Model #5 Done and Progress Pictures!

Well fair readers, I'm back home safe and sound. The laundry is done and my lunch is made... ready to go back to work after being off for a week. I tell you its never long enough!

Saturday by lunchtime I finally finished Model #5! Yay boy was I glad to see the end of that piece of stitching. I have one more to go, but I won't be starting it just yet. I figured with wrapping up that model... to celebrate with a little shopping at Ann's shop, Knowledge and Needles. Then, it was time to pack up and start heading East on the 401. I made it safe and sound to Christin's parents in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day an we enjoyed a walk out in the fresh air. I can tell you Brighton and Kingston have WAYYYY less snow that we do in the Ottawa Valley! Despite warmer temperatures I was sad to find we have much of it still left!

Saturday night I decided to work on a piece I started mid last year, and haven't really touched. The poor thing keeps getting set aside for everything else and wouldn't really take long to finish.

Cats and Baskets

Then this evening I pulled out Debby's Neighbourhood RR and got a start on it! I'm stitching the house from house 11 on Houses of Hawk's Run Hollow. Once this RR is done I'll go back to the model stitching... this means at least for a little while I'll have stitching to share with you.

Well its off to bed, and back to work in the morning... at least I can look forward to two things : a four day work week, and the Foo Fighters on Wednesday night!

Fog, Progress and Fair & Square Revealed

Wow! If you haven't heard already, the weather has just gone crazy up here! On Thursday, its was -27c today... right now at 11pm its 9c with rain! Time to keep an ear out for that sump pump and make sure its still working! Due to all that snow we've had over the last few weeks melting, we've got fog galore out there! My drive home was a little hairy at times, there was so much fog at times I could barely see two car lengths ahead of me!

Tonight I worked on two different projects. I started out with Tour Des Marques, I've been working on that for a year now, and I'm still on the 3rd page! I've really got to commit better to this piece. When I had as much over one as I could handle (just wasn't focused enough tonight) I pulled out Mini Cottages 5.

I finally found out today that my Fair & Square arrived safe and sound with Lizzie. I stitched her a Christmas design in hopes that it would arrive in time for the holidays. Lizzie said she got it just after Christmas!

A Very Merry Christmas

c JBW Designs

Stitched on 32ct Platinum Lugana

Stitched with GAST threads

Ornament HD & Progress

Well folks, that's Christmas Holidays done and over with, I'm back home and ready to go to work bright and early tomorrow morning. Yee haw (feel the joy).

My drive back home was uneventful, I didn't stop to take any photos... I just wanted to get home. I didn't stitch much this evening, however I did the finishing on my ornament and worked on Moonlight Guardian.

Engraved Heart - Mill Hill Kit

c1996 Jill Siegler

While at Ann's I also bought some stash from her shop, Knowledge and Needles. I got one of the PS Santa's, LOL he's fishing perfect for Todd! Some DMC 321 which I was out of, some more Kreiniks for MG, and I discovered she had the threadpack for Ink Circles Blackstone Fantasy Garden! I look forward to going back the first weekend in March (1st &2nd) when Ann is hosting her open house after going to Nashville for market. She's asked me to come and help her out and I'm so excited about that!

Framing, Ornament, and Tour Oh My!

Well my drive into work wasn't as horrendous as I had feared it would be, but the board did call a snow day so it was nice and quiet at work!

The first thing I did when I got home tonight was finish up that framing job. Boy, this one was a lot of work! But you know what it looks great! Framed with a simple black frame, and mounted on a black suede mat. It looks sexy!

Once the framing job was finished I finally got to sit down and stitch. I finished up my second Victoria Sampler ornament. I have to say these Beyond Cross Stitch kits are great! They're pretty easy to stitch up and a cool way to learn new stitches. This kit taught me how to do a spider web rose in silk ribbon. I'm pretty pleased with myself over this one!

Christmas Rose

c2000 Thea Duek - Victoria Sampler

Stitched on 25ct White Lugana

Using : DMC floss & perle cotton, #4 kreinik, mill hill beads, silk ribbon

I also got in about an hour and a half in on Tour Des Marques! Wow two weeks in a row, almost a record for me.

Tomorrow when I get home I'll start ornamentification, then the big decision will be what to stitch on next... another ornament? Christmas Elf Fairy? Hmmmm....

Here are some photo's from the snow storm's aftermath. Pretty isn't it?

Time For A Little BS

Back stitch that is....

