September (almost October) WIPocalypse Report

 Today's the day!  Today's the day!  The end of the world is getting closer and closer so we're all stitching our wee fingers to the bone to get as many WIPs finished or started before its over for us mere mortals.  So time to share what I've gotten done since the last full moon.

First of all the "Happy Dances"

Unknown Merry Christmas Freebie

There is also that exchange piece I've stitched but of course its still top secret!!!  Wow, I just went back through my blog... and that's it!  How pathetic is that?  Told you I've been busy!!!

Now onto my WIPs

The Accolade (not a HEAD) - last WIPocalypse report

The Accolade as of last night 

 Teresa Wentzler's Sun Dragon last worked on in January

As of September 28th, I've started working on this again

Cirque des Cercles from Ink Circles, a new start a stitch-a-long with my Tuesday Stitching Group

I'm hoping things are going to slow down for awhile now so I can make some real progress on my projects!  I've also got two top secret ornaments to stitch up.  I need to sit down go through some stash, magazines, and freebies to pick just the right ones!

PhotoHunt - Dodgy

This week's PhotoHunt theme is "Dodgy"

At first I didn't know what I was going to pick for this week's photo.  I mean dodgy is something not quite right isn't it?  Or I guess if someone was going to try to strike you, you could "dodge".  I did come up with this picture taken in July in Montreal.  If anything dodgy is going on these guys will know about it!

Ornaments and Stitching Musings

Oh my goodness fair readers, I'm impressed that quite a few of you are still hanging in with me here! I just realized I haven't posted a single stitching picture in almost 20 days!!!! I just feel like I've had so little to share with you... Stitching wise! This month has been so busy!

There was Kathy's Labour Day Stitching Weekend, school started, I saw Maddona in concert, spent time with friends, gone to the movies, and went out to support the Army Run! Tomorrow night I'm going to hear Beethoven's 5th at the NAC as my friend's backup date. Between all of this, I've been going to physiotherapy, chiropractor and I started back up at the gym. No wonder, I'm crashing hard when I get home and feel exhausted when i get up in the morning!

Besides a lack of stitching time, when I have sat down to stitch, and not promptly wanted to go to bed... I've had trouble settling on what to stitch. I've needed to get an ornament stitched up, I re-started the same one twice and just the other day trashed it. I finally stitched up this quickie.




Unknown ornament by unknown designer. Stitched on 28ct Antique White Jubilee using SNC Cerise Noir, NPI 358 and Mill Hill 00367. Excuse the not great iPhone picture.




I think lately I've done more planning than stitching. A lot of daydreaming about what I'm going to stitch next year!!! For sometime now, Christin and I have been talking about starting a new Teresa Wentzler. The challenge was which one? So after many chats we've finally settled on The Fortunate Traveller, which were going to start in May. Joining us with this SAL will be Beatrice and Bonnie.




Also every year myself and a number of my stitching friends have a SAL/new start on New Year's Day! Some years we have a designer themed SAL and others we all stitch the same design. The 2012 SAL was the Seasonal Mandalas from Ink Circles. The 2013 SAL is going to be Alessandra Adelaide's Leaf. For a change, it's going to be a smaller design.

Another SAL my mind is turning towards is the 2013 Crazy Challenge, that's 15 starts in the first 15 days of January! Yup, crazy! I haven't made any decisions yet, but I've started thinking about it. I've done very well with the challenge this year, I have just a few pieces left to complete, except for one... I started The Big Red just for the sake of having it started.

Next time I blog about stitching I'll share with you what's left to complete this year's Crazy Challenge. Also about a SAL I just started with my Tuesday Night Stitching group.

- thanks for reading!

2012 Army Run

A year ago, this same weekend I ran my first half marathon, the Army Run (read about it here).  I was registered to run again this year because I had such an amazing and positive experience last year.  Unfortunately life likes to throw curve balls.  I had to sell my bib for the 1/2 marathon, I've been in physiotherapy for my left foot since the end of July.  I was going weekly until my last visit this past Thursday, I've graduated to every two weeks!  I have two issues with my foot, Planter Fascitis (I've had this before, in my right foot) and something I've never heard of called Sinus Tarsis Syndrome.  One causes pain in my heel, the other on the top of the foot below the ankle.

Chateau Laurier

I never realized how lovely Ottawa can be early on a Sunday morning without all the hustle and bustle of the work week and the government workers invading!

Ottawa Congress Center

The Governor-General's Band

A nervous smile, pre-race jitters!

My good friend Marline was running the 5K today since I wasn't running I offered to play her "Race Day Bitch"... that means to play chauffeur, Sherpa, and coach!  The race started at 8am, because we had to get up at early o' dark I spent the night at Marline's we had a great time having dinner out with friends the night before race day.

Marline ready for the race!

The 5K begins!

The elite runners taking off, using the 5K as their 1/2 Marathon warm-up!

Marline after crossing the start line... GO MARLINE!

It was bittersweet being downtown today with the race atmosphere all around me!  I remember the nerves, the excitement and exhilaration from last year.  I was sad I wasn't taking part in it this year.  Watching all of this today has just motivated me to get my foot back to 100% and run next year!

Loved this couple's leiderhosen (sp?) outfits!

Marline at about the 2K mark... her music must of been loud she couldn't hear me cheer!

What's more amazing than the 18,000 people running either the 5K or the 1/2 Marathon were the injured soldiers also participating in both events.  It takes an awful lot to make me cry, wow watching these amazing soldiers walking or running either 5K or the 1/2 Marathon just blew me away!  Everywhere they went, they were greeted with cheers and applause.

