Whew! What a Weekend!

Well, I should correct that by long weekend!

Wednesday night Christin gave me an early Christmas present! She just didn't want to store it at her place. I had been drooling over this scrap booking caddy in Michael's. I could just see the possibilities! A great way to store and tote around all my sewing and finishing bits and pieces!

Our adventure started Thursday morning, bright and early! Christin and I hopped in the car and off we went. The very first stop was in Kingston at the Die cast Model Gallery where we picked up models for Todd for his Birthday (its on Monday). Back into the car and we hit Ann's doorstep at 11:30am just as planned! There were greetings and hugs, and getting our stuff into the house. Soon we were joined by Beatrice and had a wonderful lunch before Ann's Thursday stitchers arrived. Ann's group have grown immensely in the last year there were about 14 ladies there! There was so much to see... and show off (I was asked to bring my finished projects by Marie Paul, one of Ann's ladies), I never got a stitch in!

Once the ladies thinned out it was just the four of us having a quiet stitch until it got close to dinner time. Christin headed off for an overnight visit with Beatrice (as I said they've become good friends). Ann prepared a fantastic lasagna for dinner and we stitched all evening long! It was just decadent!

Friday Ann and I had the day to ourselves for the most part... again lots of decadent stitching! I got to witness Ann's happy dance (I'm sure she'll be sharing on her blog shortly). We were joined in the afternoon by Wendy for more stitching! Beatrice brought Christin back at about 7:30 and the four of us stitched even more!

Saturday Christin, Ann and I did... guess what? Stitching! I've been a little stressed lately and I guess it all hit me on Saturday. I woke up with one shoulder up around my ear... I was tight from ear to shoulder and a huge knot in my shoulder blade. I was also exhausted! So I had to be rude and excuse myself for a nap before lunch. Then after lunch I just had to lie back down... I tried to stitch but made so many mistakes I knew I was useless. I was finally feeling much better by late afternoon, and soon Beatrice joined us again as Dan made us a fantastic dinner (Kudos to Ann for all the prep-work!). More stitching after dinner, where Beatrice finished the piece she was working on (I'm sure its up on her blog by now!). Saturday night was an early night for all of us... that stitching must really exhaust a girl!

Sunday ... today we were treated to a Dan breakfast! More stitching. Early afternoon Christin and I paid for the stash we had set aside at Ann's. I bought a number of boxes of DMC Colour variations (the dark blue I used in my Hedgehog Quaker) that I will use for Paradigm Lost in the fall. I got a piece of 32ct Natural linen for the Fair and Square exchange. Two charts happened to pop into the pile too! Elizabeth Designs Green Old Garden, for some reason it really caught my eye one the shelf, and JBW's French Country - Love. On the way home we stopped in and visited Rebbecca and her wonderful family. The boys actually let us stitch and Rebbecca served us a lovely dinner. I wish we could of stayed longer but I had to get Christin home... she has to work tomorrow. We also made a short stop to get my bangs trimmed. I finally got home after 10pm!

Soooo I have to say a huge thanks to Ann and Dan for letting me stay for so many days and making me feel at home! Also thanks to Rebbecca for letting us stop in with only an hour's notice.

Finally here's my Noah's Sub progress... as usual I didn't get as much as I hoped done, but what can you expect when you're visiting friends!

7/8th done!

Yay!

Well of best laid plans for today none of them happened as I envisioned! I was imagining lots of stitching time. I managed to find enough to finish up my current page on Noah's Sub.

This morning started off with a lot of phone calls. First was the lawyer we've been waiting to hear from (no worries nothing serious) so we could get in and sign some papers before I leave. He made an appointment with us at 2pm downtown. Then I got a call from a co-worker she was hosting a lovely lunch open to all the female staff at work. I told her to give me a call if she needed some help. She took me up on that offer to it was into the shower and out in the car. Unfortunately I couldn't stay too long I had to pick Todd up at work and get downtown.

By the time we were done with the lawyer it was getting close to 3pm so instead of taking Todd to work then driving back into the city to pick up Christin we drove over to her place of work. Her boss was kind enough to let her leave 30 minutes early. A quick stop at her place for her stuff, and a trip to take Todd back to work. It was 4pm by the time I finally got home! I passed out on the couch for a bit while Christin entertained herself with her stitching. We got to go out for a nice dinner... finished my page and now I'm ready for bed!

On Vacation!!!!

Well I've started my summer holidays just right I think... staying up late to stitch last night (I made it to about 1:30am) and had a nice sleep in this morning. I have this alarm clock that's black and furry and starts making a nuisance of himself at 9:30am. I'm finding it a little hard to get going this morning so I'm sitting here blogging with a nice cup of tea listening to my favourite radio station.

