Joy in the Journey

December 31, 2013

I think it's time for an update on my stitching.  There were quite a few finishes that I had intended to blog about, but life just has a way of taking you on unexpected journeys sometimes.

So I'll just post some photos to wrap up the year...

one of my favourite flowers - pansies :)

Riolis kit - loved the way it turned out...

finially finished the back

still need to assemble it though

close-up  

and another birthday scissor fob

the 3rd one 

yep, another giant one lol

I think she was sort of expecting it after  the other 2 received theirs ;)

oh 

JOY!

 - I found my OWN pair 

guess I'll have to stitch my own scissor fob now.

The next two were a gift for my husband's aunt and uncle:

A mIll Hill angel I stitched as a Christmas exchange.

I'm so glad it went to someone I know.

That means I'll see her again :)

This ornament I stitched 2 years ago.

I finally gave it to a lady I've known for some time at our guild.

I may or may not be stitching more of them - loved the way it turned out :)

... might have something to do with it being a Mill Hill kit, lol

and finally, but not least... I finished the gift from my son:

It's from the Gold Collection Petites series of postage stamp birds.

Guess what he gave me this year?

... well that's another story

Looking back on the year, there was indeed sorrow, but also joy.

There is always joy to be found joy 

somewhere in the journey...

Happy New Year

:)

Oh where have you been?

Saturday, December 14, 2013

This may come as a shock, but I must confess... I have never been to a Lindt Outlet store.

That is until friday night... when perusing my emails, I noticed that they were open until midnight - with some mad sale going on. Well... guess where I dashed off to... with son in tow, (completely against his will I'm sure you're thinking)

Upon entering, it was sensory overload.

Chocolate everywhere.

I know, silly thing to say - what else would you expect in a chocolate store?

Oh my

bins

shelves

huge bags

full

calling my name....

I even had a sample of  a champagne Lindor

wow.

wow.

WOW

WOW

Actually my son had one first. 

He came up to me with a big grin and said 

"I just had a champagne Lindt."

no kidding... as I caught a whiff of it

I asked the staff if they knew they had just served a minor.

They handed me one too, and all was forgotten 

I was in a delirious daze of pure goodness.

Everything was 50% off.

Some chocolate may have followed me home

to a safe hiding spot.

Friday night was round one

of the 

Hot cocoa competition

I tried to find a good rating system.. with not much success.

I did find a most amusing quote on one site called

Chocolate: The Ratings

"We taste the chocolate so you don't have to!"

Seriously?

Ok, so I came up with my own rating scores.

Max score in each category is a 10

First up:

Aroma :10

Flavour :10

Cocoa Intensity: 10

Suitable Substitute for *** : 10

I was going to take a photo of the actual cup of this hot delicious splendor,

but it seems to have caused me to lapse

into a state of pure utter chocolaty bliss.

And then there were 3.

***  yes, it's what you think it stands for ;)

In each life.. some chocolate must fall

Thursday, December 12, 2013

I received an email from my friend who gave me a birthday present... almost 2 months early. Seems she just didn't want me opening it up at the time because we were at a Christmas party/birthday party for two other friends. She gave me permission to open said gift...

I just can't wait to try it out!

.. must invite friends over...

hmmm....

I know one person I'd like to invite.. 

she has all the right qualifications...

or should I say choclifications

:)

Just check out what she gave me in a recent 

late night chat trade!

Beautiful tin

but ohhhh.. check out what's inside!

oh yeah.

No dibs.. sorry.

Me and the tin are spending some alone time.

So I was thinking 

maybe I could come up with a new TV show theme...

you know, one of those foodie competitions.

Way better than the stupidity that's out there now, lol...

Theme: Best hot chocolate.

So here are the contenders...

Where to start, Where to start......

well, that's another story...

Candy Crush... chocolate level complete...

Sunday, December 8, 2013

It's no secret that I have a slight chocolate addiction.... well, some of my friends know this...
and provided a remedy...

A few friends went down to the US to see the Macy's parade 

and brought me back a souvenir...

How did they know?

lol

Yup.

Slightly addicted to Candy Crush on Facebook...

it's been a good distraction especially lately.

So what to do

with allll that chcoclate

and candy fishies...

hehehe

Make my own REAL candy crush game

Hate the chocolate in the game...

but when it's real....

ahhhhh - here come the fishies!!!

Level complete.

One friend gave me a birthday present a bit early

since she will be away.

She told me I can't open it until then.

Counting down the days...  

Maybe.

:)

One day at a time

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The last few weeks have flown by in a numbing haze. Loosing my dad so suddenly is one of the hardest things I have ever experienced.

