Nov 26/17

There are some signs of life out of me. We went to the grocery store this afternoon because the cupboards were bare and the fella' did not want to brave the grocery store on his own for a long list of items. I took forever to go from aisle to aisle and the fella' had most of the groceries packed in the car by the time I made it from the store. The small victories can mean so much.

Here is a photo of our new puppy with Maggie in the background. This was taken last week when getting out of bed was akin to climbing a mountain. The easiest way to supervise Tillie, the puppy, was to keep her in bed with me. She is a mutt although we strongly suspect that Australian shepherd may be her breed. She has two speeds: a million miles a minute and stone cold asleep. We are constantly trying to find new games for her to keep her busy and to stop her from chewing on things that we would prefer she not chew like my phone charging cords.

I picked up my needle the other day and started to stitch during the moments when I was out of bed and feeling energetic enough to stitch. Here is the second version of this cardinal kit. I can usually make 2-3 versions of the Dimensions kits with the leftover threads from the kit, adding in threads from previous Dimensions kits when needed. The fabric is 28 count Monaco from my stash.

While watching a movie this evening, I closed up the backs of the CADPAT bibs as one of them needs to go into the mail soon. After two weeks on not being able to do anything beyond walk to the back door to let the dogs out to pee, getting even the littlest thing accomplished feels awesome. I still have a long way to go as I learned when I went upstairs to fold the four loads of laundry that had piled up. Walking up a flight of stairs and folding sheets should not have left me winded.

Enough whining from me. I hope that you all are well and are happily stitching away as the holiday season arrives!

October 1/17

Mother Nature has been a bit bipolar recently. We had a heatwave last week where temperatures were well into the 30C territory and I went swimming in an outdoor pool this past Tuesday. By Friday, the temperatures were cool enough that I pulled out my winter coat to sit around the fire on both Friday and Saturday night. I did not need a coat this afternoon to sit out and work on my pallet tree as the temps were in the low teens, but I did start to get cramped up and stopped painting the red parts because I was getting chilled. I need to do some more work to fill out the ribbons so that they do not look so stringy and to fill out a few spots to make it all more balanced. Overall, I am pleased with how it is turning out.

Here is the last of the CADPAT bibs that I finished stitching tonight. This bib is the last one in my stash with the terry cloth backing so I am undecided about whether I will stitch any more of them. A military friend has a baby due in December so one of the bibs will go out in the mail in a month or so as they are now posted on the West Coast.

My ort jar is not filling up very quickly. The arrival of cooler evenings means that the jar will fill up much more quickly as I stitch away while winter does its thing outside.

June 5/17

Tadaaaa! I just put the last handful of stitches into this bib a few minutes ago. I have one more bib of this style to stitch before biting the bullet to put them up for sale and to see how I make out with the sale of these bibs. There is a little voice in the back of my mind that says, "What if no one buys them? What if someone tells you that you are crazy for thinking that you could make a little money off your handiwork?". There is a slightly louder voice that says, "Jump!!!!!! What have you got to lose?"

Happy stitching!

June 4/17

We were away to Halifax on Friday night to visit with my brother and his girlfriend so naturally no stitching was done that night while we enjoyed supper at a seaside restaurant and watched a wonderful movie , "A Monster Calls". I did get some stitching in last night and this picture shows where I ended up. The lovely Maggie was resting nearby as I picked up my needle and thread this lazy Sunday afternoon.

Here is where I ended up this evening:

I considered pushing on and completing the bib tonight, but I am just too tired to do so. We have had a busy few weeks with friends visiting or dropping over and our jaunt to Halifax to run errands and to stay over with my brother. Even today as a lazy day found us on the lawn of a local park listening to the base concert band and being entertained by the children who were wandering around the audience with their super hero swords and dogs. I also helped one of my neighbours make some decisions about her flower beds. Our housing organization allows us to put in flower beds as long as they are not huge or in the way once we move out. My neighbour gave me a piece of a bleeding heart that I planted alongside some lilies and irises that I found while out walking Maggie. Those flowers were planted over our two dear kitties, Leila and Penelope, who have passed away since we moved into this house, or PMQ (Private Married/Military Quarters) as we call these houses. Anyhoo, I am going to finish watching a documentary on Prince Philip before heading up to bed.

