Happy New Year!

 Hello, dear friends,

Another year over, the new one is starting. Traditionally, it's the time for drawing the line, making conclusions, reviewing results, and making new plans.

I feel 2021 has been a good, productive year for me. In the past year, I ... 

• Got a promotion at work. I got promoted from Receptionist to Accounting Clerk - quite a change! New responsibilities, new challenges... New and interesting things to do.
• Got my citizenship. I am now an American citizen. I can vote! I feel like Pinocchio: "I am a real boy!" (well, girl).
• Got my passport. I applied for the US Passport - and received it just before Christmas. I can travel abroad (although with pandemic rules right now it is more hypothetical than real, but - all in good time). 

Though the list itself is short - three points, but they are substantial ones. Looking back, I realize that in the past year I have achieved more than the year before, and in the past six years (since my separation and divorce) - more than I have ever achieved in all previous 18 years of my family life/marriage. It is as if to start achieving my goals, I had to first get divorced. 

I have been going to school, and in July of 2022 I will have completed my degree. Just one more semester, two classes. My textbooks for the Spring semester are already here, school starts at the end of January. It will be challenging - two classes with the full time job - but it's not the first time I have to do it. At the end of this challenge, another thing will be accomplished, another thing "ticked off" my "to do" list.

Speaking of lists... I am really into them. "To do" lists, schedules, plans - daily, weekly and monthly, and then yearly, and then "lifetime" goals... I break my challenges into smaller bits, and then work on each bit separately. That way, I am not intimidated by the goals I set for myself. Water breaks stone. 

With all the work, school and life there is one list I have been completely neglecting - my stitching WIP list... As of a week ago, I did not have even one finish to show for the year. I have been trying to stitch, but mostly I just ended up falling asleep in the chair, with my needle in my hand and my project having maybe fifteen stitches added to it...  In December, school vacation started, and with that and the holidays I was able to at least have one finish for the old year - and then the first finish for the New Year. 

"Autumn" by gazette94

I finished it on December 30th. Then, encouraged by the result, I started a new project - "Snowmen" by Durene Jones - and here it is! Finished it at 2 am on January 1. 

"Snowmen"

Here's to finishes! No matter how small they are. They all count!

Until next time, 

Best Plan Ever...

 Hello, dear friends,

Once again, after a long pause, I am back -- with just a few updates. 

Life has been crazy  really busy - with work (I got promoted in July) and school (just two more classes until my degree is finished) in full swing, I barely have time to stitch. That is, officially I do - after work, I sit in my chair and pick up the needle. I make several stitches. Next thing I know - it is two hours later and I am feeling refreshed - after a nap with a needle in my hand and a piece of linen on my lap. I tried to stitch, honest. I even started stitching. I was just too tired to go on.

So, the updates I have are due to me being on vacation this past week. After the initial couple of days of (mostly) sleeping and drinking tea, I looked at my pile of WIPs and decided to make a plan. What a plan it was! I wanted to start - and finish - a new sampler I had just purchased, with a swan and a cute thread ring. I was determined to also complete my "Charles Dickens" by Bothy Threads. Finally, "Mary Mary Needleworker" just HAD to be done! And what about Year at Hawk Run Hollow - I needed to work on that too! 

I had a whole week - more than that, eleven days! True, I had a doctor's appointment, and a pile of homework to catch up on, and a couple of friends to see after a long time apart, but - eleven days, completely free! 

Here is what I was able to accomplish. 

Mary Mary... How long is your skirt?

Here is my "Mary Mary Needleworker", or, as I affectionaly call her sometimes, "the endless orange skirt." I tried to stay focused, but eventually just had to take a break from all this orangy goodness. 

Happy Halloween! 

I did finish the October square of Hawk Run Hollow - just in time for the festivities! The witch's face was too pale against the fabric, so I decided to add some backstitch. What do you think, should I also get her hair outlined, or would it be too much? 

And... that is it. Not much - especially compared to the plan, huh? Oh well. After all, it's just eleven days. I try not to be disappointed. 

My cat Crystal has the best attitude about all plans. Her general motto in life is: "Take a nap." Running behind? Take a nap! Can't remember something? Take a nap - and it will come to you. Frustrated about miscounting stitches? Tired of doing homework? Have I mentioned... 

Guardian of Diagon Alley

Somewhere along the way, I decided to be more like Crystal and stopped worrying about my plan. Instead, I stitch, drink tea, listen to the book, drink more tea, stitch some more... and take my time to enjoy it. 

For what it's worth - I don't have to be back at work until Tuesday, which is still three days away. Who knows, I may still get more done. 

