Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoy whatever celebrations you are planning for tonight. And if you must be on the road, please be very careful.

And for all of you lovely people who drop by my blog, I wish you a healthy, happy, love filled 2013!

Resolutions? I don't usually do that, but last year I made one - I resolved to finish more stitching pieces than I started in 2012 and I did it - by the skin of my teeth! LOL Except for a Bucilla kit I started on Boxing Day, every new chart I started in 2012 got stitch finished. The "ready to use/hang" finishing is still needed for most of them. Plus, I finished 2 WIPs that had been hanging around for a few years. One goal not met was finishing my oldest UFO, but I plan on working on that tonight and hopefully tomorrow I can show what I have accomplished over the year. And it's in my rotation for 2013, so anything can happen! But I've decided to keep the same resolution for this year - finish more than I start so I can see my list of WIPs shrink, even a little.

See you all next year!

Need Help Again!

Okay, I've figured out how to do a separate page - I've got one for Theme-a-licious 2013 and I want to do one for IHSW 2013. What I haven't figured out is, how do I a create a post that will show up in my posts and be connected to the page as well? Does my question make any sense? Any help will be appreciated - I am so horribly technology challenged.

Stitchy Treat for Christmas

I got a lovely Valerie Pfeiffer chart from my boss/friend Michelle. Isn't he cute?

She also included the floss, the fabric and the bobbins to wind my floss. Michelle herself doesn't stitch, so I'm extra pleased with the effort she put into this.

I had a lovely Christmas - got to spend special time with good friends. Hope you were all able to do the same.

Any special plans for New Year?

I'm Home!

I'm back home - in my own space, my own bed. It feels SOOOOO good I can't tell you. I actually got here about 4 pm yesterday, but I've been busy unpacking, reading/sorting/dealing with mail and going to the bank. Good friend Denise did a little basic shopping for me before picking me up from the bus, so I haven't had to face the stores and don't want to for a few days yet.

My operation went smoothly and I'm healing nicely but I'm some sore and tired. I have the results from one biopsy already - no cancer, not even any pre-cancer HOORAY - with 2 more to come. I should be hearing from the BC Cancer Agency either Friday or Monday. If all clear, life goes on as planned. If not, I'm off on another path and we'll have to see where that goes.

I did get some stitching in, of course. Even incisions don't stop stitching needles. As I mentioned, I have finished Scotland.

That makes the four maps. Now, just have to decide how to finish them (frame or wall hangings??????) and get them off to Annabelle.

Then I started on a small New Berlin kit - Peace Dove.

Then there was so much thread left in the kit that I redid it, French version this time.

I think I'll work on my Oldest UFO for the rest on the year. And for 2013? January 1st I start an HAED SAL (my first HAED and I make it a SAL??? I am crazy.), a promised birth announcement - Precious Moments Noah's Ark - and continue with the O-UFO. Those are the big items planned. There will be smaller pieces - the ones I take to Sisters - but they will be whatever strikes my fancy when I need to choose.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I hope you spend a wonderful day with family and friends and know the joy of loving and being loved.

Getting Closer!

Well, I'm off to the hospital in the morning - have to be there by 0945 - so I expect the operation will happen 1130 - noonish. It will be such a relief to have it over.

I'm missing IHSW this weekend - BOO, HISS!! I have gotten some stitching done here at the lodge though. No pictures yet - no way to upload them until I get home. Just for a tease, I have finished Scotland. I'm taking an ornament to stitch in the hospital. I think I'll be in for 2 days.

And I'm also missing my Cancer Support Group Christmas lunch/party. Is it okay if I pout? LOL

Hit And Miss

And that's pretty much how my blogging has been lately. And I'm sorry to say it will probably stay that way for a while yet.

I've run into some health problems and Saturday (8th) I'm heading to Vancouver for some doctors' appointments and an operation on the 14th. I'm hoping to come home the weekend before Christmas, but that will depend on how I'm healing and what they find. I'm REALLY hoping, because I don't want to spend Christmas alone in the hospital or in a hotel.

