HAPPY NEW YEAR

I wish everyone a wonderful 2009 filled with only the best things that life has to offer.

Soon, we will start the New Year's Eve festivities and I will be content sitting, knitting and cross stitching. Aren't I such fun to be around????? Just a regular partier lol.

As for today, I went to the doctor for the dreaded sinus infection saga. Me thinks it is a tradition now as for the past 3 New Years I have had them. Always starting on the same day and on the 31st I go to doc. Told him I will make advance reservations for next year lol.

Other than that my doggie is close to receiving a sweater in the next few hours. I could have knitted the whole thing while waiting for the doc. lol. A little bit of the front is left and then the armholes and the sewing. Will post pics soon.

Happy 2009 Stitching.........

Chick with Four Sticks

That is probably what I will have to rename my blog if I continue keeping company with my knitting needles, cable needle and crochet hook. So far this afternoon moving those sticks is all I have done.

Without further ado, here is a picture of my newest knitting project .... Doggie Sweater .... Although the yarn looks purple like my capelet, it is really an old country blue. I think that the lighting for the photo is bad and that is why the color is off.

As you can tell, I have a penchant for cables. Okay..... I am addicted to cables. I really enjoy creating cables and I find this sweater a wonderful process piece where I am able to sharpen my basic cable skills. My hope is to have the sweater finished by Wednesday so my handsome doggie can model it on New Year's Eve. Once it is finished I will steam press myself as it is a small clothing item.

Happy stitches...........

Ramblings From This Morning

Got a few things done this morning which were very worthwhile.

• I mailed off my exchange piece to my partner. This proved to be a challenge, especially with the Priority Flat Rate International Mailer. Although I managed to stuff the envelope silly with all the rearranging I did one of the small packages still didn't fit. At that point, the pretty wrapping was practically destroyed. I went and mailed that one off while holding on to the smaller, lighter gift. Then I went to a shop, purchased a padded envelope, tissue wrap and proceeded to stuff that one too and mailed it.
  
  My rant is that there is no way 4 pounds is going to fit into that Priority envelope. No way no how, because I don't believe that envelope can hold 4 pounds. My envelope barely held a pound and the side-seams were bursting! Thankfully the exchange piece made it, but I was scared it would pop off the side seams off the envelope. I guess that I was extremely lucky because the clerk put clear tape on the lid and the sides.
  
  My final thought is that Priority Mailer may not be all it is cracked up to be. Sure it is great for magazines, and heavy flat items, but I think that if I send "fluffy" stuff, I may be better off sending a padded envelope filled with light stuff.

• Finally purchased an ornament tree holder. Remember the shop where I purchased the padded envelope? Well, they must have known I was coming because near the office supply section was an area where they had racks and displays. On the floor was a beautiful silver-wire ornament holder in the shape of a Christmas Tree. There is space for 12 ornaments, but I will add a few on the branches as well. This tree will display my 2009 Christmas Ornaments. Will post picture soon.

• Then it was coat shopping and I think I did well, althought the item I selected was not on sale. How does that happen, when there is an 80% off sale going on at the coat shoppe? Beats me. I still got it because it was a "need item" for my little one. It was the perfect size and still affordable.

Today, I will start knitting my dog's sweater. The yarn was in my stash from long ago so it is a sign. The pattern is a Fisherman's cable. I really like cables so it will be another experience piece for me. Will post picture as soon as I can.

All in all, it was a great day. Got alot of things done and have learned a few shipping tricks for my next go around.

Warm stitches................

Stash Shopping Over the Weekend

On Friday my LNS had a sale on fabric and charts. Since I am not one to pass up a really good sale, I went and picked up about 9 pieces of ornament-sized fabric which will come in handy for 2009's Christmas ornaments. A few hand-dyed flosses went into my basket as well as my first Barbara Ana design, "Santa Paws Biscornu". I really like the lettering on that design.

Today, I picked up 6 skeins of Bernat yarn, a cross stitch magazine, a pair of size 8 , 16 in. circular needles and a couple of frames at Michaels.

I am seriously considering stitching out of my stash and any freebie that I might like online in 2009. There is an online messageboard http://thewagon.yuku.com/directory which I have found very helpful at times of indecision. Right now, I find myself being a "moderate". I don't think I could ever be "celibate" as the UK cross stitch mags are always a weakness of mine. Let's face it, any well made cross stitch magazine is a weakness of mine.

Then there is eBay..... I confess.... I have been eBaying. My lastest purchases have been 2 gingher scissors and the most coveted, "Cinders" by P.Buckley Moss. For years I have desired "Cinders", now in a few days, it will be here.

In 2009 I will most likely purchase Mirabilia's, "Christmas Flourishes" and "Holly". Along with that will most likely be Lizzie*Kate's 2009 Flip It's Halloween series. Those really call to me.
Once I get all of my scissors together, I will gladly take pictures of them and show you my collection. They are another weakness of mine.

Hope to get lots of stitching done this week as I am on vacation. A stay-at-home vacation which in a sense is the best thing for me right now. Lots of going through my stash and picking the right projects time. Thrilled to be able to relax.

Wishing you lots of stitching time.........

Voila !!!! The Capelet is Finished !!!!

How exciting to have finished my capelet. It is soooooo beautiful. I can't believe I finished it.
This project has definitely taught me much more patience and discipline. Both lessons I will take with me into 2009.

Lately, as I have written, my thoughts have focused on my crafting 2009 goals. With the New Year fast approaching, I want to set a few guidelines for myself so I may not only enjoy crafting but actually produce items for my enjoyment. In 2008 I did not set any real goals and found myself severely upset at not having handmade items for my closest family. Little did I know that a few had hopes of receiving a token or two.

This year I realized that there are lots of people who value my crafted items and that wish to own a few pieces. It is a great feeling to be able to pass on heirlooms. But, first I have to make them. In 2oo9 I will make a couple of gift items.

• Christmas stocking
• scarf
• hat (something new....I have never made a hat before).

