happy happy

I got a lot done over the weekend with Toad in a Puddle. I'm liking this one more as it progresses. The next (and last) is a similar colorway and I wish I would have changed it up a bit. But I've decided that I'm going to start on the next one as soon as I finish this one. Hopefully by the weekend.

Have a great week!

progress :-)

I'm making fast work of Toad in a Puddle. I went through my stash last night and really would like to get to a couple of them. :-) But I have to get though these canvas pieces first. I was going to make them all a box lid but I never ordered the wood boxes with my guy and I'm sure it's too late now to get them before the holidays. So now I need to come up with a back up plan. They all finish around 7 inches square. I guess I could frame them all but how boring is that? Sudberry House makes a wooden box that just might work but I need to get on it. And with a total cost of over $350.00! Ouch.

ABC Pinkeep finis

I finally finished up ABC Pinkeep. I purchased a cute pin set from Just Another Button Company. My sister will love it. :-)

Now to make one for me!

a new start

I started on the fifth of my six required Christmas gifts for the year. It's called Toad in a Puddle and like the others designed by Laura J. Perin. It occurred to me just this morning if some of my problem in getting myself to stitch is because of have these "HAVE TO" stitch projects hanging over my head. I stitch for my own pleasure and have never done well with any sort of project that I HAVE to complete within a deadline. It will be interesting to see what happens when I get that last one finished. I wonder if I become interested in stitching again. :-) On one hand it's good information to have. On the other hand I would have to have wasted so much time on dragging my feet because of the needlepoint designs.

Have a great week!

ABC Pinkeep finis

ABC Pinkeep - design by With Needle and Thread

recommended 25 count flax linen over one

Various overdyed floss

My sister's birthday is in a couple of days so I had to quick get something together. ABC Pinkeep stitched up really quickly - just four or so hours work maybe? Now I need to finish it off. I have the cute little oil can just the model and I'll do it that way. :-) I think I'll make one for myself while I'm at it.

Yes, it's me!

I've never gone so long before without an update. Life is really busy and I have been barely stitching. When I have time and the inclination, I have been working on Frederick from CHS. As you can see I'm stitching him under his pretty wife Fredericka. I've had this in my commuting bag since I finished the tiny BBD Halloween ornament I did last month.

Things are really crazy right now. A couple of weeks ago I was at Pug Dog Nationals in Ohio. The pugs did well but no ribbons. They were however, the fastest pugs there. :-) That was nice. The I was in NYC for a few days with work. All I had time to do was visit the American Folk Art Museum. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Not in the museum itself but by how little stuff there was! I wanted so much more to see. It's only five or six really small floors of work. What they had however was really nice.

I have new responsibility at work and the timing of this new responsibilities coincided with a dramatic upturn of the volume of work with my regular job. Most days I don't know if I'm coming or going. The stress is unbelievable and most days rather than stitching on the way home from work, I sleep. I also am sleeping on the way in. The one thing I'm trying hard not to stop is my running so I feel like I'm tired all the time. I'm starting to feel very burned out. I really don't know how people live like this for years. And I know some that do. I know I can't. I miss stitching but all I seem to want to do when I do get home from work is sit and do nothing. I guess this will pass at some point, I mean, how much pointless TV can I really watch? :-)

Until I get my schedule worked out, you all have fun and be safe! I'll check in when I can and hopefully have wonderful stuff to share.

Autumn Stars finis

Autumn Stars - Design by Blackbird Designs
36 count Silkweavers Dark Tan
Recommended overdyed floss

I finished up my little Halloween ornament on the way home from work yesterday. I have a few that I did last year that needed to be finished. I'd love to get around to it in the next few weeks. But I have some travel coming up. Ohio next week and then a trip to NYC on business the week after. So much to do and so little time. :-)

Have a great weekend!

not much going on

I haven't much felt like stitching lately, cross stitching or needlepointing. Don't feel like quilting or doing many of the other things that usually please me to do. I've been lazy, seeming to spend countless hours sitting on my patootie watching tv, reading magazines or playing computer games. I did manage to start on BBD Autumn Stars and in a week of train rides this is all I've managed to do.

