Life is better

 On January 1st I started the annual New Year SAL project.  This time we picked a small, easier project.  I managed to get in done in January as well which was a change (lol)

Life is Better

Lizzie Kate

28 count mystery fabric

DMC

Action packed

It has been a busy month.. and a bit.

On the 9^th I went to see my parents, during this visit we planned a day trip.  My aunt joined us as we went on the 1000 Island Cruises Lost ships of the 1000 Islands cruise.  It was a little cool and windy for the first part of the trip but was bright and sunny by the time we got back.  This cruise does not include a stop at the restored Boldt Castle but it did go around it.  It was very pretty but I am not sure of the practicality of living in a castle in the middle of a river.

After the cruise we enjoyed a lovely bbq and visit.  And the next day I returned home.

I had a fairly quiet weekend the next week.  A friend and I went to see Wind River and to lunch.  The movie was excellent though the subject matter is not for everyone. 

On the 20^th I took the train from Ottawa to Toronto where for the first time I went to Union Station before getting on the GO train and heading to Burlington.  Why would I go there you might ask?  I had a work meeting the next day but had a lovely dinner and walk along the pier.  After my meeting I got back on the GO and headed off to Oshawa to meet Bonnie.  We spent a few days in Toronto going to the Royal Ontario Museum and doing some shopping.  On Saturday morning we went to Gitta’s where we met friends for stash shopping and lunch. 

It was a packed few days, the weather was hot and not at all normal for the time of year.  Still we had a great time and managed to do almost everything on our list.

I headed home on Sunday very tired.

The last weekend of September was the Cataraqui Embroidery Guild Marketplace and Show in Kingston.  Dani and I headed down for the day and had lovely afternoon/evening visit with local stitching friends before we headed back home.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving (Canadian) and once again I travelled to see my parents.  On Saturday my aunt joined us for dinner and then I made her help identify some old photos.  We seem to have a lot with no names or the “grandma and I”. …. Not helpful!  They will be labeled shortly and I have scanned them as well.

We went to see another aunt for a large meal on Sunday before I was back home on Monday morning.

So much travelling and many things going on! This is not normal for me and I am ready for a few weekends at home.

I have managed to do a little stitching and have been trying to make progress on the stash zone:

Added some drawers to the stash zone

Touching the Autumn Sky

Started the second page on Cougar kitten

Blackstone Fantasy Garden

Second round of Serenity prayer

Merry Ho Ho Lizzie Kate

Finish Squared

April was a busy month but I managed to get some stitching done.

First, Wedding Row by Bent Creek.   I stitched this for one of the librarians at work, it was a challenge making the greens work the way I wanted them to.

Wedding row

Bent Creek

28 count white

Swirls 4066 DMC, letter 3348 DMC, hearts 3733 DMC

I also finished Lizzie Kate's One hundred years which is going to be a Christmas gift.

One hundred years

Lizzie Kate

28 count unknown Silkweaver

Recommended threads

The Good, the Bad and the Devastating

The Bad

It has been ages since I blogged!  I need like a reminder or something that says "you thought about it but didn't actually do it".

I apologize for the bad blogging habits and will attempt to do better.

Pinky swear

The Good

So the reason for the blog.  

Stitching!!!  

Serenity Prayer is back from the framer.  I am awaiting word on what my brother thinks, I have not seen him since it was finished.

I did a little on Bees Knees (Ink Circles) - I'm turning the corner. (I'm sure there should be some sort of joke here)

I started One hundred years (Lizzie Kate).  This is going to be a gift and has moved along well.

One of my Librarians at work is getting married this summer and I decided that I would surprise her with a stitched piece. I decided on Wedding Row (Bent Creek).  I am at about the half way point - this picture is from the weekend.

I have a new start waiting for when Row is done.  It is Winter tree silhouette by Artecy.com.  Hoping to get that started later this month.

I have also been poking at the stash zone - I got all the drawers installed in the cubes and have been organizing my threads.  

Still lots to do.  

