Maple leaf progress

Spent a whole lot of my day today on the computer and then had company, so didn't have too much time to stitch during the day today, therefore I put my ornaments on hold.  I kept my maple leaf in the qsnaps and worked on that tonight...but I'm not sure when the daily cut off is on blogger, so I didn't want to post any later, in case I missed today's deadline for posting.  So here I am...still want to stitch for another couple of hours tonight.  But so far so good....

...I'm watching The Devil Wears Prada, one of my fav girl movies, and then after that Confessions of a Shoploholic is on...so I may watch that and stitch into that as well.  We'll see. 

Tomorrow Mary Margaret's up again. wooo hoooo!  Monday I'll throw an ornie in the mix. :)

Busy stitching....

My project is so snuggly perfect in my qsnaps at the moment that I don't want to take it out to scan it.  Hubby took the camera with him on his weekend hunt, so I don't have a pic to take, so again, this is a post without a picture.  :(  But tomorrow I will definitely scan in the progress on my maple leaf and perhaps a finish of an ornament. I've got two that I would like to stitch up tomorrow.  (sounds a little optimistic, I know, but I'm going to try) 

I've been seeing all the lovely uploads at Becky's ornament challenge and I'm thinking that I am already falling behind.  They are all so beautiful though and I want to stitch all of those too.  Oh my...I really do get swayed by peer pressure. LOL

No stitching last night

Once I finished posting here last night, I did a little bit of surfing and taking my turn at my game obsessing on Facebook "Words with Friends"  I'm playing with 7 people and I love it.  It's not a big committment each day either, cause you play your word and wait for your partner to do theirs, and that be whether they are on next, or when they feel like it.  So it's great.  Perfect for me.  I did my surfing...looking at stitching sites, stitching blogs, making a list of everything that catches my eye. (my list is very long!!!) But when I do some stash shopping I always cross off a couple of items.  Enabler's...that's what you all are!  LOL

Then when I was done at the computer I sat down and pulled out all of my JCS Christmas Issues with a pad of stickie notes and marked off all the ornies that I would like to stitch out of those.   ummmm....I wonder how many trees I can fit in my house?  There are some that I have literally wanted to stitch for YEARS and never did...so I think that I might concentrate on those for a while...but then I also want to stitch all the LHN ornies...seeing as I have all of them....and then there's the ....... oh it's no use...there will always the something that I want to stitch and never get around too.  So we'll just all have to wait and see what hit's my fancy when I sit down for some ornie stitching again.  Which I think will be this weekend.  Snow is predicted for tonight and into tomorrow, which will mean the hubby is going out into the wild blue yonder to hunt.  He has his hobbies...I have mine!  LOL  It all even's out in the end.

I've got emails to catch up on too...so if you are waiting for one from me, I'll get to them this weekend.  :)

All the pretty colors...

I did some stitching last night while hubby watched the hockey game...which was a disaster for our team...so we only watched part of it, so I didn't get as much done as I wanted to...but still enough to make a post for my second November post.  hehehe  I'm hoping to get more stitching tonight. Adding some yellow to the mix tonight. 

I love this project!

Do I Dare take the Challenge?

I've never done it before and I don't know if I will be able to post every day in November....but I think I can give it a try...I just don't know if my life is interesting enough to talk about every day.  Mind you I have lots of pics that I can share thru the month.  Hey I haven't shown my Yellowstone pictures yet from August...(I just heard a whole choir of groans from you all! LOL)  I'm sure that I will think of something to write about. (or bitch about) I'll try it!

Today is All Saint's day....so to those of my loved ones (and yours) that have gone before us...you are remembered and loved forever!

A start, A finish and A sweater

So had a great week of stitching.  Lots going on on the home front too.  Bought new bedroom furniture, so that means that cleaning out the old furniture, cleaning the nooks and crannies and places that you don't normally clean until the room is empty or furniture is moved.  So there was dusting and vacuuming and carpet cleaning going on.  EEK!  Lot's of decluttering too.  Deciding what to keep out and what to put away and get rid off.  But it will all be good...soon...I hope! 

But in the mean time I did get an ornie finished. One of my favorites from the JCS ornie issue this year.  You can't tell from the scan but the red and the silver dots are shiny with Kreinek thread, and it's soooo pretty in person.

Christmas Tree Cat by Brittercup Designs from JCS 2011 Ornie Issue

I also started a new project...thanks to Dani for letting me borrow this, as I searched high and low for this chart and it turns out it was OOP...Dani has it beautifully pictured in her banner on her blog.  It's MacDonald's Maple Leaf and the colours are amazing on this project!!!  I love how it's coming along, and can't wait to get at it again.

Then on Sunday is our SAL with Kati!  Very excited about Mary Margaret!  And I finished her sweater so on to other things next Sunday.  (Oh Ick!  I didn't see that streak from the scan!!! too lazy to rescan)

Tomorrow is the start of the Christmas Ornament Challenge that Becky has started.  So all the ornaments that I stitch from now until December 31st are going to be posted there as well.  I'm happy about that :)  I love my ornies!!!!

Drive by orting!

