December Goals and SBQ

Its that time again... another month has passed, and another is starting!

November - Recap

Stitch last TWRR - Done

Finish Celestial Fob - Done

Finish Dragon Needlecase class from TW - Done

Finish Mini Autumn Sampler class from TW - Done

Stitch Sweetheart Tree RR - Done

Stitch an ornament for exchange - Did two!

Noah's Sub... if there's time - Yup!

December Goals

Stitch an Ornament

Stitch a Freebie

Finish a Page on Noah's Sub

Finish Mini Cottages 4

Wow! This is why I love setting manageable goals each month... it really helps you to realize what you've accomplished. Sometimes you think you get nothing done... then you look back at those goals and voila! You've actually accomplished something! Because I was feeling like I had gotten very little done in November. I hope my goals for December are modest and achievable. With time off for Christmas... they should be.

Now catching up on those SBQ's again!

Q : Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not?

A : Yay an easy one to answer... if you know me then you know my answer is "well duh!" Of course I do! Some would say I stitch a lot of them. I think this year I'm up to 15 ornaments. Now where do they all go? Every year I give one to each of the secretaries and my co-worker, then there's the ornament exchanges I sign up for. There are ornaments for friends and family. I think they make fantastic and thoughtful gifts.

Q : How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,do you or have you ever used a waste knot?

A : I don't use a waste knot when I stitch... that would be a waste of time... then I'd have to go back and secure that thread. My stitching friends know I like to get stitching, and not waste time on silly things like tucking threads in later, gridding fabric or the like! When I start a new thread I leave a bit of a tail on the back of the fabric with one finger I hold that thread off to the direction I'm stitching in and catch it with my stitches... voila its secured with minimal stitching time wasted. Life is all about maximizing stitching time.

Well lately I've had a serious case of want-to-start-it-itis!!! Sunday evening before bed I got Tour Des Marques by The Silver Lining all kitted up. This is a piece that Beth, Christin and I have been intending to stitch as a SAL for the last two years. I think we're finally getting to a stage where we might actually start! Both Beth and I are ready to go, Christin is waiting for her fabric to arrive. We haven't sorted out when we'll be working on this piece. Seems like 2007 will be the year of the Stitch-A-Long between Tour and The Castle. I am happy to say we've corrupted another stitching friend into joining Chrisitn, Chrisanne and I (and many of you online) to stitch The Castle on Saturdays in 2007! Yes, Beatrice (you've seen her photo in many of my "Brighton" stitching activities) is going to join us, and I think this will be her first TW how exciting! My fabric has arrived for the Castle, and soon I'll have to start putting floss together, for that New Year's start! Chrisanne... are we going to stitch in the New Year again???

Since the weekend I've been working on Noah's Sub when I have time... always wishing I was working on something else! LOL I do like this project but can't get obsessed with the piece like I do others. Well, I was also bad... I did make a small start this week... I couldn't help myself! I started Jennifer Aikman-Smith's Moon Dragon a pattern Jennifer gave to us during her Celestial Fob workshop. I plan to put Teresa Wentzler's Sun Dragon on the other half of the fabric! But I'm only letting myself work on it a wee bit at a time so that Noah's Sub doesn't take a back seat... again... and again... and again!

Off to stitch!

Photo : Siberian Iris from my gardens.

Yes! Its Done!!!

Thank you for sticking with me through my stitching marathon this weekend. I continued to work on Mini Autumn Sampler by Teresa Wentzler (a class from the Creativ Festival this year) all day and... I finished it!

The drawn thread in the border were a new challenge for me, I've managed to avoid it for quite a few years. In the end it really wasn't as daunting as I thought it would be... except when you have to cut. Why is the first cut always the scariest???

Mini Autumn Sampler

Teresa Wentzler

c2006

Back to Noah's Sub (can you tell I tend to avoid this project???)

Another Marathon

Now that the groceries are done... and I got to play coffee fairy at Todd's work this morning (a Timmie's run for the guys since there isn't one nearby and they're working Saturday) its a chance for me to settle in and stitch!

This weekend its an Indiana Jones Marathon! Before starting the first movie I started ormentifying an ornament I stitched a couple of months ago (I just haven't had much time for finishing lately!). While the glue dried I started up Raiders of the Lost Ark and pulled out Mini Autumn Sampler, first I snapped a before picture.

I think I made descent progress during the first movie, working on the grapes and another pear.

After Raiders I completed the finishing on Blackwork Noel a freebie from Glory Bee. I'm very happy with how it turned out. Then it was a quick sandwich ... stitching can make a girl hungry you know!


Now onto Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom...


Here's my Temple of Doom progress! The grapes are done.. what a practice in patience it was all confetti stitching!!!


Onto Indian Jones and the Last Crusade... my favourite!


We actually ended up taking a bit of a movie break and watched 2 shows on TV before getting back to the marathon, so this image shows about 4 hours of progress... I'm getting there!

Now to contiune on my my Harrison Ford theme, I've moved onto Star Wars IV : A New Hope.

