OMG.

I bloghopped first time in... two years?

Mind you, only few blogs, those which had new content in my GR, one shouldn't strain herself too much after such a long time without practise.

Blog life. And what happens when a crazy stitcher travels.

I haven't actively read blogs in a couple of years (yikes!), I think that more or less after spring 2008, that spring when I first realized that there is something wrong with me and got lost in my brain fog.

2008.

Three years ago.

I met Darling Husband that same year, even it feels like yesterday.

Anyway, today I started, out of the blue, collect all my feeds from Bloglines to Google Reader as I decided it would probably be better in the end as I have my calendar at Google too and this way I can get most of my necessary stuff on my iGoogle.

There was abandoned and hijacked blogs, which I just skipped, but many of those blogs I used to read are still going strong so do not wonder if a new, yet familiar sounding name starts commenting. It's just me coming back.

My first anniversary with thyroid meds is on Wednesday and I am still surprised how much the whole thing has affected to my life. And how much it still affects. But life must go on and with time things will get easier, I hope.

Travels

My mom and I went to Tallinn earlier this month: ate like horses in an medieval restaurant (see the virtual tour here. In addition to great surroundings (this time we at at Krusensterni Saal) they serve great food), bought Estonian cheeses, dark roasted coffee and... I found craft magazines.

In other words: Estonian beading magazine and Russian Susanna and Cross Stitcher.

And we are going to Tallinn again soon as we, or rather my mother, got two free ferry tickets from tax free (this company gives free cruises after using certain amount of money in their tax free store). We are going to hit one shopping mall... there is a craft store too. Guess where I am going?

Medication through mail

It is too bad you are not sitting here on the sofa with me. If you were you could smell the divine smell of Echinacea Mixed Herbal Tea I am drinking and fondle the beauty of a Silkweaver Lugana.

But you are not here and it is all mine, MINE! *insane giggling*

Quite some time ago kill_the_onions sent me some "fun mail" inspired by our little conversation in the comment section of one of my FB status updates, and finally, after taking scenic route from Turkey to Finland the fun has arrived!

Teas are Turkish, but the card is from China, but beautiful nevertheless.

kill_the_onions is a tea afecionado, and I am becoming one, again (after few years of not being able to drink tea at all - it's odd how Mr. Wonderful affects my body) so what is better than be able to taste some tea from country far away? (It is even better because I have never been to Turkey.)

But lo and behold, there was more great mail waiting for me... Belinda asked some time ago at FB would someone like to have Mirabilia's "Madonna of the Garden" and I was first one to say yes!

I had been over the Moon just to have the design itself, but Belinda added her leftover beads, metallics and delicas and piece of 19'' x 26'' 32 count hand-dyed Lugana from Silkweaver!

Now I just need to win the lottery and quit working... well, I have great reason to start this design soon, right? I have beads, design and fabric... I just can't let them gather dust, right?
Actually my fingers itch to stitch it already, but it is half past five in the morning and I haven't slept in last... 18 hours - which is quite a lot when you have laryngitis and bronchitis and you should be resting (though it's difficult to sleep when you are coughing sticky mucus...).

(Though I have been surprisingly productive stitching wise while sick: I have very small projects I have been working on when I have felt like it.)

Kreativ Blogger Award

I am very sorry it took this long from me, but here it comes...

I am shocked as I have been actually nominated by two three creative ladies o.O: Jenna, Edda and Renée (ETA: I heard about this nomination after posting this)!

1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

I would like to give this award to following creative bloggers:

• Linda
• Leena
• Susan
• Renée
• Svenja

Of course there are many, many creative bloggers out there whose blogs I read, but rules are rules (at least this once).

The "You Make My Day" Award

I got a comment in my comment section ages ago that Angela has awarded me with the "You Make My Day" award. I should award her again for that. *grin*

The Rules:

"Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Beware! You may get the award several times!"

I thereby give this award to these ten bloggers:

1. Leena, a gifted stitcher, wonderful finisher, great friend and inspirating blogger who blogs in three languages. Her posts are always a joy to read.

2. Jenna: tremendously gifted stitcher and crafter. What Jenna doesn't know how to do is not worth knowing. Wonderful, deep-thinking person and one of the first friends I made in Blogosphere.

