This, that and something else

I have been good and updated my wish list, though it still lacks all the items I have under wishlist_additions tag.

I am also insane: I'm going to stitch the design for Linda's bourse over one on 36 count linen.
The design is actually quite problematic... I have monochrome and four different colour schemes (of which I have two different versions) and I can't decide which one to stitch! So, I let Linda decide for me... she doesn't know how it looks like, but I have asked her to tell me which colour out of those four she prefers.

"You have a large envelope awaiting"

I had a notification of a large envelope few days ago, but as I have been a bit tired I haven't bothered to go to fetch it - until today. And it was just what I hoped it would be: my order from Interweave Press' Hurt Book Sale!

And here's few of my favourites:

From left to right:

1. Domino knitted linen baskets.
2. Cashmere Crossings shawl from the Wrap Style.
3. Tapestry Garden shawl from the Wrap Style.
4. Kuba from the Knitting our of Africa.

Wrap Style and Domino Knitting are good, as is Knitting out of Africa even though I have one complaint: where are the vivid earthy tones?! Most of the designs are worked with greys and in my opinion that is a flaw: colours are one way to create the style and when some says Africa most people think of vivid, a bit earthy, tones.

Doctors and results

All the results were "within normal limits" (I have to remember to ask my hemoglobin as I am curious to know is it still 120 (which is within normal limits... lowest "normal" is 117)), but I got new call time from the head physician of the health centre for next week.
That doesn't mean that I don't have asthma, back in stone age my brother had perfect spiro results but he got asthma diagnose anyway. No one knows what is my normal, so even the generic "normal" may be reduced flow for me (once again, I sang in a choir, my lungs are "strong").

And... mr. GP wrote the missive for thorax x-ray, but he never told me that I can just walk right in to the local hospital's x-ray unit. He only talked of the spirometry.
How the Heck someone like him is allowed to do work with patients?! (Ok, I know there are worse: like that GP who prescribed aspirin for former neighbour of ours because she suffered of stomach pain... she died of ovarian cancer couple of years later, and it's likely that she might have survived if the doctor had gave a damn. (Yes, in theory I could have a lung cancer, but with my rather cancer free family history (I know of three known cancers within the last three generations, two of the cases were lung cancer, both of them smoked heavily, 50% survival rate (my uncle's cancer metastized(sp?) to his brains before it was diagnosed...) I don't worry about that possibility too much.))

Mini bourse exchange with Linda

I have wanted to make a bourse for ages and last eight months I have had this special need to finish some of my own designs as a bourse, though I haven't got around using that method yet... so, what did I do to give myself an excuse..?
I suggested mini bourse exchange to Linda, as I really enjoyed our mini biscornu exchange last year, and she said yes.

The idea is to make a bourse which is only about ~10cm (4'') per side, which also means that the design has to be small... or it has to be stitched over one, which is real torture for both of us... not.

As this is just between two of us we have very flexible schedule, the deadline is December 1st.

And the stitchy post...

Firstly, Lady got new stash from Violarium today. (I'm She's quite happy that I she have has found Finnish ONS with good customer service. It's always nice to place an order and get your things next day (in this case mailing notification came three hours after placing order). )

Two skeins of Atalie's silks (Djerba (blue) and Lhassa (yellow/orange)) and piece of 40 count linen. You may meet these beauties later in some models of mine hers...

Secondly... it's a small world, and cyber space is even smaller it seems: Tracy, lady behind Ink Circles, who has also designed design I used for Linda's mini biscornu, had found my blog accidentally. How I know this? She left a note in my guest map. (And allow me to say that it still feels good when a designer whose style I like finds me accidentally. I think it is one of those things which never lose their glamour.)
By the way, while you are at it, check her new design 'I Still Do'.
/me likes. Now I just need to get married and stay married... Any volunteers around?

I have to admit that even most wedding samplers do not strike my fancy, that is something I could do - even it is outside "my style" in certain sense. Maybe it's just my mushy side revealing... (but then, I think I have said that I am marrying type in the end.)