I'm really looking forward to being off of work despite nothing amazing or earth-shattering planned... I don't go back to work until August 13th! Yay! Also Todd will be on his holidays next week so we'll be able to spend some time together at the family cottage (which we reserved for next week). The beauty of the cottage is its all of 15 minutes from our house and if the weather's nasty, I need floss, a new stitching project, feed the boys, or for any other reason its really no big deal to pop home.

My only true plans start tonight. I'll be picking up Christin and a pizza for dinner, we're going to stitch the evening away. Tomorrow morning, bright and early we're hopping in the car and heading down to stitch with Ann's group of ladies in Brighton and staying on for a few days for a nice visit. Christin and Beatrice over the last few years have forged a fast friendship and Christin will stay with her... I know Beatrice is looking forward to it!. Christin and I have met a lot of ladies through Ann, like I said Christin has become great friends with Beatrice and I've become close friends with Kathy. The center of it all is of course our great friend Ann (and we can't forget her DH... he cooks and cleans cars)!

I'm really looking forward to going to stitch with Ann's group of ladies. Its always such an enjoyable afternoon, and often I can be an evil enabler or teach a thing or two. I wish I could find a group like this in my area. Ottawa is a funny city, there are guilds and groups out there but I find they take themselves just a little too seriously and my LNS doesn't run a stitching night like quite a few out there do. What I really should do is set up my own little informal stitching group.

So that's my only specific plan. I need to find something neat to do, or place to go, or someone to visit the week of August 6-10. As much as I love stitching my good friends know I don't like to be in one place too long. Even if I can find someone to go stitch with that will do nicely.

Tonight I'll give you folks a Noah's Sub update... so stay tuned!

Well I typed this up this morning... and life got in the way so I had no chance to post it. So here it is now more than 12 hours after I typed it.

Photo : one of my daylillies from my garden 2007

Post Weekend Sub Progress

Well I really was dreaming... thought I could finish my page this weekend. But I didn't ... LOL just not enough hours in the day! Also silly things like grocery shopping, out to lunch with Mum, making meals and doing laundry just get in the way too much!

Two days of work and then I'm on holidays! I can't wait!

Ort Jar

Well I forgot about a few inquiries I got about my ort jar when I mentioned it in the last SBQ I answered.

Louanne wondered "When you go looking through the jar, how do you know for sure the floss you pick is the right color?"

and...

Judy SC (sorry no link) came up with this fantastic image ""Ort jar diving" - I love the phrase and my mind's eye conjures up a tiny dragon swimming through a pile of orts lookin' for just the right one... "

Well, I have cats... that's one reason for having an ort jar... it keeps them out of the paws and mouths of little furry beasts. Also I used to pile them up on the back of the couch and they'd end up in interesting places... in my quilt... on the floor... on someone's behind. So I grabbed a large mason jar and I put all of my orts in there. Its neat to see throughout the year how the layers of floss develop. If you look at my ort jar right now there's a lovely layer of blues and blue-greens from the water and hull of Noah's Sub.

As for "ort jar diving" I don't actually do it very often and I really don't bother for DMC... I keep a full set plus extras on hand. It comes in handy for specialty fibres and they're often easier to pick out and I tell you I can't afford to keep extra of those on hand! I also don't dive too deep, if I need a little extra of something its often at the top.

I have a lovely little ritural on New Year's Eve... I empty out my jar and start out new.

Someone Put the Fire Out!

Can you smell the smoke coming off of my needles? This is my pre-weekend progress update. I took Friday off so my weekend has started and I put in mega hours this evening!

Now, I've had a few questions piling up in my inbox (I have my comments e-mailed to me so I don't miss a single one!)

Karin and Margaret asked if the flower from one of my recent posts was from my garden.

-- Yes it is. I have a narrow bed (which we're expanding) along the side of my house that's pretty much all daylillies.

Louanne asked if I plan on stitching Fish City someday... its by the same artist.

-- No. I was excited to hear about Fish City before it came out and when I did see it, I was disappointed to find it had no appeal to me at all.

800th Post Draw Winner!

And the winner of my 800th Post Super Fantastic Amazing Draw is.....

Judy of Crazee4Books-Cross Stitch-Cats

So Judy, drop me a line at tkd_chick at hotmail dot com with your full name and mailing address! Now I ask you to please be a little patient I would like to make something just for you and I need time to figure out what, get it stitched (and maybe finish Noah's Sub in between). If you could include a list of likes dislikes, favourite colours that will help!

