Friday 23 January 2009

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

Well, be prepared - this will be a varied post! There has been lots going on lately. Some I can show and some I can't.
I have been very quiet as I have been working on a mystery quilt with my quilt group here in Arizona. I missed the first two weeks so I am catching up. I am there now. I cannot show you the table topper as it will be a gift for someone who reads my blog. Sorry.
I also will not bore you with photos of Noddy and Royal Holiday. Noddy has had a monkey and the same boat as before added to the border. I have done some stitching on Royal but she still looks like a brown blob.
Now for the variety.
First up, here is Jack's birthday cake that Grandma made for him. He requested a garbage truck and after much searching here is what I came up with. It is not the best as I did not have my decorating supplies but he loved it.

Upon my return I received this lovely gift from Clare. Clare and I did a Fair and Square exchange together and have become friends. She sent me this lovely ornament of a lighthouse. Santa's sleigh is being pulled by a team of goldfish. We can't quite figure that one out so if anyone has any ideas.
Next up, my neighborhood is home. Annemarie mailed it off to me late December and I was thrilled to receive it. The photos do not do it justice. It is so tiny and perfect. My heartfelt thanks go out to Carol, Katrina, Judith, Cathy B, Annemarie and Michelle. Edited to add Erin. I am so sorry Erin. I knew someone's name was missing but just could not come up with it. Today I looked at my RR and there it was - your name. thank you so much.

I have a good friend named Bill C. Last year, he went to the Yuma fair with Leo and I and saw the ribbons that I had won. He made a crack to the effect that anyone could do that and that he was going to stitch something and enter it in next year's fair as competition for me. I promptly dismissed his words.
Well, this week he presented me with this finished cross stitched piece. He has since learned that it is not as simple as it looks and that stitching takes a great deal of time. He worked on it off and on since last summer. Bill is known for his whining capabilities so I will always be reminded of him by his choice of pieces to stitch. I think he did a wonderful job for his first stitch!!!!! and I appreciate the time and effort he put into it.
I also received my next winter neighborhood in the mail and have started on it. Here is my progress to date.

Now, if you are not bored to tears I have a little business to conduct.
Lesley had this interesting little tidbit on her blog and I decided to go along with it. She got to interview me and ask me 5 questions in return for posting them to my blog.

1. What do you like and dislike about the place where you live?
In Arizona I love the sunshine and the everchanging desert. I do not like the duststorms and sometimes I miss green trees. In Canada, I love the view of the lake from all the windows in my house. I do not like the dampness that can be persistant from living so close to the water.
2. What types of crafts and needlework do you do and which do you enjoy most?
I do cross stitch, swedish weaving, crochet, ribbon embroidery, crewel, 3D paper tole, cake decorating and quilting. My top choice is always cross stitching.
3. Tell us what you admire most about your sons.
My older son Bob - his calmness, his love for his family and the joy he takes in life
My younger son Adam - he is very affectionate, his love for his family and his sense of adventure.
They are my great joy. Their father died when they were very small and they have been everything to me. Leo is a wonderful father to them for many years and my children adore him. I have been twice blessed.
4. Out of everything you have made yourself, which do you like best? which did you enjoy most? which are you most proud of?
I love Fairy Grandmother (Lavender and Lace) that I stitched for my granddaughter. I enjoyed stitching Paradigm Lost the most and I am most proud of Celtic Banner which won me the ribbons at the county fair.
5. I received a wonderful stitchy surprise today. What has surprised you most recently?
My blog entry before this one I think covers my biggest surprise. I cannot believe that after all this time, that Mirabilia RR has been returned to me and that I was able to send it on to Marjean.

If you would like to be interviewed by me, this is what you do.
1. Leave a comment saying "Interview me"
2. I will respond by sending you 5 questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers
4. You will include an explanation and an offer to interview someone else
5. When others ask to be interviewed you will ask 5 questions.

Whew, I think I got it all. Okay anyone want to be interviewed??????????

Wednesday 21 January 2009

A Miracle!!!

Those of you who follow my blog will remember that I mailed a Mirabilia RR to Marjean on October 27th of last year.I had offered to do a block for her as some people had backed out.
Well, Marjean never received it. I was heartsick. All that work and it was gone.

Well, yesterday the mailman came to my door with two packages. One of them was Marjean's RR. It had gone to her and said it was undeliverable even though I have since verified the address, back to Canada and back to me in Arizona. I was stunned!!!

Needless to say, it is going out to her again with insurance, delivery confirmation and everything else I can think of to ensure that it gets into her hands safely.

Miracles do happen!!!!!!!!!!!

I will post my updates in a day or so. Trying to meet a deadline at the moment.

Thursday 15 January 2009

And I am outta here

I am so tired of this cold weather. Tonights forecast is for -36C and that's without the windchill.
Thank goodness, Leo and I are on our way back to Arizona. Baring any complications, we should be on an airplane tomorrow Ottawa - Chicago - Phoenix. Oh, I so want warmth and sunshine.
Here is my progress on Noddy.
There are all these little creatures around the outside of the piece. I am plugging away at them. Soon, I hope, I will reach the halfway point.

I saw this on Michelle's (Cozy Egg) blog and thought this was interesting. Feel free to add it to yours.

Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightening storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17.walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitchhiked
23. taken a sick day when you are not sick
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset (both)
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33.seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo's David in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen Old Faithful Geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach at moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted [drawn]
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the Everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the paper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chicken pox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous [Andy Warhol, Anne Rice, Davy Jones]
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. taken a road trip
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee
100. Met the love of your life

I can see by my list, that I need to make a trip to Europe or several trips. I do love to tour.

