Not Quite Finished

I worked on Debby's RR again tonight, unfortunately its not going to get in the mail for tomorrow's deadline but I should get it in the mail on Wednesday. Those silly willows took all evening to get the trunk and branches put in. I'd have to say right now they look like my big willow, not a leaf on it!

Tomorrow is weigh in, as usual I'm apprehensive. This is the first time since I started WW that I've used almost all of my flex points in a week. So it'll be interesting to see if there's a loss and how small or how bit it'll be. I'll share tomorrow!

Some Stitching and Stash

Well I have to say this past week there has been very little on the stitching front. Today I finally had a chance to sit and work on Debby's RR most of the time... well at least when Hunter didn't want to be on my lap. For some reason he wanted to play the lap cat, and I didn't think Debby would appreciate some black specialty fibres.

Also I got my Silkweaver grab bag on the weekend. I got lots of lovely fabrics in descent sizes!

Back to the grind of the normal world tomorrow!

Playing At The Auto Show

Well I've barely stitched in this last week, and the same happened on Saturday I didn't stitch at all! I'll be sitting down to stitch today!

Although Todd and I went to the Auto Show to play!

I also have gotten a couple of more b-day gifts over the last few days. From Christin and her Mom I got a complete set of DMD colour variations. Christin also got me Transformers on DVD, The latest Foo Fighters CD (which she gave me a few weeks ago before the concert), some colourful Sharpie markers, Cadbury Thins and a number of zipper mesh bags (I seem to have so many projects on the go that I don't have enough). From my brother I got two great gifts, a backpack that will hold my SLR camera, laptop, and there's room for stitching! LOL sometimes when I travel I carry at least 3 bags! Also he got me a gorilla tripod, its very cool!

Today, I'm 32!

Yay! Its my Birthday today, and I have decided that it doesn't bother me being 32. Now according to some of my co-workers, 35 is one that they all seemed to dread!

So far today the staff here at work have managed to make me feel special today! Its almost lunchtime, and I've received gorgeous roses (will share a pic tonight), quite a number of cards, many birthday wishes and hugs, the latest issue of The World of Cross Stitch, and a yummy slice of coffee cake! The leftovers were sacrificed to the staff room... that way I only have one slice!

Todd told me last night to be ready for 6:30, that he has a reservation for dinner. He wouldn't tell me where...

So today its a very low points breakfast and lunch for me! Hopefully I can stay on point today!

In honor of my 1001st post and my 32nd b-day I'm going to have a draw for a stitched "something" made by me! So leave me a comment and I'll enter your name in my draw!

EDITED TO ADD :

Well I have to say this has definately been one of my better birthdays! When I picked up the mail I had two birthday parcels and a card!

Vicki Made me this beautiful little pillow.



Kathy Made me this gorgeous un-stuffed pillow (cheaper to send it that way) and a few extra goodies.


Todd was a good boy and did take me out for dinner! We went to a little place in a stone house called Cabatto's. Yummy and I sooo killed my points! LOL Actually the dinner came out okay, it was the chocolate mousse that did me in!

1000 Posts Later!

Wow! Who would imagine when I started this blogging journey back in 2003 that I would be still doing this almost 5 years and 1000 posts later!

I think first I must thank each and every one of you! Each of you who stops by to see what I've stitched lately, what I've seen or where I've gone lately! Back in May of last year I finally put a counter on my blog, and hopefully by May this year I'll have had 50,000 hits! You people just amaze me! Also I love every comment I get! It encourages me to keep sharing my life with all of you ... and I hope I don't bore you too much!

Many of you have been with me through my high moments and my low. Through my triumphs and one of the most scariest moments I've ever had to go through when a year ago at my annual exam my Doctor found a lump in my breast. You were there through the mammogram and the biopsy and finally the negative results. The support I received was just overwhelming and it really helped me through a tough month! Now many of you are there cheering me on though my Weight Watchers journey. Thank you so much!

I've also been glad for every blogger/stitcher out there I've managed to meet in the last five years! I've made some amazing friends through this little website, both in person and online! I've also enjoyed each and every one of your blogs, how you've enabled me and made my wish list get bigger and bigger!

Here's hoping to many more years of happy blogging, and as time passes by I hope to meet more of you on my travels!


THANK YOU EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

Oh yeah... I lost another pound this past week! Yay!

An Afternoon at the NAG

Did that title make you take a double check? Yes today my Mum and I (I was off work for Easter Monday) went to the NAG... The National Art Gallery (of Canada). I haven't been there in at least five years, so it was nice to go and wander through the general collection! We couldn't even get through all of it. We looked at the European art (lots of big names... Rembrandt, VanGogh, Degas, Renoir, Monte, Klimt, and more that I'm sure I'm not familiar with) its amazing to find out what's in your back yard! Just the European art took us two hours! We were too stimulated to go and see the Canadian or Contemporary galleries. Those galleries we'll save for another day! Also we had a nice late lunch/early dinner in the Market. It was a nice day out!

Of course because of this lovely day out ... not much stitching got done! Here's my progress on Debby's RR as of quitting time tonight.

