Blech

is what I answered Tessa when she asked me how I am.

I'm okay, still alive, just out of sorts.

I think it's partly hormonal, partly weather, and partly just feeling blah. Oh, and the fact that Im sick. Yeah, that too.

I have a cat scan appt on Tuesday, so that should be fun, and Tuesday is also the last day of the month. For all my ideals this time last week, I didnt get to do the amount I thought I would on A Restful Night, though I did take it with me tonight. I'm almost done with this row though, which I am very pleased about. Only 50 or so stitches left, and I'll take lots of photos tomorrow - I found the camera.

I went to a movie night tonight, which was enjoyable - they ordered 5 pizzas for 20 people, which wasn't enough, but Troy said about not being able to eat cheese so people piled in the car and bought more pizza - six more, and Troy got his dairy free pizza as part of that. And Jeremy bought a seafood one as a random one, and Father Silouan discovered he liked it a lot, so he ended up eating a few slices. After the movie, when we thought we were all stuffed, they brought out the cornettos (icecream...nummm....) and a frosty fruit for Troy who was rather chuffed to be remembered, he usually goes without. The movie was An Inconvenient Truth, which was good - I hadn't seen it before.

Jeremy also gave us some antidoron as we got out of the car because we hadn't been able to attend Divine Liturgy. It meant a lot to me, and I plan to eke it out a little over the course of the week.

I desperately need new pyjamas, as I live in them day in day out unless we have visitors or I'm going somewhere, and being able to change them once a day would be nice. I have two pairs, and one of them needs to be thrown out - no elastic, even in the knit top, and they're so thin... oh well. We are going to raid kmart, because so far they make the most reliable and long lasting pyjamas! Them or Big W.

Anyway, enough rambling.

Alive again

Today has been considerably better. I've been good, stayed off my feet, filled in my recording charts, taken my fish oil tablets, only complained a few times about the fact that I can taste the fishyness still hours later, and stitched.

I have realised that there is actually some half decent stuff (like reruns of All Saints) on in the middle of the day thanks to my Nana who is staying with us, so that's been good to watch while stitching.

And...

I am almost out of the hair confetti! Which is very awesome. I've started the blue again, but its above the hair, and Im just finishing off the hair now, it's all done in the next block. But its been worth it - her hair is beautiful, she has most of an ear, an eyebrow, and the slightest teaser of an eye. I can't wait to finish the row, and post a picture.

I've also discovered an islamic clothing site that just happens to have some of the most beautiful skirts...I'm a sucker for long skirts, and these are lovely. So I might be buying some soon, especialy since they have a massive sale on!

Mum and I got stuck into my room, and cleared all the clothing and random stuff off my floor that's accumulated since i got sick, and vacuumed it. I'm very appreciative, its so nice to have a clean, sort of uncluttered room. The floor is uncluttered, I mean - there is a pile of things to be sorted (mostly books) by my desk, which i will sort out in the morning, and a pile of boxes under my desk, which I will sort out this weekend (into plastic crates to go into storage) and ltos of stuff on my desk and chest of drawers/dressing table that will also go into storage or get put somewhere useful. My desk is going to go hide in storage too - I dont need it, and it is just accumulating junk and dust at the moment. when I move it from my room I will be able to see out the (almost) floor to ceiling windows that run along most of that wall, looking out over the valley. Lots of trees, and sky. And if I have my curtains open in the evening, the sunset make my (bright fuschia with metallic gold sponging over the top) room glow. So I can't wait.

I'm very tempted to get Greg to make me a dark stained low table, and to get some bright blue or similar floor cushions, and put them over by the window. Then I can sit in the sun with a cup of tea and read or stitch. Sounds nice!

So all in all today has been quite a good day. Hopefully tomorrow will be similar.

BLEGH!

I was doing okay-ish yesterday, got about 220 stitches done I suppose. All well and good, until I went to have dinner... and fell asleep on the table. I'd had a flare-up, everything ached, but I'd been stitching. Troy put me to bed, at 8pm, and I fell asleep, waking up at 12noon today. And I feel like death.

So no stitching so far today, though I am going to have a shot when I finish this entry. Even if I only get ten stitches in, I will have achieved something.

Went to see awesomedoctor tonight, who is a specialist in CFS, and his daughter has it - she's my age and we've known the family FOREVER. I then got blood taken, for a bazillion tests, and I have to have a CAT scan of my sinuses and yay, not. We also have to take apart my bedroom. That means taking all the furniture out (some for good, like my desk which currently gathers clutter and dust), cleaning everything really thoroughly, washing everything that can be washed, boxing up everything I don't need and storing it in what serves as a shed/storage area for us. We also have to wash ALL my clothes, and I have to find somewhere else for the rats to live - sob!

But, we will see how it goes. Lord have mercy.

Jumping projects

I've had a lot of fun stitching today, jumping between three different projects!

I got up and did my greek stuff with Dad, and have a few exercises from the book to work through, and we started translating 1 John. The workbook we are using for pretty much everything else works from the Septuagint, which I am absolutely thrilled with - *orthodox squee* So I will do some practice with the alphabet and things, most of which I already know but is good practice regardless.

After that I started work on my daily quota of A Restful Night - the current stitch tally stands at 6,399. I need 9000 by the end of the month! Hopefully I will get there. I've finished the wing for this row, and completely finished the overlap on the left wings, and now I'm getting into the confetti of her hair which usually is a bit slower but doesnt seem too bad at the moment. Its broken up by a big expanse of white which is her forehead in the middle though, which will be a good break before starting confetti again. Only 1,101 stitches until I get the row with her eyes *wink* I am starting to get tired and might have an early night, but I'd like to get a bit more done on her. At least I have her 20% done now.

After I got my quota on her, I jumped to Japanese Octagon Box, which I have been neglecting. See Tash! I stitched on it this week! I put it on my q-snaps, and with a bit of playing, and taking it off to fiddle with the very side border, it fit. So now the majority of the black border around the first frame is done, and I worked on the lantern a lot too. Everything I stitched today was black! I may actually get it out again before next Monday, I'm not sure. My aim is to finish the borders and first frame, and then start the second, but we'll see. I may get impatient! I'm doing my usual trick of alternating between a thread in a border and a thread of the picture, and it seems to be going well. Next time, I will alternate border - picture - rhodes stitch (there are lots), and see how that goes. I will try to have a picture of it, and all my other projects (except A Restful Night, I'll wait until I finish this row to take a photo of her) tomorrow.

My last project of the day was White Musings, which I have been missing, and is a fast stitch. I'm now aiming to get it done by the end of September to enter in the country shows - wish me luck! I have four rows completely done now: star filling stitch, two sided Italian cross, open herringbone variation and oval darning pattern. The fourth (in pattern) row is diamond rhodes, with a cross stitched border connecting them, and the rhodes stitches are done with just the border around the last two to be finished. I also started the sixth row, and the last for this part (May's) tonight which is a triple cross stitch variation and looks beautiful - like a star! I don't think I've taken a picture of it yet, so I should take one soon. I've seen it done in other colours too, which is very pretty - my favourite is one in pink that I saw posted on the TGOSM group.

Otherwise, not a lot happened. The day goes on, and I'm tired. Troy went back to uni today, and had a class in medieval and renaissance literature which he loved, and needs to buy an $80 textbook for, eep! It's nice just to have some slow days though.

So my goals for the rest of the week are:

• send chart to Rachel
• stitch 300 stitches minimum each day on A Restful Night
• work on White Musings each day, aim to finish up these two rows before the end of Sunday.

I really do look forward to my happy dances!

My plans as to when these two are done are as follows:
When ARN is finished, I'm going to replace her with another QS, Cat Nap Fae - for Meglet. She's small, so shouldn't take me too long, I hope. I want to keep a QS an option constantly, so I'm always stitching a HAED, and the turnover is frequent enough to that I don't go mental. The other thing I was thinking the other day is that as long as I don't start anything new, I can swap over what is in my options list at the end of each month so whatever sleeper WIP that's calling to me gets a chance. I want to keep my focus as my focus until I stop enjoying it as much though, swapping it out with one of my options or even another sleeper WIP. My focus piece is staying ARN though, until she's done, and White Musings isn't going anywhere either. But when they're done...

The QS will not stay focus though. When I finish ARN something else can become focus, or perhaps my new start - Temptation by Sara Butcher (HAED) who I am planning on starting when I finish White Musings. It will be stitch on on Wednesdays, and whenever I feel like it, but the focus will be either Tranquility or WM/Temptation for the time being. They need love too. The goal based thing is really good too, I swear I stitch faster when I have a set goal mark for each day. It works especially well for HAEDs, which I stitch in a very organised fashion.

Anyway, enough blathering from me! I'm off to put a few more stitches into A Restful Night, see if I can get that total up to 500 for the row - a third of the way across. Maybe even get a bit futher? We'll see, it's only 10pm.

Update: squee - 512 stitches, but now my eyes and arms are tired so i'm giving it a rest for the night.

Chatelaine, life and other randomosities

I realised that I havent blogged in a few days. I'm not exactly sure why, it just didn't strike me as a time for it.