I'm still plugging away at the Sub I'm at that stage where it feels like its never going to end!!!

I'm tired and off to bed.

SBQ for July 3rd

I've been plugging away at Noah's Sub tonight... more hull, more green blues and blue greens.

Tomorrow night I'll announce my 800th post draw winner so please come back to see if its you!

Q: Do you consider yourself a "floss miser?"

A: Not in any way what so ever! I used to be a floss miser and then I realized that stitching to the end of the thread makes your stitching looks like crap. As you stitch the eye of your needle freys your floss, if you stitch with that last bit you'll notice a those last few stitches look a little fuzzy wuzzy. Not nice at all. I don't even bother with specialty fibers either. The nice thing about not being a miser is when you need that last bit of floss and you've run out... going "ort jar diving" is actually a worth while activity. I've often found a length long enough for what I need.

Photo : Daylilly 2007

Post Weekend Sub Progress

Waaahhh! The weekend is over, but I just have to keep remembering my holidays start next Wednesday! A week and a half... a week and a half. I'm looking forward to it I'm ready for an extended break from work! All I keep thinking about is working on my Noah's Sub, how much stitching I'll get done. Or should I say hope to get done? Some of my regular readers may recall I finished another long-time project over my summer holidays... Celtic Banner. So will luck shine on me, will I finish Noah's Sub? I don't have much specific planned. My first few days will be taken up with a visit to Brighton with Christin to see Ann, Beatrice, and her stitching ladies (unfortunately Kathy won't be available... waaahhhh). We also have a week set aside at the cottage where I'll probably steal my nephew for part of that week.

Anyhow I did get a lot done on Noah's Sub, but somehow I feel like I could of gotten more done! Am I crazy or what?

Photo Hunt #66 "Shadow"

This week's Photo Hunt challenge is "Shadow" and I have just the perfect picture for all you Hunter fans out there! Honestly, its one of my favourites and I use it as my desktop at work.

Ornament from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

Well Chrisanne has gone home but we had a great 24 hours of visiting and stitching. We stayed up until 2am Friday night stitching.. we just didn't notice time flying by.

This morning when we got up I decided I would take "a few hours" to stitch up an ornament. It arrived in the mail a few day's ago it's Juli's selection from the Ornament RR I'm in. Honestly I thought it would be a quickly. It wasn't! I had to re-do the left hand spiral 3 times! It was a wily thing but the ornament is finally done (and it was a pain to photograph as well!)... I can pick Noah's Sub back up for a day or two. I got Kathy's Band RR today so I'll look through my stuff and pick something to start in a couple of days.

Shimmering Snowfake 2

c Cross-Stitch Christmas 2002

28ct Nordic Blue Linen

DMC floss, Mill Hill Beads/Treasures

Pre-Weekend Stitching Progress

Thanks to everyone for migraine-go-away vibes. Yesterday turned out to be a pretty okay day. It did threaten to come back in the evening, but I managed to keep it at bay. I'm doing much better today. So after all my pre-weekend running around (I had today off of work and this would of all been done last night after work if I hadn't stayed home sick) I'm going to do my online stuff, and get stitching! Chrisanne is coming up to stitch with me!

So here's where my Noah's Sub is at...

A New Blog to Visit!

Well I'm such an evil influence, yet another of my stitching friends has started blogging! Yay! So head on over and give Beatrice (Stitching With A View) a friendly hello! I met Beatrice a few years ago via Ann's retreat. Beatrice is a lovely person, and has only been stitching for a few years. Her Mom is quite an inspiration she's 90 and still stitches the most amazing pieces over 2 on 28ct evenweave! We can all hope to be like her!

I'm home sick today. Last night I had the WORST migraine ever, I haven't had one this bad in a long time. Along with the pain was horrible nausea. I'm feeling okay at the moment, but any migraine sufferer knows, that can change in an instant! Needless to say no stitching was done last night!

Thank you to everyone for your comments on my last post! I had no idea so many people have been visiting my blog regularly for years! You're all such a huge encouragement... to keep me blogging, and when I visit your blogs I'm so inspired by your stitching and finishing!

Photo : Beatrice (on the right) & Adriana (left)

Post No. 800!

Wow! This is my 800th post! I've been blogging since September of 2003 so I'll be hitting my 4th blogaversary this year! Wow four years of keeping this up... who wudda thunk it!



