Finished that purple band

Yay - I finished the purple band atop the 18th Century Band Sampler (Long Dog Samplers mystery sampler that just started in The Gift of Stitching Magazine). Now, that may not seem like much, but it is. It took a while to count all of that out. Tonight I got to add a few more colors too, and really love how this is progressing now.

Then, I put it down to work on Dianne's Neighborhood RR. While I cannot show any of it yet, I can say that I have virtually finished the house (except for a bit of backstitching) and will soon be choosing some ways to give it some landscaping - and then off to Annemarie, hopefully by next Monday's deadline :-) And, I heard from Rachael tonight - she is doing better :-) More than likely, she will post my RR by next week and then actually stitch on it later. No problem!!

Thanks for your well wishes for Angus and Gig! Angus has a bit of a kick in his step lately - I took a cute photo, but forgot to download it - will make sure to do that tomorrow. Gig is a bit sulky and we have isolated him to see if he will eat that bland diet the doc wants him to eat for a few days. No luck so far. Gig is a seriously neurotic cat!

Also, thanks to those who bought stash in the past two days to help out - some was shipped today, and if you sent PayPal today, it goes right out tomorrow!! There is still some left, see yesterday's photo and info.

Oh, and thank you so much for the wonderful comments on Kathy O's fob... and the one I recently made for Mel too - you are all so supportive and encouraging!!

Stitched on today: Bordeaux Sampler (just the tiniest bit!), 18th Century Band Sampler and Dianne's Neighborhood RR.

A Gift For A Friend/Updated Photo of Stash for Sale

Since I am working on Dianne's Neighborhood RR tonight, and I cannot show it, I will instead show a little gift I finished today for a friend (my first finish of 2007). I don't think this friend reads my blog. She is one of my oldest high school friends and she is a stitcher. I had a whim to make this for her:

Checkerbird Fob
Heart in Hand
R&R Reproductions 35 ct Sheep's Straw Linen
Gentle Art Sampler Threads
Stitched 1/5/07 - 1/7/07 for Kathy O.

I have heard that some stitchers could access the Yahoo links of the stash Mike is selling, and some could not. So, here it is again - what is left - in one big photo:

Heart in Hand - Christmas Keepsake 2002, full kit w/specialty fibers, fabric, $15
Victoria Sampler - Birthday Bellpulls 1, $4.50
Shepherd's Bush - Dancing Lamb with button, $6
Heart in Hand - Garden Party with JABC button pack, $6 -sold
Shepherd's Bush - June with clay beehive button, $6 - sold
Just Nan - Peacock Tapestry with gold peacock bead, $5 - sold
Just Nan - Love& Roses with bead pack, $4 -sold

**** - Either email me or leave me a comment here if you want any of these! Angus and I thank you - your help has dented his follow up bills pretty nicely - thank you in advance!!

Stitched on today: Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin, and finished Checkerbird Fob for Kathy O.

PS - GO PATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the emergency vet today/Stash for Sale

Stitching update first - I worked a bit on Section 2 of And A Forest Grew tonight. Wow, I am suddenly noticing quite a few stitchers have decided to pick this one up now too! I also worked for awhile today on a gift I am hoping to finish this weekend.

Back to the vet today - but not for Angus this time! Gig had some blood in his stool this morning. That happened a year ago also, and he was diagnosed with an irritable bowel/colitis. So, off I went to the pricey vet again and waited over two hours to be seen. Prescription: amoxycillin and bland diet for a few days. He is not thrilled with the bland diet. In fact, he won't even touch it. So, now we have two cats on antibiotics - Angus has the yellow stuff and Gig has the pink stuff in the fridge!

So... as I mentioned last night, I have some stash to post for Mike. He bought these items at an LNS a few months ago and put them aside. Now he figures it is good to post them here given the vet bills. Makes sense. He paid a lot for these items and I am offering them at the prices he paid, no profit. If you like Shepherd's Bush, Just Nan, Heart in Hand, Victoria Sampler or Samplers and Such, you might want to check these out - descriptions and prices are in each link, postage will be low and payment goes to Mike (email me and I will give you that info) - thanks, every tiny bit helps with these bills :-)

The Yahoo album links worked for some stitchers, but not all... so here is one photo of all unsold items so far...


Heart in Hand - Christmas Keepsake 2002, full kit w/specialty fibers, fabric, $15
Victoria Sampler - Birthday Bellpulls 1, $4.50
Shepherd's Bush - Dancing Lamb with button, $6
Heart in Hand - Garden Party with JABC button pack, $6 -sold
Shepherd's Bush - June with clay beehive button, $6 -sold
Just Nan - Peacock Tapestry with gold peacock bead, $5 -sold
Just Nan - Love& Roses with bead pack, $4 -sold

Thanks so much!!

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and And A Forest Grew

Started the Long Dog Mystery Sampler Tonight

I decided to start the pretty mystery sampler by Long Dog Samplers that debuted this month in The Gift of Stitching Magazine. It took me a couple of days to decide on my fabric, and I ended up using Lakeside Linens 40 ct Vintage Bittersweet again - the same fabric I used for An Emblem of Love. It is one of my favorites, by far, and compliments the colors in the sampler so well. I still need to finish the third row of periwinkle at the top of the sampler, but as my self-imposed time to quit working on this tonight approached, I was getting a bit bored with the purple (especially after all the work of counting and centering), that I quit that for now and began some of the other colors. Then, off to work on Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin.

I got an email from Mel earlier today letting me know that she has received the little birthday gift that I sent to her. Her birthday was six days ago, but still, the post to Dubai was quicker than I thought it would be - just a little over a week, I think. Mel is in the Medieval Town Mandala group, so I chose to stitch her a fob out of the center fountain of the design. What a relief - she is very happy with it!