Temptations

Until next time, 

Stitching Update

 Hello, dear friends,

I am back again, trying to revive this blog of mine. Will it work? I hope so.

Over the past year I have not posted much (anything, really), but I have been stitching and puzzling - when not working or studying. I am trying to finish my second AS degree - in Accounting this time, and I am getting ever so close to the finish line. Right now I am just three classes away from completion. 

So, what have I been stitching on? Some time last year I saw this and got curious. The name of the project - "Charles Dickens" - got me interested, as at the time I was also watching the show "Dickensian". 

The kit is by Bothy Threads. I have always been curious about their "cut through" projects, but this seemed too interesting and unusual to pass by. 

Next - there's "Mary Mary Needleworker" by Lindy Stitches. 

Still love the colors - and the details, like the mushrooms and the thread bobbins, but the skirt is starting to get to me. It is just so vast and so orange. I know it will look beautiful once it's done, though. 

Finally, I have been doing some puzzling. Here's my favorite as of today - the Zodiac Circle. 

I worked on it while listening to "Troubled Blood" by Robert Galbraith. The puzzle completed the book experience.

I hope you read my post until the end and did not get bored. Please leave a comment if you can. 

Until next time, 

 

A "Stitch'n'Bitch" Post...

Hello, dear friends,

As always, it has been quite a while since I posted here. That between my daily job, my home business (a.k.a "a second job"), the girls (who are not so child-like any more), and all the "in-between" stuff, the blog seems to fall through the cracks. Sometimes, I sit down to write, but with so many ideas going through my mind - which one do I focus on? Where do I start? Quite often, just thinking about the process makes me realize it's not worth the trouble, and I choose instead to concentrate on stitching.
Stitching, unlike "bitching", yields concrete results, and I see what I have accomplished after each session. Here is something I have been working on the past couple of weeks...

12 Days of Christmas SAL
by Plum Street Samplers

My goose is cooked... My swans are swimming (along with some ugly ducklings)... In fact, the maids are starting to materialize by now - they just need their milking buckets.  It has only got me about two years to get here... I am sure it will be finished soon (she said, rolling her eyes)...

I am stitching this project with the home-dyed threads from Nancy Turner's collection, and it is a real pleasure to work with them... Such soft threads - and rich colors...

The Goose...

The Swans...

There are other projects I am working on as well, but - alas - I cannot post pictures of them yet... 

Now that the stitching update is complete - on to the "bitching" part. I hope to get this out as precisely and quickly as possible, especially because for me, this particular subject - social isolation - is a recurring topic. 

This time, my rant was inspired by the online article in New York Post about some study on single life. "Being single will kill you faster than obesity," it declared bluntly. So, wait, I thought... are they saying that choosing to stay single is, in fact, unhealthy?

First, I took it as yet another thing "they" say we, as individuals, "have been doing wrong", along with eating meat, brushing teeth, washing our face, and raising kids. I take the "expert" suggestions with a grain of salt and a healthy dose of irony, reminding myself that, as long as y methods work for me and my family, the experts can really put their advice where the sun don't shine. 

Then, I thought how ironic it was that, in a society that in all its general behavior promotes social isolation, this piece suggests that getting into a relationship - any relationship, as long as you are not "single" - is deemed healthier for me than staying by myself. In the world where on a daily basis people are isolated from each other - by their cars, cell phones, head phones, laptops - and in fact often view a simple conversation as a challenge - here is a piece that encourages each one of us to make a serious choice and "trust" them that it's "healthy" for us - just because they say so. Forget our individual needs, cultural differences, nuances of upbringing - in a word, anything that makes us unique - and follow the herd, do what we are told to, because "they" know better. Sounds awfully familiar - like something from a history lesson.

I do realize that, in essence, the article was just trying to convey a simple and true message - that 

loneliness and isolation is not good for anyone, and definitely not for long periods of time. But, it seems they are going about it the wrong way. Come to think of it, all the technology that isolates us from each other on a daily basis was created with a purpose to bring us closer together. Cars were made to help us travel faster, internet and cellphones - to communicate more effectively. But, somehow, as a society, we misused them. On Facebook, I get endless requests to like, share, re-post, and copy to "prove" that I care about suicide prevention, curing cancer, and other numerous causes. As if pressing a few buttons is actually going to help cure illness or prevent someone from committing suicide....