Because I only found out on Monday I was going, I'm a little frazzled and overwhelmed trying to get everything organized, not to mention trying to stop my brain from thinking of every worst cast scenario there is. Am I the only one who hates the unknown? I can deal with just about anything I KNOW, it's the wondering and the 'maybes' that drive me crazy!

I'm hoping to get in a couple of posts while I'm in Vancouver. but I'm not making any rash promises.

How Could I Have Forgotten!!

I'm SO behind with this. Anne on her Stitchnkey blog was kind enough to award me the Liebster Award and she told me in a comment back on November 16. I read the comment, and felt very flattered, but had to leave my computer to do something or other and I never got back to fulfill my part of the award. So, first, THANK YOU ANNE! I really appreciate that you enjoy reading my blog. And I'm so sorry this has taken me so long.

The rules of this award which were forwarded to me are:

The recipient will:

1. pass along this award to five other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
2. Inform those bloggers individually, and they will inform you that they received it.
3. Once received the blogger shall place the Liebster award on their blog in a post along with the bloggers they will pass it on to.

Okay, I haven't got my 5 bloggers picked right now, but I will go and check out the blogs I read and announce my choices soon. Watch this spot for an update.

Well, I've made my choices. I hope you enjoy these blogs along with me.

Faith at Faithfully Stitching
Kate N at Momuboocrea Island
Nancy at Pickle Barrel Designs
Kim at Scully's Cross Stitching
Kate at Needles & Haystacks

November's IHSW - A Total Bust!

I did not get one stitch put in anything this weekend - not ONE!!

This is what Scotland looked like Thursday night

and this is exactly what it looks like this morning.

This was the Wedding Sampler Thursday night

and nothing has changed.

It was still a good weekend as far as being a weekend, but a terrible stitching time. Hopefully the next one will be more productive. (HOORAY for there being a next one! LOL)

Craft Fair

After a quiet morning, I headed off to the Crest Hotel and my monthly Cancer Support Group lunch. We have a guest today, the lady who handles the prostheses and special bras for women who have had breast surgery. We learn some new things, including what is and is not covered by BC Medical, we plan our Christmas lunch and we talk and laugh and appreciate each others company over some delicious food.

After lunch, I head over to the Civic Centre to see what is going on with the crafts. There are good number of tables, but there is quite a bit of duplication. And not one piece of cross stitch do I see! I think I'll have to talk my craft partner into having a table again. Here are some of the tables.

There were a lot of knitting tables.

Some bake tables. This one was the most colourful of all the ones I saw.

Several jewelry tables - mostly necklaces.



Some handmade cards.

Some handmade ornaments that could be personalized.

And the Sons of Norway table where they offered julbuk (a straw goat that stands beside your tree to protect it) and julnisse (Christmas elves).

There were about 65 - 70 tables in all and I spent a very happy couple of hours browsing and oohing/aahing.

Time to get back to the focus of the weekend - stitching - and pick up my needle. Talk to you again on Monday.

IHSW Approaches Again

That's right, next weekend we hermit and stitch and watch our needles fly. If you want to join in the fun, check out Joyce's blog and sign up. Hopefully I'll be dividing my time between Scotland and my Wedding Sampler, but we shall see.

I'm going to lose Saturday stitching time as it's the annual Craft Fair down at the Civic Centre on the 17th and that is a wonderful place to go and browse and be amazed by all the creativity and talent we have in this small city of ours. Oh yeah, and pick up one or two or . . . . . . Christmas presents. Hopefully I'll remember my camera this year and be able to share the fun with you.

Time Change

It was time change here in B.C. yesterday - all the clocks went back 1 hour and today my cats are grumpy. Breakfast was not at it's proper time (at least according to THEIR stomachs) and of course it's all my fault because I didn't get up at the proper time.

And it's a blustery, grey Prince Rupert day. We've got wind gusting up to 100 km (65 miles), so the harbour is a mass of whitecaps and occasionally a mini-waterspout. And there has been some rain and I'm sure there will be more before the day is done. Good day to curl up with some stitching.