 5K - Many of the injured soldiers were surrounded by family and friends

 5K

 1/2 Marathon

1/2 Marathon 

1/2 Marathon

5K

I've got a lot of pictures so be patient!  It was hard to narrow it down to just a few!!

5K - The oldest couple participating this weekend!  So awesome!!!

 5K - A great pace bunny shot!

 I LOVED these messages written on the pavement!

 1/2 Marathon coming down to the final 5K

  Marline watching for her friend to cross the start line (we never spotted him)

My buddy Mark (in red & waving) crossing the start line.  Last year he ran in the last few KMs with me last year AFTER completing the 1/2 marathon

 Marline's friend we were keeping a close eye out for him in the 1/2 Marathon!  Great thumbs up!

 Loved this!

 1/2 Marathon... if this was a dare I hope what he got out of it was worth it!!!

 5K

PhotoHunt - Escape

This week's PhotoHunt theme is "Escape".  So I said last week that I don't normally go for the obvious pictures for my hunts.  Well I couldn't help myself but go for the obvious this time!

This is the beach we visit when we go to the Dominican Republic for our DR Experience each year.  For me this beach screams escape from the real world!

Goals and TUSAL

OMG I am so remiss in my blogging commitments lately!  Since I had posted my IHSW entry yesterday I figured I could do my TUSAL post today.  I realized I also haven't talked about my September stitching goals!

First off, lets get those goals out of the way, since I usually do that on the 1st of the month!

August Goal Recap
Stitch One Ornament - Yup
Finish Summer Mandala - Done
Work on Fall Mandala (maybe finish it?) - Not Quite
Work on The Accolade - Yup

September Goals
Stitch One Ornament
Finish Seasonal Mandalas
Stitch Autumn Exchange
Work on The Accolade
Start Cirque des Cercles
Work on Crazy Challenge Pieces

Here's my TUSAL for this month!  I had Zeus help me out with the modelling, those lovely oranges and browns you see on top are for my Autumn exchange piece.

IHSW

Its the IHSW I hope all of you stitchers out there have done a better job at Hermitting than I have!  Friday night I went out dress shopping with friends... we were helping Tracey find a formal dress for her SIL's upcoming wedding.  Saturday I couldn't sleep in!  So I made cookies, I made a big salad, went to the gym and spent the rest of the day with friends.  I got home and fell into bed!  See, a total lack of hermitting on my part!

The crab - the official mascot of the IHSW!

So today is Sunday and I plan to hermit!  There might also be a nap in my future, I wouldn't be surprised.  However I have no stitching to show you, because I'm working on a fall personal exchange piece for Angela of the blog Hooked on Stitches, she could use some hugs right now so please go and send her one!

Sorry there is no stitching to show!

PhotoHunt - Hairy

This week's theme (and yes I have the right one) is "hairy".  As you know by now I don't quite usually go for the obvious pictures.

This is a "hairy" situation to be in!  What do you do when someone grabs your hair????  I took this a few weeks ago during my dojang's annual outdoor training and BBQ.

MDNA Rocked Ottawa

I've been looking forward to last night for some time now... back in the spring Tracey, my Mum and I got tickets to see the legendary: Madonna on her MDNA tour!  A week and a half prior to the show, my Mum let us know she still didn't feel up to going to a concert so we got in touch with Marline and offered her our spare ticket (we knew selling a Madonna ticket wouldn't be hard)... I think we made her YEAR with the ticket offer!

Me, Trace and Marline getting excited about the show!

The three of us got together after work and went out for a lovely dinner to one of my favorite establishments, The Glen.  A fantastic Scottish Pub that my family has been going to since we moved into the area in 1991!  Good company, good food, and a pint was a great way to get warmed up for Madonna!

Doors opened at 7 and we were there just in time to get let in with the rest of the crowd!  Then of course we HAD to buy t-shirts!

While waiting for the opening act, Tracey couldn't resist the blue cotton candy.  Well Marline and I couldn't resist being a little childish!

Despite the tickets saying that the show started at 8, the opening act, a DJ - Paul Oakenfold didn't hit the stage until about 8:30.  He played for over an hour.  I honestly think a lot of his stuff was pre-mixed cause he didn't work the tables too hard, and you couldn't see the tables which is part of the fun with a DJ right?

There was more patience on the audience's part as we waited and waited and waited for Madonna to finally hit the stage!  She didn't put in an appearance until after 10:20!  Of course once she did hit the stage she had our complete attention!

The show was an amazing, once in a life time show!  I have to say that Madonna certainly knows how to put together, and put on a show!  The stage and sets were massive!  The lights and video, perfect, and the dancers, choreography and costumes sublime!

It truly is amazing how this woman whose in her 50's can go, go, go, dancing, being thrown around, singing at the same time with constant costume changes!  I doubt even a person half her age could keep up!  Kudos Madonna.

With the show starting so late that means we didn't get out of Scotiabank Place until about 12:30, then to get out of the parking.... well with a sold out crowd that took some time!  They certainly love to direct you in, but to get out you're SOL and on your own!  I didn't get home and get into bed until after 1:30 am and I get up at 6am.  So today, I ran on 4 hours sleep!  Oh my!

I don't regret going, I just feel like Madonna completely disrespects her ticket buying (did I mention expensive?) fans when the show is an 8PM start and she doesn't hit the stage until two hours later than stated.  We are the ones that make you a superstar, get you to the top of the charts and pretty much pay your salary and you can't be on time?  This is not the first time I've experienced an artist taking their sweet time getting on stage, if you've ever got tickets for Guns n' Roses/ Axl Rose... be prepared to wait for a LONG time!

 Its sad to say... but I don't have any more concerts lined up at the moment.