This is not Super Mario Brothers video game, it is real life. It requires real action. Care about a friend? Call them, text, message - and make time to see them, and talk, and listen. It will take longer than pressing a button, but in the end it will do a world of good. Feeling lonely? Get yourself out of the car and take a walk. You'd be surprised how many interesting people I've met ever since I had to rely on my own two feet and public transportation for getting around. Make real connections with real people - and you will learn more about others and about yourself, and in the process, hopefully, chip away at that problem of loneliness and isolation in our society.

If you don't have time for real communication and connection, and do not wish to make time, then... don't. But also, don't spread general prefabricated statements of "caring." Stop overloading the internet with junk. And in the long run, prepare to deal with the consequences.

Until next time,

A Stitching Post

Hello, dear friends,

It looks like, finally, I can share some of the projects I have stitched in the past couple of years. So, beware - this post is picture heavy.

First of all... "The Old Rugged Cross"  - perfect for Easter holiday! Oh, wait.. the Easter was a month ago. Oh well... I enjoyed stitching it, and here it is.

The Old Rugged Cross

This project felt like a work of art - all the colors, and the skies looked so realistic, I could almost sense that chill in the air right before the storm. The details of the cross make it look three-dimensional, almost real.

I have taken quite a few pictures of this project, front and back, but these two are my favorites.


Next- quite a different topic: vegetables! This one made pictures of the ordinary vegetables into an art form... It was like re-creating Still Life paintings with needle and thread.

Carrot

While stitching it, I thought it would look good in someone's kitchen - inspiring people to drink carrot juice? The taste of it kept popping up in my mouth all through working on this piece...

Eggplant

With the Eggplant, I loved the colors! Looks like the sun is bathing one side of it... While in real life I find eggplants boring, this one was anything but. Another decoration for someone's kitchen, or perhaps restaurant.












For the final piece - my favorite miniature...

A hedgehog with the mushroom! Don't mind that the mushroom is poisonous - it is a decoration, not food. I could imagine it in a handmade card.

Now, I have been told that all these pieces have been released as kits in Hobby Lobby stores all over the country. Unfortunately, there isn't a store like that anywhere near I live, so I cannot see the "final result." Stitching them was a pleasure, though, so I know those who work on them are going to enjoy the process.

Until next time,

Life and Stitching News

Hello, dear friends,

It has been over four months since my last post. Has it really been that long? Time keeps flying by, one week after another, and some days I feel I can barely keep up. What, is it March already? No, wait, it's April... No, wait... make it May!

 A lot has happened in this time. My daughters and I are together again, living under the same roof. (The song "Reunited" keeps popping up in my head every time I think of that). The past three months without them have been a glimpse of what life would be "on my own," when they have grown up and started living their own lives. It was a bit empty, a bit scary at first, but in a way also educational and - liberating. Scary - because suddenly I had no one to cook dinner for, nobody to take care of. I felt like a woman out of a job, like I have lost my main purpose. Then, after the initial shock, I thought of the best way to use the free time - and that is when the liberating part came in. I had one of a kind chance to remember who I was before taking on all the roles - before marriages, motherhood, working, earning a living. I got back to basics - reading, listening, writing, and stitching (of course). I learned to like my own company once again - something I had in the beginning, but lost in the process and had to reclaim. In the end, I learned that living on my own is not quite as scary as I imagined; it's different and new, but it also has its advantages. While I am not in a hurry to start living alone, I know now that, when the time comes, I will be all right.

During the time alone, I have done a lot of stitching, but, alas, there are only two projects I can show.
The first one is called "Aquarius" - remember, I started it over a year ago for my daughter? I was able to give it to her for her birthday this year...

Aquarius

The second project I finally finished was the Christmas stocking. This one took some time and effort, and eventually these snowmen started haunting my dreams, giving me nightmares. Perhaps, they wanted to be finished. Or, perhaps, I was feeling guilty for taking such a long time... In any case, I am glad to have completed it finally, and I am pleased with the result.

"Three Snowmen"

In the end, I enjoyed stitching this project a lot. The different thickness of the thread made the snow hills look fuller, and the backstitch outlined the trees and brought the details into sharper focus. I loved finishing it.

There is a lot going on in my life still - as always, it seems - but it is my hope that from now on I will be able to post more regularly. See, now I have a laptop, which means - no more going to the library,  I can once again write in here right from home.

Thank you for reading my ramblings.

Until next time,

Stitching and Reading News

Hello, dear friends,

Has it been that long since my last post? I swear it was June last week... and not it's already the end of September. Where did the time go? I guess it flew away...

Past few months, I have been working my job, stitching, and reading. (What else, right? )

In stitching news - there is finally a WIP picture I can share with you.

This is to be a stocking - with snowmen, as you can (hopefully) see. Such bright colors, and very interesting shapes and angles. I enjoy this process.