Speaking of which, I've finally started Scotland. Only a couple of stitches at this point, but started. I'm hoping to get in quite a few hours this week to make up for the past couple of days when I haven't stitched at all.

Another IHSW Done

Well, I didn't start the map of Scotland - just didn't feel like another map so soon. So, what stitching time I had I spent on my Wedding Sampler. Here's where I started on Friday:

And here's where I finished Sunday night. Not bad considering I didn't get in all the time I had hoped for. (And isn't that my theme almost every IHSW? LOL)

I may get a few more stitches in today or I may get to the map. I think I'm ready to face all that blue once again.

Can't wait to go blog reading and see what all of you have done. It's always inspiring - and challenging to my self-control!

Poland Complete

Finished Poland yesterday, 18 October. Happy dancing!

This picture is a lot closer to the proper colour of the fabric than Ireland was.

So that's 3 down, 1 to go. Back across the English Channel to Scotland for the last one.

Just a Reminder

Just want to remind you of Kaye's 11 day giveaway as she celebrates her birthday. There's a new item offered each day. Check her out at her Kitten Stitching blog.

IHSW is Coming!!

Yep, this coming weekend is our time to hermit and stitch the hours away. It's supposed to be windy and wet here, so perfect stitching weather. If you would like to join in, please go to Random Ramblings and sign up.

Personally, I'm hoping to have Poland finished and be on to map #4 by then. The maps are definitely going to be my focus, but maybe I can sneak in a few stitches for my poor Oldest UFO.

Treats!

Cynthia came over last night for craft time and look what she brought me!

A brand new tea cosy and pad! Isn't it gorgeous?

The fabric is African cotton that I bought in Choma, Zambia in December of 1980. It came home with me (to Victoria, BC) at the time and has moved around with me since then, just waiting for the "right" thing to make with it. Then, in April, when Cynthia was looking for backing fabric for the two graduation pillows there was nothing in my stash (I'm not really a sewer so my non-evenweave stash is pretty small) so she used fabric from her stash (she IS a sewer and has totes full of fabric). I didn't think that was fair, so I offered anything she wanted of mine to replace what she used. This was her choice.

I was not expecting her to make me anything - after all she did such a fabulous job with the pillows - so this was an extra special surprise. I probably shouldn't admit it, but I love being spoiled!!

A Lovely Giveaway!

Kaye over at Kitten Stitching is doing a delightful 11 day giveaway to celebrate her birthday. Please go and have a look at her blog. Today is Day 1 and she's offering a cookbook. Are  you up for trying some Australian recipes? You'll need to check back every day to see what's next.

Blog Help Needed, Please

Okay, for those of you who actually know how to work with blogspot, I need some help. My brain is just not wrapping itself around any of this.

First: I want to start using labels on my posts. I've figured out how to add the labels, not a problem. But, how do you make the list of labels show up on your blog page? On other people's blogs, I really enjoy being able to use the list to follow progress on a project or follow the thread of a discussion, etc.

Second: I have been trying, ever since I joined in, to get the IHSW button to be a permanent part of my blog page. I have figured out how to include it in my post every month, but not how to put it on my page. I obviously need step by step directions.

Please, somebody, take pity on me and bail me out! Thank you in advance.

Ooops!

I just realized it's been more than a week since I've posted anything. Sorry for being MIA, but I've been feeling just a little blah the last while. Even having trouble concentrating on my stitching! Hopefully my mojo will be back very soon and things will pick up again.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. Weather was wonderful here - crisp and sunny.

And The Winner Is . . . . . .

The number magicians at Random have spoken and Dani wins the earrings! Congratulations!

Dani, please email me your snail mail address so I can get them off to you.

Thank you everyone who entered.

Country #2 Finished!

I finished Ireland this afternoon! Happy dancing!

Sue Hillis design, stitched on 28 count Cashel linen, white, although you would never tell from the picture. That's 2 of 4 completed - on to Poland.