I probably won't blog for a few days - traveling and recovering. See you on the flip side lol.

Monday 12 January 2009

Well, I still have a problem with the blue underlining. Will have to contact Barbara of Mainely Stitching again. I accidentally deleted one photo and now I am okay. Will try to add the photo after I finish writing my blog today.
We survived our week with the grandchildren. As the week went on, it got much better. We were starting to develop a routine. The children had a wonderful holiday and are back into parenting mode full time. Seems they really missed their children and could hardly wait to get home. They say, next time, they are taking the children with them on holidays.
Yesterday, I got to spend the afternoon with my friend Dani. We were not as chatty as we usually were but we were heavy into our stitching. Dani gifted me with this gorgeous scissor fob - stitched over one. It is just the most beautiful thing and it adorns my scissors already.Front
Back

Here is my progress on Mirabilia's Winter Holiday. I know, it still looks like a brown blob. Maybe someday soon, it will look like a dress or some such.
And out of the deepest, darkest place in my stitching bag, I pulled out this old friend. I backstitched Noddy, his friends and the car. I finished the half stitches at the bottom of this page. When I actually take the time to stitch on this, it goes very quickly as it is on 14 count aida and the color changes are not too crazy. My aim is to have this entire piece finished by the time I return from Arizona at the end of April.
During this last week, I painted Jack's bedroom. His quilt is in place, the curtains are hung and the decals are on the wall. He is very happy with his CAT machine room. Today is his 4th birthday. I also painted the ensuite bathroom for the grown up children. This week I will paint the master bedroom and then their entire house will be painted.
We are hoping to spend some time with our friends and then we fly back to Arizona on Friday. It will be nice to be warm again. The forecast here for this week is -17C to -20C. That Arizona sunshine is gonna feel good.
Well, I'm off to post to the Mirabilia blog. Take care all and happy stitching.

Friday 9 January 2009

Finish #2 and Family Photos

Good morning everyone. It is -20C this morning and I'm wishing I were back in Arizona.
Leo and I are babysitting our two grandsons while Mom and Dad are basking in the sun in the Dominican.
And I learned something new - I am too old to raise small children. Jack and Hunter are 4 and 2 and we are exhausted at the end of the day. Thank goodness, Mom and Dad will be home Saturday.
I did manage a little bit of stitching these past few days. I decided to stick to something simple as it is put down at the drop of a hat, or the toss of a car, the toss of a ball, a swat at his brother, a demand for milk - make that chocolate milk, pudding, yogurt, banana, rye bread - and no, I don't want butter! Get the picture! Thank goodness for the "Transformers" movie and a 10 minute to bedtime timer. And mind you their ten minutes may not be the same as mine LOL.

Here is my finish - a Kiwi bookmark that Rowyn sent me. I will finish finish it when I get back to Arizona.

Here are some family photos taken at Christmas.

Tuesday 6 January 2009

First Happy Dance for 2009


Here is my first Happy Dance for 2009. This is my contribution to Debbi's Winter Neighborhood
The pattern is from the 2009 Cross Stitch Calendar. It was a fun stitch. Debbi's fabric is gorgeous. Here is her neighborhood to date.

Saturday 3 January 2009

2008 Finishes and 2009 Goals

Well, you can not imagine my surprise when I counted what I have stitched this past year. I have never kept track before and was stunned at the amount I had stitched.

So, here they are.

1. Finished Paradigm Lost - YAY!
2. 5 Hello Neighborhoods - Erin, Judith, Cathy, Michelle and Katrina's
3. 8 Christmas Ornaments
4. 3 Winter Neighborhoods - Mine, Sophia, Tami
5. Marjean's Mirabilia RR that has since been lost in the mail and I get quite ill every time I think of that.
6. Farm Animal RR for Carrie
7. 2 Make a Wish Exchanges - BeckySC and Edgar
8. 10 Fair and Square Rounds - Melissa, Claire, Rowyn, Peggy, Mary Kathryn, Kerri, Sandra, Annette, Jennifer and Wanda. The best part of these squares is that I have made some wonderful new stitching friends!
9. 35 Anniversary Sampler for friends
10. Prairie Schooler's Autumn Leaves
11. Biscornu and Scissor Fob for Carol S.
12. Biscornu for Doris
13. Dragonfly Cube for Carolien - and a wonderful new friend
14. Book of Stitches
15. 2 Scissor fobs - bluebird and butterfly
16. Crystal Tree - I guess I finished it in January of the past year!
17. Peacock for Dani
18. Lighthouse bookmark gift from Clare
19. Halloween stitch for Ranae
20. Lady Periphaeria Spanish Sampler - Part 1, 2 and 3

Whew, my fingers are sore now!

My goals for 2009 are pretty small

Finish Noddy and Friends
Do more Fair and Squares
Do more Make a Wish
Complete my Hello Neighbor hood when it is sent to me
Complete my obligation to the Winter Neighborhood
Stitch on Royal Holiday as an SAL
Make 12 ornaments
Finish Lady Periphaeria
Work on Fairies at the Bottom of my Garden.

Okay, I better stop making a list. It is getting longer as I start to think about what I would like to stitch.

Oh, and before I forget. A few friends and I have started a Mirabila stitch along. I know there are some people who emailed me and asked to join.There is no specifications other than it be a Mirabila. I have lost my list somewhere. If you have emailed me before or are interested in joining us, please contact me at drewsgrands@hotmail.com. The blog is stitchamiriabilia.blogspot.com. Yep, I know I spelled it wrong. I realized it after I had completed everything and don't know how to change it.

Well, everyone - that's it - my big list. See you all in stitches.