Cross Stitching:

• Disney Neighborhood R & R
• Christmas Stocking (same as above)
• At least 6 Christmas Ornaments for myself
• Seasonal Personal Cross Stitch Exchange piece

Knitting & Crochet:

• Hat (as above for gift)
• Scarf (as above for gift)
• a couple of scarves for me
• another scarf as a gift for my BFF
• other projects as they come up

Of course all of these projects will not be started at the same time or due at the same time, but I will work on them one at a time. I will be dedicated to crafting an hour a day, whether it be knitting in the car, or waking up half an hour earlier and crocheting during my lunch hour. Somehow, I will find the way to make the time to do something for me. That is my biggest goal.

Till tomorrow, stitch well.....

Following Directions

Do you read all the directions when starting a project? I bet everyone pretty much does. Now, following the directions is a different story altogether.

When I started the capelet (yes, another capelet story), I read all the directions, figured almost everything out and started on it. There was one item that didn't quite make sense, but I kept going row after row, until 14 rows from the end it strikes me.....like lightning, like the first electric spark pulsing through the fuse box into my fingers, the AHA moment which turns on the bulb in my brain.

I could defend myself and say I did not know or understand the instructions, but in all honesty, I have to admit I did not follow the directions. The part that escaped me was "knit unto smaller circular needles". My mistake was assuming they meant smaller-sized needles, which I did. Experience has now taught me that they meant LENGTHWISE, not diameter wise. How did I learn this....with 14 rows to the end, I can't knit anymore, the neck area is so stretched out along the circular needle cord, that the stitches don't make it to each end.

Now, I know. Experience has taught me not only to read the directions, but to follow them as well. Tomorrow I will go and pick up another set of shorter circular needles to finish my capelet.

Off I go to cross stitch. Later today I will share with you a much better plan of my goals for 2009.

Wishing you experienced stitches.....

Happy Holidays... Happy Holidays

To all who celebrate the Christmas holiday.

Happy Holidays to all who come and share in my blog.

Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all.

May the holidays be a source of good cheer for all.

To those shopping for great After Christmas Sale deals....lots of luck, patience and stamina.

Stitch in love.........

Capelet Homestretch

My Christmas gift to myself was finding that I was further along on my capelet than I thought. WhooHooo....10 rows ahead, which has officially placed me in the homestretch with about 60 rows to go. Not to fear, I am on the decreasing portion, so every fourth row or so, I will decrease 36 stitches. At the end, I will only have about 70 stitches left on each row. That is not much for me especially since they are mostly knit stitches and cables.

Once I finish the capelet, I will most likely start a sweater for the pooch. Yes, that cream colored angel that protects all of my crafts. He is blowing his coat these days and there is white hair all over the place when he shakes. It's like a snowstorm.

Speaking of snowstorms, we got quite a few snowflakes in our area. My poochies first snowstorm. He loved it! What a riot when he trotted through the snow. He kept eating the snow that he thought was getting away. He is a hoot.

Other than that it seems that my projects are lining themselves up for 2009.

• Sweater for poochie
• Christmas Cross Stitch Stocking for a very special person
• Scarf for another very special person
• Disney Neighborhood R & R
• Personal Seasonal Cross Stitch Exchange

So far, so good. I am seriously thinking about stitching Lizzie*Kate's 2009 Double Flips. Next year it will be Halloween themed. I really think that they are soooooo cute. Should I start a SAL next year for it? Let's see....I think that it would be a great idea.

Another thing that is on my mind is making this blog better. I want to blog more next year and post more pictures of my projects. I love to see the day by day progress of projects. I think that it brings them to life. Not only that, but my foreign friends would be able to see pictures of my work and maybe identify with my blog a bit better.

My LNS is having an After Christmas Day Sale on leaflets, kits and selected fabrics. I expect to pass by and pick up some fabric. I am going to need to replace the Jobelan that I will use for the Christmas stocking. I don't expect that she will have the Lizzie*Kate 2009 Double Flips in yet. That would be great if she did. Maybe I could pick up a few of the 2008 Christmas Double Flips as well. There were a few that I really liked of that series and others that were not my cup of tea. So, let's see what happens.

Feeling a bit chatty today. Hopefully this state of mind will continue into 2009 so that my blogging become a bit more dependable.

Finally, and most importantly, I wish to thank everyone that passes by my blog. I see that a few international readers drop by and I do hope that in someway, they enjoy their stay even though I have not translated my site in another language. For my domestic readers, thanks for spending a bit of your time with me. Words cannot express my gratitude to all that take a bit of their day to read of my crafting adentures. Please feel free to leave a comment or two, knowing that I will answer them in the comments section as well.

Stitch one, stitch two.......

First Snip Hurts the Deepest

Item identity of "orphan" in this blog article has been protected so that my Christmas exchange partner will not guess at her gift. Once my exchange partner receives her item, pictures will be posted and all mysteries will be solved.

Have you ever purchased something that just called to you and you knew you would never use it, but just had to have it? That "just because" crafter's purchase. Well, that is exactly what happened to me two weeks ago. After looking throughout the store, and proceeding to the exit empty handed, I turned to see a table filled with many red boxes. Hmmmmmm, very festive set up, so I went to take a looksie.

Ahhhhhh.....how pretty. So many to choose from. I know what they are for, but am I going to use them? Hmmmmmm, yup, it's happened before, not buying something and later hoping I had. What was I to do? Well, of course, I purchased 2 sets of two designs that I loved and an extra of one that truly called to me, even though, that one I really really knew I would probably not have use for, but it was soooooo pretty. I couldn't leave it behind, so it came home with me as an "orphan".

(Now, before anyone thinks I am spending hundreds of dollars here, the total of this purchase came to less than $15.00 for 7 really nice crafting items. Yes, you know me too well, they were also on sale. There are very few things that I don't buy on sale. I use all my craft shop coupons wisely and often.)

Fast forward...two weeks later...with my Christmas Exchange cross stitched piece screaming to be finished, I remember the "orphan". Could it be? Do you think? Is it possible????? YEESSSS!!! Perfect, perfect combination!!!!

So there I am eyeballing all of the measurements sans tools and decide to start cutting the stitched fabric. OUCH, OWIE... the first snip hurts the deepest. All I could think of was to breathe deeply, in and out. Many snips and an almost nervous breakdown later, the item is finished!

In a few days, I will send the item to its new home.

Keep stitching....

Stitching Complete

Yip! Yip!! Finally, the stitching is complete on my Christmas exchange piece. Now the only thing that is left is the finishing. Everyone that has seen it thinks that it is very cute and sweet.
It looks wonderful, even if I say so myself.

