Friday, May 29, 2009

Health Update

So I had the big appointment yesterday... what have I learned? Well I have learned that it is not as serious as we were concerned about. I have an official migraine headache diagnosis (which is not surprising) and that the vertigo and tingling fingers is not MS as we had been warned about (and feared about) but probably much simpler. And I must tell you I feel kinda dumb writing this... but they think it's anxiety attacks. I had no idea you could have these types of attacks and have no clue that you were having anxiety. So we are going to look into some meditation and such. I'm a non-drug kinda person so I will not take drugs until I absolutely have to, so I'm going to try some herbal and relaxation techniques first.
Mostly it's just a relief that it's not anything crazy serious, still a problem but now one we can manage.

Alright, enough of that depressing stuff!
Stitching! I stitched on Judgement last night, forgive me I have no picture as the B/F was feeding our snakes and we had no time. But I will try to get one up next week for sure I made some good progress.

This weekend we are hopefully going to get out to my LNS where they have Circle of Friends from Mirabilia on hold for me and the Christmas preview magazine of Just Cross Stitch. I may also get some material for one of my HAED storykeeps. So pictures will follow if we get there (the store is out of the city so we have to drive a bit to get there).

Coming up: Judgement picture update, and I *WILL* do a giveaway next week of a Lavender and Lace pattern. Watch for it! :)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Judgement Update

Well... to update you first on information from the last post... the B/F's brother has been released from the hospital after three days and is on the mend. We tried to see him last night, but he chose not to show for whatever reason (kinda choked that he wasn't home when he said he would be, but we got over it). So while I haven't seen him since he was released. We are told he is ok, alot of recovering to still do, but ok.

So back to stitching we go. I haven't gotten alot done on anything lately... but have stitched a bit on Judgement. This is (sadly) about 9 hours of work into Judgement (on page 3, just that section in the corner). It does seem like this piece will take the next millenium. As it is for my uncle by request I don't want it to take 10 years, so I'm going to try and stitch it more often and let my Papillion SAL probably fall to the wayside.

Here is the latest picture update:


Coming up: More progress on Judgement and the Ducky. I should be able to get a good Judgement night in tonight I think. I also want to do another giveaway next week... more details to follow soon on that.

Thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Not the weekend we planned...

So I wish I had a stitching update for you all today... sadly I barely stitched any stitches this weekend as Friday night after dinner as my B/F and I were sitting down to enjoy a quiet evening (and me stitching) we got a phone call that my B/F's brother had been in a motorcycle wreck and was at emergency. So we went down to see him... he is banged up and bruised, has a puncture in his lung and a broken collarbone. But he is alive, his helmet probably saved his life.
So we have spent most of our weekend getting little sleep friday night, visiting the hospital (trying to catch up on sleep on sunday a bit) and just being where we need to be for family and such.
It's been an exhausting two days.
He is *hopefully* being released today from the hospital, though we are still waiting to hear what is happening.
So I apologize that I have no stitching updates... but sometimes life just gets in the way.
Here's hoping we have a slightly calmer week (which is unlikely as I have an appt. on thursday with the neurologist that we have been waiting for for months about my vertigo *fingers crossed*).

Coming up: Any stitching at all at this point would make me happy. As soon as I have photos I'll post them.

Friday, May 22, 2009

TGIF!

This is the first "real" weekend with no work at all on it that I have had in almost four weeks!
I'm so excited.
No it is not a long weekend here in Canada, but I know my friends in the US will enjoy their Memorial Day weekend.

Plans for this weekend are pretty relaxed. We're going to MEC (an outdoor store) to get some hiking supplies tonight, then a dinner and movie date with my B/F tomorrow. Even though we live together we still make a point of having "real" dates every once in awhile. So looking forward to that.

Otherwise...sleeping and of course stitching!
I stitched a bit more on part 2 of the papillion SAL. And hope to have that part done by the end of next week. And then I really need to concentrate on Judgement and allow myself to fall behind in the SAL. As judgement is for my uncle and I have a commitment to him on it.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Coming up:Part 2 of the Papillion SAL to be completed, more progress on Judgement.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Hiking, Stitching & Me

Well it's been awhile. We did get my magazine out the door... late but alas still out after four 12 hour days in a row (and a 16 hour one in there too!). So needless to say that my stitching has suffered.
I do however have two photos to share. I"m about halfway through Part 2 of the Papillion SAL (and part 3 came out the other day! I'm so gonna become behind on this one).
Here is my progress so far:


And the second stitching photo is rubber ducky. Still not ducky looking. But starting to have some colours in it.


I have worked on Judgement, but not enough to warrant a picture just yet.

After my crazy epic days on Sunday I had a chance to spend some time with my B/F and we went on a short hike to the "sort-of mountains" we call these the sort-of mountains because they are on the edge of the Rockies. We are only about an hour and a half away from Banff in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. But where we went here is called Elbow Valley and not officially in the Rockies.

Anyhow, it was a nice day. And good to get out.
Here are some photos to share of you.... and *gasp* my first posted picture of myself. :)


This is Elbow Falls a popular destination for tourists (and a paved walkway for those who can't hike far!)


The edge of the Rockies... there is still alot of snow up there!


Some of our hike was along this creek.


And yes that is me. I am a real person, not just someone random on the internet. :)

I have so enjoyed getting to know all of you and appreciate all your comments, so I figured I was at a comfort zone that I could share some hiking photos. :)

Coming up: Hopefully more progress on Judgement and finishing Papillion SAL part 2.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

What a nice surprise!