Medieval Town Mandala Fob
Chatelaine
Silkweaver Belfast Solo - can only be seen on the back
NPI Silk, Caron Waterlilies, Thread Gatherer Silk 'n Colors, Gloriana Silk, Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid, Miyuki Delicas Beads, Swarovski Crystals
Stitched 12/17/06 - 12/22/06

I have some stash that I will post in my blog tomorrow that I hope to sell off to continue to support some of Angus' vet bills. Mike and I bought some stuff at a LNS a couple of months back that turned into a fiasco - we just put the items aside and didn't think about them - but anyhow... just stumbled across it all tonight and Mike suggested we sell it towards the little fund... so, I will try to get that up tomorrow!

As I was working on Dianne's round robin tonight, I was wondering how mine is progressing. The stitcher who has mine was going through some personal issues in the fall... we haven't heard from her lately, so I wonder if she even stitched mine? I will have to try to email her this weekend and let her know it is OK with me if she just wants to send it ahead to Dianne with her block unstitched.

Stitched on today: Started a gift, Long Dog Samplers Mystery Sampler (aka 18th Century Band Sampler), Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin

Finished Section 1

Tonight I finished Section 1 (out of 14 sections) on And A Forest Grew. I am still enjoying this one tremendously. Unfortunately, my scanner is not bringing out the pretty colors of this sampler as they actually appear in real life.

For anyone still interested in the Gingher Designer Series scissors that Mike is selling on ebay, he is now out of Julias, but has one pair of Cheetahs and two pairs of Lanells - at least as of this writing. Not sure when he will pick up more, but he will when he can. If you are considering them, he has them at rock bottom right now, while they last. His ebay user ID is michaelsutcliffe. (Thanks to Erin and Carina for picking up their pairs today!! LOL).

Stitched on today: And A Forest Grew

No peeking

Untrue to form, I am not able to show you what I stitched today. I don't think that has ever happened in my 2+ years of blogging. Tonight I started Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin (finally!!), but she has specifically asked the group not to show how her round robin is progressing. She wants to be surprised. She says a postage stamp sized piece is OK to show, but not tonight - I worked only in one color tonight and it looks sort of like a blob - not something I want to use for that tiny peek, not yet!

But... I can show something. I got an email from Annemarie this morning letting me know that she received the little gift I made and sent to her. This was my first of very many PIF gifts that I have signed up to do. I was happy that Annemarie was thrilled with it. This little ornament was made for the amazing stick tree that she has in her kitchen. She hangs little bird ornaments on it. This design is from December's issue of The Gift of Stitching magazine, and it includes both over one and over two stitching within the design - and the over one is actually stitched with two threads. I wasn't too sure about that - but Annemarie likes it :-)

Quaker Bird Ornament
Olde Willow Designs
R&R Reproductions 32 ct Sleepy Hollow linen
Olde Willow Stitchery Hand-Dyed Threads
Stitched 12/26/06 - 12/28/06

Carina, I saw your question in yesterday's comments about the Gingher scissors Mike sells. Yes, he still has them! I couldn't find your email address, so I hope you see this. His ebay ID is: michaelsutcliffe

Angus doesn't feel well today...it is his first day off of pain killers and he is showing discomfort :-(

Stitched on today: Started Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin

Paradigm Lost Update

Here is my measly little Paradigm Lost update for this week. I call it measly because I figure my SAL mate, Jo, probably stitched twice as much as I did. For instance, I finally finished the motif under the snail. It appeared to take Jo only one SAL day to stitch hers, but it took me a solid (very solid) two to get it done. I give the SAL at least 4 hours each Tuesday, so I cannot figure out how I only get half as much done... I never thought I was a slow stitcher.

Thank you to everyone who bought my fabrics today - and to those who asked but missed out! Sorry to anyone who didn't get what they wanted. Most of the fabrics got multiple requests, so I had to take them in order! One is still very pending, but aside from that, they all sold before I took my lunch break at work today! Mike, Angus and I all thank you so much! If you already sent PayPal, Mike is posting your fabrics off bright and early tomorrow :-) (***The Country French Linen Solo, in the middle of the middle row - photo in yesterday's entry - is again available - original buyer made mistake and named the wrong fabric - let me know if anyone wants it - it's actually my personal favorite in the pile and I almost didn't want to part with it - LOL)...SOLD! Thank you!!

A little Angus update: He saw his regular vet today. He checked out well. She chose his new diet for him too. He has a bit of an upset stomach and diarrhea tonight, and that is likely from the antibiotics he has been on since 12/19/06 - and will be for a while still. I might call the vet to consult about that. It can't be good to be on antibiotics for that long. As for pet insurance, I looked into many, and even got some good tips from some of you, and right now the ASPCA seems to have the best rates. No decision yet though (I post this for those who have been actively in discussion with me and/or have been sweet enough to give me links to look into - thank you!!).

Stitched on today: Paradigm Lost

Happy New Year! Lots of Hand Dyed Fabrics For Sale!!

I gathered up the two DMC flosses that I needed today, and I got back to work on And A Forest Grew. It moves along quickly, and there are lots of color changes. At this point, it still looks like I have as much floss as I started with! There is more color in it today :-)

To help defray a portion of Angus's huge veterinary bill, I am going to sell off some of my precious hand dyed fabrics... if you want any of these, please let me know. I take PayPal (preferred), but will accept check or money order if you are in the US. Shipping is $1.50 in the US, and just a tad more for multiple purchases. Outside of the US, just let me know - we'll talk :-) (And, thank you so much for your help!!)

