Damier Part 4

I put in the last stitches of this row last night while we watched Silverado. It was so weird seeing these famous actors, most of whom we like, so young. Matt was in the mood for a western after we watched 3:10 to Yuma the other night.

I like working on this piece. It's simple, cute, and quick. It's a nice change of pace. I pulled out Maggie the Messmaker, one of my large pieces for the year. I put this one on my goals to finish for the year...but I'm thinking that's going to be difficult.

I have an idea for a needleroll, but I'm not sure it will work out. We shall see....

Shamrock needleroll finishing

I finished off the needleroll today. I found some green ribbon yesterday at Hobby Lobby that matches pretty well. I'm so glad I don't have to order any off eBay. I also picked up some more ribbon, trim, and two more ribbon spool cases. DMC was also on sale (I yearn for the days when that meant 5 for $1, not 4 for $1). I bought a bunch of stuff because who knows when I'll get into the city again.

So this makes three of the Sweetheart Tree needlerolls I've done so far. I think the next one will be Remembrance Rose (a little later) because I have all the materials needed.

Rita and Kim won the pattern for the needleroll. I wound up with two. Ladies, please email me at charmingtails@hotmail.com.

I have three blocks left on Damier, and then I'll able to show pics of that one too.

I've been trying to come up with a needleroll I want to stitch for the Monthly Finishing Challenge, but I just can't find anything I'm in the mood to stitch. I'll keep looking. Then I should really pull out one of my large projects to stitch on.

Shamrock needleroll HD

I finished the stitching on this Sweetheart Tree needleroll last night. I thought it was convenient that the Monthly Finishing Challenge for the month was needlerolls, but it has to have a hem stitch. I don't think the normal finishes for the Sweetheart Tree needlerolls qualify as a hem stitch, so I'm out of luck. I want to keep my finishing of all these needlerolls uniform so they make a nice set. I may be able to find something else I can stitch and turn into a needleroll.

I thought I had a good green ribbon, but it's not quite blue enough and doesn't match the green used on the needleroll. That means I'm stalking eBay for just the right ribbon. Web photos aren't terribly reliable for color matching.

Many thanks to Carol for the chart and BeckySC for the strand of Needle Necessities!

If you'd like the chart, leave me a comments and I'll draw a name.

I played with my polymer clay yesterday and made some pins. My mom thinks the pins she gave me have glass heads, but if they were plastic, at least they didn't melt! The flowers should be sturdy enough to use as marking pins, but the birds are purely decorative. I could also use these on pinkeeps, I think.

Rose Quilt, square 6 HD

Here's another installment. I'm not sure I'll finish this piece this year. It's so massive, and my progress is rather slow. I have so many things I want to stitch right now. I may need to put aside HAED's Eternal Promise this year so I can concentrate on this piece. I still like to work on smaller pieces a bit to keep my interest up.

Speaking of, I started Sweetheart Tree's Shamrock needleroll. It's so cute. The needlerolls all have a similar pattern, so it's a good thing I'm not bored with them! I'm thinking I might buy a Longaberger basket eventually to display them all. I think they're worthy of the expense.

New nanny: I work at home but need a nanny to take care of Logan during the day. Matt and I are both leery of daycare. We hired someone new since our last nanny's boyfriend moved out of state and she had to quit to take care of her kids. I like the new person. I hope she's more reliable than the last one!

Vacation: Matt and I are planning a weekend getaway in two weeks. We haven't gone anywhere in a long time. Now that Mom's moved in, she can take care of Logan while we go off to San Antonio. Matt's booked a jacuzzi suite, and I want to go to Sea World. I think we'll have fun, but I'm sure I'll miss Logan terribly. He gets cranky when he's tired (which is often), but he's otherwise such a smiley, happy baby.

Barnabee's Bride disappointment

So another order came in (I've been spending money, a little here and there), but the leg of Barnabee's Bride is broken. Apparently this is a fragile piece. I read in someone else's blog (can't remember whose...) that they had received a broken one too. Ugh.

I also received some marking pins made by My Big Toe. I think they'll come in handy when I have to count stitches. I usually have to use needles to mark my place. Looking at them, I think I could make a few myself. I still want to figure out how to make pinheads using polymer clay. That could be neat.

Feathered Friends stitching completed

I finished the stitching on my piece for the SBEBB Feathered Friends Exchange. Of course I can't show you a picture just yet. Now I need to find some matching fabric and finish it up.

I received the supplies I was waiting for, and now I can start the Sweetheart Tree Shamrock needleroll. Carol was nice enough to give me the chart. I now have all the ST needleroll patterns I need, and some of the hearts. I'll probably order the fibers, beads, and such that I need as I go. I'm still working on the next block of Chatelaine's Rose and Butterfly Quilt. I should be able to start the inner motif soon, a rose this time. Damier should have another installment soon too.

