Happy June! Happy Summer! Happy Pride Month!
Welcome back to my blog. If you are new here – Welcome! If you are a subscriber here, you have a sneak peak into the content of my weekly Floss Tube videos which are also posted on my site.
I hope all is well. The weather in Los Angeles is gorgeous but May Grey has turned into June Gloom. What is June gloom you ask? This leads to my first meteorology lesson for the Blog. The combination of the marine layer caused by a temperature inversion and the formation of stratus clouds leads to an overcast sky that occurs much of last spring and summer. Some other names that you may hear are: May Grey, June Gloom, No-sky July, and Fogust. The marine layer (temperature inversion) forms when cool water interacts with a warm air mass. The surface air cools, becomes denser than the air above it and gets trapped under it. During a heavy June Gloom season, stratus clouds form in addition to the marine layer and persist throughout the day. Sometimes the sun is able to burn off the stratus clouds resulting in a sunny afternoon. Other days, they persist all day. My husband would be so proud that I am putting my Master’s degree to good use. Anyway, the Southern California days are still beautiful and beat the east coast humidity any day of the week.
Now that we have climbed out of that rabbit hole, I will move on to my next announcement. I have a fully finished object (FFO)!!! If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you already know that I picked up Ancient Hawaiian Petroglyphs from the framers. It turned out better than I imagined and I am thrilled to have it as my first design. The finished pictures is below. I also fully finished Comfort Lighthouse by Carriage House Samplings but I will save those pictures until after Stitch-Con since I stitched it specifically for a gift exchange.
Works in Progress (WIPs)
I have been monogamously stitching Cats on Parade from Blackbird Designs. My husband specifically requested this pattern after seeing Gary from GaRon Stitchery show it during the Sunshine Stitchers Floss Tube video. I am stitching it on 36ct Fiber on a Whim Pumpkin, two strands of floss over two threads of linen and plan to finish it as drum. It is coming along. Here is the latest picture.
Announcement #1
This brings me to a few announcements. In Floss Tube video 5, my niece, who will someday be a movie star, decided that we were going to hold a giveaway of a beaded bracelet if we reached 20 subscribers. Yes, she came up with this on her own. She also stole the show and embarrassed my sister but that is a story for a different day. If you want a good laugh, I encourage you to watch and subscribe. Anyway, my sister, Angie, and I plan to honor her giveaway so look forward to this in my next few floss tube video. We are at 18 subscribers right now with only two more to go. I can’t wait for Portia to make another appearance but honestly, she will need her own time slot.
Announcement #2
June 1 is Pride Month. During this month, the LGBTQIA communities celebrate the freedom to be themselves as they struggle to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are. For the entire month of June, I have discounted one of my designs 50%. Abstract Hawaiian Rainbow is on sale for just $5. The cross stitch pattern is 251 X 235 stitches with 76 colors. On 18 ct Aida, the image is 13.9 X 13.1 inches. I hope you enjoy stitching this pattern as much as I do.
Announcement #3
My final announcement of the week involves a new initiative to boost my charitable donations throughout the year. Each month, I will select a different charitable organization and donate a portion of all of my sales from my website and Etsy as well as Buy Me A Coffee donations to that organization.
For the month of June, I am selecting the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund. I am an active duty member of the U.S. Coast Guard and have been a part of the Coast Guard for over 26 years. The CGMA is close to my heart and has assistance many Coast Guard members since 1924. More recently, in 2019, during and following the Government Shutdown, CGMA provided assistance and/or counseling to 1 in 5 active duty members, 1 in 7 civilian employees, and 1 in 32 Reserve members. During the 2017 and 2018 hurricane seasons, CGMA provided $3.5 million in assistance, with 65% of the interest-free loans converted to grants. On a daily basis, CGMA provides emergency, educational, medical, and housing assistance to U.S. Coast Guard employees. Additionally, CGMA provides adoption assistance programs, childcare reimbursement programs, breast milk shipping program, and general assistance to members during unexpected events. CGMA’s vision statement:
“As a recognized leader in promoting financial stability for its clients/customers, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance will seek to empower the Coast Guard family in meeting future financial challenges. Through partnerships with other assistance providers, we will deliver innovative financial assistance in response to emerging Coast Guard family needs. CGMA will ensure that we are always ready, and always there as a critical safety net in times of financial need and will truly look after our own.”
As we look back on Memorial Day, lets give thanks to the Service members that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Please consider purchasing a pattern, donating to my Buy Me a Coffee site, or give directly to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. Again, a portion of the sales and donations to my site will go to CGMA for the month of June.
I think that is it for this week. Please subscribe to my You Tube Channel for the latest and greatest on all things cross stitching, beading, and life.