Some of the lack of stitching on the train is because I don't feel like stitching but also because I'm so darn tired. I'm up to running around 18 miles a week now and three days of it need to happen before I go to work. So that means getting up at 4:00am or so. So I sleep on the train. :-) I'm also taking a yoga class a couple times a week and I've been trying to step up my home practice. That is taking time away from crafting also.

And agility is taking up a fair amount of time in my evenings too! I couldn't do much at all in the months of July and August because it just was way to hot for the pugs. Now it's cooler and we have a big trial coming up so I've been working them every evening. Next week we are driving to Mason Ohio for Pug Dog Nationals. It will have a one day agility trial on Wednesday - pugs only! It's always a blast and I would like to show well.

So there you have it - I'm lazy, busy, tired and bored with stitching. :-)

I've had a koi pond for over ten years now. About five years ago I purchased my first lotus plant. It finally blossomed! First time ever. The fragrance was amazing. It lasted for several days and the petals dropped off but I'm still left with the pretty bright yellow seed pod. Hopefully next year I will get a couple blooms.

Hide N' Seek finis

Hide N' Seek - design by Laura J. Perin

24 count congress cloth

#8 Pearl Cotton

Four down and two to go! I finished up with Hide N' Seek on the way home from work yesterday and for the first time this year I'm on track. The plan was one every two months. Today I should start on number 5 but I'm not sure if that's what I really want to do. I'm thinking something fallish. I have the chart for the BBD designs Halloween house that they published last year that I'm dying to get to. Also I still have several Halloween ornaments that I want to get to. Not sure at this point where my hands will go. :-)

almost :-)

Just a bit of border to go and I'm finished with Hide N' Seek. And I should be able to do it on the way home from work. If I don't fall asleep that is. :-)

so much for finishing

I really was hoping to finish this puppy off by last night. But I never put a stitch in! On Friday I went to yoga class and once I got home just vegged. On Saturday I did complete a five mile run but I find that after such a long run that last thing I want to do is sit down and stitch. So I ran errands most of the day and then just vegged for the rest of the day. On Sunday I did an early morning yoga class and came home and vegged (see a pattern here?) for the rest of the day. Well most of it anyway, the agility pugs and I had a private agility lesson. That was fun. But it was hot and when I got home I just.... vegged. :-)


But I made great progress this morning on the way to work and hopefully I will really be finished in the next day or so. ;-)

I'm over half way finished with the little blocks. I haven't had much stitching time the last couple of days. Agility class on Tuesday and sleeping on the train has pretty much taken away my time from Hide N' Seek. But I'm still hoping to have this piece finished by Sunday evening. The only plans I have for Saturday are a 5 mile run and taking half of the pugs to get their nails trimmed. And yoga class on Sunday. :-) Other than that the weekend is all free.

more blocks

Things are really moving along with Hide N' Seek. I'm actually thinking I could have it done be the weekend is over. :-) How about that! :-)

a new start

For a weekend change of pace, I stitched. :-) How about that for different? I didn't get as much done on Hide N' Seek as I was planning because I started Scott Lee, a design by the late Jean Hilton. I thought I would post a photo after each step. Of course I came up with this idea after I finished the first step so I don't have a true before photo. ;-)

All the pretty colors! When I was repacking the thread, I dropped one of the balls of DMC and didn't notice. But Georgie did. I found it the next day in one big tangled mess so I need to buy a new one. That darn Georgie. :-)

Step one completed.

Step two completed. I'll only be able to work on this at home - it's big - 13 x 20 and much to large to bring anywhere.

Have a great week!

yeah - it's friday!

I've started work on the twenty or so blocks that surround the center. These go quick and I'm hoping to get some in this weekend. I would also like to start quilting again - yesterday I received in the mail month 8 of the block of the month quilt and at last count I have only completed three so far. I hate being so far behind!

Have a great weekend. The pugs and I are planning on doing the same.

center finished

I finished off the center portion of Hide N Seek. These colors are so fun! Next is the black and yellow border that I'm working on now and then 20 smaller blocks using the bright colors around that. The one small black border and I'm finished. I knew this was going to go quick. :-)

bright!

