Monkey Business

"Savannah Birth Sampler" Progress 9/8/13

I was hoping to have the monkey all done by now.  I had to give up last night due to back spasms.  Frustrating!  But I only have 4 or 5 rows left to finish the mouth area, 2 eyes, and a nose.  I backstitch all at the end so none of that right now.  I will then move on to finishing the leaves, sun and box and the top right corner will be done.  It is shaping up to be a pretty busy week so I really am hoping to get at least that done.

I am also starting a Halloween ornie for an exchange and it has been making my brain hurt.  I think i will run by Hobby Lobby and take a look at their packages of linen.  My brain won't hurt and I can actually get a stitch in it.  hopefully I can unbury my sewing machine soon.

That's about all for this update....

Healthy Stitching!

Making it Better

I had been working on "Horse Pals" to give myself a break on "Blackstone" when a stitching group I am a part of started a biscornu exchange.  I was really looking forward to learning how to stitch one and put it together.  It took me nearly the entire 6 weeks given for the exchange to get it done.  I want to show it off so badly but I have to wait until it reaches it's new home.  Something to look forward to.

This spring I learned I was going to be an Aunt for the first time.  I always thought I would be so excited. Instead I was in such a dark place myself that all I could feel was jealousy and anger.  I hope I succeeded in keeping it to myself because deep down I knew I should be happy for her and was really looking forward to meeting this baby.  I just had no idea how I was going to get through her pregnancy.  Luckily, I changed my medications and was able to talk through most of my negativity  with my husband and now my therapist.  I ordered baby gear to be made for her by a friend of mine since I have no sewing area myself.  I waited until they found out they were having a girl and picked out a nursery theme.  I then found Savannah Birth Record by Dimensions.  It had her jungle theme and seemed easy to change colors on.

It has been.  I had a harder time than normal picking out the perfect fabric, but Deb at Stitches 'N Things helped so much.  Then I got to take all my purple thread and head to Babies 'R Us to try and match as closely as possible her nursery bedding.  I took "Blackstone" off it's scroll frame, put my beautiful lilac 28 ct linen on, did a floss toss just to double check that it all looked right, took a picture for all of you to see, and started stitching.  And it has been stitching up beautifully.  It has also made me feel less affronted and more like an Aunt.  I may never again be able to have a baby of my own but I can love and spoil my niece to death and hand her back to mommy.

It always amazes me what making x's on fabric can do for body, mind, and soul.

Long Time No Write

It has been forever it feels like since I wanted to type out a post.  At first I just wanted to stitch, then I wanted to rotate patterns, and then I barely even wanted to stitch, and then I took 2 weeks off.  I was getting so frustrated with all the pieces in my rotation.  I was frogging and cussing much more than anybody should doing something they love. So I listened to my stitchy group and took a vacation. 

Then, just when the itch was coming back, my group started a biscornu exchange.  I had a lot of fun picking a pattern.  That took about a week, then fabric and thread, and I was ready to rock.  Had some setbacks, but I can't talk about those just yet.  In September I can.

So how about some updates?

"Horse Pals"  7/29/13

"Blackstone Fantasy Garden"  7/29/13

 There is not enough progress to even photograph on "Faith".  The one project I really need to get done and it is the one really driving me to the hills.

I have also still been working with my daughter on her first cross stitch.  This is what she has done so far.

Slow going but she is starting to remember all the steps between times we stitch now.  I am really proud of her.  This project is really testing my need to control and do everything.  I have to sit on my hands a lot.

So all I am stitching on is my biscornu.  Hoping to get it all stitched fairly quickly so I have plenty of time to figure out how to put it together.  Wish me luck!

Really in the Groove Now!

In so many more ways than one.  We have our daily school routine down, we have our days off mostly figured out, and "Blackstone" is really coming along.

Now, why do things have to change?  Kiddos are both done with school and I am desperately searching out things for them to do without breaking the bank.  Stuff to do with them and grandparents but not daddy during the week, but keeping them ready for the weekend and not exhausted.

I have a few have-to's such as swim lessons.  Then some indoor play centers that have areas geared towards each age group.  We had a really cool new putt putt golf place open and we are surrounded by all kinds of touristy stuff we have yet to make memories at.  I am also looking for a therapeutic riding center for at least my daughter, but my son too to go to all year long.  i have been searching for coupons and liking everything on Facebook to get special deals.  I hate doing that but I hate to pay full price.  LOL

My Mill Hill frame just arrived at my LNS so that excites me.  I am picking it up this weekend along with some notions.  I am heading out to the other side of Colorado for the 4th of July.  I am hoping my parents still have a sewing machine so I can finish a project into a pillow.  That would make 2 Christmas gifts done.  I really need to kick it into gear for that holiday.  I am so far behind what I usually have done.  Sigh

Onto actual stitching.

"Blackstone Fantasy Garden" close-up 05/21/2013

"Blackstone Fantasy Garden" Full View 05/21/2013

I have now rolled that all up so I can start on the bottom half now.  It is moving much faster now that I do the outline first and then go back and fill in.  I am about a quarter of the way done.  I say quarter because all those empty spaces still have blackwork needing to be filled in.  I will get going on that after I finish all of the cross stitching.  I haven't been doing my rotation at all.  So far I have not needed a break, but I can see one coming.  Right now it is my escape so I can keep some sanity.