More pictures, and shopping

Before I forget... finished Woodland Snowfall:

I had a reason to stitch it... it was a supposed to be a replacement ornament sent to one participant in ornament exchange at EMS, and I did sent it to Singapore... She just happened to receive both original and mine approximately at the same time (which was few days ago, hence the picture).
(Piece of unnecessary information... I Googled Woodland Snowfall and guess whose blog was fourth hit? *grin* "Look Mommy, I'm in the internet.")

Shoppity

Birthday fairy made an order from Casa Cenina... (though I excused some things for myself too, and got one of the beads for Seasonal Dragons (they were discounted)!)

I've to say that they've excellent customer service. I wanted to pay my order with European Bank Transfer instead of credit card as in my case it was faster (it takes at least three days to get credits loaded) and there aren't any transaction fees when it's interunion transfer. They replied to all my stupid questions within hours and were very willing to serve.
Now order is processed, as they've received my payment, and mailed out. Wonderful! I'll recommend them (even they're not the cheapest one with everything they have great selection, and I'm willing to pay for service).

Latest issue of The Gift Of Stitching is out, and I've to say that it's well worth that ~80 cents which it's per issue. Even it's filled with Christmas designs... Now, this is a magazine I might like in the long run (this was second issue from my subscription): it's cheap (10€/year), lacks most of that unnecessary yadda-yadda most paper versions have and has designs I might even stitch some day. Shocking, absolute scandal even. O_o

/me likes.

And I think that Futurecast has a name: Pihka. (Resin in English and came from the fact that our little dragon will be in shades of orange, red and brown. It reminds me of amber, but Amber is too girlish. So, I thought of Meripihka (literally sea resin), but it was a bit long, so I decided to shorten it a bit.)
Ok, Pihka seems to be considered as a female name in here, but if you ask from me it's neutral enough (as we don't determine sex of word with last vowel (actually we don't sex words), otherwise I'd be triple neutral with minor twist of femininity (three of my four names end up with i, one ends up with a (which is interesting as my planed name change would/will change the order: 3 as and 1 i))).

I've try to remember to check its colours in daylight (when ever that little thing wants to get over the horizon (ah, 43 minutes to sunrise (at 8:17 am)) as I may end up adding some blends...

/me wants Monday!

Two more...

Last two days in a nutshell: rotation out of the window.

Thursday

I decided to let VE piece to rest for this week as I prefer not to work with exchange items when my brains aren't working as well as they should, and therefore I took Santa's Trimmings and almost finished stitching it before I got to bed...

Friday

Small Needlebook (any guesses why I don't use acronym? *grin*) didn't see daylight, but Wyvren did! Tadaa! (And please, fail to notice lack of coffee steam...)

Info:

• Design: 2006 Christmyth; Wyvren
• Designer: Jennifer Aikman-Smith
• Fabric Desert Sky, 28 count Lugana by Silkweaver
• Other: Colour conversion by me

Wyvren was last of the Christmyths, and my absolute favourite of them all.

Anyhow... like most of the days during this week, I've spent good part of the day chatting with person X. (I know what you think out there... ) and therefore, understandably, I haven't been stitching that much.

But... a Santa! Without his whip lights/decorations, but I'll add them when I'm a bit more awake.

Info:

• Design: Santa's Trimmings
• Designer: Frank and Judy Bielee/ Mosey 'n Me
• Fabric: nameless 28 count hand-dye Jobelan(?) by Silkweaver
• Floss: Misc. GASTs.

There's always time to shop

Sew and So is source of all evil:

• Damask Roses
• Deco Spirits
• Desert Angels
• My Lady's Garden
• The Chess Game

And now, I'm off to meet mr. Sandman.

Ngggggh

Sunrise: 8:43
Sunset: 15:31
Length of day: 6 h 48 min

And amount of daylight keeps on reducing almost a month still... And this combined with lack of snow (yes, it has been raining last few days) does wonders to my mind. My days have been interesting lately: wake up -> 11 h awake -> 3 h nap -> 3-4 h awake -> 6h night sleep; repeat ad nauseam.
I think I'm hibernating.

