Daylight Saving Trouble

I have absolutely nothing newsworthy to share, except my Bea Pot SAL update for March:

There was a time when I raged against any form of fabric holding device with a vengeance. Hoops, Q-snaps, that sort of thing. But now that I have my scroll frames, it seems I can't work without them. Problem is I only have two frames: one which currently holds Rites of Spring. The other one is for Mrs. Slocombe. No frame for Bea Pot. But the end of the month is nigh (very) so I need to update the Bea Pot blog if I want a chance to win one of the fabulous prizes at the end of the year, and if I slack off now I will never have Bea gracing the wall of my bedroom, that much I know. So I opted for a bit of in-hand stitching and even though it drove me to distraction most of the time, I added two motifs and a bit this month: the big pink flower, the tiny dark brown motif next to it and the beginnings of a big yellow one (which I could have sworn would be brown before I put needle to fabric).

Most of my colleagues over at the Bea Pot SAL blog thought the big flower motif was tedious work, but I thought it was a doddle. The yellow motif you see next to the blue one: that's the one that's killing me, but I trust with the right size scroll frame that is heading my way even as we read and write, all will be right for my April update.

I'm very sorry, but no amount of caffeine is helping to fight off the devastating effect of Daylight Saving Time on my energy levels, so I'm going to try and convince Pelle he really needs a nap and show him how to go about it.

Yours unhandily,
Annemarie.

Torture of the Lovelorn Sisters

Hey honeybuns. You will be pleased to know (or at least, I hope you will be) that the ultrasound went swimmingly, that there is nothing wrong with my organs, and that I'm back to drinking coffee as if my life depended on it (which it very well may do). The fasting wasn't half as bad as I had feared. Thank you ever so much for your support and your encouraging words. You're all angels.

In my previous post I told you that the love between myself and Rites of Spring had waned. Well, I take it back. I'm still not wildly enthused about the fractional stitching this project involves, but it does look so very good and cheerful and spring like. How can I not love it? Last evening (well, if I'm going to be brutally honest, it was early this morning. Couldn't put it down! Plus, I had some coffee drinking to catch up on and I wasn't finished with that until about two) I finished the entire right half of the sampler and did some work on the left half as well.
Before:

After:

Noah is beckoning, and so is Bea Pot, along with a sampler for a little newcomer to this world, expected around the third of August. Annique, you remember, the friend I'm trying to convert to cross stitchism, is expecting her second child, so obviously I need to stitch the new critter a birth sampler. As if I need an excuse to start something new :o)

I made a list of all you lovelorn Sisters and put it through the Randomizer (to people not familiar with the cross stitch Bloggers' vernacular, this must sound like some vague form of water torture) and here's the order in which you girls can expect to work on Nobody Loves Me, the brilliant design by Moira Blackburn:

Heidi (Needle Necessities)
Kathy A (Kathy's Sit and Stitch)
Barb (Stitching Again)
Jan (The Stitching Ladybug)
Tama (Stitching Daze)
Barbara (Mainely Stitching)
Valerie (FogCity Dweller)
Diane (Ladybug and Bear)
Kathy (Kathy's Stitching and Other Comments)
Karrie (A Thread's Tale)
Anna (Anna's This and That)
Maren (Stitchery Doo's Blog)
Erin (Fairy Tales and French Knots)
Natasha (A Stitcher's Ramblings)
Wendy (Wendy Home at Work)
Julianne (Julianne's Stitching Corner)
Debs (Lavender Rose Ramblings)
Hazel (Quietly Stitching)
Lynda (A Cozy Little Place for Stitching)

Sorry for the lack of clickable links, but this is just an overview of who gets it when. Over the weekend I will try and collect all of your snail mail addresses. As soon as I have all of them, Nobody Loves Me will be on its way to Heidi.

As I'm about to nod off and I still have a stack of dishes to take care of I think I'd better get a move on. Maybe the dishes will wake me up so I can get some stitching done later. Yeah... Right.

Yours caffeinatedly and yet and at the same time drowsily,
Annemarie.

