Photo Hunt #89 "Light"

I love how the sunlight comes through my friendship ball. Isn't it beautiful?

Well I'm getting that much closer to the finish line on model #2! I've started the border, its simple with two colorus... one of them more evil DMC metallic. Then the final step will be some beads and I'll be dancing!

Some Stitching I Can Show!

Over the last little while I've actually put in some time on one of my little projects. Not at home, but as you know lately I've had a few appointments and I don't like to pull out an involved project when I know at any moment my name could be called and I have to shove it in a bag. No way to treat a model.

So I have actually put in some time with Mini Cottages 5, here's where it stands as of tonight. I worked on it at my Mum's this evening (not the best lighting). Ahhh that's nice being able to share some stitching!

I'm hoping by the start of the weekend I'll have finished my model!

SBQ : January 23rd

Q : Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

A : Yes, my first HD for this year has been a Mill Hill Ornament. Here's where you can check it out.

I had yet another migraine this afternoon. Urgh! It got pretty bad, when I got home from work I had to take some meds and lie down for a few hours. I have tried to stitch on model #2 tonight (and yes I'll be able to share it once its released) but between two lengthy phone calls and some frogging I'm afraid to say I didn't get too far!

Photo (SLR) : Rustbucket amongst the trees. I spotted this sitting back in the bush while out for a walk on Sunday, I never would of seen it in the summer.

Cool Gift & Stash!

Earlier this week I got the bestest ever e-mail from my good friend Chrisanne! I was actually at work when I read it so I'm afraid to say I disturbed any of the students studying/working in my library that day with a squeal of excitement! Chrisanne the awesome person that she is... she got me for my birthday (its not until March 27th by the way) a ticket to go see Lenny Kravitz with her at the Scotia Bank Place on March 24th! Even better she managed to score us seats on the floor, 6th row! Wahootie! I'm very excited. March is going to be a great month because the week before the Lenny concert (March 19th), Christin and I will be going to see The Foo Fighters, yet again we're going to be on the floor too! So March will be a-rockin' !!!

Also this week my stash for the Lizzie Kate Double Flip-its came in! Gosh I sooo can't wait to finish my model so I can stitch them up! I can't wait, its all organized ready to go.

Today I had a fantastic visit with Kathy! We went out for breakfast and stitched into the afternoon. It wasn't a long enough visit Kathy and its going to be a long time until the end of April!

Sorry I've not been blogging much I've either been stitching or sleeping! I don't know why, but my body seems to need sleep lately. I took a 5 hour nap on Saturday!

Photo (point & shoot) : grey squirril on tree

You Make Me Smile Award

Today I got from Witchypoo a You Make Me Smile Award. Sorry no cool icon for this but it was so nice to be singled out! I got to meet Zoe for the first time a few years ago when she was visiting Canada from the UK. I hope we'll sometime get to meet again be it if she gets to my side of the pond or I get to hers.

The rules are that I have to Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times. [Never a truer word has been added]

I think my top blogs that make me smile are my stitching friends (in no particular order)!

Christin - Christin's Ramblings

Kathy - Kathy's Sit N' Stitch

Beatrice - Stitching With a View

Chrisanne

Ann - Knowledge & Needles

Rebecca - Rebel In Ontario

Jennifer - Dragon Musings

Claire - Blarney And Grits

Lynn - Kearnel's Korner

"MissBehavin" - Who unfortunately doesn't want her blog out there but I enjoy it none the less.

Just to let you all know I've been plugging away at my second model, I just am focusing on stitching instead of blogging. Of course since I can't share it that lessens the interest level of my posts!

On Model Stitching

Jen wanted to know how did I get into model stitching?

Gosh I can't exactly remember when I started model stitching...years ago. I've checked back and my first model was in 2003. Its really quite simple actually, how I got into model stitching. Through a couple of classes with Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams (and I'm sure many e-mails inbetween) we came to be on familiar terms (now I'd like to say we're friends). So one day I e-mailed Jennifer and asked her if she was looking for model stitchers. Jennifer didn't make any promises or hinted, but she asked me to stitch one of her gemstone dragons (they were freebies at the time) on linen and to keep track of how long it took me. I was then next to send her the sample of my stitching (which she infromed me up front I wouldn't be getting it back), informing her of how long it took me. From there, the rest was history, I stitched my first model for her Noah's Alphabet and I've been model stitching on and off from there.

Some jobs I've gone out looking for, such as the two models I did for The Silver Lining. Again I got in touch with the designer and sent a sample of my work. The other people I have stitched for : Misty Stitches, Changing Tides, Great Bear Canada, and A Needle Pulling Thread have actually all gotten in touch with me. I think that's the highest compliment out there, to have people asking me to stitch for them (I was also invited to join Ghost Stitchers at one point but I had too much on my plate!). Most of my recent work has been for A Neelde Pulling Thread, and I hope they will continue to be happy with my work and continue to request my services.

What is the key to model stitching? Being quick, accurate, neat and observant! You have to be a good stitcher, have a neat front and back, also not afraid of new techniques. Accurate : you need to reproduce the piece as charted. Observant : you have to be able to notice what is or may be a mistake, to not be afraid to check with the designer to see if its intenional or a mistake. Also I always read through all the directions if they are provided with the chart, and report anything that is worded wierd, spelt wrong, etc. I tend to imagine I'm proof reading not only the design but the entire package. Communication with the designer while model stitching really makes for a smooth experience and I have often felt that my input is apprecaited!

Model stitching isn't consistant work (but then you'd never get your own projects finished), it can be stressful with tight deadlines, and it'll never make you rich. However, I still love seeing my work on the cover of a chart, or in a magazine!

Thank you to everyone out there who has been confident in my skill as a stitcher to let me work for you!

Model #1 DONE!

Yay I finished model #1 for A Needle Pulling Thread today! I'm so happy to have this one done, and I've started the second. Honestly, I can't wait to get back to my own stitching. Also stitching I can share with you. Its very hard to be enthusiastic about something when you can share... unless its a project that's super cool. Unfortunately these models don't fall into that category for me, but its work and I'm happy to do it!

Photo (point & shoot) : Palm tree at the San Diego Zoo. It is cold out there today and I sooooo wish I was somewhere sunny & warm!

Photo Hunt #88 "Small"

Well the one photo that immediately came to mind when I saw the theme of small I've already used in the past... that might of been for the theme of Tiny (Photo Hunt #67). So here's something else that's small in this big world of ours. A little bird pecking at seeds scattered on the snow by the bigger birds. (point & shoot)

Rebbecca wanted to know if I can tell you who is the model I'm working on by? Both models are for the Canadian magazine A Needle Pulling Thread, they are by Dyan Allaire of Kustom Krafts. I'm 100% sure I'll be finishing up model #1 on Saturday. That's if the S*^%ty DMC metallics I'm using doesn't kill me first or I attempt to hang myself with it. Oh wait, that won't work its crap and wouldn't hold my weight even if my life depended on it!

I'm hoping to get out and do some "shooting" as well (with my camera silly!), if its not cold (hate the cold...eh!) and the snow doesn't start flying until later in the day. I'm hoping this will motivate me to get out walking more and hopefully once the snow is gone out on my bike and down the country roads and trails.

SBQ : January 16th

Q :What is your favorite past time while stitching? Do you just enjoy silence, listen to music/audio books or do you "watch" TV/movies? Do you have specific favorites you listen to/watch while stitching?

A : If I'm stitching during the morning/early afternoon on a weekday (rare I assure you!) I prefer to have the radio on, listening to my favourite rock station. In most cases I'm stitching in the evenings and weekends so I've got the TV on I'm either watching TV or movies. Week nights its usually to television because there are the shows I tend to follow. On the weekends its usually movies because there's either nothing on. Or I don't want to waste precious stitching time looking for something to watch. I have to say if I've got some serious stitching to get done I'll put on a movie I'm fairly familiar with such as Lord of The Rings, Star Trek/Star Wars, ect. Especially series because you can just work your way from start to finish you don't have to think about what to watch next!

