Another April Ornament (HD# 17), More Stash & More Waiting

I felt it was time for another Happy Dance, and since we know that Noah's Sub is nowhere near being finished... I started an Ornament! This is Kathy's selection from the ornament RR I'm in... and the last one! I'm hoping to get into another ornament RR, but the organizer needs to get things going.

Peace On Earth

JBW Designs

2006 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

Stitched on : Mystery Fabric

Using : GAST & DMC

I got more stash today! My Easter weekend order from Stitching Bits & Bobs finally arrived! I ordered a full yard of 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean by Wichelt, JBW Designs French Country Cat, Paradigm Lost, and Piecemaker Needles. Right away I cut my fabric for Paradigm and tucked it away... there was just enough left from the yard for my Neighbourhood RR that's going to start on June 1st.

I'm still waiting on a biopsy date. Today I harassed my Dr's office twice and called the Breast Health Center at the hospital and left a message. I'll call again tomorrow. Today I felt rather depressed and I got a pretty nasty headache.

Weekend Update

Saturday I awoke to a dreary and rainy morning, ideal for a road trip and a little stash enhancement! Christin my Mum and I hopped in my car and drove down to Kingston for the Cataraqui Guild's annual merchant's mart and exhibit.

What a lovely time I had! I ran into so many people I knew and got lots of hugs... that really made me feel great. I ran into a group of ladies I know from Brighton, some folks from the Guild here in Ottawa, and I got to meet Rebbecca a fellow blogger I've been in touch with for the last few months. This picture is of Rebbecca and I at the Knowledge and Needles booth.

I think we all dropped quite a bit of money in Kingston... I know I did! I picked up 4 1/2 meters of fabric that I just couldn't leave behind... the orangy-red fabric I actually two 1/2 meters. I plan to make a pillow with that. I picked up four new charts, Houses and Village of Hawk's Run Hollow for my upcoming neighbourhood round robin. I also got Ink Circles Fantasy Blackwork Garden (love it!) and X's and Oh's Cat Alphabet. My Mum fell in love with the quilt made by the designer so I bought the chart... I'll stitch them for her... but she's got to quilt it!

After taking everyone home, and getting settled in... I fell asleep and did get up until Sunday morning! I've been sleeping a lot lately!

Today was pretty low key. I didn't stitch a lot, I started the last ornament in my ornament RR : Peace on Earth by JBW Designs from teh 06 JCS Ornament Issue. I should be able to finish it tomorrow. I went to another trial Tai-Chi class and I've been playing games on Yahoo. I felt a little depressed today. I didn't touch The Castle or Noah's Sub at all this weekend.

Replying to an Old SBQ

Here's the SBQ from April 19th :

Q : Are you on "The Wagon?" If so, how long have you been on and how"serious" are you about it? If not, have you considered it?

A : I was on the wagon from January until Easter. I didn't want to buy any stash before going on vacation to California/Arizona.... save money ya' know! But once that was over... I instantly participated in the first sale that came along (at Easter).

Friday I called my Dr's office to find out why I still don't have an appointment for my biopsy. I was essentially told we'll call you if we hear anything today.... we put a rush on your request. I was told to call back on Monday when the nurse who deals with all appointments, referrals etc would be in. I can tell you if I get no answer that satisfies me on Monday I'll be demanding that my Dr. get in touch with me... and I'll be calling the Breast Cancer clinic at the Hospital myself!

Waiting....

I was able to face today with a better outlook, I felt more like myself.

Honestly, Wednesday I felt all doom and gloom and that the world was ending.

I still haven't been called about a date for my biopsy. Tomorrow I'll be letting my fingers do the walking and I'm going to start harassing my Doctor's office... actually she told me to call if I didn't have my appointment by Friday.

Tonight I've finally been able to stay up past 9:30! I hadn't stitched since Monday night, tonight I picked Noah's Sub back up. I'm working on the lion lounging on the lawn chair... there's quite a bit of work in this guy!

I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday!

Photo : One of the many beautiful windows at the Butler Creek B&B

I'm Overwhelmed!

