He's Okay!!

He's okay everyone! The test results were negative for cancer so that's a huge relief.  His inflammation still exists and the doctors and specialists don't know why.  We did see a chart though of the ...hmm...can't remember what it's called...the protein? that fights infection is going down so that's positive.  We talked about surgery but there are a lot of complications with removing a thyroid so we decided to wait and see if his inflammation will go down more over the next few months. 

Thank you all for your positive thoughts, prayers and support.  I am so grateful for all of you!!

Much love from the both of us!!

IHSW Report

Well how was everyone's weekend? Mine was spent baking bread that didn't rise, then burned.  Creating lessons for this week's evaluations, cross stitching, watching the Good Wife and reading The Garden of Eden by Hemingway.  Fairly productive but now I have butterflies in my stomach.  I know everyone says I will do fine with my evaluation however, one can't help but feel nervous.  I will look at it as a positive and a way to improve my teaching practices regardless of the knots in my stomach!!!

Before I showcase my weekend's stitching, a big thank you to all who have commented and sent good thoughts/prayers for my husband.  We go for the results today since they weren't ready for us last Monday.  Big colossal waste of time last Monday! I will update this post once we return...hopefully with okay results.  Most likely, the doctors still won't know what to do other than recommend surgery, one path that is becoming inevitable.  

Stitching....I had my first finish this year! CC's Love Birds! It was such a fun stitch and I so enjoyed stitching with Belle Soie silks! Thank you again dear Nia!!

Wee bit of progress on JCS...got the peacock's legs in!

Stitched Magic Garden on Friday night.  Maggee will be joining me in stitching this design!! Pardon the wrinkles!

Now for Knotgarden.  I stitched the most on this last night and decided to trail off from the knots and get the outer frame started.  I had a horrible accident with Knotgarden.  While I'm stitching, I cross out the stitches with a blue felt marker.  Well, as I was putting the lid back on, I swiped the marker onto the fabric! How did I do this? I'm stitching with a lap scroll holder thingy and it is very close to my stomach so I'm all squished in on the couch.  The marker leaked onto the front part of the linen.  I went into freak out mode and pulled up how to get out ink from linen.  Hairspray.  But of course I don't have any...I only use mousse with my hair.  So I used some Tide stain remover, mousse and Z-out and scrubbed that blasted stain out, along with multiple rinses in cold, cold water.  Thankfully, while my heart rate got back to normal, the stain lifted and out it came!! PHEW!! Never will I cross out my stitches again NEAR the linen!!

Before I head off to the doctors, here's a sweet photo of Titus trying to help me prep...well he wasn't that helpful.  In fact, I had to pull out bits of paper from his mouth! He really likes to flop onto my work!

Cheerio for now! 

Hugs

Anne

January Celebrations and a New Year of Stitching

The past week and a bit has been full of wonderful celebrations.  On the 3rd I celebrated my birthday with my wonderful family and friends.  Usually I don't do much for my birthday other than a quiet dinner, however, this year I felt it would be good to get everyone together to celebrate. It actually became a joint birthday party with one of my hubby's friend from elementary school.  His friends and my friends were a bit too encouraging with the drinks.  At one point in the evening, I suppose I decided to sing La Bamba.  I don't remember this!! Oh dear!

My auntie and me

Then we celebrated Christmas on the 7th.  We had a lovely service then ate lots of turkey and all the trimmings.  That first week of January always goes so quickly yet it is nice for things to get back to normal so to speak.  We still need to take down our Christmas tree but we are both dreading the process. Going back to work was a bit of an adjustment.  I enjoyed seeing the children but didn't like getting up at 5:30am again.  I am not a morning person, whatsoever!! 

On the stitching front, I started my new sampler, worked on WIP's and started a few little stitches. I also received a few gifts from Nia, Shirlee, and Vickie.  Shirlee made me the most darling little PS ornament.  She finished it perfectly and I placed it on my tree right away so I could enjoy it for a little while.  Thank you so much Shirlee! I will treasure it always.  This is my first stitched Christmas ornament from a friend.  A very special gift indeed!!

