SAL Progress : Week 5, May Recap : June Goals

Well to keep myself on schedule (since it go so out of wack last week) I worked on Celtic Band Sampler again last night, once I get the current band finished I'll be done page 1 of 3 (and a wee bit on a 4th). I had a small attack of the froggies. Always seems to happen when I'm working with green floss. There must be some connection. I know why I made the mistake too. The band I'm working on, on the chart the last row goes onto the second page, there's no overlap so I put one stitch in the wrong place because I didn't line up the two pages properly. Rip-it, Rip-it. Anyhow I got all of the 500 stitched in this band now onto another shade of green next time I pick this up.



May Recap :

Finish bottom left page of Noah's Sub - YES!
Stitch 2 bands on Celtic Band Sampler - Got 4 done started the 5th
Stitch 1 ornament - YES!
Stitch 1 Wee Beastie - Nope, never even looked at them.
Stitch 1 Freebie - YES!
Stitch during the DD SAL - YES!

June Goals :

Finish 1 page on Noah's Sub
Stitch 2 Bands on Celtic Band Sampler
Stitch 1 ornament
Stitch 1 Wee Beastie
Stitch 1 Freebie
Stitch during the DD SAL
Finish Mini Mystery i

I don't think I'll get to stitch much tonight, I have my first soccer game.

Finally A SAL Progress Picture!

We're now going into our 5th week of the Celtic Band Sampler SAL. I've pretty much puttered with this piece all week. I didn't feel like stitching very much this past week, but when I did it was on this piece. I finished the next band this evening. I'm not sure if I'm going to stitch on this tomorrow night which is my regular SAL night for this piece or work on something else.

We'll see what mood I'm in.

Bloomin' Irises!

My next variety of Iris is now in bloom! It is oh so pretty, I think my favorite so far!


Today I'm off to help my Mum trace something for a quit, its a rather large one so she told me it would go faster with two people.

Last night I seemed to get my stitching groove back and made some descent progress on Celtic Band Sampler.

I also gave TW's Wedding Sampler a bath and TW's Peacock Tapestry is in a rinse bath right now. Its time to get some framing done... well at least start heading in that direction.

25 Most Asked Stitching Questions:

I saw this on Renee's Blog and lifted it because I thought they were neat questions.

1. How old were you when you started cross stitching?
I was 13 when I first started to stitch. I re-discovered stitching when I was 21 in 1997.

2. Who taught you to cross stitch?
My Mum, she ahem, I mean Santa put a small cross stitch kit of a calico cat in my stocking when I was 13. My Mum showed me how to cross stitch.

3. What inspired you to begin cross stitching?
I wasn't really inspired when I was 13. I thought it was neat but didn't stick with it for very long. However in 1997 I was unemployed for 3 months (or between library contracts) and once the resumes are all out the day is pretty empty. I found a project I had started when I was 13 in the back of the closet I pull that out, finished it and the rest was history! I was hooked!

4. What has been your most difficult cross stitch piece?
Peacock Tapestry by Teresa Wentzler for its sheer size, blends and confetti stitching.

5. Do you have friends that stitch?
Yes because I corrupted my best friends and taught them all how to stitch. I've also made some awesome stitching friends via online communities such as the TWBB and Needle and Thread

6. What is your favorite stitched piece?
Its a tough call between Peacock tapestry and Mystery VI (or Indian Summer Reflections) from Chatelaine.

7. What is your favorite fabric?
Ahh that's easy, Jubilee!!!! Too bad it doesn't come in that many colors (thank goodness for hand dyed fabrics).

8. What is your favorite fiber?
Gloriana Silks! Its sooo soft!

9. What is your favorite needle?
Piecemaker 28's

10. Do you prefer black & white or colored charts?
Black and white please.

11. How many Works In Progress do you have at this time?
2 Noah's Submarine by Stoney Creek and Celic Band Sampler by Homespun Samplar.

12. How many UFO's do you have at this time?
1, Celtic Banner by Butternut Road

13. How many cross stitch charts/kits/mags do you own?
Too many to count! I'm a serious chart collector!

14. How much fabric do you have in stock at this time?
Qutie a bit I suppose but not as much as Carol (LOL)

15. Where is your favorite place to stitch?
In my living room, on the couch under my Ott Lite.

16. What is your favorite time of day to stitch?
Any time of day as long as I'm stitching is a good time of day!

17. How many pieces have you stitched in your lifetime?
My guess is too many to count! Getting near or over 100 if you count all the small projects and ornaments.

18. Do you give your stitched pieces away?
Yes I do form time to time but only to those who are worthy.

19. How many different fibers do you have in stock at this time?
Hmmmm this may be a long list...
DMC (complete set)
Anchor
GAST
WDW
Caron Waterlillies/Wildflowers
Vikki Clayton Silks
Gloriana Silks
Silk N' Colors
Dinky Dyes
Gumnuts
rainbow Galleries treasure braid, fuzzy stuff, wisper, splendor
Kreinik braid
Needle necessities
NPI silks
I'm sure I've forgotten some too!

20. How many pairs of scissors do you own?
At least 5. My two pairs of Dovos are my favorite!

21. Do you use stitching enhancers (lights, scroll frames...etc)?
Just an Ott Lite, well actually I have 2 one is the floor model and that lives by the couch, I also have the table top one when at home its on the computer desk but I take it with me when I'm traveling.

22. How many pieces that have been stitched but not yet framed or finished off in some other way do you have at this time?
Once again this can be best answered with : too many to count!

23. Do you have a craft/stitching room?
Of course! That was the deal when we bought the house he could have the basement I got a room upstairs for my stash and computer!