There's a Sale!

Traditional Stitches is celebrating their 12th Anniversary by putting all their stock on sale at 20% off and that includes things that had already been reduced. So, pop on over and see what they've got. And especially check out the Sale Section, the Pre-Cut fabric and the Limited Availability. Be prepared to spend some time - their site has a lot to look at. And don't be afraid to send an email if you have any questions - Janice and her staff are really friendly and helpful. The sale goes until close of business Thursday, October 4.

Reminder

Just a reminder that on September 30th I will be picking the winner of my giveaway - a pair of 'stitchy' earrings. Please leave your comment on this post. And thanks for dropping by!

And Another Giveaway!

No, not me! I think one giveaway at a time is enough, especially when you're not one of life's most organized people! LOL

No, this one is from Nancy at Pickle Barrel designs, so go on over and check it out. She's giving away a pickle barrel full of her designs. All you need to to is become a follower, leave a comment and tell her who referred you. I haven't checked out all her designs yet, but I like the ones I've seen so far.

Stash Day! And Giveaway!

There was an envelope in the mail today from my favourite LNS. Look at the goodies:

Part 2 of the LK SAL, some floss for my "Man - Cards" chart, some 1/4 inch rickrack, a Mill Hill ornament kit, a free pumpkin pattern (with a cat and spider on the back) and a pair of silver plated earrings that look like floss bobbins wrapped with thread. I love it when my S(tash)E(enhancement)P(program) parcel arrives!

Speaking of the earrings, I don't have pierced ears, so I'll turn them into a GIVEAWAY for anyone who would like to have them. Just leave me a comment and I'll make the drawing on the 30th. Here's a closer look at them.

IHSW - September

Well, Friday was a total bust - no stitching at all, but had some good stitching time Saturday and Sunday. Here is where I was on Friday:

And here is where I finished on Sunday.

I will be really glad to get on to some other colour besides blue once I've finished "Ireland". Three times around the outline with three different blues is enough! I am pleased with how it's coming along though.

IHSW Is Coming!



Yep, believe it or not, another month has gone by and the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend will be here at the end of the week. I'm so looking forward to this one as it's my non-Sisters weekend so I will have Friday, Saturday and Sunday to stitch!!

Don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Check Joyce's blog and find out what all the fun is about.

Yesterday I used my floor stand for the first time since it was fixed and it was wonderful. I stitched for almost 3 hours with no aches or pains afterwards. Yeah for friends with husbands with tools!

It's a Good Day

And it really is. The sun is shining beautifully, I just got the 'all clear' from my skin biopsy, I've reconciled Sisters' books with the bank statement (with a couple of hiccups) and the last of my glad stalks has bloomed and it's a different colour again.

This makes 4 different colours on 5 stalks of glads - orange, deep purple, yellow and this pinky-red. I'm so delighted. Thank you Cynthia for sharing your green thumbs.

And in about an hour I get to start stitching and can do so for the rest of the day. I worked on Ireland yesterday, so will probably put some stitches into the Wedding Sampler. Joy, joy, joy!!

Oldest UFO

Well, it's the last day of the month and I can't believe it, but I actually have a little progress to show. Not a huge amount, but it's much better than the nothing of the past five months.

Here is where I stopped 29 February 2012.

And here I am now, 31 August 2012.

I'm working on getting the left side to look like the right, then there is another flower in the middle. Above that but below the butterflies will be the alphabet and above the butterflies will be the personalization. And that will just finish the basic cross stitch and half cross stitch. I do love the pattern though.

Unusual Day Start

So, instead of sleeping in on this, my not-at-Sisters day, I was up at 6 and off to the hospital for just after 8 so my doctor could do a skin biopsy/mole removal. It wasn't complicated nor did it take very long, but I now have a medium sized bandaid on the left side of my neck that looks a little odd. And surprisingly, it hasn't hurt even after the local anesthetic wore off. I should get the results in 10 days to 2 weeks. My doctor is positive it's not cancerous, but since I've had cancer before, we never take that for granted. When my breast cancer was discovered, all the medical professionals had assured me it couldn't be a malignant tumour because it had none of the "markers". Now I assume nothing until verified!