I havent worked on ARN since I got back, would you believe? A week without stitching her, yikes. I have been working on MX again though, mostly cross stitching on the houses - I continued a little on the one I'd started (south) but then thought, well, I haven't finished the gates yet, and turned the piece the other way up so I could reach the gates and I've been alternating lengths of thread between the gates (which just need backstitching and beading) and the house, which is looking thoroughly incredible. It's going to be a stunning piece when it's done. I especially love the pale, pale purple flowers and leaves trailing down from the windows. I'll take a photo tomorrow, and you can see!

My stitching goals for the month have been somewhat forgotten, mostly because it's been such a weird month. Here they are again:

• participate in the challenge SAL with my restarted From The Ashes
• reach the 60 row mark on A Restful Night
• finish the top row of pages on tranquility, and at least one page of the second row
• enjoy my stitching
• participate in two QS SALs
• participate in Tash'n'my JOB SAL!

comment on them:

• I participated, but scrapped it after realising I hated the chart. So, achieved i suppose!
• this one might be achievable still, I'm not sure. It means an awful lot of stitching in the next nine days, but I could do it if I put my mind to it I think. 3000 stitches in nine days - 334 a day.
  
• I achieved this one! I'm very proud of it.
• yup, been enjoying it
• yes again
• not yet...but tomorrow I'm going to try.

On that note, I'm trying really hard to work on JOB but struggling because it doesnt seem to want to fit on my q-snaps and I can't stitch it in hand.. I'm going to try tomorrow though - SAL day, to see if I can create a Q-snap frame that I can use for it, and get as much done on it as I can tomorrow as well as attempting 300 stitches...lol. I'm planning to get up quite early though, as Dad has a new Greek textbook that I am going to crack and he's going to oversee my learning, and we're starting at 10:30am. This is early for me! So I should have a bit more time than usual. I love JOB, I really want to get it done. I'm going to aim to do what Tash has done, and get all the frames done, though I might get the first frame filled in first then do the rest, so that it looks 'finished'. I hate half-done things left on my work. If I get 300 stitches done tomorrow, I will put ARN down for the rest of the day, and if I haven't started JOB by 3pm (unless i'm close/on track for 300 stitches) I'll start it then.

A Restful Night has jumped back onto my stand, and I've got about 20 stitches in on it tonight so far - I've been mostly stitching on MX. But I'm going to try for at least 100 stitches of this row done before I go to bed tonight, and see how that goes. It shouldn't be hard, mostly just the blue background. I might even get more than that done - wing, too! I stitch her forehead and the smallest teaser of an eyebrow this row, which is frustrating because I want to see her face already, but its very little in the way of confetti stitching so I should be grateful. Hopefully it will go quick!

Anyway, in life trivia:

St Elias' Day was friday, and he is the Patron Saint of the church where I have been attending Liturgy so we had the Liturgy that night, and then a feast in the true middle eastern form - much loud, lebanese music, food, dancing and laughter. It was so alive and wonderful, I really enjoyed it.

Otherwise I've mostly just been hanging around. Life happens as it happens.

update: I have my 100 stitches done. So 2900 to get done in nine days instead - 323 a day instead.

I maded a dress

And it is VERY purple. I have photos, but they in no way capture the irridescent purpleness of this dress :P

I love it!

I ended up not using the cream fabric I'd bought for trim, and just using purple. I think it came out better than using the cream would have.

From the list I made last night I:

• set up my frame again
• got my sewing machine repaired
  
• got as much done on my dress as possible
  
• stitched on Mystery X again
  
• actually worked from this list!

It turned out that I hadnt threaded my sewing machine right - oops, and it had slipped out creating the thunking. And I worked on the houses for MX and thoroughly enjoyed myself, its just such a lovely piece to stitch.

I only woke up at 12ish, and then got up about 3 - I have felt like lead and everything ached today (along with having no appetite) so it was just one of those days. But, I did stitch, and Mum and Dad brought my sewing machine home so I set about putting the last few seams into the bodice, sewing the pockets on and then sewing the whole thing together. The last few seams took no time it all, it was the smaller ones that took the time.

Anyway, here you are:


I'm standing funny though, so it makes it stick out on one side. Please forgive that!

And from the back:


There's a side pic too, but look in the album for that :)

It's too long, I need to hem it, but it's otherwise finished. I love it! Now to go to spotlight and buy fabric for another one...and back to commonsense patterns (where I bought the pattern - it's their square neck dress) for an apron pattern or something. But this will be a nice spring/summer dress, its cotton so nice and light. And the ties mean I can make it loose on a hot day. I am pleased.

Tomorrow I really need to...

• spend at least an hour sorting out my chaos of a room
• get rid of the suitcase in the middle of my floor
• clear the floor so that I can at least get to my bed without tripping over/walking on stuff
• move the big cushions out with the couch they belong to
• sort all my charts and put them on the shelf where they belong
• set up my frame again
• get my sewing machine repaired (more on that later)
• get as much done on my dress as possible (ditto)
• get all the crockery/glasses out of my room
• stitch on A Restful Night
• stitch on Mystery X again because its calling and why would I not stitch on it when it's calling to me, given it has its own set of (enormous) Q-snaps... and within that, work a little on the house I've started (top one) and work lots on the last gate/corner thing (which I was avoiding when I last worked on it because I was so sick of them)
• work on my wishlist again, since the HAED site one hates me currently
• decide on whether I want any of the Durweigh charts or not before they are retired (I am thinking about the LOTR ones)
• put at least one length of thread into the ancient sampler WIP that I have been procrastinating finishing for two years and only needs about an hour to be done
  
• actually work from this list!

After going through my charts, I have found that only one will fit on the fabric I have for From The Ashes (RIP - lol) and that's Sara Butcher's Temptation, which I have been thinking about stitching anyway. So I might have a new start *sometime* soon, but it won't be until I have finished at least one of my current three WIPs. I am thoroughly enjoying stitching on A Restful Night at the moment, but I am tempted somewhat to make White Musings a focus to get it done since its so pretty and quick. We will see, if it starts calling louder than ARN then that's what I'll do, ARN will wait patiently for my return (and get stitched on on wednesdays regardless). I saw a WIP of it done in pink threads on white the other day and it was so pretty. I also have another two parts of it since I last worked on it, so I should do something about that! I think there will be either four or five parts to it, should be quite spectacular when its done.

I also got stuck into this purple dress of mine. After much deliberating, I decided that I'd do the cuffs and sash in the same purple fabric, rather than using the caramel colour. Everything is now cut out (except the sashes) and I have the bodice assembled except the side seams (they are done with the sleeves) and one sleeve put together more or less, it just needs the cuff finished sewing up. So there is a massive pile of purple fabric on my sewing table! It looks good though, I wondered if the purple might be too 'busy' but I am really liking how it is sewing up. Because its such a plain dress the purple lifts it. All was going well, and I'd taken a break to eat dinner, when...

my sewing machine threw a hissy fit. I have NO idea what's wrong with it, but after changing stitch length & width, changing stitch type, adjusting the tension several times, going slow, going fast, cleaning out the bobbin case...

it'll do one or two stitches then go CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK and refuse to work. And all the thread will be cobbled up on the back, with none on the front whatsoever. Fortunately, my parents are going to the mall tomorrow to get Dad new clothes (his last pair of jeans ripped unceremoniously across the backside on our way back from the Grampians - luckily it was during our last stop and his shirt was long enough to cover the gap) and some other things, and the sewing machine place is just across from there. So it should get fixed then, the guy there is pretty awesome about it all. I want my baby back and fixed...this dress is screaming even more now that it's all cut out!

I hate cutting, but it's awesome to see the big pile of purple fabric take shape. This is going to be an around the house dress - just a nice dress to wear without worrying about how I look, or even what shirt to wear, or where my jeans are... and because it pulls over my head and ties in back I can leave it loose or tight depending on the weather and my mood. I've been wanting some 'house' dresses for a while, and this is perfect - full skirted so I can do pretty much anything in it, but not fussy at all so ditto.

My grandmother is currently staying with us, so she's helping me out with things.

It's nice to be back, but I'm not feeling the greatest, and not exactly sure why. Hopefully it will pass though. My room has got to the ARGH stage, so I will attack it tomorrow, and hopefully that will calm me somewhat!

I'm also trying to figure out how to go about stitching JOB - sorry Tash, I know I haven't participated for a while! I love the piece, but it doesnt seem to fit in any of my Q-snaps and I can't stitch silks (or almost anything) in hand. I have been trying, but it just doesnt work. If I had something to stretch it on, I'd quickly do Tash's thing and stitch all the borders, than have fun each week working on filling in the panels, but Im sort of avoiding it because I have no way to stitch it, really.

Anyway enough rambling from me. Hopefully I will have a dress happy dance soon!

I got RAK'd!

by our lovely Fudgey.

Look what I got:



The ACEO is a Nadia Tate - Ladybug Kitty Fae (who I have loved for ages) and the thread is Colour Streams silk - Musk Rose. Its a much pinker pink in reality and very very pretty!

I'm not sure what the fabric is, but I'm guessing it's a Passione Ricamo in 32ct. So pretty!

EDIT: turns out, the fabric is Passione Ricamo's jobelan, close to 30ct, in burro. Now just to decide what to stitch on it...

Back home again

Dad and I decided to run off to the Grampian mountains in Victoria.

Now we're back.

