Emerald Jeweled Garden Update

Right now, Mondays are for Emerald Jeweled Garden.... not for much longer though, this piece moves along quite quickly. Tonight I mostly did backstitching, but next week I get to do spider webs and cup stitch again... and maybe work up towards the sparkly reflecting pool too?

Thanks to all for the anniversary wishes. Mike and I really appreciate them all!! Thank you!!!!!!! My friends are so sweet! We had a usual quiet Monday night in tonight - it's the start of a busy work week, after all. We figure our impromptu trip to Fenway Park on Saturday was our big event, as well as our trip to Portland, Maine at the end of the week (Amanda, we will be at the Portland Regency...)... I didn't do laundry today though - I know someone wrote that I should not do that on my anniversary LOL! I got that done yesterday instead :-)

Does anyone recognize this (ugly) plant? It has been growing here for years. We planted some grape vines against a trellis which is against our chimney back in 2001 when we bought this house - I figure this plant was riding in the pot with one of the vines.... is it rhubarb? Does rhubarb make a bud ball like this? This is a super hardy plant... can't say I like where it is growing though! Mike likes it, so it stays... sure would love to know what it is! Can anyone help me?

Stitched on today: Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler and Emerald Jeweled Garden

Back to MTM, Celebrations is over now

Today was the last day of Celebrations, and I did not go over and participate in any activities today. Today I had to catch up on things like... well, laundry LOL! And I watched the Red Sox and worked on Medieval Town Mandala here and there throughout the day. It was cooler and windy today, so a good day to stitch a little.

Thank you to everyone who extended anniversary wishes to Mike and I. The official day is tomorrow... 13 years :-)

I want to apologize to those who have an email subscription to my blog. Bloglet has been acting up terribly for a good couple of weeks now and you are not getting email updates of my blog. I go into their site daily and re-enable my blog. It shows a "timed out" message. Then all looks great. But, by the time they are supposed to send out the email updates, it is timed out again so the emails do not go out. The other blogs I subscribe to are having the same issue, so it must be fairly global with Bloglet right now. I hope they get it together soon. I tried to email the site administrator, but it bounced back - his email box is full... guess that speaks volumes, doesn't it?? Oh well...

Short work week ahead. Mike and I will be driving up to Portland, Maine on Thursday night. I have one of my seminars, aka "therapy school", up there on Friday - something like Trauma Oppression vs. Trauma Recovery: Fearlessness in Traumatic Times... basically, it is about how trauma can lead to sexual issues and eating disorders. Many of my patients have PTSD related eating disorders... (Hmmm....I just found the course agenda online, which is meaningless to anyone but me, but...) So, I won't be blogging Thursday night, but will do a backdated blog entry on Friday night since I surely will be bringing some stitching :-)


Carol S - you asked what Quaker sampler I picked up at Celebrations. I got Quaker Legacy I by Legacy Designs. I don't think this is a new chart, but I really liked the model hanging in Olde Colonial's booth - it was done like the bottom of the two in this pic - I think it is Lentil by Lakeside Linens with the GAST threads...

Stitched on today: Medieval Town Mandala

Celebrations, Day Two

First and foremost, Happy Birthday Karen! You are so very welcome for your gifts! You deserve even more!! You are a dear friend to me!

This is my only bit of stitching for today... the bit of the Crystal Winter sampler that I stitched in Jeannette Douglas' class at Celebrations today. It was a wonderful class. Yes, indeed, Jeannette is a lovely lady and we spent quite a lot of time talking together. Since she is a psychiatric nurse and I am a psychotherapist, we do seem to have a lot in common, and the same odd sense of humor. I did say hello to her from both Judith and Dani, as promised. That tickled her pink :-) Too bad this class was at 8 AM and was only two hours and forty five minutes long... boy, did she feel rushed!!

I brought my camera to Celebrations today, but totally spaced even using it! I didn't take any photos in Jeannette's class... none while Margaret, Jenn, Mary and I visited Colonial Needleworks (those girls can shop!! - we had such fun there, and I know Sue was really pleased that we came in... and spent money! LOL), and not while we then went next door for an outstanding lunch together at Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse - I don't think anyone was disappointed in their meal there, and this will probably become an annual tradition for us now! So, I am so sorry - I spaced the whole picture thing! Too bad, such a great day would have resulted in good pics!