On the capelet front, it has grown even more. So much so that a circular picture is almost impossible to take of it. I will need to see how to showcase it best on the blog. Soon, it will be finished and I will take it to the dry cleaner to have it steam-pressed. It will definitely be a thrill to wear it.

Stitchy nite nite......

2009 Goals

Yup, it is that time again. Hmmmmmmm. I still have no idea what all of my goals will be. Here are just a few of them in no particular order:

• Disney Neighborhood RR
• One Christmas Ornament a month
• Finish at least 4 crochet or knit projects
• Personal Cross Stitch Exchange

That is the basic skeleton of next years body of craft work I wish to do. Of course there will be times that I do more and others that I will do less, but I have all confidence that everything will balance itself in the log run.

The most important item that I want to cultivate next year in my life and my crafting is a positive attitude. The "I can do it" approach. Lately, I must admit it has been working. I push myself, chanting silently, " I can do this!"

My capelet has continued to grow. In my next installment, I will add a few pictures of it. Two rows separate me from the second page of the pattern. I love that feeling! It is so empowering to see the progress I have made. Soon, I will be wearing the cape. If I focus intensely on it, by Christmas it will be part of my ensemble.

Supportive stitches.......

Great Inspiring Day!!!!

Today was one of those days that are worth reliving!! I went to see my cousin's North American movie premiere and it was very exciting and wonderful to see him in his film element. I am so proud of him. Even my pictures of me with him came out great and I don't like taking pictures.

I also got alot of cross stitching done this morning. Finally, the best Christmas Ornament for my personal holiday exchange popped out at me from one of my many hard-cover cross stitch books and I was able to get at least 1/3 of it done. Whew..... now I just have to think of how to "finish" the ornament.

My hair looked great today! I know it is a bit vain, but I have never been so happy to have gotten a haircut. Last week, something came over me and I went to get my haircut. She did a great job. Today, I was thrilled that I did actually go because my usual m.o. is to get a trim every 6 months. YIPPEEE..... my hair looked great in the pictures. Like I said, it is very vain, but if you knew me on a personal basis, I have let myself go. No manicures, no haircuts, no eyebrow waxings....... so it is a real treat for me to actually go. Yup, i need to go more often because it is a great pick me up and it helps my self confidence a great deal. Need to spend more time and money on me instead of everyone else.

But the best thing today was that I gave my cousin our grandaunt's gift. He will hand deliver it to her in two weeks. That was the best thing that could have ever happened this weekend. I am at peace. With the pillow went a card where I wrote her a few heartfelt words.

If I could bottle all of the great feelings that are going through me I would. I didn't think I would be able to make it today because of my fall yesterday, but it turned out to be a wonderful day in New York City. Reminds me of one of the songs in the movie "You've Got Mail".

I love New York City. It has so much to offer and I have not embibed of its sweetness. Today, I enjoyed its offerings and I was inspired to do and be so much more.

Wishing all of us happy and wonderful stitches........

Peace Love and a Cure Finished!!

Good and bad things happened today. First, the good things.

I was able to finish Lizzie Kate's "Peace, Love and a Cure" for my grandaunt during a marathon stitching event spurred on by my cousin's impromptu arrival. He will be in town for 1 and 1/2 days. Here is to hoping I will see him tomorrow and give him the gift for our grandaunt.

Every stitch is made with lots of love and "homesickness". It has been a very long time since I have seen my aunts, uncles and cousins. There are times that I wish I could get on a plane and see them, but airline tickets are so expensive for all of us to go that it becomes financially impossible.

Well, now for the bad news. I fell in the bathroom and banged my knees pretty badly against the porcelain tub. OUCH!!!! My knees are swollen. I was very lucky I did not hit my kneecaps or else I would have definitely cracked them. So, here I am hoping I will not be too sore to see my cousin tomorrow. My fingers are crossed!

Without any ado.... here is my finished Peace, Love and a Cure........

Peace, Love and a Cure

(back)

Pressed front with seam margins

Peace, Love and a Cure
in finished pillow form

The pillowback

There you have it! All done!! I really like the way that it came out. You may see that I did not stitch the peace symbol, or the flower or even the hearts because I wanted the piece to be simple and elegant. Maybe it is too simple, but it is given with so much love that I am sure it will shine through. Unfortunately, yesterday, I learned that my grandaunt is receiving daily morphine shots to help with the pain. The thought hurts my heart and I can only think of the opportunity that my cousin's impromptu visit brings me to send her the pillow.

On the knitting front, my capelet has grown immensely. I am almost on page 2 of the pattern and I am overjoyed to pieces over it. It is my plan to have it professionally steam pressed by my dry cleaner. I guess that I will be able to get lots more done while my knees heal.

As I sit here, with the movie "You've Got Mail" playing, I can't seem to stop thinking that life is pretty good. I feel emotionally at peace knowing that my stitching will help someone and that my crafting soothes my soul whenever I practice it.

Soothing stitches to all .........

The capelet has grown

I am so happy! This Thanksgiving weekend, I was able to knit a few more rows of the caplet. I even went to pick up two more skeins of yarn for it, just in case I needed them. I also learned a lesson..... buy extra skeins to finish a project. Even if you don't use them all, you have enough to "patch" in the future or even make a scarf.

Yes, I am a scarf knitter. My love of scarves stems from the fact that no gauge swatch is needed. lol. You can make the scarf as long or thin as you want and voila a masterpiece is created.

As for the cape, it is really pretty and the yarn is so forgiving that it is a pleasure to create. Since I felt that the cape would have been a bit shorter on me than on the model, I did add about 20 rows to it. It is my hope that it drapes nicely.

Blocking will be my next challenge. I have already read on blocking and have purchased a few pins to help me block the cape. I figure if the cape doesn't fit, I will have a very nice Christmas tree skirt.

On the cooking front, I have honestly made some of the best beef stew ever. My cooking ability gets better everytime I practice. It is heavy on the garlic, but oh sooooooo goood!

Today, I went blog reading.... everyone amazes me with all their creativity and gives me the incentive I need to push me to cross stitch bigger and better things. I am so in awe of the beautiful Mirabilia Round Robins I have seen on a few blogs and their preciseness. The hours and the love poured into the Round Robins can be seen. So from there I am sent in the direction of my Disney Neighborhood Round Robin. Here you find me hoping I can do it the justice it deserves.