Home stuff: I'm still trying to get my house all sorted out after Mom's move-in. We have more stuff to put in storage. It's been very nice having someone to take care of Logan first thing in the morning. Mom normally gets up at 4, and Logan seems to be taking after her. Mom never gets tired of him, God bless her! Logan's started eating rice cereal and vegetables pretty reliably. He's hit the six-month mark, and I'm switching his clothes over to the next size. He's still very smiley and has his crying fits when he's tired and can't get himself to sleep (his day includes a 2.5-hour cycle of eat, play, sleep, play). He's not sitting unsupported or rolling over yet, so we're going to have to help him work out those muscles. He goes for more shots and a trip to the ENT next week (we're anticipating ear troubles given his history and his dad's problems when he was a kid).

Jump for Joy pinkeep

I joined the Monthly Finishing Challenge. I figured a pinkeep was easy enough! This is my second one. Jump for Joy by Just Nan is the only small piece I have unfinished or unframed, so it was a likely candidate (my TWs will get framed). I didn't have any ribbon that really matched the colors, but I got to use some edging that Marie sent me in an exchange. Matt helped me choose the color of pins, and it was his idea to alternate the pinks. I do need to find some better pins for future projects. All I have are these Dritz pearlized pins from Wal-Mart.

Needle Guardian finishing

I finished the finishing of the needlebook on my lunch hour. I think I fixed the nun stitches that had pulled away from the piece passably well. Check out the top left of this photo. It's not perfect, which is incredibly annoying, but it's cute. I lined the piece with lavender fabric and put some matboard inside (adjusting the matboard is what caused stress to be applied to the nun stitches and just about rip them out). You can see bigger pics and the inside on my website.

Yay for storage

These ribbon spool bins came from Michaels. My mom brought me two in addition to the one I had bought a while back. I can't quite fit all my ribbon, so I need another one, but of course you can't order them online. I'll have to make the trek into Austin at some point.



My mom bought me this sewing basket for Christmas. She had forgotten to bring it until this past weekend. The colors and design aren't quite me, but I really like having a box to put my stuff in. And it's not a cheap plastic one like I've been using!

I'm almost done with turning Needle Guardian into a needlebook. I had a mishap, and some of the edging stitches have pulled free. I'm rather annoyed; the nun stitches aren't very sturdy. I think (hope) I can salvage it. I also need to go pick up some white felt. Pictures as soon as it's done!

I also had to redo the backstitch lettering because I did it in the wrong color. I posted a question on the TWBB, and Teresa herself answered that there was a typo on the pattern, left over from when the piece was released at an event.

I'm also plugging away at the border of the next block of Chatelaine's Rose Quilt.

I finally received some packages I had been waiting on, all three on the same day. ABC Stitch Therapy moved their store, so the order took a month to get to me. It includes a piece I want to stitch for SBEBB's Feathered Friends Exchange. I still need the fabric for that, so I can't start yet. I received my Silkweavers fabric for TW's Sun Dragon. That was fairly speedy, about two weeks. I still need some metallics and beads before I can start this one. Lastly, I received a bunch of Sweetheart Tree needleroll patterns from someone on the Wagon BB. If my Pawprints order comes in, that should be all of them!

Mom: She moved in this weekend! We put all our Christmas stuff in storage so she'd have a closet to herself. We still have some stuff to bring over. $60 a month--ouch. But it's so nice having another pair of hands to help take care of Logan. Matt and I got to go out for lunch, and we did the yardwork together, which hasn't happened for over a year. We worked our butts off this weekend, but it's great having the whole family together. Unfortunately, my mom now has an hour commute to work each way. That is really rough, but she hasn't complained about it.

Babysitter: Our babysitter quit because she and her boyfriend are having personal problems. They went to Rhode Island because his grandmother was dying, and now he wants to stay there. She doesn't want to go, so now she has to stay home and take care of her kids. Her sister is babysitting for us now, but it looks like we're going to have to search for another permanent babysitter. Ugh.

Diet: I had lost 11 pounds, but after eating a huge hamburger with bacon this weekend, I gained 5 back. I thought maybe it was the salt, but those pounds haven't gone away. Argh!!!

Needle Guardian HD

I finished this Teresa Wentzler piece today. Not bad considering I've had to take care of the baby a good bit since my babysitter flaked out on me. I'm going to make it into a needlebook, but I think I want to line it with fabric, rather than letting the back of the stitching show.

I tried TW's recommended way of doing quarter stitches, just making one little stitch, rather than my way of making three-quarter stitches. I'm not sure I like the way the fabric shows through. (Look at the border chain to see what I mean.)

I'm still waiting on my recent purchases. I just hate the waiting.

I was supposed to have Thursday and Friday of this week off, but since the babysitter just didn't show up one day, I'm having to make up my time tomorrow. Bleh.

Baby: I recently discovered the calming effects of singing to Logan, even with my horrible voice. Just words won't do it, but singing will often make him be quiet. Everyone knows about lullabies and babies, but I had no idea the full impact. Logan also likes toys that make noise, such as his favorite, Leap, who sings the alphabet. His face just lights up. That boy's going to be a musician!

Eternal Promise Page 2

I finally finished page 2! It didn't help that I've been working on small projects here and there.

