Some long sentences

Usually when I sit down to write a blog post, I don't sit down to write a blog post. Most of the time I sit down to work, but being the procrastinator that I am I search for better ways to entertain myself than writing something that has already been written (which is, of course, what translating basically is). Today though, I specifically sat down to write this post and you know what? My mind just went blank. I have pictures to share, and I'm sure I have news to share, but the inspiration is momentarily absent. Well, let's hope it's momentary, because I have to work tonight. Pelle is home today. His cold (which just goes on and on and ON) (like mine) (I have lost my voice) (I have no voice) is wearing him out, and frankly, yesterday his teachers gave me to understand that it's wearing them out as well, so I'm spending the day with the critter, trying to keep him busy and quiet at the same time, which is no mean feat. Especially when all you want to do is sleep. Or stitch. Or work. Anyway. I'm writing this blog post NOW, because I need something to distract me from my work tonight. So while I work, I can keep one eye on the text and one eye on my G-Mail inbox, to see the comments pouring (or more likely, trickling) in.

Errrrrrr, what is it I wanted to share with you? Oh yes! Pictures! Remember the Halloween floss tag ring tag ring ring exchange I did with Harmien? Remember she was dead on time with hers and I ... wasn't with mine? And that I managed to finish it sometime in the wee hours before I went to visit her, so that I it was too dark to take a decent picture of my part of the exchange and had to wait for her Royal Absentness to crawl out of her hole and take a picture for me (which, of course I did with the greatest patience, because, you know, I have absolutely no right to complain about anyone's absence from Blogland or the stitching world or anyone's lack of mojo)? Well. I have pictures.

I was totally inspired by some charts I bought, designed by the brilliant Stacy Nash. The witch is from A Haunting We Will go, as are the graveyard and the words on the fob. The other side of the floss ring tag shows an interpretation of a design by Ms Nash I saw on the internet. I studied the picture and this is what I came up with. I loved the idea of using words that were definitely Halloween, but didn't literally say 'Halloween'. The rest of the motifs were taken from Drawn Thread's It's Halloween: the broom and the batty border surrounding the witch. I was tickled pink because I managed to mix designs from two such different designers (Stacy's primitive look and DT's rather more elegant, classic look) and make them into a convincing whole. Well, I thought it was convincing. I'm pleased with the result and I hope Harmien is as well. Despite having to wait forever to behold it in its finished form.

This is, obviously, is a progress pic. Not much to look at yet, but I just want you to know that I'm loving this design, Fruitful Clusters by The Goode Huswife.

Now before I forget (and I forgot to mention this in my last four blog posts or so. La La Me is everywhere, ladies and gents): I have an open invitation for you. We had such a great time with our past Stitch 'n' Bitches -

Okay, as per Heidi's suggestion, I'm not going to call them Stitch 'n' Bitches anymore, but instead speak of Sip 'n' Stitches. You see, we never do any bitching, but we do do a lot of sipping. Mostly coffee, sometimes tea, and in Rachael's case, gallons of water :o)

- that we need one every month. Or so Harmien and I decided. As it so happens, November 2nd is my birthday, and I would really love it if I could make a sippy stitchy day of it. I wouldn't have mentioned it if Harmien hadn't convinced me that it is normal to invite people to your birthday (I always think it is rather rude to invite people to your birthday, thereby inviting them to give you presents, but it seems I am alone in that notion). So, what I'm trying to say, in my usual roundabout way, is that everyone is invited. Well, provided they come armed with needle and thread. Or have the intention to learn how to use needle and thread (for instance, if you have known me for, say, thirty years and would really like to learn how to stitch a Christmas ornie for your son or your new hubby).

Despite my frightening lack of inspiration to write, I seem to have outdone myself with the length of this here update. Surely I can't find anything else to write about in the next couple of days? Well, perhaps a new finish? Anything is possible...