I have a busy night so this will be quick, I just wanted to post my ort jar for this month.

I wore this mask as part of my halloween costume last year and I still love it....however this year....Egyptian Queen!  LOL

Have a great weekend!

Welcome Mary Margaret...

Or at least what little there is of her!  I had planned a full day of stitching from morning until night yesterday.  But alas, it was not to be.  Saturday we were out in the yard, raking and pulling out everything out of the flower beds, cleaning out the pots and containers.  Which is all well and good, and it all looks wonderful! (I love the fall clean up!) Unfortunately, regardless of the allergy pill that I had taken on Saturday.  I woke up on Sunday morning with a huge headache from sinus pressure, with my face and eyes all swollen. booo hooo!  So after a couple of hours of struggling to get rid of the headache.  I just ended up taking another allergy pill and laid back down and slept until 4 in the afternoon.  I NEVER do that!  But I did wake up feeling better.  So it helped.  Still a little swollen around the eyes today, but at least I don't look like I got attacked by a swarm of bees anymore.  So this is what I managed on Mary Margaret last night for a couple of hours.  She is going to be so much fun to stitch! YEAH!

I also had a little ornie finish from last week. I thought this turned out pretty.  I don't know what fabric this is, or what shade it is.  I know that's it's 28ct but I don't know anything else, it was in the scrap drawer, but it was perfect for this piece :)

Fresh Fallen Snow by Little House Needleworks - from 2011 JCS Ornie issue

I am going to be starting a new project this week as well.  First I am part way through another ornie and then I'm starting.  I have everything ready to go, so it's just a matter of starting it.  I'm excited about that piece too :)

Another smile from Lulu!

Loving my smalls

It's been so long since I've stitched little ones in a row that I forgot how much I love it!  I think I should just do ornies all year long and nothing in between (accept for my Sunday SAL)  but that's not practical, and I would get sick of the smalls at that point. Right now though I am enjoying...and have to look to see when I'll find time to get them all finished for the tree!  Sometime in November, I'll take a weekend during hunting season and just sit with the sew machine and the baubles and get them done.  It'll be fun!

Kati and I have decided that we are going to start Mary Margaret this coming Sunday so I got a chance to do a little extra Sunday stitching on my ornies, and this is my progress for last week. Three little happy dances! YEAH

Joy of the Snowflake - Little by Little Design Co. 2011 JCS ornie issue

Partridge 2011 - janie Hubble Designs - 2011 JCS ornie issue

Deer in the Forest - Niky's Creations - 2011 JCS ornie issue

So Sunday I got up a little earlier than usual...not sure why, was just up...and turned on the tv.  Nothing on so I settle on the Food Network.  Low and behold my old friend, whom I haven't watched in a long time was on...The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.  Watched two episodes, back to back and was literally craving every single one of her pasta dishes!  As the day goes by I think to myself I need to go to the bookstore to pick up one of her cookbooks, just to take a peek.  She doesn't use too many weird spices and seasonings....most of her food I would probably eat, if given the chance.  So off I went...me and my little plum rewards card.  Well I came home with not one, not two, but three of her cookbooks.  And even that took me an hour to decide which ones I wanted...because I really did just want one...but everything looked so good!  Magazine section...picked up a couple of stitching magazines as well.  NICE!  And I can't remember whether it was US or People but it had Amanda Cox on the cover.  YEP  But ladies...be proud...when then offered my the furry blankie for $30 because I spent more than $50...I refused!  LOL  Now that's will-power!  Don't you agree?  So now I'm looking thru these books and yes, I can cook almost all of these recipes...and yes I will probably eat them...and yes perhaps my Hungarian husband will appreciate them as well...but WHEN WILL I HAVE TIME???  Moral of the story...never watch the food network followed up by the bookstore, when HUNGRY!  Geesh! 

Seriously though, I would love to do the Julie/Julia thing and cook and bake everything in them.  Plus her other books as well.  Aaawwwww if only life would allow suck indulgences.

oops  I almost forgot!  I also bought a brie baker!  I don't even know why!!

It's a two steppin' kind a day!

Yep, that's right.  I am dancing...not just for one finish..but two! 

Elizabeth is done in all of her mouthless glory!  I love her!  The picture doesn't do her any justice...as well all know...known of our stitched offerings look as fabulous as the do in person..try as we might.  But the colours are a gorgeous compliment to each other.  The dress took almost three whole days of stitching to do.  It was very misleading...but it's done and it's great and I love her hair and everything about her.  Next up will be the next girl in the CHS series.  We have decided on Mary Margaret, whom you can see in my side bar.  Not sure if we're starting her next Sunday or the Sunday after, but progress will be posted as we move along.

Elizabeth by Carriage House Samplings - stitched on 32 ct Goldspinner lugana by Silkweavers

On Saturday I stitched up Jaxon's first ornie!  YEAH!!!  I think it turned out so cute.  My SIL - Judy - aka Gramma is stitching Jaxon's stocking, and I plucked this out of the design, so that he would have a matching ornament for his first Christmas. :)  I love how he turned out.  I shall post the stocking when Judy is finished with it. :)

Dancing penguin by Linda Gillum stitched on 28 ct white lugana

We had a houseful of people yesterday.  Family gathered for our Canadian Thanksgiving.  The food was wonderful, everyone was in good spirits, and Jaxon learned how to slap the table to order himself a drink at the bar, should he ever be in need of a refreshment.  VERY CUTE!  Lulu was also on her best behaviour and in all her glory as there were many hands to pet and cuddle her. 