One of my new favorite pics.  My son "graduated" pre-school today.  He is such a ham!

Healthy Stitching!

Celebrate the Finishes!

I have my 2nd finish of 2013!  This is "Petunia" unframed.

"Petunia" Completed 4/24/2013

"Petunia" close-up

Still waiting for the frame to get to my LNS.  I am so proud of her!  Not sure I will do another beading one although this was very fun.  I really hurt my back being hunched over to do the beading.  Also had a bunch of trouble with threading those itty bitty eye holes.  But I'll take a break and see how I feel after.

Still waiting on my fabric order to get here.  Got an email today letting me know all my fabric is in and they need money.  Tomorrow I will Paypal them.  Then next payday will be getting some fabric from my LNS.  And after that I just figured out I will need to get to my LNS and order specialty threads.  Also some stuff for a spring exchange.

Until then I will get back to "Horse Pals", "Faith", and "Blackstone" for now.

The snow from earlier this week is gone and we have sunshine again.  So far I have not heard the dreaded S word on the weather section so I am hoping we will have nothing but beautiful sunshine for awhile.

Saturday we are celebrating my daughter's 8th birthday.  Pizza dinner followed by cake (if I can get Walmart to do it in a day - Ooops!) and presents.  Her actual birthday is Monday.  She is so excited.  I hope she has a blast.  Now off to plan that blast.


that's all for now...healthy stitching!

Switching It Up

So frustrated with myself.  I miscounted on "Blackstone" and now I need to frog.  Looks like just a little bit so I am happy for small favors.  In the picture it is the left hand side, all the way down.  Ugh.

"Blackstone"  4/16/2013

  But I needed a change and decided to get my butt moving on "Petunia".  It was a tough start last night, but I pushed through it and finished all the crosses.  Started the back stitching and completed that early this afternoon.  Then I jumped into beading.  And I am loving it.  Except for the seriously small eye in the beading needle.  I am almost done with the first set of beads.

"Petunia" 4/17/2013

This might just finish itself rather quickly.  Then I will head over to my LNS and order the frame and ta da!  One Christmas present done.

 I am currently waiting for my fabric order to arrive from Stitches N Things.  Then I will figure out what to put into the rotation next.  Also depends on my mood when picking.

Today was a perfect stitching day.  Snow fell all day with a potential to turn into a blizzard tonight.  We went from small flakes to fat flakes.  It truly felt like a Christmas snow.  Everything was so magical looking and feeling.  The only thing missing was a real fire snapping and popping in the background.  You can't see it very well in the pictures but it was snowing fat flakes when I took them.

View from my stitching nest

The back deck

Otherwise, it seems different day, same stuff happening.  We are way into our schedule and preparing for all the end of school year craziness.  Still no word of anything happening with the Texas house.  I am gonna go nuts soon, I think.  I am so looking forward to house hunting and setting up a house of my own.

But for now I must wait - for a change in season, scenery, and the future.

Settling In

So the weather has just been nuts, huh?  I am looking forward to a Colorado summer and my kiddos are asking the Magic 8 ball for snow.  I am just happy with a little bit of daily sunshine.

We survived a slightly thrown together Easter and family photo shoot last weekend.  I think it is finally sinking in for the kiddos this is permanent.  I am slowly adjusting to having hubby at work again.  He has been home every night for dinner.  It has been a long time since his arrival has been this consistent.  My in-laws and I are slowly getting use to the new day to day.  They have decided to put Torryn into preschool and covering the cost til we can get financially back on our feet.  He is looking forward to next week.  It'll be really good for him.

I have a useable lap stand and have even tried it out.

 My FIL had to make 2 extensions before we got it right.  I am keeping all the "wrong" ones for when I sit in a different place.

  Still trying to figure out how to make it work for me 100%.  It really slows me down and the 2 handed method is showing me my left hand is apparently not connected to my brain?

I also ordered some counting pins on Etsy.  Her shop is here. So light weight and 2 great lengths to choose from.  I ordered late night, it was shipped the next morning.  I even got a coupon for my next visit!

So some action shots.  These are the shorter ones that I have mainly been using.

In this case I am marking where I stitch to and am liking them for that job.  Now these are the longer ones which I originally thought was what I wanted.

They are also super lightweight, but really hard to stitch around.  I have relegated them to marking long lines of stitching.

I am glad that these came up in conversation right before I started stitching over 2 on linen.  The short lengths I have done took a lot of time because of all the recounting I had to do.  Now I count once, mark it, and can happily stitch without worry of too many or not enough stitches.  I didn't get a lot done this last week.  The frogs came for about 3 dogs.  I think I was just too tired, both mentally and emotionally, and every stitch I put in I had to then remove.  But the sun has come out and the frogs seem to be gone for now at least.  Last night I had to roll the fabric down so that I could start a really long stretch of stitching.  That was an adventure all it's own, but I think I got it.

This week at some point I need to run by my LNS to get some things for an exchange and some smaller needles.  I am thinking that might help with how small these holes are.  But onto the progress.

I am stitching with variegated threads from Carrie's.  This is Seaweed.  I am having a bit of trouble with it as I am not sure how to go about making the long stretches of color to look good together.  So far I have been able to stitch with the threads being the same color next to each other.  Now that I am getting to the really long stretches I know that won't work.  Do I just end one color and start up with the color on the next thread that is the closest?  We will have to see how it goes.

Until next week...