Top Row:
Silkweaver Classics Limited Edition Color (pink), 32 ct belfast, 18" x 18", $6 -sold
Sugar Maple Fabrics Atlantis 28 ct Jubilee, 18" x 27", $15 -sold
R&R Reproductions Fanci Blue, 32 ct linen, 12" x 21.5", $6 -sold
Silkweaver Golden Promise 36 ct Edinburgh linen, 18" x 26", $16 -sold
Silkweaver Ice Blue 28 ct Opalescent Lugana, 18" x 26", $17 -sold
Middle Row:
Silkweaver Sundown 32 ct belfast linen, 18" x 26", $17 -sold
Silkweaver Spring Garden 32 ct Jobelan, 18" x 26", $17 -sold
Silkweaver 32 ct Country French linen Solo (gorgeous purple/blue blend), 16" x 21", $13 -sold
Silkweaver 32 ct lugana Solo, rose/blue/peach (soft and beautiful), 17" x 26", $14 -sold
Sugar Maple Fabrics Forget Me Knot Grove 28 ct lugana, 18" x 27", $15 -sold
Bottom Row:
Sugar Maple Fabrics Tumult 32 ct belfast (STUNNING!!), 18" x 27", $22 -sold
Sugar Maple Fabrics 32 ct belfast "Mindy's Medleys" (like SW solo - greens/blues), 18" x 27", $15 -sold
Silkweaver Regal Bravery 28 ct Metallic Quaker (says 25 ct, is really 28 ct), discontinued color, 18" x 26", $17 -sold
Silkweaver Autumn Breeze 28 ct lugana (discontinued color), 18" x 26", $15 -sold
Sugar Maple Fabrics Peach Berry Cobbler 28 ct lugana, 18" x 27", $15 -sold

Goal Re-Cap Time:
December Goals:
1. Finish Mystery IX -yes, all done!
2. Work on Paradigm Lost SAL with Jo -yes
3. Finish An Emblem of Love -yes, all done!
4. Stitch some gifts -yes, stitched & finished 12 gifts in December
5. Work on Bordeaux Sampler SAL with Anne and Leslie -yes, just a little
6. Finish Women of the Mayflower -yes, all done!
7. Work on Dianne's Neighborhood RR -no... sure wish I could decide what to stitch on this one - has to be sent to The Netherlands on 1/15!!
8. If at all possible, work on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow -no....
I also found a little time in December to work on Blessings Be Thine, 17th Century Irish Garden, And A Forest Grew, and Mermaid and the Sea

January Goals:
1. Work on And A Forest Grew
2. Start Long Dog Mystery Sampler
3. Work on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow
4. Stitch some gifts
5. Work on Paradigm Lost SAL with Jo
6. Work on Bordeaux Sampler SAL with Anne and Leslie
7. Stitch and post Dianne's Neighborhood RR

As for goals for 2007, I really don't think I will set any. I tried doing that in 2005 and 2006, and what happens is that projects come along and sidetrack me, I get into SALs, and those tricky designers release new designs to throw a wrench in all well-intended plans! But, so far I do know that I will be a doing an SAL of Barnabee's Quest with Michelle, Jenna and Andrea in February.... an SAL of Spring Ride with Karen C. in March (is it March, Karen?).... and I decided today with the new release of The Gift of Stitching that I will definitely do the Long Dog Mystery Sampler, even if I don't keep up with it each month. It is about 150 x 250 stitches and is dense stitching... I want 2007 to be a year with less goal oriented pressure... and I will continue on in the Neighborhood RR... and finish my current SALS... and of course, there will be a Mirabilia - there is always a Mirabilia! (Oh, and finish some WIPS, like Angel of Love, Mermaid Heaven, 17th Century Irish Garden, A Christmas Spirit, Mermaid and the Sea... the list is already long!!).

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday! Back to work tomorrow! Angus is doing well - still has the ravenous appetite and now is sleeping with us. It is funny (but sad) to see him bang into everything with that plastic E-collar on!

Stitched on today:

What I stitched in 2006...

Instead of typing up a list of what I managed to get stitched in 2006, I decided to give a pictorial presentation... I didn't include my WIPS, only my finishes...

| View Show | Create Your Own
(***I created a new photo show without music - I don't want to be intrusive :-)
I went right back to And A Forest Grew tonight. I cannot seem to put this one down. It really is as much fun to stitch as it looks! There are somewhere around 100 DMC (or Anchor) colors in this one. I love the Rose Topiary Tree! You will see there is an obvious unstitched area below the tree in the upper left corner. There will be two terra cotta colored birds there, and I would love to stitch them. However, the last two floss colors in the list are printed away from the entire list on a sticker attached to the page in my booklet. Unfortunately, I didn't notice those two colors when I kitted this huge project up... and, of course, I need one of those colors for the birds. I will have to do some hunting in my stash or head out to Joann's soon for them.

And, I heard from Lelia today that she received my little birthday gift that I made for her. I am thrilled that she loves it - it was such fun to make! The design is from the December issue of The Gift of Stitching online magazine, and it has a combination of over two and over one stitching throughout the design. It was such fun!

Quaker Flower Fob
Olde Willow Designs
36 ct Light Sand Edinburgh linen
Olde Willow Stitchery Hand-Dyed Threads
Stitched 12/23/06 - 12/25/06

I hope everyone is having (or had) a safe and fun New Year's Eve - Happy New Year to you all, my dear stitching friends! May you all find peace, health and prosperity throughout 2007.

