And she had S.E.X.!

But, I didn't fail my goal of not buying more stash as this stash is for a new project, a Mystery SAL to-be, organized by Lady Periphaeria... (More about it later, but quite soon.)
I have been hanging around at Hand-dyedfibers.com's forum for a while and drooled after all the lovely VC silks in the store... then I went and designed something just to try certain style and it ended up to be a project which demanded silks - and as I don't have that much experience on Vikki's silks I decided to give them a try.

"To try" may not be an approriate term for the whole purchase: I bought 31 five yard skeins of six stranded silks. (The order has already been shipped!)

Family can shock you

When I left to grocery store yesterday I turned lights off... and when I came home I saw a light in my bedroom window.
I can say that I was a bit "WTH!", but as I wanted to know why the light was on I went home and what did I found? bits_2_whole had popped by to fix my desktop computer.

Lesson learnt: giving your key to your family members can lead to confusion.

Another thing I have learnt during last two days is that scripts which are claimed to be easy by their developers rarely are so - but it seems to me that I eventually found a suitable (easy enough, clear enough and has all the basics I need) online community script.

A tease, aren't I? *grin*

Happy Dance № 6

Fifth model done! (This time a nice foggy teaser...) And I can say that it was done in January as I am still living in January.

While stitching it came to remind me of one person on my P-I-F list (I am so behind....) and therefore it will be moving out right after I get it done, photographed and stitched a tiny something to accompany it.

Goals

It's almost February! O_O

As usual strike and green equal a success. Orange is for "put some work to said piece, but not enough for a success", and red goes, as you guess, for a failure.

The goals for January were:

1. Work on models. Done! Finished: Model 1, Model 2, Model 3 and Model 4 and Model #5 will be finished later today (if I just can keep myself away from the computer - I have spent two days glued to laptop because I have a plan..).
2. Participate Stitch-A-Thon with Loy Krathong. Done! Not with Loy though.

Additional achievements:

3. Biscornu for ''January Biscornu Exchange''
4. Designed little anniversary gift for/ from Periphaeria Designs (it will be availabe 14th of February (a bit early start, I know) , stay tuned!).

And the goals for February are:

1. Work on models: must finish two before 14th.
2. Participate Stitch-A-Thon (with Loy Krathong?).
3. Start Here's to Ewe piece.
4. Stitch Flashes of Gold at least a bit.
5. Belated Christmas ornament for a friend at EMS board as her exchange partner apparently forgot the part of making and sending an ornament. (I didn't participate, but I felt bad for her and offered to stitch a replacement. )

No wonder I feel so much better nowadays

When my peak flow was metered last time my morning flow was around 400 l/ min, usually under it (woman of my age and height should have around 440 l/ min). After four months of cortisone my morning flow has improved "a bit" and is closer to 600 l/ minute.
Asthma? In me? Oh, never, my lungs just react to cortisone treatment like asthmatic lungs should react.

The funny thing? The doctor who decides about my asthma diagnose at SII (a doctor who has never seen me is the one who decides am I really sick and can I get the 75% reimbursement of my medication - my GP can only state that he recommends the diagnose based on his experience on me and my symptoms) may decide that I am not asthmatic based on one little detail: my peak flow is way too good for an asthmatic female when I am properly medicated...
Well, let's see.

Should I make them fluffy too?

For some reason I have this odd urge to stitch pink version of Ia! Ia!. Maybe lady just needs some pink tentacle monsters into her life every once in a while...
Coming to think of it I have one skein of pink VC silk (which I got from Dawn) in my personal stash and it might look interesting on that blood red 40 count Newcastle I acquired from Silkweaver over a year ago...

Valentine's Day came early!

Isn't this what we all need: Brodeuse en Pause (click on une Petite Brodeuse)

And to the business... Isn't it cunning how good mail comes when you aren't feeling good?
The asthma has been bugging me today so lovely stitchy mail was just what doctor ordered and this time it arrived in form of Valentine's Exchange from Dawn (some of you may remember that Dawn was my sender also in Mystery Exchange at late TRN).
She stitched me the cutest hearty snowman over one and finished it as a tiny box, which is just perfect for all kinds of little stitchy treasures.

AND she added some goodies (that cat calendar will go to my wall right away (my calendar wall may look interesting with the kitty calendar and the calendar of Chabad Lubavitch of Finland))!

Thank you again Dawn!

mondaysabitch

So 90's

1. Which song reminds you most of the 90's?
   Quite a few actually.

2. Do you remember where you were when you heard about Kurt Cobain?
   I can't say that I remember, but I assume I was at home.

3. Were you ever known to sport a fanny pack?
   Wasn't that more of a late eighties thing?

4. Which 90210 character was your favourite?
   Dylan McKay

5. Do you own a troll doll?
   No and I never have owned one.

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 260

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Booze:: Liquor
2. Counter :: Under the...
3. Action :: Movie
4. Trial :: ...and error
5. Wheelchair :: Dr. Finkelstein
6. 1-800 :: Commercial
7. Chop :: Chop Suey
8. Relatives :: Family
9. Bed sheets :: Should be changed
10. Funnel :: Fennel

HD #5

Fourth model done!

