton and Perfect said...

Gosh, you've had a troubled time, one way and another. Your heart strings have been well and truly pulled. Thinking of you.
Jean
xx

Rugs and Pugs said...

Prayers for Buddy and his family.
I stitch so little and have used overdyed floss only a couple of times but your saga makes me not want to try!
Poor furbabies. I hope they are on the mend.

susan hemann said...

I'm so sorry you had such a rough week! Understandable that decorating took a back seat.
I didn't have a rough week and my decorations are still in the garage in a box. Just not feeling it this year. Didn't feel Valentine's Day either. Off to a great start.
Residual 2020?
I think so.

NMK said...

Prayers for Buddy , so very sad ....
And all your fur babies ! Hope they feel better soon ....they are so special to us .
I Love your cross stitch Bunny ....I would just tea dye the heck out of it , think the border looks great !
Take care and hope April will be kinder to you and your fur babies ....

Prims By The Water said...

Oh no so sorry to hear about Buddy. Prayers sent. Another oh oh for your fur babies. We spent thousands once on our kitty Ace...but I believe now it was the vet just soaking s to the cleaners...because once Bob said no more, they could find nothing else wrong. It was one of those 24 hr emergency vets. Will NEVER go there again. I love your bunny. Not a fan of mauves myself. Reminds me of the 80's which I was a pat of. Even had the mauve and blue toilet paper. YIKES! Janice

yaya said...

So sorry about Buddy and will send up prayers for him. I'm also sorry about your furbabies and their health issues! Prayers for them too! Those vet bills can really cost! I hope this is a better week!

Ronda Tedder said...

I feel your frustration with thread variegations, we like consistency, those '80's cross stitching colors are not where we are today, for sure.

I am so sorry to hear about Buddy, may he be at peace, and rest graciously.

Ronda Tedder said...

Wishing your fur babies all healing and wellness.

Farm Girl said...

I am so sorry, what a hard month for you and your friends and family.
I will pray for Buddy. I am so sorry about that.
I hope everything in your home resumes to normal.
I wish you a lovely spring. I love your stitching, Woodrose regular or orange.
I had noticed that when I was stitching the other day. The old Woodrose was pink.
I have it in my stash as pink and some I bought recently is more peachy than pink.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Dicky Bird said...

Oh I'm sorry to hear about your neighbor. I was thinking on this just this week. With the thunderstorms earlier this week, we lost our internet for the whole week....Frontier in the country....

I like all the stages....it looked good to me....ahahah