We ate so much food...and so didn't do anything all weekend, unless you count driving to Horsham for lunch (about 1+1/2 hours each way) each day as something... believe me, the food was worth it. There's this place there called Cafe Jas, and they make fantastic food. Lunch Saturday was a chicken burger (done gourmet style) for me and chicken noodle soup and lasagna for Dad, and I got their fruit punch - best drink ever, and they use frozen fruit chunks as ice-cubes. I got a whole (massive) frozen strawberry the first time - it was yummy, but bled on my jumper (sweater to the USA-ians) when it fell off my spoon. Oh well. Dad had a milkshake, but I converted him to the fruit punch and that was what he had the other two times. Second day Dad got soup again and we got a ploughmans platter to share - three kinds of bread, gourmet ham, smoked salmon, varying kinds of lettuce, pickled onions, cold chicken, branston pickle, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese and camembert. Not bad for $22 total for both of us! So much food we couldnt eat it all, but we definitely enjoyed it. Todays was strawberry pancakes for both of us - pancake, layer of strawberries, pancake, more strawberries, and cinnamon and vanilla flavoured yoghurt to go with it. Very yum.

The pub (which is the only reasonably priced place to get good dinner there) makes enormous serves - I got chicken parmagiana the first night, and ate about 1/4... I forget what dad got but he didn't eat his either. The next two nights we shared a single meal, roast pork Saturday night and chicken parma again last night - with two of us we got through just over 1/2 of it! We also had brandy snaps Saturday night.

Yes, I just spent a lot of time raving about food. I like food.

I also stitched - I took my lowery stand, and put it under a chair so that I could get a fair amount done. And I did! I restarted From The Ashes, and have come to the conclusion that I hate the chart. As I posted on the HAED board:

I restarted From the Ashes, got about 100 stitches in, and realised that no matter what I've tried, I just can't enjoy stitching this particular chart. I love the artwork, and I love HAEDs to stitch in general, but I don't love or even like this chart - it's just too crazy with the background which consists of several different colours EVERYWHERE which means that there is no real background stitching, and what is 'background' is harder to stitch than the detail.

So I hereby bow out of the challenge.

I'll keep stitching on this weekend each month with you all though, Froggy Frog World will come out to play!

On the other hand, I took A Restful Night with me as well and finished the row, and made a small start on the next (fifth) row of blocks while watching the third Harry Potter and Goldmember on TV. Here's a pic (with the wonderful camera which I am SO stealing from now on, even I with my shaky hands can take good stitchy photos now!) of the first four rows:


And now, just photos. I'll explain them all as I go! They're all in thumbnails so as to make this blog entry not too image-heavy.


The road from Horsham (the large rural centre) to Halls Gap (where we stayed) is long and windy (and narrow) up through the mountains. This is about halfway there, looking out towards the reservoir that I forget the name of, but has very nice tasting water.


Me, at the same place.


And this is where we stayed! They're not very big, but they seem much bigger on the inside. Very comfortable too.


This is the view from the front (main) room, looking out across the large grassy space. The road connecting the cabins goes around this, and the kangaroos keep the grass down. No need to mow the lawn!


This is our living room. Dad's wearing a Princeton sweatshirt because that's where the Karl Barth conference he just came back from was held, and he likes college sweatshirts. He has a few of them, but most have holes now.


My dad. Being himself!


My room, complete with a queen size bed - luxury for me, I've got a single bed at home!


This is my stitching chair while we were there, while I was still struggling away at From The Ashes.


We saw a lot of these, they dont mind humans at all.


What I look like actually stitching.


The cabins have both reverse cycle air conditioning and wood stoves. Guess which we picked? I like fires.


This is our little kitchen. We only used it for making tea (the drink) and glasses of water though.


This kangaroo was outside our car and quite happily stayed there.


There were a lot of kangaroos on the lawn


And Dad went over to say hello!


And the last - me with the sun in my eyes, but you can see the mountains. Aren't they beautiful?

Anyway, I'm glad to be home and looking forward to a good night's sleep!

No dress, but stitching

Okay, my sister had hysterics today due to her meds making her overly (and i mean OVERLY) anxious about her exams. After a couple hours of that, and ringing the doctors, and finally making her sit in bed and not run screaming through the house, I wasn't up for dressmaking.

So I did a lot of nothing online instead.

Tonight I stitched, and worked on confetti some more. Got about 250 stitches done, I think, and here she is for you:



The photo is blurry in the full size, so just enjoy it this size instead :)

I'm going to see Anna tomorrow, give her back her frame and lowery attachment, and get the fabric for this weekend's restart - From the Ashes. Mum and I also plan to work on this dress, and I have bible study. All sounds good.

I also hope to finish this row sometime tomorrow!

I might be being a bit ambitious, but it would be so much fun to have it done. Only 6oo stitches though, and much of it is large blocks of colour. Should go quick, so hopefully I can do it.

I've also been knitting away at a dishcloth with some cotton yarn that just screamed at me - it's so loud, I couldnt miss it. I forget what the name of the stitch is, but it's knit1 purl1 and then the opposite in the following row, to give an alternating all over pattern. Makes good dishcloths, and they'll be nice and bright to do the dishes with - I have three different variegated yarns to use. This one is mostly bright pink, blue, green and orangey yellow. Another one is mostly that yellow colour, with pink, green and blue as secondary colours. And the last one is shades of purple, pink and red. Nice and bright.

Also, Dad and I are going back over the border - lol - to Victoria this weekend, to stay in the Grampian mountains in a cabin we've rented a zillion times before. The kangaroos are so tame there! It's lovely country, and will be nice to get away. I plan to take my stand in the car, so that when we've set up shop there I can put From the Ashes on the stand to work on her. I'm working across the width, so that will be important. I'll take her in the car anyway, and if nothing else grid her so that I don't get lost in the massive blocks of colour in the background.

I've also been bad and contemplating what to replace in my list of allowed projects when I'm done with A Restful Night (if I can get a row done a week she'll be done in fifteen weeks, and some rows might take me less than that...) and I think it will be Periwinkle Fae QS, if I don't scream at her because of the way that I stitched her - cross country, which I hate. I'll possibly be bad and throw her out again... in which case I'll tuck her and the chart away, and put another QS in my rotation, since I like having a HAED and something to stitch on Wednesdays. Presumably it will be Rose Fae, who I love, and have been wanting to stitch for a long time. But the focus project will be White Musings or Tranquility, depending on which is screaming most when I get there. White Musings is probably the better option, as I will finish it much sooner and have another finish!

The worst thing is all the HAEDs calling, especially the ones that I haven't started yet. But I have two started that are big ones - Froggy Frog World and From the Ashes, and when I have at least one of those finished I'll let myself start a new one. But not before! Big WIP-wise I'm not even going to speculate what will end up in my rotation next, I have so many WIPs that need doing, and there are lots of small-ish things from TGOSM that I've wanted to stitch for a while. So who knows.

Confetti hell

Been steadily plodding along through A Restful Night today and tonight - confetti, confetti and more confetti. I timed myself at one stage, hoping to encourage myself - it backfired, 29 stitched in 30 minutes! Part of it is having to add all the new colours, which means finding them, cutting them, securing them and then stitching. There are just so many.

I have finished the part of her hair though - the line goes all the way to the bottom of the row, so now I am just finishing up the other side, which is slightly less confetti-y.

Today has been fairly uneventful. My sister is panicking about her exams, and I woke up late (again) but otherwise nothing much happened otherwise. I went to see my Nana in the rehabilitation hospital where she is after having a knee reconstruction. She has been doing hydrotherapy - in a bikini! I've never seen my grandmother in a bathing suit at all, much less a bikini - she's 70something, almost 80.

Mum and I are going to get to my purple square neck dress tomorrow, making it short sleeved. Mum is on holidays, so if the two of us cut the pieces for the dress, and I sew the seams while mum irons them and pins them, then we can get it done nice and quick and I can wear it *grin*

I want that dress done.

It will be fun to wear it, knowing I made it!

And another one!

Just a quick update because I'm dancing a bit.

I've been working on A Restful Night tonight, and got about 400 stitches done, 100 of that confetti in her hair. All of the left wings are done for this row (and they look wonderful) and a good chunk of her hair which is very confetti-y but very beautiful.

I've got half this page's worth of this row done which is awesome. And most of it tonight! I might make it a goal to see how quick I can get this row done. After the next row of blocks I will have a full page done on it - wow.

I love the row method. It means that the whole piece looks 'complete' as you finish the row of blocks, but then you add the next row and it looks amazing all over again. You never get holes that make it look weird, and you get to uncover all different bits. Fun!

I also passed the 15% mark tonight. Got a 6th of it done now! That is a really cool thing to think about. The first sixth has the background, shoes and hair, the second her face and beginning of her chest, the third her arms, some mushrooms and the beginning of the frog, the fourth the frog's eyes, the fifth his body, the sixth his feet and the log. Roughly. Something new to look forward to each time.

I know I'm mad for doing this, but it's just so much fun! Now to just ignore the babies calling... too many HAEDs waiting to be started, and WIPs screaming for love. Ack.

Must...finish...this...one...

Tranquility Mystery Sampler

Here's my Tranquility Mystery Sampler after most of the top row of pages (five) and a little start on the next row. I love this new motif - cream on cream. I finally got the red motif done, and most of the last one. I left the last red parts and the blue side column to be done with the next one because its something the seems silly to keep working on and breaking up into pieces when its just the same thing over and over.