Thank you all! I'm so overwhelmed with the positive vibes and comments you're all sending my way! As I've said in the past, the stitching community is full of amazing, caring people! Now I don't regret sharing this with you. I was very hesitant at first as its a very personal thing to share.

Today was tough... you can say I'm in a holding pattern, waiting for the appointment for the biopsy. I felt like I was walking around shell shocked most of the day, stressed and totally tense. Despite dreading it I have to say that going to teach TKD this evening was a blessing in disguise. It really got my mind off of all of this... in fact, I didn't think about it at all until I was driving home. I realized the tension had eased off in my neck and shoulders and I still fell this way (at the moment).

Last night once I was done all my phone calls, blogging and such I was exhausted, shattered and went to bed at 9:30.

Once again, thanks everyone for being part of my support network.

I'm going to stitch :-)

Photo : August 2006 hay!

Scared Sh*%less

I've been debating making this public... I think its often something people keep to themselves (and now I can understand). I've told those close to me in person so now its time to put it in words. That makes things a little more real I suppose.

Late March I went to the doctors for my annual exam. And the thing every woman fears hearing happened. She found a lump in my breast. So yesterday the second step of this not so fun adventure occurred. I had a mammogram and ultrasound. I can assure you what everyone says is true... mammograms are very uncomfortable.

This morning BEFORE 9am my Dr's office called, she wanted to see me today... tomorrow at the latest. It was hard to make it through my work day until it was time for my appointment. The results did not come back clear, I am now to go for a biopsy.

This is very hard news to handle... the worst is the waiting and speculating. Next it will be waiting for the biopsy appointment. Then it'll be waiting for the results, hoping that they're negative for ... Cancer.

The best thing to do... will be is to keep busy, keep stitching I suppose.

Photo : One of my sunflowers from 2005

Noah's Sub Progress

Last night I was getting ready to post my Sub progress when click... the power went out! Todd and I spent about 30 minutes scuttling around in the dark with flashlights to get the generator going so that our sump pump would empty the sump hole. Power outages don't having good timing, as I'm sure the pump was going to shortly run before it went out. Since the sump hole was getting close to full, we had to get the generator going to empty the water out. we were only out for almost an hour and a half, but we're pretty tired since this all happened shortly after 11:30 pm.

So wihout furhter ado here's my progress on Noah's Sub :

Castle SAL Progress

Well, I didn't get as much stitched today as I would of liked. I lost a couple of hours in the morning to teaching at TKD (I love teaching Saturday mornings...not). Then there was that afternoon nap... LOL.

So here's what I got done

Lately I've gotten a little spoilt through the mail! My dear Friend Ann of Knowledge and Needles RAK'ed me with the dark blue DMC colour variations that I was planning on buying from her shop. Also I received from Clare another stitcher in the province who I helped in the past Long Dog's St. Georges! Thank you both ladies I feel so spoilt!!!

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to picking Noah's Sub back up.

Photo Hunt

I found on someone's blog earlier this week that they participate in Photo Hunters. So I followed the link and thought what a cool idea. It would also get me taking pictures more... also getting me to go though what I've got sitting on my hard drive. The basic idea is each Friday a theme is given ... you then post a picture using that theme, however you choose to interpret it. It must be a photo you've taken not something you've found on the net.

This week's theme is #54 Steps. Seeing as I am trying to stay off of my feet today I rememberd this photo I took of my Mum this past fall on Mt. Royal in Montreal.

Stick a Fork In It, Turn it Over, Its done

That's how I feel tonight. I'm just bagged!

It was a long day for me. At work I ran the library by myself all day as my co-worker was off buying books (yay!). So I didn't get a lunch break at all. I ate at the counter between busy times. At some point in the afternoon I realized I forgot my Taekwon-Do bag at home. I was not on the schedule today (normally I am scheduled on Wednesdays to teach 5-7pm) because I'm on the schedule for Saturday. I offered to go in and test two of my Little Tigers who missed last month's test. Well I ended up teaching from 5-9pm in the process! I tell you by that last class I don't make much sense to my students. Thank goodness its the adults, most of who I train with on a regular basis so they know to put up with me when I've worked a full day and taught a full night.

