November Blues

Good morning everyone!

I have been missing blogland big time.  It's report card time and here I am procrastinating writing a post! I have plans to get right to it afterwards.  But I just had to pop in and say hello and that I miss everyone.  This month has been overly trying for me in a number of aspects. Overwhelming to say the least.  Thankfully, we will be breaking in December for two weeks and I am counting the days!! 

Today I want to share with you a lovely giveaway win that I received from Shelly, An Arizona Stitcher. She sent me the most wonderful package and stitched me the most adorable little squirrel.  I marvel at her skills at making pinkeeps.  

wonderful little treats she included in the package

Adorable little squirrel with nuts

Titus sniffing and giving his approval

I have this sweet little friend hanging on my doorknob so I see it everyday.  Thank you again Shelly for such a lovely package and making me smile!

As for stitching, there has been some.  I stitch on Friday nights until quite late because I miss it so much.  I've almost finished Jingle Jingle by PPS.  I just need to add a couple of snowflakes in the background. I tried taking a good photo of the piece but the camera just wouldn't capture the true colours of the design.  Too bad.  The red is really nice and cranberryish!!

I've also stitched 1 of the 3 giveaway gifts and started the other two last night.  I won't include photos of those until they reach their new homes.  After reports, I hope to stitch on them this evening.  That's my motivation to get some reports finished!!

Hannah Brassington is now complete! Yay!! I will take some photos of her another time when the light is better.  The 1 over 1 stitching was a pill to do and I made a number of mistakes but I fudged along and went with it.  

I think I'll not start anything big quite yet as Christmas is coming and I have a few projects/exchanges I need to finish first.  I usually like to start a new sampler in the new year.  Gives me something to look forward to other than my birthday which I am dreading.  I don't want to get older!!

I truly appreciate all of your love and prayers for my husband.  He still suffers but we have found that if he avoids gluten and dairy, his thyroid doesn't instantly flame up and his pain is not as severe.  We still have many tests to go through to find out why there is pain, when there shouldn't be.  Most people who have Hashimoto's or thyroiditis don't have issues and can manage life with synthroid.  Not the case for my husband.  His form is very rare and the doctors aren't being very aggressive with his treatment.  That means we have to be demanding and aggressive.  We still have hope that the inflammation will come down and he can lead a pain free life.  Again, thank you for all of your support.  I really mean to reply to all of your emails.

I'll leave with a few favourite photos I took this month.  

 

Beautiful heron on the river logs

Titus looking like he's a vampire

Take care and hugs to you all!!

Anne

Giveaway Winners!!!

On a bright, sunny Sunday morning, I had my trusty furry helper, Titus, draw the winners for my 3rd year blogoversary.  He enjoyed the 5 treats it took to draw three names!!

Congratulations to Pat from The Southpaw Stitcher for nearly being eaten by Titus, and becoming the 1st prize winner!! I will start stitching your Crow on Pumpkin tonight!!

Congrats to Noni and Cucki for being my second and third winners!!!

I will be emailing you all shortly to congratulate you and ask a few questions.

Thank you to all of you for participating and reading my blog.  It means a lot to me to have so many wonderful friends in the world.  Big hugs to you all!!


Anne

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