Hopefully it will be a stitchy afternoon. I'm hoping to work on my oldest UFO for a bit before I go back to Ireland. I'm still working on the first colour to make the 'frame' of the country and it's a lot of counting and finger crossing and hoping that the stitches will meet where they're supposed to. A lot of rain coming down, so it's a good day for snuggling up with needle in hand and cats at feet!

And I almost forgot. Living in the ground floor suite of a house, I don't have a garden, but every May for my birthday my friend Cynthia puts 5 pots on my front steps, full of floral surprises. This year was no different, and all summer I've had pansies and other flowers, but look what is just blooming now.

Aren't they gorgeous? I particularly like the purple lilies and glads, but the tricolour orange glads are real eye catchers. I am so pleased.

Germany

And Germany is completed. Actually, I'm a bit late with this post as I finished it on the 23rd.

It's a Sue Hillis design, done on 28 count Cashel linen with DMC floss. It's the first of four, so on to Ireland!

August IHSW Done

I can't believe the weekend has come and gone so fast and I didn't get in very much stitching time - only a few hours on Sunday, but I'm pleased with what I got done. This is where I was with Germany on Friday night.

And here is Sunday night. Sorry about the different look for the fabric - Friday is natural light, Sunday is artificial light. Friday is the proper colour.

I just have to do the back stitching and it's done. And I've just now realized something - I think I need to remove the stitches that run down between the car and the pig and above the tractor. If I'm remembering correctly, that's the border between East and West Germany, which isn't there any more. Never thought about checking the chart date when I was stitching. Drat! I could have had some of the BS done!!

Looking forward to checking out everyone's blog to see how your weekend went.

I Stitched!

Waaahooooo, I put some stitches into Germay yesterday! Man on man, that felt good. It was only a couple of hours and I started to hurt a little so I stopped, but it was real stitching! Yes, Yes, YES.

And a good thing too as I signed up for IHSW not knowing for sure if I would be able to stitch or not. It's all good.

Check This Out!

Kathrin is doing a new 15 sided biscornu (that can also be done as a sampler) on her blog. This one has pulled-thread patterns. It will be lovely.

I almost have my left arm back. I still can't use it fully, but I can bend and straighten it with very little pain now. Just waiting to be able to close my fingers fully and I think my world will function again. Thank goodness for good friends, who have popped in and done all the things I cannot do one handed. I am blessed, truly. Looking forward to picking up my needle again - this makes 9 days with not a single stitch.

Out of Commission!

Somehow I've hurt my left arm - in the soft tissue near the elbow - and I'm one handed!! And it HURTS!! I can't put any pressure on my left hand/arm at all so I'm in a sling and living on Tylenol. And I don't have a clue what I did to cause this. AND I CAN'T STITCH!!! That's the worst part, even worse than not being able to get dressed - after all, isn't that why they invented housecoats? This makes day 5 of not putting a stitch in anything and I am NOT a happy camper. Can you see me pouting?

Very Pleased

I was working on Germany yesterday and wanted to backstitch the small bits that were stand alone shapes as I finished them and realized that there was no colour listed for a couple of things. So, I emailed Sue Hillis, the designer, and she got back to me in only a few hours. I am impressed with her - I've had to wait days and even weeks sometimes to get answers to questions I've emailed to some designers.

Which Day Are You Having?

I've completed the Pet Peeves kit - 14 count plastic canvas stitched with DMC floss.

Now I want to alternate between my oldest UFO and my maps. Hopefully that will mean good progress on both of them.

Yawn!

I feel just a little spaced today - this is 4 (FOUR!!) mornings in a row I've been up at 4 a.m. to open Sisters at 6 a.m. and I am WWWWWAAAAAYYYYY too old for this! As a matter of fact, I distinctly remembering retiring to get away from all this early morning nonsense. If we were truly a civilized society, no one would be getting up before 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. would be even better. Hmmm, can anyone tell I am NOT a morning person? LOL  Even the cats are confused - I'm totally screwing up our routine!

