HD #8 for 2007

Well this evening I got a lovely little surprise in the mail that really cheered me up. I was quite down today. This morning I started to get another migraine, I took my meds and it seemed to not go any further. However, by 4pm it was back with a vengeance, even my Chiropractor could tell by my eyes that I was having one... he finally got to witness first hand how tight my neck and shoulders get when I'm having a migraine.

Anyhow back to more cheerful things... I got a parcel in the mail it was an early birthday gift from my friend Chrisanne! My b-day isn't until March 27th, but Chrisanne wanted to make sure I had it for my trip. She bought me Michael Powell's Mini Cottages 8 for me to stitch while I'm on the plane to San Diego/Arizona in two weeks! She bought it from Knowledge and Needles, and Ann the owner was sweet enough to wrap it in wrapping paper as well!

Included in the parcel were several freebies from Nashville. I just couldn't help myself, and had to stitch one of them!

Tulip Pynkeep

c2007 Praiseworthy Stitches

Stitched on 25ct Lugana - Over One

Using Weeks Dye Works Love & Six Strand Sweets Wintergreen

As you can see I made it into a nice little scissor fob. It was a little fiddly to put together, but I'm happy enough with the result.

I suppose I should stop avoiding the inevitable and get back to Noah's Sub, and the Sweetheart Tree Round Robins I recently had show up.

HD #7 For 2007 & Castle Progress

Saturday I ended up with some time to work on The Castle between a tournament committee meeting at TKD and yet another migraine (I'm getting seriously sick of those!).




I managed to finish all the cross stitching on my current page, and I got a start on the backstitching.



Sunday I pulled out the freebie I started earlier in the month. I finished it just a short while ago. I'm not sure what I'm going to finish it as... maybe a bookmark? LOL. This freebie I found in an old issue of my LNS's newsletter

Bookmark Freebie

cThe Prairie Schooler

Stitched on mystery linen using DMC cotton.

The following is taken from Annette’s blog.

"It’s been said that allegedly if you’ve seen over 85 movies you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste it in and put x’s by the ones that you have seen. Add them up, change the header adding your number, and post it.”

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
(x) Saw
(x) Saw II
(x) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
() The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 15 out of 22.
(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
() Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 30 out of 43
(X) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
(x) King Kong
Total so far: 39 out of 66.
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
(x) Final Destination 2
(x) Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
(x) The Ring
(x) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving Christmas
( ) Flubber*
(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
()Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(x ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
(x ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 49 out of 90.
(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
() Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
(x ) Bad Boys
(x ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x ) Ocean’s Eleven
(x ) Ocean’s Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
(x ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
(x ) Predator I
(x ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(X) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 63 out of 121.
(X) Independence Day
(x ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(x ) Christine
(X) E.T.
(x ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
(x ) War of the Worlds
(x ) Rush Hour
(x ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
() She’s All That
(x ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
(X) Event Horizon
(x ) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(x ) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x ) The Terminator
(x ) The Terminator 2
(x ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 80 out of 147.
(X) X-Men
( x) X-2
( ) X3
(x ) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
(x ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x ) The Little Mermaid
(x ) Freaky Friday*
(x ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(x ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
Total so far: 90 out of 165.
( ) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street*
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(x ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
(x ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(x ) The 40-year-old Virgin
(X) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(x ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 99 out of 181.
( ) Base-ketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
(X) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
(x ) American History
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
() Monsters Inc.
(x ) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 103 out of 200.
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x ) Hulk
(x ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x ) Hook
(x ) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x ) Waterworld
(x ) Kill Bill Vol. 1
(x ) Kill Bill Vol. 2
(x ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
(x ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
(x ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: still 114 out of 220.
( x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(X) The Matrix
(x ) The Matrix: Reloaded
(x ) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(x ) Team America: World Police
(x ) Red Dragon
(x ) Silence of the Lambs
(x ) Hannibal
Grand total: 127 out of 239

So I've seen just over half of this list ... I definately have no life.