I didn't really stitch much tonight. I wanted to but Todd took control of the TV... I don't like watching UFC fights I've seen before... I mean c'mon I know who knocked who out! (he was watching Hughes vs. Gracie tonight) Then he put on the show I just can't stand! He's taken to watching re-runs of "The Man Show" Its not funny... its just not funny, it makes me leave the room! So off I went to my crafting room (formerly the computer room... but now that I'm wireless its not a computer room anymore). I finished up my first flat fold! I used Judy O'Dell's book and as usual it was wonderful! I had a hard time photographing it this evening. I'll try and get something better tomorrow during daylight hours. The fabric in the background is what I used for backing fabric on my flat fold. The cord I made with Todd's usual assistance... which equates to me going "here hold this" and laughing while Hunter jumps up in the air to try and get the thread we're turning into cord!

First Snow

cDrawn Trhead

I can also share with you some finishing I did a few weeks ago. When it was time to send out my Neighbourhood RR I wasn't really paying attention... I assumed I sent it to the person below me on the address list. Not! So Debbie was kind enough to send my RR onto Margaret. Sooooo she deservied a giftie!

Emblem of Friendship

2006 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Edition

I've gotten a couple of more questions over the last 24 hours...


Dawn wanted to know how my foot's doing? Well Dawn its doing much better I have to say the physio is really helping, am I active again no. I'm not walking (for exercise) or doing any TKD until September. I have gotten out on my bike and if this damned hot humid weather would break I'd go out on it more often! I'm not pain free but the pain is better.


Joanne asked me what is the stitch count for Noah's Sub ... Noah's Sub is 320 stitches x 220
stitches. So on the 28ct jubilee I'm stitching it on the design size is a whopping 23" x 16". I really wish I had worked on it more tonight but I just couldn't be in the room with that crap on the TV.


Now onto some FUN stuff! Seeing as this is my 800th post and its going to be awhile before I hit the big 1K... lets offer up a prize! What's the prize, I don't know. A little something stitched... some a little stash, fibers, fabric, ribbon, cording... who knows! Sooo... leave me a comment and I'll enter you in the SUPER FANTASTIC 800TH POST DRAW! The draw will be made next Tuesday July 17th!

SBQ from June 22nd & A Question Answered

As you've probably noticed, I don't necessarily rush to answer SBQ's. I have a simple reason for that... I like to save them for days I don't have stitching progress or any news of merit to share with you.

So, here we go....

Q : When you start a new work do you look for something small, do you look for another huge project or do you consider your UFOs?

A : I really don't like to have too many projects sitting around... so when I finish a large project if I have another one I may have started when I had a serous case of start-itis.... or as I'm likely to do start a SAL then get hit by another project that has to get done . I'll pick that up as my next project. Of course that doesn't mean I'll go a little crazy on small designs for awhile! Which you'll definitely see me do when Noah's Sub is done. My next project to finish after Noah's Sub (which Kathy wanted to know) will be The Castle. I started this as a SAL back in January and due to my desire to get Noah's Sub finished I've kinda abandoned that. I'd say I'm close to 1/2 done on The Castle.

I got a question via the comments today from Margaret, she wanted to know when did I start Noah's Sub. Well I've gone back into my progress pictures the earliest one I can find is from July 3, 2002... that's when I finished page one. So I must of started it in 2002... and its now 2007 five years... wow the longest I've ever had a WIP! You know what, I'm going to finish it this year... this summer! The drive is on and I feel that urgency I often get when a project is finally taking shape and the end is in sight.

I did work on the Sub again tonight... I finished the waves, and started the water below the surface, even the outlines of the portholes! I'm looking forward to working on it tomorrow when I get home from work.

Tonight I also started my first flat fold while Todd was watching a show on TV... he likes it, it makes me leave the room. So I started the flat fold process. Will I finish it tomorrow, I don't know, we'll see what the day brings (besides physio... yuck!).

Oh... and Jenna, yes I did get highlights done in late May... I've never had so many compliments on my hair in my life!

Photo : Sunset at Black Lake (outside Perth, Ont.) this is an oldie... from my files in 2002!

Noah's Sub Progress

I made good progress on Noah's Sub today! On my new page (suppose that's current page now) I stitched up the base of the sub above water and almost all of the waves. I'm dreading getting down below the water line. Its going to be rows and rows of the same colours!

Here's this weekend's progress

For a little fun let's see where I was six months ago... (I did try to find a pic from a year ago but apparently I didn't really work on it much in 2006)

This week I decided to join the Fair and Square exchange... I really like what I've seen stitchers produce. They're still taking sign ups the next round dosen't start until the end of the month. Be srue to follow the link on the sidebar of the F&SE to check out the rules!