Stitched on today: Finished a gift, and And A Forest Grew

Angus is Home

And, here he is :-) He has had a smooth transition back home. Only Beau appears to have an occasional hiss for him, and I am pretty sure that is because he sees Angus getting a lot of attention. It was snowy and very slippery out this afternoon when it was time to pick Angus up from the hospital, but Angus, my Jeep and I managed to stay safely on the road. Many others did not. He is so affectionate when his pain meds are working. They are about worn off right now, and he does not get them again until the morning. So, he is getting a little grumpy. As you can see, he has to wear an E-Collar. He will have that on until his many stitches come out, which can be up to 21 days. He has a ravenous appetite. I think he already ate three cans of Fancy Feast (the emergency vet recommends that for now - his regular vet, Dr. Ball, will discuss a diet with Mike when he brings Angus to him on Tuesday). Mike was concerned that Angus was visiting the litterbox and not voiding for the longest time today. He feared the worst. I tried to explain to him that Angus is very uncomfortable "down there" and cannot lick himself, as cats do when they feel discomfort there. So, he goes to the box in hopes of relief. I called the emergency vet and she said the same. So, I decided he needed rest and put him in a spare bedroom alone with a litterbox, food and water. After a while, he did void on his own. Mike broke into tears. I think this has been very stressful for him! Thank you all for your well wishes for Angus! I have some emails from some of you that I really must return soon! I promise, I will!
I have a monstrous headache tonight, so I ended up pulling out 17th Century Irish Garden for a little while tonight - after hours of indecision!! I haven't touched this in ages! I didn't do a lot, but now I am at least into the second outer border of herbs. I did finish the cross stitching part of the gift I started yesterday while we were waiting Angus out on the whole voiding issue, though.
It's about time now for me to post some of the gifts I received recently from my stitching pals! Above is the rest of my gift box from Katrina - along with the ornament I posted a few days ago, she sent me her gorgeous Rowan Berry needleroll and a stunning autumnal colored tote to carry my stitching! Thank you so much Katrina! Everything is so beautifully made!
And, above is a mere part of a big box of gifts from Karen :-) She sent me this cute little pillow, as well as a larger one that is up in a guest bedroom now! I need to remember to photograph it! She also sent me this cute needlebook.... and adorable stick Santa ornament (on the tree - needs photo taken), and a FQ of Sugar Maple Fabrics' Murky Depths belfast linen!! And, for Mike, she made him one of the SB stockings! Karen, he extends a huge thank you - he loves it! I tried to photograph it and all three shots are blurry! Yikes! I need to try again, and definitely want to share with you all - it is amazing!

And, from Jenn, I received two charts from my wish list! She sent me Winter Beauty by Passione Ricamo and Ezmeralda's House by Brightneedle... as well as a pile of DMC floss! Jenn, you are wonderful - thank you!!!!

OK, headache... going to go rest and cuddle with Angus!

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and 17th Century Irish Garden

A New Start... and a Big Angus Update

Blogger is very uncooperative tonight - could only upload one photo... used Photobucket for one, will post several photos of gifts received from stitchers for Christmas tomorrow... as long as Blogger is cooperating

With Mystery IX now finished, I am free - free to stitch whatever I want, whenever I want! Yay!! The only exception right now is the SAL with Jo on Tuesdays (Paradigm Lost), but that is great fun anyhow! So, I ended up starting And A Forest Grew tonight. I had planned to start it on 1/1/07, but I couldn't resist it tonight. I have decided to stitch it on Lakeside Linens 40 ct Navy Bean linen. I will start Hands To Work's Spring Violets on 1/1/07 instead. I got tired, though, and didn't do all that much on AAFG. I didn't even finish the last tree I started. I also spent a lot of time today on a new gift that I started, so I was pretty wiped out at this point.

I heard from Katrina today that she received a little RAK that I sent to her a while back... the holiday mail really slowed it down:

Tiny Little Quaker Fob
Papillon Creations
R&R Reproductions 40 ct Sheep's Straw Linen
DMC Color Variations Floss (Midsummer Night)
Stitched 12/14/06 - 12/15/06

Angus Update: He is coming home tomorrow :-) I am so excited that I can barely focus! This is another reason why I quit early tonight on AAFG. Mike and I got to see him today. He could have come home today, but I think he could use another day and night on the painkiller via IV. He was so excited to see Mike, and I can assure you Mike was just as thrilled. He is voiding on his own now (Angus is, that is!!). He will have an E-collar for a while so that he does not mess with his stitches. He is super sensitive there and we have to be really careful. His bill is paid ($4,500 folks!!) and now we are just waiting for him to come home. He sees the regular vet on Tuesday to begin his follow up care. In the meantime, I am surfing around to find pet insurance! Yikes, that is pricey too, isn't it??!!

Stitched on today: Started a gift, and And A Forest Grew

Mystery IX Finished!

Le Potager du Roi (Mystery IX)
Chatelaine
Lavender Bliss belfast linen
NPI silk, Caron Waterlilies, Thread Gatherer Silk 'n Colors, Thread Gatherer Silken Pearl, Gloriana Silk, Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid, Swarovski Crystals, Miyuki Delicas beads
Stitched 1/1/06 - 12/28/06

Angus Update: Angus had his surgery today. The surgeon called Mike right after she finished. She reported that there were no complications with the surgery and that she is "cautiously optimistic" about his recovery. I have to call the doctor at the emergency clinic tomorrow. I really wanted to call tonight for an update, and probably could have, but I am following directions... and kept busy with finishing Mystery IX... so, more info tomorrow! Mike and I both want to know, though, how this will improve his ability to void. He thinks the surgeon said that she flushed out his bladder, and all looked good. That should help!

Stitched on today: Finished a gift, and finished Mystery IX - oh boy, it really is sparkly :-)

Surgery Is Scheduled

Not so very much beading tonight - not for lack of effort. I got up to the trees and got confused. I saw I did not have any Delicas #135. So, I emailed Cindy at ECS. She told me some kits have #165 instead, some concern on Martina's part about 135 - not sure what that meant. So, I looked at my tube of 165 and saw I did not have many! But, I stitched on those that I did have and Cindy then told me that each corner of trees is beaded with a different color! Of course, where I started was not where 165 should be used! So, in a few minutes, I will be busily de-beading - LOL! Oh well, still on course to finish by the end of the month :-) This was going too smoothly for me, it figures I would make a boo boo like this!