I have been most humbled with all the support, prayers, love and kindness that my family and especially my friends have shown me. Without them I really don't know where I would be. Probably hiding somewhere in a closet.

Life does go on.... but sometimes must it?

All I can do right now is take it one day at a time...

Last weekend we planted a Downy Serviceberry (aka Juneberry)

It was a very thoughtful gift from some friends in honour of my dad.

It will grow 20-25' high.

Not overnight.

But one day at a time.

Just one more time

October 30, 2013

7pm

Just one more time to hold your hand

Just one more time to see you smile

Just one more time to feel your hug

Just one more time to play for you

Just one more time to hear your voice

Just one more time to share a laugh

Just one more time to ride our bikes

Just one more time to spend some time

Just one more time to say hello

Just one more time to see that look

Just one more time to learn form you

Just one more time along the beach

Just one more time to say to you

Papa

I love you

RIP

Pumpkin dilemmas

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

So it's the week of Halloween. My son keeps on coming up with different ideas for a costume.

Friday, it was "Hey! I could just wear my Scout uniform and go as a Scout!"

Heck, I'm all for that. No work on my part... except if there's any chocolate stains. 

I pondered out loud if maybe it wasn't really appropriate to wear a uniform as a costume....  maybe he could go around collecting food for the food bank, instead of collecting junky candy. I'd offer him some good chocolate instead. hmmm....

that would imply sharing my stash...

I let it go, and didn't bring it up again... 

right after my dear, sweet, boy had uttered the words

 "I think this will be the last year I go out".

Pass the kleenex please.

Over the weekend, thoughts turned to puns... like a Card Shark... a Cereal Killer... a Poet Tree...

Yesterday, the costume of the hour was a ghost.... plain, simple, bedsheet.... 

and later that evening, he thought he might just wear the same one from last year....

Or, maybe he could just wear my pumpkin costume.... the one I've been wearing for several years now.

I decided not to bring up the Dr Who Dalek costume idea he had a while ago.... 

it might add to the choices... 

and my workload...

I'd certainly rather be stitching something else!

Speaking of stitching...

 ... another finish!

Sweetheart Tree

32ct Lambswool Linen

Now if only I could turn all my stitched projects

into a costume....

there's a thought...

and a unique finishing idea :)

Get your Pumpkin Sparkle on!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Well, it seems a few people liked my poem from my last post, "A Stitcher's Harvest Time".

I was contacted by someone from the American Needlepoint Guild – Southside Virginia Chapter, to include it in their next newsletter! Whoo hoo - I guess that makes me a published poet :)

I certainly am humbled that anyone likes my poems :)... never mind reads my blogs, lol.

So I may or may not have had a few more finishes since my last post... was going to save this one for next week, but the sparkling Kreinik yelled at me - Time to make the pumpkin shine!

So here's another fall themed stitching completed ...

Checkers the Pumpkin 

by Kitty and Me... 

Lots of Kreinik in there!

I made a few changes in the stitches

by adding Star stitches (also called the Star Eyelet stitch or Algerian Eye Stitch)

 and added beads

I do love the way it turned out and never thought about Kreinik on a pumpkin.

But heck, is there anything that couldn't use a little sparkle?

I've been imagining what a real pumpkin might

look like decorated with Kreinik.

Could you imagine if Kreinik had a contest like that?

whoo hoo - I'm in!

(always in where there's Kreinik!!!)

I think that might require a 

stash enhancement of Kreinik.

Any excuse eagerly looked for

I seem to be on a Kreinik high lately, 

and I haven't even started my Christmas stitching yet ...

A Stitcher's Harvest time

Thursday, October 17, 2013


For every stitcher there is a reason,
and a stitch to every purpose in our life:
a time to start, and a time to start another one;
a time to plan, and a time to frog;
a time to restitch, and a time to just plain start yet another one;
a time to break down, and buy more stash;
a time to cast away UFO's, and a time to gather yet even more new ones;
a time to fondle new stash, never a time to resist if it's new;
a time to acquire even more stash, lest our cupboard run bare;
a time to use the Kreinik , and a time to use even more Kreinik ;
a time to use those beads , and a time to loose those beads ;
a time to keep silence, lest we loose count;
a time to love a new project, and a time to ask why did I start this;
a time to keep, and a time to give;
a time to sing , and a time to happy dance; 
a time of stitching, gives a time of peace.




Here's my newest 'harvest'

Mill Hill "Gourds" ...stitched on 28 ct Lugana Khaki

I'd love to turn it into something stuffed,

but my mind is already on other Mill Hills...

or maybe a Sweetheart Tree..

or maybe...

they keep getting in the way of the UFO's.