Here it is!


Now back to A Restful Night - row four currently has about 160 stitches done.

Went to Divine Liturgy yesterday

I wrote in my spirituality blog (unconnected to this one) about yesterday in more detail, but here's the summary (because not all of you are theologically minded/christian)

Divine Liturgy is the communion service in the Eastern Orthodox church, Sunday morning service, and I can't even begin to describe the effect that that had on me.

Half the service was in arabic, but the other half in english, and what I didn't understand (due to it being arabic) I had the book as an interlinear which let me understand. And it was beautiful. People talk about it being like being in Heaven, and I don't know if I understand that - yet, but I think I will when Im a little more used to it.

We were conspicuous, but people were kind, and we stumbled through happily. The book that Jeremy lent us for the Divine Liturgy (the matins/orthros one wasn't as helpful) was wonderful, with directions for crossing, standing, sitting, kneeling, bowing heads... that helped a lot. I think I need to find a copy of something similar on line and learn it, if I can, so that when I go next I'm a little more familiar with it all. I've been to all the major services now - Vespers, Orthros, Divine Liturgy. And loved them all. I kind of got over being self conscious, it just seemed stupid to be. So I stopped, and it helps! I can cross myself easily as breathing now, in the right directions. Jeremy mentioned that some people come back to the middle after doing it, and I asked why - he said they just do. And now I've found that I do it! It just seems to complete it.

We got through to the end, and Jeremy said that we didn't have to kiss the Cross as we left, but I did - why not? I have no problem with it, so I kissed the Cross and the Priest's hand as I left, and it was nice. It just felt right.

We had fantastic coffee - Lebanese, strong but good. And someone called Troy my brother...lol...we dont look alike, but the Khouria (Priest's wife) thinks we do.

Came home to have soup, and bread, and butter, and feed Jeremy lots of sponge roll, then crash for the afternoon. He went to visit his cousin who lives near here, and I stitched. He came back at five to pick us up, and we went out to the quiz night at the Monastery near where he lives, which was fun. It was run by a Greek church, so a lot of the people there were Greek, and most of the questions related to Greek things... which was alright, because we roped in a couple Greek guys and a girl for our table! We had the two Greek guys, Alexei and Demetrios (sp?), and Maria who I think was a sister to one of them, and two Lebanese girls from Jeremy's usual DL church (he church-hops a bit), me, and Troy. Was a good table, and we came THIRD! Each of us got a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, with a label to say we won third prize, and a prayer rope around the neck - a bracelet sized one, and it fits me perfectly. It might stay on my wrist now :) Black, with a black bead. We taught Troy the Jesus prayer, and we had good fun explaining it all. My new goal is to go through my bracelet once a night, and once in the morning if I remember. I want to get something of a prayer rule going, and this one works. It's easy at least!

I had everyone do the so what's your name thing, find out what it was - and go HEY AWESOME! which was not the usual reaction, and kind of nice. Of course then they all wanted to know how I got that when I wasn't Orthodox, and that was all fun, and then they said so when's your name day and I said um...and Jeremy jumped in and said Kyriaki, and they said HEY that was Saturday! So I got wished happy name day by everyone. It was fun :)

Anyway, I got invited very firmly to Bible Study on Thursday night, the same place - a youth one, that people from all of the city go to - and a lot from a fair way so I assume it's good. So Jeremy is taking me and Troy, and Demetrios will take us home. I am very very very looking forward to it. I also want to buy books. I am wanting to devour EVERYTHING I can get my hands on now.

Yesterday was fun, and I'm very tired now but it was worth it.

Dad came home today, and it was wonderful to see him again - it's been two weeks. He brought presents too - a photo frame of New York each for Bindi and I, and a pen with a flashing light in the end from a jazz bar - it's a blue light, and there are different settings so it flashes to different jazz beats. Very cool. He brought Mum a tshirt with a greek urn design on it (she's a classics teacher so adores it) and some very sparkly silver jewelry, and Troy some things as well but they're still a surprise as he hasnt seen them yet.

Troy's house has been more or less a tip - the guys he's been living with aren't much for cleaning. But his friend Steven moved in, and vacuumed everything, and got rid of all the junk in the communal areas, and cleaned the bathroom (!!!!) which was previously covered in black mould. He also brought some large prints in frames - I think they're Waterhouse's that are in the living room now and they look great. The house is actually starting to look pretty good!
Troy's been using a sheet as a curtain, held on with bulldog clips, but its starting to irk me that I haven't made him proper curtains yet. So I thought I'd buy two sheets from Coles (like $10 each I think) and sew them over at the ends to make pockets to slip onto his curtain rod. They're cheap and they'll do until we have our own house, and then we can probably use them somewhere. He's also on the hunt for a chair for his desk (probably second hand) and a lamp to paint with (probably about $20 from bunnings) and I'm campaigning for a heater for his room ($25 from bunnings again) as well since it gets very cold. But he and steven have been having fun sword fighting and things, and he's starting to enjoy living where he is. They're also going to share meals so they can cook for two which is much more practical.

So life is good. My room is a mess due to my getting back from Melbourne and not having unpacked, but I'm planning to change that soon. And Mum's on holiday now, so she and I are going to attack my purple dress and make it up. I think I'll make it short sleeved, too.

I've stitched a little on A Restful Night, but not enough to take a photo of. It's coming together well though so I'm hoping to get to the hair and things (eek) soon. Wings always go quick.

And I overdid it, the last few days, so back in bed. Oh well, you win some you lose some!

After spending all that time organising the threads for A Restful Night, I didnt put a single stitch into her. Instead I stitched on Tranquility, and got all of the top row of motifs done, and started the second! It felt good to make serious progress again.

I also got some stash while I was gone in the mail - a mother of pearl thread winder shaped like a flower and Ink Circles' Blackstone Fantasy Garden's chart. Was nice to open when I got back!

I did a bit of shopping in Melbourne too - new jeans to replace the pair I've got since the knees are wearing through - I'll wear them until they do wear through, then switch to the new ones (I'm hard on my jeans, but they're the easiest thing to wear while sick - just pull on jeans, a tshirt of some description and a jacket/sweater and all's good.) I also got two tshirts - priced at $25 each, but scanned at $10 each! from Giordanos who make wonderful, comfy shirts. One is pale pink with a brighter pink peacock with its tail folded trailing down, and the other is the colour of raspberry gelati. Very edible looking! Added to this I got some of the cutest magnets ever to hold my charts on the stand (the magnets that came with it are ugly) and some coppery coloured earrings, to go with a ball shaped pendant necklace that troy got me - it's reminiscent of a cat bell, so fits me well (just read the address of my blog!)

Was good, but writing about it all is hard now. So I wont.

It was good to see the girls again after being away - though only Champagne will talk to me, the others are all snubbing me because I left. They'll get over it, eventually.

The one last thing to say is that Troy and I are going out tonight, to Vespers at an Orthodox church :) I've been investigating Orthodoxy for a while now, and now I'm officially labelling myself an inquirer - should be fun!

Anyway, that's all for now - I will post pictures of everything soon.

An update, and leaving

For a week

Troy and I are going to stay with some friends on the East coast of Australia, taking the train at *gasp* 7:25 tomorrow morning. Yick.

10 hour train trip, but very cheap $99 return each, and it's a long way. Comfy train too, they've just completely refurbished them!

I am taking a restful night, along with all the threads needed, and the Tranquillity sampler because I'm going to need a break from the one project after a few hours! Besides, I found my spare set of q-snaps which makes things much easier

(well, actually, I'd just lost one of the connectors to my spare set...please dont shoot me... I know I'm bad. And yes, they were missing for six months...)

So, expect big progress pics when I get back! We are staying with one of Troys wargaming friends, so I expect to do a lot of stitching while he and his mate play warhammer/warmachine and his fiance is busy doing other things, or just talking to me

*hugs to all - see you on the other side!*

and, here's a restful night with 30 rows done:

Bits and pieces and weekly goals (late!)

I forgot I'd set goals, gives you some idea of what my week has been like. So I'll update the goals, and set a few new ones.

217 stitches left of the row to go, woohoo. And all the background stitching, so solid colour-ish. I should get it done tomorrow, if I have the inclination :)

My stitching frame is back in the living room now, for the first time in at least a month. It's kind of nice, being able to watch tv and stitch again and to spend time with the family. Its lonely being shut up in my room.

I've also decided to frog the confetti hair and restitch it. I stitched it in random order, and its horribly lumpy as compared with the smoothness of the rest of the piece, so I want to fix it. It's not really that much to do... I'm thinking I'll restitch it along with stitching the next row when I reach the hair, so it flows seamlessly into the next row and I know I've got it all laying right.

I found an old printout of the chart, with the colours all right, so its nice to look at her in a large size and put her next to my stitching.

Leaving for Melbourne early Friday morning, so I need to pack in the next few days too! Im hoping to go to Lygon st while we're there, for pasta and honestly the best gelati I have ever eaten. There's a place there...wow. Actually, there are two, one trad (the best) and one modern (yummy too, but doesnt beat the first) and we might have to try both!

So, goals.

• enjoy my stitching yes, I did. Finally seemed to get out of the slump, though it comes back to bite me sometimes still.
  