Today, to reward myself for staying on my diet for an entire week, I ordered some items from Cheryl's Stitchery Nook, a place Carol suggested. I want to start Sweetheart Tree's Shamrock Needleroll and Teresa Wentzler's Sun Dragon and Celestial Fob.

I lost my self-control and started TW's Needle Guardian this past week. I had to restart it because I found some faint tan marks on my white fabric. I think my iron transferred some dye from another piece of fabric. That was annoying, but I'm making good progress. It should be a fairly quick piece.

I'll probably work on Chatelaine's Rose Quilt next too.

Diet: So after a week of staying on my diet, I've lost about 6 pounds. That's mostly water, but it makes me happy. Matt and I really need to do this. We're both looking forward to being able to do normal stuff again!

Damier Part 3

Here's the next installment of Damier. I charted the Easter basket myself. Maryse had a flying bell and some Easter eggs. It must be a French thing because I had never heard of that, even though I'm Cajun. I also used bright white for the sheep and backstitched it in gray. This line didn't take long because there weren't any solid blocks this time.

I just have two rows left on Eternal Promise, and then I can post a progress pic.

Baby: I had to take Logan to the doctor today because his ear was hurting again. He has fluid in his ear, so the doctor wants him to see an ENT, given his family history. I also have fluid in my ear. Unfortunately, the medicine the doctor gave me is the same stuff Matt's taking that knocks him flat. I'm worse than Matt, so there's no way I can take this stuff and work. Sigh.

Diet: We're starting again today. Really. I need to do this!

Lady Scarlet HD

I finished this Just Nan piece last night. It was pretty easy to finish, unlike the last Just Nan box. The only problem was that I didn't understand what they meant when they said the flower should be flat. I do now--it's too puffy and kind of squishes the needlebook when I close the ladybug. Oh well, not too bad. You can see more pics on my website.

This was my first needlebook too. I'm looking forward to doing more!

Baby: Logan's successfully eating rice cereal now. He likes the one with apples. I think he was getting too impatient with the feeding originally, but now he's gotten the hang of it. It's so funny seeing this kid with food all over his face go after the spoon. I hug and kiss him all the time because he's just so darn cute! The babysitter gave him a mohawk yesterday when she bathed him.

Mom's moving in!

My mom got a job in Ausin, so she's moving in! Yay! It's going to be so nice to have her here. She can play with Logan (and babysit!), and I'll have a shopping buddy again. Not to mention a diet and exercise buddy. I mean, Matt's my diet and exercise buddy now, but he's as bad as I am! Mom's managed to keep her weight off for many years, so I'm hoping she can help me. I need to lose a lot, but my goal for this year is 50 pounds. And we're already two months in! Ack!

She starts in two weeks, so she'll have to hightail it over here the weekend between jobs. She has vacation the week after she starts, so she'll go home to Louisiana and keep working on getting the house ready to sell. She has a lifetime's worth of stuff that she needs to sort through, and an old house that needs to be fixed up. She's been working on it for months, but I guess it's crunch time now.

I also need to rent a storage area. Her bedroom's closet is my holiday storage, so I need to get everything out of there. Not to mention all of Matt's spare computer parts. She'll eventually buy her own house, but things need to be livable in the meantime.

So...exciting but also very busy. We knew it would happen fast, but eep!

Stitching: I'm still working on the neverending page of Eternal Promise. I also started stitching on the Lady Scarlet box, and I should have that finished soon. The next part of Damier has been released, so I guess I need to put that in the queue too!

Movies: We saw The Brave One recently--much better than I thought it would be. I thought the attack scene would be very painful. It was, but it was not overdone. They left some to the imagination and let you draw your own conclusions. We also saw the animated Dragonlance movie since Matt and I love the books. Blech. The art was so poor, and they mixed in some bad CGI work with the cartoon (which looked like an old Transformer cartoon). We've also been watching the last few seasons of Buffy and Angel. Apparently I missed an entire season when it aired.

Old English Needleroll HD

I finished off my second Sweetheart Tree needleroll today (a little here and a little there, between chores). Yes, I'm still addicted to these things, but unfortunately this is the last one I have kitted up. I hope to get some more charts in the mail soon.

I got this one from Haze when she was getting rid of a few things. I am very grateful, of course! If anyone wants the chart, let me know (gone!). It does have a stain on one corner, but this doesn't affect the legibility.

I also got some ribbon off eBay, and now I have brown and rust ribbon for Bountiful Acorns. I really like the effect. Now I'm collecting 1/8" ribbon too!

Sickos: I'm getting over my sinus infection, just a few sniffles left (it's been two weeks since I got it). Logan took his last antibiotics today, and I'm so glad. It's been giving him red diarrhea (ew), one of the side effects. I'm glad I read the information sheet and knew to expect it; that would have been a shocker! The antibiotics also messed up his sleep patterns. He's sleeping through the night again but getting up at 5--too early for Mommy! Matt is still battling this flu-like thing he's got.