But... here is where I totally fear that Karen and Jenn are just going to kill me!! Mike was a bit in need of some attention when I finally got home from two busy days at Celebration. Since it is our anniversary weekend, he wanted to drive down to Boston this evening and have some dinner and maybe a drink or two on Newbury Street (remember Newbury Street, Karen??).... So, off we went... but as luck would have it, we could not find any parking there. It was a warm, spring Saturday night in the hottest part of town... no parking save for valet - and we were not about to give Mike's new car to a valet! But, as we approached the end of Newbury Street, I noticed that what I saw just a few hundred feet away was the huge light fixtures for Fenway Park! Mike got a sudden idea to see if we could get tickets! It was 6 PM, and the game was at 7:05 PM. We found public parking nearby, and went down to the Park, and very quickly scored two pretty good tickets behind the Red Sox dugout! Girls, we went in and saw the game tonight! Don't kill me!! The Red Sox put a pretty sound beating on the Baltimore Orioles too! Nice, huh?? Karen, next time you are in town, we will try for tickets, I promise! (Foulke didn't pitch tonight). Here is a pic of Manny Ramirez scoring the game's first run.... my throat is a little scratchy from cheering him on right here! (photo is from www.redsox.com)

OK, I am dead tired! I hope to do a bit more stitching tomorrow!!

Stitched on today: Crystal Winter

Celebrations, Day One

Looky who I found sitting in the front lobby of the hotel when I arrived at Celebrations this morn-ing...Jenn :-) She graciously ignored that my camera came out and had no concerns about a quick snapshot - thanks Jenn, I love people who are not camera shy! Anyhow, she was working on her Sitting Pretty. What you cannot see in her blog pics is how wonderfully sparkly her fabric is - sooo nice!! It was fun seeing Jenn, and I will get to hang out with her tomorrow too!

And, another gracious non-camera shy person today was Betsy Stinner, designer of Earth Threads. I took her Eliza Pinckney Sampler class this afternoon. I was trying not to be too terribly disruptive, and ooops - sorry the pic is a bit out of focus! Anyhow, here is the darling Betsy Stinner for you! Unfortunately, I totally forget to snap a pic of Margaret, who sat with me... maybe tomorrow :-) In all, a fun day! The shopping was pretty decent. I got a neat Quaker sampler chart - will find a pic of it somewhere to share!!

Tonight I found some time to put a few more stitches into Medieval Town Mandala :-) But, off to bed a little earlier tonight. I have to be in Nashua, NH again tomorrow at 8 AM (I think I am insane) for Jeannette Douglas's class, Crystal Winter.

Stitched on today: Preface piece to Eliza Pinckney Sampler and Medieval Town Mandala

HOHRH Update

Somehow, some way I am going to finish this house... someday!! Anyhow... stitched my way through the whole Red Sox game (yes, Karen, we won!), but didn't really get a whole lot to show for it. I think it is because I am trying to maneuver around the huge Q-Snap. But, I didn't care for stitching this in hand as it is on 40 ct. Looks better when stitched on the Q-Snap - sure can see the linen better that way - LOL!

I did quit a little early tonight - Margaret and Jenn have both asked me to bring some of my WIPS to Celebrations - that is part of our annual ritual now... so I have to go and pack them up. No time to do so in the morning, because I have to go to the dentist before I hit Celebrations. I am getting my permenant crown tomorrow...

Yay, my weekend has begun - and although it is my wedding anniversary weekend (married 5/8/93), Mike is sending me off to Celebrations with his blessings - we will go to Foxwoods or something soon to celebrate.

Stitched on today: Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler (I did order an extra skein of Indigo Ocean from Vikki Clayton - and today learned I will need it any day now!!) and Houses of Hawk Run Hollow

Are you bored with MTM yet?

I figure that pretty much all of you are bored with Medieval Town Mandala by now... but since this is my stitching journal, well... this is what is going on in my stitching life right now :-) I worked on the little house at each end of the row tonight, and for the longest time they each looked like little pieces of toast with faces on them. But, there is a bunch of bavarian type backstitching to go on them, so I figure they won't look like toast for too much longer! Thanks, Judi, for eyeballing the chart and confirming for me that that is the symbol for PB02 in the roof of the "toast." It helps to have a buddy doublechecking the color key with Martina's designs!!