Excuse me while I slurp my coffee

[Let me take a sip before I begin]
In all honesty, I had hoped to concentrate on Rites of Spring in the past week, but I'm not really feeling the love anymore. More about that on regular Rites of Spring updating day.
Last Sunday Pelle and I had some very nice company in the shape of Barbara. It's so much fun having friends around, especially stitchy friends, and especially old stitchy friends and we really wanted to stitch together, but of course we didn't. We were way too busy catching up and walking in the forest and spending time with Pelle:

[Sorry... just need to get some more coffee]

We had a very lovely time, and Barbara even started Noah's Stocking. I did all of my Noah stitching today:

I really like how Noah's turning out. He looks so lifelike don't you think? It doesn't often happen that a person I stitch has the same hair colour as I do, but this Noah does. DMC 422, in case you were wondering. I thought that was rather funny.

I know the SAL doesn't officially start until April 16th, but that's just a general guideline, as is the whole idea of this particular SAL.. There isn't going to be a special blog (at least, I won't be starting one), no special rules. If you can't make it, don't worry, just post the next week. You can stitch as much or as little as you want. You can stitch any CHS Stocking you want. This SAL is just meant to inspire, stimulate and encourage each other.

[Aaaaaah. Just enjoying my coffee]

Thank you for the enormous amount of comments you left on my last post! I don't think I ever got as many! You can still add your comments, mind you. You have until Thursday morning to add your name to the Nobody Loves Me Sisterhood list! Please do so by leaving a comment on my previous post. If you feel so inclined.

[Yum. Coffee never tasted this good]

Thanks also for your continued worrying about our health. Pelle has fallen victim to the chicken pox. Poor dear walks around like a tiny Stan Laurel all day, scratching the top of his head and pulling funny faces. He's doing pretty well considering. As for worrying about me...

[excuse me while I have another cup of java]

...although I do feel better, the doctors have finally joined you in your worries and decided they need to do an emergency ultrasound tomorrow. I add the word 'emergency' here not because I want to concern you even more, but to explain that emergency ultrasounds are done in the afternoons rather than in the mornings - meaning that I cannot eat anything until the ultrasound is done (which should be around 4.30 pm). Let me repeat that and then, please take a moment to fully digest (pun intended) what that means. It means no food. Until 4.30 pm. I joked with the lady at the radiology department that - thank heavens - there's always coffee to keep me afloat. She looked at me warily and shook her head. 'No coffee?' said I, with a sense of impending doom. She shook her head again. 'Tea?' Nuh-uh. 'Water, then?' Nope. She said I was allowed to brush my teeth as often as I wanted throughout the day. Well, unless some friendly druggist can point me in the direction of coffee-flavoured toothpaste tomorrow, I can't see how brushing my teeth is supposed to alleviate my misery, but there you go. Think of me when you have your morning coffee, girls. I'm off to have another cup before I go to sleep.

Yours caffeinatedly,

Annemarie.

Squeeeeeeeeeeee!

Since there have been no unforeseen circumstances (except the one about suddenly feeling a whole lot better), I have been able to do what I promised in my previous post: I've finished Nobody Loves Me!!!

Nobody Loves Me, by Moira Blackburn. Stitched with the recommended DMC colours on 30 count R&R Reproductions Old Mill Java

There are quite a few of you who said they really like this design, and I can't blame you. Now I would really like to share the joy of stitching this gorgeous, fabulous, drool-worthy sampler with you, but there is one problem: I don't want to part with it. At least, not for good. It was a birthday present from Harmien a couple of years ago, making the sampler even more special to me. So in order to spread the joy but keeping the sampler (eventually), I would like to propose a sort of alternative Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern. The rules are slightly different:

If you would like a chance to stitch Nobody Loves Me, please leave a comment on this post only, stating that you would like to become a Sister, and please leave your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you. I usually update my blog on Mondays and Thursdays (yes, really. You hadn't noticed?), so same time next week, I will draw up a list of all the people who want to stitch NLM and haul it through the Randomizer. I will then send it to the first person on the list, who will in turn send it to the next Sister on the list, until everyone has stitched it. The last Sister is then to send the chart back to me. I know, it's slightly greedy to want the chart back, but as I said, I wouldn't want to part with it for good. So, would you like to play? Then what are you waiting for?

Of course, this being Thursday, it's BBD's Rites of Spring SAL update day with Cristina, Giovanna and Karen. Since I really wanted to get something big finished (my first rather big... well, perhaps we should say medium-sized... finish of the year!), Rites of Spring got pushed aside yet again.

