Wow, its been a long time

My energy level seems to be at zero these days, I go through one treatment session and by the time I start feeling almost human again its time for another round. I feel like I'm missing out on everything. Not much on the stitching front this past month, some days the needle just seems to heavy if you can believe that. I've been working on Giraffe Family which was my day 5 pick from the crazy challenge way back in January. The top half is done and the bottom has way less stitching so hopefully one day soon, I'll be scratching off another one.

I got a wonderful surprise yesterday, a lady that I have just met has decided she can not stitch anymore and she gifted me with all of her stash. Once I have it sorted I'll posted a few pics.

Sam's Stocking and more ....

First of all I would like to say a big heart filled Thank you to everyone that left a kind comment and took the time to email me, it means the world to me knowing I have such caring friends. The Doctor figures we wont have the results for another week or so, so still waiting. But the good news I'm hopefully done my pity party for the moment anyway. So back to living, here is my TUSAL update a few days late not a lot added this month.


All of my stitching the last couple of weeks have been on Sam's stocking, not that there has been a lot of stitching happening. All of my family's stockings have been from the heirloom stocking series from the old "Cross Stitch and Country Crafts" magazine. Sam's stocking is called "Home For Christmas" and it isn't looking very manly so far but hopefully by next update on it will be.



Think I'm going to take a break from the stocking and pull out one of my other challenge pieces for awhile.

Another grey day

Anyone looking for a cross stitch post turn back now. Just thought I would explain my absence in blog land, if I have any online friends left that are still reading someone please give me a much need kick in the butt. I have been a horrible online blogging friend lately. I haven't been posting or reading any ones blogs. I'm not even going to pretend to go back and try to catch up on the over 500 posts that I need to catch up on, going to try to start over today with reading and commenting again.

I need to stop my pity party that I've been having and get back to living my life the best I can. To make a long story short, when I went for my 6 week postpartum check up my Dr found a unknown lump. While I waited and fretted for opening at the hospital for day surgery, I've seemed to have spiraled into a heck of a depression. So I've had the surgery they have removed the lump and now I wait for the results. I haven't told anyone yet will wait to see what the Doctor has to say, I have a horrible feeling though. I feel like I'm being punished or something. I seem to have lost all faith in everything, it feels like I'm going through the day in slow motion. So please forgive my lack of activity in blogland and with my online friends, I sit at the computer and stare cause I have no idea what to say at the moment.

Sabrina coming to life

Not much of a stitchy update, poor Sam is going through a colicky faze so not much stitching or sleeping going on here. Poor Sabrina looks more like a figurehead on an old sailing boat then the fine lady she will one day be.



I made a few changes to her already, her eye was suppose to be brown but I changed it to a green to match my daughters eyes. I was suppose to use 3 strands to back stitch around her eye and I thought this made her look quite trampy so I frogged it out and used only 1 strand which I think looks much better.

I mentioned in my last post that I doubted I would get all of my crazy 15 done this year and I was planning on changing my rotation around again. The only piece I really care about getting done is Sam's stocking, Santa needs something to put all Sam's treasures in next Christmas. So my new found plan is stitching on Sam's stocking every other week and filling in the free week with which ever piece calls out to me the most. If in a couple months I haven't made enough progress on the stocking, I'll switch over to it full time. I swear this boy knows every time I pick up my fabric and needle, that is always when he seems to want me.

Hope everyone has a great week

Stitching Slowly on Sam's Stocking

The top is almost done, if I can keep a certain 3 year old out of my floss, I would be laughing. So I'm off to the LNS to pick up the 3 colours that have magically vanished so I can finish up the letter blocks.

This week I'll be working on Sabrina, I've come to the conclusion that I will more then likely not get all of my 15 projects done by the end of the year, so I will be switching my rotation plan again.
I received this wonderful prize package last week in the mail from Cath over at http://stitchinchicken.blogspot.com/

I knew that I had won the floss and fabric but Cath kindly added other goodies to the package including a new pair of scissors (a girl can never have to many, a cute little notebook, and a yummy chocolate lamb. Thanks again Cath for making my day a little brighter.

I quick note of apology I'm so far behind in my blog reading and commenting. I'm sorry if I'm missing important things I'm trying to catch up.