In the reading department - I have finished "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child". What an experience. The plot twists are unexpected, the form (a play) is refreshing, but most important part - this is a book about real issues: issues in parenting, growing up, relationships - and mistakes made while forging them. This is one of those books that make you think and reflect upon your own situation, letting you be your own judge. I enjoyed it - and look forward to re-reading it again soon.

Another book I attempted to read was "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. I decided to listen to it, rather than read (it was late, and my eyes were tired after work) - and gave up listening after an hour. I just could not grasp what it was about. Names, places, people, diners, more people, names of roads, more diners, and tasty descriptions of apple pie and ice cream... It was like being on the road with the writer - or, rather, taking a road trip in the back seat of  the car with your parents when you are a kid: you look out the window at the endless poles, you count the poles and think - once I get to one hundred, we'll have to stop at the rest stop, maybe something interesting will happen then... One hundredth pole passes, and we are still driving. Then, you up it to two hundred, three, four - as many as needed - until, finally, your parents stop. You get out of the car, use the bathroom and look around for some kind of an adventure, some experience - and find... a truck stop with the apple pie and ice cream. There is your adventure. Then, you get back in the car - and get going - again: one, two three, four... one hundred... two hundred... infinity... 

Until next time, 

Life goes on, and so does the stitching...

Hello, dear friends,

It has been about two weeks since my last post, so it feels like a good time for another update.

When I start thinking about it, I really don't know where to start: my job? my life? my stitching? So many things changed so quickly in my life - and still keep changing - that two weeks feel like two months - or even longer. One steady feeling, though, that has been growing in me - and me - is Self-Confidence. The more I go through things, the more I face these challenges - big and small - the more I feel, " I can do this!" I can do this - all by myself.

Then again, I am not "all by myself." My daughters are with me, and they are a great comfort. For the first time in many years, I feel like I can talk to them - and they to me - without pretense. We say it like it is. There is no need for false and fake "niceties," forced expressions of respect. If they are unhappy or they disagree with me - they tell me. If - or when - I need to say something - I do. No long speeches, no put downs, no theatrics... And it works. I feel, finally, that we are on the same team. We understand each other - at least as much as it is possible between two teenage daughters and their mother. And, finally - I feel like we have our privacy. Nobody is watching. This is not  Cinema Verite, there are no hidden cameras. (Not that there ever actually were cameras, but in my marriage, I often felt like I was in a sitcom, cast for a supporting role. I cannot tell you how much relief it brings to drop that kind of pretense.)

Next week will be the seventh week (already?) of my new job. I am starting to feel a bit more confident in my position - that is, I don't have to ask every five minutes for directions, - but now, I feel, the challenge is not to become over confident. I have a lot to learn here, and sometimes being silent and listening is better and more productive than talking and trying to "get things done." Often, that is a very good approach to life in general, too.

With all the work and chores, there is very limited time left for stitching - but my Aquarius has grown arms since the last time I posted. Slow and steady, it grows....

"Aquarius" WIP

 Until next time,

Changes...

      Hello, dear friends,

     Since my last post over a month ago a lot happened, so much that life seemed like a roller coaster at times: up - down - twist- turn - back up again... Some things have been good, some could be considered tragic.
    One of the (major) good things - I've got a job! It has been such a long time since I have worked a proper full time job that I almost did not believe it when the agent called me the day after the interview and announced, " I have good news, they have extended an offer." During the entire first week, I kept pinching myself, checking to make sure I am not dreaming some sort of an extended dream...
    Another good thing is - my job offers many learning opportunities. It deals with many aspects of the industry - from accounting and bookkeeping (that I have some experience in) to trademark research (in which, until now, I had no knowledge whatsoever)... Every day is a new lesson, a new experience, and a new challenge. Am I scared? Not really. I am ready to learn. I feel that I am up to it. Who knows - maybe this is the one, the job that can turn into a career. I am hopeful.

