Those Little Things

... that make you grateful: wrapping your child's presents in the middle of the night.

Those little things that were once so unlikely.

SQUEE! ^^

I get Lizzie*Kate's Mystery Sampler's full package as a birthday gift!

Ho Ho Ho

My mother smsed me yesterday that she had transferred little birthday gift to my bank account... my original plan was to buy clothes with the money, but as I have bought quite a few clothes lately and I had been drooling after certain design earlier that same day I decided to satisfy my stashy needs and bought this (and the accessory pack!) - to crown the day it is on sale at the moment:

And of course little something(s) to justify the postages as I had to place two orders to avoid the customs risk. For once I *love* customs.

Now I just need the fabric... yet another justified shopping spree! Ah, do I just love kitting or do I love it?!

Exchange goodies and belated birthday gift ^^

I actually received Cathy's exchange some time ago, but it has been insane at work so it took this long for me to post pictures for you to admire...

Cathy stitched me gorgeous pinkeep using a design on my wishlist and she made it even more perfect as the colours match the pinkeep I received in Here's to Ewe!
She also added some lovely goodies so I was really pampered to bits!

Thank you Cathy!

With stitching friends you can have your birthday more than once every year

For aforementioned reason I haven't blogged about belated birthday gift I got from Leena either...

Leena stitched me cute little Halloweeny ornaments and sent me magazine where the designs are from and skein of Pomme de Pin hand-dyed, which is completely new brand to me (the colour is much better in person, flash just does things to colours) and looks absolutely yummy.

Thank you Leena!

Life in general

There has been annoyance and good things in my life lately, but just to end this entry with positive things a little rant:

I sold some stuff at local auction site in last month and one of the winners has been a nuisance... I sent her win to her about three weeks ago and accidentally found out that she had complaints about the postages (which she accepted and paid when requested) - her claim is that she paid more than the postage was (she should try eBay some day: that is SO common). Accidentally because she had left, excuse my French, paranoia filled rant in my feedback (and of course she gave me negative) without trying to contact me in ANY way before that (she knew my email, of course). Of course I got annoyed and left her negative feedback in return just because she obviously is not a good customer even though she paid quickly... after this she started to harass me in quite threatening way and sent me an SMS threatening to come behind my door (she lives on the other side of the country...) if I don't answer to her call right now...
I sent her courteously chilly SMS that she should read her email and that I do not answer to personal calls while I am at work (it's very common for people to be at work around 8:30 in the morning).

At the moment I am intentionally communicating slowly with her through email trying to help her to see the plain stupidity of her claim: if she had contacted me right after she got the item and asked me for a refund I would have said yes without thinking twice, but after coping with her ignorance, plain stupidity, harassment and obvious lack of sense of reality I am not very fond of the idea. Eventually I may refund her as a charitable action (if her finances depend on those three euros she needs charity!), but she will never get the other things she wants from me: positive feedback. Why would I give to her? She's real pain in my behind and I don't want that anyone else has to suffer from her...

On brighter side of things: I have lately begun to receive my purchases from eBay so I have had lovely stash filled days and pile of new and new/ used stuff waiting for to be blogged about.

But, great things last: first of all I have two whole days off starting tomorrow!
Secondly I have been praised today by our area manager and SALO (our branch's quality control/ improvement and work effectivity program) trainer, which feels good for several reasons. ^^

But now I must run: I just got an email from Mr. Wonderful. ^^

Gift for a friend

Friend suffered a great loss earlier this year and we, group of her friends organized a parcel of stitched items, and other kinds of gifts, to show our support. The basic idea was to stitch, if you had time, an angel with reference to your username and/or personality, some of us ended up stitching something else, but still within the "guidelines" we had.
This is what I did.

Info:

• Designer: Chessie & Me
• Design: Guardian Chessie
• Published in: The Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornaments 10th Anniversary Collection
• Fabric: 32 count Wild Raspberry linen
• Changes: Flosses are improvised and the design doesn't have those little devil horns my version does (the horns come from my username).

Still on the face of the Earth

It has been rather hectic week and I am surprised that I have actually found time to stitch.

Anyway, I got some belated birthday goodies in mail Wednesday: Dusty sent me a birthday card and some yummy Splendour silks as part of Birthday Thread Exchange.

They feel absolutely divine so I hope some project yells for them soon. ^^

Head issues

Surprisingly I am still having loads of energy even I have lowered my sertraline dose, but that is only a good thing: I have painted the vestibule (finally!) and reorganized the cleaning cabinet during the weekend and still found time to write emails, idle and stitch! o.O (Though now it's time to slouch a bit and make some coffee... *yawn*)

*gasp*

Oh my, must have this: Scream House by Just Nan... Therefore, I ask that you keep your thumbs up for me...

I have a job interview in Monday. I got a call from one "employee rental" company and they had a place they thought would be suitable for me. I met the lady at the rental company today and if everything goes well in Monday with the boss of the actual working place I will be working 2½ weeks as summer holiday substitute secretary-of-sorts (and two of those days would be for teaching me the job).
If they accept me (I am the only person the "rental service" recommends for them!) it will be 10€/ hour, 7½ hours/ day for sixteen days... I would pay 12,5% income tax of it, but it would still be load of money - and it would also mean more experience -> better possibilities to find another job.

And the day keeps getting better...

I had an envelope from Angela waiting in my mail box when I got home!

