More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Monday, February 28, 2005

Last Lanarte Barnyard Beastie!

After meeting my first Lanarte Barnyard animal kit back in 2003 I was hooked and had to stitch all of the wee Barnyard Buddies, six in total. Tonight I finished the last one, the horse!



So now I'm going to get my last Wee Beasties RR piece done and I will have met all my stitching commitments so I'll be free to work on TW's Wedding Sampler in March.
Week 8 Progress

You may be wondering... what ever happed to my week 7 progress report on TW's Wedding Sampler? Easy... I was bad and didn't work on it at all during week 7. But I met my goal to finish the border by the end of February, which I did last night. Now I can move on into the center.

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Ooooh I loved the King's Chain!

What a fun piece of jewelry to make! I think I"ll be making some more in the future... my Mum has such an aversion to jump rings that I'll have to make her one. Here's a pic, but it doesn't really give you a good idea of how nice this bracelet is.


Off To Take A Class!

This morning I'm heading over to Dragon's Lair Beads to learn how to make a King's Chain Bracelet.... can you say insanity due to jump rings?

But its sure pretty.

Friday, February 25, 2005

Help Me Decide!

In a short couple of weeks I'm off to Myrtle Beach S.C. for my March Break. While on vacation I'd like to treat myself with a new stiching project, leaving all my obligations, etc behind. What better way to start a vacation?

So my top three are :

Arabian Woman from Lanarte



Mini Cottages 2 by Michael Powell



Celtic Band Sampler by Homespun Samplar

So Leave me a comment with which project you'd choose!

Thursday, February 24, 2005

My Webpage Has a New Home!

I'm quite excited to announce that my webpage have a new and better home! So come visit my stitching at www.tkdchick.com
FobTastic!

On Sunday I put together three more scissor fobs, something I've been putting off for a bit (can you say procrastinator?). One of them was an order via one of the BB's I'm on, one is a gift, and the third was offered as a prize on the Needle and Thread BB.

In no paticular order...

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Done!

As I predicted I was able to finish her tonight!

Here's Dragon Dreams Blackwork Princess c2004 all the details as to fibers and threads will be on my website at
www.tkdchick.com by the end of the week. Its late and its bedtime!

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Catching Up on Stitching Blogger's Question Of The Week

Well I never got to last week's question so here it is :

Q :What is your favorite fabric to stitch on?

A : My all time favorite fabric is Jubilee, its 100% cotton and comes in 28ct only. It has a nice heavy feel to it that I just love. The only downside with Jubilee? Is that it doesn't come in the huge range of colours that other fabrics do. So my second choice is usually Lugana, again 28ct (that's my favorite size). But honestly I will stitch on any kind of linen or evenweave, I just have my favorites that I naturally gravitate towards.


This weeks question :

Q: Do you participate in round robins?If so, how many have you participated in? Do you participate in more than one at a time? Summarize your experiences (good and/or bad).

A: Yes I do, not all the time but every couple of years I get the urge. I've had some great experiences and some bad. The great ones have been done with people I've met online that I really like and I know they're top notch stitchers most of the organized through an offshoot group of the Teresa Wentzler bulletin Board. The bad RR's that I've been in were early ones organized through a different group. My first one I wasn't too impressed with what the stitchers chose, one person pulled their stitches so tight that there were great gaping holes. That one was pitched. My next one was never returned, it got to one stitcher in Australia and never moved on... pity I think she kept a couple of others too. The two RR's I'm in right now are just wrapping up, I've stitched my last ornament in the Ornament RR and I'm on the last bug on the Wee Beasties RR. I'm hoping to join another ornament RR in the near future and I'm keeping an eye out on the RR group for anything starting up with a theme/designer I'm interested in.
Dragon Dreams Sunday

Over at the
Needle and Thread bulletin Board the 3rd Sunday of each month is Dragon Dreams Sunday. Where we encourage DD fans to pull out something by Jennifer Aikman-Smith and stitch on it!

This month's selection I got to start something NEW! Yay! I always love to start a new project there's nothing like putting in those first few stitches on that virgin fabric! I imagine its like putting together a puzzle, slowly you can start to see the picture.

So I started Blackwork Princess which I got last year from one of Jennifer's classes but never got around to stitching. Well Sunday I picked it up. I decided to use Rainbow Galleries Splendor Silk instead of black DMC. Splendor is a rather fuzzy silk that seems to split and fray easily so I don't think I'll be using that brand unless I have too. But hey it was in the stash so might as well use it. I have decided to use Jade Waterlillies for the plant vines and Mulberry Waterlillies for the Flowers and the patterns in her sleeves. Here's my one day progress on Blackwork Princess by Dragon Dreams c2004

I think if can get off of this darned computer and don't tarry after TKD I'll get this finished tonight.

There's no progress to report on TW's Wedding Sampler, I had an insane week and couldn't find any stitching time until Thursday when I worked on something else for a change. I better pick it back up soon if I want to finish that border before the month is out!

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Ornament HD

I just finished my LAST ornament in the Ornament RR I've participated in over the last couple of months. Boy its nice to get an RR finished!!!! I'm still not going to post pics here... yet since not everyone else is done. I promise I'll post pics of all the ornaments once everyone has finished the RR!

So to see my latest ornament click HERE.

It was quick, fun, and an amazing number of stitches for such a small space. Fell free to contact me via my e-mail address in my profile if you want further details.

Now I'm off to finish the last RR I'm in... the Wee Beasties RR. What bug to stitch.... hmmmmmmm?????