And July IHSW is History

I figure I had better do my update tonight as I'm opening Sisters tomorrow and all I'll be looking for when I get home after 1 is my nap.

Did get some stitching done although not as much as I had hoped. (Do we ever get as much stitching done as we wish?)

The first piece is a plastic canvas kit. This is before:

And this is where I stopped.

And this was the second piece I worked on - as you can see, I hadn't put in any stitches at all when the weekend started.

And this is the little bit I got done this afternoon. Oh well, a start is a start. It's the very upper left corner.

And this is a new chart that I picked up. I want to do it for a friend who is always muttering about doing in her husband of 30 years - usually about the same time she is planning some special treat!

So, not the most productive of weekends, but at least some stitching was done and I enjoyed myself. Sounds like a win-win to me!

IHSW Saturday

Well, it's the first day of IHSW and where am I? Sitting at Sisters, that's where. And I shouldn't be here!! It's supposed to be my weekend off!! But Michelle had to leave yesterday for a family reunion at Francoise Lake, so what can you do? The worst of it is, she'll be gone all next week which means up at 4 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday again. I am going to be a terrible grouch by next Saturday afternoon!

No pictures to post at the moment, but if I get any stitching in, I promise there will be 'before' pictures.

And the Mailman Came!

When I came home from my morning at Sisters, there was a lovely plump envelope in my mailbox from one of my favourite on-line LNSs, Traditional Stitches. And then the fun began with 3 parts to my pleasure.

First, my SEP (Stash Enhancement Program), which is always a mystery until you receive it and this month included a lovely pattern from Freda's Fancy Stitching, a Calgary based designer, a Clip 'n Stick mini needle minder and a skein of Kreinik #12 hand overdyed metallic braid from Threadworks. Also included were 2 small free charts, which are part of every month's goodies.

Second, the first section of Lizzie Kate's Hallowe'en Mystery Sampler.

The fabric under the floss is for the sampler itself, the sort of lilac coloured fabric in front is for the bonus pattern and the luscious looking thread is from WDW. This will be my first time using 30 count linen.

And then some stash - the July/August Just Cross Stitch - Christmas Ornament Preview Issue - and Fandangles from Nordic Needle.

The Fandangles come in 4 colours, from the left - blue, green/pink, purple and turquoise and they look like they are going to be a lot of fun to do.

Can you say happy, happy, happy!!

It's Coming - IHSW!

IHSW is coming up next weekend! The perfect excuse (if you need one) to hermit away for 2 days and stitch until your needles smoke. If you want to join in the fun, check out Joyce's blog.

I'm hoping to be finished the smallish project I'm working on now by Thursday and have something new started for the weekend. Or I may pick up my long neglected UFO and get some stitches into that. Decisions, decisions. LOL

New Profile Picture

My cat Yoda is a rescue cat and he doesn't like sudden noises - or strangers, but that's another story. When the doorbell rings, he always dives under the couch and stays there until all is quiet again. Well, this day the bell rang and as I was heading to answer the door, I happened to look behind the couch and that is what I saw. It made me laugh and I just had to stop and take a picture. I guess this time he was working on the "if I can't see you, you can't see me" principle.

Good Evening

I was treated to 'Brave' last night by my good friend Cynthia. It was a fun movie and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. It was a glorious day so we walked (or more correctly, she walked and I plodded) down to the theatre from my place and apart from the blackflies at the start (lots of bushes where I live) it was soooo nice.

Managed to get a couple of hours of stitching into Dog/Hydrant yesterday afternoon - the dog is starting to resemble a dog!

Valentine Mickey

Another free kit from a World of Cross Stitching magazine. It was attached to the February 2002 issue, #55. Stitched on 16 count Aida, finished 9 July 2012.

I have one more small design to finish and then it's back to something bigger - one UFO and one new project.