So no stitching for me.

However once I get home tomorrow from the Sports Dr. (getting a cortizone injection in the bottom of my heel) I'll be on perscribed "butt rest" AKA staying off of my feet for 24 hours. Guess whose going to be stitching her little fingers to a nub on Friday? I'm hoping to get a LOT done on the Sub.

Sorry for the boring 42 entry (42=life, the universe, and everything), I also apologize Blogger is spazzing and won't let me post a photo with this boring post.

Look What Came Out To Play

Well for the last few days I've pulled out Tour Des Marques for about an hour a day... getting roughly two colours done per session (I like to stitch as much as possible with one colour before changing colours). Surprisingly its really moving along. Of course this is taking time away from the Sub, but its fulfilling my urge to stitch over one. Yes, I know I'm sick in the head... who has the urge to stitch over one?


I'm afraid after this I won't have any progress pictures to share until the weekend!

Noah's Sub Progress

As promised from yesterday's post... here's my progress on Noah's Sub. Boy I wish I could have more time to work on it!!!


The last installment of my ornament RR arrived today. I'll get to that sometime this week.

The Castle Progress

Well I'm pretty tired tonight, didn't do anything but stitch this weekend so no good reason why. So let's get down to business... here's The Castle by Teresa Wentzler. I got a good chunk done on Saturday.

Tomorrow I'll treat you with my Noah's Sub progress. I also worked on Tour Des Marques for the first time since January... Maybe I'll share that progress (not much really) later in the week when I need something to blog about.

SBQ

I've decided to hold onto SBQ's ... for days I really don't have much to show or talk about. This SBQ is from April 5th.

Q : How do you decide which stitching blogs are worth repeat and/or regular viewings? Are there certain things you look for in particular?Are there things you wish there were more of? Less of? Is your blog a good example of what you like to read?

A : I like to visit blogs that are about stitching... I'm honestly not too interested in blogs that are about some one's day-to-day life, unless its someone close to me. I like to see what other people are stitching on... ideas and concepts they have to share... and how they're finishing items. Those are often blogs that get my repeat visits... also blogs of my stitching friends. I always make a point of visiting any blog where someone has left behind a comment. I take the time to look at their blog, read some pots, and hopefully leave some comments in return. Its also sometimes fun to click on a random blog link on someone else's blog, blog comments, or a signature. Sometimes I discover a great blog that way. Also all of my commenters get added to my favourites on my computer and when I have the time I'll try to stop by and visit. Its a challenge to find the time to visit a lot of blogs. I'm sure like many of you, I end up prioritizing what blogs I'm going to visit beyond that day's commenters.

I'd like to think my blog is a good example of what I like to read... primarily its about stitching, with a smattering of life. I also love photographs, that's why I try to accompany every post with some type of image.

I'm looking forward to picking up The Castle tomorrow!

Photo : Cuddles... well being Cuddles.

Hedgehoggie Number 2

I've really been puttering with this next hedgehog, taking my sweet time. Actually I think all my stitching over the last two weeks kinda burnt me out a little, I haven't been rushing to pick up my stitching. I have one last colour choice to try out but I don't have it. I'll pick it up in a few weeks from Ann's booth when she's set up at the Cataraqui Guild's Merchant Mart in Kingston on the 28th.

Hedgehog Quaker

cThe Workbasket

Stitched on : 28ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

using DMC Colour Variations 4210

finish #15

Thank you for all the well wishes with my toe when I went back to TKD on Tuesday! I took things gingerly through that first class, and I made it through okay. Wednesday night I was back to teaching, that went well enough but I didn't run a smooth class like I usually do... focused on the toe I suppose. I know one wrong move the wrong way and owwieee! I also went again tonight for the black belt class. I really want to go for my 3rd degree this fall so I've GOT to go and train!

Noah's Sub Progress

I think having two weeks off of Taekwon-Do definitely helped with my stitching time! I got so much done on Noah's Sub in the last week!

Tonight I'm going to try out TKD and see how my toe does.

