Woohoo!

I got my copy of The Best of Teresa Wentzler Sampler Collection today!

(And to make the day perfect Mr. Wonderful called. ^^)

This is a confession

I just bought "The Best of Teresa Wentzler Sampler Collection" from eBay! (Though I have to pay it on 15th to get it...)

... Regardless the fact that I actually have about half of the designs as single patterns. Addiction *is* an addiction.

And OOP design is an OOP design and as every stitcher knows OOP is always a valid excuse reason to buy things.

It is a serious illness, folks...

... and it is called teresawentzleritis.

Cure? Who needs a cure?!

eBay, the source of all evil - and wonderful new stash!

My Noah's Ark arrived last week in pristine condition from the seller and about two days after that I received some more Out-Of-Print Teresa Wentzlers from another eBay seller - two of three designs are such I wasn't even aware of!

Those formerly-unbeknownst-to-me designs were "Peaceable Kingdom" and "Diamonds in Squares" (not OOP, but I have never seen it anywhere), "Treetop Sampler" wasn't that high on my wish list, but as the same seller who had PK and DiS had it I bid for it and got it (I think that is called "justifying the postages").

Choking

Well, I still have some of it, but it's getting easier to cope with - it only happens about once a day and I don't need the bronchodilator to release my larynx anymore. (Though I also suspect that some bad news Mr. Wonderful told me today may have affected negatively to my condition (nothing to do with us, in theory (it will probably affect to our plans for the future though), but the da**ed global financial crisis), but knowing how devastated he is at this moment I am not telling him that, he has enough on his mind already.)

OOPitis i.e. how I ended up shopping at eBay

I was chatting with Linda today and she happened to mention Teresa Wentzler's "Noah's Ark" and how she would love to have it some day even it is OOP (Out Of Print). I recalled adoring that same design in someone's blog and thought that I would like to find the design.
Well, just after we had ended our little gossip moment I decided to google the design, just out of curiosity, and found this as Buy Now.

I think I don't even need to ask you to guess did I buy it or not.

I also found this link through Google and I think many of us TW addicts will find it useful: Teresa Wentzler Design List

I finally found the ornament design for my mother... as you may know she loves joulupukki and joulutontut (Santa (the Yule Goat) and his little elves (actually yule gnomes)) and I have always some difficulties to find suitable designs for her (she loves the Finnish Santa (The Real Thing™) and most Santa designs out there are way too American to her, or my, taste), but UniversBroderie solved everything: très joli, ne?

I'm going to stitch this over one, to make it small enough to be an ornament, on Graziano's 28 count Riviera with burgundy stripes, because that fabric came directly to my mind when I saw the design.

Speaking of things to stitch...

My Wentzlers came in Monday. ^^
Therefore I also have to make a drooling list list of designs which are absolutely in my to-do list:

1. Woodland Fairie

As usual with TWs the model pictures I have seen in the internet don't do justice to this piece. Very detailed piece with beautiful colours.

2. The Storyteller

I didn't "get" this design before late and what I fell in love with this design is the thought of harmonious life between dragons and humans... the peace, learning from each other. Or at least hope of it.

3. Castle Sampler:

I have always been fascinated by the court life of certain eras and this design falls into that area in my odd fascinations.
(Oh, the times when men wore tights... )

4. Stroke of Midnight:

I have never been much of a princess fan nor I like to stitch humans, but this design is the exception which makes the rule: the way TW presents the light within the ballroom and the details of her gown are simply stunning.

5. The Castle:

When I first saw this I wasn't fond of this at all, but since I followed Ternezia's process this grew in me - and after I saw all the colour conversions made for this design I was in love. (This one is to die for!)
It may look like the dragon were attacking, but what if the dragon is protecting the castle?

6. The Guardian:

When I first saw this I knew that I have to have this some day, for several reasons. One of them is the colour scheme of the dragon, as, even though I am not fond of yellow, the colours are really made for this dragon and the warmth of yellow brings balance to the design's otherwise rather cold scheme.
Another reason is that when I was at school our teacher read us a book which was located in Cornwall and the scenery I imagined looked exactly like this.

7. The Enchanter:

This was a real jaw dropper when I first opened the The Best of Teresa Wentzler Fantasy Collection II.
I have never been into wizards, but once again TW's style makes the theme attractive. I love the colours and details in this design: the velvety look of his robe, the silky look of his cloak, that little dragon on top of the little tree...

There were several could-dos which I left unmentioned, and maybe they will some day become must-dos as sometimes designs grow in slowly.
In general, I wouldn't stitch ANY of these designs on white as the models have been stitched. The white background "bleaches" these gorgeous designs, takes the life out of them.

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.

