FInally, Happy Dance.

Christmas ornament 2004 side 2
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Is there anything more pathetic in the needlework world than a stitcher sifting for her ort bag looking for a piece of thread longer than an inch to use to finish the last few stitches. I don't think so. I did manage to find the last bit tonight.
And the other side:

Christmas Ornament 2004 side 1
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Christmas Ornament 2004, by Periwinkle Promises. The red is Thread Gather's Silk N Colors In the Burgandy, and the green is Forest Green. This is on 28 ct. white linen. I stitched the 2 sides together with some white sewing thread, and gave it a bit of stuffing for dimension (a suggestion from a friend).

Abi asked if I limit the size of my ornaments. and at first my gut reaction was yes, I like smaller ornaments. But then I looked at my collection and really...no I just stitch what I like (I do have some big ones). This one in particular I thought would be smaller than it ended up being, About 4 inches square. My big question for her...how in the heck is she able to stitch so much with a baby the same age as mine?

As for christmas...My house is clean, decorated, and my gifts are wrapped....bring it.

Stitching Post!

Ornament tree 07
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I was able to put up my ornament tree in my craft room. Although I have had it for a few years I don't think I have taken a picture for you before. You can see toward the lower right my first ornament I ever stitched in 1999, Merry Christmas from Oklahoma. That year Ian and I were in Tulsa while he was in school, we couldn't afford to head home for christmas, and I stitched about 10 of these as gifts to friends and family. Speaking of Tulsa, while my heart goes out to the midwest ice storm and their power issues, I have to laugh when I hear the news reporters asking if they could of been better prepared if they knew how bad it would be. I keep thinking of how poorly Tulsa handled snow for the 2 winters I spent there. They DO get snow and ice EVERY year, but they think of themselves as "the south", sorry guys, you were not in the confederacy and your climate is not quite the same psst, that's Texas. The city of Tulsa has maybe 5 plows, and they would only plow the highways (2 in the city) , what got me was they would never plow the on or off ramps! I literally watched the plows pick up the plow before leaving the highway. Cars skidding right behind them.

Oh sorry I got off track there.... here is my progress on the green side of Christmas Ornament 2004 by Periwinkle Promises. See the front here. It is of course the Queen stitches are slowing me down. But I hope to have it done by Sat...and maybe assembled by Mon.

Back of Ornament
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Not much to say....

....cause not much is getting done. I finally got the decorations out of the attic monday, but little is actually 'done' with any of them. I did get a new ornament sorting box and organized the ornaments. I told Ian we can start a new box for A. but if Ian or I get any more ornaments, then it needs to replace an old one. Ian and I each came to the marriage with a full 6 foot tree worth of ornaments, some bizarrely similar.

We headed out to our usual place to get the tree this year, with my intention of purchasing a potted pine to decorate, then plant like we did 3 (4?) years ago. This place is about 30 min away and we have been there 4 times in the past 7 years to cut our own tree. We weren't there last year, so when we drive by it and there are just a few brown pines (drought), and a big development ad board I was a bit confused. I found out later, Ian thought the same thing but nobody said anything out loud. So we kept driving thinking it must be further ahead. About 10 miles later, Ian called 411 to get the number and we discover they had moved...so there are no trees to cut for 4/5 years to come. But I am not worried since I wanted a potted one anyway. Of course once there we see that the little potted guys are very Charlie Brown, and not what I wanted. They had cut trees from the mountains, I got a small one of those. So we drove 60 miles to buy a tree that we could of gotten a mile from our house at one of those lots. SIGH.
At least I supported a local business right?

Other than that my house is a full time wreck, A. has a cold, and finals are this week. Stitching has definately taken a back seat.

Meh.

Finished ornaments
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

OK I know they are not fabulous, If i did a third it would be perfect. I have never consructed a round ornament before and not one with a glue only/ no sew technique (thought it would be quicker...it still took me 2 days to do). I worked on my mitering technique. The one on the left was done first the one on the right 2nd and better.

I thought about sewing it, but then I could not figure out how you get the board inside, course I could of just stuffed it. Finishing is a continual learning process, with so many methods and choices involved...I would love to take a finishing class someday. I am hoping to finish more ornaments before Christmas, I have 6 waiting for me...but I am running out of time. Anyone know where I could buy some?

