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Monday, March 18, 2024

Online Security - 3/19/24

March 19, 2024--Wow, have I been busy, but unfortunately not with needlepoint.  Recently my husband and I have become aware of the need to “lock down”, for security purposes, all of our online dealings, such as with email, financial, shopping and entertainment accounts.   This has entailed educating ourselves on the meaning and use of MFAs (Multi-Factor Authentications) that go beyond 2FAs (2 Factor Authentications where, in addition to using a password, a code is sent to your telephone via text to verify your identity).   


You can stop reading here if this subject is of no interest to you (and I wouldn’t blame you for that).

We felt secure with 2FAs, but not so much now that "sim swapping" has become very popular.  We understand that even if your mobile carrier requires a security code before they’ll work with you, or someone claiming to be you, there is no guarantee that a disgruntled employee of the company will not sell your data (and security code) to the highest bidder (and that’s already being done).  So now, as part of the MFA arsenal, are online authenticator “passkeys” which give you a code to verify who you are, but the code changes every 30 seconds or so and is not sent through a text, but through an authenticator app.  This means anyone who obtains access to your phone probably cannot move quickly enough to cause you any financial hurt. 

But I understand the very best thing for online security now is to use hardware passkeys like those made by Yubiko*.  The idea is to set up two passkeys (one to keep with you and one to keep in a safe in case you lose one).   The process is a bit involved, but supposedly worth it since your accounts cannot be hacked at all without your hardware passkey.  This last process in setting up the hardware passkeys is the one that's stressing me out the most.  We're also using biometrics (fingerprint and facial recognition) as often as possible.

Of course, the first line of defense against being hacked is to use a very long and complex 20+ character password that is different for every online account.   So, I purchased a password manager to help me keep track of it all and to generate those convoluted passwords.   This too took time (I love alliterations).

Lastly, we stamped the following phrase on our foreheads—thou shall never open phishing links from any source whatsoever (emails, texts, etc.).  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!   

If you’ve gotten to this point, congratulations!  And I feel your pain since you’ve probably gone through this too.  It has taken us some serious time to learn about, and set up, all the security measures--time I really wanted to spend needlepointing.  Oh well, and here’s the big sigh……


PS:  We haven't been hacked, thank God, but are aware of how sophisticated hackers have become in their attempts to bleed you dry, so we are taking preemptive steps to protect ourselves as much as possible.  And I hope my explanations are not too far off base.


*We have no financial affiliation with this company--just like their product.

Friday, March 15, 2024

2023 Year in Review - 1/2/24

 2023 Year in Review - 1/2/24

March 15, 2024--This is a duplicate posting of the Year in Review.  I accidentally deleted the original and am unable to recover it.  If you missed it the first time--enjoy.

January 2, 2024 - Happy New Year!!  

In 2023, I worked up more beaded items than needlepointed ones and loved doing them all.

I managed to complete the stitching of 9 needlepointed projects and 15 beaded ones. In September, I attended a stitching retreat hosted by Sandy Arthur of Duo Designs (designer and instructor extraordinaire) at Butler State Park in Carrollton, KY.  

Below are pictures from most recently stitched (December) to oldest (January).

Many have not yet been finished into ornaments, framed, etc.--I'm waiting to stitch all the projects in the collections before working them up into ornaments (e.g., Janet Zickler Casey's santa collection and Susan Portra's holiday ornament collection).

Also included in this list are the projects stitched in prior years that have been finished into pillows, ornaments, etc. in 2023.

Hope you enjoy looking at these pictures and walking down memory lane with me.  Click on the photo's caption to see more information about each project.





 

                                             




 


 


                                  Master Needlepointer Program of ANG - Stage 2

 



 


 


 


 


 


 



 


 



 


 


 


 



Beaded Bracelet Holiday Russian Spiral

 


 




Projects that were stitched in prior years, but "finished" in 2023:

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Saturday, March 9, 2024

Bracelet Beaded Filled Right Angle Weave - 3/9/24

March 9, 2024--Yesterday I took a class from Donna Baratta at the Rehoboth Beach Art League on how to work up a filled right angle weave bracelet.  She supplied everything we needed--beads, button for closure, thread, needles, lighting, scissors, bead mat, written instructions, etc.  Love this technique and we managed to get everything done in the time allotted (4 hours).  I now want to make this again, but two additional rows wider.  Here it is with silvery white seed beads and very shiny dark blue 4mm Czech fire polished crystals.  

