October Musings

Well, it's been nearly 3 weeks since my last post! Thank you everyone for your kind comments on my wonky finishes.  I'll be using some of the advice given to attempt to sew straight on my next few finishes.  Hopefully it'll work out for me.  Also, I want to say welcome to my new followers! Usually I try to post once a week but since this month has been overly hectic, I've had less time to stitch and blog.  There has been some stitching though.  I haven't finished Hannah but I have stitched two Christmas designs.  There first one is from the new JCS ornament issue.  CCN's Snow Birds stitched on 32 ct. Dove Gray linen with DMC threads.  I started and finished it on IHSW weekend.  It was the only stitching I managed to do!

Such a sweet little design and it was a fast one to stitch up.  I think I'll be finishing it as a flat ornament.  No sewing with this one!

Then I pulled out a design I won from Pat, Southpaw Stitcher, a while ago.  It's PSS's Hare's Christmas and I started it on Friday after I finished working on some kid's IEP's,  I had to reward myself with something after hours of agonizing over their education plans.  I switched out one of the threads, Roasted Marshmallow, for Oatmeal because the cream did not show at all on the linen.  I've made a lot of progress and am nearly finished it!

The colours aren't showing up very well here.  It's a bit more vibrant in real life.  Such a fun stitch! I'll be on the look out for some pompoms to finish this with.  That and jingle bells! I think it'll be great on our door for Christmas.  

I've made a bit more progress on my large granny square afghan.  Three more rounds added.  Each round is taking longer and longer to crochet.  Not sure when I'll ever get this done but I'll persevere!! Titus as usual got curious and started playing with the blanket.  Naughty boy!!

Better representation of the actual colour

These photos have been taken with my fancy new Samsung 3 camera phone.  I still use my camera but it's much easier to use my phone for taking pictures nowadays.  

As for stash, I was bad about a month ago.  I bought a few patterns from Traditional Stitches for their anniversary sale.  Like I need more charts right?!! I figured I can just start collecting charts and stitch them when my heart desires it!!

BBD, Carriage House Samplings, and Ink Circles

I had to get the beautiful Sarah Chapple from Shakespeare's Peddlar.  She's just a gorgeous sampler!!

I won't be starting her for awhile as I have JCS 1707 on the backburner asking to be stitched!! Seeing as I take almost a year to stitch a sampler, this one won't be touched for awhile..

I've also received a wonderful little giveaway from Gracie, Needles Pin and Dragonflies.  She made an adorable little pin cushion and added some Southwestern fabric to the package.  There's also a lovely little kit to stitch up for Christmas.  Thank you Gracie! I adore what you sent to me!!

Our October so far has been actually wonderful weatherwise.  It's been so foggy lately and now we have beautiful sunshine.  The perfect autumn weather in my opinion.  I tried taking a picture of the fog over the water while I was crossing the Lion's Gate bridge from work one evening, but it didn't quite work.  

It felt as though we were hovering over the clouds.  So surreal!!

Enjoy some of my favourite fall photos I've taken this month.  

Secret little place in New West.  Playing around with Instagram settings!!

Pigeons on a wire

Violet suspended in light

Historic building in New Westminster burnt down after 125years

I hope to reconnect with everyone soon.  Know that I'm thinking of you all and if I could ask you to send some prayers, good vibes, etc to my husband.  He isn't doing very well and I am worried about him.  He was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune thyroid disease, and he is experiencing inflammation and serious pain every waking moment.  Not even the specialists can figure out why this is happening.  So please keep him in your prayers.



PS....my giveaway draw will be this Sunday...or did I say Saturday?? Sunday it is!! Don't forget to enter!!

Hugs

I Can't Sew Straight. Period.

I just can't!!!! 

Hello again! Two posts in one day! A rarity for me.  After my giveaway post, which you can find below, I spent most of the day trying to sew my smalls into little pillows.  You would think after using a rotary cutter, those quilter's plastic ruler thingys, measuring, pinning, etc, I should be able to sew a straight line.  Right? NO! Egads!!!! I would use stronger words, in fact I almost did a Shirlee.  You know, when she lit one of her stitching on fire? Nearly did.  But then I thought better of it because I really didn't want to deal with a mess and a potential apartment fire.  So I persevered and tried to cover up the wonky lines with trims and filled the pillows to the max.  The first one I'll show you is stitched on 28ct black lugana.  When I was stitching "Give Thanks" by PSS, I noticed that the linen was warped.  It looked as though I was stitching diagonally.  Which I wasn't because I checked a gazillion times! So needless to say, the crookedness followed me to the sewing machine.  Then all hell broke loose on the second finish.

 Ugh, even the photo didn't go my way!! Black does not photograph very well.  

Loose corners...they wouldn't get filled for the life of me!

All my autumn finishes so far.  

I used a few buttons and trims from The Victorian Motto Shoppe.  She really has lovely trims.

I've been making headway with the rooster.  I'm really enjoying stitching it so far.  

Chicken feet!!!