Well in the middle of my insane week. I have had something very nice come across my blog.
From Margie I have received an award.



Here is the meaning of the award ...

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. "

So sweet Margie! :)

I am supposed to pass this award on to 8 others.
I have made a list... (this was really hard!) and tried to pick those that have not gotten the award yet...

I am very pleased to give the award to these eight ladies. Though I must tell you it was impossible to try and pick. I love speaking with all of you and seeing your progress on your stitching as well as your comments on mine.
Truly it is a magical cyber world of stitching we all live in.

Sharon
Rene
Gabi
Linda
Alicia
Dianne
Tammy
Jen

Again, thank you to these ladies for their lovely comments in the past and conversations. And I always look forward to reading everyone's blogs as well!

Coming up: One day I will get to stitch again... our deadline is pushed to Saturday now. Here's hoping on Sunday that all I am doing is sleeping, eating and stitching! (cause wow am I tired of working!)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Forgive me...

So you'll have to forgive me if I am a bit absent this week in photos and stitching news.
We are in the last week of production for the Summer magazine that I work for, and I think I should just get a cot and sleep at my office when I can.
We are quite behind and need to (hopefully) make friday's deadline. Mostly so we can get the printers our files on time, but also because we all need the long weekend (coming up in Canada this weekend) to recuperate so that we don't kill each other after working numerous weekends and 12 hour days together.
So I'm on the home stretch of this craziness. Tired, but working so that is good.

I did get a chance to stitch for about an hour last night on the Ducky. It's going alright. But I likely won't post some new pictures until I get a fair bit of it done, as it just continues to look like a yellow blob on the linen. Not that exciting for you all to see.

Coming up: More crazy work for me in the next week. On the stitching front maybe the Papillion SAL Part 2 completion by next week and more progress on my WIP's.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Dewdrop Finish, a new start & WIP

I have a finish!
It's the Just Nan Dewdrop (that I was supposed to finish almost a month ago! But at least I'm close).
Here it is:


And here is a perspective shot as my B/F couldn't get over how huge the bead is in relation to everything else:


And with every good finish, there is a new start for me.
I have started this freebie from Krenik called Checkers the Pumpkin. It's almost all Krenik threads, so it's a slow go. But will be very sparkly when it is done.
It's being stitched on 30ct Sunflower Linen.


Here is what it will look like.


And finally a progress pic of the rubber ducky.
This one may take me a bit longer than I thought. But we will just have to see.



Coming up: I also worked a bit the other night on Part 2 of my Papillion SAL. But am not going to (likely) post a picture until I have the second part done.
I also need to get back into Judgement and start page 3, that epicness just doesn't stitch itself! :) And will also get more stitches in the Ducky.

Thanks to everyone for continuing to visit and for your comments!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

An opportunity to win...

Steph is having an incredible giveaway on her blog. She has reached 10,000 posts and is giving away a $100 gift certificate to your choice of anywhere if you win! So cool! :)
Check it out here:
http://stephaniecastrodesigns.blogspot.com/2009/04/ive-reached-10000-blog-hits.html#comment-form

Coming up: Should have pictures of the finished dewdrop up tomorrow and maybe some progress pics for the duck soon.
Also I found some L&L patterns that I will either RAK or giveaway as I am not interested in doing these anymore. :)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

We have a winner!

*drum roll* :)

The winner of the Mirabilia pattern and satin threads is Alicia from Hawaii!!

Congratulations to Alicia!
We took some cheesy photos to make it even more epic. lol.



I will be hopefully going through some more stash and having more of these giveaways so please feel free to check back in from time to time.

On the stitching front things have slowed up for me as I have been working 12 hour days for the last few days and will continue to until next Friday. Darn magazine deadlines anyways. ;) But that is okay I will catch back up on the long weekend here in Canada (which is the 17th) and hopefully get a trip in to my LNS then too! I have gotten a few stitches into the duck though and want to finish Dewdrop this week even with my crazy hours!

Coming up: A finish on Dewdrop, progress on Rubber Ducky.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Page 2 of Judgement Complete!!

I completed Page 2 of Judgement on Friday night, much to my surprise as it was on my goal list but I didn't expect to be only three hours away. So that was great.
You can see the picture below... the picture is giving the evenweave a funny colour (it's actually beige) but you get the idea of the piece (and at least it's straight this time). This is the bottom left two pages of this piece. I want to keep moving on it as it's for my Uncle (who bought me all the supplies to stitch it for him!)


I have also completed all the stitching on the Dewdrop bunny. But am going to wait to finish the beading (ugh, I hate beading) before I post a picture as then it will be complete.

Coming up: My giveaway draw will happen tomorrow night and I'll post the winner on Wednesday. Hopefully a finish on Dewdrop and more progress on my other pieces.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Disney - update

Well I have decided to add Disney (my UFO) to my stitching list again. After much deliberation. If you want to read why and other things about this UFO, head over to Jen's new blog at http://ufotofinish.blogspot.com/2009/05/disney-update.html
to see what I wrote about it there.
In the meantime it's on the list of projects now, and here is an updated picture as promised.




Don't forget about my giveaway (post below) that ends on Tuesday for a Mirabilia pattern.

Coming up: The draw for my Mirabilia, and soon (I hope!) page 2 completion of Judgement (this is my current goal).