Happy stitching!

May 29/17

I had hoped to post before midnight, but my fingers were slowed by the late hour and the final thread of the evening just never seemed to end. We were out late last night to watch the fireworks that marked the end of the 2017 Apple Blossom Festival, a festival to celebrate one of the main economic drivers of the Annapolis Valley. The pets let me sleep in for a short while this morning before I tackled my usual Monday stuff of laundry, Rotary, groceries, walking the dog, etc. A few stitches were put into the bib this morning while I drank coffee and watched the two remaining episodes of "Call the Midwife". The rest of the stitching was done this evening after the fella' went to bed. On that note, it is time for my head to hit the pillow, too.

Happy stitching!

May 28/17

A few stitches were put into the current bib last night while I watched some TV before going to bed. The fella' was out hanging with the boys in our neighbour's shed so I chilled and stitched with the critters sprawled around me. Not much stitching has gone on around here recently. Work and home have been challenging to say the least which wipes out any energy I have left to stitch at the end of the day.

Speaking of the critters, look what I found in our kitchen recycling bins this morning! This little one likes to lick plastics so it was not a great surprise to find her in the plastics bin. It is hard to believe that she has only been with us for two months now. Pebbles has been a wonderful addition to our home!

Happy stitching!

May 23/17

Here is a picture of my stitching companion, Strong. She is fast asleep beside me on the couch, oblivious to the world. She used to spend the majority of her time upstairs on our bed. The arrival of our new kitty caused some switching of routines and favourite spots in the house so Strong now spends her time on the couch instead. She is our miracle kitty, surviving and thriving a bout of liver failure this time last year.

CADPAT bib number 5 underway. I did a little stitching today while watching "Call the Midwife" and "Hoarders". Most of my day was spent running errands because I refuse to shop on holidays even if the stores decide to open. I also voted in the provincial election in the advance polls.

Happy stitching!

May 22/17

CADPAT bib number 4 was finished this evening after a busy day of laundry, lunch with friends visiting Canada from New Zealand (she is an old friend from university and he is her Kiwi husband), planting 98 tomato plants in our backyard and my second attempt at bike riding this summer. My tomato project went a little overboard this summer with so many seeds actually sprouting. I gave 20 plants away last week to a nearby military spouse and another 8 to a good friend today. There are still easily 100 seedlings on my kitchen table as I search for homes for them! The development of arthritis in my knees has slowed down my walking and jogging because the jarring against pavement causes pain and warmth in the joints later. Biking seems like a better exercise for the summer and perhaps I will look at swimming at the sports complex during the colder months. Perhaps....swimming is not something that I have ever enjoyed.

The rhubarb plants in our backyard are into their third season in those beds and are growing gloriously. I harvested enough for a rhubarb crisp yesterday and I harvest 4-5 stalks every day to tuck into my freezer for future use in smoothies. There is something so satisfying about growing one's own food, even if it is on such a small scale. I look forward to the day that I can grow more than a small patch by the fence.

So, that sums up how I spent a good part of my Victoria Day holiday weekend. Yes, we celebrate dear Queen Victoria. Heck! I will celebrate anyone who will give me a holiday day! Happy stitching!

May 20/17

Here is a little peek into the shoreline near where I live. The temps were hovering around 30C yesterday in the Annapolis Valley so we loaded up the dog and headed to The Shore aka the Bay of Fundy to find some cooler temperatures. Our Maggie loves to explore the beach as you can see in this photo of the cliffs.

My stitching mojo kicked in a little bit this evening while we watched "Hacksaw Ridge" after a lovely afternoon on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. This bib is almost completed now and will hopefully be done tomorrow if something else does not come up on this Canadian long weekend.

 I also flipped through the latest issue of Just CrossStitch and found a few projects of interest as well. There are some Charlescraft tote bags in my stash so they may be the next items to be stitched up with the pattern I found in the issue.

Happy stitching!