   Another thing (I almost want to say "bad this time", but I honestly am not sure it is) that occurred this year is my separating from my husband. I don't quite know what to say - or write - about it out loud. Deeply covered family secrets came to light, certain truths got uncovered, resulting in a crisis. I felt robbed, deceived, and paralyzed. But, as my good friend said once, crisis is a good thing because it forces you to acknowledge the problem and deal with it. So, I picked myself up by... I don't even know what - and started dealing, and have not stopped since. And - believe it or not - things have been changing - quickly, drastically, from one day, almost from one moment to the next. One moment I was sitting at the Social Services building, applying for emergency help - next thing I know, just several days later, I am talking to a job recruiter at the staffing agency, going to an interview in a business outfit and a new smart jacket, my (newly) typed resume in my hand... and next thing I know - I am working again! Just this January, I was no closer to driving a car than flying to the moon - by the first week in February I was walking out of the DMV with a permit, and by now I have had three driving lessons... Not bad for someone who thought she'd never get behind the wheel.
Finally, I feel better - physically, emotionally, and mentally. No more stressful dinner times, no more thick-cut tension in the air, no more invisible elephants. Things are far from perfect, and there are many problems, but I have always been able to deal with that - or, rather, I have always dealt with problems, whether I felt able to or not. It's just now the additional weight has lifted, somehow the "burden" of adulting has become lighter. Yes, I have problems, but they are my problems; I know what they are and how to deal with them.

   With all the work and all the changes - what about my stitching? I have not been able to stitch quite as much as I would like to, but I did put in a few stitches here and there over the weekend...
    Here is the result of these short and sweet sessions...

Aquarius

Until next time,

A Bit of Stitching, High Anxiety, and Instruments of Medieval Torture

Hello, dear friends!
First of all, I want to share some stitching I have done over the past three weeks...

First, I thought of posting five or six progress pictures, but then, feeling brave(r) than usual, I decided to make it into a movie. This is still work in progress - desperately needing a broom and a header (where the huge brown circle is) - but, overall, I am happy with the result. Now to see if Blogger is able to play this... Keep your fingers crossed for me! 

Other than stitching, I am still dedicated to the gym, although in my mind I now refer to it as "medieval torture chamber." I am sure many of you can relate: when you are on the machine, everything hurts, and afterwords, everything hurts even more. The look of the machine, with all of its gadgets, screws and adjustment levers, strongly reminds me of the medieval torture device. In my case, the personal trainer (a.k.a. "the torture master") adjusts the devices and makes me go through the routine, assuring me the whole time that it's good for me. Finally, the screams, moans and groans of people around me (mostly males lifting weights) add the final touch and make the experience of the torture chamber complete.

A separate word about the moaning and groaning fellow sufferers... Mostly, they are men, and they lift weights, and they tend to drop and smash those weights all over the place. From a distance, it sounds something like this: "Arrrrgh! - Boom! - Clang... - Oooh... " The sound sequence is repeated over and over, with the "arrrgh"'s getting louder and more painful, and booms and clangs more loud. I don't know why these men do it this way - maybe, they think it sounds macho, attractive, like "look at me, I am so strong"? For me, at its loudest/dramatic it sounded like the guy was having a heart attack. Otherwise, it seemed like he was taking a painful dump. So, in conclusion: gentlemen, stop showing off! If you have to scream lifting the weight, that means you need to switch to a lighter weight. Making scary near-death-like noises only intensifies the "torture chamber" effect I talked about earlier.

To be fair, going to the gym does make me feel better overall, and I also lost a little weight - five pounds, to be exact, - thanks mostly to following the "torture master"'s routine. So, although I do call her that (in my mind), I am actually grateful to her.

Until next time - happy everything!

Sleeping with Cross Stitch

I am not kidding! Over the weekend, whenever I start stitching, I fall asleep. In addition, yesterday I went to the local craft store to buy some floss - and I got so dizzy on my way back I nearly passed out... Came home and had to rest, then got hungry/thirsty, had some soup and water to drink.. Then got tired and fell asleep... And so on, and so on, in circles: tired, hungry, thirsty, sleepy... Suddenly thinking of the Snow White's dwarfs...
I am hoping to go to the doctor over the next few weeks to find out what it is I am dealing with. My husband says I am just exhausted and need some rest. He may be right.Stitching - continuous stitching with the deadline - does take the toll on one, and it sneaks up unexpectedly and suddenly.
So, about stitching! No picture today - because there is not much to show - but I tried doing a project with what's called 'Tambov's Cross Stitch". Instead of 2 stitches,each cross stitch takes 13 stitches total, because the square, in addition to containing the cross stitch itself, is also "outlined" with stitches all around. The feeling is as if you "stitch in" whatever it is you are working on and don't let it get out of the square... and then go to another square... and another... The result is quite neat - very tidy and solid, but I am not sure it is designed for our delicate 14-count Aida. Frankly, a burlap sack would handle it better.
I was planning to work on "makosh" - a protective charm for the woman/stitcher in the family - that looks like a tree with the owl sitting in it. A really beautiful design, really... but - after about 2 hours of work  I only finished the base of the tree, and not all of it at that. And I got tired... again.

I really hope to get better soon and get out of the "tired-hungry-thirsty-sleepy" circle. Wish me luck...