Q. Do you or have you stitched with over-dyed threads? (Weeks Dye Works, The Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Six Strand Sweets, etc.) If so, what is your opinion concerning them? If not, why not?

A. Yes, I use them all - and I really like them! Over-dyed threads have added a whole new dimension to my stitching. I love to try out the most popular designs, and find that almost all of them call for over-dyed threads....just love them!!

Well.... Celebrations time is here! My first class is Friday, and another on Saturday :-) I have already heard from Margaret, and need to get in touch with Jenn now to set up a meeting time/place or at least swap our cell phone numbers again (that worked out well for us last year!).

Stitched on today: Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler and Medieval Town Mandala

A different kind of Tuesday

No Garden Spot Sampler tonight... that is why this is a different kind of Tuesday. Jo was not able to stitch on hers last week due to a family emergency, so she is stitching without me tonight, to even us up (even though I think she is well ahead of me and has made more progress than I have). Here is my start to Part 8 of Medieval Town Mandala instead :-) (Judi - is that actually one of the Rainbow Gallery golds in the roof of the little house furthest on the end this time? Am I reading that right??).


For Karen: Johnny Damon's first at-bat in Boston in a Yankees uniform. Look at the look on his face?? He actually looks surprised that the Boston fans were booing him! Oh Johnny, you never really knew us at all, did you?? Held hitless by Boston pitching too! (Pic is from www.redsox.com). Oh Karen - also note, there is Doug Mirabelli standing right behind him, back in his Sox uniform too - less then 15 minutes after getting off his plane at Logan Airport! What a night that was (last night)!!

New DVD Release Tuesday! This week... Last Holiday

Stitched on today: Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler (definitely going to run out of Indigo Ocean - even though it clearly states on part 1 that we have enough silk using one skein of each color - I am using 32 ct with two strands, as is recommended... they are way wrong, time to order more!) and Medieval Town Mandala

Winter Into Spring Finished

Winter Into Spring is all finished now. I am not a fan of the term "happy dance," so I am opting not to use it here. The beading took all of about fifteen minutes this afternoon :-) I am glad I didn't do it last night, though, as I was really feeling tired while I was doing the darning stitch near the bottom of the sampler. Some have asked how I got this done yesterday on limited stitching time. To be honest, it is simply a quick stitch. The band are only about 2" wide :-) So, finally a finish for me! Yay! (I gave it a press, but it looks like it needs a better press before I can frame it). Now... on to the LTD SAL tonight :-)

Well, well, well... it appears that I actually do have some yellow daffodils in my garden! Mike planted some various spring bulbs last fall in an area of the garden that had to be dug up last year to fix a little crack in our foundation of the house. I see today that he put in some yellow daffodils! Cool!!

And, these are finally blooming... the only yellow daffodils that I actually knew I had, other than the tete a tetes.. this is a double yellow daffodil variety that I planted years ago. It blooms quite late for a yellow variety. Well, here it is today.

And, a real classic around this part of the country, as it truly, truly thrives from a good cold winter... Ice Follies. I have them naturalized along the tree line, thus explaining why there are still so many dead oak leaves there :-)

And, my precious little almost-white Thalia daffodils are finally blooming. These little sweeties do not like to hold their faces up. I sure wish they would!!! I can never, never get a good photo of them because of this...

And, to round out my little lengthy list of spring blooms today - here is part of my huge bleeding heart bush for you... love this, even though it blocks the inground sprinkler head in the backyard every single year... I don't really have the heart to move this plant... I am sure Mike will be bugging me to do so any day now... sigh...

And... here is this week's part of Emerald Jeweled Garden. I wonder if Karen finds Sapphire Jeweled Garden to be as difficult to put down as I am finding this one to be? I love this little colorful piece! I was a bit distracted tonight, though, swapping between 24 and the Red Sox dramatic victory over the Yankees at Fenway Park tonight (Yes, Johnny Damon was righteously booed by the Boston fans - and I don't think he got a hit at all tonight... and welcome back Doug Mirabelli!! Great night for the Red Sox...but I digress....)... Now I am pretty much at the bottom of the garden, so this is about half the piece's size now.