Friday, February 18, 2005

Nice To Finish A Little Something

Well its not a 100% finish, but part 2 of Mini Mystery H by Chatelaine was released this week. Its been such a busy, long week that until today I didn't have any time to sit down and stitch! Actually it was my body that told me to stop, I stayed home sick as I came down with a nasty cold.

You can tell how busy my life gets by how sporadic my blogging is.

Anyhow, here it is, just as pretty as ever.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Happy Valentine's Day! -- Week 6 Progress Report

Well its the day of love and romance! For once Todd and I actually did something! We met up with a couple we were introduced to at a wedding in Toronto on Thanksgiving last year. We all clicked at the wedding, and when they told us they would be up here in the area this week, the four of us made arrangements to meet for dinner. It turned out that today would be our only available night! So I made reservations for a Greek restaurant I had been to once and really enjoyed. We had a lovely evening, with great food and great company.

Now down to business... soon my webpages will be moving, I am know the proud owner of
www.tkdchick.com ! Yes folks that right, I have a domain. I'm now in the process of getting my web pages better organized and posted over there. So, don't forget to change your bookmarks. I also have useful information for those who'd like to stitch Teresa Wentzler's Celestial Dragon and Stoney Creek's Noah's Submarine!

I met my stitching goal for last week, to complete the bottom border on TW's Wedding sampler. This week I hope to finish the right hand side, however, this might not happen because part to of Mini H is now out. We'll see its a busy week coming up!

Anyhow here's week 6 progress :

Thursday, February 10, 2005

A Little Pampering

Tonight after work I went for my once a month massage (an hour of course!). For the first time I actually dozed while having my massage (normally we chat up a storm), but I was tired and I'm fighting some sort of cold. The massage was heaven, and I think its definitely making a difference going once a month instead of 3 times a year. I no longer get to a "crisis point" then have to wait weeks for my appointment.

After my massage I went for my monthly allergy shot... yeee haww. Since the grocery store that carries my favorite bread (sourdough with cheese and onions baked into the top) was kiddy corner to the Dr's office I popped in, picked up a jar of Butter chicken sauce and some chicken, and a bottle of wine.

Once I got home I casually made myself dinner while sipping on a glass (or two) of wine, I felt like having a mellow evening.

This evening has been nice, I needed this.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Finally I Can Share Piccys!

After several days the webspace is working properly I can upload images again! Sooo without further ado :

Here's my Happy Dance from the weekend... click on
this link since its for the Ornament RR Group 7. If you would like details on the design feel free to e-mail me, its in my profile!

And here's week 5 progress on TW's Wedding Sampler :

A Note To The Person Who Stole My Lunch :

Dear Lunch thief,

Thank you so much for making me your target, for stealing my LUNCH today out of the fridge in the staff room at work. You just MADE MY DAY. I hope you enjoyed my salad of assorted lettuces, baby spinach, carrots, cucumber, red & green peppers with sliced chicken, topped with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Did you find my little salad container cute with the pop top that when depressed puts the dressing on the salad. Yeah they're pretty nifty... you can buy them in a buck or two. That's right a buck or two.

Because of your thoughtfulness I got to go buy a Sh#$ty lunch from the cafeteria, that tasted like crap and cost more than it was worth.

I'd like to know... who steals a salad? I'm mean it was a freakin' salad! Not pizza or something super tasty and bad for you, it was a very healthy salad and it was mine.

So Lunch Thief if you're reading this, you know who you are I would appreciate it if you'd put my salad container back in my mailbox, clean please... with hot water and dish detergent. And oh yeah, include 5.00 to cover the crappy lunch I ate when I was so looking forward to that salad.

One pissed off person,
Dani

p.s. Did you decide to give up making and buying lunch for lent... because if you did that's a great idea taking someone else's!

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Stitching Blogger's Question Of The Week

Is cross stitch your only crafty hobby or do you have others?

Cross Stitch is my main hobby... actually no let's qualify that statement correctly. Its my main obsession, bordering on OCD. I've dabbled in quilting (mainly to turn xs into quilted wall hangings), beading, and I make beaded scissor fobs. I'd have to say that's about it in terms of crafty hobbies. I probably could include my framing, but that's more of a business at times.
I Was Hoping to Have Some Pictures...

to share with you, but I've not been able to post anything to my webspace since Sunday. I've had a call in to technical support since yesterday. Thanks Sympatico!

Anyhow on Sunday I finished my February ornament and I have to say its very pretty. I won't give exact details because its for the Ornament Round Robin I'm in... which I think we're on our last leg now! Yay!!!!

I also wanted to share my Week 5 progress on TW's Wedding Sampler, I did take a pic before I started this week's progress so eventually you'll get to see where I'm at now.

Tonight I'm going to snuggle up at home work on TW's Wedding Sampler and watch the finale of The Amazing Race! I'm a bit under the weather (in fact I was told I looked quite pale when I left work), so I think that's the perfect game plan for tonight!

Sunday, February 06, 2005

And My Answer Is...

A week ago I was asked if I would like to be Vice President of the OVGS (Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery). I spent all week thinking about it, I talked with two of my close friends, and finally I talked with the current VP who will be stepping up into the role of President.

My answer is YES! I hope I can do a good job.

I'm having some computer furstrations today with FTP and my webspace so I'm not sure if I'm going to get an updated scan of TW's Wedding Sampler up. I also finished my February ornament today.