• get row 30 done, try for 40 too!No, but so very close.
  
• finish red motif on tranquility
Havent touched Tranquility, just been busy stitching A Restful Night. More's the pity, I saw Irene's (up to date) one in the same colourway as mine, and Fudgeys, and...wow. I am loving this one, so glad I started it!

• finish part 1 of WM
Haven't touched this one either. It will get done.

• not get bogged down by confetti
No, not really. Just frustrating!

• read a book Yes, read 'The Colony' which is the companion book to a reality series that was on SBS a few years back about the early early settlers.
  
• cuddle rats This was an easy one. Much cuddles!
  
• choose prints Yet another one I didn't do.
• sleep at the right time I tried...
• feel better Yes :)

Next Week:

• Try to meet my goal for ARN for this month - line 50
• Get packed in time (NOT friday morning...)
• Clean my room up somewhat
• Enjoy my stitching
• Sort the box of thread next to the tv that I discovered the other day
• Sort all of the threads for this piece (A Restful Night) out so that I can take them with me next week, the current threads (or first few rows, if they'll fit) in my binder and the rest in a spare binder/bag depending of their stitchbow-ness status. I doubt B has a full set of DMC! Normally the full set for a piece fits in my binder, but this one has three pages of floss colours...lol
• Not explode at mum
• Sleep lots
• Eat at least twice a day, proper food.
  

SBQ

When you start a new work do you look for something small, do you look
for another huge project or do you consider your UFOs?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-the-choices-we-make/

I used to start something new - and always huge, but now I'm having to be good I'm planning to work through my WIP/UFOs, finish two (or major parts thereof) then start something new from stash. I think I'm going to have to make a system with that though, since I'm dividing my WIPs into sections if they're big and some of the starts I want will be quite big too. Oh well, I'll decide when I come to that.

A Restful Night update and life

First thing:



Here is my lovely! Shes missing two colours in her hair, but it's getting too fussy to go back (due to parking) so I will fill them in on the next pass as I work under them :)

I have passed the 4000 stitch mark on her! Yay! About 300 stitches into the next row I'll have met the next major percentage marker, 25%. I continue to be amazed by the translucency of her wings - the way you can see the leg through the wing, and the way the wings overlap is gorgeous. All the shades of blue and purple come together to make something stunning. Now that I've started work on the second wing it's quick stitching from here until the end of the row - always is. Mostly blocks of the same few colours, except the background part, and even the background isnt particularly confetti laden. What I will do with the next row though, is not start it until I am certain that I have all the colours. Though I recently found another box of DMC so I need to sort that...lol...and make sure all the colours are there this time around. In the meantime I'll either trim the width of the fabric tranquility's on with my overlocker (it wont fit in Anna's frame, but not due to design size) or get White Musings out again while I'm waiting to get the threads set up.

Troy has got his shamrock out again and is tackling the very fiddly backstitched border again now that I drew him a stitch diagram (order of lines, essentially) for it. He's promised to get it done before I order him fabric for the samurai, so thats incentive - and all the inner backstitching is done, its just a case of this border now. He has 1 and 1/2 sides done now though, and the 1/2 side he did tonight didnt take long, so hopefully it will be done soon and I can show you all! It looks great, I'm very proud of him.

This weekend has been the Fairy Day SAL at the HAED board, and I've wanted to join in but more or less been a dead loss due to illness - not CFS this time! I got a stomach bug or something and have been miserable all weekend, but I ate a roast and several pancakes with (real!) maple syrup and cream tonight which was all very yummy and I don't feel ill for it so that is good. Powerade was my friend - for some reason I dont understand it settled my stomach, and gave me the sugar and things to keep going. What has been fun has been the Cyber Stitching Retreat with Nicole, Lana, Polly, Liz, PJ and others (sorry, I forget all of the names!) which even without stitching for much of it has been thoroughly enjoyable. Talking stitchy things is fun!

I am looking forward to tackling this next part of A Restful Night, because it sees the end of the top wings and the hair above the face - more confetti in the hair, though it seems to have settled into diagonal rows now for the most part - thank goodness, all that colour changing was annoying. The row after starts her face proper, and will give some more definition to the little head I see peeking out at me!

Troy and I have paid for our tickets to Melbourne this weekend, so that should be fun - it's by train, and we're staying with a wargaming friend of his and his fiance and baby son. And baby 2 who is in the oven still :) I can take apart my stand and its getting tucked into my suitcase - why wouldnt I take it given we'll be gone for a week? Even if I dont use it, it's a safety blanket. We've asked if I can bring it and they said no problem. Troy is taking his miniatures, of course, and I predict a few warhammer games during the week! Bianca and I can escape and talk girly things instead.

I went china shopping, which was fun, and got a huge stash of things. All white, to match the dinner set - a 6 cup teapot, sugar and creamer to match (they look like little bubbles! so cute), pie dish, small casserole dish with a lid (for 2 person cassaroles), a big pasta bake type dish, a square one as well for things like rice pudding (or chocolate!) and a little baby teapot for just two people. It's adorable, and I will have to take photos of it. It looks like a white bubble. Troy and I have tested it out, and it pours very well (doesn't drip down the spout, hooray) and makes a lovely cup of tea. Troy's mum has also bought us a dinner set apparently, so that gives us even more flexibility. At the same time (since everything was on sale due to homewares stocktake sales) I got two sets of six glasses for good - Krosno ones, tall cylindrical water glasses and wine goblets. Mum wanted me to get champagne flutes too but I asked her when she thought Troy and I would ever drink champagne. She said I had a point, so no champagne flutes! That was a thoroughly enjoyable day, and I saw dad off at the airport the next (early!) morning to america where he is attending a theology conference which he has been looking forward to with a friend of his - who happens to also be one of Troy's lecturers, which is a bit of a giggle.

But it is a stupid hour (again!) so I need to sign off and get some sleep.

Muffins, china and feeling good

I woke up late yesterday, and had a lazy afternoon. I had an appt with the specialist at 4, and got my test results back. Guess what? I dont have addisons, pituitary glad issues, a thousand other things... I have chronic fatigue. What we'd suspected all along. Good to know, and he's sent the data back to my GP who will process it, and hopefully give me a referral to a friend of ours who specialises in chronic fatigue.
After that Mum went to marion (big shopping centre/mall near here) because mum needed a rice cooker, and filled out the forms that meant that I could get a (free of charge) wheelchair from there whenever I wanted, which would be useful if shopping with friends etc and I got tired. Mum had other ideas though, and dumped me in one anyway since we were going to go a fair distance to Big W and get a rice cooker. I figured it was easier to get in than argue, and it was worth it - my legs were aching and while I've got used to that, not having to be walking was wonderful! As we were going there though, we went past House, and they had this massive sign that said 40-70% off everything. This sounded good, and they had Maxwell Williams white sets (which I have wanted one of for ages, for a good place setting that I can replace pieces easily of) for $50 (about $25 in US prices) which was a bargain! We went in to check them out, and they had European sets (classic white place settings, with plain, but big plates with a raised edge so things don't spill off without it being curved) as a six place (not four) with the bigger, flatter bowls than usual (for pasta, stir fry, risotto, gnocchi....ie all the things i love to cook and eat) for the same price as the four place sets! The only thing they didn't have was the matching cups and saucers, and since white cups and saucers are really not my thing - I collect funky mugs, cups, etc - this was the perfect deal for me. Two extra place settings for four mugs I didnt want anyway. I had to think about this??? So I bought it, and brought it home. Troy and I have an everyday set of crockery - normal soup/pasta/cereal bowls, rice bowls, side&dinner plates, mugs - and a couple platters and bowls, all in a robins egg blue that I got for about $2 a piece a year or so ago, at a stocktake sale, but they're the 'use every day until they are too chipped/broken/mismatched/etc to keep' set that are easily replaceable with a $20-30 set from target/harris scarfes in a few years set. I wanted a nice set for when we had people over, because we'll have a very spend-thrifty place in that Troy's dad will probably make most of our furniture from plain pine and it will be decorated as we can afford - not much, and things like a matching, classy, unchipped dinner set are important then. Maxwell Williams white basics are the kind of thing that don't really go out of style much, and you can always replace easily, so I figured I'd get some with the stashed money I've still got from working. Got home and told Troy, and mentioned that House has all the other stuff that goes on a table to match - platters, cassarole dishes, platters, gravy boats, sauce dishes....etc etc, for really cheap as well and Troy said to go back and be sensible about it, but buy everything else I'd want for a table. So I'm doing that this afternoon :)

Anyway, back to yesterday. We went to Big W after that and bought a rice cooker, and I grabbed super food ideas and good taste at the same time because I like reading them, and cooking from them when I can. While we were having coffee at Hudsons (marble mocha, yummmmm) I flipped through them and came across a recipe for choc-cheesecake muffins. What the? But they looked good, and we had most of what was needed at home, so I figured I'd grab the last few ingredients and make them. And make them I did! I sat down for as much as possible, and knelt on chairs rather than standing (less effort) if I had to be at the stove, and it took me an hour or so because it was a new recipe but they came out GREAT. Soooo good...very very rich, but yummy. Twelve, and some leftover cheesecake batter which I am going to make into mini baked cheesecakes tonight. They have a definite thumbs up from all members of our household.