A big thank you to ...

Gracie from http://needlespinsanddragonflies.blogspot.com/ , she sent me all these lovely things to celebrate my son's birth.

The little socks are just the cutest things, and the picture frame is adorable. The hand stitched card I'm going to frame and hang in Sam's bedroom.

Gracie not only spoiled me with her thoughtful gifts she sent my 3 year old his own parcel, Kenny felt very grown up receiving his own mail. Here is what Kenny got a beautiful book with farmyard animal magnets and a neat frog crafty project, now there is a frog I like.

Thank you again for such a wonderful surprise that arrived in the mail.

Late as usual

I'm getting use to that, it doesn't look like a lot of progress on Fishing Buddies but seeing as I had to start over I can not complain. Hard to believe this is almost 4000 stitches, this is back in the basket and Monday I pulled out Sam's stocking to work on it. Check back later to see its progress.

Oh and I almost forgot we had a new moon and here is my TUSAL for the month, its growing but more from frogging then stitching.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week filled with many stitches.

A late Monday update

Before we get to the stitchy stuff. I've had a lot of comments about finding time to stitch and blog and being a new mom. Its all an optical illusion I'm afraid, to tell you the truth. My blogging happens during Sam's 3 AM feeding so forgive my spelling errors and typos, also forgive me if I do not always leave comments I have the best of intentions on coming back to post one. My stitching time usually happens after Sam's 5:30 feeding but unfortunately at 5 the frog happens to pay a few visits. Yesterday I had a grand total of 1 stitch put in by 10:30 at night. So like I said its all an illusion that I have it all together cause to tell you the truth my life is unraveling faster then unserged fabric.

Here is my progress on Christmas from last week.

I had hoped to be further along on this one, oh well back into the crazy basket for another project and this week its "Fishing Buddies" a dimension kit. I was so looking forward to working on this one, until I got it out and was looking at it. I just could not figure out what looked wrong about it then it hit me I had started stitching it in January the wrong way on the fabric, so instead of stitching tonight I have been ripping. Darn old frog, oh well more bits for the TUSAL jar.

I'll be back later in the week with some updated pics of Samuel for those that are interested.

Got to love the mail man

Warning picture heavy post. I've been blessed with awesome mail lately, you have to love blogging friends. Last week the mail man delivered a lovely parcel from Denise at riversidestitching, she was kind to send a baby gift for little Samuel.

and a picture of Sam wearing the sleeper.

I just love the little feet on the sleeper. Thank you Denise, your friendship means a lot to me.
Then I received the most amazing RAK from Chris at alwayssmiling here is a picture of what she sent.

I adore the sweater she knitted for Samuel, seems Sam was born on the same day as her son was.

I've always been afraid to try a needle roll so I was delighted to see this and will treasure it always.

She also included this cute little kit for making a card.

I did warn you that this was picture heavy, so if your still reading one last picture my feeble attempt at stitching for last week. Frosty and feathered friends has not grown very much.

Hopefully will have better luck with this weeks rotation, which was day 10 from the crazy challenge "Christmas" by Jardin Prive. I forgot just how little stitching time you have with a newborn.
Thank you everyone that stops by and leaves comments.

Thread Gathering

I was hoping this would have been a happy dance, but I spent so much time this past week getting of DD stuff ready for her trip. She will be landing in Toronto in another hour then a short 2 hour wait and she will be off for 8 days to Paris, France. I wish it was me but I'm so excited for her and she's bringing me French Stash so I'll be happy. So Thread Gathering gets put back into the basket until its next turn in the pecking order.

Mondays and Tuesdays are my Christmas Sampler and I'm happy to report that I have almost all the stitching done but I haven't picked out my beads yet. So this weeks rotation of the crazy 15 is "Feathered and Frosty Friends" it might be getting an early start unless I go out shopping tomorrow.

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Is getting closer. One more Monday, Tuesday combo and the stitching will be finished. I was going to order beads this morning but I think I will make the long drive to the not so friendly not so local LNS. I have not worked with beads before so I would rather see the colours and size in person. So hopefully one day this week I find a reason to go to the city. So hopefully not to many more updates will result in a happy dance.

