A Long Time

It's been too long since I've updated my blog and come by and said hello to you all.  Life has been so busy as of late and it will only get busier.  So I have to pause this morning and write an update on me, stitching and a wee little giveaway I want to throw at the end of this post.  

Work hasn't wound down.  School life never does and with all my meetings morning, noon and afternoons, it feels like my life force is being sucked dry.  The kids are great of course, even though I'm training them on how to walk down the hall to the learning assistance center ready to learn, and not all kooky and hyped up.  So these past few weeks it's been about training, self-regulation...getting ready to learn is my mantra! Report card writing will be needing to happen soon and all of us teachers are counting down till Christmas break.

Stitching has taken a bit of a back seat as of late because of school but I have done some stitching.  I finished a sweet little design that I need to put together for a friend and mail off. Can't show it yet though till she gets it.  I'm already thinking of stitching Christmas gifts, like all of us are, and am woefully behind!  The other day, dear Annette sent me the sweetest little package.  She knew I didn't have the JCS magazine yet, although I do now, and sent me the linen, threads and some fabric for that adorable LHN ornament.  Thank you my dear! It really made my day!

You have to see her adorable finish.  I want to finish mine like that and she even gave me some of the fabric she used! I finished mine but on 40 ct linen.  I'm going to stitch it again on the linen she gave to me and then give one of them away.  I did use a different red though.  Nina's Chilli Pepper because I just wanted to use a Nina thread.  The other one will use Annette's red.  This design just makes me smile.

I made some progress on my samplers and believe it or not, Tea Bath Fairy.  Didn't take a photo of TBF though since it doesn't look like much has changed. Just filling in with that pesky kreinik.

Wow that photo is bleak.  Anyways, just filling in the border.  Thinking about taking a break from that border and stitching the massive vase that's above the bird's head. But then again, I might have to take a break from sampler stitching and get going on Christmas stuff. 

I did buy some charts with my JCS magazine but why, I don't know.  I'll never have the time to stitch all the things I want to stitch...but the charts just begged to be bought!

More BBD charts.  I love BBD and their Beatles series are amazing.  I adore strawberry fields forever and I can see that Blackbird would be a great RAK gift to someone in the future.  

Next up is my progress on the Bitterest Flower.

I can foresee this moving along a lot faster once I get going on this.  Titus seems to enjoy this design a lot.

He really likes to embed his fluff into everything I own.  The other day while I was in the principal's office, no I wasn't in trouble, I was talking and moving my hands around, as I do, and I saw fluff flying everywhere! I felt so bad adding Titus fluff into his office since he has allergies.  

As for my Sheep Sal with Sarah, Lija and Kaye, I made minimal progress on Kindness. The border is taking a really long time stitching up. 

Giveaway Details!!

If you've made it this far, congrats!! I really want to give back to my friends and would like to giveaway a $25 gift certificate from 123stitch.

All I ask is you enter your name stating you are interested and I will do the draw at the end of this month on November 30th.  I would have stitched something but I really lack the time and oomph to get it together to do that this year.  I will also be announcing some fabulous news in the next little while so please stay tuned!!!

I'll leave you with some photos we took on a rare sunny day. 

Hugs to you all....I'm sorry for not commenting, I will try but I'm off to the island this weekend and the next few are report card time.  Maybe that will be a good time to procrastinate and do some blog hopping...ehhehehee.

Ciao!

Around the World Blog Hop

Hello everyone!

Today is my day for the Around the World Blog Hop.  I was invited to do this post by Brigitte, from At Brigitte's Place. Thanks Brigitte for inviting me to participate in this blog hop.   I hope I don't disappoint!

So there are a few questions that we are to answer.  I can choose to answer them all or one, it's up to me. I'm going to answer 3.

1. What am I working on.  Well, there a number of BAP's I am working along with 1 small design that is in my rotation.  Currently, I have been working on Sarah Chapple but have had backwards success with her this weekend.  I thought I miscounted the border and began ripping out about 3 hours of work when last night, I realized I was looking at the wrong darn page! So in fact, I didn't make a mistake at all!! So 3 hours of stitching that I needlessly frogged and am trying to restitch.  

Here are a series of Sarah photos plus two photos of my other BAP's I alternately work on.

Before frogging

Unnecessary frogging

JCS 1707

Tea Cup Fairy in it's current state

2.  Why do I create what I do.  I've always loved needlework and textiles since I was a young girl.  I have a deep respect for women in the past who have used needlework to tell their story and be creative when there weren't many outlets for women to do so.  My love of history and all things old, coupled with needlework, drew me to stitch samplers, of which I wish I could produce more than one per year.  The process of stitching or crocheting is therapeutic and anchors me when things in life feel rocky or uncertain.  I do a lot of thinking, daydreaming and praying when I stitch so it's a meditation of sorts but with a tangible outcome in the end.  I love to make little gifts for people too, particularly my family, who are always thrilled to received something handmade from me...even to the point now where they are requesting things!

3. How does my creative process work?  Hmmm, When it comes to choosing a sampler, I often am drawn to the colours, motifs and details that are in a sampler.  It's hard to choose a favourite because I have yet to stitch a sampler from each century and country.  Each one has it's charm and intrigue.  As for smalls, I am drawn to designs that uses nature in a sweet way.  Prim, whimsical, antique, any kind of design I enjoy stitching.  Sometimes I stitch a design and think of a finish while I'm stitching, or I'll have a finish in mind, find a design and make it.  When stitching for someone, I often think of the end product first and use a theme or colour scheme and then find a pattern that will fit.  I don't have a precise process, I just like to stitch whatever calls to me!