Today I had my bone scan on my feet. I have to say for one test it certainly takes up a big chunk of your day! I had to take the day off from work because of it. I had to be there just before 11am to fill out paper work. It turned out I didn't have to fill out said paperwork because I had been there in the past year (its where I had my mammogram done in the spring). I was scheduled for 11:15AM for an injection, its a radioactive tracer that first goes into the blood then is absorbed into the bone. Then I had my first series of scans on my feet. These first scans are to check blood flow (the tracer is only in your blood at this point) then I was told to come back at 3PM. So I put myself and my stitching into my car and took advantage of Chrsitin's apartment for the afternoon. I didn't want to have to drive back to my home in the country only to turn around and drive back again. Christin lives in the city, so I used her couch, ott-lite and watched her movies (oh and ate some of her Cadbury Mini Eggs... they were right there, couldn't help myself!). I was able to get in a few hours on model #1! Then it was back for my last series of scans, these ones took much longer, almost an hour. My new Dr. (who I saw for the first time last week) should have the results in a week... now I'm waiting on an appointment for an MRI.

I have to say I was able to make great progress on model #1 today/tonight! The main subject is done and backstitched. I've got almost 1/4 of the border done. Expect a happy dance (which I won't be able to share probably until March/April) this weekend. Then I can get onto model #2.

Photo (SLR) : At dusk, the profile of one of the three churches in my village. This one in particular has be deconsecrated (if that's a real word?)and is now used as a home.

I'be Been Tagged - Multiples of Four

Kathy tagged me with this tonight :

4 Jobs I've had

• Babysitter
• Student Page (library)
• Cashier
• Library Technician

4 Movies I watch over and over

• Lord of the Rings
• Braveheart
• Dune
• Fargo

4 Places I have been

• London, England
• Yuma, Arizona
• San Diego, California
• Dallas, Texas

4 Places I have lived

• Dollard Des Ormeaux, Quebec, Canada
• Allen, Texas, United States
• Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Nepean, Ontario, Canada

4 TV Shows I watch

• All Law & Orders
• The Amazing Race
• Coronation Street
• ER

4 People Who e-mail me regularly

• Kathy
• Chrsitin
• Marj
• Chrisanne

4 Favourite foods

• Butter Chicken
• Pizza
• Spanish Rice
• Popcorn

4 Places I would rather be

• Somewhere hot
• Somewhere sunny
• Somewhere with a beach
• With my stitching Friends

4 Things I'm looking forward to

• March Break
• Finishing my models
• Seeing Kathy
• Going out for walks with my new camera

4 People to tag

• Christin
• Chrisanne
• Ann
• Claire

Old SBQ December 12, 2007

Q :Do you do anything special to your threads before putting them throughyour fabric to make them more manageable?

A : To most threads, no. The only thread I do anything to is rayon, before I thread the needle I dip my fingers in water and run the thread through my damp fingers. This tends to tame the thread a little and work those kinks out.

I'm still plugging away at my first model, so no interesting stitching news to pass on.

Here's today's photo, the moon through the bare branches of one of my trees at dusk.

Photo Hunt #87 "Long"

A beautiful, long Peacock's tail at rest. San Diego Zoo, March 2007.

Round Robin HD

While I was on Christmas holidays I worked on Rowyn's Neighbourhood RR, however I wasn't able to complete it because I had to pick up one last skein of GAST that I didn't have in my stash, nor did my local stitching friends. Luckily it was in stock at my LNS!

For My Friends

c2006 Charlotte's Web Needleworks

JCS 2006 Ornament Issue

Stitched with DMC & GAST

Today I got together with my latest stitching friend (I always like to make new stitching friends) Manon. We stitched all day today! It was GREAT! I managed to get a lot done on my model, now I feel like I'll be able to make my deadline! Yay! Thanks Manon for a great day and I'm sooo glad you started CDC! Yay!

Here's my photo of the day with my new camera! This is the willow at the back of my property with the sun rising behind it.

Broke A 10 Day Streak!