Happy stitching!

A Stitcher's Happiness

My dear friends, as you all know, I have been stitching continuously through the summer, with just short breaks to try socializing. With all the work and no play I have been feeling, ever so strongly, the need for encouragement and inspiration.
Yesterday I was feeling a bit down. Then, I heard the door bell ring. I opened the door - and found a post box. Inside, there were all these amazing things.....

The package came from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. Hand dyed threads, a wonderful piece of linen, trims, buttons of different colors... I am in stitcher's heaven!

This is the first time I have ever seen hand dyed threads. I am amazed how soft the thread is. Also, when I tried "variegated" thread at the store, I was inevitably disappointed of such a wide change of color from dark to light. Nancy's variations are much more subtle and soft, as I imagine they should be, giving the stitching an added feeling of shade and depth.

These are some of the "cranberry" buttons... I was tempted to see if they actually smell like cranberry... no they don't, but they sure do look very cranberry-like.

I imagine I will be using these threads for a long while, stitching a family sampler with them on that very piece of linen... I already have a few ideas about using some of these buttons and the chocolate-brown trim... My Christmas decorations will have some nice additions this year! Thank you, Nancy, for these wonderful things, and most of all - for all the inspiration they provide...

Happy Stitching!

A Finished Project - and a Lot of Stitching

What do you think I have been doing all this time, ever since my last post? That's correct - stitching! Stitching cross stitch projects and embroidery projects, stitching small projects and big projects... Sometimes, in between stitching, I would come up "for air" to talk to my friends and family, or answer emails, or check social media, and then - more stitching! 

Most projects in progress I can't really post pictures of - I am not sure it would be right. But, here is one finished project - design by Nancy Turner of Victorian Sampler Motto Shoppe - that I am pretty certain I can share. In addition, it describes me to the "t." To the tea? I like tea... Especially Lipton and English Breakfast... Some cookies or crumpets or turnovers would not be a bad idea either... Darn, now I am hungry! Where was I again?

Anyway, back from the abyss of my wandering thoughts... It's a finish!

"Needle and Thread"
by Nancy Turner

What can I say about working on this motto? I loved every minute of it. I loved the smell of linen - I keep wondering if it's handwoven or store bought... The more I worked on it, the more it felt like home made fabric. The font reminded me a bit about Harry Potter series, but maybe it's just me. 

Thank you for reading my (short-ish) rambling... and now - guess what? Back to stitching! 

Scissor Fobia

Hello again, my dear friends!
The other day, I lost my favorite scissors. One minute they were there, and the next there was a child sitting right where they were supposed to be, but - no scissors! Right then and there, I decided that no scissors of mine would be lost again, and made a scissor fob....

The pattern and instructions were taken from the February issue of "Just Cross Stitch". Letter "K" looked more like "A" than like itself so I did some tweaking. Hopefully, it does not look like "H" now.
I made the fob two-sided, with my initials - "KT" - on it.

The twisted cord is also handmade - out of the same threads that were used for stitching. The magazine provided instructions for twisting the cord... using the cord making machine. What? I don't have one of these!  So, I found some very good instructions on YouTube. This lady knows her stuff!
Yet, I was frustrated. Making a twisted cord requires a steady non-moving holding point - like a bulletin board, or a wall, or... a husband? I used my husband. I came up to him, gave him the end of the thread and said, "Hold this, stand still and don't move." Then I did my cord twisting as instructed.  It worked!
Now that I am no longer frustrated, I want to mention that my DH is truly a very patient and supportive man. Not just any person can stay calm and pleasant when their spouse wakes them at 2 am and starts giving weird instructions.... Thank you, I am very grateful.

I also want to say that all the materials for this project - including scissors - were gifted to me by a good friend. Over the past couple of years, she has been giving me stitching gifts - threads, scissors, buttons - and I have been putting them away, waiting for the right moment, and - here it is. Thank you, Erika!

The Scissor Fob

Stitching my Way to Happiness

The Way to Happiness is the name of a 5-week long Stitch-a-long project that was finished - oh, some time ago... but I finished it just yesterday. Here it is.

As one can plainly see, the only thing one has to do to be happy is to become a saint. That's all that is required. Sarcasm aside, I did enjoy stitching this piece - very easy flowing, pleasant, with enough details not to get boring, yet, at the same time, without excessive number of threads or frequent changes... In short - perfect SAL!
Usually I do not make changes to original patterns, but this time I felt daring (is that the word?). Originally, the house had empty windows and door, and it looked to me a bit fake, like a cardboard box with a drawing. Same could be said about the table cloth- originally the "cloth" area was empty. So, I changed it: filled in the door, put in windows, and - filled in the table cloth.