Deer Hil Farm cross Stitch (for those of you who asked) is a wonderful little store right on 9G in Hyde Park. The owner is very helpful and knows just where everything is. She has complete stocks of fabric and thread, and alot of charts (quite a few in the sale bins too). Right when I walked in she had a little tree with several of the 07 JCS ornament finished and on it, it was nice to see the finished ornaments. Fora small shop she has lots of models and they are all up to date. It is worth the day trip for those of you nearby, oh and there is a rc hobby store for your husband to visit right next store.

Thanksgiving Haul

Thanksgiving Haul
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Over thanksgiving I visited Deer Hill Farm Cross stitch in Hyde Park, NY and when I returned from our trip there was my package from Stitching Bits and Bobs. The full haul includes:

• Bent Creek: Snowbound
• Sweetheart Tree: By the Sea sampler (no wonder I could not find this one.. I was looking for a chart not a kit!)
• Little House Needleworks: Through the Woods
• Arelate Studio: Grand Old Duke #1
• CHS: Rainbow
• Homespun Elegance: Old shaker Tune
• Cricket Collection: Sleepy Hollow
• Blackbird Designs: Blackbird Sampler
• And of course the green silk for my Christmas ornament (but I am working on that now, so it isn’t in the picture)

This just about cleans out my wish list, now I just need some time to stitch.
A few days ago I was freaking out abit realizing I have a very short time before christmas to get ALOT of stuff done, and that I would only have about 3 whole days alone to get it all done between the end of school and Christmas. Ian and i sat down and planned out every free sec we had, so as of right now, 3 days later, 90% of the gift shopping is done, and 99% of the christmas cards are done. (still need a couple more addresses). YEAH I might get it all done on time.

Poinsettias

Pontsettias
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Did you know that there was no t in poinsettia? I always thought it was pointsettia. Go figure. I started this ornament on a ecru colored linen, then after one petal decided that it was going to be too big. So I started a second on whe white evenweave (top poinsettia) It doesn't look smaller but it is. After I finished it I went back and finished the other for a christmas exchange. I was going to go buy the beads that the ornament called for, Mill Hill 02012. But first I checked my stash of maybe 10 different beads....Lo and behold I had the exact beads! I love it when that happens.

The Annabeth Show- NY tour

WITH GRANDPA
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

At least that is what Ian and I called it all week. We packed up the baby, the dog, and the food (me!) and headed north last monday for 1 full week of the tour. (It was not a vacation and thanksgiving was just a big dinner in the middle of it all). We broke the trip into 2, 5 hour drives stopping in DC to stay with relatives...the best way to describe this trip is to list for you who A. met for the first time, in order of appearance over the week:

Great Uncle Rob
Great Aunt Ginny
Grandpa's girlfriend
Great Great Uncle Bill
Great Grandma
Great Grandpa
Great Great Aunt Doris
Friends of ours totalling 7 and their children (not all at once)
First cousin once removed Hilary
First cousins twice removed Elise and Greg, and their children (are they thrice removed?)
Neighbors of Grandma and Grandpa

this does not include those who have been in the presence of A. before, Grandpa (my dad) Grandpa and Grandma (Ian's parents, with whom we stayed). We haven't figured out the terms for all the grandparents involved yet...
This event was so big because there has not been a baby in Ian's family line in years, he is an only child, so this is the first grandbaby and greatgrandbaby.
Needless to say our schedule was all messed up, the routine out the window, and naps wherever we could get them:


TUCKERED OUT
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.


We returned last night, and I am back at work today. I hope to have some cross stitching news for you tomorrow!

Somewhere over the rainbow

Sorry everyone for the lack of posting, We have had a busy week..Letssee...monday I dragged Ian and A to Portrait Innovations for our christmas (and first family) portraits. I was so proud of myself making our appt. on a monday so they wouldn't be busy, then when we walk in the door it was wall to wall families, VETERANS DAY, damn. We waited about 15 min past our appt. time...A. did pretty well for the first half of the pictures, but then quickly progressed to meltdown mode. But it was really nice, they took almost 70 photos, then you can go throught them right after and pick them up n 20 min. ahhh the wonders of digital photography. I felt a bit rushed, but next time I'll watch the school calendars.
Then tuesday A. was a subject in a study that the University is doing on how children learn. Basically they played with her (and I did to) for 45 minutes, with heart rate monitors and a brain activity cap on her noggin. Unfortunately, she was tired, and just fussed through the second part of the test. But they do it again at 10 months.
The rest of the week I have been trying to wrap stuff up because we are driving up to NY tomorrow, with a layover overnight at my aunts house in VA. (2 5-hour drives).

