Parasitic infestation of the best kind

No I'm not kidding
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

And you were expecting cross stitch! Surprise!. I'm Pregnant.

Actually this is not a surprise for us, this child (our first) has been scrupulously planned. From years of heated debate, to a resigned decision, to waiting till I was done with school and aquired a full time job, to limiting time for conception so the birth would fall during the summer break when I was not working.

We will be expecting the baby June 1st. Of course it will be late because late babies run in the family (my sister and I were both 3 weeks late!). I have known since the stick test you see a day after my missed period, in Sept. It was faint, but the doctors took it as accurate, and that is all the proof I had till I got to hear the heartbeat on Nov 14th. Now that all the immediate relatives know (it is the first grandchild on both sides). I can tell you, my loyal bloggers/stitchers.

To answer the standard questions: I feel fine, I was only nausous the first few weeks. Yes we will be finding out the sex. No I am not showing yet, and No I do not have an ultrasound yet ( they make the healthy people wait till 18 weeks!).

I did finish 1 ornament over the break, but have not photographed it yet...so you will have to wait in suspense till tomorrow

And another one down.....

Symbolic X christmas ornament
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Here is my favorite this year, Symbolic X by the Sampler House, JCS 2002. I did not like alot of the ones in 2002 mag, and this one didn't "pop" but it is simple and elegant (and fast). I like how it is ornate but in only one color.

I think I might do a couple more before heading ack to the bigger projects. (though I'll have to save a couple for the flights to and from FL).

Which leads us to the Question of the Week (last week):Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not? Silly rabbit, yes I do. I started really stitching last year, most for myself. This year I am just stitching what I like, again mostly for me. Although I think that I would like to continue doing 4-6 a year and start giving them away in the future.

Another Ornament

Home for the holidays
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Here is Home for the Holidays, an ornament by Little house Needleworks. 2005 JCS ornament mag. I did it on blu linen instead of natural like it shows in magazine. I am not really happy with the green, it is a bit to dark, I thought about lightening it up, but I think I'll just move on. I placed an order with Nordic Needle for a couple of charts and some Krenik silk mori threads for Nine Patch. so that is on hold for now till that comes in. I am loving these fast ornaments. I will probably stop stitching and finish them after Thanksgiving.

My mom, stepdad, and sister are arriving on wed for thanksiving, then one last week of school, then one week after that till we head to Wald Disney World on the 10th. I don't know if I'll have time to even send out christmas cards this year. I haven't done any christmas shopping yet. Al though these past 2 months have CRAWLED by, thanksgiving seems like it got here quicker than usual, like it is a week early or something.

S.E.X. at the retreat

S.E.X. at the retreat
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I had a great time, thank you. I arrived around 4 on friday and got right to stitching. I decided to start Mitten Games by Crossed Wing, (see progress below). I stayed up till 11 when I had to crash, luckily my hotel room was a full 5 steps from the meeting room...no kidding.

On Sat we went to Knoxville (30 min away) to visit a LNS..Doublecross. A couple of ladies had arrived the day before and had visited Dixie Darlin the local LNS in Pigeon Forge we usually visit and reported that it had gone downhill, there seems to be a change in management (not ownwership though!) and now it was not as well stocked. Double cross was nice and I was able to get a few things on my wishlist (it has been since updated).

• 
  Miss Mary Mack by La-Di-Da
  Pumpkin Patches by Full Circle Designs
  Dragonflies, Ladybugs, and Bees oh my! by M designs
• Priceless by Glory Bee
• Christmas Forest Ornament by Historic stitches
• and some fabric that was pretty, cheap, or both

That evening we did the Dirty Santa Exchange and the ornament exchange (I did get a handmade one), and stitched some on Mitten games, and once bored with it, started Nine Patch Village by Brightneedle, till about midnight

On Sunday, everyone left and since I had a bit of time and was n't carpooling, I stopped by the Pfaltzgraff outlet to pick up a couple things and then swung by Dixie Darlins to confirm the rumors for myself. Although the reports were slightly exaggerated, It was definately a different store than I saw 2 years ago...and not to the positive. I did buy Winter wonderland by LHN. but that was it.

Everyone loved Santa of the Forest (I brought him to show him off)

See progress in below posts

Start on Mitten Games by Crossed Wing

Start on Mitten Games by Crossed Wing
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I am doing this one on the fabric called for, I got it last year at CATS, I think it will come out great, It is just tough to see with all the greys and whites so far.

Start on Nine Patch Village by Bright needle

Start on Nine Patch Village by Bright needle
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

On 28 count over one.. It calls for 32 over 1 on linen but I said to that HELLL no and it looks great on evenweave.... I really like this one, stay tuned

Thanks Pine Mtn Pillow

Thanks Pine Mtn Pillow
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Done on Sat while driving to Doublecross in Knoxville

Im heading out

The car is inspected, topped off, aligned and has been given the final seal of approval by the man...So I am off in about an hour. They kept adding meetings at work today, butI was able to get out of 2 of the 3 , the one I am attending means I can't leave till 11, but hey no complaints here....at least I get to go.

