I'm Still Stitching...

just not as much because I've been working outside. We have so many bushes and trees, it's difficult to get around to them all, plus plant flowers, and it has been so unGodly hot! Today was the first day in awhile that it was not terribly uncomfortable.

I'm still trying to get caught up to date on my SAL's, although I have no pictures of my progress since last time - not yet anyway, except for the Tree of Stitches:

This is through part 8, and number 11 was just released, so I've still got a bit of catching up to do I also joined an off-shoot of the Tree of Stitches SAL group, The Stitch Specialist Yahoo group, on which several girls were discussing Chatelaines, so Abi, the designer on the group, started TSSChatelaineSAL Yahoo Group. I joined because I have Mystery II, Convent's Herbal Garden, purchased from European Cross Stitch, probably 5-6 years ago and have never started it! This new group has quite a few seasoned Chatelaine stitchers in it, ready to help if I run into snags. I won't be starting it for some time yet. Several of the gitls are joining the Yahoo class for the new Chat, Herbularious. Personally, I don't care mush for it. I see others I like much better, and mine is my all-time fave.

An old friend of mine, Vikki Gable, is busy these days making fobs and stitch counters for an exhibit with Vikki Clayton, who makes the wonderful hand-dyed silks many know & love. Vikki Gable offered to make owl fobs for those participating in the Owl SAL of Oakhaven Designs Yahoo Group and had them pictured on her blog with the price list, along with the other things she was making. I ordered a tiger's eye owl fob, a shorter blue crystals cat fob, and 2 sets of stitch counters from her, which I received today. She knows how I love her stitch counters, so she tucked in a set of her clay heart stitch counters as a surprise for an old friend. You can see them all below:

I just realized how long is has been since I last posted. Where does the time go? I totally wore myself out in the yard today and have no yearning to stitch this evening. I feel a tad guilty not stitching. I pulled out a couple of stitching stands that were in hiding in the abyss under the basement stairs and put them together to try once again doing two-handed stitching. I still find it awkward, but I'm really wanting to give it a good try this time. We'll see...

Caught Up in SALs

I ran across several blogs that had SALs, but it's what I want to do at this time, and since it's an enjoyable hobby, and not a race, I've decided to just get caught up with the SALs I joined and forget about my WIPs for a while. See? No stress any more. I've decided to take the advice of many and just stitch what I want and enjoy it.

I love these little guys. Each owl is cuter than the one before, and I'm anxious to get caught up so I can await the next month's surprise. Tonia Pappan does a nice job on designing the owls.

After royally screwing up the placement of January's bird (last post), I have finished February's bird. I love stitching these pretty little fellows! The colors are scrumptious. Again, nice designing job by Tonia!

I'm loving this Tree of Stitches by Abi Gurden of The Specialty Stitches Yahoo group. She designed this and a Little Lace hardanger piece that we're SALing in the group. I have not yet begun the Little Lace hardanger piece but I'm proud of the Tree of Stitches progress, though I'm behind since it started at the first of the year, I believe. Each part is made up of a different specialty stitch. Abi's clear, concise instructions make it a pleasure to work on.

What Is Wrong with This Picture?

I'm so frustrated! I got caught up in SALs I've seen on several blogs, and Karen of Sushine Stitches is a bad influence on me. Not really - she inspires me to join Yahoo groups and forums in which there are SALs going on that started at the beginning of the year. This means that I have a lot of catching up to do. In OakHaven Designs Yahoo group, there are two monthly SALs going, and I decided to do them both. Why? Because one is cute; one is pretty. I did the January owl without a problem (no pic yet). We're talking about simple here. Tonia Pappan of OakHaven Designs does wonderful, easy-to-see, easy-to-do and quick-to-stitch pdf charts. They're no-brainers. If I had a brain, the above would never have happened. I had bought 2 large pieces of 14ct aida in two different colors, mainly because it seemed that aida was being used by most of the members, and I liked this linen-look aida, although I nearly always buy linen or evenweave now. I do have nice colors of aida in my stash, even hand-dyed colors, that I will use from time to time just to get it used up. Anyway, I calculated the size I needed for the bird SAL and the owl SAL. The owls are bigger up and down; the birds are bigger side to side. I stitched the owl correctly. I stitched the bird you see on the right so that the others coudn't be stitched 3 across and 4 down, the way I had planned with the size of aida I had them cut for me. Sooo... I stitched the bird on the left the correct way, but it's one stitch off. The birds all are the same basic size and shape, just different colors and different surroundings. If I don't frog the 2nd bird, it won't match up with the other birds. I have yet to frog the first incorrect bird on the right, just so you could witness a no-brainer's work.