Baby: I've been trying to feed Logan rice cereal now that he's about five months old. I shovel it into his mouth, and he cries. He doesn't really have the skill yet to spit it out, so he does eat it. I'm just going to keep trying a little at a time. I also bought some rice cereal with apples, so we'll see if he likes the taste better. The doctor did say he could dislike the texture, too.

TrickORTreat finally finished

I can't really call this one a happy dance. I hated doing the finishing on it. Nothing was just right, and I fought with the thing the whole time. If I hadn't paid so much for it, it would have gone in the trash long ago. Today while Logan was sleeping in his swing, I bit the bullet and finished the finishing. The corners started fraying, and the top is sort of buckled when the lid is closed. I really have to stretch the fastener to get it closed, too. I don't even want to look at the thing because it's not finished the way I want it to be. I guess I'll stick it in a box somewhere. How annoying. More pics on my website.

I think that's why I like cross stitching. There's nothing subjective about it, unlike sewing and other crafts. It's either right or it's not, period.

And I will not buy another one of these Just Nan kits. I need to keep repeating that....

Baby: Oh, and Logan slept all night last night. He's still having some ear pain, but the medicine works.

Rough weekend

Matt took Logan to the doctor Friday. Yep, another ear infection. Today Logan started shrieking and wouldn't eat. Matt went to the store and got some ear drops his cousin said we could use for the pain. That seemed to help. Baby Tylenol wasn't doing it. We finally convinced the poor boy to eat after squirting some formula in his mouth with a dropper. We had tried rice cereal earlier today, but that didn't go over well. We'll try again when he's feeling better.

It should be an interesting night. Logan's been sleeping through the night 6:30 p.m. till about 6:00 a.m., but last night he woke up at 1:00 because he's sick. I wonder how many times he'll wake up tonight.

Anyway...not much time for stitching, but I managed to screw up a block on Eternal Promise, and now I need to figure out what I did and frog; that's not easy on a HAED. Also, I received my partner's name for the Feathered Friends exchange on the SBEBB. I've already ordered the chart I want to stitch. Should be fun!

Bountiful Acorns HD

I wanted to get some rust ribbon to go with the brown, but I'm having to order it. So here it is with just the brown ribbon so far (edit: replaced the pic). I really like this piece, and I want to do the other Sweetheart Tree needlerolls too eventually.

I acquired this chart from Andrea after she finished hers. I blame her for getting me hooked. ;-) I saw the one she did in her blog and just fell in love.

I still have the Olde English needleroll all kitted up and waiting to be stitched. I'm going to savor it because these go pretty fast. I'm still plugging away on HAED's Eternal Promise; I haven't even finish the first row yet.

The sick: I'm getting over my sinus infection, but I still feel pretty rotten. Matt's feeling a little sick, and Logan's been giving a few little coughs. We might take him to the doctor tomorrow; he doesn't seem that bad yet, but you know what happens on the weekends.

Valentine exchange received

Look what I got from Outi! She designed it herself. I never connected her to Periphaeria Designs, but that's her! Her stitches are so nicely railroaded, and the biscornu is stuffed so firmly. Excellent work on her part.

I love the reds of the floss and ribbon. I need to figure out what to stitch with them. She also sent two terra cotta hearts, but the post office crushed them to shards. Typical.

I finished my Bountiful Acorns needleroll, and I'll post pics as soon as I get the ribbon my mom is sending me. I wound up ordering the other Sweetheart Tree needlerolls I could find. I'm addicted to needlerolls at the moment. I also took out HAED's Eternal Promise and put a few stitched into it.

The crud: I've come down with a sinus infection, so I'm in bed for the most part. At least I had Robin Hobb's book Forest Mage to read. I have a few other books to read, fortunately. Poor Matt. I of course got sick on double-xp weekend on City of Heroes (a computer game we play). I know he really wanted to play this weekend, but he didn't complain when he had to take care of both me and the boy. At least I found out it isn't strepp. So far Logan doesn't have it. I'm thinking I caught it at the doctor's office when I brought him for shots last week. Argh. I haven't really gone anywhere else. Just when I was trying to build up some sick leave...

Package from Becky

As you may remember, my partner for the birthday club exchange flaked out on me. Becky was so nice as to send me a package to make up for it. She absolutely did not have to do that. It's not her job to cover all those people who reneg on their promise.

That said, I was so happy to receive the package. I had tons of goodies. She sent me the most beautiful box with a stitched top and fabric inside (with some handmade pins included). She had asked me what I wanted, so I mentioned I can always use trim (it's hard for me to find any around here). She sent me tons of ribbon and cording. I love it! I'm going to get some more ribbon holders so I can organize my growing stash.

You can see the other generous items she sent. I love the kit for the pocket she sent. That will be a fun challenge to put together. I can't imagine a better exchange package to receive, so she more than made up for what I missed out on. Thanks, Becky!