Well I was doing very well with blogging up until yesterday! I had blogged every day since January 1st. I was just pooped yesterday evening, and honestly had nothing special to blog about.

I do have something special to blog about today! I went out this AM to get that camera I was telling you all about earlier this week! Yay! I just love it so far! Of course I've really got to take some time to figure out how to use it properly! I've got the basic features figured out, but there's a lot to SLR's! I just love the fact that this "kit" came with two lenses!

Due to the fact that I HAD to stitch today I didn't hit the roads with my little car to find things to photography. However, the cats definitely got to play the role of model! Here are a few piccys I took today.

My Chicken Coop (well it came with the house we don't actually use it)

Todd (the imaginary boyfriend)

Hunter (I just love his expression!)

Cuddles

I've made a small dent into my first model this evening. I should be able to get a lot done tomorrow I'm going to stitch with Manon! Focused stitching, no distractions! Yay!

SBQ : January 9th

Q : What was your favorite finish of 2007?

A : Why Teresa Wentzler's The Castle of course! I just luuuv how it turned out on the hand dyed fabric I stitched it on!

Well I didn't get far on my model tonight! Boo hoo! I kinda passed out on the couch when I got home after dinner tonight. I always find after being off of work for awhile that I'm exhausted when I get home. I'm hoping to make major progress this weekend.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and well wishes about my feet.

Photo Hunt #86 "Red"

Ahhh springtime! I LOVE tulips and these are some of the red ones which popped up in my gardens spring 2007. With the warm weather we've had the last few days I wouldn't be surprised if the poor bulbs were confused! Temperatures are supposed to start dropping closer to zero as week goes on.

Well blog readers, the supplies for my two models for the magazine A Needle Pulling Thread has arrived. I spent a little time when I got home organizing the floss into floss-a-way bags and I got a start. Its not a bad start, but I'd like to have gotten more done. My head is still bothering me and of course I spent some time on the phone with my Mum so that cuts into the productivity! My weekend isn't too busy, with hopefully plenty of stitching opportunities so I should make great progress!

My appointment this afternoon went okay... the Sports Dr. is a little stumped in figuring out what is causing my pain, its an area where there are several joints and ligaments. The x-rays don't show anything, and he couldn't tell anything by giving it a good poke (owwwie). So the next step is to schedule me for a bone scan and MRI. He assures me this should happen in about three weeks. So that's where that stands.

Oh Vonna, you were wondering if I carried my camera with me everywhere. Yes I do! Its a nice little point and shoot, but I'd almost kill for a digital SLR! If I can take some good pictures with a point and shoot imagine what I could do with an SLR once I figure out how to use it properly! There's one I've been drooling over at Costco and since Todd didn't want to get it for me for x-mas my Mum is actually offering to lend me the $$$ to get it (my parents just saw it themselves today and think its a great camera for a great price ... comes with two lenses too!), I'm thinking about it... I really want it!

Dear Blogger, I was bad...

Well ever since I saw THIS somewhere on someone's blog over a week ago I've been obsessing about it. Its Lizzie*Kate's Double Flip Its. If you've been a long time reader, or a good friend of mine you know that Lizzie*Kate isn't usually my taste. However I fell in love with the powerful words and how beautifully they're laid out. So I've enrolled to get these on automatic from Down Sunshine Lane (I've read good things about this ONS on the various blogs out there this is my first order with this shop), the floss pack, and fabric. This is the first time I've ever joined an automatic program and I'm hoping this is a good thing! Also I won't forget to order the latest one one month in the future then be scrounging around to find it! I'm hoping also to stitch these as they're released. But then I've put a lot of stuff on my stitching plate for 2008 so this might not happen, or something else will drop off. LOL we'll see! Lists are usually done in pencil for a reason... you can use and eraser!

I've not stitched much tonight so I'm not going to bore you with any progress pictures. I'm pretty tired today (and a little headachy), I always find I do okay on the first day back to work, but exhausted the next and that's what happened.