Well, that is about it for today. It is my wish that all of those who celebrated Thanksgiving were truly blessed. May the upcoming holiday season bring out the best in all of us. May our joy spread thoughout our families and inspire others to see happiness everyday.

Thankful stitches.......

Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures

Sleeping on the job

There he is, sleeping on the job while "mommy" stitches away......bliss....I know, I know, he has such a hard life..... lol.......

Here are the pics that I have been promising for a while. I finally found my camera. From now on I will not let it out of my sight. Hope you enjoy them as much as I loved created them.

These are 4 of my crocheted scarves.

From bottom up:
Beige - variation of shell stitch
Ivory - variation of shell stitch
Black - crosshatch stitch
Turquoise - Sweet Pea Stitch

Dark Brown & Variegated Autumn colors -
created with rows of single,
double crochet & tassels.

CAPELET

close up of stitches and full view of knitted capelet

Those are all of the pictures for now. Once I finish posting them on this blog, I will go and start on my Holiday Exchange piece. Pictures of the holiday piece will be posted once receipient has it in her possession.

Happy stitching......

Knit, Purl & Yarn Over Too

Today I blog with great pride in my capelet. I am so thrilled with it that I plan to make it longer. Haven't been able to take pictures yet because I can't find my camera.

Other than that, I have gone through a bit of my yarn stash and noticed that I have a few skeins of yarn that I can use to make another capelet if I wish. I really think that I will do that if this project comes out well.

I have been reading lovely knitting blogs and cross stitch blogs. They inspire me to see what other crafters are creating. The enjoyment I receive from seeing new fabrics, threads, yarns and patterns is very empowering. Many of my ideas are a blend of lots of crafting tips found on blogs and my own thoughts.

A great big THANK YOU to all crafters who blog and welcome our peering eyes into their world.

Knitting stitches.......

I am not perfect

These days I am knitting a capelet. Part of my love for knitting is based on the fact that I need to be present to produce every stitch. It is not mindless for me as crochet sometimes is because I am a slow knitter. That means that I really have to focus on every stitch pattern.

It is my opinion that while I am knitting that it is the only time that I am really present in the now. Usually, I am planning this, that and the other thing which takes me to another time. Knitting keeps me focused and the patterns are so beautiful that they satisfy my need for creating sophisticated handmade accessories.

While knitting my capelet, I have really understood that I am not perfect. Sometimes I don't follow the pattern perfectly. I know that some of the lacy effects will be lost and I continue to knit and try to correct myself in the next row. Why? I think it is a metaphor for life itself. People make mistakes and try to either correct them or learn from them and not make them again.

There have been so many times that I just want to rip the work that I have done because I notice that parts of my knitting are not perfect, but I don't because if I rip it once, what will stop me from ripping it again? After all the ripping, what will I have? Experience in ripping and trying to correct my knitting for sure, but I want more. By continuing to knit the capelet I will at a certain point in time finish it. The stitches and the finished project will testify that I understand that I am not perfect. That in all my imperfections true beauty lies. It will mean to me that as the yarn forgives me I have forgiven myself for not being the perfect knitter. I am perfectly imperfect in the same way that the capelet will be beautifully perfect. We will be part of each other's beauty and accept each other as such.

I will remind myself of this during the challenging moments and the extremely happy moments.

Wishing you challenging stitches....

Went "shopping" in my crochet stash

Usually I am going through my cross stitch stash oohing and ahhing over all the designs that await my needle and thread. This time, while I went through another box of cross stitch magazines, I found a few crochet books that really caught my eye.

One thing about me that all my friends know is that I am very consistent. My tastes do not vary from year to year. So much so, that I still enjoy every cross stitch pattern, knitting pattern, quilting pattern and crochet pattern I have ever purchased. My tastes have not changed. My ambition has not changed. My love of needlecrafts has not changed.

You may be asking yourself, which books inspired this blog entry. Here they are in no particular order:

• Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet, published by Leisure Arts, c. 2002.
  
  I really enjoyed the pictures of the 164 stitch patterns. They made me dream of all the scarves, shawls and sweaters that await my creativity. Both the word patterns and diagram patterns are easy to understand. Awesome book! I really enjoy all of Kooler Studio's books whether cross stitch or crochet. I understand that they have knitting books as well. (That is best left for another blog entry).

• Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies, c. 2003 Jane Davis.
  
  The patterns are sooooooo cute! Really inspiring book that makes you want to have many live "models". These are truly adorable items to crochet. My hope is that I will have at least one more opportunity to make these projects to envelop a baby of my own. Once I get started crocheting these, I don't think I will be able to stop...... may need twins or triplets.
  
  
• Crochet Today (magazine) Nov./Dec. 2008
  
  I liked the patterns in this month's magazine. My favorite was the Sparkly Scarf. What can I say, I enjoy making scarves. They are easy and fast. They are very portable and easy. I like the repetitive action, once the pattern is learned and being able to start crocheting at a moment's notice. The colorful blankets were nice too! Those take a bit longer, but are well worth it.

All of this reminds me that I don't think I have ever posted pictures of my scarves here. I will get a few of them together and post them next time.

As for my cross stitching...... I haven't done much these days. All I have done is to meet with the contractor and search for blueprints.

Wishing you a stitching week......

Picture of my Contractor

I met with my contractor again today and made lots of headway with my neighborhood. She is so sweet! We got to talking and all of a sudden we remembered that tomorrow is Halloween!! I must confess that Halloween has grown on me through the years. As we spoke, she expressed that she wished to send all of you the best of Halloween wishes. Here she is:

For all who are wondering how my Disney Neighborhood RR is going, it is coming along very well. These days we are choosing neighborhood elements. Lots of my contractor's friends are passing by and expressing an interest in renting apartments and homes. What a cast of characters they are!

My favorite so far is Jack. What a charmer! He was very interested in my endeavor and found out that I share my hobby with you through my blog. He was quite impressed and wanted to greet you all. So, I took a picture of him and his pet, Zero. Jack doesn't know if he will be able to come live in my development, bummer. He did wish me luck and I appreciate it very much.