A Small Easter Finish

As I said in my last entry I was stitching up a couple of hedgehogs to see what colour of floss I'll like best on the Queen Ann's Lace fabric I bought (I already have 28ct in my stash but Paragdim is going on 32ct). Today I stitched up my hedgehog using DMC Colour Variations 4130, it only took a few hours, and I've got the first few stitches in the next one... as for the third, I'm going to have to buy that colour. I thought I had bought the dark blue in that same DMC line, but apparently I didn't.

Hedgehog Quaker

c The Workbasket

Stitched on : 28ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Using : DMC Colour Variations 4130

Finish #15 of 2007

From this photo you don't really get a true idea of how the fabric and fibre colour work. I'm quite fond of this combination so far.


Once I'm done here online, I'll pull Noah's Sub out and give it some of my attention. I'll pull that second hedgehog back out tomorrow.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter one and all. I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend, with family and friends. We're not having a traditional Easter this year, Todd and I are not going to any family dinner. We had our Nephew over until early yesterday evening, that night we had a few friends and Todd's sister over for poker and UFC 69. Today we're just laying low, watching the Malaysian Grand Prix that we PVR'ed last night (at 2am... I thank the genius who invented the PVR!). Hunter posed for a lovely little Easter picture for us yesterday.

On Noah's Sub I'm still in never-never yellow land, and I'll be sharing a progress picture of that with you tomorrow. Today, I've got my progress on The Castle to share with you... I'm now officially 1/4 done! Yay! Next Saturday I'll start the bottom right hand page.

Today I'm going to start a small design (a freebie) called Hedgehog Quaker by The Workbasket to test floss colours for Paradigm Lost by Long Dog that I'll be starting in the fall. I'm actually going to stitch this design three times as I have three colours I want to test on the fabric I've chosen.

My Stash Challenge Is Over

If you're a stitcher that peruses a number of the online BB's on EZboard or Yuku you might of heard of the Stash Project Challenge. Essentially what it was that stitchers decided they needed to use their stash, instead of buy stash. Each stitcher would set a number (10, 25 and up to 50 projects) of how many projects they had to finish (any size) before they could buy new stash. Of course some people set up exceptions of special cases where they could buy stash.

I decided to join in on this challenge, but in a different way... I wanted to see how many projects I could finish before I bought any stash (I finished 14 projects). Well I've been having that clicky finger urge lately despite buying some stash when I went to San Diego in March (but that was my one exception). Today I finally broke down, actually I've been planning for the last month to break down over Easter as Stitching Bits & Bobs pretty much always has a sale during a holiday. At the moment SB&B has 20-25% off on everything so I decided it was time to buy the chart and fabric for the SAL my friend Kathy (who I visited in Arizona in March) and I are planning to do this fall when she goes back to Arizona for the winter.

So this morning I bought Paragdim Lost from Long Dog, a full yard of 32ct Queen Anne's Lace Joblean, 5 packs of Piecemaker needles and JBW Designs French Country Cat.

The next step for this SAL will be to decide what thread I'm going to stitch it with. This morning I printed out a freebie that I'm going to stitch... twice I have two potential fibres in mind. They're both in the new DMC overdyed line. I'm tempted to start these freebies today, but its Saturday I should be working on the Castle and cleaning my house!

Photo : Bird of Paradise - San Diego California, Jill's House

April's Ornament... HD #14

For the last few days I've been plugging away at this month's ornament, one row a day... until today where I decided just to finish it!

Your eyes aren't deceiving you... you've seen this ornament before. Yes, I stitched this for a second time. The first time I stitched this ornament was in February when it came as part of an ornament RR this time I stitched it up from a kit I bought from Jeannette Douglas last April.

Hope Needleroll

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've had my Nephew over since Thursday night, so I'm not stitching as much as if I were just lounging around the house by my lonesome. Tomorrow morning we're going to meet my folks for breakfast out. My nephew will go home tomorrow evening as we're having a UFC party with some of Todd's friends.