When working on the windows, I was watching Harry Potter movies - can you see the influence? :)
The cloth looks a bit "ruffled" after the modification.
The pattern was borrowed from a wonderful website www.jardinprive.com - it's a great source of free patterns, and this particular project is available in several languages.
On another note, one thing I did not enjoy in this process was taking pictures of the finished work - because of frustrations with my camera. The more I use it, the more I get lost in all the options. I think maybe I need to start looking for something less advanced, without quite as many buttons, just a machine that can focus and use flash.
Almost forgot- I wanted to show another finished project called "Blueberry Dessert" by a wonderful Russian designer Valeria Antonova of NeoCraft. I finished this kit about a month ago, and I still have two more kits to complete.

"Blueberry Dessert"

I love stitching. It's what I do best, it's what I'd rather do with most of my (free) time. If I could turn it into a full time work, I would do it in a heartbeat. This is why  I decided it was time to get my own webpage offering my stitching services to those interested. My husband, who, among many things, is a web designer, offered to help me with setting it up. I finally picked the template, chose the pictures, and now the only thing I have left is to write an About page. What could be easier? Ah, no... somehow whatever I think of writing does not seem... professional enough. "I am a wife, mother, and stitcher"? " I like cross stitch, how about you?" I don't know, everything just becomes a mess in my head and comes out... wrong.

Get Well Wish

Today, I have been working on a small stitch for a friend. She has been recovering from surgery, and I thought a small Get Well hanging charm would do some good.

I modified the original design by Joan Elliott - some color modification making it smaller for the needed size. The white border ribbon in the corner allows it to be hung in the car - or anywhere, for that matter, as a good luck or healing charm. I hope it works....
On a personal note, I am in need of a Get Well charm of some kind myself... I have had a rough couple of days talking to my... mother. For a very long time, our relationship has been very strained. Recently, I tried to reach out to her - again, but, it seems, in vain. My efforts were not appreciated, my questions not answered. Her exact words were, " If you expect us [your parents] to explain ourselves to you, we do not intend to do so.... If you feel you have been mistreated, it shows there is something wrong with you. If you keep thinking that way and living in the past, seek therapy. "
When I read other people's posts about their mothers, there are words of love, gratitude, kindness. I cannot say that about my mother. Most of my childhood I remember feeling guilty, terrified, or both. Something was always my fault. I was never like "other kids" (now that I think of that, she was never like "other mothers). Occasionally, she bragged to her friends about my grades, but she always added to me it was probably due to private tutors she hired. When I passed the exams to the St. Petersburg University, her reaction was, "Well, at least we did not pay all these teachers in vain." So, maybe it was the act of God - whichever god was watching over me at the time, as well as now, thank you! - that I went abroad, experienced a different life, eventually got married and moved away from my parents - for good. I built my own life, with no help from the family I came from. Whatever hardships I endured, I did not bother my mother with it, and never asked for help. Once, a friend said to me, "Surely, you can ask your mom and dad for assistance if things go bad." I answered, " I'd rather die."
For the past fifteen years, I have tried, the best I could, to try and figure out where I stand with her. I have tried to maintain a connection with her and my father - mostly for the sake of my children, feeling that it would be unfair to cut them off from their grandparents... But, as always with my parents, my best is not good enough. I think it is time to cut the ties, sever the bond... whatever the appropriate metaphor is. I am just so tired of this... whatever it is, it is no longer a relationship. If it is, maybe it's an abusive one.
So, a toast: to the end of a horrible relationship, the first one, the most intimate - and most unrewarding one -  in my entire life....  This is the end. No more.

Back to Stitching!

My sudden "outburst" of crochet seems to be over, and with all the exciting news about Etsy and network social life I am still stitching! About a week ago, I decided to "clean up" my WIP box, which resulted in adding two more projects to my stitching stash, so now I put three projects in rotation. The first one, of course, is the Hogwarts Crest.

Hogwarts Crest

As you can see, I have advanced a bit on the lion and the motto ribbon, and also started on the helmet and feathers at the top. I really like working on this one.

 
Then, I have found a Blue and White Sampler I started ages ago.

Blue and White Sampler

This one has many motifs and is stitched on 14 ct Aida. Just this fact reminds me how long it has been, because I have not worked on 14 ct Aida for over two years. It is pleasant to remember where I started and "get back to basics," so to speak... I remember the first time I saw it in the Home and Garden collection. I was attracted right away to the alphabet and the lady with the gentleman. Then, after I got done with them, I ran out of the dark blue thread (one of the two colors it uses), and that is what put this project on hold.