Along with my friends, I would like to wish everyone.....

Halloween stitches.....

Stitching, Planning & Meeting the Neighborhood Council

I have been a good stitcher this weekend. Stitched a few stitches on my Breast Cancer Awareness piece and continued planning my Disney Neighborhood RR.

Today I went to the Me Myself and I RR blog and found out that a few people have not been able to secure their neighborhood plans and have left the group. That is sad for me because I would have loved to see everyone's efforts and neighborhoods, but I understand that there are only so many hours to the day.

As for me, I have been diligently planning my neighborhood and found the best contractor around. She loved my idea journal and has adores castles. Her pet, Diablo, is a beautiful black bird that perches on her shoulder while she helps me fantasize about what I really want to create.

I am very lucky that I found her because as fate would have it, she knows the Council very well and is very confident that she won't have to use the tricks up her sleeves. Her best tip for me was to review my vacation pictures and watch lots of the Disney Channel. She mentioned that I may possibly see her in a movie and not to believe everything I see.... hmmmmm..... don't know what that means. Anyway, I am just happy that she is on my side.

Little by little I am sectioning out places in my neighborhood and thinking of how it pan out. Of course it will be a surprise for everyone!! My plans are to update everyone and post in the RR blog and here on a day to day basis. Start date is December 31, 2008 and I am very excited.

Planning to stitch......

My Stash is Out-of-Control ....

.... but I like it. LOL.

Time to confess, that I have been searching for my complete collection of Brazilian Disney Magazines. It seems that in my infinite wisdom, after taking a picture of them for my blog, I placed them in a safe place. Now, if your safe places are like mine, they are not only safe but so super-secret that no one will ever find them. Well, after three weeks of looking I found them gently placed within a plastic envelope inside a wide shoebox underneath a few cross stitch magazines. Why on earth, I did not label the box is beyond me. I guess I thought I would remember where I put them.

So, now I am able to think of what else I would like to stitch on my Disney neighborhood. A few people have asked me where I get my designs from. It started out very innocently enough more than a decade ago as I started noticing cross stitch designs of famous logos and cartoons were being published. Little by little I purchased a book here and a chart there, then one day, my Mom brought me a Disney cross stitch magazine as a souvenir from her vacation and from then on every two months my family would send me one. Later on, I became an eBay member and purchased a few Brazilian mags there. Many UK mags had Disney designs in them and I made sure to pick those up, lucky for me my local bookstore started carrying them and I was able to purchase them here. Afterward, Leisure Arts published a few Disney books and I picked up the ones I was interested in. Of course, at Disneyworld I make sure to pick up one or two Art of Disney cross stitch kits when I am there. I do not purchase what I call "fake" Disney designs (those that are not bonafide Disney designs). It is a personal choice which I can live with.

All of the collecting happened, I was not actively persuing or keeping track of my collections. Once I started collecting wonderful things happened. I met great internet friends and that spurred me on to collecting more. It was a bit after that when I began to actively search for items I wished to add to my collection. Now, my Disney cross stitch magazine collection is most treasured amongst my Disney memoribilia. It has really fostered my love for all Disney related items, pins especially, and my Disney trips. My main reason for a Disney Neighborhood RR is to finally stitch many of these gorgeous designs. I know that not everyone loves Disney, but I really enjoy Disney and its many forms of artistry.

These days, I am a fan of Jack Skellington of Nightmare Before Christmas fame. Happy 15th Anniversary Jack! Thanks for 15 frightening years!

On the topic of cross-stitching, I haven't done much these weeks due to the "search". I will get back into the stitching groove soon....

Stitch happy... stitch well.......

What was I thinking??!!! Needlework Vent......

My brain must have been suffering from severe delusions of stitching grandeur to think that I could even do justice to a Disney Neighborhood RR. Pulling out my Disney stash just served to verify that I was certifiably bananas.

To start, I have a yard of blue Lugana, which I am starting to think is a 25 ct instead of a 28ct. I started basting the lines for placement of the castle and I am begining to dislike the fabric already. The castle is HUGE, only because it is the real Cinderella Castle from a Stoney Creek kit. There alone we are looking at 1/2 of the fabric being taken up by the castle. (Think vertical). So my brain and I get into a heated conversation which went like this:

Brain: " I have done some storming and I think stitching the castle over one is the best solution."

Me: "Are you KIDDING???? Do you have any idea how long that is going to take?????

B: "Well, it is going to look great once it is done. Also maybe to make it interesting you can half stitch a bit of it so that it looks dreamy. If you tweed the stitches, it will look great!!!!!!!"

M: "Now I know you are delusional! It is going to take me FOREVER to stitch just the castle. How do you expect to get to the neighborhood homes???? It's going to become another UFO."

B: "Hey, don't call me names! I can only storm once a day. Plus, I am sure that we can come up with something once we figure out how to situate the castle. We can do this!"

M: "You think? "

B. " Yup, I think, that is what I do best."

And so there you have it...... this is why I have not been able to stitch as much as I have wanted to. My brain imagines things that my hands and eyes are not able to execute in one lifetime. Thus, I lose motivation.

This time, I am going to be as delusional as my brain and think positive thoughts and LOVE what I am creating. Staying motivated to see the next step and bring the idea to life. In order to do this, I have started a Disney RR journal. So far I believe I have filled 8 pages. Some of the pages are:

1. Designs I have available in my stash.
2. Possible RR Names
3. Neighborhood Ideas (includes my drawings and internet pics)
4. Border Ideas
5. List of Disney homes I have available

Writing these items down gives me a perspective of my thought patterns and ... allows my psychiatrist to up the dosage of my meds :) which I hope go to massive doses so I don't experience the twitching... (just kidding.... I am stone sober, I don't have the money to pay a psychiatrist to listen to me, let alone read of my psychotic behavior lol) .

Other than this, I am extremely sane and feeling overwhelmed that I may have to stitch the castle over one. The only good thing about the pattern is that there are lots of large one color blocks. The backstitching required will be the fodder for another heated discussion with my brain.

Well, there you have my stitching life in October so far. Halloween is fast approaching and I have nothing stitched for it. Little progress is being made on my Breast Awareness pieces, even less progress on my Christmas piece and my WIP has been deprived of my attention. So far, the only progress I have made is on listing my ideas for my RR.