Amigurumi

Monique discussed amigurumi in her blog, coincidental to my posting my two little Cthulhus. (Amigurami is the art of crocheting or knitting cute creatures or anthropomorphic items.) So that had me thinking back. I used to crochet a lot when I was a kid. I taught myself and was an expert at it. Really. I could crochet an afghan without looking at it. I could follow any pattern and do any stitch without looking at a chart. I could even create my own pieces. I still have two of them. Since I was also a fantasy nut, I created a hippocampus and a dragon. The dragon uses pipe cleaners in his neck.

I also remember crocheting Doctor Who dolls (Tom Baker, Romana, and Adric), but I didn't keep those. I crocheted tons of baby mobiles (little clowns) that I sold to my mom's coworkers. I guess even then I was nuts about my crafts. My mom had a subscription to Annie's Attic magazine; now I'm sorry I threw them all away a few years ago.

I think I got out of crochet when it wasn't in style anymore. Too many old ladies crocheting toilet paper covers, I guess. But now it's back in style! Imagine that. I may need to get crocheting again.

But back to cross stitching...I've been working on Bountiful Acorns needleroll. I got to use the replacement threads for Needle Necessities, who went out of business. The new company is called ThreadWorx. I think I like it better. The floss is not as matte as NN and has a better feel.

Blogs: Laura commented that I'm the "cross stitching equivalent of a fearless knitter." I'm so flattered. I think the reason some people can't do complicated projects is they don't believe they can. It's all just X's! Also, Kim commented on my speedy stitching, especially with a baby in the house. Matt has to take some credit for that. He's always there to do his fair share (and sometimes more). We get the baby to bed and supper finished by 7. Then I can stitch! Oh yes, and I'm very compulsive about my stitching. That helps too.

Stargate: Argh! I found out that Woolsey is going to be taking Sam Carter's place next season as the leader of Atlantis. No, no, no! I do not want to battle politics in my escapism. We have too much of that annoying, boring stuff in real life.

They're not dolls...

Matt informs me that men don't have dolls. They have figures. So, I finished Matt's Cthulhu figures. He'll take one to work and put one on his desk at home.

Baby: Logan goes for his four-month doctor's visit today and gets more shots. Eep. The good news is that he's had five nights of sleeping all the way through. We're hoping this is a permanent thing. He's always been good about sleeping at night, but now we get an uninterrupted night of sleep, at least til 6:00.

Valentine's exchange revealed!

Cindy received my Valentine exchange, so now I can show some pics! This is Love Blooms by the Victoria Sampler. (More pics on my website.) It's a freebie from their website. This was my first needleroll, and I found that taking a piece of batting and rolling it up worked best for the stuffing. That way it wasn't lumpy with fiberfill. It also entailed hardanger, which I'm not fond of doing. But it came out so well. I really had a hard time parting with this one.

I also did a fob out of a Damier heart. I always have so much fun with exchanges. I've signed up for the Feathered Friends exchange too.

Birthday: Matt's birthday was Sunday, and I asked the grocery store to make a cake to resemble a companion cube, which is a character out of a video game. Eh...they didn't do so well. So at some point I need to try making one myself. The cake was delicious and moist, but it turned our lips grey!

Exotic Butterflies HD

My mother-in-law started this in 2002. I received her crafting stuff after her death, and this was the only piece she had done any significant stitching on. She had finished all the cross stitching, and I did the backstitching on it. It took longer than I thought, and those bullion stitches for the butterflies' bodies were a pain! But I'm glad I could finish something of hers. I felt I owed it to her as a stitcher. I'll get this framed for Matt since it's only the second piece of hers he has (the first also being unframed at this point). I'm thinking of sending them to Jill Rensel since the first one (Precious Moments) has some staining from acid paper and will need some creativity.

The piece is Exotic Butterflies and is a Dimensions Gold Collection Petites kit. It's done on navy aida (argh!). This was one of my yearly goals, too.

Next will be putting the wings on Matt's Chthulhu dolls, I think.

HAED RR piece finished

I finally filled in the last square of my HAED RR. These are Selina Fenech's angels and mermaids. I think the piece came out very nice, and I'm so grateful to my round robin partners. I won't be participating in this year's RR because my stitching time is so unpredictable right now.

Next I'll be trying to finish up a piece my mother-in-law almost finished before she passed away. I just need to backstitch some butterflies. I might even manage to finish it this weekend.

I received my mini stash haul (for my needlerolls) in the mail today. I got speedy service from Threadneedle Street and 1-2-3 Stitch!, and they charged me very close to actual postage. Love it!

I've had some people say some very nice things about my blog in their own blogs, and I'll get to that very soon. I'm behind right now, on everything, it feels like. Work has me running around like crazy.

Sunday is Matt's birthday. I'm getting a special cake made for him. Pics to come if it turns out well.

To brighten your day, here's a photo of my darling boy. He is quite the morning person. He's four months old already.

Damier Part 2

Here's part 2! You can find details on this freebie on Maryse's blog. I really enjoy stitching this piece. It's so worry free! Well, there was the time I stitched the B instead of the D, but that was easily remedied.

I'm still working on my HAED RR piece. I only have a couple of rows left to stitch.

