I Didn't Expect to be Back So Soon!!!!

WOW!!!  Two months and two posts.

I received some wonderful news today.  My friend rang to tell me that her husband had his first CT scan since his chemo had begun, and the tumors have gotten smaller.  I am so pleased for them and they are so looking forward to having Christmas this year.  He is feeling so good that he has even returned back to work on a casual basis.  His oncologist was amazed at how wonderful he looks, he has gained 7 kilos back after loosing about 25.

I have taken some photos so thought that I would show some up-date wip pictures while I was here. I have been following a 'loose' rotation on these for a few weeks now and it seems to be working.

First of all is Travelling Stitcher by LHN.  I have been stitching on this of a Sunday night, so it will get some attention tonight.

 Next is Faery Tales by HAED.  I have been stitching on this from Monday through to Thursday night.  Doesn't look like much progress here, but there was a lot of confetti stitching on the yellow brown blob at the bottom, it is in fact a roof.  Cinderella's castle is looking terribly washed out, scroll down to my previous post for a better of picture of this one, and to see where I was at the last time I posted.

 And last of all is A Love Song. As you can see I have started working my way upwards on the last bit of border (I hope it meets up). I have been stitching on this one of a Friday and Saturday night.  The thread for this comes in six strands, just like DMC, so I complete one of the motifs first and then for the rest of the six strands I concentrate on the border.  This method seems to be working really well for me at the moment.  

Monday is my last day of work until the I start back on the 7th of January.  The kids and I going to our beach house on Wednesday and DH will meet us there when he finishes work on Christmas Eve and we will be back home on the 5th or 6th.  

On my last trip to Melbourne I stopped off and visited with Bernadette. While I was there I had a 'little' shop and I was able to get most of the threads for And They Sinned (the chart I have had for some time).  I have been wanting Plum Street Samplers No Sweeter Love and Paradise Lost for a while now so I thought that I would get her to order them for me as well as the fabric for ATS.  I have decided to stitch it on 36ct Navy Bean from Lakeside Linens.  I received an e-mail from Bernadette letting me know that everything except the fabric is in.  The reason that the fabric is not in is because it is being especially dyed for "US".  You see, I have enabled Bernadette to stitch ATS also.  Aren't I evil?  HEHEHE!!!!  So I will be going to the beach house via Bernadette's to collect my order, and you never know what else I may be tempted by!!

Well I must go now and finish preparing our dinner.  Thank you for all of your wonderful comments, and thanks also to my new followers.  Whenever I get a new commenter or follower I like to become a follower of their blog also, if I have missed becoming a follower of anyone, please let me know in your comments.  Again I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and wonderful New Year.

Competition for the Least Number of Posts Per Year!!!!

See the Title!!!  Do you think that I would win if anyone was to hold a competition for this?  (Hangs head in shame).  Even if I don't post to my blog I do read yours and of course I do stitch.  And I even finish things.....occasionally LOL. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments and for not giving up on me.

This is My Needle's Work by LHN, it was a fun stitch and when I actually stitched on it, it seemed to go fairly quickly.  I am so glad that my job is not 'putting things straight by 'sight'', I would be in serious trouble if this picture was anything to go by ROFL.  I stitched this on 32ct cream linen with the called for threads, Crescent Colours using 2 threads over 2.

When I finished My Needle's Work I decided that it would be a good idea to have something small on the go, rather that feeling overwhelmed with all of my wips (which are mostly baps), so that I can actually finish something. So I started Travelling Stitcher by LHN also (I have lots and lots of Diane's designs). I try to stitch on this for one night every week or so. I don't do a strict rotation as rotations and I just do not mix!  This is being stitched on 32ct cream linen using the called for CC threads 2 over 2.

This one is by Fouroaks Designs and is called A Love Song.  I love this one, and I don't have too much to do. It is being stitched on 32ct antique white linen using Vicki's premium silk in the color Garnet, using one thread over 2.

 Here is a close up of the border detail.  I think that is has taken me nearly as long to do the border as it has to do the inner parts.  When this one is finished I will choose another from my list of wips.

And here of course is HAED Faery Tales (click on the link to see what the final design looks like). I am stitching this one on 25ct white evenweave using DMC threads one strand over one.  I have completed 23 of 60 full and partial pages. 

Now for some news.  As per normal we have been busy, busy, busy.  Four of us are all one year older, the most significant one being Luke turning 16.  He can now get his permit to learn how to drive a car. Scary? You betcha! We have down loaded the book that he needs to read but he hasn't done any yet, his birthday was only four days ago.