Normally I don't bore you with pictures of the same project several days in a row. However... I hit a milestone tonight, I finished all the cross stitch on the top right hand page of The Castle. I've put it away for tonight, but tomorrow I'll be ready to start backstitching! Guess what I'll be doing this weekend???

I do have some running around that has to be done, and framing supplies to pick up and a few jobs to start that need to be done and returned to their owners soon. So that will cut into the precious stitching time.

We've had more snow today... but no time to take pretty pictures for you. Needless to say we've had about 9cm in the last two days. When I grow up I'm going to be a Snowbird like Kathy!

Paradigm Lost SAL Night

Sooooo tonight I pulled out Paradigm Lost and got some letters stitched up! This is such a nice piece to work on. I look forward to working on The Castle again tomorrow night!

Finish... Lines!

Well, the first thing on my agenda tonight wasn't to get stitching, but to get my monster pumpkin carved! It took a bit of agonizing over design... and the poor thing lost a tooth, but its done! I'll share that picture with you tomorrow! My next priority was to finish up Heather's Neighbourhood RR. It took me until after 9pm tonight but Heather's RR is done! I have to say it looks great!

Of Farm And Field

c2000 Dragon Dreams

I had about two hours to work on/start Paradigm Lost... I think I'll work on it again tomorrow. All I have to show you... lines. Yup border. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to tackle this piece yet... am I going to do as much border as possible? Work on one page at a time. We'll see where my next session with this piece takes me.

Stitching Updates

Alrighty, lets hope you all find this post much more interesting than my weekend report. Not up to my normal standard was it? Sorry about that!

Let's see what has been going on stitching wise, my Fair & Square round 3 was received by Pokua and I'm glad to see she's very happy with it! Mine is on its way and I can't wait to see it!

Full Moon (freebie)

c2000 Elizabeth's Designs

The Alphabet was added to increase the height of the design

Stitched on 32ct Natural Linen

Using GAST, WDW & Whisper

Earlier this week I finished the first panel on the Pomegranate Needlebook by Jeannette Douglas. I'm really looking forward to getting back to this and trying out her finishing instructions.

Also this week I started Heather's RR, her theme is Farm and I'm stitching up Dragon Dream's Of Farm and Field. I should be able to finish it up tomorrow night! (my part is bottom right)

Finally, on Tuesday of this week I'll be starting Paradigm Lost! Finally! Kathy says she'll be crossing into the US that day and I wasn't allowed to start until she crossed. You can follow our progress and that of our SAL mates (some are stitching Cirque des Cercles) at the Snowbird's SAL blog. If you'd like to stitch one of these two projects or have it started you're welcome to join us. Just send me an e-mail for an invite to the blog!

Happy Thanksgiving!

First of all I'd like to wish all of my fellow Canadians a Happy Thanksgiving and that the weekend was everything you wanted it to be. Once you read this... you'll know why I've been quiet for the last few days!

Todd & I on the boat (see you Brighton non-Todd believers, its the same guy from the other pictures!)

This year Todd and I took a different approach to Thanksgiving. We didn't spend it with family at all this year back in August I booked a weekend getaway for the two of us. Its something we've not done in a very long time. Yes I know, Thanksgiving is/should be a family time where you get together, eat way too much, and often go home complaining about someone or something. However, sometimes you have to focus on your partner and your relationship with him/her. That's what we did!



Saturday morning we stared out with a nice lie in at home, as we were leaving town we had breakfast at one of our favourite spots. We first drove into Kingston so Todd could check out the shop I buy all of his die-cast car models. Boy... it was like a kid in a candy store. We went to a few other shops before it was late in the afternoon for us to head back East a little to Gananoque and the Gananoque Inn. My long time readers may recognize this as where I've gone a couple of times in past years for the Cross Stitch Cupboard's fall retreat (where I'll be going not this upcoming Friday, but the next). Its a beautiful inn, right on the St. Lawrence River, with excellent food! Saturday evening we had dinner in the dining room, and boy its fine dining... Todd and I made sure to have food off of the menu we wouldn't normally get in a regular restaurant. It was a lovely three course, two hour meal!