See you soon!

Stitchin' and listin'......

Good News, Good News!!!!!!

Feels so good to finally say.... "Great News!!" Seems like there are still honest people in NYC!!! Imagine that? The mailman brought really terrific news yesterday in the shape of a wallet. Must send a huge thank you note to the person who mailed it back.

I celebrated by searching through my cross stitch fabric stash and selecting a piece for my Neighborhood RR. As unlikely as it may seem, my cross stitch fabric stash is not as abundant as my quilting fabric stash. Did I just type that?? There are only two fairly short rectangular boxes and a medium sized bag of evenweaves in all sorts of colors which never seem to be appropriate enough for the project I look foward to stitch. Thus, back to purchasing more.... but, not this time.

Many years ago, I purchased a yard of what I believe to be 28ct. Wedgwood Lugana. Like a good little stitcher, mumbling under my breath, I managed to baste the edges by hand. ( Yes, I do have a sewing machine which I have never used. Did I just own up to that?) Basting is not my favorite pastime to say the least, but I would rather that than see my fabric unravel bit by bit.

My Neighborhood RR is really exciting me. I was able to find my focal building and count out the stitches that I am going to extrapolate from it. Next, I will baste the location area on my piece and figure out if it is a good fit, if not, the frog will come and I will unbaste to rebaste. Lovely :(
So, I will definitely try to do it right the first time.

Tomorrow I will go and purchase DMC floss for the project. Although I have enough DMC stash, I want to purchase the same dye lot that way, things look even and not have a mottled aspect. I really dislike when the floss intensity does not match. I am very peculiar that way.

On the crochet front, I was able to complete my turquoise blue scarf. I call it my "Donald Duck" blue scarf. It is really pretty. People have commented positively on it and I am a happy crocheter looking for my next fix...er.... project.

Still on the hunt for a new camera. Half of me wants to purchase one right away and the other half wants to wait for Black Friday when the sales start. (For non-USA readers, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. It is called Black Friday because that is the day that retailers finally show a profit and are in "the black" vs. "the red". Most of us just know that it is the day the great sales are on for electronics and maybe clothing).

My October goals are not coming along well. Although I have found the Christmas piece I want to stitch, I highly doubt I will find time to stitch it, so I will have to replace it with another.
Very little stitching on my Breast Cancer Awareness piece has been done and "The Salute" stitching this week has been non-existent. Of course I am not proud of it, so I am hoping to stitch a lot this weekend. The RR basting was a start.

That is it for now kids. Off to count those stitches.........

Is less more?

This afternoon I went to my LNS and picked up a few threads and Mill Hill beads. Nothing project related, just "like" related. I must be in my green/yellow period because I picked up 3 Weeks Dye Works, # 2146, Eucalyptus which reminded me of Needle Necessities Island Butterfly. Two other WDW's that I picked up were #4123 Celebration and 4139 Bethlehem. Now I have three of each which is my usual amount of overdyed floss purchases. The reason for this is that because they are not for a specific project, I want to have enough when the need arises. There have been many times when I don't have enough and when I go back to purchase another, the color has either been discontinued or does not look the same..... so three it is.

Sticking to my green mood today, I also picked up 2 of the DMC Variations #4045 which is a really pretty jungle green variation hue. It is pretty because it is not too yellow and not too dark green. It is just right.

Adding to the haul were 3 packets of Mill Hill beads in purple, pink and bluish-green along with 4 pink heart glass treasures. These I will use whenever I need a pick-me-up on a biscornu. I really like the beaded edges that lots of stitchers are doing these days and I am looking forward to that challenge on one of my upcoming biscorni.

As you know, I have signed up for the Me Myself and I Neighborhood RR. Today I went through lots of my Disney magazines looking for neighborhood items to stitch. Thinking about the layout is making my head spin. Half of me wants one thing and the other half wants to be different .... but how different and still look plausible is my dilemna. Of course none of the items are perfect for the neighborhood, I have to cut and paste and switch and look and hopefully come up with a realistic proportionate neighborhood. Most of all I want to be creative and put as many Disney characters on it along with their homes. I want it to make sense, be symetrical, pretty, unique and special. Maybe it will be a focal point to a future Disney corner.

For now, I wonder if less is more where this RR may become a focal point for other neighborhood offshoots or should this piece be a WOOOOOW piece filled with a plethora of Disney character trivia. Most of me is looking to stitch that WOOOOOOW piece.

Stitching thoughts together.......

Peace, Love and a Cure

So far, so good. Today I have made a bit of progress on this project. Every stitch is filled with love and wonderful memories of my grandaunt who is living with breast cancer. I am working every possible moment on this piece because unfortunately, we do not know how much longer she will be with us. More unfortunate is that she lives half a world away and I am not able to see her anytime soon.

Here is a scan. I am trying to learn the program better. This was the best I could do today.

Today I was guilty of reading a few blogs. Surfing the net for new cross stitch items and reading blogs definitely cuts into my stitching time. How is it possible that there are SO many cross stitch enablers blogging? Every blog that I read adds to my project and stash wish lists.

These days I wonder if I am over-committed with stitching projects. I don't know if there are enough hours in my day to do all of the things I want to do. The 5 lifetimes of stash I own is screaming "STITCH ME!!!!!!" and let's face it girls, I would have to grow 3 extra hands just to begin preparing the fabrics alone.

Now that we are on the subject of fabric..... my favorite fabric is Jobelan. I love the drapey feel of it and the bit of sheen it has. I am stitching PEACE, LOVE and a CURE on 28 count Jobelan in Ivory. Little by little it is coming out great! For the backing of the piece I have purchased 4 different pink fabrics which I will narrow down to one for it.

The next project on my list is my second PEACE, LOVE and a CURE piece for my 2nd cousin (daughter of my grandaunt) who is also battling breast cancer. Once I finish the first piece, I will start on the second. I am considering adding beading and buttons to the pattern because I want to make each special for them.

Feels good to go forward on my stitching goals. I feel a sense of great accomplishment as I see each letter completed. My true hope is that the recipients of these pieces feel the love that went into each stitch and may it provide support in the difficult times that lie ahead.

Still stitching .......