I also surprised myself by having a long awaited inspiration to doodle with my designing software, which also lead me to actually accomplish something, something I'd love to publish this year, but I don't know can I stitch the models fast enough to be in time. There is, of course, always the next year.
The suprising thing in the design(s) is that the theme was based on a request I got about a year ago. I am not usually too good with requests on themes I don't know (almost) anything about.

Nevertheless, I am happy that I have got my creative streak back - at least to certain extent. It's a sign of health (as much as a chronically ill person can be healthy), which is, after almost year's worth of illness, a relief.

Tomorrow will be finishing day, I have four models and one exchange item to finish off (or actually two exchange items, but as the other one is a model..) so there probably won't be much stitching done.

My supervisors

(That blue thing is my thigh...)

Something for your inner knitter...

Cass Knits! has a droolworthy giveaway of a copy of 'Glamour Knits At Home', which is, based on it's yummy looking cover, something to drool over even if you weren't a knitter (or if you are a bad knitter like I am (i.e. knows a bunch, but can't concentrate long enough to actually prove it)).

Want a chance? Go and comment! Right now! Shoo!

Exchange season!

It seems to me that spring is time for exchanges in my life. No matter how hard I tried I went and signed up to Here's to Ewe exchange at SBEBB as there's one complimentary design by $COMPANY I have wanted to stitch for so long.
Luckily it is very suitable design to use all the little bits of hand-dyed flosses I have laying around, so there's no need to adjust my savings campaign - now I just need to decide how to finish it...

And while talking of exchanges... I am planning to organize a little exchange over at FlossMoms during this spring. I know what item the exchange will cover, but I am in need of opinions about the theme still, so if you happen to be a member (or become one) pop by and vote.

1717: "If to love you is to die/ Then let me die a thousand times"

I once read that love is not that feeling when you can't live without someone, but when your life would be good without the person you share your life with, but the person you share your life with brings some pizzaz to your life.
I have come to understand that notion during the last few years.

Admittedly I have never been good in clinging in anyone (I am physically clingy, sometimes emotionally too, but I know when it's time to let go) so the basics have always been there. Probably I am just too lazy to waste my energy to someone who doesn't want to/ can't be with me.

I have given quite much thought for love as an aspect and on how love reflects into my life lately...

The main reasons for that are the truce with Sonnenschein, the SMS I got from Wolfie in New Year's Day and a conversation I had with mr. X (remember the guy I had a crush on about a year ago?) - mainly the two latter ones.
The SMS just told me what I knew and showed to me that I have traveled far since The City of Angels (the funny thing is that we both still love each other about as much as we used to - we are too alike, and probably we are only ones who can actually understand that fact about the two of us).
The chat with mr. X. was confusing in its way, but eventually I think I know what it told me... mr. X. ran away because he was scared of me and what he felt for me, and scared for those feelings I had for him. It's saddening, but it's not something I could change.

Wolf called me a paradox once "because you are as beautiful as you are intelligent" (for clarification: he considers me as a very intelligent person (that alone proves that there's something in wrong with him, right? *grin*)) and mr. X. surprised me by saying that I have both internal and external beauty - it was surprising because last time I "talked" to him we argued quite badly.
And those lead me, for about the thousand time, wonder what in me causes my singledom? As it seems to me that most who have seen who I really am run away, but still consider me as someone wonderful, someone good. Once again I wonder can it really be so scary to actually be kind-hearted and honest... and depraved as heck.

I have also come to wonder if love is anything else than a form of happiness, an illusion created by feeling good. (I am not saying that it would degrade love in any way if it is so, as I find it only naturally egoistic to keep those people close to us who provide us the feeling of happiness.)
If you think of it, you feel like being in love if you have a good time, the weather is nice and everything seems to go your way - even if you weren't in love, at least in conscious level. And even if you were in love you may not feel like it when the mailman bites your dog and neighbour's roses stomp on your kids... or was it vice versa? Anyway... in the days when nothing seems to work you may also lose the loving feeling.
What if it is lost just because you are not happy in that particular day? Known fact is that relationships tend to break during hardships, i.e. during times when you confront so many hardships during certain period that you just don't have room or time for happiness.

If I just could understand it all....