Bolt Castle at the top of the Hill

Sunday was a gorgeous day! Sunny and 16c with a nice breeze, my favourite type of day. We got up early that morning, had breakfast in the dining room before we went on the 1000 Islands Cruise (3 hours) with a stop over at Heart Island with a tour of Bolt Castle (2 hours). The scenery was just stunning (this was actually the 3rd time I've done this tour... once as a child, once about 7-9 years ago and this past weekend). Having been to Bold Castle three times at different points in my life has been quite cool. Bolt Castle was under construction in the early 1900's a castle for Mr. Bolt's wife... all construction stopped in 1902 upon her death, the workers just put their tools down and walked away. Over the years they have been restoring/completing the work. When I first went as a child I have impressions of graffiti, rickety floors, and an all around dump. My second trip I remember parts of the castle being open and work was in progress. This year so many areas of the castle are open and safe for us tourists to walk about. They have finished quite a bit of the main floor complete with furnishings and art original to the period. I took over 200 pictures on Sunday afternoon! Last night saw us having dinner in the bar/grill at the Inn, Muskie Jakes... another good meal!

Our boat for the 3 hour tour

On the main channel of the St. Lawrence

Heart Island & Bolt Castle

The Bolt Castle Boat House

One of several restored rooms on the main floor of Bolt Castle

This morning we woke up... unfortunately it was time to pack up ... one last breakfast in the dining room and back to reality!

Now the only downside to this weekend... after yesterday's boat tour and a bit of a nap in our room before dinner (sun and water just tires you right out!)... I found my throat was scratchy and started a bit of a cough. So yet again I'm sick! I'll be taking things easy this week, I want to be healthy for when I head back down to Ganenoque!




I didn't stitch much this weekend as it was a weekend for us. When I did stitch a little (in the car) or when we were lounging in our room I worked on Mini Cottages 5.

When I got home I finished up my piece for the Fair & Square Exchange - round 3. I'm very happy with my results this round. Oh and I never got around to it but here's my piece from round 2.

Tantes Zolder (My Aunt's Attic)

32ct Natural Linen

DMC overdyed

Also... being Monday I was very good and worked on Tour des Marques... I finished the backstitching on page 2 and got a good start on page 3.

TdM Monday!

I was a good girl tonight, and pulled out Tour Des Marques... and I worked on it all night long as well! But by 11pm I was going bug-eyed! I managed to finish all the cross stitch on page 2 and got a good start on the backstitch.

Now the decision... tomorrow do I finish up the BS on TdM or do I start the BS on The Castle???

Oh yeah... I finally got my Sweetheart Tree RR back, it looks great but I forgot to photograph it tonight... so hopefully tomorrow!

TdM Monday!

Just a quick post to share tonight's progress on Tour de Marques I worked on it 2-3 hours tonight.

I'm back to work tomorrow for a few days.

Now That's Progress & Goals

What a great day! LOL at least to me its been good. Despite some domestic goddess-like activities I had to execute I had the house to myself and I stitched!

I made fantastic progress on Noah's Sub today!

Here's what I managed to do in July and what I'd like to do in August :

July Recap :

Work on Noah's Sub - Yup!

Stitch one ornament - Yup!

Stitch Instant Gratification RR - Yup!

Stitch on any other RR's that show up - Yup!

August Goals :

Finish Noah's Sub

Stitch One Ornament

Stitch Kathy's Instant Gratification RR

Stitch Neighbourhood RR that shows up next

Stitch Fair and Square exchange

Work on The Castle

7/8th done!

Yay!

Well of best laid plans for today none of them happened as I envisioned! I was imagining lots of stitching time. I managed to find enough to finish up my current page on Noah's Sub.

This morning started off with a lot of phone calls. First was the lawyer we've been waiting to hear from (no worries nothing serious) so we could get in and sign some papers before I leave. He made an appointment with us at 2pm downtown. Then I got a call from a co-worker she was hosting a lovely lunch open to all the female staff at work. I told her to give me a call if she needed some help. She took me up on that offer to it was into the shower and out in the car. Unfortunately I couldn't stay too long I had to pick Todd up at work and get downtown.

By the time we were done with the lawyer it was getting close to 3pm so instead of taking Todd to work then driving back into the city to pick up Christin we drove over to her place of work. Her boss was kind enough to let her leave 30 minutes early. A quick stop at her place for her stuff, and a trip to take Todd back to work. It was 4pm by the time I finally got home! I passed out on the couch for a bit while Christin entertained herself with her stitching. We got to go out for a nice dinner... finished my page and now I'm ready for bed!