I am a statistic

Today real life things did not go well. Let's just say that like the song says......"It's just like starting over". In my view, man proposes and God disposes..... well, I guess God had different plans for me tomorrow. C'est la vie.

Other than that I have been crocheting and stitching. Trying to always crochet a couple of more inches so that soon the scarf will be ready to wear. Once it is finished I will show a pic. Then I will start another as a gift. A long-awaited gift for someone who has always admired mine.

I am also stitching on my UFO/WIP, "The Salute". Don't get your hopes too high, I have only been able to put in about 20 stitches. My WIP, "Peace, Love and a Cure", is coming along nicely. Little by little words have formed and I am thrilled. I will work on it lots more tomorrow since I expect to have more time.

No camera yet, researching which one to buy that will stand the test of maybe 700 pictures without breaking. Right now it looks like a Canon is in my future. Until then scanning is how I get the pics that I will post.

Taking life a stitch at a time

October Already?

Well, that is the reality. October is here and the Winter holidays are 2 months away. I think that this is the time that I must set goals.

My October goals:

1. Stitch 2 Breast Cancer smalls for 2 of my family members who live with breast cancer.
2. Stitch a Christmas piece for my family.
3. Continue working on my UFO now WIP: "The Salute".
4. Continue working on my 2nd WIP: Christmas Mickey Mouse Ornament.

Today I went to my LNS and helped the economy along. Here is a list of what I purchased:

• 2 Just Cross Stitch 2008 Ornaments Magazine
• Peace Love and a Cure - Lizzie Kate
• Pinwheel - Just Nan - In the Tin Limited Additions 2008
• Folding Cross Needlebook - Indigo Rose
• Silken Roses Fob - The Sweetheart Tree Teenie Weenie #87
• One 9"x6" piece of Jobelan Lambswool 28ct
• 3 packs of Mill Hill beads

Where's the picture? My camera is not working. I purchased batteries, tried to make it work and nothing, nada, zilch, zippo, goose egg, zero, naaaaaa...... I am so upset because it is not an old camera. It is possibly 2 years old, max. That means that we will have to buy another one and Kodak is not in the picture. I will probably purchase a Canon.

Well, I have to go stitch if I am going to meet some of my October goals.

October is Breast Awareness month in the United States. Please remember that Breast Cancer is a non-discriminatory disease...... everyone has breasts....... take care of them!

Stitching the night away........

Choices, Choices and More Choices make me CRAZY

Remember when I wrote about signing up for the Me, Myself and I Neighborhood R & R? Well, I signed up today and have been going through magazines ever since. Nope, not the New Stitches or the Quick and Easy Cross Stitch mags, I went to one of the mother lodes. It is the Rubbermaid 20 gallon tote that is in one of the corners of one of my closets. In it are my some of my Baby Camilla, Stoney Creek and other international magazines along with Disney magazine freebies.

What can I say, I can't say no to a good cross stitch magazine. There was no way I could get through the two tall stacks, but I was able to pick out a couple of great items from the one stack I perused. The best things about going through stash are the OOH's and AHH's that invariably leave one's lips when looking and fondling.

Some of the wonderful items that I found were:

• A-Hunting We Will Go ~ Stoney Creek Collection ~ c. 1993
• Stoney Creek Collection Magazine ~ Jan/Feb 1994
• Walt Disney Characters in Counted Cross Stitch ~ Paragon Needlecraft ~ c. 1980
• Disney Classics ~ Designer Stitches ~ c. Disney (no copyright date)
• Toy Story and Beyond ~ Leisure Arts ~ c. 2004
• Cinderella Castle Kit ~ The Art of Disney ~ c. Disney
• The Happiest Celebration on Eart Kit ~ The Art of Disney ~ c. Disney
• Past, Present and Forever Kit ~ The Art of Disney ~ c.Disney

Okay, you guessed it, I am a Disney freak! I do have lots of Disney cross stitch and have to stitch some or most of it. Let's face it, I would have to live till 1000 years of age to stitch 1/2 of the things I have. Don't worry, there are people that have much more cross stitch than I do.

So, after all this "research" of cross stitch patterns, I decided to have a Disney themed Neighborhood R & R. I could also have a Toon-Town themed R & R since I have lots of Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera, Snoopy, DC and Marvel character cross stitch patterns too.

You see all of these choices are making me CRAZY!!!!! Must decide on something because my "contractors" and "blue prints" must be in place by December 31, 2008. I can't wait to decide on a theme. I want it to be special and very "me". Let's see what I can come up with.

Thinking about x's......................

Stashing and Stitching pics

Spent most of the morning looking though my cross stitch magazine stash. Let me share a bit of it with you. These are first run pics, none of the mags are duplicates and I have not posted these pics before. There are LOTS more, but for now, these are all my arms could carry. They are very heavy.

New Stitches Magazine, UK

Quick and Easy Cross Stitch Magazine, UK

If you are thinking that going through my stash is almost like going shopping, you are right! There is a lot of it and sometimes, although rarely, I duplicate stash unknowingly. Usually, if I have a duplicate of something it is because I planned it that way. There are times that I will buy two magazines, one to stitch from, one to save. When I finish with the duplicate mag I will trade it for another because it is still in awesome condition. Of course, I have purchased duplicate mags with the purpose of trading them with stitchers from other countries that may not be able to find them where they live.

Living in NYC has its benefit of being able to find lots of the foreign magazines in bookshops. Here in the US, we purchase the magazines in both bookshops and local cross stitch shops. Well, there aren't any local cross stitch shops in NYC, we need to go to Long Island, but you get the idea. I find that to be a great plus of living here. The most popular are the UK mags. I have not been able to find any French magazines. Lately my favorites are the French mags because they have wonderful finishing ideas in them. I love seeing what the French stitchers are creating because they have unique insights for smalls.

As you know, I have been stitching and blogging. Happily, I share 2 progress pictures of my patriotic UFO. The major reason it's a UFO is because I am stitching it on Cashel linen. I really thought I would like stitching on linen, but I don't. My preference is evenweave, preferrably Jobelan.

The Salute
Color Charts

Because I have been a good stitcher and worked on my UFO, I have allowed myself to start on a small Disney project. I am so thrilled about Disney stitching. The characters come to life so well. Yes, they are a bit advance with all the 1/4 and 3/4 stitching, but they are well worth the time.