Now I can show you a little trinket I made for Karen, now that she has it... it is, according to the desinger, a pillow/pincushion. Halfway through stitching it I began to think, "Oh no, what is this??" But, Karen says she likes it, so... OK, here it is:

Grape Pillow/Pincushion
Hillside Samplings (in Grape Expectations leaflet)
32 ct Driftwood Linen
DMC floss and DMC perle cotton
Stitched 12/11/06 - 12/13/06

Angus Update: Angus is finally scheduled for PU surgery at 1 PM tomorrow. I don't know if I mentioned yesterday that an issue of kidney stones arose yesterday. Seven days into hospitalization, they decided to take an x-ray - since he was not voiding on his own. It turned up he has kidney stones - two in his kidney and 3-4 in the ureter (did I spell that right??) between his kidney and his bladder. They are the kind that they cannot dissolve with medication. So, they wanted to do a pricey (very pricey) ultrasound to see if those have to be removed. They did that today - and see no damage to his kidney (whew!!) but not sure about the ureter. Anyhow, for now, he is going in for the PU surgery. I cannot bring myself to tell you how much they estimate that will cost. However, suffice it to say, that is is ultra high. I got some comments and emails from caring folks saying it is often difficult to decide how much is too much to spend on pet treatment. But when you see how he is otherwise so healthy and well, so full of life and interest in all that is around him, then it is not even an option to quit on him. I am just glad Mike and I do have the resources to pay for this - although it does mess up what we planned to save this year. So, if you are inclined to pray for animals, Angus could sure use some prayers right now!

The worst part of this whole vet experience so far has been how the vets just really brush off how darn expensive their services are. When you can finally get them to talk about money, they sandwich it in between two other topics or statements... and give you no time to react, and when you kinda joke and say "gulp" or whatever, they say, "yeah, I know... oh, and his ultrasound will be another $315." I wonder how they feel when their own pets need emergency care - are they also stunned by the expense?

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Mystery IX

A visit with Angus

A brief break today from beading Mystery IX as it is SAL day with Jo (who is keeping up while on vacation in NZ :-) Excellent!).... again, I did a bit here and there... moving along fairly well, but tomorrow I am back to beading :-)

Angus Update: My brother dropped Nicole off at my house bright and early this morning, so she was interested in coming to the vet with me. I thought we would meet with the doctor to set up his PU surgery, but I was told when I got there that she was getting ready to call me. They decided to take an x-ray yesterday, and it revealed that he has some kidney stones. They are the type that cannot be dissolved :-( So... do they do the PU? Do they go in and remove the stones? Will the stones pass on their own after his urethra is widened due to the PU? No answers. That is the theme, you know. We want timelines, and we aren't getting any. Mike spoke with the vet today, and she was to do an ultrasound this afternoon and let us know tomorrow what surgery (or surgeries) are needed. Of course, the price is going up, up, up. But... on a good note, I asked if I could see Angus and the vet was happy to oblige. She brought him into the exam room and left us alone for well over an hour together. He was really excited after it took him a couple of moments to realize Nicole and I were there. He was eager to hug my hands and hers with his head... then he even hugged part of the exam table - LOL! His spirits are bright. He has his catheter in and his IV in. His face was dirty with medication, so I spent a lot of time cleaning him up and grooming him. I called Mike and put the cellphone near Angus - he responded rather dramatically to hearing Mike on the phone. It was good to see him doing this well, even though he has issues that need to be resolved. I took photos with my cellphone, but Mike needs to transfer them to his phone and then to my computer. He was busy programming tonight, so I will ask him tomorrow. Hopefully I can post a cute photo of him tomorrow :-)

Wow, so many stitching bloggers have or had ill pets lately! My sincerest condolences to Red over the loss of her kitty in recent days! How tragic! And well wishes to Joanie for her dog, and Mary for her kitty - both are ailing too! As well, I hope Jo's Emma is recovering too! {{{Hugs}}} to you all!!

Stitched on today: Started a gift, and Paradigm Lost

Surgery for Angus?

Here we go, almost done with the beading on those big swirly things - just have part of the last one to do now, and then on to the trees!!

Angus was catheterized yet again today. He still is not urinating on his own and the vet says his urethra remains inflamed. She feels he is a good candidate for a surgery called P.U. I have to call tomorrow and see if I can reach a surgeon there to get more info. This is very scary. I found a website here that in some parts sounds like they are writing about Angus. Near the bottom they describe the surgery. He will be a eunich who runs the risk of infections for life after surgery... but, if all stays as it is now he is not voiding. There are many risks with constant catheters as well.... Angus needs prayers right now. I feared she was going to suggest putting him down today. The vet tech sounded worried and took my number for the doctor to call me. Mike and I both looked at each other and wanted to bust into tears. I feel such a responsibility towards my cat, and this will get much more expensive... but I can't walk away from him, as long as he has a good shot with surgery...

Merry Christmas to everyone! We brought my 13 year old niece with us to breakfast at my MIL's, and then the day was our own. Tomorrow my brother is going to bring our 15 year old niece up to visit, and I think Mike arranged with my SIL for us to keep them until Thursday. Yay!! I got some wonderful gifs - Gingher Cheetah 4" embroidery scissors, a beautiful sweater, DKNY Be Delicious cologne, plenty of body wash & lotion, Yankee Candle (Christmas Cookie), another huge DVD rack (my fourth) and even some DVDs ( The Devil Wears Prada and Ice Age: The Meltdown), gift cards... so many nice things. And, lots of nice gifts from stitching friends! I hope to photograph it all tomorrow to share! Wow, I am spoilt this year!!!

50F and clear on Christmas Day in New England??!! Wow! Loved it!

Stitched on today: Finished a gift, and Mystery IX

Beading, Beading, Beading

Moving along with the beading on Mystery IX... reaching the halfway point with the gold beads in the swirlygigs below the trees.... :-)

We had a nice Christmas celebration at my brother's house today - and my niece, Erin, grabbed the camera and took about 120 photos for me - but it looks like I deleted them on my computer using Picasa. I think I can still retrieve them, but am just too tired right now. Hopefully I will have them soon. Tomorrow we go to MIL's for breakfast, and we will be picking up my nieces Erin and Nicole to come and stay up here in New Hampshire with us for a couple of days :-)

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday!