Bracelet Beaded Filled Right Angle Weave Finished


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey - Updated 2/27/24

February 27, 2024--Picked up this gorgeous project from Michael's Arts & Crafts frame shop yesterday and I love how it turned out.  The photo doesn't show the beaded "bling" and how much sparkle there is.  

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Finished

December 5, 2023--Fini!  All that needed to be done with this month's lesson was to add black seed beads and gold bugle beads which added some dimension and sparkle to the piece.  

I'll wait until next month to take it to the framer--they have enough to worry about getting things done by Christmas.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 12 December


November 5, 2023--Well, that was easy.  All we had to work on this month was a Greek stitch around the edge and a square eyelet stitch in the corners.  Now for the really fun stuff next month.  Almost done.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 11 November

October 8, 2023--This month's lesson had us stitching a herringbone pattern in two colors of silver around the edges.   Almost done.  Two more months of stitching and bead work and it'll be ready for the framer.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 10 October

September 10, 2023--September's lesson, the 9th this year, is done and it looks like all the "empty" canvas areas are pretty much filled in.  I believe the borders will be next along with some beading.  Yay!

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 9 September

August 15, 2023--The stitching through the August lesson is done and it continues to be an enjoyable challenge.   Four more lessons.... looking forward to finishing this project and getting it framed.  I know exactly where I'm going to put it.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 8 August

July 10, 2023--This project is beginning to look very lacy.  Every month's installment is a challenge, but so enjoyable to see how it looks as it is worked up.  Here's the 7th installment for 2023.  Five more to go.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 7 July

June 10, 2023--The installment for June is done and the areas yet to be stitched are nicely defined.  I love how lacey it looks.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 6 June

May 4, 2023--Here is the addition of the May installment to ANG's Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project.   In future months, more will be added to the squares as well as to the project's edge.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 5 May

April 19, 2023--This beautiful ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project designed by Melita Glavin is now stitched through the April lesson and I'm loving the process.  There's lots more to do, but the lessons are distributed one month at a time, so I have to wait until next month for more.  This process actually makes the project very manageable and not so daunting when you have a year to complete it.

Here's Crescent Journey through the April lesson:

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 4 April

March 8, 2023--The March installment of ANG's Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project called Crescent Journey by Melita Glavin is now stitched and everything put away until the April instructions are published on the ANG website.   This is really a fun and challenging project so far.  Each section worked up adds to its beauty.  Here's a photo of what it looks like so far.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 3 March

February 14, 2023--Happy Valentine's Day!!!  This blog, however, isn't about hearts, but instead about the 2023 ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM).  So far, I've stitched both the January and February installments and below is a photo of the results to date.  

Whew--the center medallion was certainly a challenge, but a fun one and I can appreciate how much more beautiful it will look with the addition of beads.  Looking forward to the March instructions.

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 2 February Closeup

SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 2 February

January 5, 2023--I just completed the first month's lesson to this year's Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project designed by Melita Glavin and available for free to members of the American Needlepoint Guild (one of the wonderful benefits of membership).

This lesson focuses on stitching the outline on 18 count mono canvas, and I love the stitches used by the designer.  Instead of the usual gobelin or smyrna stitches, Melita chose Mosaic and Diagonal Knitting Stitches, and the results are very attractive.  I chose to work this up in the Neutral Colorway which incorporates golds, silvers, beiges and black (with some beads thrown in).


SOTM 2023 Crescent Journey Lesson 1


  1. Glad to hear you and see you got through the center area!

  1. Looking good. You are getting this done fast each month. Not too challenging for you?

    1. It's an excellent challenge and fun to stitch. Thanks.


  1. Definitely lacey. Glad you're enjoying it. Looks great. Melita