Sounds like a plan, don't you think?

In other news, I have been stitching (in addition to spending half of the day chatting - yikes), but I prefer to show picture of completed stitching (instead of getting there), but those of you who know Woodland Snowfall by Little House Needleworks... imagine it stitched over one on 28 count blue opalescent, hand-dyed evenweave.

Yes, it'll be cute. ^^

Timing is the key...

Want to know something? Linda received her biscornu today! So, more pictures for your viewing pleasure:

      

Info:

• Design: A freebie, combined September and October knots by Ink Circles
• Fabric: 32 count Mushroom Lugana
• Floss: DMC's Variations 4130
• Cording: DMC's Variations 4130
• Other: Stitched over one with one thread

And both (one I sent and one I received) are whopping ~4x4cm. Not the easiest ones to finish, but well worth the effort. ^^

S.E.X.

*coughs innocently*

Had some S.E.X. and helped owner of Lekker Threads a bit with her clearance sale.. and I even found a chart from my VE victim's partner's wish list which I, of course, bought for her. And (some hand-dyed floss, needles and) one design, which has interesting finishing idea, for myself: Indian Dreams by Cat's Whiskers.

(This time I was enabled my Linda... you got to share sale with a fellow addict, right?)

OE: My first flat fold

I just heard that Selina received her 'ornament' and loved it!
As usual I'll flood you with pictures:

      

Info:

• Design: Molly to the Rescue by Mosey 'n Me; JCS Ornament issue 2005.
• Fabric: 27 count ivory linen
• Floss: Misc. DMC and golden metallic for star. Molly is stitched with DMC's Variations 4140.
• Finishing: Flat fold
• Misc.:
  • Two over two
  • Actually Molly is supposed to be black, but I changed the colours to match (more or less) Selina's late dog Aireen.

And as you deduce from the topic, this was my first ever flat fold, and even I say so it looks quite good.

Damdidam...

This is disturbingly cute, don't you think? Bit like Brain Slugs and Robot Companion. (Cursed be LJ's knitting!)

On samplers

Odd things has happened to my taste with designs lately... Year ago I was ready to make one exception, and one exception only (that being AE), to my No samplers allowed policy, but now... I've gotten fond of few Long Dog Samplers' samplers.
As we know, I'm curious as a cat and one day when I checked Leena's blog she mentioned St. Hippolyte which she's model stitching for her own business. Now, it doesn't look that good in sample picture, but changing the fabric makes the difference: look at this.
And /me wants that design - and actually I want this and this too. They are not the cheapest designs, but they're huge.
(Silly thing, I've meant to blog about this new addiction of mine, but remembered it just now after getting feedback from her to my feedback.)

And stashy goodness

Just got an email... My Silkweaver order has been shipped!

Dragons, robins, biscornu and new stash

Renée announced that she's setting up new Round Robins in coming year (at The Robin's Nest), and it seems that we might actually have all Seasonal Dragons RR, as there's four of us who are interested of having RR with that particular design.

And I think I've found a fabric for it. Ares by Sugar Maple Fabrics. What do you think?

            

I'd love to have these stitched in a horizontal row, but I can't think of any logical order where they'd look good. I think I've to settle with vertical layout (Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn).

There's also one problem. I need to figure out how to do the name+country part because, no matter how mean I am, I don't want them to be attached to the dragons (though little monogram from stitcher of that particular square would look great in about right lower corner).
As we see, I've decided that it'll happen... *grin*

Biscornu

This is the secret over one project I had:

      

As you can see from my comparison it's humongous (Nokia's 3100 is not a big phone (Yes, it really is pink)), about 5x5 cm/ 2''x2'', stitched on hand-dyed (by me) 28 count opalescent Lugana with Love and Laughter Dragon Floss by Polstitches Designs.
And it lives happily with Jenna nowadays. (And thank you for Rósa who kindly provided me Jenna's address so I was able to send her birthday gift on time.)