Angus Update: He is still at the emergency vet, racking up a bigger bill. I called them at 6:45 PM. The plan was to remove his catheter at 5:30 PM. I learned that was changed to 7 PM when the vet herself was due to come in. They were going to continue the IV fluids so that he will void soon. We need to see if he can do that easily. His absence is really starting to wear on me...

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Mystery IX

Ornaments Galore!

I am enjoying doing the beading on Mystery IX! Wow, there really are a lot of gold beads to go on this. I know I said this when I finished Medieval Town Mandala a couple of months ago, but I feel it again today - boy, I really don't like those Swarovski crystals that Martina adds to these big projects. I know they are crystal, but to me they just look like pieces of plastic stitched onto my pretty samplers! Oh well, to each his own taste! I am sure there are people who like those. I can live with them, but would never choose to add them. Coming down the homestretch :-)
Katrina sent me an envelope full of little packages recently, and she OK'd for me to open the "small square one" - so I did! Look at this gorgeous Elizabeth's Designs ornament she sent me! She sent me a different Elizabeth's Designs ornament last year - she knows how much we both love ED! I love it, Katrina! Thank you!! (Sorry this photo came out blurry - I wish I had noticed that before I downloaded it!).
And, a gift from Margaret arrived today! I adore this! She sent me Jeannette Douglas' needleroll from a recent JCS ornament issue! It is stitched so beautifully! I have a goal to learn how to make needlerolls in 2007, and ironically, this is the one I was going to stitch first! Oh Margaret, thank you!!
And.... it didn't end there! Look at this stunning, gorgeous, perfectly executed hardanger heart from Von! How perfect is her work?? She is my Hardanger Idol, that is for sure!! Thank you Von!!! All three ornaments are so very proudly displayed on our tree right now! (I wish I could get a good photo of our tree - we display it in our upstairs foyer, because it looks so pretty through the big window above our front door when we do that - but I can never get a good photo of my tree there! I will ask Mike to give it a try - it is looking so beautiful with stitched ornaments from my friends, and some wonderfully adorable handmade ornaments from some of the children I see in therapy - so cute, would love to share that!).

Angus Update: He is behaving well and reportedly doing well with his catheter. We have no news on blood levels or kidney values today. He is due to get off the catheter tomorrow evening. I told them not to rush with that, although am a bit worried - as of 5 PM tonight his bill was a bit over $1,300 already. Thanks so much for all the prayers for him! I will probably list some wonderful fabrics and stash for sale again soon. I am hoping to help defray some of his expenses that way... every little bit will help!!

Wow, it is almost Christmas Eve already! We will be spending much of the day at my brother's house in Bradford, Massachusetts tomorrow.... I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Stitched on today: Started a gift, and Mystery IX

Re-Catheterization

This is a stitching blog, so stitching news first: I finished all of the stitching in Mystery IX tonight, and am doing the beading now!! Yay! Of course, first I had to go and spill the vial full of tiny bugle beads and crystal cubes. Mike and I were rummaging about for them for a good hour or so tonight - with lots of help from my three female cats: Lily, Anouk and Ava! Oh, they are so helpful! The beading started off quickly, so I hope to finish soon. But, I cannot quite comprehend why Martina put large clear crystal cubes under the cabbages near the center... they look like big ice cubes in the garden.... I think you have to click on the photo to see any of the beading I did tonight.

Well, Angus did not come home today. I called the vet this morning and she said he did not void on his own. He either has another obstruction, is inflamed or has kidney damage. She put him back on the catheter, this time for 48 hours. I hope this time it all clears up... and I pray there is no damage to him. We are not exactly sure when he first took ill. It was so hectic here, and it is hard to track the use of the litter box by six cats.... what if he was ill for a while and we did not realize it? That is possible, and scary. Thank you all for your well wishes, support and prayers. Angus needs them right now...

Stitched on today: Finished a gift, and Mystery IX

He almost came home today...

I only have the urns in the upper left corner to do now - and then it is on to the beading! I am pretty excited about this!!

Well, Angus almost came home today. When I called the vet this morning, I was informed that his catheter would be coming out around 10 AM, and to call around 1 PM to see if he has voided on his own. If he has, he can go home. Well, I called a few times, but the little guy doesn't seem to want to void his bladder yet. They checked him, and said his bladder is still very small, so he doesn't have to go. At 3:20 PM the vet tech told me that Angus was sitting up, looking at the box, and likely giving it some thought. At 5:30 I was told they would call me when he voids. But it is now after 11 PM with no call, so I imagine Angus went to sleep! I hope he gives it a try tomorrow! Meanwhile, Mike and I are overwhelmed with the well wishes Angus has received from you all - thank you so much - you have really helped during this difficult time!!

Christmas vacation is officially underway as of today!! I hope to finish Mystery IX, finish the gift I am working on, make two more gifts and kit up/start And A Forest Grew (plan to start on 1/1/07) during this vacation! Oh, and do a bunch of non-stitching related things as well!

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Mystery IX

Mystery IX and Update on Angus

Back to Mystery IX - it was easier to pull this out and set it up on the big Q-Snaps now that all of our houseguests have left. I am hoping to have the rest of the stitching done tomorrow, or Friday at the latest. Then the beading will begin. There is a bright light at the end of this tunnel now!
Oh my gosh, thank you all for your wonderful comments and emails about my Angus! Here is a photo of him when he was a year old (he is the black one, Beau is behind him) and had just had his first shave. Angus' coat mats up very easily. I have spoken with the vet a couple of times today. Angus is on his catheter and the urine continues to flow freely with some blood still in it. He will likely be on the catheter until at least tomorrow morning. At some point they will do blood tests on him again to see if his levels have improved. This part makes me nervous. If they stay as high as they were last night, that would indicate that he has some damage, whether it is renal or bladder. I really am nervous about that, and want to thank everyone for their well wishes and support. I wish I had more news today, but the best I can say is that he is stable and "being a good boy" in the hospital. I am going to ask if I can go and visit him after work tomorrow. I will surely continue to keep you posted.