I'm a slow stitcher, so I've had to abandon my rotation to get a start on these SALs, and the thought of doing the same bird makes me sick. To think I've just joined The Stitch Specialists Yahoo group to do another SAL, the Tree of Stitches (featured on their homepage) and yet another SAL with the Merry Members of the SanMan Originals message board makes me even sicker. I've had different sweet souls tell me to weed out the ones that don't thrill me and just do the ones that do. Well, they all thrill me! So I've decided to put my rotation on hold and concentrate on these SALs to try to get caught up. It's supposed to be fun - that's what one of the sweet souls said to me, and she's right! My plan to get the SALs started are what thrills me right now and makes me happy, so that's what it shall be, and my other WIPs will wait. It's not a race, thank goodness!

The problem is that 2012 will bring another string of new SALs that will call to me, and I'm weak. I have no discipline, which is why I have a Chatelaine, Convent's Herbal Garden, along with the shocking sales receipt from European Cross Stitch from about 2004 or 2005 - untouched. I just bought the linen for it a couple of years ago - still untouched. My intentions are good, and I recently took it out to look at the pattern and instructions but that was before I got sidetracked by all these 2011 SALs that stole my heart. I have to get them going, then back to my other WIPs I had on the go, then I dearly want to do the Chatelaine, The Sampler Girl's Jane Austen's Mansfield Park Sampler, Ink Circle's BoInk that I never got to when the Tracy's Yahoo Group was going (it has since closed, but I printed the charts while there), and Garden Spot Sampler (circa late 18th century or early 19th century), and a host of Little House and Country Cottage Needlworks thread packs and kitted others, not only LHN and CCN, but tons of others. Why, oh why, can't I live a whole lot longer?

Stash Alert! And Scroll Down For a Giveaway...

This seems like a lot of stash, but it has been collected since the Super Bowl Sale at my LNS. Some things were bought to finish projects already in my stash that hopefully soon to be projects "on the go." Of course there is some that is quite self-indulgent and not needed at all, but as I saw a design say, "Need has nothing to do with it." I tell you - it's an illness.

Several cuts of fabric bought at Super Bowl Sunday at my LNS.

A couple of Heaven and Earth Designs bought from their site on sale. The first is Storykeep (bookmark) Seasons Spring; the second is Autumn Magic, a full size graph. I must be nuts!

Hand-dyes for projects I am doing or want to do.

A Stitcher's Journey by Blackbird Designs. A "must have" for me.

A liitle basket kit from Stoney Creek, targeted for a Christmas gift this year. So sweet!

Hob Nobb for a cute little St. Patrick's Day piece that I didn't get a start on this year. It was marked down at my LNS.

The Prairie Schooler new spring designs with the freebie little card. I ordered these in a special offer from Mary Kathryn at ehandcrafts.com.

Since I acquired these, I bought the 3rd month of the Stoney Creek Pattern-of-the Month (an 8 month program that my LNS is ordering from). Actually, they advertise them as free, but there is a S&H charge of $3.95, which is what my LNS charges for the individual patterns. There is the raw/gold linen and beads, threads, and embellishments so far.

Some stash ordered from J.J.'s Collectibles Super Bowl Sale, all on my wish list.

Lizzie Kate LE Spring scissor fob, marked down at my LNS. A couple of patterns from J.J.'s Collectibles again. I'm working on one, Winter Lineup now.

I saw this on the Internet and had my LNS order it for me - a pricey pattern and one that I may never do, but I just love it!!! There is a lot of stitching to this one - several pages!

I think this is the last Charles Wysocki's artwork turned into counted cross stitch kits that I needed to complete my collection I may never do (may sell). This is Maggie the Messmaker, and I got it for 40% off.

The Sampler Girl had a 25% off sale on patterns so I purchased Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and Quaker Boo, the last of which was on my wish list also.

More stash from LNS Super Bowl Sale, all on wish list.

The 32ct hand-dyed evenweave for previously shown Mansfield Park.

32ct hand-dyed linen for the following BAP Garden Spot Sampler (a replica of an antique sampler).

I don't know how I came into possession of this pattern, though I remember having a broken leg at the time, and there were a few girls on the Internet who were doing a SAL with this. That was in 2005, and I just came across this with the following Vikki Clayton silks for it - the way she used to package her silks.

The silks packaged by Vikki nearly 6 years ago. The following Vicky Clayton silks were purchased by me recently to do Mansfield Park.