Its All About The Chair

Before March Break I got a lovely surprise when one day one of the V.P.'s popped his head into my library and said : "Danielle, you're getting a new chair." Then he left. A new chair? Really? When the school first opened, I really didn't get a great chair for someone who sits at a computer a fair part of the day, no lumbar support, also after the first year the fabric on the arms started to split.

So now its five years later, my chair doesn't look too great, and the arm's loose.

Yesterday... I was out of the library helping with a TV in a classroom and to my shock and surprise... there was my new chair! I'm in luuuuvvv. This chair adjusts in every which way (the old one only went up and down) and has lumbar support!!!

How can such a silly thing make me so happy. I think its also the aspect that someone downstairs (administration, I'm on the 2nd floor), noticed that my chair was not appropriate for my work.

I was plugging away at Noah's Sub again tonight, more yellow.

I'm looking forward to the 4-Day weekend coming up.

SBQ

Here's last week's SBQ ...

Q : Do you have a system for organizing freebie charts in your stash? If so, what is it? Do you print out copies of all of the freebies that you find on the web (that you think you might actually stitch) or do you maintain electronic copies of them until you are ready to stitch them?

A : At first... and it sounds like many of us did this in the beginning, I printed every one of them off and put them in a huge binder... two binders actually. Which reminds me I should take a trip down memory lane and look through them. Nowadays if its an online freebie its saved on my hard drive, with folders set up by topic/type/theme and a few of them by designer. When I'm ready to stitch a freebie then I'll print it out. If sometimes I see something I really like I'll print it out to remind myself I want to stitch it sooner rather than later.

I try to stitch one freebie each month.

Tonight, I've been working on Noah's Sub... yellow, yellow and more yellow.

Photo : Peacock tail closeup at San Diego Zoo

April Goals & March Recap

March Recap
Stitch 2 Sweetheart Tree RR's - I did three!
Stitch a Freebie - Yup
Stitch an Ornament - Yup
Work on Noah's Sub - Yup
Start Mini Cottages 8 - Stared and Finished!

April Goals
Work on Noah's Sub
Work on The Castle
Stitch one ornament
Stitch one freebie

Thank You Canadian Tire - Gardiner's Rd., Kingston

I thought this deserves its own entry...

I was driving home from Ann & Dan's today and was just hitting Kingston when my driver's side windshield wiper (it was raining) went' wayyy to the left... off the glass and actually past the frame of the car. Arrrgh! I had just had the linkage in my wipers replaced at my dealer so I was not happy. There was no way I could drive home on the 401 without a windshield wiper! Luckily I was about to hit the Gardiner's Road exit, and I knew there was a Canadian Tire on that road.

So I took the exit... with poor visibility of course! I carefully made my way to the Service area, parked my car and went in. I wasn't happy... and worried that it would be hours before they could even look at my car. I was expected at my Mum's for about 5pm for a b-day dinner. The gentleman at the counter took my car in right away... about 10 minutes later he came back and gave me the thumbs up. Apparently the bolt on my wiper arm had loosened (or had not been tightened properly???) and all it needed was tightening which he did for me. I was shocked when he presented me with the invoice... a total of $0.00 Wow! He didn't have to do that... but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I thanked him several times and I was back on the road again.

So... I give Canadian Tire on Gardiner's Rd. in Kingston two thumbs up!

Lovely Weekend!

On Saturday morning I hopped into my car (yes folks, on the road again... didn't I just get back home? Yes.) first I drove down to Kingston and met Vicki, one of the stitchers from my bulletin board Needle and Thread. I got to meet her new granddaughter, beautiful wee thing with lots of hair! We had a nice visit and a cup of coffee before it was time for me to hit the road again. I was on my way to visit Ann, owner of Knowledge and Needles. I love going to visit Ann and her husband Dan I always have a great time... and I get fed well.

I got a lovely gift from Ann and Dan after helping them sort out their audio-visual equipment... One of the charts I had been eyeing in Ann's shop the day before! Thank you Ann and Dan!

I finally got to work on The Castle this weekend and a little bit on Noah's Sub!

All just backstitching on The Castle!

Finally finished the sky on my current page of Noah's Sub.