Before:

After:

I stitched all the birds (apart from the second swan) so if you look closely you will spot some differences between the first and the second picture. RoS is the next project on my scroll frame, which will ensure it getting finished in the foreseeable future (have you noticed I have been using the word 'foresee' quite often lately? Don't know what's up with that. I'll look into it). Apart from the fact that scroll frames RULE - as opposed to hoops and Q-snaps, which SUCK because they leave marks and damage your fabric AND your stitching [sorry, just MHO] - they leave your fabric not only damage free, but also wrinkle free. I like that a lot.

For your enjoyment, here is a picture of the projects that are going to spend some time at the framer's:

Left: Little House Needlework's The Harvesters
Top middle: The Goode Huswife's Fruitfull Clusters
Bottom middle: Jeremiah Junction's Give Thanks (slightly modified)
Right: Moira Blackburn's Nobody Loves Me.

That is going to be one nice looking sampler wall [Again: IMHO].

Yours humbly,
Annemarie.

The stitching bug is BACK!

The stitching bug is BACK, honeybuns! I realised last week that looking at my growing pile of current WIPs was like standing at the foot of Mount Snowdon in your walking shoes and knowing that you have to climb that mother (I've been there. It's not for the faint of heart). The best way to go about it, I thought, was to put on my big girl's blouse as well as my walking shoes and finish some stuff. Do you know I haven't finished a thing since the start of this year apart from a small tulip?

First of all, I got the Blog Contest gift out of the way. You remember the one? The tulip cornucopia that had me all in a twitter because I thought it was too fall-like for a Spring gift? Here it is in all its finished glory:

This is an old freebie by Blackbird Designs, called Savoir Faire. Hopefully this will arrive before Annemiek has the chance to visit this blog :o) See those dangly red things at the bottom of those cords? They're my first (and last) attempt at tassle making.

I accomplished another thing that warrants a happy dance, even though no cross stitching was involved. I mounted Mrs Slocombe onto a huge (HUGE) scroll frame that I found at a LNS last Friday. I could have finished Rites of Spring in the time it took me to scaffold the good Lady, but at least she will be manageable the next time I work on her.

In said attempt to get the current WIPs out of the way, I devoted quite some time to Nobody Loves Me.

I'm predicting a middle-of-the-week finish for this one. Barring any unforeseen circumstances. Obviously.

Now, admittedly, the WIP pile still gives me the vapours when I see it, but I didn't think that was a good enough reason not to start a new project. Last week saw the arrival of some new stash (which I am embarrassed to show you, considering the amount of stash that I had already acquired, and in this time of global crisis, too), of which this piece of stunning brilliance is my favourite:

Noah's Stocking by CHS, to go in Pelle's Happy Noah Bedroom once it's finished. In order to achieve this state of finishedness, I would like to propose a SAL. Lately I've found that the no-obligation, stitch-when-you-feel-like-it SAL works very well for me. If you feel the same way and have a CHS Stocking you would like to attempt, why don't you join me and Barbara? Starting date is Thursday April 16th, which is when I hope to be finished with my current Thursday SAL, Rites of Spring. This will also give those of you who would like to join plenty of time to get materials and what have you. The only requirement is that you post a progress pic on Thursdays, but that's it. Even two new stitches is considered progress, so I think that's completely do-able. Hey, even I can do it, and that's saying something.

Okay. Off to brew a new pot of soup (not the goat's vomit variety, because I'm out of pizzas, but a nice tomato soup, which really is very very yummy, if I do say so myself).

Yours affectionately,
Annemarie.

In the Soup

I feel like I've been writing, producing, directing, starring in and doing my own stunts for Speed 3; Over the Top since we last met. Spending any time online was not an option. I have no idea what you all have been up to, e-mails have been left unanswered, blogs unread. No stitching has occurred until today, because today is BBD Rites of Spring Day:

Not very impressive, I agree. It took a while to get into the swing of stitching today, so at least I managed to finish the tree and start a bird. I have to start a new translation, like NOW, and I don't feel like working on this one at all. It has recipes in it! Recipes! Me! I have to translate recipes! The only thing I can cook is soup, because that's the only thing my little man will eat, and even then it's a matter of pure chance if it proves edible. Today I managed to create something that mostly resembled goat's vomit, with a hint of toad drool and a dash of cat urine. Pelle was very good about it and he ate two bowls :o) Me, I opted for a pizza. Speaking of Pelle, you haven't seen him for a while, have you? Here he is in all his cuteness:

As you may have gathered by now, I have no stitchy things to talk about, but will you look at what landed in my mail box a couple of days ago?