I got photos, but Bindi's lost the camera cable so when we find them I'll upload them! They look great too.

But I woke up today...and I feel great. Despite the fact that I used all that energy cooking last night! I figured it must have got to the endorphins or something, because I feel better today than I have in ages. So I've been cleaning up my room a bit (all the clothes I didn't have the energy to put away, stuff on floor, etc) and eating muffins, and when Mum gets home in a few minutes we'll go back to marion and buy more china. Yay! Maybe a few other house-y things too, depending on what's there and I need.

Troy and I are also thinking seriously about having our engagement party soon too. Better late than never, right? Its only been six months, lol. So much chaos has been happening that now is the first chance we've had to think about it. So that should happen in the next month or so, hopefully.

And I booked tickets to Melbourne, as well. Troy and I are going over to stay with our friends David and Bianca. Troy met David through a wargaming forum, and they have a little boy named Al, too, and another on the way. Should be good, we're going over on the train ($99 each return, go us!!) for a week, and it should be a lot of fun. I predict much tabletop gaming for Troy and David though. Nerds...hehehehe.

So should be good. I'll get some stitching in tonight, maybe even a bit of MX, and we'll see what happens!


I love days where I feel human again. I still ache, but it's a background thing today. YAY!

day 13

Im missing a few colours, so I couldnt do all that I wanted to today (picking them up tomorrow) but I have finished this row for the first page. Talk about confetti - those last two hundred stitches took about as long as the rest of the row had taken me! But I've got all my threads sorted for the second page of this row, and it's looking fantastic, so it should be good. Im out of confetti hell now (at least for this row) but there is still a lot of blue and purple in the wings to be done. I am looking forward to stitching it though, and getting back to do more hair and start to uncover her face. Might even set it as a race - how quick can I finish the row?

I went to church with Troy tonight and it was good to go but I found it hard to concentrate, and was falling asleep. I wish I could fix that but there doesnt really seem to be a way.

Cleaning up my room continues, but it's still a tip. Mostly clothes though, ones that arent dirty but need to be put away. Eventually they will all disappear, I'm sure. I want an angel of laundry!

Several Passione Ricamo pieces are screaming at me at the moment though, which is frustrating, because I do not need any new starts or stash. But I am steadily plodding through A Restful Night, and its fun seeing how fast she is stitching up compared to anything that I've stitched before.

It's late, and the rats are fed, my stitching is away and I am in bed. Its nice, but I should sleep soon.

Goals for 18-25th June

Recap:

• get to bed (sleeping) at or around 10:30, 11 at latest at least four nights this week no, but I did manage it twice which is better than last week.
  
• finish red motif on tranquility, try to finish row havent touched it
  
• finish row 30 on a restful night, try for row 40 no, but getting there (halfway)
  
• finish current rows on white musings (diamond rhodes variation and oval darning stitch) try to start next row, which would get part 1 finished when it's done nope, but I have got some more done. All of the diamond rhodes stitches are done, just the cross stitching to do, and the oval darning stitch is half done.
  
• choose prints I keep forgetting about this one for some reason
  
• work on a chatelaine this week for at least an hour, try for both! no I haven't touched either
  
• enjoy my stitching well I have the past two days!
  
• stitch at least four days this week no, two though
  
• follow the exercise pattern - walk from gate to gate three times, rest for an hour, do again one day, rest the next day doing lying on the floor exercises yes, or equivalent
  
• drink more water I have been trying
  
• get out of this funk not sure, but getting there
  
• read a book yes, deepwater

This week:

• enjoy my stitching
• get row 30 done, try for 40 too!
• finish red motif on tranquility
• finish part 1 of WM
• not get bogged down by confetti
• read a book
• cuddle rats
• choose prints
• sleep at the right time
• feel better
  

day 12 and randomness

I got about 500 stitches done yesterday, mostly due to the fact that I hit the patch where it's just basically three colours for a few blocks for the big wing. It looks great, and I'm going to try and get some more done on it today. Introducing all the new colours for the hair is fiddly, but seems to be working well.

I'm thinking it might be worth taking photos every few days with the rate I'm stitching at the moment - I stitched most of the way across the page yesterday. Definately one a week (Wednesday) and when I finish a row. We'll see.

I don't know if I have my stitching mojo back yet, but I am stitching at the moment and that is a good thing. It would be good if I could get a fair chunk done while I can stitch!

In non-stitchy news, Bindi got a ratlet too, called Sospira (sigh in italian) and she is very cute but keeps trying to beat up Sophia, who is having none of it. Much high pitched squeaking ensues, at 2am >_< oh well.

I've got 10% done on A Restful Night now too - yay!

Day 11 (ish)

I made myself stitch tonight! That was hard, but fun. I had to reformat my computer anyway, desperately, and that's my major procrastination tool - I'd run out, so stitching it had to be. And I enjoyed it, it was just a case of making myself work on it. I got about 100 stitches in, most of the lower left wing for this row, which is satisfying, and I'll get her out again tomorrow and work some more. Hopefully all will go well.

It's nice just having the one WIP, but having one or two as options when I'm sick of the current one - I got thoroughly sick of Noon Basking because I worked on it for a year straight, learning all about stitching on linen, blends, railroading stitches, fractionals...need I go on? I've since learned all those skills, but are we in any doubt as to why I restarted that one! I think I'm going to have to more or less use the StRIP method, finishing two WIPs to every one that I start for a while until I'm down to only a few at any given time. I can't deal with too many at the moment, but the idea of not working on any of my babies at all is too hard. So I'll stick to more or less OAAT for now, and see how I go.

As it stands, here is the list in order or what I want to work on when: (I've made 'finishes' out of certain amounts of some BAPs, to make them more manageable stitching OAAT with so many WIPs calling)

A Restful Night (current)
White Musings (option A)
Tranquility Mystery Sampler (option B)

2 parts (end of 4, 5, 6) Mystery X
5pgs Froggy Frog World (equivalent of a QS)
1/4 Noon Basking
5pgs From The Ashes
Japanese Octagon Box
new start - small, like a QS
2 parts (7, 8) Mystery X
5pgs Froggy Frog World (until end of pg 10)
1/4 Noon Basking
5pgs From The Ashes
new start - small non HAED

pattern follows:
2pts MX (until done)
5pgs FFW (until done)
1/4 Noon Basking (until done)
5pgs From The Ashes (until done)

eventually, I want to get down to three projects as WIPs - a current project and two options.

if I start with the three WIPs I have, working mainly on ARN and dipping into the others as I go occasionally, then when I finish ARN I move White Musings into the current slot, and Tranquility to option A, and the first on the list (MX) into option B and keep working.

Idealistic, but I have to have some sort of a plan even if I don't stick to it. Honestly, this I think is the best plan of attack for me! When I get down to 3 WIPs, then I can start thinking about starting some of the charts and kits I have - though I've only really got one 'kit' and thats Convents Herbal Garden. I've just got so many HAEDs calling - ten or so full size charts, and way too many QSs. Gak.

A Restful Night, after ten days

Just over 3100 stitches in. I need to get the tweezers out and get the red things out - no idea what they're from! And a magnifying glass too, they're impossible to see at normal size.

Lost: one stitching mojo. Also ratlets!

I currently have no inclination whatsoever to stitch. Which is not useful. I'm thinking of digging through my stash of TGOSM magazines though (Anna and Rach got me a subscription, then I bought the back issues) and finding a small piece that I can do easily and see if I can get my mojo back. It doesnt help that my arms are aching though - constant fatigue in my upper arms, my wrists and my fingers is fairly normal.

I think most of all though, I really need to get into a good sleeping pattern. Going to be early and getting up at a reasonable hour, consistently. I havent really slept well (except last night) in about a week, and I think it's starting to show. Maybe if I get some decent sleep I'll feel like stitching again! Even if I just stitch a bookmark or something. We'll see. I also have a massive sampler (on 14ct aida - before I discovered linen and such things) which is absolutely beautiful, and the only thing left to do on it is finishing the backstitched border (about 20cm of it) and adding the detail backstitching to a tiny blue wren - its beak, and legs. That's it! And it's been waiting for me to finish it (everything else done) since late 2005...it's sad. It's next to my bed though, so I might try to put a few stitches into it tomorrow and get it done. It desperately needs a wash, but with some orvus it should be good. Its all australian trees, birds and flowers, and I found it in ancient Womans Weekly craft book. It's actually one of three samplers, and I've started the second one (which is meant to go with the first as a framed pair) but never got around to it due to discovering linen. It might also be a candidate for something simple to do in the meantime - I'd fly, given usually I stitch quite fast over one or two on 32ct as compared to 14ct aida! The second sampler is all bands of flowers and things though, which isnt the most interesting thing to do (the other had big picture parts to it as well as bands) but right now I think that just having something simple to stitch is what the doctor ordered. We'll see. I really want to get A Restful Night done, I just can't get myself to work on her!

I also welcomed two members of my family yesterday - two darling little rex ratlets (baby rats). One is white with a black face and blaze (Amina - honest, faithful in arabic) and the other is completely black with a few brown spots (Jemima - dove in hebrew) and they are adorable, with the sweetest curled whiskers!

Photos - because you know I had to have them!


a blurry (but very cute) photo of Amina on my hand - I have tiny hands, and you can see how big she is compared to my hand! And yes, my bedroom walls are fuschia pink and gold.

