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.

Spoiled Again

Yesterday my craft partner Cynthia invited me over for supper and craft night and what a wonderful meal - chicken souvlaki with homemade pita bread and homemade tzatziki sauce. So yummy!

And then I worked on a small project - another of the freebies from World of Cross Stitching - while she played with a new, small loom and crocheted. She called the loom a toy, but she made 2 really nice pot holders, so it's a very functional toy.

Also mailed a birthday gift yesterday morning - for a birthday on the 11th! It only has to go to Victoria though, so there is a chance it will arrive on time. I am so bad when I have to mail gifts - I always seem to be running late.

Look What Came In The Mail Today!

A little while ago I won a giveaway on Bonnie's blog - prize was that she would make you a scissor fob. And this morning it arrived in my mailbox! I just love it - the colours are perfect, the cat charm is so cute (especially for a crazy cat lady LOL) and the scissors were a complete surprise - and much appreciated. Can't ever have too many stork scissors! Can you tell I am absolutely delighted? Thank you Bonnie.

Waaahooooo! Happy Dancing!

It's done, it's done. Square #12 is completed as of just after noon, July 5, 2012.

And with that Patchwork Sampler goes from the WIP bag to the completed pile and the debate begins - does it become a pillow or a wall hanging? Happy, happy dancing!!!

It's stitched on 32 count Smoky Pearl Lugana, over 2, with DMC threads. Designed by Catia Diaz. If you would like to see each of the squares close up, check out my on-line album Patchwork Sampler SAL. I'm so pleased to have it done - been stitching it, off and on, since April of 2008.

And now I think I'll work on a couple of small projects before going back to larger pieces, namely my Oldest UFO that hasn't been touched since the end of February and a new one, a set of 4 maps for my friend Annabelle to represent her family tree origins, as she has really become interested in her family history lately.

It's A Monday!

I had a wonderful visit with my cousin Elaine and her husband Andy. They came and visited for a bit before we headed out for supper and it was non-stop chatter the whole time. We went to Smiles for supper - it's a seafood restaurant which is a bit of an institution here in Rupert - it's been around since 1922. Poached halibut, grilled sockeye and shrimp & scallop alfredo fettucini caused a slight pause in the chitchat, but not for long. We went for a bit of a drive around before they dropped me off and headed back to their hotel for an early night. They had to be in the line-up for the ferry by 5:30 this morning.

And I got to finish the evening sitting by the living room window and watching the Canada Day fireworks. I thought they were excellent, the cats were not so impressed. LOL. Couldn't get any pictures though.  : (

And today is laundry! I've been procrastinating for 2 weeks, so I have a ton of it. I don't know why I dislike it so much, it's not as though it's hard to do!

And then back to backstitching. If I could get in 3 good hours that would be super.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Happy 145th birthday Canada!

Wherever you are in this incredible country, I hope you're celebrating with family, friends and neighbours. Have a fantastic day and please be safe.

I have a cousin and her husband here from Edmonton that I haven't seen in far too long a time. We're going out for supper tonight and I am so looking forward to catching up.