Gardens, Colours and More Licking

Hello my lovelies!!

It's a gorgeous day out today and I'm looking forward to a nice walk with the hubby to see if we can spy signs of spring, although it's very cold out and there's talk of snow!

My February display

Out with January, in with February.  I pulled out my pitiful collection of Valentine smalls and displayed them on our drink cart.  I should take a photo of the cart since it's darling and was given to me by my dearest Auntie.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last few posts.  I think I've caught up with my emails. I visited blogs on Saturday night and still have many more to go through.  As usual, I have been inspired and influenced by many of the posts around blogland and have even purchased some things! Uh OH!! One blog, a crochet blog, has been captivating my interest lately.  Lucy from Attic24 has a delightful blog full of colour and inspiring photos that is a joy to visit.  Spying her colour selection for a cheery granny stripe blanket, I put in an order for 17 yummy colours of yarn!! I can't wait to start this blanket! I'm a sucker for colour ever since I was a little girl.  I remember yearning for the 64 Prismacolour pencil colour set, very expensive back then, and received it from my loving grandparents as a gift.  I was overjoyed and treasured that pencil set for so many years.  I actually used to play with the colours as people...ssshhh!! So I suppose my love for colours hasn't changed much since I was 6! 

Onto stitchy news...this weekend has been somewhat successful, minus all the frogging I had to do on Knotgarden AND JCS 1707.  Two teeny mistakes I had to fix; fixed them, then released I made the same mistake!! UGH.  Once was enough but TWICE?!

I turned the peacock upside down for the photo. 

My Friday night SAL with Maggee was successful.  I stitched for a few hours and am really enjoying this design!

That little mushroom is so cute! My hubby asked what that purple thing is in the bottom right corner and I have to say, I don't really know! It's a tulip like flower but it's in a purple box? Strange but sweet.

I also started LHN's February design, gifted by Cindy.  I figured January can wait for another year!

Thoughts of finishing...I need to get a move on that front.  I looked through my drawers and found a few small WIP's, and about 5-6 smalls needing to be finished.  I can't seem to get into finishing mode at all.  I'm always amazed at those who stitch something, then finish right away.  Very smart I say! Hopefully next weekend I can get my behind in gear and do some finishing. As for Love Birds, I went and bought a frame for it but the frame won't allow for anything thicker than a picture to be put in.  How disappointing :(  I'll have to search yet again for a nice frame for the sweet Love Birds.

Samplers.  I love them.  Can't seem to get enough of them so I bought yet another sampler! I know I don't have time for them but I will be retired at one point so why not stock up for then?!  I just fell in love with this Red Deer sampler and had to get it.  I think it'll look fabulous next to Hannah's Leopard...which still needs to be framed..oi vai! I think I'm attracted to bright reds in samplers with animal and flower motifs...just sayin'!

Just a few days ago, I was an honorary recipient of Mouse's birthday generosity!! She sent me a gift card to 123stitch so I had fun shopping today for some lovely fabrics! Thank you dear!! I feel truly spoilt :D

Onto licking news, while I was taking photos of my WIP's, guess who comes and plops down behind me and starts licking loudly?

TITUS!! That's who!!

Yup, get that fur cleaned Titus and then puke it up!!

Need to groom my soft head

Aaah stretch out that back after a good cleaning

Sigh...loud cat licking can be annoying, especially when it goes on for what it seems an age.

Sign off time...here are a few photos for you to enjoy!!

Anne.........

Feeling the Love

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and well wishes!! We are truly thankful and feel the love from all of you!!

I'm sitting here writing as Titus is doing a serious loud cleaning beside me.  Sometimes it drives me nuts and now I'm distracted by all the licking....the fluff flying around in the air is attaching itself to everything, including me!

Ignoring Titus and onto some stitchy news, I had a very busy weekend with a minute amount of stitching done.  Friday night was supposed to be spent on Magic Garden but I was out with a few girlfriends gabbing away.  I did stitch a purple thing in the bottom right corner.  I wanted Maggee to catch up a bit anyways.

Saturday was spent attending a baptism, filling myself with amazing Russian and Italian food...quite the combo, then had a long vesper service (night service before Sunday liturgy).  Sunday was church, more eating of leftovers from the baptism, including a cake that was soaked in all sorts of alcohol, piroshki which is a sweet dough with a meat filling - my favourite dish in the world, and all sorts of other delicious dishes.  I didn't get a picture of the piroshki since I was too busy enjoying eating it to think of pictures. 

I managed to stitch a bit last night on Knotgarden and that's it.  I have two other little gifts I'm working on but those can't be revealed yet!!

Close up of Algerian eyelets.

The granny afghan is growing.  It covers my legs while I crochet so I think I'm about 3/4's of the way finished.

I added Titus onto the blanket to give you an idea of how large it is

The other day, I received a wonderful surprise from Cindy.  I had won her giveaway awhile back and forgot! So it was a lovely surprise to receive a package in the mail.  She sent me some adorable charts, a nice piece of fabric and little Christmas lights for finishing.  Thank you so much Cindy!! The LHN charts have the threads to stitch it with.  So lovely of her to add that in!!

Signing off with a photo of my blooming hyacinth.  I can't wait for spring and the flowers to bloom.  I have spotted a few snowdrops peeking out but no crocuses yet.  Hopefully in the next 2 weeks we will see an explosion of colour.

Hugs to you all! I know I have been very behind on my blog reading/commenting since being back to school.  I will have more time next weekend to visit all of you!!

Anne

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!