I got the urge to buy again, so I bought the charms, fabric, and threads for two Sweetheart Tree needlerolls, Olde English Needle Roll and Bountiful Acorns Needle Roll. They should come in soon. I may have to get the rest of the needlerolls because they're so pretty!

Not too bad, just a small purchase. I realized I hadn't bought anything stitching related since November 20. That's two months! I guess the big Christmas expenses shocked me out of my stash buying. I try to keep the buying down, but it's so hard, as you all know. I try to think of the things I already have going and the things I could stitch from my stash. I probably have a small stash compared to some people, but I like it that way.

Rose Quilt, square 5 HD

I finally finished the next square. Last week I got a stomach bug and didn't feel like stitching for a few days (hard to believe, I know!). The thing I don't like about this piece is that it's so huge. It's very unwieldy to work on using Qsnaps, but it won't fit on my scroll frame. I have to pin up the excess fabric, and I always hate poking holes in the fabric. Hair clips won't work at all because it's so heavy.

I'll move onto something else for a bit. I need to finish up the last square of my HAED RR piece.

I talked to Becky, and the person who was supposed to send me gifts for the birthday club exchange isn't answering her emails. I just can't believe a stitcher would be so callous as to accept gifts and then not fulfill her commitment to send something herself. If she'd had a problem, she should have let Becky know. I'm disappointed and angry but strangely not surprised. Since my birthday is so late in the year, I had worried that the person would forget me. Seems I was right.

I'm going to mail my Valentine exchange today. I was really pleased with the way the piece turned out, hardanger and all. I may need to restitch it for myself. Pics to come!

By the way, the SBEBB is not closing after all. Becky changed her mind.

Baby: Logan is managing to hold his head up when he's on his belly, though he really hates belly time. He's smiling quite a lot now and laughing for Matt and the babysitter (not so much for me). Apparently funny noises make him laugh. He's still cranky a lot. Most of the time it's because he's sleepy and just refuses to sleep. The babysitter has better luck with him than Matt and I do. It just gets depressing sometimes. I want my baby to be happy, but it seems he spends so much time unhappy. I keep thinking that if I could do just the right thing, he wouldn't scream.

Another example of my mom's work

I finally got around to hanging this large wall decoration my mom made for me many years ago. I'm still waiting for the other three seasons...and waiting... They would look so good in my bedroom.

I also finished two Cthulhu dolls for my husband. At least I thought I did, till I noticed the wings are missing. I'll have to do those soon so I can get this project out of the way. I gave some to his friends Christmas before last, and he's still waiting for his.

I've been working on Rose Quilt a bit. I'll post a pic when I finish the current square. I'm still working on the border right now. I had done some on the last square of my HAED RR, but I have to frog what I did.

Mom goes home tomorrow. It's been so nice having someone care for the baby all week--and getting several nights' sleep. Too bad my body doesn't know how to sleep the whole night through anymore.

Logan's wall decorations

My mom made this wall hanging for Logan. Isn't it cute? The animals were supposed to make a vertical stack, but I had more room horizontally. I had the idea to make blocks with the letters of his name, and Mom did a wonderful job. (I used mounting tape--I know it's going to be such a pain to get it off someday.)

Maggie the Messmaker update

I did a little bit on this piece. It's one of my two UFOs, and I'd like to get it done this year. I'll rotate it around, basically stitch on it until I feel like moving on (my screaming rotation). Matt reminded me about his Magnificent Wizard, which is the other UFO. If I can keep the number of new starts down this year, I may even be able to work on that one.

Next, I think, will be Rose and Butterfly Quilt again. After looking at my last pic, I realized I had forgotten to stitch part of the border on the last block. Oops!

Gaming: I am so excited about the new Stargate MMO, Stargate Worlds. I cannot wait to play this game. It's supposed to come out in the fall of this year. My stitching may take a beating. The last time I got obsessed with a game (2005), I didn't stitch for almost the entire year. What a tragedy!

Damier (Checkerboard) update

I decided to restart the piece on cream 32-count linen. I'll use the heart I already stitched to make a fob. Thanks, Cindy, for the reinforcement!

This is the first installment of the piece. There will be a new one each month for nine months. I really like it. Thanks, Nicki, for inspiring me to a new start (grumble). :-)

I replaced the ecru with white, and I'm using bright white instead of the regular one. I also outlined the snowman in light grey to make him stand out a little more.

I've also been stitching on Maggie the Messmaker and will take a pic when I'm ready to move onto something different.

Baby: The babysitter started Wednesday, and she's working out great. Logan hasn't had any extended screaming fits. Matt said to take notes as to what she's doing, but I also have to work. I think she has more patience than we do, for one thing. Mom's here for the week, and of course she loves playing with Logan. Matt and I are free for the week. Woohoo!

I need your opinion

I made the mistake of reading Nicki's blog and got tempted to start a sampler by Maryse. I started it on 28-count antique white Jobelan because that's what I had on hand. Now I'm thinking that's pretty boring fabric for it. I'd also like to go a smaller count, probably 32. Anyone have any suggestions? I haven't decided for sure I want to trash what I've done...just not sure at all.