This was Sam yesterday at 2 weeks, they grow so fast.

Another one off the list

This weeks crazy piece went very well. All that's left to do is to decide on finishing. If I frame it I will add the charms to it, at the moment I'm leaning towards making it into a throw pillow. So here is Charmed Water Garden by Hinzeit design. The dragonfly's wings show up better in person, still thinking about back stitching around them so they show up better.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, I'll be back on Wednesday with the Christmas Sampler.

A New Moon TUSAL Update

Another new moon, where is the time going. A big Thank You to Daffycat for hosting this years TUSAL. I had plans to take my pic outside today but mother nature had other plans. Sorry about another crummy picture but on the good news I'm buying a new camera this weekend. Unfortunately I'll only have it for 10 days before it goes on vacation with my daughter, who will be leaving soon for 8 days in France.

So a variety of colours went into the jar this month with a lot of red and green from my Christmas Sampler.

A Late Wednesday Update

A day late but by the time I got my power back on last night just couldn't be bothered to update. We had 140 KM an hour winds on the Island, over 50,000 homes lost power. I was extremely happy this morning that we hadn't lost any of our trees and we only lost a few of our roof shingles, DH is up on the roof as a type doing the minor repairs. So Monday and Tuesday were my SAL stitching days, not as much progress as I would have like but oh well. The red is finally done so all that is left to do is to finish the white snowflakes which are a 1/4 finished already. Then the beading, hopefully another couple of weeks and I'll be done with this project.


Yesterday's stitching was amazing got so much done on my "Water Garden" might even be back before Monday with a happy dance. Hoping everyone has a warm and wonderful weekend.

Monday I think

WOW, forgot just how tiring being a new Mom can be, forget tired exhausted is more like the right word. I think I'm feeling my age. Well Sam is getting a schedule sort of figured out which means a little more stitchy time for me. My rotation piece for this last week was the Giraffe Family I pulled it out of its happy home in the crazy basket and stared at it. I love the design do not get me wrong about that but just couldn't get motivated to stitch on it. Then it came to me it was the fabric, I use to be an aida girl but not no more some things I still use it for and I'm trying to clean it out of my stash. So after much thought, well not really the started Giraffe Family from January 5th got tossed back into a plastic tote to be frogged at a later date. Which meant a trip to the LNS, so with a much happier feeling here is the Giraffe Family stitched on Linen where it deserves to be.

Well I'm sad to see this piece packed away again for awhile, its on to a new week. So I'll be back on Wed with an update this week on my Christmas SAL piece, then the rest of the week will be the "Charmed Water Garden"
Wishing everyone a wonderful start to their stitchy week.

My Belated Wednesday Post

I guess its sort of a a finish and a WIP all rolled up in one. I didn't have a chance to work on my Christmas piece this week, but before you object I have a valid reason. I'm pleased to show off my excuse. Samuel Rowan was born at 6:41 PM on Feb 22 2011, weighing 9lbs 9 ounces and measuring 22 inches long and yes you read the weight right. No drugs either, I'm a natural girl. We are home and doing great. So please forgive me if I don't comment on blogs as often as I should and I can not guarantee how many stitchy posts I'll have for the next little while but when you see this face can you blame me.

Another one off the list

I actually finished this Friday morning but was just too darn tired to post it. So here is Snowflake Serenade all stitched up. All that's left is to think about how to finish it.

So seeing as I had 3 days left in my week before i switch back to the Christmas Sampler, I had a problem what to do to fill in the days. I just got my silks for Sabrina the other day and she was pouting, so I decided to free her from the basket for a couple of days.

I'll be working on the Christmas Sampler beginning of the week come back on Wednesday for a peek if you want to. Wishing everyone a safe and warm week.

Wednesday again

First off, no real baby news yet. Guess I should be happy that the Doctor is keeping such a close watch on me. He doesn't really want to induce me before I hit the 38 week mark unless he absolutely has too. Last Friday's Ultrasound had the baby weighing 9lbs plus don't remember what she said the ounces are. So hopefully I will be holding this baby at the beginning of next week. I guess the good news about being put on bed rest is it means lots and lots of stitching time. So here is this weeks progress from the Christmas SAL


I managed to get all the green border done and just need to fill in a missing L and the bottom right snowflake then all the red will db finished. Then comes the delightful job of going back and filling in all the white snowflakes and beads. So hopefully a couple more weeks of Mon and Tues stitching will result in a happy dance.