Keep on stitching..........

My first award!!!!! Oh my.... Thank you!!!!!

Someone reads my blog other than me! I am soooooooo happy and energized!!!!

A huge THANK YOU and shout out to Quirky from Craft-The Final Frontier for awarding me the Kreativ Blogger award. It has energized me so that I am ready to blog and stitch like never before. Quirky, you are a very talented and witty person, I am honored that you chose to award my blog.

Without further ado, I present......



The rules are:
1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

Now for the really hard part, the narrowing down of 5 blogs. First, I must say that I would definitely award every blog I read this award because every single one inspires me everyday. Unfortunately only five can be chosen...... here they are.

1. Lucy from Enhebrando la aguja
2. Becky from Becky Bee's Stitching Hive
3. Gazette94
4. Vonna from The Twisted Stitcher
5. Su from Contemplating my Needle and Thread

Those are the blogs that I visit everyday. Each one of these stitchers has inspired me with not only their crafting but with their generosity of spirit that they share with every stitcher.

Congratulations all and thank you for all you do for our stitching and crafting community.

Wishing all a stitchy day.......

Something has come over me......

......and it is great!!!!!!!!

As I surfed the internet today I read more blogs which inspired me to go to some of my magazine stash and start pulling projects that I would like to do. One of the long-term projects I have in mind is a Me, Myself and I RR which is explained in the following blog. I think it is one of the best new ideas I have seen and may join.

Today I learned how to post a link in my posts. It makes me feel very good to know that I am learning more about blogging. Something I wanted to do since the inception of my blog.

Yesterday I stitched a bit on my UFO and I will post a pic later on today. I plan to stash and stitch today. I am working on really putting aside stitching time everyday whenever I can so I may see the fruits of my labour. Right now there are so many magazines around me that are screaming to be looked at.

I'll be back soon...........

Re-read some of my own blog

For the last few months I have been reading other people's blogs and loving it. Today, I re-read my own older posts and I must say that I liked them. They made me remember why I started this blog and why I should blog more often. I am inspired to jazz up my blog by reading other blogs, but so far, I think I have done a good job.
There is much more to do, most importantly to stitch. To that end, I have posted a WIP.

My WIP, The Salute, is an OOP design by Color Charts. It was a UFO this morning. Today I worked a bit on it which made me realize that I still like it even though I purchased the chart over 15 years ago. I think longer, but then I would date myself.

My tastes have not changed much, I still love patriotic pieces and the more difficult cross stitch pieces. As always, Disney patterns are still my favorites. So much so that I am thinking about opening some of my Art of Disney kits and starting to stitch them.

On another blog I saw a stitcher starting a Disney Round Robin. It is soooooo cute. I really enjoyed her "Doc". That started a whole slew of ideas in my mind and I have to start putting them in motion.

I was able to finish the USA hat that I posted a few weeks ago as a WIP. It is very nice. I enjoyed stitching it and will probably stitch it again.

In my fabric stash I have lots of patriotic cotton fabrics and am thinking of using them to back my patriotic smalls.

There is a biscornu orange variegated top that I have stitched and hope show next time as well. I need to start stitching the bottom still.

As you can see I have lots of hope to stitch more and more. I will turn on that "stitching battery" and come up with great finishes... I promise you and I promise myself to relax and stitch.

Wishing you lots of stitching time .....

A few pictures

It's been a while, I know. So much has happened including a bit of stitching.

Here are some pictures of my first biscornu and a USA WIP. They are a bit blurry but you get the idea.


The USA WIP has been finished and I am very happy with how it turned out. I also stitched another biscornu top of the same pattern in DMC Orange Variegated Floss. It is so pretty. I will take a picture and share it with you next time.

During my absence I have gone stash shopping. My latest purchases have been 4 Heaven and Earth Designs. They are HUGE. I have started making an enlarged working copy of the first page of UP ON THE ROOF and am pretty scared about starting it. Let's see how far I get on that kitting.

Of course in my new stash pile are many cross stitch magazines. One of my favorites this month is the Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue. I love Halloween and this issue is a must have for Halloween lovers.

I know that I don't speak of my personal life much on this blog, but I have to say that there is a new and handsome male in my life. He takes much of my spare time lately. I think I am in love!! He is so handsome and cute to boot! Without further ado, here he is:


He is much bigger now. I will post more pictures of him soon.

Lately I have been searching for French Cross Stitch Magazines. Those are a passion of mine. Hopefully I will be able to find a few.

I hope that you have liked viewing some of my pics. I will be back soon.

Going to cross those stitches.......

Voila!!!! My first biscornu.....

Yes, I have finally stitched a biscornu. I am very happy with it. You will see pictures of it this afternoon.

My favorite parts of the biscornu other than the cross stitching are the buttons. I picked them out on sight. I did not have the thread or the fabric to guide me.

So until this afternoon......

Wishing you a stitchy day.

Sorry it has been soooooooo long

But, I am back to blog again. HI EVERYBODY!!!!!!

Lately I have been crocheting lots of scarves and have not cross stitched much at all. Last week I went to a shop that was selling its yarn to the bare walls and I picked up quite a few skeins along with a book of more than 60 crochet stitches.

As for cross stitching, I still do love it and hope to start cross stitching a bit more.

Today I remembered my Isa Vautier heart finish and really missed cross stitching. A few days ago, I purchased another Disney Cross Stitch magazine for my collection. Of course I am still hoping to get some of those stitched.

More than anything I have been purchasing cross stitch items and looking at them. I have been reading cross stitch blogs .... Ohhhhing and ahhhhhing .... noting which ones I like and making plans to puchase them. Still, my greatest hope is to sttich from my stash. I do have lots of stash that I would like to complete.

After reading and seeing lots of finished cross stitched items, I have decided to try my hand at a biscornu. I am halfway done with it and will post it soon.

A cross stitch related item that has me a bit upset is that the craft shops that I frequent have discontinued carrying the DMC Variegated threads. It seems that DMC will not be producing the Variegated threads and have replaced them with the Variations. I do like some of the Variations, but they are not the same as the Variegated. Why is it that the things I like best are always discontinued at some point. So, I am now on a mission to collect as many of the Variegated threads as I can..... especially my favorite colors.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep stitching.