The Coconut Fish Soup

Let me represent you:

The Coconut Fish Soup (Servings: a whole lot)

300 grams of (frozen) cod, diced
~400 grams of sweet potato, diced
~300 grams of cauliflower (and its leaves), diced
200 grams of broccoli, diced
4-5 desilitres of lamb broth
1- 1½ litres of water
2 desilitres of coconut cream
4 dried chilis
3 tablespoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of garam masala
Handful of seasalt (more of a grabful, you get the drift)
10 - 15 freshly grinded black peppers
1 spring onion, sliced

1. Strain the broth to a (big) kettle, add water, add the chilies, let it warm.
2. Take some of the liquid to a separate bowl and mix it with the curry powder. Put the curried broth back into the kettle.
3. Add the sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, spring onion and the pepper. Let simmer slowly under a lid until the veggies are al dente.
4. Add the fish and the cauliflower leaves. Take some broth into a bowl and mix it with garam masala. Pour it back to the kettle.
5. Add coconut cream and lower the heat (in 1-6 scale make it 2). Let it simmer gently until the fish is ready.
6. Taste, adjust the spices if necessary. Eat!

Happy belated birthday to me!

Lookie what the mailman brought yesterday!

 

As I never received my share in the Birthday Exchange at the late The Robin's Nest Renée was so kind that she offered to stitch me a replacement and... it came yesterday! (I kind of like having birthday every six months or so - that would actually be fabulous exchange idea... The Second Birthday... what do you think?)
Renée stitched me The Victoria Sampler's July Birthday Needleroll and sent me a Mirabilia chart (I seem to have it already (my bad, I had forgot to strike it from my wish list), but I can always sell the one I already had and get a tiny piece of plane ticket with it ).

The interesting thing about the needleroll is that I have never cared for the design too much when I have saw the model (stitched on white), but as Renée stitched it on slightly coloured linen it looks absolutely beautiful! It's the contrast that lovely greyish green(ish blueish) linen provides that makes all the difference.
And it smells heavenly... I think this needleroll goes hanging to my closet for a while - a good stitcher has scented needlerolls in her closet, right? (In addition to the skeletons, of course...)

Thank you Renée! ^^

Speaking of TRN

I am so forgetful! I walked past PO yesterday and forgot to take Christine's RR with me so I could have sent it (finally) out! And this isn't the first time! I think I need to make a HUGE red note to my front door about that...

And...

Look who came back home all the way from Australia! My little artichoke! ^^

Stats:

• Design: Artichoke Lace
• Designer: Lady Periphaeria from Periphaeria Designs *grin*
• Published in: The Gift of Stitching ezine, December 2007 issue
• Fabric: 36 count Summer Khaki Newcastle linen
• Floss: DMC's off-white (I can't remember the code now...)

SBQ: The First Happy Dance

This week's

Stitching Bloggers' Question

is:

Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

I have not had just one happy dance, but four during this year.
The first one was a model for Periphaeria Designs' Valentine's Day's launch. It's a biscornu stitched on black linen with colours which can bring to mind a Western Finnish rekipeitto and I have to say that I am very pleased to it.

If you are curious you can find more about it by coming back to this blog in 14th of February or by subscribing to PD's newsletter.

Another post will follow later today, I got some wonderful mail yesterday.

Ooh, lovelies!

Oh, my wish list will be SO long when I allow myself to buy new stash again... I want Little House Needleworks' "Coffee and Tea" series! And the "Silk Samplers"!

 

Back to stitching....

Pinkish happy dancing!

Noticing how much I dislike pink it's interesting how much I use it nowadays...

I have also been plotting some things for Periphaeria's coming birthday - yes, PD will have its first birthday in March! Though the celebration will be started a bit earlier...

SAT epilogue

My goal for this month's Stitch-A-Thon was:

to finish the piece I am working on now (it’s about 15% done) and at least two other tiles (i.e. one full biscornu - I always stitch the tiles twice for them) during this SAT

I didn't quite make my goal, but I stitched remaining 90% of the first tile... (which means that I had a happy dance)

...and about 90% of the second tile:

Only slice pictures as these are both unpublished models and the other is an exchange item on top of it, so secrets have to be kept.

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 259

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. President :: Election
2. Stare :: Look at
3. Embrace :: Entwine
4. Movie :: Flick
5. Everything :: All
6. Profile :: Info
7. Satire :: Pun
8. Erratic :: Beat
9. Costume :: Cosplay
10. Secretary :: Staff

Surprising advantages of asthma medication...

I happened to stumble upon this article while trying to find out is there some connection between cortisol levels and polycystic ovary syndrome.
My reason for the thought was that my cycle has got shorter and more balanced - and in addition to that I am almost PMS free, which, for a PCOs woman is a small wonder as we often have prolonged and worsened PMS - after I started cortisone inhalations.

Cortisol is an insulin antagonist, and according to the article (and the research) too low cortisol levels effect negatively to the testosterone production in ovaries... both problematic hormones for a PCOs woman.

Let me remind you why this all is such a good news: if the cycle is ~30 days or shorter it's likely that the woman ovulates regularly.
To most women it's obvious, even a nuisance, to some, like myself, it's something unbelievably great... For me it means that I may have the possibility to become a mother (even better: without any help from medical industry) some day.