Post Weekend Sub Progress

Well I really was dreaming... thought I could finish my page this weekend. But I didn't ... LOL just not enough hours in the day! Also silly things like grocery shopping, out to lunch with Mum, making meals and doing laundry just get in the way too much!

Two days of work and then I'm on holidays! I can't wait!

Someone Put the Fire Out!

Can you smell the smoke coming off of my needles? This is my pre-weekend progress update. I took Friday off so my weekend has started and I put in mega hours this evening!

Now, I've had a few questions piling up in my inbox (I have my comments e-mailed to me so I don't miss a single one!)

Karin and Margaret asked if the flower from one of my recent posts was from my garden.

-- Yes it is. I have a narrow bed (which we're expanding) along the side of my house that's pretty much all daylillies.

Louanne asked if I plan on stitching Fish City someday... its by the same artist.

-- No. I was excited to hear about Fish City before it came out and when I did see it, I was disappointed to find it had no appeal to me at all.

Post Weekend Sub Progress

Waaahhh! The weekend is over, but I just have to keep remembering my holidays start next Wednesday! A week and a half... a week and a half. I'm looking forward to it I'm ready for an extended break from work! All I keep thinking about is working on my Noah's Sub, how much stitching I'll get done. Or should I say hope to get done? Some of my regular readers may recall I finished another long-time project over my summer holidays... Celtic Banner. So will luck shine on me, will I finish Noah's Sub? I don't have much specific planned. My first few days will be taken up with a visit to Brighton with Christin to see Ann, Beatrice, and her stitching ladies (unfortunately Kathy won't be available... waaahhhh). We also have a week set aside at the cottage where I'll probably steal my nephew for part of that week.

Anyhow I did get a lot done on Noah's Sub, but somehow I feel like I could of gotten more done! Am I crazy or what?

Pre-Weekend Stitching Progress

Thanks to everyone for migraine-go-away vibes. Yesterday turned out to be a pretty okay day. It did threaten to come back in the evening, but I managed to keep it at bay. I'm doing much better today. So after all my pre-weekend running around (I had today off of work and this would of all been done last night after work if I hadn't stayed home sick) I'm going to do my online stuff, and get stitching! Chrisanne is coming up to stitch with me!

So here's where my Noah's Sub is at...

Noah's Sub Progress

I made good progress on Noah's Sub today! On my new page (suppose that's current page now) I stitched up the base of the sub above water and almost all of the waves. I'm dreading getting down below the water line. Its going to be rows and rows of the same colours!

Here's this weekend's progress

For a little fun let's see where I was six months ago... (I did try to find a pic from a year ago but apparently I didn't really work on it much in 2006)

This week I decided to join the Fair and Square exchange... I really like what I've seen stitchers produce. They're still taking sign ups the next round dosen't start until the end of the month. Be srue to follow the link on the sidebar of the F&SE to check out the rules!

Start of Another RR

On Saturday when I went to stitch with Chrisanne, she passed onto me the next Instant Gratification Round Robin on the Needle and Thread BB. I had selected what I was going to stitch last night and had time to start it this evening. Jodi's theme is quilts and gardens and we each have two bands to stitch. Both of the patterns I've picked are from the Better Homes and Gardens 2001 Cross Stitch Designs. I've got a good start on my first band.

I also did some finishing tonight! I've been reading a lot of blogs over the last few days and I've just been so inspired to do some finishing. Some of you bloggers do amazing work! I think blogs have been a fantastic motivator and inspiration over the years. A number of weeks ago you may recall I bought a few blue fat quarters. I had bought them with the intention of turning my blue Hedgehog Quaker into a pillow... I had an idea for something slightly different. Finally I did it, and I'm very happy with how it turned out!

I think I'm going to go through my finished-unfinished project bag and find something to try out a flat fold... I haven't made one of those yet!

Tomorrow night I won't get any stitching in... I'm meeting up with Christin, Chrisanne and her daughter Lindsay. We're taking Lindsay to her first concert (shhh... its a surprise). We're going to see Nickleback, Puddle of Mud, State of Shock and Daughtry. Should be a fun night as long as the rain holds off... its an outdoor concert.

Yeee Hawww Progress!

Well I've had a weekend of a lot of "domestic goddess" like activities and framing jobs. In between that I have managed to get some time in on Noah's Sub and I have to say I've made significant progress since I last shared it with you.

And I just had to share this gem of a picture with you... Chrisanne's daughter Lindsay devouring a wings and ribs combo for dinner! Gosh I can't even eat that much!