May 15/17

Here is a quick update on this bib. I am stitching with great sadness tonight because the time to say goodbye to my gorgeous white cat, Penelope, is quickly drawing near. She is sixteen years old and has been in chronic kidney failure for several years. Today she has been refusing food and has barely moved except to slightly shift position every once in a while. I have set up a bed downstairs in the basement to spend the night with her as she has declined so quickly in the past 24 hours.


Here are some photos from healthier days:

May 11, 2017

Update photo! I managed to get a fair bit stitched last night after walking the dog and going to bed. The dog walk was interesting to me in that this is Spring Cleanup for the junk one finds in all the corners of one's house. I love to look at the piles on the curbs because I have had some fabulous finds like the little table that sits on our deck and the decorative lighthouse that sits in our flower garden. I did not see anything of interest last night although I did find two barbecue covers that had blown away during storms and landed in the field where the dog was running off leash. They were both fairly new and in better condition than our current barbecue cover, but I decided to drop them by the nearby school bus stop shelter as chances are one of those families is missing their cover.

I deserve a medal as I received this email:
"From now through May 31, 2017, you can use coupon code MAYSTITCH at checkout to get $10 off any single order of $50 or more! 

Thanks for being an Everything Cross Stitch customer, and happy spring stitching! "

I looked at the website, found some cute patterns that I would love to have and I DID NOT BUY ANYTHING!!! There are two boxes of patterns and one box of kits upstairs in my spare room that should be tackled before any new patterns come into this house. At least that is my official stance today.

Happy stitching!

May 9/17

Work is underway on CADPAT bib #4. I had hoped to be farther along as I was off yesterday until noon when a friend called to say that they were feeling quite sick and could I cover their shift? The extra money will help out for our summer vacation and the cottage rental involved. I have not offered them for sale yet as I want to have several stitched up before I post them for sale. Part of that hesitancy is anxiety about putting my name and wares out there and part of that is wanting to have a decent supply available if there is a demand for them.

My little Mason jar is almost full to the brim with orts and discards. I like to cram the orts down and fill the jar until it can hold no more. Weird, I know.

May 6, 2017

CADPAT bib number three was finally completed this evening. I was supposed to go see the movie "Maudie", but it was sold out at our little theatre here on the base so I stitched to pass this rainy evening. There was a bit of competition for my spot on the couch this evening.

This little critter kept grabbing my spot every time that I got up. She is a great mix of annoying and cute at the same time, protesting just a little bit each time that we scoot her furry butt over on the couch. Her favourite spot used to be on our bed, but the recent arrival of our newest cat who now sleeps on the dog bed beside our bed has made this little kitty decide that the couch is a better place to spend her time. Sadly for her, the humans keep insisting on sitting on her couch.

Happy stitching!

April 30, 2017

Wow! I have really slowed down on the blogging as it has been a week since my last post. My stitching drive has slowed down as well, thanks in part to some tough days at work and an arthritic knee that has decided to be a pain in my.........knee. I am gaining a new appreciation as to how pain can tire a person out and I just have arthritis in my knees! The bib is CADPAT bib number three. I posted a picture of a completed one on Facebook to get some feedback from my friends and the response was quite favourable so hopefully I can sell a few as I had hoped!

The warmer weather has arrived and today was a great Spring day here on the East Coast of Canada. We cleaned up the yard, emptied out and reorganized the shed and I dug up more area for our many tomato plants. My fella' checked over the lawn mower and made it ready to mow the grass that has burst out the ground this past week with the lovely Spring rain. I took the dog for a run on the woods trails and she spent the rest of the afternoon like this:

I guess being out in the yard all afternoon and a rip around the trails wore her out! Now, if we could only convince her that she loves baths because she stinks like the swamps she ran through this afternoon.

So, today I dove into the boxes that hold my patterns and kits because I was looking for some booklets on origami that were given to me by my grandmother. A friend of mine wants to do origami in her classroom so I offered to lend her my books. Somehow, I had forgotten just how many patterns and supplies I have managed to collect over the years until I started going through those boxes. Those boxes are like the last frontier of de-cluttering in this house so my next project is to go through the boxes and sell off some of the patterns are realistically never going to get done. I recently joined a group called Stash Unload that seems like it could be a good site to use to sell some of my patterns once I decide which ones to part with.

