Labor Day Weekend Recap

I hope everyone had a lovely Labor Day Weekend and got some great stitching in. I definitely enjoyed the weekend. Saturday we decided to do all the shopping and chores that had to be done so we could focus on enjoying the rest of the weekend. That plan worked wonderfully. We got everything done, and early enough so I got to spend a few hours at the end of the day on my HAED, Lobo. This is where I ended the evening on Saturday. Since then I've worked on it every evening for about 1 hour. I finished off the column I was working on and I am approaching a page finish. Maybe tonight? Not sure how much time I will have available, but my fingers are crossed. Page finishes are so exciting!


Sunday we had a date day. We started at the mall doing some shopping that both of us needed to do, but in a fun and relaxed setting. From there we went to Harbor Head Brewery. I enjoyed a flight of four beers sitting in the outdoor patio. It was so nice finally being able to spend some time outside without melting from the high heat and humidity. We decided to do what it appeared everyone else at the brewery was doing, and walked across the street to a local restaurant where we had some very excellent burgers and delicious fries. And then home for some stitchy time in the backyard. I was happy to finish Katie Kitty!



Monday we agreed to do nothing but relax. We watched a movie, took a nap, and I got a start on Peter Polar Bear. And from there, unfortunately, things went downhill. Work was horrible! I don't know why, when we are preparing for a big inspection, the leaders think it is a good time for 'bonus projects'. This go around is it signage... We need new signs... They look old and the wording could be improved... Hello! We had three years to work on this, why are we starting it one month before the inspection?!! Who does this make sense to. Not the people running around preparing and posting the signs! So, not much more got done on Peter. There was no early morning before work stitching and no lunchtime stitching. Not good for Peter nor my stress levels.

But now it is the weekend and it is time to regroup. I got home late since I had a hair appointment (which was desperately needed) but I still took out Witches Wheel by Glendon Place and got about 2 hours in before bed. I was very excited to place it in my new project bag from Evertote. Isn't it gorgeous? I have another one on order that I hope will arrive next week. Tonight the goal is to spend two hours on Lobo, since it is #BAPSaturday, and then as much time on Witches Wheel as possible before bed. I am hoping to get this done before Halloween next year. I think it is a reasonable goal, but I refuse to stress over it. If it doesn't get done, it will be done for Halloween 2020.

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Let's Try This Again

I'm baack! 😅 And I'm ready to try this again. I enjoyed keeping this blog as sort of a stitching journal, but after the cruise, things got so crazy I just felt like I never had time. But one thing I have realized recently is that I need to make time for the things I enjoy... so here I am.




This week was actually very productive in terms of stitching. On Sunday, I started a new project for Caroline's High Tea (Friday Off the Grid on Facebook). High Tea starts are supposed to be something special, and I have been planning to start Brook's Books Advent Calendar since it came out in 2014! Well, Sunday was the day it finally happened. I started #1 Katie Kitty.








I usually get to work a half hour early. We are very short-staffed right now so I've been starting work as soon as I get in and then working through lunch which has really not helped and just stressed me out more. So this week I really pushed myself to go to the lounge when I got to work and spend 15-20 minutes stitching before going to my office. During lunch I have turned off the computer and spent at least 15 minutes stitching. It has definitely calmed me down, and I think I'm actually more productive. As a result, I was able to get a nice bit of progress.


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Last night the weather was finally cool enough to sit in the backyard. I wasn't sure if our new lights were going to be bright enough for me to work on Witches Wheel which is on 36 count fabric so, I decided to spend my 6 hours of Off the Grid Stitching on Katie. I made a few mistakes, one which I decided not to fix (can you find it?) but I was very happy with my progress. I am hopeful for a finish this weekend so I can start #2 Peter Polar Bear.





Now, however, it is time to work on my BAP, Lobo from HAED. I think at one point I was trying to work on it so much that I wasn't enjoying it. I was 'forcing' myself. I really started to hate it and I must have let it sit untouched for a good 6-8 months. I finally stitched on it one Friday night in March and I loved it. But rather than go crazy, I've decided the best way to continue the motivation to work on it is to only stitch on it one hour a night. Now I look forward to my Lobo Hour.'' I usually don't stitch on it for my Friday Off the Grid time but then I try to get at least two hours in on Saturday night for #BAPSaturday.


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Best Cruise Ever!

Clearly I have not posted in a while. With prep for vacation, vacation, and then recovery from vacation, there just was not enough time. But it was worth it because we had the best cruise ever! And I can say that even though the waters were really rough the first two days. The cruise director was amazing. She had so much energy that she just wrapped you in her excitement and we could not resist joining in on everything. We went to every party, and didn't just watch -- we participated! Michael even one a trophy for competing in a dance off!

The whole vacation was just perfect. We went down to Florida a day early and stayed in a lovely hotel. The room was huge and had free breakfast that was quite extensive. Free coffee all day long! Plus we got a discount for Bonefish Grill (one of our favorite restaurants) so we got a free order of Bang Bang Shrimp (our favorite appetizer)! And the shuttle service from airport, to port, to airport was included and wonderful!

And I got some stitching done. Started and finished a bib for my coworker who is due in June. So happy to be done and not worrying about getting this done in time :-)

Then started back on Ellen Maurer-Stroh's August Flower of the Month. I had done really well with this series a few years ago and got all the way through July. Then... I don't know what happened. I decided to start August and I am enjoying it so much, my goal for this year is to finish the series. 