Tomorrow's weigh-in day at WW. I honestly won't be surprised if I don't see a loss from this past week. I stayed within my points but I wasn't eating the best foods all the time (I've got 100 calorie goodies in the house)... or at least it felt like it! So I'll be shocked if I have a loss to report tomorrow! So I vow for week 5 to eat as well as I did weeks 1-3... except for on Thursday... my birthday! I'm sure they'll have a cake at work (they always have) and if Todd does something shocking like take me out for dinner (some of you may recall last year I sat at home BY MYSELF on my birthday until 11pm and I was most displeased) its going to be butter chicken, rice, and nan!!! Oh yeah baby!

Debby's RR On The Go

I had a nice day working on Debby's RR, its one of the houses from Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. I'm finding this very enjoyable to stitch. I still have windows and doors to finish up, a fence, grass and two willow trees. I picked this square because I have a willow just off of my property line behind my house and I love it!

Being A Little Selfish...

Today I should of worked on Debby's Neighbourhood RR. Well I had a fit of selfishness, and stitched an ornament for myself instead!

The Prarie Schooler

c2007 - Freebie

32ct Mushroom Lugana, DMC cotton & Mill Hill Beads

I made some changes to the freebie as the snowflakes in the sky were stitched in the same green as the tree. Also the snowman's hat, eyes, nose, and buttons were all done in the same red as the scarf. I didn't like what they had done in the model so I stitched his hat black, used white beads for the snowflakes and black beads for the eyes and buttons. I also used some orange for his carrot nose. Much better!

Tomorrow I'll tackle that RR!

Model #4 Finished, Models 2 & 3 Revealed

Its been a very lazy Good Friday for me, which is great because I needed to recover from that Foo Fighters concert! There's been some serous napping and sleeping in!

Despite sleeping in and taking a late afternoon nap I did finally finish Model #4 that I had been waiting for missing thread for. So #4&5 will be going in the mail on Tuesday. I'll be picking Debby's RR back up for the rest of the long weekend and trying my best to get that done for the April 1st mail out date.

I was at Chapters on Wednesday and noticed that the latest issue of A Needle Pulling Thread is out. This means that I can now share with you the two models I stitched for this issue! Two more fairies for the Monthly Flower Fairies series. Of course they've photographed much better for the magazine!

May Fairy

c2000 Kustom Krafts

June Fairy

c2000 Kustom Krafts

Oh by the way, I never did mention that this past Tuesday's weigh in at Weight Watchers I was down another pound! This puts me at 6lbs lost.

Foo Fighters!!!

I've been moshed, stepped on, pushed, shoved, had bodies passing over me... and I had a great time at the Foo Fighters last night!!!! It was insane... and it was awesome!! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Model #5 Done and Progress Pictures!

Well fair readers, I'm back home safe and sound. The laundry is done and my lunch is made... ready to go back to work after being off for a week. I tell you its never long enough!

Saturday by lunchtime I finally finished Model #5! Yay boy was I glad to see the end of that piece of stitching. I have one more to go, but I won't be starting it just yet. I figured with wrapping up that model... to celebrate with a little shopping at Ann's shop, Knowledge and Needles. Then, it was time to pack up and start heading East on the 401. I made it safe and sound to Christin's parents in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day an we enjoyed a walk out in the fresh air. I can tell you Brighton and Kingston have WAYYYY less snow that we do in the Ottawa Valley! Despite warmer temperatures I was sad to find we have much of it still left!

Saturday night I decided to work on a piece I started mid last year, and haven't really touched. The poor thing keeps getting set aside for everything else and wouldn't really take long to finish.

Cats and Baskets

Then this evening I pulled out Debby's Neighbourhood RR and got a start on it! I'm stitching the house from house 11 on Houses of Hawk's Run Hollow. Once this RR is done I'll go back to the model stitching... this means at least for a little while I'll have stitching to share with you.

Well its off to bed, and back to work in the morning... at least I can look forward to two things : a four day work week, and the Foo Fighters on Wednesday night!

Fair & Square Round 5 Received

I found out yesterday that Hannah received my Fair and Square exchange yesterday! Yay! At least this exchange wasn't somewhere in the postal system for 6 weeks! Hannah said she liked Quaker designs and autumn colours, so I picked this lovely freebie for her (and looking at the F&S blog it looks like a lot of other stitchers did too! I guess it helps that its just the right size!).

Tiny Little Little Quaker

c2005 Papillon Creations

Stitched on 32ct Mushroom Lugana using DMC colour variations

Yesterday's stitching group at Ann's was small. There were five of us counting Ann and I, much easier to have a conversation, LOL! It was so nice to see Sharon again, and she surprised me with Teresa Wentzler's latest design Mini Winter Sampler because I had sent her some fabric awhile ago! Thanks Sharon I love it and can't wait until I can squeeze it in to my "stitching schedule" LOL!

I made good progress on the model yesterday. I just have some beads left to put on and it'll be done.

I'll be heading over to Christin's parents today and tomorrow Christin and I will be heading home... the end of March Break. Sigh!