Happy Spring and happy stitching!

April 23, 2017

Two finishes in one day! I was the first one up this morning so I came downstairs, made some coffee and stitched a maple leaf onto the bib on the right. A few episodes of "Call the Midwife" later, we took the dog to the shores of the Bay of Fundy to run off some of her Lab crazy, as I call it. Maggie was so hyper this morning that she was running around in circles and not listening to any instruction from either of her humans. My fella' dropped me off at the local fabric and craft store on the way home so that I could get some skeins of DMC 632 to match the brown I have been using on the CADPAT. I did not have one of the bibs with me so I could not double check my attempt at matching with my old DMC chart until I walked home. Fortunately, the match was pretty darned close .The dog is now passed out on the floor by my feet as we settle in for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Here is another project that has kind of gone a little haywire. A month ago, I bought three packets of tomato seeds and started them on the kitchen window sill. The seeds were all viable, much to my surprise, so now we have more than 100 sprouts growing on three window sills. There are cherry tomatoes, medium sized tomatoes and beefeaters all merrily growing in our kitchen, Friends and family have spoken for some of the plants and I have started digging a bigger tomato patch in the back yard. Eggshells and coffee grounds are being mixed in to enrich this sandy soil to improve our chances at decent tomatoes this summer.

Well, back to my stitching and tv watching. Happy stitching!

April 20, 217

Stitch by stitch this bib is slowly getting done. Not sleeping well for 2 nights, thanks to the noise of engines from the air base and these lovely knots in my muscles that cause lots of pain, has slowed my brain and stitching mojo. I have also run out of the brown floss which came from my leftover kit thread bag so a match from my DMC threads needs to be found. Fortunately, with this kind of "pattern", I can fudge the design quite a bit if I choose to stop using brown for the remainder of the bib. Well, off to bed for me!

Happy stitching!

April 18, 2017

Stitching came to a screeching halt today after running out of the red colour (DMC 321) the other day and catching up to the point where I *had* to go to the craft store this afternoon to be buy the floss. Fortunately, the floss store was also conveniently on the way home from the dog walking trails so I completed a two fer one outing! I have done a little thinking about pricing and I am still not sure how much I would sell these for. There is no way to be compensated for the hours that go into stitching these pieces and I am just looking to make some pocket change off of supplies that I have accumulated. My current thought is $25. That thought could change.

Happy stitching.

April 17, 2017

Hello dear stitchers! It has been a few days since I have posted because I went back to my hometown in New Brunswick to visit with my family for the Easter long weekend. Blogger does not seem to work on my phone so I could not post an update on my bibs. The first CADPAT one was finished while I relaxed on the ferry that goes across the Bay of Fundy. The second one was started while I hung out with my family on Saturday, in between watching hockey and eating lots of yummy food made by my mom. How is it that the same recipe that I learned from my mom tastes so much better when she makes it??

I drove back to Nova Scotia with my brother who lives in Halifax and the fella' ventured into the big city to pick me up. The afternoon was spent transplanting tomato plantlets and relaxing with my critters who missed me while I was away. I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter weekend, whether religious or secular!

Happy stitching!

April 12, 2017

Okay, so my stitching mojo disappeared last night and the stitching was put aside until this evening. This bib is taking FOREVER to finish! My goal is to finish it tomorrow night, Friday at the latest. On the other hand, a plane ticket has been booked so that my fella' can go see his oldest son graduate from high school and I have been cruising websites to start planning our summer vacation.

Happy stitching!

April 11, 2017

Stitch by stitch this piece is getting done. I am quite liking how this is turning out and the reviews were favourable when I took it over to the curling club to work on in between games this past weekend. I had hoped to get more done these past two days as I don't work on Mondays and Tuesdays and there were no appointments. The dog foiled that by developing crystals in her urine so there were a couple of visits and phone calls to the vet. The sudden arrival of spring weather had me out cleaning up the yard and enlarging my tomato bed to accommodate the many seedlings that are sprouting on our window sills. So here I sit at 9;45pm, about to put a few stitches into the piece before I fall into bed.

Happy stitching!