Now for the second part of the blog hop.  I invited three people, one of which already did the blog hop, oops, and I forgot to chose another person in lieu of.  Only one responded and that is Sarah!! From Sarah in Stitches. Sarah lives in Dubai, UAE and teaches too like me.  She creates lovely biscornus, of which I have one, and other lovely stitchy creations.  Please do hop over to her blog for her blog post on October 27th.

Fall is here...it's such a beautiful time of the year.

A quick thank you to all those who commented on last post.  I haven't got around to responding to all of them yet.  I have my blogoversary giveaway in mind for next weekend and another surprise to share with you all.

Hugs to you all!!

Anne

Sampler Stitching

Bonjour mes amis!

It's a fair day out today compared to the super hot day we had yesterday.  I completely overdressed yesterday with a sweater and wool skirt and the temperature was up to 25 degrees Celsius! Who could have guessed we had one more hot day in October? Very strange. 

I don't have much to report other than I've done a wee bit of stitching this weekend.  I didn't start a new Sheep virtue yet, but will get to that next weekend.  I focused instead on my samplers since that was my fancy.  I do feel a twang of guilt for not stitching on my Chatelaine for many months.  The trouble with that one is that it's on a massive lap stand and quite cumbersome to bring out and put away.  Anyways, here's my stitching progress so far.

JCS 1707

A naughty Titus

Sarah Chapple and the taking an age rooftop

Bittersweet Flower sampler

Granny Stripe progress 

Who's under there?

Titus is!

Another sweet Titus photo after he smushed up against my charts

He just wanted to make sure I knew that he likes my stitching.

One of the best things about Autumn other than the beautiful colours, is the gorgeous dahlias. 

One day, when I have a garden, I will be planting many of these beauties in all sorts of different colours.  

So I've been giving some thoughts to a giveaway and I think I'll post about it on my next payday.  It will be a simple giveaway since I don't have much time to make something this year.  So stay tuned in the next week or so for an announcement!! 

Many hugs to you all and happy stitching!!

Anne

Love and Ceramics

Autumn has arrived and brought with it rain and cooler nights, although we had the sun come for a visit this weekend which I am thankful for.  This past week has been quite an adjustment to waking up in darkness at 5:30 and coming home as the sun fades. It's great to see the kids again and the staff although all of us feel overwhelmed with the amount of work to do.  At times I need to remind myself to breath and prioritize my work.  

The other weekend, I went to see my old high school friend, Niki Holmes, at a neighbourhood artisan fair.  Niki went to Emily Carr for design and specializes in ceramics.  She makes the most beautiful cups, pots, plates and the sweetest buttons!! I love her design aesthetic and colour choices, which are right up my alley.  Her signature is a little turtle which she whimsically adds to the inside of her cups. Take a look at her lovely works that I had to get for myself.

Spy the turtle?

Beautiful colour that reminds me of the sea on a stormy night

Turtle buttons!

I have a few ideas for these buttons already!

I love to collect my artistic friends' creations and wish I had more capital to buy more! Niki was a sweetie and threw in the beautiful brown flower buttons for me! Thanks Niki!!

Onto some stitching.  I finished Love for the Sheep SAL with Sarah, Kaye and Lija.  I'm not sure how I will finish these Sheep Virtues but most likely it will be a pillow finish.  I have a few ideas floating around in my head.  I might try to use some burlap string for a border like in the photos, or something entirely different.  The lovely Ann from Beadlework sent me the whole collection! Thank you so much Ann for your generosity!!

I picked Kindness as my next virtue in memory of Cathey who passed away a year ago yesterday.  Thinking of her dear Junior and husband and sending them prayers and hugs.  Still miss her kindness and her emails.  She touched so many of our hearts and won't be forgotten.  

Signing off with my fall display and a picture of me and my new haircut.  I felt I needed something easy to work with in the mornings.

Cheers and hope to catch up a bit with all of you.

Anne

Good News!

The strike has ended and we are back to work!!

Yippeeee!!!

The deal is a bit crappy but it's a step in the right direction.  I won't go into details, but the government still can't seem to fund public education but can find the funds for ridiculous projects and roofs that cost 500 million dollars.  Sigh.  Oh well.  

Back to work I go....feeling happy yet stressed too.  The new position I have is a bit daunting and there are a million and one things to do.  So I need to prioritize.  There are only so many hours in the day and I can only do what I can do! 

Stitching will now be taking a bit more of a back seat.  I will try to find the time to stitch in the evenings and weekends.  

I did manage to get some stitches into the Sheep virtue "Love".  I should be able to finish it tonight.  Kaye from Kitten Stitching is also joining us in stitching the virtues.  She was so sweet to offer the charts to me but Ann already did! Dear Mouse too offered charts, bits and bobs, and Mel from Wooley Thoughts offered to help me out in the stash department.  I sincerely thank you all for offering me all sorts of things during that most stressful time and to all of my readers who have supported me too.  I'm very blessed to have such lovely stitching friends from around the world.  Once I get my feet steady on the ground and my head wrapped around my new part of the job, I will be hosting a giveaway, but most likely in the form of gift cards....takes me less time!! 

Oh pictures...almost forgot!

Silly Titus "hiding" under my dresser....playing hide and go seek but I found him!! Such a silly furball.

Hugs to you all!!

Anne