As for stitching, I am still waiting on my order from Stitching bits and bobs.....it looks like I wont get it for another week, but meanwhile I have been working on (very slowly) Brittercup's Poinsettia ornament from this years ornament issue. It looks fast, but not when you only have 30 minutes at a time to work on it.

The world seems to be pointing me in Israel Kamakawiwo'ole.. (Iz)'s direction. I heard his version of "Somewhere over the rainbow/wonderful world" song on the loud speakers in Target the yesterday. I always disliked the Judy Garland version, but love his version. Then today when I finished reading Dean Koontz's "One Door Away from Heaven" (I read when I am breastfeeding) He mentioned Iz in the afterword and how he listened to Iz's albums while writing the book. I think I am going to go buy his In Dis Life album, it looks like the best one.

Strep Ornament.

Front of ornament
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Thank you for all your comments on this ornament. The thread used is In the Burgandy Silk n Colors, by Thread Gatherer. I had it left over (apparently) from the M Designs Peace Ornament done years ago (found on the same page in the 2004 Orn. Mag.). The finish on this in the mag just shows the 4 sided box stitch with a frayed edge. But I got to thinking (I know trouble...right) the back would suck unfinished, I debated a fabric back, but then lightening struck, and I thought I'll just do another side with just the outer border and initials and a date, using the box stitch to join the 2 sides. THEN as I started the other side I asked my husband what he thought....HE said why don't you do the other side the same pattern but in green. Brilliant! Now I have to do it that way, His lightening being way better than mine. SOooooo then I get Strep Throat.

Oh

Didn't see that one coming did you?

Neither did I

or maybe I did...

No I did not get it from my daughter, although I don't know who to blame, I haven't had Strep since high school.

Antibiotics are one of the greatest gifts from science.

SOoooo feeling better I go on a search for green silk to "match" . I don't work in silk too much it is so expensive... $6.80 a skein, you should get a free diamond encrusted box to keep them in. but I caved and bought Dark Forest Silk n Colors, (and other stuff too) from Stitching Bits and Bobs....So the finish will take a bit longer than planned.

Christmas Ornament 2004

CHristmas Ornament 2004
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

This is another WIP I am exclusivlly working on right now. It is "Christmas Ornament 2004" from Periwinkle Promises in the 2004 JCS Ornament issue. I had only done 1/4 of the center redwork last year before I realized It wasn't symetrical, and gave it up to the WIP pile. As with all my mistakes, give me a little time and I can tackle it it better with little to no frustration. So I got the center fixed and completed in 2 nights, and been working on the Queen stitches for the past few nights. I usually don't mind queen stitches, but so many of them....40 in one L shaped corner, takes quite a bit of time. But it has a really neat ridge effect when all the stitches are grouped together. I hope to have this ornament done (And I will FINISH IT!) next week.

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Spookline by Sam Sarah

Spookline by Sam Sarah
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Doesn't look like it would take 2 years does it? I changed this sucker so many times it is almost unrecognizeable from the original. The fabric is some random linen I had hanging around. The right hand leaves and green blocks are in WDW Kudzu instead of Cresent colors Green onion. The top border was moved down 4 blocks, the stars re-arranged and one extra added, and I eliminated the thread "hanging" the moon and stars (just seemed a bit strange to me).

I have NO idea how I am going to finish it. I guess that is my one quirk. I stitch to stitch, not to finish and display. For me the joy is in seeing it come to life. Consequently I have a drawer full of stitched projects that I really don't care about or think about that much. GO figure.

Ready to turn in my mommy card.

Warning: this post is not for the faint of heart or who have a weak stomach.