Review of goals time!
April Goals:
1. Finish Part 7 of Medieval Town Mandala - yes
2. Finish Part 4 of Mystery IX - yes
3. Finish Part 3 of Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler - yes
4. Continue Mermaids of the Deep Blue SAL - yes
5. Continue Garden Spots Sampler SAL with Jo - yes
6. Start Emerald Jeweled Garden in the LTD SAL with Karen V. and Judi - yes
7. Start Su's Neighborhood RR square - yes
8. Continue Bordeaux Mystery Sampler at work - yes, but only a tiny bit... waiting for Anne to catch up now
9. Continue Houses of Hawk Run Hollow SAL - yes
****My biggest goal for April, though, is to get myself back into some kind of rotation - I disliked being out of my rotation last month :-( - kind of, sort of, I guess so.... I did add in Quaker Garden and Winter Into Spring this month...and Mermaid Heaven and A Christmas Spirit got some time too...

May Goals:
1. Finish Part 8 of Medieval Town Mandala
2. Finish Part 5 of Mystery IX - actually finished that on 4/29/06
3. Finish Part 4 of Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler
4. Continue Mermaids of the Deep Blue SAL
5. Finish Emerald Jeweled Garden in LTD SAL
6. Finish Su's Neighborhood RR and post it off to Annemarie
7. Continue Houses of Hawk Run Hollow SAL
8. Continue Quaker Garden at work
9. Put some time in on Mermaid Heaven
10. Enjoy Celebration of Needlework!!
11. Continue Garden Spot Sampler SAL

Thanks to WalMart's $4.88 DVD Dump Bin, some classics are now in my collection - Pretty in Pink, Donovan's Reef (one my parents loved), The Scent of a Woman and Wayne's World 2 (already had the first one...so, what the heck)...

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden, Winter Into Spring - Finished!! -, and Emerald Jeweled Garden

Almost a finish

I decided to continue to work on Winter Into Spring today. Now that I had it going again, I really wanted to get it done. But, it wasn't a day with many available stitching hours, so I could not quite get to the very end. I still need to do the beading from below spot motif band, as well as add the little heart bead next to the year. Then it will be all done. Well, maybe tomorrow before I start in on the LTD SAL... we'll see what time I get home from the office :-)

I noticed today that my DT Lily of the Valley is also at the halfway mark. I think I started that one even longer ago than Winter Into Spring! Why did I quit? No idea! It was either 1997 or 1998, because I can remember where I was when I started that one. I will find a time to finish it up really soon too!

And, that is about it... picked up some perennial phlox for alongside the driveway today. I think Mike will be planting it tomorrow, should look nice there :-)

Stitched on today: Winter Into Spring

Reviving Winter Into Spring/M9 Part 5 is Done

I was feeling really inspired today by Isabelle's beautiful finish of DT's Summer Into Autumn... as well as by Katrina's relatively recent finish of DT's Winter Into Spring... so I dug out my old Winter Into Spring WIP/UFO... who knows when I started this... it came out in 1998, and that is probably when I started it! I worked a bit on the "spot motif" band, and even stitched the year this afternoon, to reinforce my finishing it soon!! It was fun, and I am glad I took it back out. Who knows, maybe it will motivate me to pick up An Open Heart again... Now on to M9 again...

And... Bless Martina for giving another small section for Mystery IX... Part 5 is done now. I loved the pinky (WL Rose Blush) eyelets in these two garden triangles... so delicate and sweet! So, since there is still quite a long time to go on the laundry right now, I will go back to Winter Into Spring :-)

We planted some super pretty shrub roses today, called "Pink & Proud," and one Explorer Shrub Rose in a pale baby pink too... can't wait for them to bloom now! It's that time of the year now when my stitching needs to share time with my gardening :-)

Stitched on today: Winter Into Spring and Mystery IX

Early Password for Mystery IX Again

For some reason, Martina released the password for Mystery IX early this month. She has not done so for Medieval Town Mandala as of yet, though (??). So, instead of doing whatever I wanted this weekend, I am first starting off with doing Part 5 - should be done tomorrow, and then I can pick up Mermaid Heaven :-) I did not get as much done as I had hoped I would tonight. I found that there is a significant charting error in part 5, which led to about an hour of deciphering and frogging for me. What Martina told us to do in the triangle at 3 o'clock back in Part 3 was not charted the same in Part 5 - it all works out in the end, but I relied on the previous stitches to place some of my new ones... and that threw a lot of things off! Yikes!