 Dear Nia sent to me a sweet little chart to stitch called Love Birds by Crescent Colours as a thank you for sending her a Tatty Teddy chart.  It included the luscious Belle Soie silks! I had never tried these silks before. I am now quite the fan!! Thank you sweetie!! I'm so excited for her baby Lourenco to be born.  He's going to be one well dressed baby!!

I started stitching it on Friday night on 32ct Platinum Belfast linen.

Vickie sent me some lovely homemade pins and a beautiful card.  I forgot to take a photo of the card! Oops!  Thank you my dear.  I will use these in my finishes this year!!

I also sent Vickie a little gift too.  I stitched it awhile ago when I saw the pattern and thought of her.  We have become sisters in Christ so I thought it fitting to stitch her this.  It's a freebie from Feathers in the Nest.  I stitched it on 40 ct. legacy linen with various silks. (I will have to email Jennifer for the link as it seems to have disappeared).

For one of my oldest and dearest friends, I made a Blackbird Designs Box for her.  Since she has received it I can show it now.  I used a pattern from BBD's Flowers of the Field book using the recommended threads and a mystery linen.  I painted the box a pretty robin's egg blue and finished it with Victorian Motto's chenille trim.  I am glad she loves her box!!

Another Christmas gift I stitched up was for my sister.  She requested a monogram awhile back and am happy that she loves her "C"! This is for you my darling sister!! I stitched it on dove grey 32 ct linen with DMC ecru using a pattern from Sajou. 

Now onto my new start, JCS 1707 from the Scarlet Letter.  I started it on New Year's Day, made a mistake, frogged it, then restarted again last night.  Not much to show though.  I am using NPI, DMC and AVAS threads on 36 ct. Newcastle linen in cream, the same as Hannah Brassington.  I just love that linen so why not stitch on it again!!

Teeny tiny start from the upper left hand corner.

I also made some progress on my WIP's.  I stitched a beet on Shakespeare's Peddlar's Magic Garden 5 stitches off so I hope I can fudge the rest of the pattern. I just don't have the heart to rip out the beet.

A wee bit of progress on Knotgarden and Teabath fairy.  I didn't take a photo of TBF for the progress is barely visible.  

If you got this far, congrats!! Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my 2013 stitching.  I haven't responded to all of your comments nor visited all of your blogs but I hope to make that happen soon.  I have a wee bit of work to do for school so that will have to be finished first.  I have noticed lots of people posting daily with their crazy challenges and WIP's.  I decided to not be a participant in any of the challenges this year.  The reason being is I have a hard time committing when I'm working plus all the health issues we are trying to deal with.  My hubby had a test on Friday so we are waiting for the results tomorrow.  I am praying everything will be ok.  Please send a few our way as I know you all will.

Take care!

Anne

Oh, here's a foggy photo of our New Year's Eve walk to the river.  It was so magical and romantic since we were the only ones by the river!

2013 Stitching Finishes and WIP's

Back again! Thank you all for your lovely comments on the deer box and dear Meari's mailart.  

After looking through my finishes of 2013, I noticed I have not done as many as the year before.  However, it seems that 2013 was the year of box finishes for me.  I completed a total of 5 box finishes! Thanks to Angela and Terri who inspired me in the first place, I tackled my first box and got hooked!! You will only see 4 though since 1 hasn't been received yet.

Top left to right: Deer Box, LHN's Blackbird Bottom Left to Right: Ink Circles, Life's a Stitch

Pillow finishes won by majority this year with a new mailart finish.  Next year I hope to do a few more pinkeeps and perhaps try some new ways of finishing.  I always like to experiment, even though the outcome may not be how I imagined it! 

Two other finishes did not make it into the collage as they too have yet to be received!! 

I only finished one BAP...Hannah.  Here she is again.