Valentine exchange piece finished

I finished my piece for the Valentine exchange on the SBEBB, the last one. This time I did some hardanger, which is very nerve wracking for me when I start cutting threads. I think I was one thread off in a few spots, but I fudged it to where you can't tell at all. I also tried a finishing technique I had never done before, and I'm very satisfied with it. You'll see pics in another month or so. :-)

I still haven't received anything from the Birthday Club. Hm...

Happy birthday to me

I turned 38 today.... Matt's in the bedroom setting up my birthday present, a new flatscreen TV. I can finally retire the TV my dad gave me when I was a teenager. I remember he bought it at Sams on a whim, and he was so proud of it. I definitely got our money's worth out of it!

Yearly goals

It's that time of year again. Here's how I did, stitching-wise, in 2007 and what I hope to accomplish in 2008.

Pieces I finished in 2007:
Castle Sampler
Angel Procession
The Awakening
HAED round robin
Barnabee's Quest
Just Nan round robin (12 Days of Christmas Whimzi)
Daffodil Run
Porcelain Nosegay
Poor Jack
Horrified
My Stitching Treasures
Winter Stitches
Military Hummer
Princess and the Pea
Spring in the Garden
Thoughts of Mom
Baby's Birth Sampler
Boo Pumpkin
Spooky Time
Spooky Time!
Autumn Blessings
Celtic Knotwork Heart
The Earth (fob)

Stitching goals for 2007:
The Awakening--I did finish this piece.
Maggie the Messmaker--I didn't finish this piece, but I finished another UFO, so I consider this goal done.
Frame pieces--I only got a few pieces framed. It's too expensive to do them all.

Stitching goals for 2008:
Chatelaine's Rose and Butterfly Quilt
Maggie the Messmaker (one of two UFOs)
TrickORTreat (finishing)
MIL's piece (she almost finished it before she passed away)
At least 10 pages of any HAED


Here are my life goals, which are always more difficult to achieve.

Life goals for 2007:
Lose weight--Nope, but at least I didn't gain from my pregnancy.
Get pregnant--Yep! I have a beautiful boy to show for it, though the whole process was very long and painful. We're considering doing it again, but I would definitely need to lose weight. It was very rough on my body.
Move into a new house--No, because I got pregnant. This has been put on hold indefinitely
Work--Not resolved to my satisfaction. I need to do better at my job.

Life goals for 2008:
Lose weight--I'd like to lose at least 50 pounds. I need to lose more than that, but I'd be satisfied for now to lose 50 and keep it off. I've been trying to do this my entire life it seems.
Work--Try to do a better job and be happier with it. Working at home is great for being near Logan.

Block 4 HD, Rose Quilt

I finished block 4 of the Chatelaine Rose and Butterfly Quilt. I had a lot of frogging on this one, strangely. The series has ended, so now I need to catch up. There are 12 more blocks to go. This piece is going to be huge when I'm done. I'll probably need to turn it into a wall hanging, rather than frame it. As much as this kit cost, I'd like something "safer." Hmm.

I got the sad news that the Stitching Bloggers Exchange Board (SBEBB) is shutting down. We'll finish up the Valentine exchange I signed up for and that's it. Oh well, I can understand how Becky has real-life issues to deal with. It's probably best for me not to do exchanges right now anyway, but I have such trouble turning them down.

Baby: Logan did catch my cold or whatever it is. We took him to the doctor today (much crying), and he will be getting his first antibiotics for a red ear. Yet again, Matt has two of us to take care of, and during his Christmas vacation too. Have I mentioned I have the best husband ever?

Wii: Matt and I have been playing with the Wii. It's a lot of fun (even when I'm sick). Tennis and bowling are our favorites.

Merry Christmas!

Logan gave us his first laugh today, so we had a very good Christmas at home. He also rolled over onto his face, which he didn't care for very much, but it's progress. We're all doing well, other than me with a cold, but Logan hasn't caught it yet, thank goodness.

For Christmas, among other things, I got a V press in order to make my own frames. We always had trouble getting the corners just right, so this should help a lot. Matt makes the wooden frames with all his fancy power tools, and now I can put them together and lacquer them.

I'm still stitching on the next block of Chatelaine's Rose and Butterfly Quilt. I'll post a pic when I get done with it.

Castle Sampler HD

I'm done!!! Wow, I finished this one faster than I thought I would. I had to change the date from 2008 to 2007.

I stitched the kit and ran out of 11 colors, out of a total 57 colors (not much for a Teresa Wentzler). I had lots extra of two of the main colors. Whoever figured this kit out did a lousy job.

So now I guess I'll work on Chatelaine's Rose and Butterfly Quilt since I'm way behind. I'm also getting my materials together for the Valentine exchange on the SBEBB. I think I know what I want to stitch.

I go back to work tomorrow--a day and a half and then the Christmas break until January 2. Woohoo! That means I don't have to take care of Logan alone. He's a sweet baby, but the screaming really gets to me.