There were some pretties in my garden today :-) I am surprised again this year how quickly I am getting iris blooms in the south/southwest section of my garden! Here, already, is a pretty apricot iris... my gardening brain is so numb right now that I cannot even recall what the proper name for these short irises is! (**Brain cramp has passed, it is a "standard dwarf iris"). Let alone the name of this specific cultivar. I just know right now that it is pretty! (I got a little obsessed and looked at my photo database for ages... my guess is it is Peachy Face, but that one should have a ring of paler peach at the outer edges... have no other peach dwarf irises in my garden log though??)

And, some daffodils blooming around the butterfly house for the first time ever. We bought these bulbs in Boston at Faneuil Hall last fall. The package card with the variety's name is hanging on the wall in my garage. But I am too lazy to go look for it! (I went and looked, it is called Trepolo).

This is one of my all-time favorite daffodils, been coming up here since our first year (planted them right away). They are called 'Amor.' I have some other pics, but I don't want to overload the entry with all that many graphics for you!! Oddly, I really don't lean towards the standard big yellow daffodils... yet, I do like them! I will plant some this fall - I think I need some!!

It is the weekend - finally! I stopped off for a hair cut and eyebrow wax after dinner tonight... off to a good start :-)

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Mystery IX

Mermaids of the Deep Blue Update

I am really happy to report that as of night all of the stitching is now completed in the hair of both mermaids - the gaps you see will all be beads, which I hear will be a lengthy project according to those who have finished this project already LOL! Anyhow, I am excited that I can go back to stitching their bodies now - those colors are fun!

And, I hope that Mermaid Heaven will find it's way out of my project tote sometime this weekend too!!

I apologize for not leaving many comments in blogs today. I had a super busy day at work, but I did manage to read quite a lot of blogs during lunch. Unfortunately, my left hand was busy with my fork and salad, while my right hand was mouse clicking! No hands for typing while eating! Loved all the blogs today though - saw some gorgeous things!

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Mermaids of the Deep Blue

Little House on the Prairie Schooler

That's what I call my block on Su's
RR. The house is almost complete now, I just have to finish back-stitching in the window panes.... then on to the garden between the house and the birdhouse. The house took quite a bit longer tonight than I had expected it to. Probably because I am using the center top square on a large Q-Snap.... lots of long reaches to do the stitches. But I don't want to stitch it in hand, I want these stitches to lay nicely for Su (although have found this linen - what kind is it?? - to be difficult to stitch on... the weave is a tad loose and some of the stitches want to go floppy - have never stitched on a linen like this one before). I hope to be stitching the garden for her sometime this weekend :-)

I forgot (again) that yesterday was New DVD Release Tuesday - got three - Aeon Flux for Mike, and Casanova and Tristan & Isolde for me :-)

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Su's Neighborhood RR

One Big Honker of a Sampler

Ooops, I found out too late tonight that my SAL mate, Jo, is not able to stitch on her GSS tonight due to the upcoming funeral of Pete's aunt... I am so sorry about your news, Jo. I hope you will either choose to work on GSS another night this week, or I will take next Tuesday night off for you! Just let me know when things settle down for you!! This is really a huge sampler... and here is a tiny part (wow, the R&R linen in the Q-Snap doesn't scan well. It looks nicely taught in the Q-Snap but not when you see it in the scanner.... maybe my scanner is sensitive?). Anyhow, I can kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel now!

Another short entry - was distracted tonight by a dramatic Red Sox win, and then a desire to quit so I could eat some sugar free ice cream... such a rare treat for me... now off to bed!

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden (moving along very nicely on this one) and Garden Spot Sampler

LTD SAL Night

It is the second week of the Liz Turner Diehl SAL today, and I really enjoyed working on Emerald Jeweled Garden. I hadn't realized from the chart photo what a colorful and delicate little garden this is! LOVE IT! Sadly, it won't take long to finish it, and I think I will miss it :-) How did my SAL mates do today??