Last night I couldn't really be bothered to update but here's my progress at the end of Star Wars IV



My next movie was The Empire Strikes Back... about half way through that I finished the over one row... and went to bed. This morning I'm back at it again.


I imagine I'll be able to get started on the cutwork areas today... I think.

Progress Pictures and a Little TWRR

I think its about time I tease you with some progress pictures... don't you think?

For the first time since Monday I've been able to sit down and work on Teresa Wentzler's Mini Autumn Sampler. Its coming along beautifully, but slowly. I've now got four pieces of fruit stitched up in that over one section. Next I'll tackling some grapes!

Since I haven't had the time or been in good lighting situations I've been able to also put some time in on Michael Powell's Mini Cottages 4! Boy is it really coming together now. I just want to focus on it... but I shouldn't also being that its on aida its a great travel project.

Finally like I promised Noah's Sub! Which I worked on last weekend at the retreat.

Oh and a little treat for you! My Teresa Wentzler Round Robin has come home! There is still room left on it, so I'm going to baste more squares and its going to go around to some of my good stitching friends... Christin, Beth, Ann, Beatrice, Adriana, and Kathy. Hopefully I have enough room for everyone!!! Then I'll have to figure out what kind of border to put around all the blocks!

This and That

I haven't really given you a good update in awhile of what I've been up to! So much I think I'm running myself down!

Last Friday Christin and I went and saw Guns N' Roses in concert. Every once in awhile someone may ask you... where's the oddest place you've stitched? Well I can now say I've stitched waiting for a concert to start! I had heard rumors that G n' R was going to run late... so of course I brought along my stitching! Christin was kind enough to get a quick pic. of the momentous event!

What a late night that was!!! The show didn't end until 2:15am! By the time I got Christin home and got back to my place... it was after 3am! Oh boy what a long day, I had worked all day Friday as well! Unfortunately for my poor sleep deprived self, I didn't have the luxury of a nice lie in on Saturday. I was up at 9am and hitting the road shortly after 10am. On my way to pick up my friend Beth who had a lovely home made soup and sandwiches waiting for me. From Beth's place it was off to the Butler Creek B&B in Brighton for the Knowledge and Needles Retreat.

We were first to arrive so we got to stake out prime stitching spots in the living room! This year was Beth's first year at the retreat and she just loved the B&B, I told her it was beautifully decorated and so relaxing. This year it was a smaller group, about 7 of us. I wasn't surprised when by 4pm I had to go take a nap before dinner... I was pooped! Shortly before midnight Beth had a happy dance! She finished The Silver Lining's Poinsettia over one! Its just stunning!

I didn't take a lot of pictures that weekend... I was trying to stitch! I think I was too unsettled all weekend to get tonnes done but I did make visible progress on Noah's Sub. I did get this one of everyone settling into a delicious breakfast! Our choices were eggs Benedict or apple pancakes. This year I tried the pancakes they were awesome! By 11:30 we were all packing up, as usual I was sad it was ending! I probably would of headed back to Ann's place for a few more hours of stitching before going back home, as I prefer to make it a leisurely trip.

But I had to get back home to make a cake! My sister had decided we would be celebrating my Nephew's 12 birthday Sunday night. So I had to drive back home 3 hours, bake a cake, clean up, start the laundry and be at my sister's for 6pm. Of course the cake was still warm by the time we got there so it had to sit outside for about an hour and a half before I could decorate it... with the help of my 5 year old niece. As you know little kids like to put on lots of candy all over the place!

Nick had a friend over for his birthday and as a joke his friend got him a lovely tiara with pink fluff! Totally hilarious. The minute I snapped a photo of him Nick said this is going to haunt me for life isn't it? Well what else are aunt's for. From the moment Nick unwrapped it I could see Emma eyeing that tiara. Boy did she want it! As usual little girls get their way!

This week has been a lot of running around and a little stitching... well not much. Today in the mail (technically yesterday now I suppose) Ruth's Sweetheart Tree RR arrived. Well I was a good girl and actually managed to get it stitched tonight! Its so pretty too! My selection is the square on the right.

Sweetheart Tree Round Robin - Ruth's

Blooming Hearts c2003

Using : DMC cotton and perle, mill hill beads, flowers and paillettes

I also received in the mail today my frist ornament of the season. This one is stitched by Anu for the annual TWOE its so pretty! It'll be a lovely addition to my tree.

Well I should go to bed! Perhaps tomorrow I'll provide you with progress pictures!

Canadians... Please Consider This

I'm not often one to suggest we all do something but the Dominion Intitute has a petition they are asking people to "sign" online.

In the near future we will loose our last World War I Vet (I heard there are only 3 left in Canada) and they would like to ask Prime Minister Harper that the last WWI vet. has a state funeral.

I think this is very good idea and very important.

Here's the link to the petition.http://www.dominion.ca/petition/

Happy Birthday Dad!

Just a quick post to say a Happy 65th B-day Dad!