As much as I would love to go back to working on my Inviting Holiday Wreath, I agreed with Cat that we needed a rotation to get these crazy 15 done. So next on my list in the order I started them is Snowflake Serenade, there isn't a lot left on this one so hopefully I'll be back soon with a picture to share.

Off to try to catch up on some blog reading sitting for too long is killing my back.

A crazy January update

So last week I decided I needed to start a rotation to get these projects worked on instead of jumping around on them like a jumping bean. I will keep working on my Christmas SAL on Mondays and Tuesday but the rest of the week will be devoted to 1 of my crazy challenges. Last week I started at the beginning of the list with Inviting Holiday wreath, in case you forget here is what it looked like after the first day of stitching back on January 2nd. Not much to look at is it.

And after the weeks work:

Looking a lot better in my opinion, so off to stitch on my SAL piece before I go for another round of poke and prod with my favorite Doctor, and no still no baby news yet. I'll be back on Wednesday with an update on the Christmas piece or sooner if I can pry some info out of my Doctor.

A wonderful surprise in the mail

I had the most delightful surprise in the mail yesterday, and it came all the way from Italy. Simona from http://xstitchworld.blogspot.com/ had a give away on her blog awhile ago and she decided to do a second draw and I won. Included in this lovely package was this wonderful pillow:

Here is a pic of everything she included, she spoiled me. I got a gorgeous piece of white linen, a new pair of red scissors, 2 skeins of pearlescent effects thread, a skein of crescent colours thread in a yummy shade,thread heaven, and the little bag that you see in the picture that was had some tiny cute little buttons.


Here is a close up of the buttons


Just wanted to say a great big Thank You to Simona for such a thoughtful gift she mailed to me. If you don't already follow Simona blog you should go check it out she does amazing stitching.

My Wednesday SAL progress

Is amazing when you are not frogging a project how much more you fall in love with it. This makes 2 weeks of no mistakes, I'm on a roll. So I'm only stitching this piece on Mondays and Tuesday so here is my progress from this week. I managed to get LOVE stitched and the green border around it and the bottom snowflake.


Here is a picture of the whole design so far.

I'm happy with my progress so far on this, and I think I finally figured out a rotation for my Crazy January Challenge well fingers crossed it will work anyways. So I think I might go stitch for a bit on my Day 2 piece and try to keep my mind off the fact that the Doctor still hasn't given me a date for being induced. He has promised after Friday's Ultrasound and testing he will know for sure, sounds like a familiar story that I heard last week. Hope everyone is having a great day so far and is a lot more comfortable then I am.

Lazy Mondays

Don't I wish, I seem to be going around like a chicken with its head cut off. If I could stay focused on one task it might be OK but I seem to jumping around with my cleaning today. I'm hoping tomorrow the Dr will give me an exact date that he plans on inducing me, it will be a lot easier doing things without this beach ball in front of me.

I was hoping to post this as a happy dance and cross another off my list but it wasn't meant to be. So this is my progress on Day 4 of the January challenge :



All I have left is the snowman in the "Frosty the snowman" block then there is a block under that to do then the border. So maybe later this week you will see it finished unless another piece screams at to stitch on it. I really need to figure out some sort of rotation for the rest of my 15. Seeing this is Monday and I'm suppose to be working on my Christmas Sampler SAL on Mondays and Tuesdays, I'd better get some stitches in.

Join me on Wednesday, if you would like to see an update on the Christmas piece. Have a wonderful week everyone.

3 Down .....

12 more to go, this crazy January challenge might actually be a doable thing for me, I said might. I finished this up last night, now I just need to do some frame shopping. Excuse the wrinkled fabric, I actually pulled my iron this morning to make my pic look spiffy. My iron decided not to co operate so if I have time today I'll be shopping for a new iron as well, I've needed a new one for awhile. So the question day which of the 12 to work on next.