Birthday club exchange received

Sherry let me know that she received the items I sent her as part of the birthday club exchange (we did Christmas presents this year).

I stitched a Celtic Heart and a turtle scissor fob. I discovered how difficult it is to make a pillow ornament in an odd shape. I don't think I'll be doing that again. Sherry likes sea turtles, thus the little turtle on the fob.

I also included a Christmas chart, a bunch of the fibers it uses, and the charms and beads called for. Also, a candle, Christmas tree pin, and some Gingher scissors.

My birthday is December 31, so I haven't gotten my stuff yet. Can't wait!

This exchange has been fun, but I've bowed out for next year. I just don't think I'll have the time, and I hate the idea that I would forget someone's birthday (I'm really bad about dates).

SF and fantasy: We rented two discs of the TV series Firefly and really like it. I ordered it on DVD, along with the movie. I've also been reading Mercedes Lackey's Aerie, the fourth and last book in her Jousters series. (She is my favorite author.) I also discovered Carol Berg, so I'm having fun reading her books.

Castle Sampler update

I finished half the castle--the easier half. The center image is spread over four pages, so I still have two pages to go. Hopefully by the time you see another picture, it will be done! I may have to change the date from 2008 to 2007 on the piece, but that should be easy.

I'm trying to figure out what piece to do for the SBEBB Valentine exchange. I'm looking for just the right one.

One of those days

Ever have one of those days where everything goes wrong? First it's a bad day for Logan. He refuses to sleep and screams nonstop. That's enough to drive me up the wall, and right now we've averaging a bad day every other day.

I discovered that one of Matt's DVDs for Christmas might be scratched.

Anubis decides to puke, and where does he do it? On the felt tree skirt that can't be washed. Not to mention he's been playing with the balls on the Christmas tree all day.

Then we order pizza and they forget the sauce. Half an hour later the Pizzone is cold and no sauce. Finally at 7:30 p.m. we have new pizzas and sauce.

Before bed, I go into City of Heroes (a computer game) and somehow it sells a recipe I paid a million in game money for. That just does it! I think I'm going to bed before something else goes wrong.

Castle Sampler update

And again... I finished the inner border and started working on the sky of the castle scene.

I really should have decorated the Christmas tree today instead. Maybe tomorrow.

We survived the shots

Logan screamed his head off when he got his two-month shots and whined a little afterward, but he was OK otherwise. He was fussy that day, so I gave him some Baby Tylenol, which helped. I think I was more traumatized than he was.

We have an au pere coming in during the day while I work at home. That will start January 2. I'll go back to work two days before Christmas while Matt's home so I can start ramping up again. It will have been four and a half months off for me--before labor I was in constant pain, and after labor the kid had (has) me running around, so it's been no vacation.

Stats: 12 pounds 15 ounces, 75th percentile; 24.5 inches, 95th percentile; head size 90th percentile. He's a tall boy!

Castle Sampler update

I finished the final figure at the bottom, so that's a second border done. I'll work on the innermost border next. It looks pretty straight-forward, so it shouldn't take too long. The castle will, I'm sure.

I've uploaded a pic of Angel of Summer, which is a gift for my mom. She can choose whether she wants to see it now or not.

I bought some clay cat ornaments from Lori (see pics below). They are: Anubis, Hathor, Horus (our kitty who died last year), Fancy (my mom's), and a calico for my boss. Let me know if you need Lori's contact information. She's selling them on the Wagon BB. See a bigger pic.

Baby: Logan gets his two months' shots tomorrow. I'm so not looking forward to that. I hope they don't make him feel too bad afterwards.

Castle Sampler update and framed pics

Here's the latest on Castle Sampler. I finished up the trio of musicians in the middle. Now onto the lady. I think I've enjoyed the border on this piece the most. I can take it anywhere since it's on my small Qsnaps and work on it whenever I get a minute. I'm looking forward to working on the inner border. Not so much the castle because I know that will be mostly grays.

Also, they seriously underestimated the floss needed for this kit. I've run out of several colors. While I don't scrimp with floss, I'm also not wasteful with it either.

Matt picked up some framed pieces from the sort-of-LNS yesterday. Below are pictures of three petit point cats I stitched last year (40 count). I haven't figured out where to put them yet. Since Blogger's acting up again, here's a link to the big pic.

I also got the L&L Angel of Summer I finished last year framed for my mom for Christmas. I won't see her until January, so she'll get it then.

Remember that the Chatelaine Advent Calendar has begun! Go to the Support Group and join to get free patterns or other goodies Martina posts.

Christmas: I've gotten most of my Christmas shopping done online. There are just a few things I still need, so I'm venturing out this morning while Matt watches Logan.

Baby: We met the prospective au pere Wednesday. I'm still waiting on references from her before we offer her the job. She told me some things about one of the daycare places she worked for in town. The babies spend most of their time in bouncers and have one person for four children. Logan would be so unhappy and scream all day. I really hope I can avoid that.

Neopets: It's the Month of Celebrating, so that means the advent calendar is open.