Stitching Post: One Alice Page, Three Motifs & A New Start

Somehow these days time is both lagging and flyin by! How odd eh? Still in the midst of pandemic land here in Canada, the government is slowly opening services back-up; much to my frustration as nothing significant has changed (except that the economy is collapsing) and so the 'reasons' they gave before for shut-down (to protect immune-compromised and seniors) don't seem to matter anymore? It's a whole mess frankly and just makes me angry. So I've been trying to focus on: 

1. New Job - week 3, I'm learning stuff
2. Stitching - Alice page finish, 3 moTtifs (of 6, new Canada mandala start!)
3. Reading - I'm doing the poorest here and am now leagues (okay 5-6) books behind on reading challenge. But let's focus on stitching here!

I also have three stitching updates for you (ironically):
One - Alice page finish!
This leaves one full page and a partial page left for the bottom row. Which means I am 4 pages complete of 45 pages (assuming I can do math). That just doesn't sound all that great; but I'm super happy about any page finish. Hubby wants to know when it will be 'done' and I keep telling him it might be before we die! If we're lucky! LOL! 

Two - Three little motifs
These beauties were started and stitched during the 'lockdown. I have three more of these Kelsyn's Itty Bitty's selected, with new thread colors, to put below the current ones. This was started on a whim with no plan project to keep me distracted during the chaos as my regular stitching projects weren't cutting it. I suspect this little beauty will end up being called the '2020 complication' or having some name related to covid. The full chart has 16 motifs but I just went with 6 as that's what fit this cute piece of fabric I had on hand. Threads are all Coloris from DMC which I'm crazy impressed with! 

Three - A new start! Canada mandala

Yes that is Aida you see. Crazy right? It's my first time on Aida in decades. So why Aida? Well because this square will be put on a memory blanket for fallen RCMP officers. I've been very fortunate to join an online group that sends beautifully put together quilts with cross-stitched squares on them to the family members of those RMCP (federal police) that have fallen in the line of duty. I know the topic of police enforcement is difficult right now; and I definitely support Black Lives Matter and what they stand for; but I also acknowledge that not every single officer of the law is racist (but there are many in Canada that are, no doubt in my mind). And no doubt the overall system itself is racist and we all need to take responsibility for that. Here in Canada it's directed more at Indigenous people than any other All that aside I'm super proud to be a part of this group and add contributions to the cause. This pattern is a personal favourite from Ink Circles. I hope to do it up on linen with variegated thread for myself one day. On 16ct Aida it comes in just below the 8" x 8" needed measurements for the quilts.

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Overall things are trucking along for me. I'm not reading nearly as much as I would like, but I am now working from home and that takes some adjusting as my reading time was previously on bus. However, I can now stitch from my chair, with my full set-up at lunch! So trade-offs. 

What is super good is that it allows me to avoid public transit or an office building for \ c(hopefully) a long time; and I cut down on my previous 2+ hours commuting per day to work. All that said, I'm a bit nervous as my husband is returning to his 300+ person office on Monday (not pleased he hasn't been given option to keep working from home as he has for last 3+ months); but he will monitor situation and if becomes dicey we have the option to say I'm immune-compromised and our household can't be subject to that much risk (which is true; but I feel bad claiming it as everyone should have a right to certain safety in my opinion). Hope you're all doing well and stitching up a storm out there! I know losing my job and the pandemic really made me focus more on stitching which I appreciate. And with far fewer events/activities in the near future I'm hoping to keep the stitching momentum up.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe!