Oink!

Yay a small HD for me! I've finished off the Lanarte Pig that I started at the beginning of the month. I've worked on him a little here and a little there. Now out of the series all I have left is the goat which I plan to start once I've done the Ornament RR that I have in my possession right now.

So here's the details :

Pig, a kit from Lanarte by James Hearne stitched on 27ct linen with cotton floss, over one using tent stitch.

Week 4 Progress

I think in the last week I've really not felt like stitching at all. Every time I sat down with it I was kinda like in a "ugh not this again" frame of mind. However my goal was to get the left side of the border completed (minus beads), and that's the goal I've managed to meet.

Here's a full view of Teresa Wentzler's Wedding Sampler , I'm still not happy with the photo every time I try to photograph this piece it looks really washed out.


Now here's a closeup of the border section (colours are more true) :


My stitching goal for this week to finish the top portion of the border... at least.

Wow... I've Been Knocked on my A$$ ..... Again!

Its barely February and its been of year of surprises, and I received another one tonight. So far since Christmas, my best friend has gotten engaged and I'm to be one of the bridesmaids! In the New Year I was asked if I could take up administration of the Needle and Thread Bulletin Board for stitchers.

Well today it just took a phone call to do it this time. I was called by the past president of my needlework guild. I am being asked if I would like to take on the position of VICE PRESIDENT!!! Oh My Gosh!!!! Every time things like this happen it takes me by surprise. I had no idea I was thought of enough in the gild to be approached for a position like this. Its a serious decision I have to make, and it will take some time. In our guild each term is 2 years and after being VP you become President. A heavy decision indeed.

I'll let you all know when I make up your mind. If any of you out there have ever been on your guild's executive I'd love to hear about your experiences. Please leave a comment or e-mail me at tkd_chick at hotmail dot com

Another Nice Day!

And I'm not only talking about the weather (sunny and -6c you know its been a long cold winter when you're excited about it being warmer than -10c!!!). Today I met up with a some of the ladies for work for breakfast at one co-worker's house nearby. After a nice leisurely breakfast and a chat (something we don't have time to do since we work in a non-stop environment) we all packed into the car and drove up to Perth for some shopping. Our first stop was the outlet shoe, store, hard to find if you didn't know about it. I made out like a bandit!!! I got a new pair of black leather winter boots, very nice for 39.00 and a pair of brown leather shoes for work and to wear about when the snow is gone also for What a novel idea having boots, I haven't had winter boots in a coon's age!

We then went shop hopping down the main drag. I bought some very cool fantasy cards which were blank inside. I can't wait to use them! We then had a light lunch and whoila it was 3pm! We did a quick stop in a fabric shop where I found a fat quarter with lighthouses for my friend Hannelore and back home.

I came home to find my other half in the car waiting for me with the car running... he had asked me to be home for 4pm... I got back at 4:30 (ooops!). So I hopped out of one car and into another and off we went for dinner with the in-laws at Red Lobster. I don't eat seafood, so for me it wasn't a big occasion. But all the seafood lovers, their plates were practically licked clean.

So now I'm back home. I'm catching up with my BB's since I wasn't able to get into them yesterday or this morning. Then I'm going to settle down with some stitching, my Lanarte Pig for a change (I need a wee break from TW's Wedding Sampler) and watch some movies. I think we're going to order Bourne Supremacy off of the dish, we loved Bourne Identity when it came out. If you haven't read Bourne Identity but seen the movie, I urge you to pick up the novel... totally different (the movie just has the same basic plot) but excellent as well! Someday I plan to read the entire series.

I have a lot of books that are "somedays". This week I've been picking up a couple of quick reads from work... they're novels that someone like me can read in an hour to two hours. The series is called "Orca Soundings" they're what we call in the library business a Hi-Lo reader ... high interest low vocabulary. These books are gauged at teens with hard hitting-true to life plots that will attract the reluctant reader. As an adult and advanced reader these books are also keeping my attention.