Yeeeehaaawww! Punching Fist In The Air

Here it is.... half of Noah's Submarine... done! Done like dinner!
Tonight I can start the next page at the top!

Now its time for this week's SBQ :

Q : What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?

A : Smallest... probably 36ct most likely 32ct. Largest.. 9ct I think.

Ornament #4... AKA HD #6

Well last night's new start has become tonight's Happy Dance! It was a nice quick stitch! Of course blackwork always goes quickly in my opinion (and I really do like it). This ornament is another selection from the JCS 06 Ornament RR I'm in.

Snowflake Heart

c2006 Wild Heart Designs

JCS 2006 Ornament Issue

Stitched on : 32ct Cashel Cabernet from Picture This Plus using Gloriana Silk Ecru

Noah's Sub is sill moving along as well... I think by tomorrow I'll have the backstitch finished on my current page... then it'll be the official half way part! Once I hit that point I'll share a progress picture with you.


Now I was asked via the comments on my blog what style of Taekwon-Do do I practice. I practice ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) using the Chon-Ji system for patterns. In ITF TKD we have a total of 24 patterns. On the TKD topic... I went and trained for a second night in a row! I'm really trying to attend more frequently. We have a tournament coming up on March 3rd ... and I want to test for my 3rd Degree Black Belt this year.

A New Start

The next installment of the Just Cross Stitch 2006 Ornament Round Robin arrived today in the mail.

So, of course I had to start it!!! This round's selection is Snowflake Heart by Wild Heart Designs. I'm about half way through it at the moment. I could of had it finished, but I went to TKD tonight.

That's it for tonight.

T is for Taekwon-Do

Well its 2pm Sunday and I can finally relax and experience a small piece of this weekend.

I've spent from Friday evening through to this afternoon attending an International Instructors Course being held by Master Lu in Ottawa. Lots of great information, I know my patterns have already improved, and long! Now to pass this onto my students at TKD.

This course went on from Friday 7pm-10pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 9am and by the time we finished off 2nd degree patterns (my belt level) it was past 12:30! The course was well attended with over 100 participants, ranging from the lowest blue belt up to 6 degree black belts. People came from all over, from the local area to the U.S., even a couple of students from as far as Wales! (group photo from Saturday above... click for larger pic... can you find me?)

Friday and Saturday was a lot of theory. Master Lu went in depth into the Training Secrets of TKD and the Theory of Power. These are the ways we put power into each of our moves... which gives you the ability to protect yourself (the TKD philosophy is one block/defense should end a confrontation) or break boards (demonstration/testing purposes). Also in the lower patters which we started reviewing Saturday morning he went through each move technically, where it starts, where it ends, how to place your hands, facing, stances and so on. By the end of Saturday, we got all the way through the 3 first degree patterns (there are 3 patters for each black belt level). I was so tired when I got home last night, I was in bed before 9pm!

Sunday morning was primarily black belts in attendance. We went back to the bottom and did all the patterns from white belt up! Master Lu had us working hard, everyone was sweating! Then once we finished the 2nd degree patterns I bowed out and finally got to come home, shower and eat!

Todd had a lovely surprise for me when I got home... he did my laundry!

Now I'm just relaxing, catching up on the online world (since I've been pretty much offline since Friday), and I'm going to stitch a freebie... my brain and body is too tired to work on something challenging!

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's this week's SBQ... which I have to admit I haven't participated in AGES!

Q : Do you like to buy "chartpacks" that include charms, buttons, and/or beads or do you prefer to gather all materials yourself?

A : Yes I do. I only have one LNS in my area so chances are slim that they have everything in stock. I also don't like having to go to multiple online stores to find all the bits and pieces I need. So yes chartpacks are nice and convenient.

Photo : The Chalet on Mt. Royal in Montreal. I really liked the wooden arches on the side of the building supporting the roof.