She is still waiting to be framed.  We found this really cool copper frame in the basement of my hubby's shelter that had been abandoned and we thought it would work for her.  Unfortunately, the frame is too small and would cut off the pretty border.  Too bad since it is the coolest frame.  Now I have to stitch something to fit in the frame!!

Here are my current WIP's going forward. 

Knotgarden

Magic Garden by Shakespeare's Peddlar

Good Morning Rooster

And last but not least, poor old Tea Bath Fairy.  I think the last time I worked on her was in March.  I would like to have her finished in 2014.  I realized I stopped because all of that white space needs to be filled with metallic thread....something I'm not a big fan of stitching with. 

2013 has also been the year of crocheting.  I got hooked, literally, into making mug cozies, snowflakes and putting rounds into my afghan.  I made a total of 6 mug cozies and about a dozen snowflakes.  I forgot to take photos but you get the idea!!

Quilts....I started the jelly roll quilt and have yet to finish it.  I am a big chicken...like Titus!! I have been thinking about cutting the panels to make the borders but don't want to make an error so there it sits...staring at me...taunting me.  Then I look around at people's blogs and see beautiful quilts people whip up...well, perhaps not that fast, but they have no fear!! I so wish I had someone who could guide me and encourage me to take up the shears and snip! I'm enlisting my dear hubby to help me with the cutting.  He thinks he can't help, but I know he can since I can't sew or cut straight, but I believe he can.

There she is...unfinished.  Give me courage!!!

Wishes for 2014: Two only.  One, for my husband to get better.  Two, for a child.  Please pray for us on both accounts.


I think I can't complete a post without some Titus photos. His favourite things to do...roll around on mom's stuff and sniff.

My favourite photo of Titus of all time....Titus, the Vampire Prince

A big thanks to all of you for your constant support, well wishes, prayers, good thoughts, and well just being the best stitchy friends ever.  I have made so many wonderful new friendships since I started blogging and I have been blessed to "meet" you all.  I wish all of the best in 2014 for all of you!! 

Hugs,

Anne

Meari's Mailart and Deer Box

2013 is almost at a close.  It's been quite the year when I think back on it.  I will most likely do a post tomorrow showcasing all of my finishes and WIP's.  I think it's nice to see what I have done and to look forward to doing more challenges in the new year.  For now, I would like to share with you Meari's amazing mailart she sent to me.  I finally received it on Friday and I squealed with delight!! The designs she chose are darling and she put so many cute little touches on that made it even more special.  It is presiding on my bookshelf and I have a feeling I may not box it away with all the other Christmas decorations.  I just might keep it on my craft shelf with all my other lovely smalls to gaze upon and inspire me.  She used some really cool round circle stamps on the envelope.  They didn't really photograph well with the reflection.  Without further ado, here is her mailart!!

Look at this adorable little giraffe placing a star upon the tree!

Adorable little penguins holding button snowflakes!!

lovely threads, some post its and tea

Close up of those cutie pie penguins!!

I just love it so much!! My husband thinks it's cute and that the giraffe was eating the star! I had to correct him and told him the giraffe was placing the star on the tree!! Silly man! Thank you again Meari!! I thoroughly enjoyed this unique exchange!!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post.  I visited most blogs and loved reading about everyone's Christmas's and your traditions.  It was quite the treat to take time to visit everyone.  

For my dear mama....thank you for your comment.  I was only teasing with that statement but did realize sometimes I may be a tad wordy so I tried being a little less wordy! Love you mom!!

The deer bullet box has been finished.  I have to say it's pretty cool. My hubby is a wee bit jealous and now he wants a box!! Here is the finish.  I used 32 count lambswool linen stitched with Molasses WDW and had to use Gast Espresso Bean when I ran out of WDW!!

I'm sure he will like his bullet box, or whatever he wants to fill it up with!!!

I will be saying adieu for now and be back tomorrow with my 2013 finishes!!

Hugs to you all!!

Anne