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With a few days break, I had a chance to do some stitching for myself.
Here it is...

After the weekend.

I call it "The Little Crooked House." It was not meant to be crooked, but - it turned out that way. Since this project is all for me - and my family - I try not to fret over it too much. I like it... That's all that matters.

In other matters, my life has been - unchanged. We started to plan a short vacation - just to get away for a few days, nothing major - but financial circumstances changed (as they always do)- and with that our plans went up in smoke. I was looking forward to this break, so I can't pretend I am not disappointed.

I did go to the theater (a real theater) twice over the past few months. First time, back in January, a friend invited me to go see a surreal, bit "Twilight Zone", bit "detective" story. It was good and thought provoking. The second time, just last Friday, I invited a different friend to a play "The Penelopiad" - the events of Trojan War through the eyes of Penelope, Odysseus's abandoned wife. 

While he - the hero - goes around the world, saves women, gains fame and fortune, she is left to care for their son, rule the island, run the house - and, at the same time, be invisible. For twenty years, she has been waiting for a happy ending - for her husband's safe return, for love, for recognition. But, in the end there was no reward. The hero came back, slayed the suitors - and her favorite maids, for good measure. Not quite a happy ending we were hoping for...

Until next time - happy stitching! 

What I do besides stitching

Of course, stitching is always first for me. But, with the summer break coming up, I have changed my rituals a bit ...
First of all,

I have put together a puzzle. The girls helped.... After it was completed, we took a picture, took it apart and put it away.
Then, I signed up for summer classes. I am taking an online accounting class and a swimming lab. I took the swimming lab thinking I would have plenty of time... until I saw my accounting schedule. Twelve chapters, six weeks, twelve homework sets... Plus quizzes and exams. I forgot - it's summer! Everything is shorter and faster in the summer. But, so far I am doing all right. I have sat myself down and completed the first homework set and a quiz in the first two days! And I was able to swim for an hour. I am super... something!
I planned all this swimming and academics under the impression that the girls were going out of state to see their father. I thought, with them visiting family I would go crazy sitting alone in the house, so why not do something? Now we have found out that the girls, in fact, are not going anywhere... But my schedule stays! Whatever it's going to be, it most definitely won't be boring.
And in conclusion, here is one of my stitching companions, Dusty. 

Stitching and Teaching

Yesterday night I finished my Mandala Garden project. I am especially excited because it was my first needlework that included beads - gosh, I never imagined how much could go wrong with beads! First, I tried the clear thread that was "suggested" by my local craft shop - and, I tell you, it was a disaster. The thread was too thick and felt like I was stitching with the fishing string... It pulled my fabric in all directions and made the beads uneven.

After that fiasco, I decided to use regular thread with the beading needle instead. I pulled out the fish string out of my poor fabric, took a deep breath and started. It was easier than I expected this time - the beads were lying evenly, and the thread did not show, since I used gold for the gold beads and very light blue for the clear ones. The result is before your eyes. I think it's pretty good for the first try on beading...

Thank you to everyone who gave me pointers on beading techniques. Every advice was very helpful.

Several weeks ago, I went back to working full time - one teacher is on leave, and they invited me to substitute until she comes back. That is very good news, of course, - working full time, getting the training and the experience I need, and getting paid for it - what could be better? The only thing is - I do not have much time to stitch... I wonder how I could integrate my stitching into a preschool lesson... Any suggestions? Please let me know. :)

Now that the Mandala Project is finished, I am going back to my Celestial Lady, but she is really, really big... I am thinking of a sampler that I started in between - maybe I will finish it first. I will post my updates.

Until next time... Stay safe and healthy.