Dear Hazel asked for my address so she could send me 'just a card' to cheer me up a bit, and she proceeded to send me this huge pamper package and a sweet card that almost reduced me to tears. Needless to say all the chocolate that was in this picture is now gone :o) Thank you ever so much, Hazel. You really spoiled me! The flowers you see in the picture were a gift from my father. Goodness knows I should be the one getting flowers for my parents, with everything they've done for Pelle and me, but I will get my chance. I'm stitching them some flowers. Remember that? I do. Just about...

Darling Kathy remembered that I really liked a design that her good friend Beatrice stitched last year, and she sent me the chart and threads and a card that had me howling with laughter.

Thank you, Kathy. As I said, this will be on my Halloween list for this year!

Once the sleepiness wears off, I hope to bring you a stitchy, stashy update.

Yours gratefully and fatiguedly,
Annemarie.

Colour me blocked

I'm on the verge of finishing a translation and I find myself suffering from writer's block. Me being me, i.e. the queen of freak afflictions, I don't suffer from ordinary writer's block, but from translator's block. Whoopee. Translator's block has a nasty side effect: it makes me want to stitch like crazy, but at the same time, every stitch I make is wrong, out of whack, with twisted threads, stitched over three instead of over two or (heaven forbid) over one, wrong colour in the right place, right colour in the wrong place... My goal for today was to finish the tree on BBD Rites of Spring for our SAL, and although I did get pretty far, I didn't quite make it to the end because of all the unstitching that went on.
Last week:

This week:

I'm still really enjoying this one though. I haven't worked on anything else since Monday. Today was such a crazy day that I don't feel like writing much. Or is it... Could it be...? Surely not? I can't have writer's block on top of translator's block-induced stitcher's block? Now that, my dear friends, would be something to worry about.

Speaking of worrying, for all of you perpetual worriers out there: thanks so much for your support and your sweet words of encouragement. My foot feels better today and is starting to look as svelte as the other hoof again. AND the test results are in, but they still can't say anything until probably March 18th. Isn't that nice?

I'm going to play with my kumuhumihimimohohoho disk tonight. Or continue with Bea Pot. She hasn't seen much action lately, poor dear. Anyway, I hope you're not blocked in any way, shape or form, and I wish you the best of weekends.

Yours... can't-think-of-anything-tonight-Must-be-the-translator's-blockedly,
Annemarie


PS: Craft-i-leigh, thank you for your comment on my last post. Could you send me an e-mail, so I can answer your question? You can find my e-mail address in my profile. Thanks!

OMG OMG OMG

Don't worry, I'm not OMG-ing over my mystery virus. I tried, but it has no discernible effect. I'm still spending my days with my hideously swollen and painful foot perched up on a fleece blanket covered chair. No, the reason for this joyful exclamation (for joyful it is), is the arrival of some serious stash. Behold:

After stitching the BBD Christmas ornament from the 2008 JCS Ornament Issue I remember thinking 'they should make stockings for every season'. They're sooooooo much fun to stitch and so quick and really easy to finish, and what do you know? The ladies over at BBD read my mind. (Let's all hope they also heard me shouting out in disgust over the latest Loose Feathers design)
I also ordered The Goode Huswife's Ida Mae Crow and Mrs. Pearson by CHS.

The first time I saw a picture of Mrs. Pearson I thought 'Ewl'. I think I may even have let loose a 'WTF'? Then I thought 'Well, she does have a bird's nest on her head.' I looked again and thought 'That's quite brilliant'. And then it occurred to me that I seem to have a penchant for stitching weird-looking ladies (remember the blue one). Wouldn't they look perfect together?

Last of the stitching goodies: The Goode Huswife's Home Sweet Home, plus required threads. Ohhhhh my goodness me. How luscious.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a bit of time glued to my computer screen, watching videos on YouTube on how to work the Kumihimo disk. Then dear Von wrote a blog post about her Kumihimo disk and the gorgeous cords she made with them, and I couldn't resist.
Haven't tried it yet, but will keep you posted.

A teeny wee bit of progress on Rise and Shine:

Of course, with all the goodies came a bill that had me reaching for my smelling salts, so I think I will devote the rest of my day to earning some money.

Yours stashfully,
Annemarie.