Jemima (and Amina, hiding) on my arm.

Amina again, in the cage being fluffy and cute.

I'm having trouble thinking of titles

and I think I need an early night tonight. I just feel blech.

I havent stitched on A Restful Night since last week. And I haven't stitched at all since Friday.
For some reason I just have no motivation to do so. My mind is jumping around the idea of starting a grandmother's flower garden quilt, which is highly unhelpful, and I am just feeling out of sorts. Very out of sorts.

I dont know exactly when I got to sleep last night. Probably about 12. I was obsessing about the test I was having this morning, petrified that it would go badly (they warn you not to have it if you are allergic to stuff or asthmatic - i'm not, but paranoid) and finally Troy gave me some sedative tea, figured out what the test was, informed me that he'd had it and he's not dead yet, and I went back to bed and fell asleep. I woke up at 7:30, because I needed to have my hair washed desperately and Troy used the last of the hot water last night. Staggering out the door with a blanket, my stitching bag, a book and a spare pillow Dad and I drove to the city to the hospital to have this test. He dropped me off next to the building and it should have been fine, except that the entrance makes no sense. After wandering around lost in the very cold air (it was about 8:30) I asked for help and got directed to the right place, filled out my forms and sat down. Dad found me, and the nurse took us to the room in which they were going to do the test - and there was a guy sitting there doing paperwork. Not useful. So they put me on a bed in the room where they do the quick tests, blood tests etc, and pulled the curtain around me, but it was cramped and there were a lot of people in there. I had to rest for ten minutes before the test, and they set the timer - and promptly forgot about me. About half an hour later Dad went to investigate, and another nurse came and took the first lot of blood - and it was the most painful blood test I've ever had, though it was fairly on par with the other two I had this morning... anyway, they gave me the injection which hurt a LOT, and I got to lie down and talk to Dad and sort of doze, as I was sleepy and the injection made me sleepier, with blood drawn after 30 minutes, then again after another 30. After some water we staggered out and up to Dad's office, where I flopped in a chair and read - no point trying to stitch, even if I'd had my bag. At about 12 Dad had to go feed the meter, so he did and brought my pillow and blanket back, leaving them in his office. We wandered down to Rundle St (about a block away) for a very nice pizza and back, and I curled up under the spare desk in his office (does every professor have a spare desk in their office, or is it just me?) with the pillow and surprisingly fell asleep! About 3 Dad woke me up and we went to pick Bindi up from school and come home.

I've had a headache all night, and felt generally miserable. It's not useful but I dont know why I feel like this. Stupid tests.

Tomorrow is QS Wednesday, and hopefully I'll get ARN back on the frame so I can work on her. I miss her. It would be nice to get to the hair, and if I could stitch at anywhere near my normal pace I'd make that fairly easily. I dont know. We'll see.

My room is a tip, and I'm not happy about it, but with this headache and fatigue there's no chance of me doing much with it. At the moment I will be happy to fall asleep tonight.

Goals again

I havent been posting much this weekend. I'm a little out of sorts - havent been stitching much either, just sleeping or being busy with other things. I set goals last week, and here they are:

• Finish to the end of row 20 this week, try for row 40 Yep, did up to the end of row 20 and started the next row of blocks. Didnt get very far in though, maybe 200 stitches for the total 1500 for the row
• Get one side of MX 1/4 done, try for 1/2 nope, didnt happen. I didn't stitch on chatelaines at all this week, my stitching mojo has just run off and hid somewhere.
• Enjoy my stitching I guess, I've just been so out of sorts that stitching hasn't happened the last few days
• Finish the current rows on White Musings, do the next one I didn't finish them, but I did make considerable progress
• Try to get the red motif on tranquility 3/4 done nope, havent touched it. I need to overlock it down so that it will fit on Anna's scroll rods and I can stitch it properly!
• Go to the library nope, didnt happen
• Buy new pyjamas no, haven't convinced mum yet
• Choose prints no I completely forgot!
• Sort out at least some of the clothes in a pile in my room yes I did, a few. Hopefully i will do more this week!
• Organise another binder-full of thread (4 stitchbow sheets) no, I still need to buy more stitchbows and sheets
• Take overdue library books back nope, forgot
• Try to feel better! it's been up and down so I dont know whether I achieved this!

I said if I achieved half of them I'd be happy. This last week has been so weird, I don't know what to think. I've been in a funk the last few days which isnt useful, including staying up until stupid hours even though I dont have to because I either can't sleep or stubbornly won't, for no good reason. Which is not useful at all, given my illness. So goals for this week:

• get to bed (sleeping) at or around 10:30, 11 at latest at least four nights this week
• finish red motif on tranquility, try to finish row
  
• finish row 30 on a restful night, try for row 40
• finish current rows on white musings (diamond rhodes variation and oval darning stitch) try to start next row, which would get part 1 finished when it's done
  
• choose prints
• work on a chatelaine this week for at least an hour, try for both!
• enjoy my stitching
• stitch at least four days this week
• follow the exercise pattern - walk from gate to gate three times, rest for an hour, do again one day, rest the next day doing lying on the floor exercises
• drink more water
• get out of this funk
• read a book

Troy, his brother M and I went to the movies this afternoon (M's treat!) to see POTC 3 which we loved. Much pirates and fights and music and ships and...yay. Plot? Who cares about plot, though it wasn't bad. I also bought another big stuffed (plush) red eyed green tree frog (about the size of the average fluffy cat) to match Troy's that I gave him for christmas and have wanted ever since I bought it. His is named Fang, mine is as yet unnamed but determinedly female (Fang's mate) and they had smaller versions too - I melted, and walked away with a small one too (baby frog!) which we have called Squirt but his name is open to being changed. They are adorable, and I need a photo of the froggy family now. M dropped Troy and I at the entrance to the mall so that I didn't have to walk far, then went to find a park, and when he met us at the cinema we found out that the tickets were all sold out. So we bought tickets for an hour later, and went down to the coffee shop near there for chai lattes for M and I (very nice, I might add) and Troy wandered off to get a carrot, apple, ginger and celery boost juice (which was nice, I stole some) and M ordered nachos and wedges, both of which Troy and I pilfered. M bought us lollies too - skittles for Troy and natural snakes for me (yum!) and water as well because sugar has always given me headaches, much more now!

So today was pretty good, I just wish I could shake this funk.

It is a stupid hour

and I can't sleep. I took sleep meds, but obviously they didnt work. I might have to try dad's which really knock me out (and for the next day too...sigh) but we'll see.

I am also very hungry.

To add insult to injury, it was about 1:40 and I had been trying to sleep. My blankets were trying to escape onto the floor (tossing and turning will do that) and I somehow caught the cup of water on my nighstand...which fell into a half open blanket sized drawer full of stitching and books - ACK!

So next thing I knew I was swearing and had the light out and was rescuing things left right and centre and hanging them over my bed to dry. I tipped the water out onto the carpet (it won't care) and left everything to dry but that took the last vestiges of sleep out of me.

So now Im up, and bored. I might go raid the kitchen soon though, there has to be something I can eat. And if Bindi complains about me eating "her" food - if its not specifically labelled gluten free ie special, its fair game.

EDIT:
mwaha! I have eaten. Strawberry fruche, and a couple of corn thins. We have some very nummy soy and linseed bread (I am being healthy, because it seems to help) and sprouts, chicken and cucumber to go on it, but mum's brain wasn't working when she went shopping and she bought cream cheese in blocks rather than a tub *sigh*. And those sandwiches taste dry without anything, and gross with butter, so I couldn't make one. I did experiment earlier with strawberry jam and soy and linseed bread - don't think I'm going to try that again. We have a brand of jam here called St Dalfours and it's made with grape juice rather than sugar. I love it, its the only strawberry jam I'll eat (all others taste too sweet) and now I have an excuse to eat it, being that it's low in sugar! At my nana's house though, I'll eat the house jam...why would I not, it beats even St Dalfours. Especially apricot and ginger. Yum!

Right. I have Chronic Fatigue

saw the specialist this morning. after looking at my bloodwork (and my GP had got EVERYTHING possible tested for) and giving me a physical exam the specialist went right you have nothing physically wrong with you. There is only last test we have to do to test your adrenal glands, but other than that we can assume you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This is how you manage it.

strange how i thought it would help to know. and in a way it does. i could plan, and talk to dad about it all, and figure out how to live life.

but part of me is not at all happy that i just got myself another chronic illness to live with. one that saps my energy, and leaves me helpless. i dont want to be sick like this, not forever. and even though it wont necessarily last forever... i have no way to make it go away, and no way of finding out how long it will take.

so here i go, got another illness and another label. my sister complains about coeliac disease - at least when she eats right she has energy and doesnt constantly have to watch what she's doing, and not stand, and not walk

i hate this.

i was so positive before, but tonight it's just so hard to be.

Yesterday (day 10) and today

As I said yesterday, I got row 2 finished (this week's goal) and I worked on it a little more but finding all the threads for this row took a long time. I swear it uses at least half the colours in the colour list, and given the colour list is three pages...ack. I do have them all sorted now though, and a small list of the colours that I need and don't have (which is normal) and I will hopefully pick them up tomorrow. There is about 50-60 stitches done on this row, but not many because it was quite late by the time I finished getting all my threads together. I am going to be so, so glad when I have all my master set in stitchbows, so that I can just pull the threads... I need to buy some more stitchbows tomorrow too.