Stash!

"...Santa Claus is coming to town..." *humming*

Here's my haul from Jayne's Attic. (A Quaker Gameboard is in BO, but it'll follow.)

(I've become a complete picture ho. )

*drools all over*

Ermh... Those skinny skeins are Rajmahal Art Silks (#25 and #115), and let me tell you they are smooth. (I can't stop fondling them...) Other ones are from Carrie's Creations: Fantasm, Shockwave, Tie Dye, Verde (which "surprisingly" happens to be green), Wildfire, Autumn, Aubergine (Limited Edition) and Bittersweet.
When it comes to fabrics they're both 9''x12'' cuts of 32 count hand-dyed Jobelan from Polstitches Designs: Cheerful Cherry and Warm Embers (which would make wonderful needleroll, if you ask from me).

They should come and take me away, ha-ha (once again)...

In bad news: I have to make something to protect my left palm not to be exposed to staples in my frame while stitching. That darned nickel allergy reminds me of itself again.... try to hold a frame when your hand is itching like h**l.
And no pictures of our furry, little friend as I've no batteries in my camera (once again).

But on more brighter note: I see forecoming stash. Got an email from Violarium that my order has been shipped, so, with some luck it's in here tomorrow! (And if not tomorrow, it should arrive in Friday, as it's coming only from other side of Finland.)
This means that I'll order again from there (good service equals one happy /me)(actually I have a reason to do it... Check Leena's latest entry, there's La Maison Douce to which, even it's not "my style", I got fond of. This means that I've ("have") to buy certain issue of De fil en aiguille... some day).

Did someone say gore?

I have to do this... I [heart] zombies! How can I defend myself? I love zombies, I am gore (Just call me Tipper) and I love to play with words.
If I could just remember did I order any crimson red floss today...

Good morning world

Gah, never read stitching blogs, they have enabling effect on you.
Since HAED had 24 hour freebie (Dragon Soul QS (by selinafenech)) I've itched to stitch it as soon as I get some room to my rotation (though Ezzy goes in it first) and now I saw WIP of it in Arthemise's blog.

Repeat after me: That is one beautiful piece! (Have you noticed that I love Comino's emoticons?)

That will also mean one thing: I'll have two big(gish) over one projects in my rotation soon.

In other news

I seem to need my queen size blanket (just call me Linus (that makes you wonder why Linus Torvalds' parents decided to call him Linus...)) to be able to get to bed early. Yesterday I finally decided that it's getting too cold to sleep with any other blanket, put it in blanket cover and threw it on my bed. In the evening I hit the sack at 21:00 (9 pm to twelve hour clockers) and woke up today at 7. And I wasn't even that tired when I went to bed.
So, big, scary /me needs her security blanket... and excessive amounts of warmth (says one who slept under even thicker queen size blanket when she was in Bangkok).

And now big, scary $BLOGGER needs her morning coffee.

Advantages of unplanned S.E.X.

I was updating my defined needs (click for .xls) file and while adding links to designs I noticed something. When I bought those two PINN books from Bangkok I bought many designs which are sold only/mainly as kits at their site, for example Chui Chai Brahmin Dance and Rama V Reign Thai Classical Dance, both designs I may even stitch some day (Actually that particular book has only designs which I would like to stitch). And... I only paid about 5 € (฿250) per book, when single pattern, when purchased from PINN's site, is ~$9 (and kits are, let me say, pricey).
Now... did I save money or did I save money?

And as this is progress picture free day... designs in question:

      

Must resist temptation...

...must stay in rotation...

But Kristine (Herber) did it again! She designed few blackwork ornaments as complimentary designs for stitchers in her Yahoo group.
I had got to bed, but got up to have a cup of tea, checked my email and... well, after I saw the design I had to kit up "a bit"...

            

Now I just need time to stitch! (I think I can tweak little holes into my rotation... *grin*)

Stitchy ramblings

For some reason I think that one of my 2-dos in near future is Loy Krathong.