These colors are popping! Just wait until I had the black contrast borders. They will fly off the canvas. :-)

Thanks for all your kind words yesterday regarding my 5k finish. :-) You all made my day.

Cherry Hearts finis

Cherry Hearts - design by Shepherd's Bush

32 count unknown linen by Silkweavers

Recommended silk threads

I finished up Cherry Hearts on Sunday. Yeah! It feels good to have a cross stitch finish. I have not had one since oh, maybe April -May? In any case it feels like forever. But as soon as I put the last stitch in to hold the ribbon in place I moved back to my charted canvas work. I'd like to be finished with the remaining three by the end of September. I have a couple of fall/Halloween projects (some ornaments and a BBD Halloween house from last year) that I want to do but would like these out of the way first.

And speaking of counted canvas, here is number four - Hide 'n Seek by Laura J. Perin. This is the odd ball of the group. It's similar in that it's a quilt design build around a variegated pearl cotton but the similarity stops there. This one is like a big scrap quilt and it's very, very bright! Have you ever seem me stitch with orange? And bright yellow? Wait until I get the pink in there! It's really fun already and will go very quickly.

I ran my first official 5k in eight years on Saturday! And my niece Dana ran with me (she is on the left). Or at least most of it. I slowed down at about 1.5 miles into the race and she wanted to set a PR so I told her to leave me in the dust. :-) I finished in 37 minutes with a 12 minute pace. Which was my goal for this race. I was surprised I made my goal - at race time it was already in the 80's with about 98% humidity. It was so hot!! I took a small walk break even. I can't wait for the next 5k - I'll shave a little more time off toward my goal of a 30 minute 5k.

getting closer

I'm working on the last border on Cherry Heart! Yeah. :-) I've been lazy for the better part of two months now. I sure hope this ends soon because I've got a ton of stash I want to get to.

I'm planning on starting another LJP charted needlepoint as soon as Cherry Heart is complete. I went through the three I have left and I really hated one of the color combos that I picked out. It was so boring and flat. So I went online and picked out three more variegated #8 pearls as options. All three are shades of blues and greens and hopefully one will work. They would be replacing a kinda drab multi green skein that I picked out with mostly solid blues. It just doesn't look right to me.

Today I completed my Couch to 5k program. :-) I'm now can run a 5k from start to finish. Now I'm working on just getting more time on my legs. Then I'll start a 10k program in a couple of weeks. After that it's simple - just start running longer on Saturday's until I can run a half marathon (13.1 miles). But I have plenty of time for that - I don't plan on doing a half until next spring. Now if the extra 10 pounds was just go away as easy as it was to start running again. ;-)

not much done

I haven't made much progress with Cherry Heart. Last week I had several work commitments in the evening so no stitching there and over the weekend I never even glanced at it. It was an odd weekend, I felt super busy but really didn't do anything. :-) Ever have that sort of weekend?

I'm working on the borders now so what I have left should be quick. Then it's back to my Christmas gifts.

Have a great week! Hopefully it's cooler where you live. It's a humid oven here in Northern Illinois.

heart is done

I finished up the heart last night and have started on the first of three borders. The colors are very soft and I'm really happy to took a small break from my needlepoint projects.

August already?

I spent the weekend doing really tough yard work. Digging and carrying and axing out tree stumps. I had no energy at night to even stitch. :-) But I'm still making good progress with Cherry Hearts. This will make a cute little pillow I'm thinking.

Have a great week!

new start

Here is my new start - Cherry Heart from Shepherd's Bush. I did a quick look at my stash and I didn't feel like tossing through my fibers and linens last night. Then I remembered that I have another stash of prepacked kits and things that I have already kitted up. Cherry Heart jumped right out. It's small and quick and will be a nice break from the counted needlepoint.

Have a great weekend.

Margie

Cluster of Lilies finis

Cluster of Lilies - design by Laura J. Perin

24 count congress cloth

Various #8 DMC floss

I finished up Cluster of Lilies on my way home from work last night. Three down three to go! Yeah, half way. :-)

I really want to take a break but these are working so well I'm feeling like I should continue to go with this. I'm working from home today so I'll have a little more time tonight to look at my stash and make the call. I kinda want to do some cross stitch. Stay tuned!

almost!