We have had some good no, great news and some not so good news.  First the good; very close friends of ours had been trying for a baby for a number of years.  Including numerous failed attempts at IVF. D (female of the couple) sent me an SMS to wish Luke a happy birthday and informed me that she and her DH are 15 weeks pregnant.  I had to read her message three times for it to register.  We are just so pleased for them, they will truly make wonderful parents and fully deserve to have a family of their own.  You know, they always send our kids Christmas presents every year, and now we can do it in return. Yeah!!!  We think so highly of them that they are to become the legal guardians of our kids if anything should ever happen to DH and I.

Now for the not so good news (sorry). Another very close friend who I have known for thirty years, her DH has been diagnosed as having colon cancer.  He is only 42.  He had all of his bowel and 5cm of his small intestine removed during surgery.  His cancer is at stage 3. He had lost a lot of weight when I saw them about a month ago. But since he has started chemo and is feeling much better, more energy and an increased appetite and has even gained some of his weight back.  His prognosis is not all that good but they are both incredibly positive and he is determined to beat it.  He is even thinking of going back to work on shorter hours and lighter duties.  Could you please keep them in your thoughts.  My FIL has also been diagnosed as having prostate cancer.  Even though this news is also terrible, the doctors think that it has been caught early enough and that with minimal treatment he shall continue to be amongst us for many years to come.

Sorry to end on a downer.  If I don't manage to get back here before Christmas, I would like to sincerely wish you and your families all the very best for the coming festive season and a safe and prosperous New Year.

THREE MONTHS AND COUNTING!!

Has it ever been a long time since I posted anything on my blog. Some of you would know that I am still around by the comments that I have been leaving on your blogs.

Like everyone with children knows life can get very busy and some things just need to move down the priority list, and I am sorry but for me one of those things is posting to my blog. You see, I would much rather stitch or read your blogs that post to my blog. Strange, I know!!!

Things continue to be busy for us: Luke has venturers (scouts), plays soccer (the season has just finished) and is working part-time at McDonalds. He wants to go to Vietnam in November 2011 as part of the organisation called the World Challenge, hence the reason for the job. We told him that he would need to fund it himself and this is the desire of the organisers also and they in fact encourage the kids to come up with find raising ideas to cut down the cost which is approximately $6000.00. If he does have a short-fall we will of course help him but he has to make an effort. It will be a wonderful experience for him and I am excited that he is able to go. They go for four weeks, the first to acclimatise, they work in an orphanage or a school for a week, help out with a building project and they do a hike for a week. Joel has basketball once a week, cubs (scouts) and could also play in a modified soccer competition but unfortunately that clashes with basketball and since we have already paid for him to do that, that is what he will do! Caitlyn goes to Joeys, also a scout program, and will be playing soccer when it starts. She didn't do basketball as she in not old enough yet.

When I was younger, I played and loved tennis. I am pleased to say that DH and I have started playing on a Tuesday night and we are having the best time. We may not always win but we give it a good shot. Some nights the mist is so heavy that it makes the balls heavier, meaning that I can give the balls an extra hard whack knowing that they will go in for me HEHEHE!!

As for stitching I am concentrating on Faery Tales by HAED. I have completed 18 out of 60 pages. I would love to finish this 'one day' but I need the occasional break. So I'll do a little bit on one of my many other (sigh) wips or put some stitches into a smaller design just so I will have a finish in the not too distant future. The smaller design that I have on the go is My Needle's Work my LHN. So here are some wip pictures. I wish I could take better photos!!!

And here for your enjoyment, and full of cuteness is a photo of our Mr Puddles. I had left this ball of wool in our sitting room and I was in the rumpus room when he came trotting in with this hanging out of his mouth, all I could do was laugh at him.

I had some luck a while ago now. I won some wonderful HDF threads from Cathy. The threads are all in purple shades and here is a link to the post of Cathy showing her finish using these threads. Doesn't it look wonderful. I am seriously considering using one of these colors in a monochromatic design, don't know which thread or design yet!!! Thanks you so much Cathy for your generosity, I truly love the threads.

Suzanne had a bit of a de-stash and I put my hand up for a chart called Irises by Serendipity Designs. Irises were a favourite flower of my Mum's and she had many in her garden. Thank you too Suzanne for your generosity.

If I said that I will promise to update more regularly would you believe me? LOL. I will try!!!

