Taking A Blog Break

Well, what a funny, in an ironic sense, this month has been.  

We are on strike.  The government refuses to budge.

Husband had infected root canal removed and the darn root was growing into his sinus and left a hole there.  Thankfully it is healing now.

Then, today, my Grandma Doll passed away.  I know she is better off and she passed away peacefully but I'm so sad I didn't get to say goodbye to her.  I am off to Prince George to be with my family and for the funeral.  Hopefully, next month will be a better month.

Hugs to you all....next post will be a happier one I hope.

Anne

Seaside Mandala

Greetings my lovelies!

It's a beautiful sunny day here.  Too nice to be inside so I will write a quick post.  Thank you all for your support with my work situation.  We are still doing a rotating strike and I've had my pay docked...which makes me angry.  So what's a girl to do when her cheque is -$200?! Buy dresses and threads!! Like I can afford to buy anything right now right?! It's therapy in my opinion and it has helped!! I've also had some crochet therapy this past week.  Nothing like sitting in the sun, hooking and meditating and feeling the breeze on my sunned shoulders.  I try to be positive in all aspects of life since life is so short and it's important to revel in simple pleasures.  Without further ado, here are some uplifting photos I've taken this past week of crocheting, flowers, stitching and of course my furbaby Titus.  

Seaside Mandala....I hear the waves and smell the ocean brine....

Attic 24's Mandala with Debbie Bliss cottons

Giving JCS 1707 some love and sunshine

Leaping deer

Granny Stripe colours make me giddy with joy

Sampling Saki at Eat Vancouver...little sips of heaven!

BBD SAL eyelet agony....taking an age to make

Riverside Pink Poppies...reminds me of a Georgia O'Keefe painting

Luckiest find in the world...signed 1987 Andy Warhol photograph just before he died.  I will try to authenticate the photo when I have some time in the summer.  Found this at our SPCA thrift mart for $12!!

Doctor Seuss flowers

Finally, a regal photo of Titus!

I will be replying to emails from last post and this post shortly.  I like to do this since I think it's the polite thing to do, although I know others don't reply to comments for whatever reasons. Probably busy or whatnot.  Do you find it important to reply? Tell me your reasons if you do or don't...I'm curious.  Shirlee recently wrote a post regarding some blogger issues, which are frustrating for me too, and she mentioned her thoughts on replying to comments.  I do try to reply to each and every one although it takes me awhile to do so due to being busy.  

Until next time! 

Hugs

Anne and Titus

Mayday Weekend and BBD SAL

Hello everyone!

It's been quite some time since I've posted.  Life has been a whirlwind of activities and decisions.  Thank you all so much for your support and advice on all of my decisions, both in life and in stitching!! I appreciate the love from our blogging community.  Couldn't ask for better ladies to be friends with!! HUGS!!! I've also tried to respond to all of your comments however, I've noticed some I don't get in my email account.  Very strange that I don't get all of them.  

Anyways, to bring you up to speed in my corner of the world, my hubby and I went to Porpoise Bay for the May long weekend and his birthday.  Although it rained off and on, we still had a good time.  We explored a new area that was "off" limits and may even camp there next time! I stitched on the BBD SAL and actually changed the thread for the 4 sided stitch using a darker gold thread that didn't disappear in the Buttercream linen.  I added a few more stripes to my granny blanket but am thinking that the larger it grows, I may have to leave it at home instead of taking it with me on my travels to and from work.  Work has been stressful too, since we are being locked out by the government.  Still no agreement has been made and now the government is blackmailing us into accepting a deal and if we don't, our wages will be deducted 10%.  Big Jerks in my opinion!! So we are going on a rotating strike this Thursday, which also means I won't get paid for that day.  Sigh.  I guess I can't buy some lovely cotton yarns I spied or any stash for awhile.  Okay, enough rambling, onto the photos which are the best part of posts!! Eye candy!!

Finished 4 sided alphabet

Camping and stitching!

 Granny stripe progress! Loving the colours.  I have 8 more to put on then I can repeat!!

Added a few flowers to Sarah's border.  These flowers take an age to do.  I thought I'd be whizzing through this sampler but rather I'm plunking along. 

Started my mandala with some pretty cottons I bought at Urban Yarns...very expensive though! There weren't any bright colour choices so I picked colours that are reminiscent of the sea.

Birthday man

Photos of flora and fauna from Porpoise Bay

Canopy of Maple leaves

Wild Hearts

Miniature world of moss and sprouts

Hairy trees

Watched a storm roll in

The fluffy big boy Titus

That's all for now.  I know I've been very bad with commenting/blogging and I mean to check out everyone's posts soon!! Hugs to you all!

Anne

Magic Garden Finish and Samplers Galore!

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my new followers! Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post.  I'm behind in emails since I've had a load of stress heaped onto my plate this week.  Both in life and in work.  Just a lot of decisions and different paths to ponder makes for a dizzy head.  One really wonderful event happened at work on Thursday; a designation for a sweet, dear boy close to my heart came through which means he will get some aid time for next year! I literally cried when I heard the news! The poor Grade 7 boy working on his math who had to witness my exclamation, looked concerned for me.  I told him not to worry, the tears are happy tears.  A very bright light in a week of changes. 