3. Barbara: who manages to run a household with four kids (one of the a small baby) and still has time to stitch! Her posts are always a reading and usually have instant lift-up effect.

4. Renée, a stitcher and a crazy cat lady who has a good, opinionated head on her shoulders.

5. Ternezia, TW enabler of the worst/ best kind. Analytic stitcher who strives to improve herself continuously.

6. Teresa Wentzler: doens't blog often, but I enjoy tremendously her posts as she talks quite often about creativity.

7. Punctuality Rules: my anal retentive self enjoys the posts regarding grammar and manners as a positive force in the Universe.

8. Svenja: Châtelaine enabler and a talented quilter who's always up to something beautiful.
9. chanda_m, whose blog updates Bloglines hasn't noticed in last year or so. Talented, thinking, stitching person who also has some yummy sounding recipes in her blog now and then.
10. The rest of you! Cross stitching addicted stash-a-holics who share your stitching, and maybe life, through your blog and let the rest of us to see a bit of life in somewhere else.

Stashy give away!

Stitch Pink has a giveaway of Little House Needleworks' "Where there's life, there's hope" chart, Crescent Colours floss needed for it and a piece of Zweigart's 28 count Belfast to stitch it on! Only thing you need to do to is to go and leave a comment. How's that for easy?

Freddy came home!

Frederick The Literate, the design I have wanted to have, and stitch, since I started my stitching career has landed. ^^

(As you can see, Freddy already found a friend. ^^)

Deb and I had a little swap: Deb had finished the kit and offered the chart and left-overs to a good home. I merrily messaged her and we agreed upon an exchange, though our plan changed a bit, but in the end I went and ordered something nice for her from Sewandso (a design I have drooled after since... long time ago and which I probably have to buy for myself after Deb starts her project *grin*)... but I can't tell what as she hasn't received it yet.

I also learnt my lesson: I should get to bed ten latest during the weekdays if I don't want to be zombified in the end of the day. (/me very tired is.)

Really, what is the point?

Indian Food!

I stumbled upon this link at Deb's blog and if you, as I, do love Indian food (though I have broadened it a bit to male individuals of Indian origin, but edable as edable *grin*) check One Hot Stove. Yummy recipes and as yummy pictures.

Odd accomplishments

Noticing how nonexcitent my stitching mojo has been few months I have to say that I am rather proud of myself: 38 finishes in 39 weeks. This includes four knitted and 34 stitched items.

Because I'd love to have 39 items/ 39 weeks I think it's better that I will stitch some more before hitting the sack.
Ta-ta.

First some shameless advertising: go and check Stitcher's Book blog, get addicted to those little things and join the fun!
After signing up there pop by at Stitch-A-Thons and give yourself an excuse to sanctify one weekend/ month for marathon stitching.

Health

Salbutamol has been good for me: I haven't felt this energetic in ages - but I am apparently becoming allergic to it (which is absolutely wonderful... not).
When it comes to the results... I had the call time today, the doctor had called me when it begun (it was between 12 and 13), but I didn't hear it for some reason, and when I tried to return the call (four times) he was not there (during his calling hour, does this sound odd to you?)... You could think that it wouldn't be so difficult to call again if the person you try to call to doesn't answer at the first time? (And of course I forgot to call and book new call for another day...

Stitch-A-Thon epilogue and an announcement

My SAT goals were:

1. One piece from start to finish. (I have promised to send it out in Monday because it's needed asap.)
2. One knitted surprise gift (I'm *SO* late with it).
3. Bunny Baby's flower pot and the hyacinth.

In other words: two happy dances and some stitches on the hyacinth.
Noticing how tired I have been over the weekend (I have the doctor's appointment in the morning! Yippee! (Note to self: no caffeine or food.)) I did actually quite good even I didn't reach my goal.

  

The Announcement

Stitch-A-Thon blog is officially open and our first SAT will be 17th-19th of August.
If you are one of those in need of some peer pressure and monthly dose of marathon stitching pop by at Stitch-A-Thons for details!

Various links.

My other blogs:

• Tales from Periphaeria
• To Be...
• Testing... testing...