First, an apology to the pharmaceutical industry, my child is not allergic to your antibiotics...It was a stomach virus. How do I know? Well I got the same 6-12 hour virus Sat and my husband Sunday. NOW I am pissed at the world.
I have not been sick* in about 12 years and Saturday night....FIVE times! Ugh. I HATE vomiting, as my mother put it, I would rather give birth again. I was never even sick during my pregnancy (THANK GOD). So the next day, Sunday I had to care for A. (who is feeling just peachy now thank you very much) on about 4 hours of sleep. I had a tough time standing without feeling weak. I could not wait for Ian to get home and let me sleep, but of course he came home with the bug and headed right for the bedroom/bathroom for the night, he is now sleeping it off today, which is supposed to be my day "off".

Why does no one tell you you get to relive your childhood illnesses again when you have a baby??? I have gone the past 15 years with only the occasional cold/sore throat maybe a flu here or there. I have earned the right to be healthy, but now, NOW? Will I get strep throat every winter again?, ear infections, chicken pox, viruses, flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, ringworm, dysentery, lice??? AGGGHHHHH!!!
i am so scared.


*Sick from illness, I am not counting the fun,numb,drunk sick.

One of those days

Today baby girl got sick, for the first time in her short life. Let me back up a bit to tell the story. Tuesday I head in to daycare to pick A. up to find the county health dept there telling parents that a caregiver was diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough). So they are weighing all the babies and giving us a 5 day run of azithromycin. A. is all up to date with her vaccines (she just got a DTaP on the 5th), and I am reluctant to give her an antibiotic to treat something that probably does not exist in her. So I call my Ped and he says do it anyway. So yesterday she got her first dose at 5 pm.

This morning she drank a ton of milk, and then promptly threw it back up on me. Baby exorcist style. But she seemed happy and drank abit more so I think she will be ok. I head to my car only to realize my keys...they are in Ian's car at his work, so I move all the stuff for school to the truck (I have been away for a week so there is a lot of it). I finally get her to daycare, and I get to work to try and catch up on every thing. A minute before I am about to leave my office and teach a class, the daycare calls (no surprise) to tell me A. threw up her bottle...and tell me she has loose stool (which she has had since she was born! Breastfed !Hello!) I mention I think it is just the anitbiotic,to which they say no it can't be (it is like the first side effect listed on the fact sheet they gave us!) I call Ian who luckily can leave early to grab her, and I go teach DNA replication to a bunch of confused freshman.
I get home after Ian feeds her a bottle, only to have her throw it up an hour later. She is lethargic and pissed that she is hungry. I Call doctor, he says hold of on another antibiotic treatment, made appt for tomorrow. I feed her just an ounce an hour for three hours hoping small amts will help ...no puke so far, she is now asleep, but i am not sure how long that will last. For the record I think it is the antibiotic...not a bug.

Ah motherhood...I am looking forward to a lifetime of sicknesses!

( Meg, we saw Resident Evil: Extinction yesterday....Don't ask)

Small Fall Thingy

Small Fall thingy
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I got this freebie from a fellow tarheel at the last meeting, and just needed something to get me over my stitching hump. It can be found here. I substituted 3362 for 370 so it would look more like the pattern. It is supposed to be finished as a Biscornu, but I am not sure that is what I will do with it. I did it on a loose linen and it may not stand that type of finishing without pulling out the threads.

Yesterday I had the day while A was at daycare...I cleaned the house! It has not looked this good since just before she was born. It is so nice to have a clean semi uncluttered home, even if it is for a small amount of time. I was also able to organize my stitching, I have 6 WIPs and 8 kitted right now. The reason I was so unhappy with my Wips is that 3 of them had color issues I have not had time to tackle. Color issue being finding the right color thread to replace some color currently in the pattern. I resoved that with spooktime yesterday replacing Cresent Colors Green Onion with WDW Kudzu. I got some headway on that during Biggest Loser last night.

Today (I am still off for Fall Break) we go to a movie.

Hiro watching

holiday quilt rr
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I have been trying to get this done so I can move on to my own stuff, I should finish it tonight. Spookline for the rest of the month...then on to something totally new. What? I don't know yet, can you believe that?? I almost always know what will be next, and I have a few WIPs that I am not wanting to get back to yet. I have not looked at my Stash in so long I forget what is there.

Ian and I are watching an episode or 2 from Heros season 1 every night. We knew it was good, and didn't have DVR last year, so we only caught one episode. So we are saving this season while watching the last...but at the rate we are going, we should be all caught up in a few weeks. This show is actually better than all the hype I had heard about it.