Its contents were very mysterious...

... but I decided to take the risk and open the package anyway...

Angela also included a beautiful cat card - and Masa wanted to work as a card stand. (Isn't he adorable? ^^)

In other words: belated stashy birthday present! (Linen, linen floss, cat treasure from Mill Hill and a cat stamp. ^^)

Thanks a million Angela!

AND...

I got an email from 1-2-3 Stitch! that they have got the Sacred Connection! You may also have guessed who, once again, justified the postages...
(So, it would be great to have the job as I would like to pay my credit card use for my mother as one payment...)

Mr. Mailman, bring me a dream... (Picture heavy)

Firstly, EMS Staff Stitch N'Stash Exchange for Laura:

The idea was to stitch and finish something stitchy which could be hung and send some nice stash with it.

I stitched Laura a scissor pocket with shades of dusky rose (and got to hear from her that it's one of her favourite colours ) and added a ribbon so it can be hung on neck or somewhere else.

Tidbits:

• Design: Mother's Love Grows, complimentary design by Periphaeria Designs.
• Floss: Atalie's Pivoine.
• Fabric: 25 count linen band.
• Other:
  1. It is lined with fabric to make sure that scissors won't come through.
  2. Ribbon is ~3mm wide pink polyester ribbon I have received from an exchange and it is sewn to the lining.
  3. Design is stitched over one with two strands.

In addition to this I sent two of my designs (Protection and Echoes of a Squared Lotus), two skeins on Painters Thread silks and two pieces of 32 count plainweave (linen and jobelan).
See how cunningly the threads and fabrics are matched. *grin*

Based on the feedback she loved everything so I think I can say that this exchange is now finished.

OMGWTFBBQBMW!

That was my first reaction when I opened the little box in Linda's envelope. In addition of sending that "one pattern from your wishlist" she sent me the mini bourse she was making for me (and I should finish hers and mail it... *ahem*).

But, pictures don't do justice to this bourse. It is just amazing.

Did I tell you that this is Linda's design?! Don't you think too that it's simply amazingly beautiful? I am in love.

In addition to this gorgeous one she sent me, not only one pattern from my wishlist, but four other patterns too - and one of the is a design I have been adoring from distance for a while!

Simple Thank You! isn't enough, but still... Thank you Linda!

And some pattern p0rn

The mysterious big envelope was what I thought it was... so, now it's time to do some simple calculus. These plus this lot:

...equals:

As previously mentioned I have some duplicates, but they, plus few other extras I have, will find a loving home from Linda's house.

I think that it might have been a very good idea to mae the bedroom my craft room... my pattern stash is already taking half a shelf (1 meter shelf).

29! O.o

I heard yesterday that Laura received her EMS Staff Stitch N'Stash Exchange from me... but those pictures will follow tomorrow, this post is devoted for birthday stash.

I have had three envelopes waiting to be opened few days. They were waiting because they were my birthday cards from Jayne's Attic BB's Birthday Thread Exchange. What can I say, except it was worth the wait!

Thank you Lindsey, Jayne and Lisa for such lovely flosses!

Mailman brought also some more flossy goodness from One Star's Light Needlework Supplies! This is only part of the order as Jenna had to order some of the flosses from Gentle Art (mainly because I wanted so many skeins per colour *grin*).

The ones on the right are for Bless This House, the ones on the left were meant for Rose Sampler mini SAL (yet another, yes) with Linda. Mini SAL mainly because we both apparently stitch it over one, crazy as we are.
Ellen's (it would be odd to call her with her whole name as I work for her anyway *grin*) Rose Sampler is an interesting project as I am not very fond of roses, but as I have been following its progress in both in the RS' own gallery and Ellen's forum's gallery it has grew in me.

Anyway, to get the idea of how much birthday gifts I have given myself I took a picture of all the patterns I decided to give myself (some are still on their way). The little card on bottom right is a notification from PO that I have received a big envelope: I am quite sure (or hopeful) that it is finally the CMH order (I have one order coming from 1-2-3 Stitch! but it should be small enough to fit in my mailbox).

The Evilness of IRC

Couple of evenings ago our mother came to our family's IRC channel and mentioned that she has to move her computer desk to living room because she has not earth connected wall sockets anywhere else than in her kitchen - and as she obviously doesn't want to have her computer in the kitchen she went with the room closest to it as she can use an extension cord to get the earthed socket.
- "And anyway, then I have a real entertainment center with TV, DVD player and computer and the bedroom can be just a bedroom."

Of course I said that she's a real nerd now - and she agreed.
Anyway, I then recalled a design I had seen, linked it to her with a comment "this would suit you then"... and she agreed again.
The design in question is Internet in Heaven and it seems to me that I have to buy it now and stitch it. So sad, don't you think? *grin* (I even know when I will order it: I emailed 123 Stitch! and asked could they get Sacred Connection in their selection (because I cunningly deduced that it would be much cheaper bought from States - and it is: in UK it would be 46.83€ + shipping whereas the quote from US was 19.83€ + shipping. Even when I buy new fabric for it (as I won't use that aida it comes with) it will be cheaper than ordering the kit itself from UK) and they replied me with the price quote and estimated time it takes it to get there. Which means that I am going to order it when it arrives there. *evil grin*)

Few more additions to my to-be-bought list:

• ABC Bear
• Not Tonight
• Frosty Memories
• More Frosty Memories