The Devastating

In late March my mother's oldest sister lost her battle with cancer and passed away.  There was a lovely Celebration of Life for her on April the 10th that was a reflection of the kind, wonderful well-loved woman she was.  

It was at this gathering that I saw my Uncle (mom's oldest brother) who passed away last night. It was very sudden, and unexpected. 

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal
Until we meet again

Life moments

Last month at work we marked two retirements at work. 

One I had nothing to do with the planning/gift of.  In fact I really didn't have much to do with the whole thing.

For the other person I decided to make a little something.  I only had a few weeks to put something together.

 Life is not measured

Lizzie Kate

32ct.lambswool with DMC

I received a very lovely thank you card from the recipient; she was very touched to received it.  Totally makes giving a stitched gift worth it.

Jingles all the way

It's Christmas is July!

I have finished all the Jingles by Lizzie Kate.  I am not sure yet how I want to finish them so to the finished bin they go

I'm not 100% sure what I want to focus on next.  I have a couple of ideas but am having a hard time settling on one.  I might start by picking my aunt's ornament for this year and getting that out of the way.

For the first time in forever - a post

Here we are at the end of June.  The line up at the bus station for bus passes/tickets was HUGE when I was by this afternoon.

I have been truly horrible at doing blog posts this month, and this time it wasn't because I wasn't stitching.  My stitching mojo has been low this spring but it seems to be returning. 

I have managed to get stitching done this month.  I have even finished a couple Crazy Starts from 2014 and one from this year.  

2014 Crazy Start

 Deck the halls

Lizzie Kate Jingles

32 count Ivory joblean

DMC threads

2014 Crazy Start

 HoHoHoHoliday

Lizzie Kate Jingles

32 count Ivory joblean

DMC threads

 Noel

Lizzie Kate Jingles

32 count Ivory joblean

DMC threads

Wait til Dec 25

Lizzie Kate Jingles

32 count Ivory joblean

DMC threads

 

Feather and Ink well

Online pattern

DMC thread 310, 553 and 4215

I also did a little more on Plum Pudding, it was a good travel piece when I went to visit the parents earlier this month.

Plum pudding

I have one more crazy start from 2014: Serenity Prayer.  I haven't worked on that in awhile but it's not my oldest piece.  That would be Tour des Marques from back in like 2007, it was a SAL and I'm the only one still working on it.  

 

August TUSAL

I'm a bit late doing the August TUSAL, it was supposed to be done Monday but I couldn't think of what to do for the picture.

Today is Smalls SAL. I do have an ornament finished this time! I'm also working on the next one in the Jingles set.

On the way home I decided to do both together, as I still can not think of what to do for TUSAL. Two birds and all that

The ornament is Cheer from Lizzie Kate stitched using DMC.

March Smalls SAL

Here we are the last Wednesday of March.

Still lots of snow on the ground, and it's still below freezing so you would never know it's spring.

I did manage to get my ornament done for this month

Silent night

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

32 ct. Ivory Jobelan

DMC recommended thread

List done

I decided in November that I wanted to stitch Lizzie Kate's My to do list before the end of the year.  My non-blog friend Tracey had purchased the pattern and threads for my birthday.

Bonnie and I decided to start Christmas Day.  Bonnie was feeling under the weather and didn't manage to start but I did.  It is now finished:

My to do list

Lizzie Kate

c2013

stitched on 32ct Mushroom lugana

with recommended threads

On the horizon: To Do

I've been thinking ahead to next projects.  Which seems kind of silly when I think about the projects I already have on the go - but what the heck

This project is fairly small and I don't think it will take too long to stitch.  

I already had the fabric in the stash and Tracey was nice enough to kit the thread as part of my birthday present.  

So - hopefully My To Do List will get done sometime soon.

Dancin'

I have a happy dance to share with you.

I actually was going to post this Thursday but got busy.  The photo isn't the best but the camera battery died and I wanted to do this before I forgot again.

Dance in the rain

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on 32 ct. Mushroom Lugana

With DMC threads