Did I mention that Lulu actually smiles??  LOL



Sept. Ort report/Lizzie update

It's SAL update post time.  Both for the TUSAL and for Elizabeth, that I have been sadly neglecting!  Sorry KATI!!!  But CONGRATS to Kati for finished Elizabeth!  She looks fantastic.  I've still got about 2 weekends of go on her I think, so she'll have a couple of free Sundays until with start our 3rd girl...and I think we mutually voted for Mary Margaret :)  YEAH!  So she'll be the next one.  Can't wait to start her and with Kati finishing and with the next one all picked out..it just motivates me to get Elizabeth finished!

I have all my holiday JCS magazines now...the Halloween edition and the Christmas Ornie edition, and I also splurged and for the Halloween collection from JCS so I have been oggling and putting stickies all over the pages picking out the one sthat I want to stitch.  So much to stitch, so much I want to do and get done, and so little time.  but as I was telling Kati, life should be slowing down for me a little now.  Hubby will be off working out of town now and then.  then there's hunting season, where he'll be gone on weekends, and at least one week in November.  And then there's hockey season....that's a lot of time in front of the tv not having to pay too much attention.  LOL  Just don't tell him that.  so I'm thinking that I should be able to catch up on some of the stitching that I've been lax on during the summer.

I found tinkerbell on sale for an unbelievable price and I couldn't let her just sit in the sales bin and wait for someone else to take her.  And as she is my favorite disney character, I brought her home!  she's just so pretty!

Look at my Lu-lu.  She turned 1 at the end of August she's my living doll!!! I just had to share :)

Spirit of the Sockeye ...and other stuff

Here she is!  Isn't she lovely!  Oh my gosh, this picture and no picture that I could ever take will do this piece justice!  It is shockingly beautiful in person...and I'm so proud to say that sockeye is finally finished.  I got some stitching time in this past weekend and finished it up.  I love it!

Spirit of the Sockeye - Stitching Studio - 28 count Black Lugana

I also had a good day of stitching on Sunday and worked on my SAL piece with Kati!  Elizabeth is coming along.  I think I'll actually be starting the stitches on Liz soon, but I want to do the bird's nest first.  Hubby and I are going camping this long weekend, so hopefully while he's fishing out on the boat I'll be able to stitch on Sunday out in the sun :)  Sounds like a nice plan.

My Tusal is not as pathetic as it was last month.  Thank you very much!  LOL

We have had the most amazing summer, with trips and camping.  I'll fill you all in soon with loads of pics.  We took full advantage of the freedoms we have in our lives and just did summer!  LOL

Ort and Run

Goodness gracious!  It's been a month since I've posted!  I haven't done much stitching at all since the last TUSAL  in fact if I put it in my big ort jar you wouldn't even be able to tell....so this is the little container that I have at my stitching chair that I pop them into as I stitch and then transfer it to the big jar at picture time.

EEEKKKK!!!  That's a little embarrassing!  But hey, I was away on vacation for 10 days, then two full weekends we were away camping and boating on the lake! AAHHHH  it's wonderful!  I figure we have months and months and months of cold weather here in Alberta....I can stitch then.  Not to say that I won't be stitching, because I plan on sitting down and stitching tonight.  I have to get Sockeye finished...because I have a FABULOUS chart that I have been dying to stitch and is OOP...but Dani was wonderful enough to lend it to me.  So I want to get started on that as soon as sockeye is done!  WOO HOOO  Poor Elizabeth! I haven't had a Sunday available to stitch on her.  We aren't planning on going away this weekend, so maybe this Sunday coming up  :)

July Tusal, SAL update

Well we went camping this past weekend again and it was wonderful!!  Oh my gosh, I just love it out by the water and when it's warm and sunny it's even better!  Hubby got a bad burn on his legs though, which isn't good...he's being a big baby about it actually, but that's ok...it's no different than when he has a cold, or stubbed his toe.  LOL  but a combination of the sun, and him cooking at the campfire, his shins got the worst of it.  Never mind that I told him several times to put on sunscreen...gee...I don't sound to sympathatic do I?  And I am...really!

We got home on Sunday afternoon and after unpacking and taking a nice long cooling shower, I sat and managed to get some stitching done while hubby napped. :)  I chose to continue on with the border because it's relatively simple stitching without having to follow the chart at the time.  So I'll finish that up next Sunday, if I get a chance to stitch.  The Stampede starts on Friday, and we are hoping to go down to the grounds on Sunday to pick out an ornament and have some bbq beef on a bun...yummmmm...and little donuts!!  wooo hooo

The threads I added to the tusal jar this month are basically from Elizabeth...a think a few threads from the beginning are from Sockeye, but I haven't worked on Sockeye in a few weeks now.  Maybe tonight.