On a lighter note, one of my clients found this blog to be humorous - Stuff On My Cat - thought I would share it with you. I think this person has way too much time on her or his hands!! LOL

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Mystery IX

Angus is in the hospital :-(

My poor Angus has taken ill and is in the hospital tonight. Mike noticed today that he was very lethargic. He did not eat or drink water - Angus loves water, and will even sit at the Poland Springs dispenser and beg for it. We noticed he was really unsteady on his feet as well, and when he would try to use the litterbox, he would strain and have no results. I rushed him to animal emergency in Manchester, where they rapidly diagnosed him as "blocked." At first, I thought they meant his bowel, but they meant his urine was blocked. He is sedated, unblocked and on a catheter now. He will be for at least 24 hours. His bloodwork is all messed up as a result of this sudden kidney issue. The nurse told me on the phone that his urine was the color of merlot. We all know that is not good. I just checked on him again, and he is still quite sedated from valium, but is awake and alert, is tolerating the catheter well and urine is flowing freely now. There is no news on why this happened. He was (surprisingly) very dehydrated when he got to the hospital. His next bloodwork will let us know more about any possible damage. I feel so badly for him. Mike and I are a bit wrecked about this. The photo above is from a couple of months ago (he is rolling on a catnip filled sock). One thing the vet is factoring in seriously is that Angus may well be stressed by the presence of houseguests here. When he gets out of the hospital, the house will be clear of guests - hope that helps him!
I was able to put some good time in on Paradigm Lost while I sit here tonight thinking about Angus and trying to relax... I did little bits here and there tonight...

New DVD Release Tuesday - got Lady in the Water

Stitched on today: Bordeaux Sampler and Paradigm Lost

Mermaid and the Sea Update

With so much company in the house, it is just too hard to pull out Mystery IX right now... we will be down to only one houseguest tomorrow, so for tonight I pulled out The Mermaid and the Sea... each time I pick it up, I enjoy it more!

I got an email from Anne tonight (from work, as her home phone is now dead) letting me know that she received a package from me today. She called herself "Gobsmacked," and I must say I love that term! I was recently admiring my "And A Forest Grew" chart, planning out that I will be starting it on January 1st as a big start for the new year... and I saw that there is a cute scissor fob chart in the leaflet. A quickie! So, I grabbed supplies and stitched it up. As I was stitching, it occurred to me that it would suit Anne - she loves birds, is a dear friend, and I had a little package of beads I needed to send to her anyhow! So... she got RAK'd by me....

And A Forest Grew Fob
Rosewood Manor
32 ct Driftwood Linen
DMC floss
Stitched 12/9/06

Here is the back of the fob....

Three more days until Christmas vacation!

Stitched on today: Bordeaux Sampler, stitched on a gift, and Mermaid and the Sea

Bordeaux Sampler Update/More Gingher Info

I needed a break from Mystery IX tonight, especially now that I see there should be no real problem with getting it done this month (barring any unforeseen circumstances). So, I picked up Bordeaux Sampler for a while this evening. After all, I had not touched it since November 19th! I got most of the wide band in Part 2 finished... save for some more over one grapes, that I will see if I can do at work tomorrow and Tuesday.

I got a few emails about the Gingher scissors Mike is now selling. He says he will have the Julia and Cheetah scissors in tomorrow. He has only the 4" embroidery scissors. He will happily sell those to my blog readers directly, just let me know if you want some. I don't know exact prices, but all are in the low 20's - he had to pay different prices for each style, so he will calculate from there as soon as he can. There has been a wonderful response from many of you - thanks for that! He will likely be getting more Ginghers in the near future - he likes them too :-) (And a little birdie told me a pair of Cheetahs will be in my stocking this year too!).

Stitched on today: Started a gift (spent a lot of time on that) and Bordeaux Sampler

Looking for Gingher Scissors, anyone?

Slow progress with houseguests here... now my husband's uncle has arrived today from Buffalo, NY. He is helping out with arranging Grandpa's things and visiting him at the nursing home as well. We now have him until Tuesday, FIL still until Wednesday... But... nonetheless, despite their chatter and animated discussions, I did make it around the corner and making my final stab at the last corner now of Mystery IX... soon I will be beading! Despite my houseguests, I still hope to stay on schedule to finish this month. (My husband's uncle is quite impressed with this one!)

Are you looking for a pair of Gingher Lanell scissors? My husband picked up several pair and is selling them on ebay (he has a start up ebay business going, and is doing very well, super well actually with it). He will happily ship outside of the US, so I thought you might like a peek at these good deals of his - one is an active auction, and the other is a Buy It Now deal, if you want them straight away!!

Gingher Lanell live auction

Gingher Lanell Buy It Now auction

Mike will have Julias and Cheetahs available in just a couple of days as well... if anyone is interested, just let me know.

Stitched on today: Mystery IX

Does anyone know...?

For a little while tonight, I thought I had finished the third corner and was getting ready to start the last set of steps... and then I remembered I still had to stitch the little urns! Oh well... soon enough, I am sure!

I have been wondering about a few ladies I used to stitch round robins with years ago - I have totally lost touch with them, but was wondering if anyone who reads my blog knows any of these ladies? And if so, do you have email or snail mail addresses for them? I will list the ones whose names come immediately to mind... may list more later, just have to think about them and remember some last names still... Any help would be so appreciated, they are lovely people, and thanks in advance!
***Laurie Earl in Utah
***Verneil Chaouch in Minnesota
***Vicki Hand in Florida
***Lynda Huffman in California
***Cecilia Swanson in Indiana....