Passing a Milestone

Whew, I finished all the Cross Stitch on the current page I'm on for Noah's Sub. Tomorrow, the backstitch starts... once that is done... I'll be over the 1/2 way mark!

Progress and Presents

Last week I made good progress on Noah's Submarine. The water on my current page is finished and I've gotten a number of animals/fish stitched up.

On Saturday while working on The Castle I found a boo boo! I was not happy! The section of rocks below the dragon's tali were all one stitch too high! It just wasn't something I could fudge. So out came my fine pointed scissors and out went that whole section! It took me all weekend to get those rocks put in! I was hoping to finish all the Cross Stitch on that page... for obvious reasons that didn't happen. I doubt I'm going to get any time on The Castle next weekend. I'll be attending The International Instructor's Course for TKD being given by Master Lu, it's on from Friday-Sunday.

Today I got a lovely gift in the mail today! Erica one of my fellow stitchers on the Internet offered to pick up the festive issue of A Needle Pulling Thread... my local Chapters was out of copies. Well she sent me this lovely parcel! Thank you Erica!

February Goals

Gosh I can't believe it, I forgot to share with you my February goals! So without further ado, here they are :

January Recap :

Stitch an Ornament - Actually did two!

Stitch a freebie - one of my ornaments was a freebie!

Finish Moon Dragon - yes!

Finish a Page on Noah's Sub - not quite... almost!

February Goals :

Stitch an Ornament

Stitch a freebie

Finish a Page on Noah's Sub (finally????)

Finish current page on The Castle

Work a little on Tour Des Marques

I finally finished the water on the page of Noah's Sub I've been working on! I'm now filling in the critters. I now have a walrus and a few bunnies!

As I've mentioned in the past I've been suffering from migraines quite a bit lately (actually since the beginning of January). Today I finally had to take a sick day because of them. As any migraine sufferer knows it gets frustrating when you start getting them day after day!

I did get rid of one stress factor in my life... unfortunately not my job LOL! We have to win the lotto first! I can't really talk about what I got rid of out of my life until it becomes common knowledge amongst the people involved. It was something I've been thinking about for some months now, as my close friends know I've been spreading myself wayyy too thin. Finally I'll be home a little more and be able to put more energy/focus into areas of my life I've been neglecting.

And here's a picture of Cuddles, we see a lot of Hunter but not so much of Cuddles the Gimpy Grey Beast.

Weekly Progress Update

Alrighty lades and gents(???) Here's my update on my two big projects, The Castle and Noah's Submarine.

This past week I only worked on Noah's Sub at lunchtime. My evenings were spent on the ornament I just finished on Saturday.

I didn't have much stitching time this weekend so I only finished the cross stitching on the rocks on the Castle and a wee bit of dragon.

This week I should be able to work on The Sub all week long!

Ornament #3 ... AKA HD #5 And a Little Hip

Well I finished that new start from Monday... it did take me all week but its done, and its pretty!

Hope Needleroll Ornament

c2005 Jeannette Douglas Designs

Stitched on 28ct Metallic Lugana Gold/Cream using : NN, Kreinik Metallics, Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet, DMC floss, Mill Hill Beads

I have to say that Jeannette does a great job using specialty stitches and fibres for maximum effect! This ornament was part of the JCS 06 Ornament RR I'm in.


Today's the Castle SAL... I'll be picking that up shortly, I don't know if I'm actually going to get much done on it this weekend. Tonight we have people coming over to watch UFC 67. Tomorrow there's the Superbowl.




Last night I had a great time! My Mum and I went out for dinner and we tried a new Indian Resturant. Oh my gosh it was to die for! Then we went to see my favourite band in concert. Last night the Tragically Hip played Scotia Bank Place. I think this is the 8th or 9th time I've seen them live. They put on a great show, and had a great mix of new music and the older hits! But they didn't play my two favourites... Nautical Disaster or Gus The Polar Bear From Central Park.

Is anyone else out there huge Hip fans like me?