On Friday night, I added the last stitches in Magic Garden.  It was a really fun design to stitch and I'm happy to pass it along to someone if they would like it.  I know dear Maggee is still working on hers so don't forget to cheer her on...like I will!

Details: Stitched on 40 ct. Vintage Exemplar Linen with GAST recommended threads.

Samplers Galore

Now I have three samplers on the go! This weekend I forged ahead on all three of them.  I finished the border for the BBD SAL which I know starts today, but since I work all week I thought it would be smart to get a head start.

 Added a wee bit of progress on both JCS and Sarah.  As we say in the stitching world, progress is progress!!

Yesterday was Mother's Day and my aunts and I took Nana out for a lovely brunch by Coal Harbor.  The day was gorgeous and the food delicious.  We had a wonderful day together.  Happy Mother's Day to all of you! I just wish my mom could have been with us as well! 

My Nana is an amazing woman and she has a tendency to proclaim to people how old she is, and it's always a year older than her real age.  She was saying she's "85!" but really, she's 84.  She's always done this, hence my confusion with what her real age is! Love you Nana!! We are very much alike in our personalities and cheek bones!

Granny Stripe Progress: 2 more stripes! Yay! I loved working with the last colour: lipstick red.  It is very bright and cheery.  

I was perusing Attic24's blog the other day and noticed the mandala frenzy that is going on in the crochet world.  Some really amazing mandalas out there that I think I'm going to start one myself.  I just need to find some bright coloured cotton yarns.

Borrowed from Attic24's blog..isn't this brilliant?!

The last picture is from Zooty Owl's blog.  Check out her great tutorial for making mandalas!

Today, my husband and I went into the last antique store on Antique Alley in New Westminster.  We chatted with the old, darling lady there about all sorts of things.  I found so many items I wanted but could not get at the time.  But I had to purchase this!!

My very first antique cross stitching piece by Esme Tuck, stitched in 1929! Pre-World war II!! I NEVER come across anything like this in all my times I've spent in thrift and antique stores.  I think this is so sweet and the price was right at $40. Before we left, my husband picked up the teeniest little old leather-bound books on the counter.  Uh oh....BOOKS...and small old ones to boot.  I picked one up and it was Turgenev! A book I've never read yet of his but will soon read!! It was only $5 so how could I pass it up?!

What a great day! I hope to catch up with you all soon! 

Here's a photo of Titus since some of you were wondering where he was in the past few posts.  

Hugs

Anne and Titus

O Birdy and Blackbird Designs SAL

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was rainy but productive in a stitchy sense.  I would've rather cycled around and worked out my hips/thighs that have bloomed over the winter, however, sitting on those same hips/thighs catching up on Hart of Dixie with needle in hand was equally exciting!

So I finished La-D-Da's O Birdy. Thinking of a pillow finish with a twisted cord for trim. 

Details: Stitched on 40 ct Flax Newcastle linen, fast becoming my favourite linen to stitch on. Threads are a mix of DMC, AVAS and GAST.

I also threw in a few more stitches into Sarah Chapple and Magic Garden, my SAL with Maggee.  I still can't believe how long MG's fence is taking to stitch up!! Hopefully next Friday I will finish it.

Then after browsing through online stitching stores, and making mental lists of a plethora of designs to stitch, I came across the Blackbird Designs SAL that Alma and Barb are sharing with us.  I have yet to make a simple alphabet sampler and so have decided to participate in this SAL.  I'll need to put down my other projects to make time for this one.  I pulled some threads and had some difficulty with the pinks/purples.  I want to use my favourite Dinky Dye's Madi's Rose but I couldn't find it in my stash??!! Not sure where it took off to! Then I pulled two linens and am unsure of which one to use.  Let me know what you think.

Lakeside Linen's 36ct Buttercream.

This one is much more yellowish in reality, less cream! The yellow is very pretty and brings out the gold.

Or PTP's 36 ct Legacy Linen...nice marbled antique look.

Hard to decide.  Hubby thinks the Legacy but I'm leaning towards the buttercream. Decisions...I'm the worst with them!

Granny stripe progress! I've been crocheting on the train which is great.  I'm about to add another colour in for my ride tomorrow morning.  Can't decide between a teal or a dark plum colour.  I'll bring both.

I also had a surprise in the mail.  I recently won one of those darling little LHN sheep charts from Tricia at The Stamper's Stitches.  She included the most adorable little handmade card with the chart.  Once I stitch the design, I'll pass it on to the next stitcher. Thank you Tricia!!

From last week's bike trip, some black leafed clovers and pretty succulents.  We have a terrible time keeping succulents, no matter how much we DO NOT water them, they ALWAYS die on us.  I so wish to be able to keep succulents at some point in my life!!

Have a wonderful week! It's going to be sunny again when I work....isn't that the way?!

Anne