And if you've hung in there with me this long, there is a giveway on Deborah's blog, Cranberry Samplings. Hop on over there to see what that's about. She has done some wonderful stitching!

I Won A Blogoversary!

What a lovely surprise to find my parcel in the mailbox today! I had commented on Bekca's blog, The Stitching Lion and had no intention of winning anything. I just loved her Nature's Beauty WIP by Little House Needleworks. I have that one in my own stash and love the design. She commented on my blog that I should pay her blog a visit; that I would be glad I did. I was astonished that I had won anything! The parcel got here in just a few days all the way from the UK! Bekca's stitching is beautiful, and I'm going to enjoy every bit of the contents. She even wrapped it all in cupcake paper. Just a really beautiful little package that thrilled me so much! Thank you, Bekca!

Isn't this the sweetest little ducky Bekca stitched on a bookmark? The back looks as good as the front!

Here is the wrapping paper, a very sweet card to me, a new pair of scissors, a skein of Duchess floss, some springy finishing fabric, and some lovely 32ct hand-dyed Belfast linen. Isn't it all just a lovely package for a very sweet teenager to put together?

Happy Easter!

To all my stitching friends who celebrate the Christ Who Is Risen!

Blogoversary Alert

Tangerinedream of Cross Stitch and Cupcakes is doing a huge anniversary giveaway! Check it out!

A Big Update, Long Overdue

I'm really trying to keep it together after the loss of Bear, so I've kept busy stitching. Though I'm a very slow stitcher, I have managed to have a few things come together at approximately the same time. I'm finally doing a rotation that I worked out with the help of several girls who offered suggestions. I really think it was actually Shelleen who helped me the most. I work on two UFO's a month and two WIP's a month, then just on Sundays, I work on a Halloween/Autumn/Thanksgiving project, and on the 25th of each month, I start on a Christmas ornament. The latter two are done as SAL's with a Yahoo group I'm on, Stitching Sisters. I'm thinking because of being so slow that I should start one on the 20th of each month to insure a finished ornament before the end of each month and still allow for my other rotation stitching.

Also, as I finish things, they go into an increasingly larger pile to be either framed or sewn into their respective finished forms. I need to gather small print fabrics and other notions to take a week or two and put everything together. I haven't had many pieces framed lately because of the expense, but I need to begin having things framed, even if it's only one a month. If not, I'm afraid that all the things I've stitched will end up in hands that know nothing of the work involved and get tossed eventually.

These are shots of one of my UFO's: "Winter Sampler" by Little House Needleworks.

This is my ornament for the month of March, "Snowy Pines" by Little House Needleworks.

The results of my Sunday SAL, "Haunted House" stocking by Blackbird Designs. D'ya think I'll find Halloween fabric to make this into a stocking? Don't think so this time of year. I've started on the 2nd stocking from the same book:

This stocking is named "Whooo's Knocking At My Door."





Here are some things I've also been working on:

Another UFO, a kit, "Goldfinch Gathering." This is what I pulled out of hiding in the abyss under the basement stairs. This has now been put back out of sheer frustration. I did finish the bird, but any pitiful progress on starting the fence post has to be frogged (one stitch off).

I found that one of my problems is that I don't really like stitching on 18ct aida any longer, so who knows what will become of this piece. I really love the colors in it! And to top it off, there is not enough thread to finish it all. No great loss, though, as I bought is for about $4 quite a few years ago.

Another UFO I've had for a couple of years, "The Library" by Little House Needleworks. I am not pleased with the stitching that is shown in this photo, as I was half blind because of  Sjogren's Syndrome, which is secondary to my lupus. Thank goodness you can't really see how bad the stitches are, but they are very distasteful to me. Though I use artificial tears, they weren't helping at the time that this part was stitched because my large tear ducts were opening back up after having had them cauterized so that they healed over (closed) to preserve moistness in the eyes. I had them re-cauterized in late December 2010, and my eyesight is much improved so that this part of the design is going to be frogged after I finish the rest of this piece. I really like this design, so I'm sticking with it if it takes me a couple of years!

And here is the same with a bit of progress stitching that is acceptable to me.

This will be the second time I've stitched this one. The first one went to my daughter after having it framed for her. Here is the first one:

And yet another WIP, just recently started:

This is the cutest lil' thing - Country Cottage Needleworks' "Bunny Hop."
My next post will be a "catch up" as well, with the S.A.B.L.E that I've hauled since my LNS's Super Bowl Sale till now.

Signing off with a photo of my oldest kitty, Pib (Pain In the Butt), whom we call Pibbie. She's a pitiful little 15-year-old tortoise-shell kitty that no one but a mother could love.