Titus was not the best helper today.  He was rolling around in everything and trying to eat the rick rack!! He's lying in a bit of sunshine we had today. It disappeared not too long afterwards.

No progress on Hannah since I last posted.  I should really crack on with her and start up JCS 1707.  But now with all of the Christmas gifts I'm thinking of making, JCS may take a back seat for a bit.  My quilt is also giving me a side eye and I can hear her saying "Get your panels cut!! Who cares if you can't sew/cut straight.  Get me done!!!"  Perhaps it's my sewing machine.  Yes that's it...blame it on the machine!!!!

Take care everyone and thank you for listening to me rant!!!

Hugs

Anne who can't sew straight for the life of her......

3 Years of Blogging Giveaway!!!!

Finally my friends, it is here!!

Yay!!

Okay, so I have decided on the designs I want to stitch for my giveaway, but you get to decide which one you want! Sound good?

Here are the choices:

A) One of the PS creatures below: owls, squirrels, crow on pumpkin with fall, crows, crow on red pumpkin, or leaves and acorns

B) BBD's "You pick your colour bird"! Tell me what colour combo you want and I stitch it for you!!

C) Blue Ribbon Design's Redbird's Rejoice 

For each design, I will include a few little things that go with the design.  My big fluffy Titus will pick the winner.

Details/Rules:

1. Be a follower (you can advertise if you like)
2. Leave a comment telling me which package you would prefer on this post


That's it! I like simple giveaways...helps me sort things out in my head!!

Enter by November 1st at midnight.  Draw will be November 2nd.  I will also draw two more names for complimentary prizes since it's my third year in blogging and I love the number 3!!

I'll be back hopefully later on today.  I have a number of smalls I want to finish up and beautify today.  Wish me luck that I sew straight and get it done!!

Hugs

Anne and Titus

Working Towards a Finish

October is nearly upon us and I don't know where September went.  I forgot how time flew when you teach in a school.  In schools, we are constantly looking at time in the present, in the past and in the future. Recently, I bought a new cell phone, and a new computer (YAY), in order to have one of those fancy calendar apps so I can manage all of my school meetings and not double book myself on weekends.  Sometimes I wish I could shut my eyes and halt time for a bit.  I'm also panicking about time because of a number of personal issues.  I don't want to go into details here but think about what a woman wants at my age and how she can feel panicky....

Okay.  Enough about minutes, days and years...onto more interesting stuff.

I have to take a moment to say how amazed and inspired I was to see all of the Pumpkins for Cathey posts.  It really made me realize how important we all are to each other and what a truly unique and fantastic stitching community we have built.  Think of it.  Our little community cheers everyone up when one is feeling down, dances silly happy dances when we finish a project, and also we give each other so much love, prayer, and support.  It's wonderful!! I want to thank you all for your lovely comments in the past few posts.  I cherish each one.  Please be patient with me in returning comments and visiting your blogs.  I should be able to get into more of a groove after all of my parent/teacher meetings in the next few weeks.  (HUGS!!)

Right, so I forgot to do an IHSW post but there really wasn't much to share with you.  This weekend I stayed up late last night finishing Hannah.  Well not completely.  There's the 1 over 1 to do. Hannah is such a stunning sampler.  My husband and I were talking about trying to frame her ourselves.  She isn't overly large, unlike Jane is so it shouldn't be too difficult.

Hannah's initials on the left.  I'm going to add mine to the right

So many projects I want to do and now I'm thinking about Christmas! Ack!! Well, I know what I need to work on next and that is a baby blanket for my cousin-in-law's baby to be.  When I saw Evalina's Good Morning finish with the rooster, I commented on the chart and she was so kind to send it to me.  Both my cousin and I are obsessed with the farm animals theme, so I am thinking of stitching the rooster and making a baby blanket.  Thankfully, babies are small so the blanket will be too.  Thank you Evalina!!

After looking through my DMC box, I found I was missing a bunch of threads...of course I'm missing the threads! I feel like I have the entire collection, but no I don't! So off I ran to Michael's and found the threads and some white linen to stitch it on.  Since I was close to Chapters, I hopped in to see if they had the new JCS ornament issue...and they did!! 

Loads of great little ornaments to stitch up.  I think once I'm done with Hannah and the rooster, I'll choose an ornie to stitch.  

I have a ton of other little projects I've been working on but no pictures to show.  I have given my giveaway waaaay too much thought and I think I'm just going to do it this weekend.  I'll let the winner choose what to stitch from a few choices I will give.  That way it won't take an age to stitch!!

Here's some photos I have taken from the last few weeks to sum up this post.

Some poor horses in Stanley Park...made me think of Black Beauty

Cement truck looking like a corn cob...so bizarre!

Stanley Park

Pretty boy asking for treats

There you have it....take care everyone!!

Pumpkins For Cathey!

Cathey, we are all rooting for you!! Know that I think of you a lot and pray for you! Here are my pumpkins for you!!

Photo from Creative Can by Miss Millificent

Check out this link for more information on Pumpkins for Cathey, created by Sharon/Daffycat.