24. Why do you stitch?
I think its because deep down inside it placates the OCD tendencies I have buried somewhere.

25. What is your most memorable time related to cross stitching?
In 2002 when I drove all the way to a town south of Boston (10hrs per way) to meet Hannelore who was over from the UK. We spent an amazing week together. I'm hoping to get to visit her in the UK next summer!

Another Pretty In My Garden

Just thought I'd share a pic of the next iris that's in bloom!



Yay Terry!

Great news in the stitching world today! That's if you're a Dimples Designs/Terrance Nolan fan. Terry finally has a website! I got to meet him a couple of years ago and Terry is a really cool and nice person with fantastic designs!

Got Tagged Again - Movie Time

Earlier this week I got tagged again this time by Loretta
1) Total number of films I own on DVD/video:
Not enough in my opinion! Wow I'm surprised to find somewhere in the vicinity of 70

2) The last film I bought:
Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail

3) The last film I watched: Aliens

4) Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me (in no particular order):
The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Fast and The Furious, Lord of the Rings. Pretty much all of these because they're great stitching movies!

5) Tag 5 people (I got 4)
Katrina
Carol (you should love this one Carol!)
Renee
Dana

Itty Bitty HD

It took me longer than expected to have this HD. On Friday evening I started the latest freebie from The Silver Lining, California Poppy (c2005). I expected to have it finished by Monday. Funny when I make these declarations I seem to barely be able to find any stitching time. It turned out I was out all day Saturday, all afternoon and part of the Evening on Sunday. Then Monday I was in a funk and was wallowing in self pity or napping and didn't stitch at all!

So last night just before midnight I finished it! So here is California Poppy stitched on the recommended fabric, 28ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean ... by the way I've stitched it over one.


Tonight after I got home I picked up Celtic Band Sampler for an hour, I obviously didn't get to SAL at all on Monday because I was "in a mood". I hope to spend the whole evening on it tomorrow after I get my bridesmaid dress to the seamstress for alterations.

Now there is a story in itself. Back in February myself and the other bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding picked out a dress we could both be happy with at Tiffany's Bridal Shop. Last week we finally get our dresses. I have never in my life spent 350.00 on something that doesn't fit! You'd think that for that much money and the 14 weeks it takes to get the damn dress that it would fit? (the other bridesmaid is swimming in hers!) Oh no! Its at least 6 inches too long (can you say tripping down the aisle), tight across the hips and the bodice is at least 4 sizes too big! So after spending that much on the dress I'm going to have to spend at least another hundred to get it altered! I've bought dresses from the mall just as nice that fit better! If I ever get married I'm getting it done on the beach, somewhere so expensive no one else could afford to be there! With none of this dress garbage. I love my best friend dearly but between the flight, dress, shoes, etc that will be needed for this one day I'll have spent well over a thousand dollars! Why do weddings have to be so expensive?

Stitching Blogger's Question of the Week

Q: How do you deal a "stitching slump?"

A: believe it or not this doesn't seem to happen to me too often or for too long. Sometimes I may need a break of a day or two but I never get in a lengthy slump like I've heard happens to other stitchers (at least not yet!). But if I'm in a slump I just don't stitch! I might go and read a book or do something different. I find that my stitching always calls me back.

Nice Day, Ruined

Well yesterday was supposed to be a nice day out for myself and some friends. The morning started out with my lower back in rough shape. I was fine lying still, standing, or sitting... anything in between was agony. But I'm a trooper I still went nursery hopping. The day did start out nice. We visited our first two nurseries before stopping for lunch at a pub with the best burger on earth! While at lunch it started to rain but we were still determined. We visited two more places, one a nursery on a farm the second a Herb farm. Then it was onto yet another nursery, that's when the trouble really began.

My scalp began to itch. At first I thought nothing about it. Then suddenly I realized uh-oh I'm breaking out in hives (always starts in my scalp... gosh I'm getting itchy just thinking about it). Now I didn't say anything to my friends, but I could feel my hives starting to work their way down my body. Worst thing was I didn't want to carry my bag around with me yesterday so my anti-histamines were at home (a handy place to be). We went onto the next nursery where my hive got worse by this time they were coming up on my face, and I had to be taken home. I was literally covered in hives upon hives, and a couple of welts several inches diameter! I mean thousands of hives. My hands, legs, arms, even one on my eyelid! It was the worse breakout I ever had! It took awhile but the anti-histamines and a very hot bath seemed to help.

But boy does something like that leave you totally worn out!

Now I did buy some plants for my gardens yesterday. I bought two more tall bearded irises for my iris bed. One is a peachy pink the other is really cool its a white iris but the ruffled edges of the bloom are purple! Tres cool I'll be posting a piccy of that one for you when its in bloom! I bought a second clematis because my first one looks so lonely on the huge trellis Todd built me last year. I bought a cute little bush (a shrubbery! Yes a shrubbery!) I can't remember exactly what its called right now but the variety is called Mago Tango... bought it just for the name LOL! I bought a couple of different flowers for my bed as well.

Today I have my nephew over. Actually we picked him up last night, I had promised and I couldn't let him down, I've been trying to co-ordinate a weekend with him for sometime now. Todd has a nice day out fishing for us... if the weather ever starts to look up. Right now everyone is in bed but me, for some reason I just can't sleep in this morning. So I thought I'd blog a little, catch up on my BB's and transfer some more of my CD's to the computer so I can download music onto the MP3 player I bought earlier this week (a very cool toy that is!).

So hopefully today will be better!