I didnt feel like working on A Restful Night today (I think it was all the thread finding last night) so I pulled out White Musings which I've got on one of the Artisan ScrollLok frames that Anna lent me for a little while, along with her lowery scroll frame attachment since I don't have one. Its actually much better for my working in bed, because it gives me a nice wide surface that I dont have to constantly monitor (q-snaps) which is fantastic. I'm working again on the diamond Rhodes, and I might keep on White Musings tonight even though I'm not feeling the same annoyance with ARN now that I was earlier, and get some of these Rhodes done since there are seven of the things and I've only done two and a bit. The cross stitch border around them at least is quick! The next row under is a darning stitch done in Wispa, which is kind of fun, even if the Wispa is a pain to stitch with.

I forgot to mention that I'm seeing the specialist tomorrow because of being on the waiting list, which is great, rather than the 29th, ugh. Turns out he's going on holiday for two weeks, which explains the wait. But someone cancelled, so I'm in tomorrow at 9:45, ugh. I will be grateful. I will!!

I lost it last night. I've been coping and coping and trying to have a positive outlook and finally I snapped last night and spent a couple hours crying and ranting on the phone to Troy, who was an angel as usual and basically told me that yes, its okay to feel like that but you are being stupid at the same time. I did that, and ended up feeling better mentally than I have in a long time, so that was nice. I fell asleep at about 3, and woke up at 3:30 this afternoon. Technically dad woke me up at 1pm, but I pulled the blankets over my head and fell back into a really deep sleep again. Consequently I've actually been feeling quite good today, as far as good goes for me at the moment.

Mum washed my hair tonight, because I didnt want to go out of the house with gross hair, and braided it up for me so I dont have to deal with it or feel guilty for not brushing it. So now I'll just keep it braided, and she can fix the braids when they get too ratty. Makes life much easier.

Anyway I think that's all I want to say, so :) I am being positive!

I would like to announce

That I finished row 2! Yay!

I'll actually make a proper post later :p

A stitch at a time

The way I am at the moment, I have to break things up into little bits - tasks, ideas, stitching...

I stitch HAEDs literally a stitch at a time - threading and unthreading if I have to, using an insane parking system. Trying to explain it would just be confusing, but its quick and it works when I'm braindead like now. I'm trying to take life with the same attitude but it's hard to do. I'm always jumping ahead to what might not even be possible, and I need to learn patience and to enjoy the days and hours. It's just hard to do. Its why I'm trying to put a reasonable amount of detail in here, it makes me appreciate the day for more than just the big things.

I need to learn patience. REALLY need to learn patience.

Day 9

Mum and Dad got back this morning, and I got up about 10 to go see them and get prezzies and things like that.

They got Troy an incredible Harlequin mask from Venice (the proper paper mache, hand made kind) in red and black, and for us three girls (Bindi, Hannah and I) there were Venetian beads (absolutely beautiful) and pashmina shawls. Hannah's beads are teal, Bindi's are red and mine are deep blue, all with gold accents on them, and my pashmina is done in blues and greens while Hannah's is purple and brown and Bindi's is different browns. I will get photos of everything when I can, but our cameras are all broken at the moment (!) so I will have to do them when I can.

I stayed up to talk for a little while, then fell asleep again, and woke up at about 5 to stitch, play KOL and eat dinner. I was falling asleep on the table so I came back up here to stitch, and I've started the right hand top wing for this section and it looks incredible, as usual. I've also finished the second shoe, which was a pain but is worth it. The rest of this part should go fairly quick, so I will have this row done pretty soon so I can start the next one - mostly wings, a little background, the ends of the shoes and HAIR! I can't wait to see the yellows, it will be such a breath of fresh air even if it will be confetti - I know it will be, hair always is. After that it will simply be progressing down over her hair and face with the wings until I get to the mushrooms in a while, but that's plenty of interest for me.

I thought maybe I'd break my monthly goals up into weekly goals, to try and keep me on track. So here we are:

• Finish to the end of row 20 this week, try for row 40
• Get one side of MX 1/4 done, try for 1/2
• Enjoy my stitching
• Finish the current rows on White Musings, do the next one
• Try to get the red motif on tranquility 3/4 done
• Go to the library
• Buy new pyjamas
• Choose prints
• Sort out at least some of the clothes in a pile in my room
• Organise another binder-full of thread (4 stitchbow sheets)
• Take overdue library books back
• Try to feel better!

I know these are all really lofty, but if I could achieve half those goals I would be pleased. So we'll see how on track I am next weekend!

Day 7 and what I've been up to

A Restful Night is really coming together - its beautiful. It's so soft and textured colourwise that it seems like it would be velvety, but it's not. The very tip of the bottom left wing has appeared, and I've got lots more of the top left, background and shoes done. I've basically finished both shoes (only a few more rows in the next lot) and while they were very uninteresting to stitch (ALL THOSE GREYS!) they look awesome.

Yesterday was fairly uneventful until the evening. C came around for dinner and to spend a bit of time with the current residents of our house, and that was fun. Dinner was stir fried vegies and rice, and we ate it watching the Addams Family Values which Im not sure if I've ever seen? But it was fun. I wandered off to my room after C left to stitch and figured I'd be going to sleep soon. But somewhere along the line Jay and Tom came to visit us, both friends of ours through Hannah and somewhere between a 1:30am McDonalds run in the car and a long conversation about religion, science and philosophy they finally left - at 5:45! Somehow I hadn't registered the time because the adrenaline had kicked in and dumbfounded Troy and I staggered off to our respective beds.

I woke up about 4pm today which meant I got 11 hours sleep, which is nothing to sneeze at. Got more stitching done, and Troy told me I could get the back issues for TGOSM and so I did :) And have been having great fun reading through them.

Mum&Dad get back from Florence tomorrow, which will be good, it will be nice to have them around again - and get to see what they brought back! Dad is always one for the presents - lots of small things, so we'll see. Should be fun, Dad getting back from overseas is always like Christmas.

Anyway, I have magazines to read and sleep to get so this will be a short one. And yes I know I was bad for staying up last night.

June Goals

Uhoh...I have a feeling this is not going to be fun.

Last Month:

Stitching:

• stitch a page on one of my challenge pieces (ffw, from the ashes, hope) Nope. Not even close. I've got about half of the first page of FFW and FTA done...but I've been working on them longer than this month.
  
• catch up parts 4&5 of mystery X Ahahahahahahahahaha. No. Almost done with part 4 though.
  
• get at least some of the tranquility mystery done - catch up to the beginning of the month, if possible I did actually get quite a bit of it caught up. Not to the beginning on the month, but a lot.
  
• stitch something on Noon Basking No, just haven't had the chance.
  
• finish part 1 of JOB Getting close.
  
• stitch in at least 2 of the QS SALs - yes, actually I think I stitched in all of them this month.
  

Life:

• stay up to date with schoolwork No, being sick got in the way.
  
• not go mad Well, I havent gone mad...
  
• clean up my room Mel did! Does that count?
  
• do something about the whiteboard for my room idea No, and at this point I dont think its necessary. I don't have as much that I need to keep track of, a diary by my bed would probably do.
  
• get to church at least twice I can't remember, but probably not. I think I went once.
  

This Month:

Stitching:

• Finish up to row 50 of A Restful Night (1page), try for row 100 (2 pages)
• Get one side of MX caught up, try for 2 sides.
• Enjoy my stitching
• Finish parts 1 and 2 of White Musings
• Finish the top row of Tranquility
  

Life:

• Go to the library and borrow some books
• Buy new pyjamas
• Buy some prints for my room
• Sort out at least one of the piles in my room of things that are cleaned up but need to go away.
• Take overdue library books back
• Try to feel better!
  

Day 5

It's fun keeping track of how many days I've stitched on A Restful Night, because it's growing so fast it's amazing. I didn't get a lot stitched yesterday because I woke up with massive aches in my upper arms (which is weird because usually my lower arms and wrists hurt instead). I did get a fair amount more done on the top left hand side wing (and will get a photo today if possible) which I am pleased with, and got through a difficult section of background because I'd messed up my chart having not marked it so had to be very careful and use the grid.

Nothing hurts especially today, though my fingers are a bit achey but I am going to get Troy to massage them before I stitch and I should be okay.

We had a chat about the Chatelaines last night, and decided that I can get MX out on Fridays and try stitching it, but not keep going if it's too arduous or I make too many silly errors that I wouldn't have made well. I've also got a maximum of 3 hours that I'm allowed to work on it. We'll see how that goes. I'm letting myself 'cheat' and stitch the walls and roofs together, and start them even though I haven't finished part 4 completely. I figure my stitching time is at such a premium that I may as well enjoy it, and I'll stitch side by side, finishing corner 4 when I get to the side I need to finish it on. Cross stitch is easier on me than all the blackwork, so I should be okay. There is blackwork again in the windows, and if I struggle with it I will leave it. I just want to stitch what I can!

I woke up earlier than usual today, after having gone to bed early last night, and I might try to keep it up. I'd rather be awake during normal hours than later at night, so its nice to be awake in the AM rather than about 2PM.

Anyway, off to sort out my internet stuffs for the day and then jump into stitching MX!