Now as my serious read for myself I'm reading "requiem for the sun" by Elizabeth Haydon its the latest paperback in the "Symphony of Ages" series (fantasy). I've read all the other books in this series so far : "Rhapsody : child of blood", "Prophecy : child of earth", "Destiy : child of the sky" They're all fairly thick books, 500-700 pages.

Found A New Question of the Week

Well I found out awhile ago Stitching Question of the week was gone :( Now I've found a blog that offers one, it may be infrequent. At least it gives me something to blog about when I feel like I don't have anything interesting or worth while to tell you so here's the Question :

Do you frame your cross stitch yourself or do you take it to a professional framer? Why?In your opinion, what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of putting your workbehind glass when you frame it? (from Stitched With Love and Cat hair)

As of one year ago I started to frame my needlework myself. Why? Because I was sick and tired of paying 200+ to have small pieces framed with a simple frame and no mat. In other words while the quality was great I felt like I was being ripped off. Boy was I right! Once I took my framing course I found out its really not that expensive in terms of supplies. Yes there is that initial investment in tools and the course, but I think by now they have paid for themselves! Now as for the glass debate! I do not put my needlework behind glass. Why you may wonder, I've framed my earlier pieces under glass and you totally loose that feeling of needlework. To me it just becomes another picture on the wall. When there's no glass the light can work on the different fibers and textures, metallics and beads can sparkle!!! Now if a piece is going into a smoker's home, yes I do put it under glass because I don't want the piece to become nicotine stained.

Now how is my TW progress coming along... not bad this week! On Monday I finished all the cross stitch on the left hand side of the border, last night and once I'm done here tonight I will continue with backstitching. I've got the ribbons BS'ed and more than 1/2 done with the leaves. Once the BS has been done on that section I will put in the rayon satin stitches and the left side of the border will be done! I think I'll have quite a bit of stitching time this weekend. Of course by saying this I've probably just jinxed myself!

Teresa Wentzler's Wedding Sampler, Week 3 Progress

Well if there was such a thing as cross stitch neglect, I would of been arrested for it this past week. I only managed to stitch on it yesterday.

I've chased my approach to stitching the border. I was going to stitch it one colour at a time all the way around but I'm finding the confetti a wee bit of a challenge. So now I'm going to completely stitch each section of foliage between each ribbon section. I already can see my progress when I started doing this last night. I also completely finished the corner motifs.



This picture is a little dark but only because I photographed it on a black surface.

Man, I had a killer migraine today, I feel like its knocked the stuffing right out of me! But my meds seemed to have taken care of the pain so I should be able to get a nice stretch of stitching in this evening.

Call The Cross Stitch Abuse Police!!!

*SIGH* its been one of those weeks! Since finishing the latest part on Mini Mystery H I've not had a chance to touch my stitching AT ALL! My poor wedding sampler is suffering from neglect!

Now I haven't touched it because I don't want to... I'd love to get some more progress to share with you! I just haven't had the time! The last three evenings by the time I've gotten home and settled down its been after 10:30pm. If you've ever stitched a design by Teresa Wentzler you know not to even bother picking it up if you're not focused enough! Who could be focused when you're at work for 7:30 and then not getting home until after 10pm!

Wednesday night was my usual teaching night at TKD. Afterwards a couple of us went for coffee. Next thing I knew it was 9:30pm and I really should get home! Because of the snow we were having it was after 10pm when I got in the door!

Thursday night was my night to go train at TKD, class is from 8-9pm on Thursdays. I had to stay behind for a bit to chat with the head instructor at the school. Once again home after 10pm!

Tonight I had to go all the way to the East end, Orleans... might as well be China as far as I'm concerned. I am attending an Instructor's seminar being held by Master Lu. Tonight it ran from 6:30pm to 9:30 it was more like 10 pm since things never start or finish on time! The drive home was almost an hour. I'm going back tomorrow for the rest of the seminar 1-5pm followed by dinner. Bye bye weekend! Bye bye stitching time. Somewhere in all of this I've got to get the groceries done as well (usually part of my Friday night routine!)

Wish me luck maybe I will get some stitches in before Sunday.