I still have some gorgeous fabrics for sale... I am seeking PayPal as payment - shipping is very low, $1.50 for one piece in the US and will set a low price for multiples or for non-US shipping - not looking to make money on you - just letting fabrics go to help out a good cause...you can see photos of the fabrics here - still available are:
Silkweaver Morning Dew 36 ct Edinburgh Linen, 18" x 26", $17 -sold
Silkweaver Golden Promise 36 ct Edinburgh Linen, 18" x 26", $17
Lakeside Linens Misty Rain 36 ct Edinburgh Linen, 18" x 27", $17 -sold
Sugar Maple Fabrics Atlantis 28 ct Jubilee, 18" x 27", $15
R&R Reproductions Fanci Blue 32 ct linen, 12" x 21.5", $12
I was in the dollar store today, and looky what I found - +1.00 readers... the strength my optometrist suggested I use when stitching now - at least if I am also watching TV and want to be able to focus quicker when looking up from my stitching. I only paid $1.00 for these... they are lightweight cadet blue plastic and far from fashionable - LOL! But, only Mike sees me wearing them anyhow! Not sure I like them, though. I didn't find them to be helpful - not yet at least, maybe I need to adjust. I see just fine when I stitch. I stitched a lot today on 40 ct without needing any help... I guess I am just not aware of any eye strain when it happens. But, anyhow, I figured it only cost me $1.00 to experiment :-)

Stitched on today: Finished a gift, and Mystery IX

PS - why do so many call fabrics "fabbies"? What's wrong with the word "fabric"?

Back to the garden!

Back to Mystery IX tonight :-) Not a ton of progress, harder to stitch with company here, but still moving along...

And, I got an email from Karen today, letting me know she has received her birthday gift... this one took the very slow plane to the UK! But, since I mailed it two weeks before her birthday, it arrived in time... I posted on 12/4 and her birthday is 12/18.... this time, I did not let the slow post to the UK mess anything up. I chose this design, which I would love to stitch for several of my blogging pals, because Karen is one of the first stitchers I met while blogging... along with Isabelle, Katrina, Dani, Becky, Shelleen, Karen V, Jo, Bea, Nikki... I know I am missing some of the older blogging pals here... but you are all special to me! Thanks for being here. Having you lovely friends is so important to me - thanks for your kindness and support! Anyhow, here is what I made for Karen...

Dearest Friend Fob
Brightneedle
Silkweaver Belfast Solo
DMC floss, Mill Hill Petite Seed Beads
Stitched 12/1/06 - 12/2/06

Stitched on today: Started another important gift that will need to travel far (gulp) and Mystery IX

An Emblem of Love is Finished!

By the time I finished stitching a Christmas gift that must go out in the mail immediately (I did get it done!), I did not feel like dragging out Mystery IX and the big Q-Snaps for it... while also visiting with my FIL who is now here for the week... so I pulled out An Emblem of Love instead, and managed to finish it!! May I present:

An Emblem of Love
With My Needle
Lakeside Linens 40 ct Vintage Bittersweet
DMC floss, Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Olde Willow Stitchery Hand-Dyed Threads
Stitched 8/21/06-12/13/06 for Mike, as SAL with Karen V.

I got an email from Isabelle today, letting me know that a small RAK that I made for her has arrived (finally) on the slow plane to Paris... I have wanted to stitch this little fob design since it came out in The Cross Stitcher (UK) last year (I think July 2005).... and I ended up ordering one of Silkweaver's scrap bags (I cannot recall what they called this option) during their Halloween sale... and couldn't resist one of the gorgeous solos in that pack - I just had to play with it! So earlier this month I spent an afternoon putting the fob chart on a small piece of the solo, and it ended up being a RAK for Isabelle - as I was working on it, it just seemed to suit her so well! Now, if the birthday package I sent to another friend in the UK on the same day would just arrive, all would be well!

Cattitudes Fob
Margaret Sherry in The Cross Stitcher, July 2005
DMC floss
Silkweaver Cashel Solo
Stitched 12/3/06

Wow, it is amazing how mild December has been here in the Northeast!! I hope it lasts for awhile! And... welcome to the Boston Red Sox, D. Matsuzaka! (I won't even try to spell his first name) - better known around here as the $105 Million Dollar Man!!! And, welcome back Doug Mirabelli!!!!!!! (Couldn't resist sharing some Red Sox joy!)

**I cannot post comments to many blogs right now that use Beta Blogger, so I apologize - I have visited your blogs and have tried to comment, but if you also do not take annonymous comments, then I cannot leave anything right now. I don't want to switch to Beta Blogger as I have heard horror stories and don't want to switch to a plain template again. I know others are going through these same difficulties. Maybe Blogger will fix it, I hope so.

Stitched on today: Finished a gift (whew!!) and An Emblem of Love

Another excellent mail day!

It's Tuesday, so another update of Paradigm Lost comes due. I stitched a good 3 hours on this, yet again, not a whole lot of progress. The big motif in the middle that I am working on just goes so slowly. But, I did manage to get a little snowflake done next to it, for a little change of pace :-) Maybe next week I will take a break and work somewhere else on the sampler.

I had another great mail day today! To the left you can see this pretty ornament that I received today from Veronica, a stitcher in the Neighborhood Round Robin. She is not online, unfortunately. I love this little ornament - and am so proud to have it on my tree! Thanks Veronica!!! (I am sending her a note via US mail, as she likely won't see this entry unless she visits her daughter). ...My new pair of Gingher Olivia scissors also came today :-)

It's New DVD Release Tuesday! Two this week! Talladega Nights (couldn't resist a NASCAR themed movie...even though I don't think Ryan is in this at all), and World Trade Center (my BIL is an extra in this movie - he plays a fireman who helps to rescue Nicolas Cage from the WTC).

Well, my FIL arrives tomorrow for a week. He is coming up from Florida, as his father, Mike's grandfather, was recently put in a nursing home in Massachusetts. It will be a busy week for them of getting Grandpa's old apartment cleaned out and things organized....

***KaLu, I saw your comment in my blog recently, but cannot find an email to reach you - if you want to talk about the fabric you want to buy, please email me at the email address listed in my sidebar in the "About Me: More..." section, under the icon of the girl writing in her diary - thanks!

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Paradigm Lost