Tomorrow I have an appointment I've been looking forward to for awhile, I've got an appointment for my feet with a sports medicine doctor that my family doctor has referred me to. Fingers crossed, we'll find out why I have pain in my feet, start to get it resolved so I can go back to Taekwon-Do. I'm now in my 8th month since I stopped training and teaching at first with a torn ligament in my foot and chronic plantar fascists in both feet. My "newest" problem (which started developing in late September/October) is pain across the top of my feet, the right one in particular. One suspicion I have is stress fractures. We'll see as I had x-rays back in November in preparation for this consultation that I've been waiting for. I just want to know why I'm in pain when I'm on my feet during my normal working day, and what can be done for it!

I want to be TKDchick again!

Fog, Progress and Fair & Square Revealed

Wow! If you haven't heard already, the weather has just gone crazy up here! On Thursday, its was -27c today... right now at 11pm its 9c with rain! Time to keep an ear out for that sump pump and make sure its still working! Due to all that snow we've had over the last few weeks melting, we've got fog galore out there! My drive home was a little hairy at times, there was so much fog at times I could barely see two car lengths ahead of me!

Tonight I worked on two different projects. I started out with Tour Des Marques, I've been working on that for a year now, and I'm still on the 3rd page! I've really got to commit better to this piece. When I had as much over one as I could handle (just wasn't focused enough tonight) I pulled out Mini Cottages 5.

I finally found out today that my Fair & Square arrived safe and sound with Lizzie. I stitched her a Christmas design in hopes that it would arrive in time for the holidays. Lizzie said she got it just after Christmas!

A Very Merry Christmas

c JBW Designs

Stitched on 32ct Platinum Lugana

Stitched with GAST threads

A Little Info...

Some of you have asked me what year is that Prairie Schooler Santa I bought is. Its the 1992 Santa and I know Knowledge and Needles has lots of them! So if you go to the website and drop Ann an e-mail she'd be happy to sell you one (no online shopping cart but she loves e-mail orders). She also has a bunch of different years if you're a collector... I might start doing that hmmm...

Ornament HD & Progress

Well folks, that's Christmas Holidays done and over with, I'm back home and ready to go to work bright and early tomorrow morning. Yee haw (feel the joy).

My drive back home was uneventful, I didn't stop to take any photos... I just wanted to get home. I didn't stitch much this evening, however I did the finishing on my ornament and worked on Moonlight Guardian.

Engraved Heart - Mill Hill Kit

c1996 Jill Siegler

While at Ann's I also bought some stash from her shop, Knowledge and Needles. I got one of the PS Santa's, LOL he's fishing perfect for Todd! Some DMC 321 which I was out of, some more Kreiniks for MG, and I discovered she had the threadpack for Ink Circles Blackstone Fantasy Garden! I look forward to going back the first weekend in March (1st &2nd) when Ann is hosting her open house after going to Nashville for market. She's asked me to come and help her out and I'm so excited about that!

Another Full Day of Stitching!

Day 3 in Brighton, its the end of another long day of stitching for me and Ann! I was toying with the idea of going home tonight after dinner. However, I was pretty comfortable, and Todd had called me warning that the forecast in our area was calling for freezing rain (I live about 3 hours away from Ann by car) so it was best to stay off of the roads. I'll finally be heading home tomorrow, not only because I'm starting to miss my boys (Todd included) but because I go back to work Monday morning *shudder*

Today was pretty dreary outside, and there weren't as many birds at the feeder today... but lots of greedy squirrels! I did managed to get this one pretty cool shot of a Chickadee about to take flight.

For most of the day, until dinner time I worked on Moonlight Guardian. I managed today to get the left hand border stitched. I would of liked to have also put in the box at the bottom with a moon in it, but I was pretty sick and tired of kreinik by this time! Can you believe, I've almost gone through one complete spool of 001HL, 025 and 060 #4BF! It seems like you need one spool of each colour per half of the border (and the instructions do tell you to get two of each, and its not an exaggeration). I love Dragon Dreams projects they stitch up so quickly!