Funny how that happens...

Just a minute too late

Wednesday , October 16, 2013

Our neighbor's son recently had a baby.

Ok, ok...really, it was the wife... but anywho. They popped in for a visit on the weekend as they were having dinner at the parents next door. What a cutie patootie. And so wonderful holding a wee baby...sigh... it really does go by fast.

After they left I realized I had wanted to stitch something for the baby... but kept putting that off.

So I thought to myself - hey, they're here for a few hours... why not stitch something and give it to them before they leave?

So like a mad woman... I got everything together.... stitched for 2 hours...  and made a bib

so cute :)

LOVE the name too , lol

I added the orange to the geese too.

Hubby's suggestion.

I even put the backing felt on the back ...

yep - all done!

Wait - tissue paper!

Check.

Called next door.

They had just left.

I missed them by about a minute, lol...

So I'll be all prepared now for their next visit.

Heck, maybe it's time to stitch their wedding present now...

that was only a while ago.

At least the bib will be ready.

Maybe I could just add the wedding date to that.

Time for thanks

Tuesday , October 15, 2013

Fall. A time to be thankful.

Thankful for the dinner I made yesterday, and the potatoes I caught before they were really burnt...

Seriously, there are so many things and people I am thankful for.

  I am also very thankful for the time I have had lately to stitch. Which means a few more finishes...

Yes , another Mill Hill

"Squirrelly" 

  

Thankful for the fabric I had that was

just perfect for this

28ct Maple Vine linen band

I had bought it not knowing what I was going to stitch on it :)

Thankful for the hanger I had that was perfect too

Thankful that the kit it came from is something I don't want to stitch, lol

Thankful for the buttons I had

that seemed to go just perfectly

and

Always thankful for beads

that come with Mill Hill kits :)

A thank you gift

  for  a wonderful neighbour,

who needed some encouragement.

So at least Squirrelly won't be too far.

Thankfully.

It's a start

Friday, October 11, 2013


Had a lovely walk up at Everton today with my son, a friend and her son.  This was the same Scout property where just a few months ago, I had spent those two heavenly relaxing weeks ... oh never mind...lol... you can check back to my July blogs to get the joke... let's just say this time it was MUCH quieter.

You can see the start of fall with some of the trees already changing colours. I think next weekend or the one after that will be the optimal time to view fall colours. It usually goes quite fast once they start to change.

What a gorgeous day to be outside - blue skies and 20C.

I was a bit surprised actually that everything was still mostly green, and few trees had started to turn colour...

My son spotted a heart shape in the river...

The stepping stones across the Eramosa river

.  .  .  .

The water was a bit higher as some of them were under water.

With fall I usually start to stitch even more...

my latest finish is from the Sweetheart Tree

"X is for X-Stitch"

Yes, another UFO done!!!

Of course I made some changes to the original pattern

I changed the colours of the stitcher , petit point stitched the face, 

and  added real lace to the skirt hem

Added buttons and charms

and beads!

I'm happy how it turned out.

Now on to some more fall stitching themes :)

Messy inspirations

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

To get creative, you just have to have a mess. It's that simple.

Take for instance the table where I was working on my latest project...

Another WIP almost done.

It would have been completed last night...

but the creative juices started flowing.

Hence all the different threads...

and beads...

and charms...

too much choice.

I decided to put it aside and work on another WIP,

or is it a UFO?

Not really sure when what qualifies as a work in progress

or an unfinished project.

It's sparkly all right. That's all I'll say for now.

And it was a special present form my son,

so I better go get it done.

Christmas will be here before you know it

and Gitta's is well stocked

for my son to pick another one out.

Just want to make sure to inspire him , lol.

I also did a wee bit of organizing in my cross stitch closet.

Just to check if there were any more WIP-UFO's.

Officially I only have 3 left.

whoo hoo!!!

I've already set aside the ones I want to stitch on...

if I can hold out that long....

aida... where for art thou?

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Just a wee update... seems my fellow stitch-alongers didn't tell me they had also completed their To-Do list!

So here's a photo of all 4 done!

I think they all turned out beautiful. 

I love the words too.

I finished another WIP, but decided I really need to assemble this one 

before I post it on my blog.

I kno I'm such a tease, lol.

Here's an update on that BIG project.

I have no clue as to why I didn't substitute the aida on this kit.

Not like I don't have any 28ct fabric....

I am really resisting the urge to start again .

My friends might lock me up  in my closet if I do though.

But hey, I wouldn't mind, as long as there's some stitching there....

oh wait... there is a wee bit of stitching in my closet...

but that's another story.