Blogs I follow:

My Bloglines

<-£ Stitching Bloggers Blogring &+>

Comics

• Catharsis
• Ghastly's Ghastly Comic
• Gorgeous Princess Creamy Beamy
• Surreal Kins
• Triquetra Cats

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Forums I hang in

Misc.
• Comic Genesis (Just because of Ghastly's Ghastly Comic)
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You can find me from...

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• EMS Cross Stitch Board
• Friends Gather
• Linabear Message Board
• Stitching Bloggers Exchanges
• Solarium Sublime
• Stitch and Stash
• The Robin's Nest

Misc. Stitchy Links

• Cross Stitch Magazine Database
• My 'waste linen' tutorial
• Stitchy links in my blog

My lists

Design stash (*.xls files)
• 'Unwanted' patterns: I don't need these, so if you want to give a good home...
• More floss for me!; Fibers I will need in future.
• My pattern stash

Wishes

• My Cross Stitch Wish List
• My Froogle Wish List
• wishlist_additions tag

Stitchy shops I recommend

• Jayne's Attic
• One Star's Light
• Sewandso
• Silkweaver.com
• The Crafty Needle
• Violarium
• Wyndham Needleworks


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Here be... kitties!

I received my Mystery Exchange from Dawn today! (Mine was received few days ago, but I will blog about it in 1st of May - you know why. *grin*)
She stitched me one of Britty kitties and finished it as a cute wall hanging, and added some great goodies: Teresa Wentzler's Castles by the sea and one skein of yummy V. Clayton silk.

Thank you Dawn!

Speaking of Wentzlers... I decided that I won't work on Egyptian Sampler before I get my printer as those working copies I have are not good enough quality and I just end up with migraine if I try to work from them.
Lesson learnt: never ask someone who doesn't cross stitch to take working copies for you - at least if you are working on a TW.

But, I did stitch a bit of the corner flower!

Cats

To fill your pictorial needs, brothers (they have same father) Furry (ie. Seiichi and Neko):

 

My little one (Neko) is getting old (his eight birthday is soon)... He seems to have occasional problems with his right back leg. It seems to be partially related to his moods (it has been dark and rainy lately and Neko gets depressed - he has always been my sensitive little one, but he seems to be getting more sensitive with age) and I think that rest of it is due his past overweight and how it affected his joints - but he is still fit enough to get on their scratching pole. ^^

It is evident: my little boys are old geezers even it was about last week when they came to my life as little kittens.

Little note for Windows Live Space bloggers and other notions

Just for you to know: For some reason I can't comment on any blog in Spaces for the time being. So, even I don't comment, I do read you...

Periphaeria

If there is one person who is, if possible, even more thrilled than I am about PD and those positive comments my designs have got and that is my mother (she has seen the entries (and she says she doesn't speak English... curious, don't you think? (Yeah, she doesn't speak it, she reads it. *grin*))). From what I have heard she has even showed pictures to her co-workers.
She is a real sweetheart, you know.

And... due to certain thing, which may be purely my own homegrown paranoia, but also may not be (and I hate that), I have decided to keep all the models under the rock before their publishing date.
I'll give teasers and material tosses when I feel like it, but that is all. In other words about 1/2 of my happy dances will be blogged about bi-monthly (first of every uneven month - mark your calendars!).

I hate to make this decision, but I really feel I have to...

I know you understand.

Biscornu has landed!

Admittedly I knew who my partner was in TRN's Biscornu Exchange (one of the joys of moderating an exchange), but still it was as great to find a parcel from Renée waiting me in my letter box.
Firstly, she stitched me a gorgeous biscornu over one (one side if green and represents me, and other side is red for Renée), finished it as a fob and attached it to pair of scissors! (One can never have too many of those.) And... then she sent me some delicious Needle Necessities and little design by Blackbird Designs.

Thank you Renée!

Another exchange...

Leslie sent our partner infos for Mystery Exchange (at TRN) out last night and I have to admit that my plans changed. $NAME seems to have quite many $STITCHY_TOOLs on her wishlist so I decided to go with that and stitch one of my newer designs for her.
I have already found beautiful hand-dyed 32 count Lugana and matching floss from DMC's range... Pictures to follow... in the end of April.

LJ Interests Collage

Found from taelle's blog:

Create your own! Originally Written By ga_woo, Hosted and ReWritten by darkman424