Since I was sick and tired of MG, I took Ann's lead and started an ornament. Ann, the lucky devil has stitched up 7 ornaments since Christmas! No fair! So I pulled out one of the Mill Hill Kits I had thrown in my stitching bag on Thursday morning. I don't have the name of this one with me at the moment, that's downstairs. This is the ornament up to the point where I have to stuff it and close the final seam on the back. Tomorrow I'll re-post it with a totally finished picture and all the design info for you.

SBQ : January 3rd

Since this one was kinda time sensitive I figured I should answer it sooner rather than later so thus... two posts in one evening!

Q : Are you starting something new to celebrate the New Year or participating in "Guilt Free January?" If so, what are you planning on starting?

A : The answer to this, if you haven't already figured it out from my last few entries is YES! I've been following this tradition for a few years. This year's start is usually planned in conjunction with my good friends Christin and Chrisanne however Beatrice was around when we were discussing it and she happily jumped on the bandwagon as well! We all started Moonlight Guardian from Dragon Dreams.

Now I don't go to the extent of participating in Guild Free January. I don't think I could life with the stress of starting so many projects (because I want to start them all), then not being able to pay adequate attention to all of them!

Stitch-O-Rama!

Its the end of day two here in Brighton, and boy did I stitch!

Today was a much calmer day here at Ann's we stitched up a storm today, and that's pretty much all we did (could you ask for a more perfect day?). We settled into Ann's sunroom with our stitching and watched the birds flitting back and forth from the trees to the bird feeders. Today we were treated with a male and female pair of cardinals. Boy the male is so pretty and vibrant. Again, thank you mother nature for a beautiful backdrop!

I spent the first half of my day almost wrapping up Rowyn's Neighbourhood RR, its all done except for one colour of GAST, Bayberry. Can you believe I don't have that one in my embarrassingly large stash? Nor did Christin, nor Ann's shop but I've lucked out and my contact at my LNS spotted a skein for me and has it set aside at the cash. I'll be popping in mid next week to pick that up and completely finish that RR. So here's where I'm at until I get that thread.

After getting as much done as I could on the RR I pulled Moonlight Guardian back out. I made great strides on this piece, the whole top boarder is done and I've made a good start on the left hand side. What you can't tell from this picture is that except for the outline on the border and the star and moon, this is all done in Kreinik #4 braid and the colours are just fantastic against the Blue Spruce linen.

Tomorrow guess what Ann and I have planned... more stitching! (Tell me, are you really surprised?)

Having Fun In Brighton

Whew! What a day I'm pooped! I found myself this morning at 5:30 am not able to get back to sleep, after Todd's shuffling around the house to get ready for work woke me up. After trying to go back to sleep for almost an hour I finally gave in and got up. Which allowed me to get a few more things done, and on the road an hour earlier than planned/expected! I had planned to stop to photo graph two spots on my way here, the first was this huge inukshuk and I have to say mother nature set up my photo beautifully with mist in the background! The second spot is an old stone church but I overshot it and traffic on the highway just wouldn't allow me to turn back. Hopefully I'll be able to stop on my way home.

My drive was uneventful (which is always a good thing) and I arrived in time to have a bit of a visit with Ann before the Thursday stitchers showed up! Today's group was a real treat, a full house of 16??? I never really counted but there were a lot of stitchers there, I can assure you there was more talking than stitching going on but it was fun!

I got to see some good friends like Beatrice, and her mom Adriana. Adriana is the most inspiring woman you will ever meet, and every stitcher wants to grow old as gracefully and beautifully as she has! Imagine at 91 to still be able to stitch? Not only stitch, but stitch on linen as beautifully as she does. Adriana has done a lot of beautiful, large projects since I first met her a few years ago. Beatrice frequently showcases her Mom's work on her blog.

Sharon also came in to stitch today as well, when she read on my blog that I was going to be here, and she wasn't working today she got in touch with Ann to see if she could come and stitch too! There was also Judy, Barb and Marie-Paul in attendance who I've also gotten to know fairly well over time. I always look forward to the few times of the year when I can come to Thursday stitching. Its such a wonderful group and everyone inspires and enables each other (it helps that Ann's shop Knowledge and Needles is just in the other room!)