Next week is Fall Break and I only have to work Thursday, but we have paid for 3 days of daycare for A. This means Wednesday Ian and I can frolic around town all day, we may go to a movie (or 2!) and Friday is all to myself I can clean, or stitch, or scrapbook, or shop, or clean.....
This same phenomenon will happen for 11 days over winter break...you bet I am scheduling those up now!

I'm back

stash accumulation
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

The mission was a sucess. The flights up to PA were easier than the flights home.The flights up were in the afternoon when A was happy and observant. The flights back were in the morning when she really just wanted to sleep and couldn't. On saturday I got my hair cut and colored professionally for the first time in my life (the color part not the cut part). and then we headed to Covered Bridge Needlearts in Bridgewater, PA. It was a wonderful shop and I got all this stuff:
1. JCS ornament mag 07 (I am not sure why i did not get one with my subscription, and I am a bit dissapointed in this one for the very first time in 8 years , but I have to keep up the collection, right?)
2. LNS Home of a Needleworker
3. Bent Creek :The littles: Leprachaun
4. Bent Creek : the Red thread: Smell the Flowers (I am not going to do all of this series, I just really liked this one.)
5. Trilogy : Winter Line up (the penguins make me giggle)
6. JBW: Blessings
And 2 I had never heard or seen of
7. The Gathering Place: Autumn Shadows
8. Marilynn and Jackies Collectables: Ringlet tree
These last 2 had fuzzy/bad photos but looked like they had alot of potential.

I know that designing can't be easy but how difficult is it to find a printer to print an accurate photo. In this digital age it can't be that hard. OKoK Enough ranting

My mom had a party on Sunday to show A. off to local friends and we all watched the Steelers lose, but she had fun:

having fun
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Monday we went to help my sister start planning her wedding in a year by looking at some locations. None so far fit her bill for the ability to have the ceremony outside by trees and the n a reception place at the same site. Apparently my job in addition to being Matron of honor is to keep her from panicing over the next 12 months. Can you believe anyone agreed to marry this?: Just kidding Liz.

with aunt liz
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Oh and as a side note Wil Wheaton has his new book out! It is all about growing up geek in the 80s. I am debating if I want to order an autographed copy this time around. I love his 2 previous books Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek

Mission Impossible? More like Mission Not Fun

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Take one 4 month old infant and take her on an airplane. Keep in mind the following: You can not take a direct flight and you must have one layover of at least an hour. You must travel alone. You must try to feed the baby during takeoff and landings even though in the past week this baby has developed a bad habit of not eating well unless she is in a completely silent room. You may: bring enough earplugs for all the passengers on the airplane including the attendants and you may also worry non-stop about this mission until it actually occurs. Your reward: Time spent with family and a trip to see one of the rare LNSs left in the country.

Wish me luck I will be attempting this Mission tomorrow at 2pm (and then again on tuesday). So no I won't be at CATS this year. But have fun everyone!

Stitching when I can

Spookline
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

Here is my progress so far on Spookline by SamSarah. I started this last year, and hope to have it done by Halloween. I decided I did not like it on the purple fabric the model was on, and instead I started it on this narural linen I had a drawer. I am using the called for Cresent Colors, only one of the colors seems to blend in to background, the green onion color of the lighter leaves. Unfortunately it is also used in the other half of the border and I am not sure what I will be replacing it with.

I attended the Tarheel get together today. A. went with me, and she behaved herself, mostly. I did not get alot of stitching done, and will probably look into getting a sitter for future saturday get togethers.

Holiday Quilts, RR

Holiday Quilts, RR
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.

I recieved this about 2 weeks ago. and have frogged the damn outline of my quilt twice. I based my stitching off of somone elses (ah the perils of an RR ) and have since concluded this is a bad thing to do when working on a piece that has been handled by many hands. This Pattern is Holiday quilts by Ursula Michael. It is (I think) from a Sitchers World magazine. The colors have been altered to be more green/red but this is a PERFECT design for an RR. This the last RR piece I have to do. I think I will be retiring myself from RRs for a while after this. A good experience, but now that I only have about an hour to stitch at night, I want it to be time for my own pieces.