Finally, my third project is the Carson Mansion by Debbie Patrick from 'Victorians Across America" series. I started it on a whim about a year ago, but never got it finished.

Carson Mansion

One thing that surprised me about this one is how much black color it uses. Yet, the finished picture looks so vibrant! When you start stitching, you find black in almost every window, on the curtains, in the corners of the building and on the balconies, not to mention the outlines and decorations (that I expected.)

 These are all my stitching updates. I am also charting "For Me and My House", thinking about other charts, and reading. I have almost finished "Dead Man Walking" by sister Helen Prejean, such a powerful book. I also did some research about sister Helen online, found her Facebook page and her blog. Now I know what she looks like and read her posts, I have a better picture of what she is like. Don't get me wrong, the movie was great, but having Susan Sarandon's voice in my head while reading does get quite annoying.
Have a good stitching week!

New Year starts with...

My new year has started with a hope for a job, followed by a sudden drop of disappointment. At the last moment, the client cancelled the assignment. And I was all ready to go!
I suppose that is the down side of working temporary assignments: anything can change at any moment. So, I am back to my life: stitching, crochet and housework. I will just have to remember that... anything can change at any moment!
As for the stitching, at the end of December I finished a small Thanksgiving ornament, but never had a chance to take a picture. Here it is.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 The cross stitch design is by Joann Elliott, stitched on 14-ct Fiddler's Cloth. Originally, it was meant to be a card, but the ornament seemed more interesting. I am thinking of making the whole series - Independence Day, Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.

Out with the Old, In with the New Year's goals

Looking back,  I can honestly say that in the past year I have stitched more and finished more projects than in the previous five years. Let's see...
Celtic Summer
Heart Sampler
Breast Cancer Awareness project
Advent Calendar (finished - and used for the first time!)
Mother Goose pillows and toy (beak repaired, pillows stitched - finally)...

Plus, of course, there were many, many small projects... Stitching-wise, it was a good year.

 Quite a few of these achievements were possible because my sensitive and loving husband got me a sewing machine for Christmas. Having this tool has brought a new dimension to the whole stitching process. Now I can make things that are useful and practical, not just decorative.

In the new year, I plan to...
Make hand stitched post cards
Continue developing my Etsy shop
Make three presents for my online blogger friends - I made promises, so - gotta keep them...
Finish a Victorian House stitching project
Stitch Celtic Lady Autumn

In addition to that, I also hope to find a job, but, given the situation of our economy, I am starting to accept that for a while I may have to be content with the role of Susie-homemaker.

Finally, today we had some people from the electric company show up and replace all our light bulbs and lighting fixtures with the ones that are "more energy efficient." Now that I see them burning I understand how these save energy - they are incredibly dim. Our rooms are so dark that I can neither stitch nor read. I went to the closet and wanted to put the old bulbs in when Joe reminded me that the nice gentlemen from the company took all the bulbs with them... And all this time I was wondering what the catch was...



Autumn Biscornu



Summer Biscornu

A Celtic Nameplate, a Quilting Sampler, and a Tree

It's time I showed some pictures of the WIP projects I have been working on over the past month. Since the Celtic Lady finish, there have not been any new pictures... Shame on me.
Yet, I have been working on new things. Most of them are still in progress (of course!), but one, surprisingly enough, has been finished. Here it is...

This is something I made for my daughter. For now, she is using it as a bookmark; it can also go in a frame or, perhaps, as a sew-on tag on the blanket. I liked stitching the letters - simple, yet intricate.

Another project I have been working on over the past month is the Quilting Sampler. Here it is - still unfinished, but pretty close to completion:

There is still some outlining and writing to be done, as well as a couple of stitches here and there, but - the majority of work is completed. One thing I am happy about completing here is the border - boy, my eyes almost crossed from stitching all these yellow-and-blue triangles. It's nice to go back to stitching and outlining the dolls in the center. And the small hearts above remind me of cookies.

In the space above the big heart in the center it will say, "From the Heart." Once it is finished and framed, I will donate it to the Charity Auction at my niece's church. I hope to get it done by the next weekend.

Finally, one day I sat down and wanted to do something different - and came up with this:

Suddenly I just wanted to stitch leaves, don't know what came over me. I did not even draw a specific design, except a brief outline of the tree on the canvas tote bag. Hopefully, I will complete this idea after the Sampler is done and framed.
Next week, I'll be working (hooray!), and the kids are starting school, but still hope to get some stitching done in the evenings.