Back to work today... lots and lots and lots of work, so really very little else to say LOL!

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Emerald Jeweled Garden

MTM Part 7 is finished

With the backstitching now completed, Part 7 of MTM is now complete. Wow, that means half of the town around the border is now finished! That is good news. My goal for the weekend has been met :-)

Other than that, not much to say :-)

Stitched on today: Medieval Town Mandala

A sneak peek at my Neighborhood RR :-)

Looky! I got to peek at what my Neighbor-hood RR looks like now... Annemarie posted the start of her work in the RR's blog... but I figured I would post it here for those who do not visit that blog... I LOVE the brick house she is starting with... it is part of Here Kitty Kitty by Sheepish Designs. Thanks Annemarie!
I gave Medieval Town Mandala a whole lot of attention throughout the day and evening today... and now I am down to just some backstitching left to finish Part 7. This side of the town has little buildings at the extreme ends that are really rather non-descript. They are simplistic, lacking much detail. I much prefer the first side (top) of the town... but it is late right now and I may just be babbling LOL!! Anyhow... I don't think the side of the town fits in my scanner any longer... that's how big it is.

Brrr.... colder here today and tons of rain coming for tomorrow... I can't wait for May, that is when the warm weather breaks loose on us :-)

Stitched on today: Medieval Town Mandala

The push toward the finish line

The weekend has begun, and now also begins my push toward the finish line with Part 7 of Medieval Town Mandala. I made it all the way across to the edges now, but have one medium sized and one small building still to add atop them, then some specialty stitches and backstitching. I am amazed, though, that Judi emailed me today saying she just started this part today and has found it to be a quick stitch. Huh? Makes me wonder what I am doing wrong... unless she has more than 3 hours per day to stitch? I asked her to tell me her secret! This is such dense stitching, how can it be done quickly?? LOL

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Medieval Town Mandala

Finally making it across the town

I am making it across this right hand side of the town on MTM, that is. I am not quite all the way across this edge, but getting closer now! I plan to work on this for the weekend, and maybe I will finish. I realize I have been putting off doing the backstitching this month. Last month I did it as I stitched along. This month I will probably have to spend one day's allotted stitching time just doing backstitching. I am not sure I like that! I usually would have been working on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow tonight, but the ladies who are SALing with me on this one are not posting any updates, so I am not sure where folks stand with it... so I took the night off from it. I am sure the other ladies will update me soon on theirs.

Q. Do you do obligation or deadline-based stitching? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to get in over your head and why?

A. No, I don't do obligation or deadline-based stitching at all. That just doesn't appeal to me, I guess. But if I did it, I sure would get in over my head. That is my personality for sure! LOL Who knows, maybe someday I will stitch a wedding or birth sampler...or anniversary sampler... for one of my pals, and that would be relatively deadline based...Hmmm...now, would the Chatelaine mysteries count as deadline stitching? After giving it thought, I think they do, at least for me... here I am watching the calendar to finish part 7 of MTM....my answer changes, then, if this is considered deadline stitching :-)


Other than that... really nothing to say, just another long day at work, but glad it is the weekend again tomorrow!

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Medieval Town Mandala

Quaker Garden

I started Quaker Garden at work yesterday and here it is as of today. My scanner does not like this fabric (R&R Reproductions Garden State Java) - it is actually olive green! Anyhow... a fun quick stitch but not a ton of extra allowance on the two sides! I am using a fat eighth of what is marked as 30 ct... might be more like 28 ct.... have about 1.5" on right side left over...should be 2" per my math. My framer can handle that as it will not be matted and the frame will go right up to the stitching as in on the model... so, here is what I did, and now on to MTM again while I watch the Red Sox!

To minimize monotony just a tiny bit, I decided to post a pic of how MTM is looking in its entirety so far... I managed to finish the next elongated roof and some of the building under each of the elongated roofs, as well as a little bit of greenery tonight.

Totally forgot - yesterday was New DVD Release Tuesday and Mike got Hostel

Stitched on today: Quaker Garden and Medieval Town Mandala