Quilts n' Gardens HD

Here's yet another RR for me to share with you all! This one is set up through my stitching BB, Needle and Thread (new members always welcome). This one is band samplers, and the owner, Jodi her theme was quits and gardens... we each have two bands to add to it. Mine are the pink flower and the star quilt squares. Besides Jodi in this RR I'm doing it with my good friends Chrisanne and Kathy! This RR just has to go to Kathy and then it can go back home to Jodi! I'm hoping in the fall to propose a new RR on my BB... I'm thinking a Quaker themed RR... I really like the ones I've seen being produced on the blogs.

Pink Flowers & Quilt Squares

c Better Homes and Gardens

2001 Cross Stitch Designs

Now I can pick Noah's Sub back up :-D

Photo Hunt #64 & #65

I'm a bit behind with my Photo Hunts... again.

So here's last week's ....

Photo Hunt #64 - Sweet

And there's nothing sweeter than fresh local berries. They're just in season now, however here's a massive one that I had while visiting California back in March! They were just so juicy and such a treat while back at home the ground was still shrouded in snow.

This week's ...
Photo Hunt #65 - Fake



Well after scouring my photo files I came up with this... one of my TKD buddies, Dave at our Children's Christmas party. What's more fake than reindeer antlers that are red?

I'm plugging away at Jodi's band RR and it should be done later tonight... just gotta get myself off of this stupid addictive computer-like thingie!

Show Me Your Devil Horns!

What FUN!!!!

Yesterday evening I met up in the food court at a local mall with Christin, Chrisanne and Lindsay (as you should all know by now Chrisanne's daughter) for a bite to eat. At this point Lindsay still had no idea that A... she was going to a concert and ... B .... she was seeing her favourite singer Daughtry! Actually Chrisanne told her over dinner that we were going to Build A Bear. LOL ... poor thing had no clue. So as we drove to Lynx Stadium (not far from the mall) it was Christin's job to distract Lindsay. If you'd like to see a true jaw-drop... Christin caught it nicely on her blog!

Lindsay got the complete concert-going experience! From waiting in line, to finding our seats to getting the T-Shirt, to her first Devil Horns.

She was just enthralled when Daughtry came on.

But the best had to be the show put on by Nickleback... great songs... pyro... flames... lighting and more! This was my third time seeing Nickleback and they put on a hell of a show!

Start of Another RR

On Saturday when I went to stitch with Chrisanne, she passed onto me the next Instant Gratification Round Robin on the Needle and Thread BB. I had selected what I was going to stitch last night and had time to start it this evening. Jodi's theme is quilts and gardens and we each have two bands to stitch. Both of the patterns I've picked are from the Better Homes and Gardens 2001 Cross Stitch Designs. I've got a good start on my first band.

I also did some finishing tonight! I've been reading a lot of blogs over the last few days and I've just been so inspired to do some finishing. Some of you bloggers do amazing work! I think blogs have been a fantastic motivator and inspiration over the years. A number of weeks ago you may recall I bought a few blue fat quarters. I had bought them with the intention of turning my blue Hedgehog Quaker into a pillow... I had an idea for something slightly different. Finally I did it, and I'm very happy with how it turned out!

I think I'm going to go through my finished-unfinished project bag and find something to try out a flat fold... I haven't made one of those yet!

Tomorrow night I won't get any stitching in... I'm meeting up with Christin, Chrisanne and her daughter Lindsay. We're taking Lindsay to her first concert (shhh... its a surprise). We're going to see Nickleback, Puddle of Mud, State of Shock and Daughtry. Should be a fun night as long as the rain holds off... its an outdoor concert.

July Goals

Well its that time of the month again... to re-visit my goals from the previous month and set ones for the upcoming month.

June Recap
Work on Noah's Sub - Sure did!
Stitch one ornament - Yes
Stitch a Freebie - Nope, never got around to it
Stitch on Chrisanne's Instant Gratification RR - Done and mailed
Stitch on next Neighbourhood RR that shows up - Done and mailed

July Goals
Work on Noah's Sub
Stitch one ornament
Stitch Instant Gratification RR
Stitch on any other RR's that show up

I've not stitched at all tonight. I had too much to do after work so I'll just catch up on some blogs!

Long Weekend Stitching Progress

Well, I had a lovely weekend with Chrisanne and her daughter Lindsay! We took Lindsay to see Pirates 3... enjoyable but not as good as the first. And well we stitched LOTS! LOL. Really I'm sure my progress picture will say it all!

I managed to finis my current page and I have a small start on the next. I'll be setting Noah's Sub aside for a few days as I have my next Band RR to get stitched!