A Tribute to Bear

Born March 26, 1999, passed over the Rainbow Bridge March 18, 2011. Because of his story, he was a very special kitty - a beloved kitty.
On Monday, March 14, he was fine early in the morning. By about 10:00, he was sick, not himself at all.I called my husband, who is out of town Monday through Wednesday and told him. He said to make him a vet's appointment for Thursday when he was home to help me. I watched him throughout the day, and he was very droopy. I made an appt. for him. The next day, he couldn't hold up his head. I knew something was terribly wrong. I called the vet's office and asked if I could bring him in on an emergency basis. Of course. I put him in his carrier, and he was too weak to object - just a pitiful little mewling. I was desperate. I got him there as quickly as I could, and they took him right in. After telling me this could cost some big money, I told the lady vet that as long as there was hope, I would pay whatever it took. I was in love with this gentle giant. After taking him away for blood tests, I was informed of what the vet expected. He was in ketoacidosis from diabetes. I had no idea... had only had him for a bit over a year and had nothing to compare his behavior to. I was told that kitties can be sick for a very long time before they let you know it, so that possibly he was diabetic when my sister-in-law had him. He was dehydrated and his blood glucose was 651, with normal being in the human range - 80-120. I nearly fainted on the spot. They admitted him right away and started treatment of IV fluids and insulin. His blood glucose dropped to 321 that evening. I thought he was on the way to recovery.

The next day I called and was told that he had vomited and couldn't be given his insulin. I went with my mom & dad to see him and was shocked to see how bad he looked. I was literally sick myself. My mother said, "I hope he makes it," and I realized how grave it was. I told them I didn't want him to suffer, but was told it would be a couple of days before he came out of his "funk." I called later, and they told me his sugar had gone back up but was down from very high back down to 321 which was better. My husband came home Wednesday night in disbelief at how sick he was. We went together Thursday to see him, and I said I didn't want him to suffer. Jackie (one of the office girls who we hire to take care of our cats when we're gone) told me that the doctor would discuss it with us if she thought there was no hope. We both sobbed when we visited him. He opened his eyes in recognition once but was otherwise lifeless. That evening we went out to eat. We had recently had our land line terminated but had a safety line for call 800 numbers, 911, and we could receive any calls, just not call out. We had also lost our caller ID and voice mail but had hooked up an answering machine for incoming calls. We weren't good at checking the machine though. At 8:00 the next morning, the phone rang. I knew it was the doctor, and I knew what had happened. She said she had left two messages for us the night before telling us that Bear's kidneys were not handling fluids. She found him in the morning, and he had passed in the night.

We're devastated and heart-broken. There is no replacing my "Baby Bear" as I called him. Nothing can replace this terrible void in my heart. I'm eaten up with guilt that I wasn't there to answer the call; that I wasn't there to end his misery; that I wasn't there to be with him as he died. I've posted to my Yahoo groups about Bear, and I've been overwhelmed with the outpouring of stories of their own animals, well wishes and heartfelt sympathy. I was embarrassed, with all the disaster in the world, the catastrophic illnesses, and the loss of human beings, to post this crisis when I put him in the hospital and asked for prayers. I was desperate though and needed help to get through it. I have always thought that stitchers were great people, and now I know for certain that there are no better people in the world to lean on for support - so selfless, caring, and giving.

One lady (who never posts) contacted her daughter who has a diabetic kitty. She wrote to me and got me in contact with a website and message board, all about feline diabetes. I had registered and was ready to take on the challenge of caring for Bear when he died. I had to write her and tell her how grateful I was for her support but that it was too late for my Baby Bear. She wrote to me telling me how sorry she was for me, then said: "Fly away, sweet Bear... fly high, and fly wide, and may you have a soft landing."

An Ornament Stitched

Though I have a pile of things to either get framed or finish into various items, such as ornaments, including this one, I thought I'd show a shot of my ornament stitching for February. I'm trying to do an ornament a month. Though the fabric appears muddy in the photo, it's a beautiful green that the pattern calls for - Dove 30ct linen by Weeks Dye Works. It looks great with the Crescent Colour hand-dyed thread, Spinach, which is used for the tree in the ornament.

I have other WIP's I've been working on but haven't yet taken pix of them. I've acquired stash from my LNS' Super Bowl sale that I have yet to get on this blog, though I'm such a slow stitcher I'm not sure why I buy more. It's already been determined that my stash will outlive me by many, many years! I guess by buying more, I think it will extend my good stitching years, LOL!