Thursday Stitchers

I just love it when I can get away and get down to Brighton for a Thursday and get to hang with the "Thursday Stitchers" as I call them. Ann has this great group of ladies, most she has met via her shop Knowledge and Needles and once a week they get together on Thursdays to stitch, visit, have tea and treats! Can you think of a nicer way to spend an afternoon. Ann has actually had to start a second group, albeit small at the moment on Fridays because the room is just jam packed on Thursdays. This week's number was down a few as a couple of ladies couldn't make it. They're the neatest group of ladies around (and always welcome me as one of the gang when I make it down)!

One, Marie-Paul is very creative! Here's a new finishing idea for all of you. She took this Crossed Wing piece (Palliated Woodpecker I think).

And turned it into this....

Who would of ever thought of making a chair cover and table cloth to show off a piece! Her husband was wonderful and brought everything over a little earlier in the day and set it all up so the Thursday stitchers (and myself) could see this lovely set!

Judie (of the famed Cows in blankets from Ann's blog) brought an early b-day cake for Ann (its on the 18th). I even enjoyed a small piece, and I can tell you it was worth every POINT!

On the model front... I ended up having to do some frogging this afternoon. I have to say for once it wasn't because I was too busy playing Ms. Social Butterfly (which I love doing!), alas I can't blame it on the Thursday stitchers for distracting me! Because I know I made the mistake at home a few days ago... stitching by myself. However I didn't notice it until today when I started filling in the area with #4 braid. Out came the scissors, snip, snip, snip. I think my frog shower curtain (they're very cute they have googlie eyes and all!) at my house has worn off. They have done a good job keeping the frogs away from my stitching and in the bathroom! Before I put my stitching down for the night I had fixed the area and started the border (almost 1/4 done). Which means... evil DMC metallic time!

Tomorrow I get to hang with the Friday stitchers... and stitch! Also my dear friend Sharon is going to come and stitch with us tomorrow! Yay!

On a sad note, I found out from Chrisanne today that the Lenny Kravitz concert scheculed for Ottawa on the 24th got cancelled. Oh pooh! I was really looking forward to the show!

Safe And Sound In Brighton

Despite some winds and drifting snow in places it was a nice day for a drive! I arrived at Ann's without incident, and you know sometimes spending a few hours alone in the car by yourself is nice (well with the Foo Fighters and The Police for company!).

I was well greeted by Paddie and Mollie! After unloading my car (I can assure you I don't travel light... lol) and a bit of a rest I picked up my stitching... model stitching that is so alas I cannot show you! Ann was working away at her Pretty Pumpkins, gosh they're stunning... and tempting! I know I'll be walking away with a few purchases when I leave... Ann's got Teresa Wentzler's Mini Winter Sampler in stock! I collect all TWs!

Hmmm not my usual exciting posts... tomorrow : The Thursday stitchers! Yay!

Five

Today was a beautiful day!

My day started out with picking up my Mum. She and I went downtown to see my hairdresser, who I love dearly and I trust... with my hair! She's great I don't tell her what I'd like she does what she thinks looks best for my face. We've gone blonde again! What fun!

After our hair do's it was nice out so we walked upto Parliament Hill. Its so peaceful in the winter, nice and quiet! In the summer its just jam packed with tourists! Of course... I took pictures!

Our walk was followed with lunch out! No wonder I was hungry! It was 2pm by the time we were eating! Then I took Mum home. Dad had been getting concerned about all the snow piled up on the garage roof (which is lower than the house so the snow just collects there). He paid someone to come in and get the snow off of the garage. Imagine a pile of snow as long as a two car garage, up to 5ft high and 3-4ft wide! I couldn't let my poor dad move all of that on my own. So I grabbed a shovel and broke it up as my dad snowblowed what I broke off of the pile. It took the two of us an hour and 45 minutes to get it cleared away!

Then it was .... weigh in time! I lost another 1.5lbs this week! This means in two weeks I'm already down 5lbs! Weight Watchers really does work!

Tomorrow I'm off to Brighton! I'm going to stay with Ann & Dan. I'll get to see the Thrusday Stitchers, Beatrice, and Sharon!

After The Snow

Well, after a dump of snow like we had on the weekend... what do good Canadians do? Well we dig out! It was a beautiful today and the temperatures were warm (-7c) so myself and my camera went for a bit of a putter about The Village.

This was my first day out of the house since Friday night! I have to say I was very surprised by the height of the snowbanks! I had to walk on the street because the sidewalk (yes that's plural we have one sidewalk in The Village) wasn't yet finished by the kindly old gentleman who does it every winter.

I found a very obliging red squirrel on my travels. Isn't he adorable?

Model #5 progresses nicely, I'd have to say I'm about 1/2 way done! Yay! I won't be getting much stitching done, my Mum and I are going downtown to get our hair done. My Mum's b-day gift to me this year. If its warm enough outside we're hoping to walk upto Parliament Hill with our cameras. Also I have my weigh in at Weight Watchers... the end of week 2 ACK! I'm settling in with the program now, I'm not hungry all the time. Though I've discovered even though I've bought low point treats... I still can't trust myself to have them in the house. Embarrassingly I've eaten them, but accounted for every point!

After The Snow!

Here's my pictures after the snow storm and Todd had cleared the driveway!