Have fun stitching this weekend, I know I will

Stitching Questions

Last weeks from Lee:
How did you decide on the title of your stitching blog? Was it random, or does it have a special meaning to you or about you?

I started this blog while I was a grad student in the field of biology so my life was consumed by science and stitching...hence... stitching scientist

This weeks from Jan:
How many different brands of “complete” embroidery floss sets do you own? How do you keep track of it? (i.e., spread sheet program, index cards, palm pilot, etc.)

Well I don't have any idea if my sets are "complete" I think I have like 95% of DMC and maybe 20% GAST and 10% WDW. with other random ones included in minority like, Dye is Cast and Six strand Sweets, and Cresent Colors. Only my DMC is organized and I used to have a complete list of what I did and didn't but it was never complete because a lot of my colors were kitted up elsewhere. It is easier for me to see if I have something when I go to kit it. If not then I go buy it.

The Car Lives!!

My husband said that my blog entry yesterday may have been a bit obnoxious and I trust him to recognize when I go too far. Since I can't stand other whiny blogs I try not to do it myself. I know I rarely comment here about my own personal stuff to such a deep extent, so I bet some of you were caught off guard. So if you were offended or put out by it I apologize.

An update on Little Car 2 (thats her name). As I mentioned before the damage was enough that we got the "totalled" cost of the vehicle. although the actual damage (bumper, condenser, light) was only about $3-500, the airbags were $2-3000, with no body work needed. Well my husband the mechanic (no kidding, he really is: works on airplanes for $ and vehicles for fun and to save $) went out and russled up some used parts at the junkyard (98 Nissan Sentras are a dime a dozen) and a few new parts wholesale. He even snagged some airbags and the control module for $300 at the junkyard too. All for less than the check we got for the car. He reassembled little car today and dropped it at the shop for a full inspection (due this month anyway) and check up. If you all will send good healing energy to my car, then it will pass with flying colors and I might be allowed to drive to the retreat on Friday.

Moral: If you are a bad driver, marry a mechanic

I am NOT OK, okay? so quit asking

Christmas Chorus
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

First the good news, here is The ornament I told you I was starting: Christmas Chorus by Elizabeth's designs. I did it on 32 instead of 36 so it is a bit bigger, and I used red beads instead of the black. I think I am going to finish this as they did in the magazine, blanket stitched on to a felt pillow. but that may be a couple of weeks.

Now the bad. I was in a car accident Sunday, no I was not hurt, yes it is my fault, and here begins my rant. I hate it, absolutely HATE it when people say, well as long as your Ok and no one was hurt. Why would I hate this sentiment, you ask? I am not really sure I can explain so it makes sense but here I go. First off if I am standing here talking to you then I am obviously fine, second even if the human bodies are OK that doesn't mean I am mentally. I am ashamed, and angry, I am upset that my car is "totaled" just cause the airbags went off and the cost of replacing them ($3,000!) is more than the car is worth. I am pissed cause I just paid my car off for the first time in my life am not making payments and angry that the girl I hit (who got away with a bit of paint transfer, not even a dent) is trying to get a ton of $$ from my insurance co. I am angry that my insurance will go up because of my stupidity. I am crying because I chose to take the road I did, instead of going straight home. I am infuriated that I may not get to go to the cross stitch retreat this weekend because I didn't hit the brakes soon enough.

Ever since I was a small child, whenever I fell down, I became angry at the person who asked me if I was ok, it is just an automatic irrational reaction. I think I was just displacing my anger at myself for falling. Once in college, I slipped and fell on my butt, my supervisor, came over, bent to my ear so only I could hear him and whispered "Can I help?" I was astounded, said no, and loved him from that moment on.

I gonna try to hit November running.

Ornaments
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Well as for my October Goals: I did finish and frame santa, I did not touch Spookline, and now that may sit in a drawer till next fall, but I did pick several ornaments out of my 7 JCS mags for, this season on Halloween! I picked way more than 5 (I think 10 or so) but plan on doing them all this year. I have decided to do nothing but smalls for the rest of the year to get my cross stitching mood back up. I may pick a medium project for the Retreat next weekend, but for the rest of the year it is going to be ornament city

As you can see pictured above I finished 2 ornaments this month already, the first on the left is Heaven and Nature Sing by Fancy Work..in JCS 2005 I had it half done from last year and finished it last night. The second one on the right is Seka's Doubled Sided stained glass ornament from JCS 2000. It is on perforated paper and was one of the first ornaments I ever did,. This one is for the exchange at the retreat, it was easy and I still had all the materials left over from my first one. I was burned 2 years ago, spending hours on a over one ornament that i adored, only to recieve a cheap 50 cent Target ornament in return (the ornament did not have to be handmade, I did it cause I thought (correctly) that it was the preffered option). Luckily the one I made went to a fellow Tarheel who appreciated it very much. So long story short (too late!) I did not want to put to much of my heart into this years, but it looks like i did.

Tonight I plan on starting Elizabeth's Designs' CHristmas Chorus from JCS 2006...Its all kitted and ready to go...........