Just the dark green border to go and I'm finished with Cluster of Lilies. I'd like to take a break before starting number four and am eyeing the new BBD series as a start. But I need the big piece of linen and I really don't want to spend $50 on it right now. I've got a lot of other expenses right now and that seems a little out of line for what I should be spending on my stitching.

I did receive a small gift check award from work a couple of weeks ago and I put the money toward a new project. :-) Have you ever seen this?

It's called Scott Lee and it's a teaching piece that Jean Hilton designed before she died. It's a counted needlepoint piece. My friend Kelly had wanted to do it for some time and she found a shop that was selling them. So I got one too. :-) My supplies should be here by the end of the week. I'll only be able to do this at home though as it's 13 x 20 inches and way to big for the train.

I've done a ton of Jean Hilton pieces and this one is going to be fun! A challenge but fun!

moving quickly now

The white border is all finished now on Cluster of Lilies and I've started on the last couple of bits. Just this little solid dark maroon border, and slighter larger multi-colored border and then the last solid border in the dark green. I like the white - it's so bright and clean looking. :-)

Today I finished up week six of my running program, Couch to 5K. No more walking breaks from here on out. Three weeks to go and the only difference in the weeks is slightly more running each week - from 25 to 35 minutes. Now all I need to do is find a 5k in mid August. :-)

Have a great weekend! My plans include: stitching, playing with the pugs and the smallest amount of lawn work I can get away with. Toss in a couple of naps and some grilling and it will be perfect.

Just two more trips around with the white #8 and I'm done with this section of Cluster of Lilies. Then it's one multicolored band and then a solid band and I can say good-bye to this puppy. :-) I have no plans for anything this weekend so I hope to get most of what is left finished. I really want to take a break and do some cross stitch before I start on the second half of this designs.

Here are a couple of photos from summer camp a couple of weeks ago. The first one is a shot of Aoife (left) and Clancy (right) in their new puptent. :-) It's the coolest vented tent that sets up in seconds.

I love this shot. It's Aoife on the last day of camp. She fell asleep with her face mushed up against the tent screen in front of the fan. It was hot that day for sure but the pugs were nice and cool with the fan and their cool collars on. And the occasional dip in the dog pools helped. :-)

Don't pugs travel nice? They even pack themselves. This is Aoife ready to go home after three very full days.

not much progress

I haven't made much progress on Cluster of Lilies since my last post. I did bring it everyday to the agility trial but I never opened up my stitching bag. There was way too much going on. It was a local trial and I had a ton of friends there and I was running two dogs.

We had an uneven trial with no qualifying scores. I was hoping to get at least one or two so I'm pretty bummed with the outcome. Nothing is scheduled for the near future. I really don't have the money right now for the entry fees so we are taking a break. :-)

border time

I finished up the center portion last night and have started on the border. This one is as complected as the last one - multiple times around and around. :-)

I have a three day agility trial starting tomorrow with both Aoife and Clancy - I hope to do well with both. :-)

Have a great weekend!

I made a ton of progress considering I only worked on this puppy this morning on the way into work. I slept the entire train ride home yesterday. :-) I was lucky I woke up in time for my stop. :-) The train tracks are really rough three stops before mine and I always get jarred awake. At least I have so far. One of these days I might wake up in Wisconsin!

I ran almost 3 miles this morning at dawn! It was warm (70 degrees and humid) but so pretty outside. The sun was peaking out of the clouds. I had forgotten how much I like to run outside. Since I bought my treadmill I totally stopped doing anything outside. But now that I've started back running outside I want to keep it up as long as I can. I don't like to run in the dark or in extreme cold so I figure I have about two more months to enjoy the mornings and then it's back to the treadmill if I want to run before I leave for work.

Remember me?

I'm back from vacation. Such a bummer. I had a wonderful 10 or so days off. I started it with Summer Agility Camp with Aoife and Clancy. Aoife rocked and many, many people had really nice things to say about her. Clancy got his chance to play on day three because Aoife was so tired as most of the classes were outside and it was hot in Eau Claire. :-) He did great as always. Then it was back home for a week of nothing. And I mean nothing. I barely stitched, never quilted, hooked rugs? what rugs? Didn't do any lawn work except for what I had to. I did nap. :-) And play with the pugs. It was really hot the entire week and that is all I really left like doing.