Beatrice finally got her fabric for Moonlight Guardian today and she got started on it right away!

Once everyone left we had dinner then it was back to work, stitching, Beatrice also came back to stitch with us. Dan, Ann's DH had requested a quick haircut if you read her blog you may recall she's a barber.

I worked on the latest RR, and will be almost done tomorrow, except for one thread I will have to pick up at my LNS next week. No point in sharing a picture now when I can do that tomorrow with the almost completed piece.

Tomorrow Ann I and just plan to sit and stitch! Hmmm... what shall I work on?

Oh if you're wondering why there are no pictures of Ann? Well she was so busy in her shop (two new customers to boot!) that she barely had time to stitch until everyone was gone!

Paradigm Lost Week 9

Just a quick post tonight, I want to get to bed... um not so late as last night so I'll be fresh to hit the road tomorrow for my visit with Ann! I'm also quite excited because Sharon who I met through Ann and her retreats read my blog that I was coming down her way (I was planning on e-mailing her but she got to me first), so she's arranged to drop in at Ann's for Thursday stitching ... Yay! Can't wait to see you Sharon!

I didn't get in as much stitching as I would of liked today, but I spent a lot of it doing domestic goddess-like things so I can run away! The tree is down, the litter tray is done, groceries, laundry, beds made, wahootie I think its safe to go! At least Todd can't complain.

Today I finally got some stash in the mail that I ordered in the first week of December! I was really hoping to get it before the break so I could make cord (I jury rigged an old hand crank drill with a mug hook in the meantime), and so I could get Beatrice's Moonlight Guardian fabric to her on time for January 1st. With the Christmas mail and holidays it took until today to show up. So pictured here are my new cording drill (much more lighter and compact than my jury rigged one!), also the silk pack for Dimples Designs Enchantment of Winter (if you recall this is one of my 2008 goals), this is all photographed on Beatrice's fabric.

I also received a lovely surprise, one of Von's handmade cards. Thank you Von, its just so pretty!!!

Wahootie Brighton, here I come!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year readers!

Today I got to empty my ort jar. It was filled with a year's worth of fibres and memories from all the projects I stitched this year, but now its empty and ready for a new batch of fibres, projects, and memories.


Todd and I had a lovely New Year's Eve out at Rebecca's home with her husband and children. It was very low key and relaxing. LOL we didn't even notice when the clock struck twelve!!!





Rebecca and I stitched all evening once the boys were in bed. I started out with Rowyn's Neighbourhood RR but decided that wasn't the best piece to work on after my first adult friendly beverage! So I tucked that away and pulled out Mini Cottages 5 I figured aida cloth and bright colours would be the safest bet, and I worked on that until just after midnight. I did start to have a bit of a Moonlight Guardian crisis around 10pm (my New Year's start), I pulled it out and after a good fondle I was calmed enough to put it away and continue on my Michael Powell. However at midnight MG did make an appearance, I got in maybe 30 stitches then we all hit the hay.


This morning we woke up to a lovely surprise... MORE SNOW... that's right. We've had at least another 10cm today. It made our drive home a lot longer than it needed to be as well, and we would of stayed longer at Rebecca's for a leisurely morning. Our 1.5 hour drive turned into a 3 hour drive, Todd was a brave man and he white knuckled it home, and I worked on Mini Cottages to keep myself distracted and my mouth shut so he could focus on the road. I have to say there weren't too many idiots out there we only ran into two vehicles in the ditch on the whole trip.


Once we settled in at home I stared working on Moonlight Guardian in earnest. I had to stop for a few hours, I could feel a headache coming on so I took a power nap and that did the trick.

I really want to pick this project back up tomorrow, so far even just the border is so enjoyable! However I'll be a good girl and stick to my SAL schedule and pull out Paradigm Lost for a full day of love and attention. I know that once I put that needle to thread I won't want to put it down.

After a relaxing day at home by myself tomorrow I'll be heading off to Brighton to visit with Ann! I'll be arriving in time for her Thursday stitchers where I'll get to see Beatrice and the gang! I can't wait.