Need to work on some of the little letter motifs for the sachets for my coworkers, but I just can't put this down. I'm so close to a finish I need to work on this for one more week.  

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Finally Healthy

I feel like Michael and I have been sick for the last three months. Each time one of us got over whatever we had, the other one started getting sick. This week, I finally started really feeling better after having the flu, and Michael started getting a runny nose 😟 We've recently been introduced to essential oils, so I was rubbing oils on his feet and on his chest before he went to sleep. Don't know if they helped, but he never got fully sick, and we are both finally feeling well ( for two days - but hey).

I was also trying to keep him well because Friday night was our annual dinner dance with my business organization. We had reserved a hotel room near the venue so we could spend a quiet day together and not have to drive home after the dinner. In the end, we had a wonderful time. We even got a room on the 42nd floor so we had a really nice view of the Freedom Tower (picture didn't come out well though). The only thing I have to remember for the future -- when you are that high up it takes a long time for the water to get hot for a shower!

We had a great time at the dance! I think we clean up pretty well. Ha ha.

In terms of stitching this week, I made some nice progress on my Tulip Bouquet, especially considering that Friday night is usually my main evening for stitching.

Hoping to get another Lazy Daisy letter done this week, but mostly I need to spend time in the evenings kitting up some projects to work on during our cruise. I can't believe that we are leaving in just 12 days! I don't want to take too much, but I want to make sure I have enough to work on when we are lounging on deck.

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Flu

This week has revolved around the flu. Yes, in spite of the shot, I got the flu. I woke up Monday not feeling well, and by the time I went home from work I was running a high fever. Luckily I was able to call the doctor and start Tamiflu early Tuesday. By Thursday I was well enough to get back to work. But Tuesday, I was down for the count. By the time I got back to work, other's were out. It is a bad one this year! Try to stay healthy and get to your doctor as soon as you feel sick.

Since I wasn't feeling great, we decided to stay in on Friday, and I was able to join the Friday Night Off the Grid Stitch In. I finished my Mouse Card #5 by Durene Jones...

And started a new small Lazy Daizy K.

Unfortunately, yesterday morning we got word that Michael's cousin passed away. We spent a quiet day together and then Michael just wanted time for himself. So I ended up with another evening free to stitch. I was happy to have the time, but would have preferred a happier reason for having it. The time did allow me to finish the piece though.

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Very Stressful Week - Not Much Stitching

This was a pretty difficult week. On Tuesday I was working from home, and at the end of the day my boss calls to tell me our section administrator's husband was in the hospital. He had been found unresponsive, they resuscitated, but they had no idea if there was any brain damage. We all tried visiting the hospital, giving her as much support as possible, but on Thursday the word came through that a CT Scan determined there was no brain activity. They will be removing the ventilator and donating his organs this evening. Please pray or send your positive energy. She really needs it right now. Honestly, I think we all do.

As a result of the above, I did not get as much stitching done this week as I might have wanted to. But I did get some work done, and every stitch counts.

And now it's back to my smalls for a week. Hoping to finish my Mouse Card and then at least one more letter so I can make a few more sachets.

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Feeling Very Crafty

Now for those of you who are crafters, try not to laugh too hard. I am so impressed by so many of you and a few of my other friends who are DYIers and make presents, etc. that I decided I would try the same. I thought I would start by making some greeting cards with my small stitching projects. Then I thought, how about turning some of my smalls into sachets. Watched a bunch of YouTube videos, and...

I feel really proud of these little sachets, but I really feel good about my sewing. I noticed today that I am keeping the seams much straighter than previously. The only thing I'm still having trouble with is the start and end of each seam. When I go in reverse, to secure the ends, I seem to cause some tightening and bunching of the stitches. I'll figure it out.

I was also able work on the fifth of my Mouse Cards.

Not a bad week for me.

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Happy New Year - The Stitching Resolution

Happy New Year everyone!

Two weeks ago when I made the pillow for my coworker, I felt so good about the product. I really felt like I had produced something. Not just the cross stitch piece, but the final finished product. I decided right then and there that I needed to put a little more effort into making time for my stitching. I started cross stitching as a means of relaxing and producing some emotional health, and just like anything else (diet, exercise), I have to make time for it to actually produce the effect I am looking for.

So, this last week I spent at least one hour a day with my stitching and finished three small stitching projects.

Washed everything yesterday, and the plan now is to finish them off as sachet bags for my friends next weekend. This was in addition to the other small project I made this week for the 2017 Smalls SAL run by Heather at Stitching Lotus. You can get all the information about the 2018 SAL here.

For last week I've started work on another of Durene Jones' Mouse Cards. I love what they look like when they are done, but I'm still not enjoying the stitching. It's the 'frame' that I don't enjoy. It looks great, so I won't leave it off, but I don't enjoy it. So, although the original plan was to make the whole set of 6, I'm stopping after this fifth one. Not too far after one day...

Today I'm going to get my stitching in while we watch TV. A few years ago I was not feeling my best after our New Year's Eve party, if you know what I mean. So we spent the day in and happened across the Winter Classic, a hockey game played outside, like it used to be. We enjoyed watching it so much it became our New Year's Day tradition. We make no plans except to be in the house and watch the game. Today is going to be a really good one as the temperature here, where the game is being played, is in the teens. This is hockey like it was played in the past; CLASSIC!

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