Egyptian Sampler WIP

Another Monday's worth of stitching. Actually much less, but I don't want to stitch this while having a migraine...

There's one annoyance in the chart: symbols B and 8 look too similar, and as they are in same motif you really need to double check every single stitch you are doing...

(Progress cross posted to Solarium Sublime.)

As I have that darned migraine (it was lovely: first all time low, then hour's nap and waking up with a migraine... /me likes... not) I can't stitch ES nor the model I stitched in the morning because it has not enough contrast... I think I'll find the bag where I kitted my Mystery Exchange item and concentrate on it.

Beware: stitcher on endorphine!

It's unbelievable... It was almost eight o'clock before I got to stitching. o_O
You could almost think I have something going on... at least I had something going out. I am quite sure that Finnish Post would go to bankcruptcy (now that is one ugly word) without me... I had five parcels/envelopes to send and that pile was about 20 cms high, but, for my surprise, sending them all was only a bit over 8€ altogether (which is unheard of) - and honestly I was prepared to pay over 20€ to get them all sent.
But I am not complaining.

How insane can one be?

I have been stitching Futurecast today and begun to wonder how insane I really am... In addition to having most of the cottons blended I also blend another one of the metallics with a.... blending filament.
It really isn't easiest possible combination, but the result is great - and it really suits better to the colourway than plain metallic gold would have.

Anyway, it is time for this week's

Stitching Bloggers' Question

which was suggested by Danielle and is:

Do you find yourself stitching faster when you are getting to the end of a design?

It actually depends. I have noticed that I either get finishing craze when my needle smokes so much I can hardly see the fabric, or then I slow down a bit and enjoy those last stitches.
But, like Renée, get more focused on the piece when I'm close to the finish. That is understandable, and I think you all know why... It happens because then we can start another project to justify our frantic stash shopping.

Egypt's border in progress

SAL day, day for Egyptian Sampler with Christine.

There is one annoyance in the chart so far and that is right under the corner motif (square) from where sides begin. All the other gaps are four stitches, but first ones are only three.
You may guess who had to frog some "ladders" today because she thought that the chart is logical?
Yup, that was me ( Though it was my bad because I didn't look at the chart carefully enough, but anyway...) hence only minor progress.

There will be no update next week, I am going to Estonia with my mother in 19th.

Egyptian Sampler SAL and a random meme

See, I remembered! I have officially started my part of the Egyptian Sampler Stitch-A-Long with Christine.

This much I got done while doing the laundry today. I decided to stop after I was smart enough to mess up with the blending and had to frog quite much of the inner border...

Five things I haven't told you, until now...

As I love mental exhibitionism here it comes. The meme goes like this:

1. Get tagged.
2. List five things that have not been revealed on your blog.
3. Tag five other people

As Angela kind-of tagged me here it comes:

1. At wee hours of New Year's day I had a premonition, or a thought, which will be a real premonition if I get married before 1st of January, 2008.
2. If things fall in those places they are falling now I will have (at least) one long plane trip this year. (Remember that the word is if.)
3. I am allergic to penicillin.
4. At some point of the summer '99 there was a possibility of me being pregnant. Even though Dan knew about my syndrome he insisted that I have an abortion if I am. Even I never had to do it, as I wasn't pregnant, I have never forgave him saying that.
   (If I had been I would have left him rather than having an abortion.)
5. There's only one exception for my I will never take any of my exes back policy - and I know (as much one can know anything) that he is the only one who will never ask for that.

Now, consider yourself tagged.

Model stitching exhaustion

I just realised something: Monday should have been first day of Egyptian Sampler SAL with Christine. I have completely forgotten that, though it is understandable at this moment.
Actually I think I'll get back into rotating after I finish one more official model and Ring o' Roses (which I only need to stuff and close). I kind of miss doing something completely different for a change.

I think Monday could be my official Teresa Wentzler day so I can switch between Futurecast and Egyptian Sampler according my whims.

Futurecast

Firstly: I've strained muscles in my left shoulder blade. Ouch. (I need to find my woolen blanket and wrap it around my shoulder...)

Then... I've a confession to make... I'm not quite sure anymore do I actually want to stitch Taj Mahal (if it was Châtelaine's I'd do it right now! *grin*).
And if I am not sure, it's better not to even begin with it. So, it's ditched for the time being!

And to our topic:

I already have alternative names thought as this little one may not end up being Pihka. But... I'm really pleased with my blends as the effect is what I was looking for. ^^
And as a side note, I'll exceed my expectations, if nothing drastic happens (like breaking both of my arms or falling in love all the sudden), and will finish hir (I still refuse to sex dragons) before this year is in its end.

That official quote...

"When you have loved as she has loved, you grow old beautifully."
-- W. Somerset Maugham