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.

Trend setting with Kreinik

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Where the heck did September go??

I've been busy stitching on my WIP's. Goal is to have them all done soon. Except new things seem to be having their way with me... resistance is quite futile...

Last month at the guild we were introduced to an older type of stitch called "Chicken Scratch". Appropriately named if you were to look on the back of the stitched piece - it looks , kind of, like scratches or tracks from a chicken. Sort of.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case I forgot to take a photo of the back before I finished mine.

We were given a small project kit which included gingham fabric, floss and instructions. There was also some pretty backing fabric, which could be used to finish off your project...

Most people would have clued in as to why this pretty fabric was included in the kit.

My husband even asked me as to why they chose 'chicken' patterned fabric.

Me... well, it wasn't until the following meeting,

when several finished pieces were on display,

and they had used this backing fabric....

Let's just say my light bulb went on.

Traditionally it's done on gingham, and looks like this...

 

Well... I sort of did follow the instructions...

but added a few steps...

I don't know how it happened...

somehow

Kreinik 

and some beads 

possessed me.

Ok, so I like being possessed 

by Kreinik

and beads, lol

After I finished stitching

I decided it would look nice as a Christmas ornament...

and figured out how to assemble it so the front and back look the same...

so which is the front and which is the back?

I really like how it turned out.

The Kreinik really makes an older stitch style new again!

Hey, maybe I'll start a new craze....

Chicken Scratch will be all the rage for the upcoming season.

Better stock up now on gingham...

and Kreinik of course...

you just never know....

It's different... but DONE!!!

Friday, September 27, 2013

  ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   ..   

Yipeee! Another finish. One that I had put away for a while.... why?...

well, it might have something to do with the size...

The Heart's Content "Virtue" Needleroll.. 

Now to put some perspective on that...

28 ct natural linen, stitched one over one...

oh yeah... it's tiny stitching all right!

I think I may turn it into a name tag, 

but not sure how to do that with the pretty border... 

so it may turn into something else.

In fact inspiration has struck while I type this....hehehe

Guess you'll have to wait and see :)

Of course I made a few changes... silly question

added beads,

 my name instead of the word 'Virtue' ,

 two button flowers at top  .. 

and beads around the border too 

Somehow Kreinik seemed too sparkly for this one

I know

**gasp**

Kreinik...too sparkly?

 lol

well the next UFO/WIP might be more sparkly...

So this is what I needed those beads and threads for,

that I mentioned in the blog yesterday :)

I have no idea why I picked this one to stitch.

The design is not really one I usually gravitate too.

Not really my style...

perhaps a need to do something different.

Not that I ever do anything differently....

Unexpected happiness

whoo hoo ---> 331<---- page views to my September 22 'ABC' blog  -- wowzy!

Little things, especially those that you weren't expecting, can make you so happy...

Here's a few from today...

Unexpected treat

and then there was this...

The world's best stitching store had it in stock.

Perfect .

When?

 Oh, you know for those times when you go from one project 

where you stitch with 

TWO threads...

to a project where you are supposed to 

only use ONE thread.

This may only be realized when one suddenly run out of a colour.

One of the last colours needed, by the way.

Which also has delayed my happy dance.

and then there were these...

Unexpected perfect amount

in the perfect colour

(and I already had them - unexpected bonus)

so tomorrow I just mayyyy

be doing a happyyyyy dance....

oh yeah.... of course there was this...

Completely unexpected find,

especially when you were only looking for floss ;)

Imaginative bubble wrap ala Who

Monday, September 23, 2013

Dr. Who has invaded our house. 

My son has been introduced to said TV series via videos 

that managed their way home from the library.

And what does an 11 year old with a wonderfully, fantasticasmical, vivid,  imagination 

get from watching a certain episode?

Let me give you some clues...

Oh the joys of bubble wrap.

That's a Wirrn by the way..
A bug creature that some of the characters turn into.

Oh yeah. 

Nightmares.

At 3am 

and ONE tired parent. 

Other parent had no clue as he remained sound asleep. 

Well, that was until said son insisted he needed to crawl into our bed. 

And kept bumping him during the rest of the night.

Perhaps our bedroom is a safe, Wirrn free zone. 

That never occurred to me.

I mean, why should it.

The bubble wrap is always safely locked up in the basement.

Seems said son was awoken by a noise and said he thought he heard a Wirrn. 

I suppose pounding rain might be mistaken for a Wirrn... 

but that never occurred to me. 

I guess my imagination needs some work.

So what has said young son declared he would like to be for Halloween?

A Dalek.

Yup, my imagination needs to go into overdrive now.

To think of ways to redirect that request.

Chocolate will be needed.

Mass amounts I'm sure.

To keep the Wirrn away ya know...

But that's another story

ABC of getting it done

Sunday, September 22, 2013

I has a happy dance :)... and it's another WIP too! whoo hoo!

Lizzie Kate's   "ABC's of Aging Artfully ". I hadn't touched it in a long time... since I wanted to make changes - add buttons, beads, charms and of course some sparkly Kreinik thread! This took quite a while, as I wanted just the right items :)   and inspiration finally took hold of me.. and I finished it!

So here it is!

and some close-ups of the details...

charm butterfly

beaded flower

button rose

Beads on the gold square too, that match the thread

I couldn't find a chocolate charm.. 

so I guess a whole chocolate cake will do!

oh yeah

 square beads for jello - secured with Kreinik

The spoon is made of stitched/woven Kreinik

I think it turned out pretty good

more charms and buttons

accent on letter is Kreinik

with a small heart button

and more beads at end

Tried to make the books look more 3-D, 

so I used a padded stitch

- cross stitch and then long stitches on top

I changed the house design a bit, 

adding a window and bead on door

with different stitches for roof and fence

 and beads on the tree

Love the bird button :)

more charms and beads

Two sizes of beads on the flowers

and of course Kreinik for the bee wings!

So another WIP done.

whoo hoo!

I think I'll work on the rest of my WIPs

and maybe get them all done by the end of this year.

But which one's next?

I might have a few to pick from....

unless some Mill Hill's get in the way...

That's another story...