This has turned into a long post, if you have made it to the end I thank you. I hope that you are all well and that you are getting lots of stitching done.

It has been awhile, again.

I apologise for disappearing for so long, computer issues and not being able to load photos has kept me away from posting to my blog.

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments on my last post and for all of the wonderful things that you said about Puddles. I would also like to thank everyone who had become a follower. Hazel correctly pointed out that the photo in my previous post is a bi-colour kitty, not a seal point, (which is what Puddles is). I should have actually posted this photo, blogger won't let me up-load any more photos so here is a link to Puddles mum. Puddles is just like her. He is so affectionate, especially first thing of a morning, all I need to do is pick him up and snuggle with him and he starts purring so loudly. He is very playful, anything that moves is fair game, especially toes and feet. We are all enjoying having him in our family.

We have been pretty busy of late. The weekend of the 17th/18th of April we were in Melbourne for various things; Nephew's 9th birthday party, sister's 40th wedding anniversary, dinner with BIL and his partner (they have just returned back to Australia after living in Switzerland for four years) and we went to see Mamma Mia. The season for Mamma Mia had actually finished some time ago, and DH was forever berating himself as we didn't go to see it. So when it was announced that the show was returning for a limited time he quickly got us some tickets, and fortunately it happened to fall on the same weekend as everything else. Mamma Mia was fabulous, we loved it. DH particularly enjoyed the singing, you see I had subjected him to the movie and he has continually made fun of Pierce Brosnan's singing, I just tell him that I don't care how he sings, looking at him more that makes up for any missed notes! It made for an incredibly busy weekend, but it is always good to catch up with loved ones.

Now for some stitching news. I have had three finishes so far this year, go me LOL. One of them has not been photographed as yet, but I am pleased to show you the other two.

First off is Cirque des Cercles by Ink Circles. I stitched this on 28 ct Navy Jobelan using a Dinky Dyes silk called Desert Sands. It is stitched with two strands over two threads.

Blogger is being painful and won't let me arrange the photos so the close-ups are coming first.

Next is a little design by Birds of a Feather. It is called Soweth Sampler. It is stitched on 36ct linen using the called for WDW threads.

At the moment I am stitching on Faery Tales by HAED. I have made some decent progress on this and need to take a photo of it to post.

Well I must go and do some house work. Take care everyone and I hope that you all get lots of stitching done.

I am in love!!! And my computer hates me.

You may ask with whom am I in love with!!! A little kitty boy has come into our lives. He is just adorable. He was born on the 8th of November and he is a Seal Point Ragdoll. We have had him for a week now and we have called him Puddles as Raggies do like water if they are in the mood. We tossed around a few other names; Jasper, Chester etc, but Puddles was the only one that we could all agree on. I did try to load some photos from my mobile (cell) phone today but I was not successful, however I will (steal) borrow a photo of his father from where we got him from. He has settled into our household really well, it is like he has been here forever.

I don't think that we could have chosen a better breed. They are well know for their tolerance and I don't think that any of us are sporting any scratches as yet. If he doesn't want to be held, especially by Joel or Caitlyn, and if they won't let him go he will just give them a little nip.

He has 'met' the dogs through the glass doors and windows. One night DH and I had just finished reading and turned out our lamps when we heard some hissing and spitting. Puddles had discovered that the dogs also existed on the other side of the window and sped out of our room. Once we realised what had happened we were ROFLOL, (in bed though). It was so funny. He has been a constant source of amusement for all of us, poor Puddles. I do love our kitty cuddles, he is so soft and he is a chronic purrer.

I have had three finishes in recent times. I started a little BOAF design called Soweth Sampler and completed it some time ago. I completed Faith from LHN Scripture series and CdC by Ink Circles. I can't find the USB cord for the camera and was not able to load pictures from my mobile earlier in the day. HOHUM (letting out big sigh). At the moment I am working on three designs; Bubbles from HAED, Lizzie Kates Double Flips and Desert Guardian by Character Creations. I have worked out a rotation with these and so far it is going well. Will post updates when I sort out the photo issues.

I would just like to thank everyone that drops by, I love getting your comments and reading them always puts a smile on my face. When we came back from our holidays early January there were over 1300 posts in my bloglines, and now they are down to to about 250. There hasn't been a lot of commenting as I have been doing most of the reading from my I-pod touch, and even though I love it, commenting can be a bit hit and miss at times.

Well I am going to go and get some kitty cuddles before I go to bed, stay safe everyone and I hope that you get lots of stitching done.