This was my day 6 start from the Crazy January Challenge, it is "Tribal Seahorse" from White Willow Stitching. Stitched on 18 count white Aida using DMC Color Variations 4240 Mid Summer Night



Hope everyone has a safe and warm weekend filled with many stitches.

New Moon, so that means ......

TUSAL update. After last months boring picture I had great plans to take my jar outside and nestle it amongst all my snow drops that are in bloom. What that saying about good intentions, well needless to say its raining cats and dogs outside. I didn't want the camera, the jar are for that matter me getting wet so after taking around 5 pics in the house with the lousy lighting I finally gave up. So i opened up my sliding glass door far enough to stick my jar outside and snap a quick picture, ignore the mess outside. I've added quite a bit to my jar this month between my stitching bits and my frogging.

Wednesday Update

Original title, right. Not feeling very creative at the moment. Told you to pop back on Wednesday for a Christmas Sampler update. Its funny sometimes it seems like you can stitch forever on a project and see virtually no progress then another time you throw in a few stitches and look back at your work and think WOW its flying along. This seems to be one of those projects, but the good news no frogs visit it this week. So here is a progress pic on the SAL piece I'm stitching with Cat and Wendy. Next week I'll get a start on the rest of the outside border, then its just the snowflakes and all the bead work.



Trying to decide if I want to go back to the seahorse, its so close to being finished or picking up one of the other 12 projects from the Crazy Challenge.

Where Did January Go

Did I blink and miss it. I remember when I was younger when time seemed to almost stand still, a weekend would seem to last forever now it seems that time has a mind of its on and can not or will not be slowed down. Am I the only that feels like this, before we know it the year will be over. I should have posted this yesterday but was just too darn tired, this is my weekend's progress on Tribal Seahorse, it was my day 6 start for the January Crazy Challenge. There isn't a lot left to do but I figured I had better get back to my Christmas Sampler before Cat and Wendy come after me.


I'll be back tomorrow for my Wednesday day SAL update pic. See you then hopefully.

Happy Dance

I finished this on Friday but just got around to taking a pic and posting it. I just need to find a frame hopefully this week. Then I will give it to my Doctor as a thank you gift for taking care of me so well during this difficult pregnancy.



This is my second finish from the crazy 15 challenge, hopefully the other 13 go just as well. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Another Wednesday SAL Update

This project is driving me crazy, I feel I have frogged more on it then stitched on it if that is possible. The verse in the middle has been completely frogged twice now, so this is my third attempt at stitching it. I truly believe this project is cursed, if I wasn't doing it as a SAL with Cat and Wendy I think it would have sunk to the bottom of the UFO pile. So here is my slight update for this Wednesday.



At least I can put it away for a few days, now to decide what to stitch on for the rest of the week. Could the first person to comment pick a number between 1 and 17 please. Hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

International Hermit and Stitch Day

Kim (http://kim-demeter83.blogspot.com/) and Joysze (http://joysze.blogspot.com) came up with the idea of International Hermit and Stitch Day, so I thought what the heck and threw in my stitching to join them. I figured with my due date being moved forward I'd better get my butt in gear on the baby feet sampler. So on Saturday morning this is where I started on baby feet.

By Saturday night I had the second foot almost done:

I decided to make it a weekend advent and DH took the kids out for breakfast then to swimming, so I got a lot stitched yesterday morning. Then everyone went to bed so I stayed up late stitching some more.


I'm very happy to put this piece down and work on something with some colour to it.

Finally Finished

After all sorts of problems including my dog eating my original chart, my fabric and floss to running out of floss and not being able to find any at the LNS. I am pleased to say late yesterday afternoon I put the final stitch into Thine Is The Trick And The Treat


This is stitched on 25 count fabric that I dyed myself, with black DMC 1 over 1. It just needs to be washed, ironed and find the perfect frame. I was suppose to be gone all day my MIL had an early morning appointment with a DR a 3 hour drive away and another one this afternoon. The plan was for me to take her but I woke up at 3 AM to a nasty stomach flu bug, I guess the draw back to being at the hospital every few days you get exposed to all sorts of germs. SO my DH took the day off from working on the house to drive her, I think I'm going to drag myself back to bed for awhile with the hopes of feeling better. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.