I've had my eyes on it since I bought it in one of my trips to Kinokuniya and lately I've been thinking what would be suitable fabric for it.

It's just too inviting, too much of a dream scene not to stitch it, but it also needs The Perfect Fabric to be stitched on (something hand-dyed, I'd say). Blue or violet, maybe purple with blue accents.

Edited-To-Add; Great Scissor Giveaway

I won! (Ok, I wasn't the only one, but I won!) These beauties are coming to live with me, thanks for Jenna's overwhelming generosity!

I am not worthy!

SALs

Mystery SALs are always problematic, as you don't know how the design will look like in the end.

I joined Halloween Gameboard MSAL at Tanya Meehan Designs, but I've to admit that I'm just lurking and have no idea will I ever actually join it (not that there were room in my rotation) or will I stitch the design later - as her style doesn't appeal to me that much, but as you know you can never know... And then... it's free so I don't lose anything even if I decide not to stitch it - and new designs to my pattern stash are always welcomed.

And when it comes to SAL of this day (Silhouettes) we'll have to see about it as I'm on my way to clean (cats didn't like my absence over weekend) and do the dishes. (Woke up after 2 pm today (antihistamine does that to me) so I haven't got the time to do anything yet...)

Back to stitchy issues.
'Guess That Theme' parcel is on its way to [Country]. And new Cross Stitcher came, finally - though it actually had nothing interesting in it, in addition to Astrocats calendar. (Or maybe it's just this sleep deprivation...)

Mr. Warhol said it...

Echevette found me trough trackback (that's my guess) and asked can she post picture of my version of kitty on her blog... and here's my fifteen minutes in fame. (Nothing beats some self praise.)
And as an example how much fabric (and lighting) affects: click. Exactly the same floss, just different fabric.

Model stitching?

I just heard that one cross stitch designer (ok, she converts artwork, anyway) is looking for model stitchers.
I've to say that I am tempted to email to her... I'm a bit unsure as her designs are rather big compared to my normal scale, but I think I've to email her anyway. It doesn't hurt to send just an enquiry, does it?

Dragons and dancing flames

Note to self; Seasonal Dragons

• Square
• Outer border stitched with eyelet stitches (either Algerian or square ones) (gold).
• Borders around dragons cross stitched (gold).
• Fabric possibilities:
  • Air
  • Concord
  • Dragon Moon (Pun: In Finnish moon is kuu (that cheesy thing *grin*), but kuu is also shortened, and commonly used, form of kuukausi (~period of a moon) which is month... and from there we get easily to seasons, don't we?))
  • Evening Dreams
  • Southern Star
  • Vineyard

SAL

I have been stitching ("Oh mi gosh!"). Actually it's kind of obligation as I'm the "organizer" of Stitcher's Tools SAL at EMS forum, but that's just matter of definition.
Anyway, I started with Small needlebook last night and I've really enjoyed stitching it, and, even I say it myself, combination of fiber (Dancing Flame) and fabric (Cobblestone) is great!

Can you see the flame dancing? It doesn't look as good it does in person (or "in floss"), but that's life.

And I took chanda_m's advice and started with Crazy Cat Lady Exchange's second option. Changed recommended fabric, messed up with flosses and all that... we'll see how it turns out.

Tad early: Goals for September

It's ninth month soon... New Year's eve was in last week, and you're saying it's almost September already?!
For reason or another I had no actual goals for August, at least not that I had blogged about them, so I'm just placing new ones.
Now let me think...

1. Stitch as much Panda as possible (preferably finish it).
2. Stitcher's Tools SAL at EMS BB; keep on blabbering, and stitch at least Small Needlebook.
3. Stitch at least half of Jaffa.
4. Stitch, finish and send Crazy Cat Lady Exchange item in time.
5. Finish first part of Alter Echo.
6. Stitch mother's birthday card.
7. Kit Ornament Exchange ornament.
8. Stitch-A-Thon at The Robin's Nest
9. Decide design for Scissor Fob Exchange.

For some reason it seems to me that my goals are mostly related to exchanges and stitch-a-longs.