Above is my start on my next counted needlepoint project, Cluster of Lilies by Laura J. Perin. This is probably my least favorite of the six I'm doing in terms of both color and pattern but I got a deal on the chart so I went with it. I'm having a harder time finding the rhythm of the piece - maybe because it's a nine block center rather than the four block center that I did with the other two. But it's quick and that is what I want. I need to get around to ordering the boxes that I need for the six pieces. They are custom made from my box guy and he will need some lead time. All my quilted needlepoint designs with end up as the top of the box.

In totally unrelated news, I've started running again! I ran a marathon back in 2001 but injury sidelined me in 2002 and I more or less gave up all exercise at that time. I've tried to get back into some sort of regular program for years and over the past five or so weeks I've been doing pretty good. And I need too! Over the past 10 months I've gained 15 or so of the almost 70 pounds I lost last year and the year before and I can't stand myself. Even though most folks said I looked too thin I loved it and I want to get back there. So I've been doing a starting to run program like I did back in '01. The one I'm doing now is called Couch to 5k and I'm half way through the 9 week long program. And what I think is the most amazing thing is, I'm actually faster now than I was nine years ago. I'm a slow runner and in my best shape could run a 12 minute pace on shorter runs and ended up with a six hour marathon. This time around I'm running much faster - I guess weighting less is really helping. :-) I'm also cross training, mostly biking and I want to start swimming in the fall. I've joined a yoga group and I'm loving that also. My short term goal currently is to run a 30 minute 5k - I'm looking for one in September. Longer term goals are run a half marathon next May (Indy Half) and start training for more triathlons. I did a sprint tri in 2002 and really enjoyed it but I really need to work on my swimming. I'm not a very strong swimmer by any stretch and never had any correct form. So I think adult swim classes are in order.

Now I just need to find time for all of this between working 40 hours, commuting 20 hours a week, agility and crafting!

Falling Leaves Finis

Falling Leaves - design by Laura J. Perin

24 count congress cloth

recommended #8 floss

I finished up Falling Leaves last night - I really like this one. Not sure which one I'm going to start next but I want to kit it up before I leave for vacation tomorrow. I know from past experience that I usually don't have a ton of extra time at camp, but I'd hate not to be prepared.

Two down, four to go!

home stretch

I didn't have any stitching time over the weekend. Bummer as I was hoping to have this piece done by now and already stitching #3. But I'm close! :-)

Tomorrow is my last day at work before vacation - Summer Camp starts on Thursday! Yeah!

a work stoppage :-)

Over the past several evenings I have not had a second to stitch. And I've been falling asleep on the train - both ways. :-) So not a lot of progress has been made on Falling Leaves. But the weekend is close at hand so I hope to get a ton done and have a huge progress photo on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

around and around she goes

This border was so worth all the time it takes. :-)

the never ending border

I totally acknowledge that I have not been stitching a ton over the past several days - the weather was wonderful over the weekend - but it seems like this cream border is taking me forever! :-) By the time it's finished I will take four trips around the square. But it's so worth it - it's going to be so pretty!

another quickie :-)

Starting on the Falling Leaves borders. :-) The border on this one is really pretty. But I most likely won't have an update tomorrow - I have a big do at work tonight so no stitching later.

quick update

I'm on pace for another one week project. :-) Falling Leaves is really moving along!

State Fair finis

State Fair - American Quilt Collection - design by Laura J. Perin

24 count Congress Cloth

Recommended DMC #8 cotton

I knew these counted needlepoint pieces would be fast. :-) I finished State Fair on Friday evening and wasted no time on starting on my next piece. It's called Falling Leaves and it's also by LJP and I'm doing it on 24 count congress cloth with #8 DMC. You will see that all of the six pieces I'm doing are two borders around a central motif. And the best thing is they are so, so easy and fast! One down and five to go. :-)

I love the colors on this one. :-)