finally a few pics!

TGIS - thank God it's Sunday!  The only full day of rest.  I tell you I was so tired yesterday after an 8am meeting at another office, and I *still* went back to my office til 3pm, that I didn't have the energy to walk around the mall for even an hour, and when I got home I promptly fell asleep til 7.30 in the evening!  The things we are planning for at work, just thinking about it makes me feel like panicking!  Anyway, it's Sunday, so get a grip girl and learn to compartmentalize (talks to self)..

For that 8am meeting, my co-worker picked me up at church -- I went to Saturday morning mass for the sake of my immortal soul :)   This is what church looks like:

It's not such a good shot because of all things, I chose a day when they were having booths in front of it (for vocations)

And this is what it looks like inside:

A side corridor, where the niches are (I thought of visiting my dad but in my anxiety about whether I'd given my co-worker the right directions for the church, I forgot!  But never mind, I visit every Sunday, so no worries.)

So why am I showing these - well, my cousin was thinking of buying a niche so she may as well see what they look like (they are to the right):

There's a little garden between the church and the niches (really little, compared to the gardens I've seen abroad, but a big deal here where  land is so expensive)

Oh well, hope no one is upset by the photos.

On to stitchy things.  I've basically dropped all my other works in progress like The Tuscan Welcome - oh, who am I kidding, I only have that in progress, ha ha!  Although the Dimensions Angels are ready to launch - they're in a kit, after all -  and Maria Winkler's Peaches have all the needed thread, only no fabric!  It needs a white fabric to match the Plums piece.  Aida, if I'm to really match them.

Whimsey and Wit's Advent Calendar is coming along.. at this rate I'll be done in time for Christmas (next year! haha ha)  Still no eyes for the infant (fear of French knots has taken over, I tried 4x and was unable to make a single one - my high school home ec teacher, where are you?), so maybe I'll take up Jenny's wise suggestion and place beads instead (I only have pale blue Mill Hill though).   Kris Kringle's left hand is missing as is the staff he's supposed to be holding.  Oh, and his beard of course.  But that's white, and uses Glissen floss (where do you buy Glissen floss over here?). Anyway, it's white, or ecru, and if I'm using DMC then I'll hold off from stitching it til I'm nearly done with everything.

Day 11 is a sheep, and Day 12 a music note.  I'm not too keen on stitching white first, so I'm not doing the sheep yet.  So next up will be Day 12, which is in navy.  Or I might go to the Angel on Day 1 and frog, since I discovered my count is wrong besides which, I was supposed to stitch her with floss and metallic together.

It's a lot of solid stitching so it's taking a bit of time as I get bored with a lot of color.  It's a toss up - too many color changes and I get tired, too much of the same color and I get bored!  I was looking at the Weeks Dye floss the piece was supposed to be sewn in, and I noticed there's a lot of variation in one thread color alone.. maybe that would have made things more interesting.

And here are the ornaments:

Sorry about the picture quality -- seems kind of dark.  I'll take clearer ones later.  Hmm... looking over the church photos I notice a definite tilt to the left - must correct that.  Back to the ornaments.. the boys' trains need their back stitch on the wheels; the Christmas tree needs its candles, star and ornaments and its trunk.

The only thing is I have several errands to run today - mass, FedEx or DHL, plus we need some grocery items - peanut butter (my brown bag sandwich of choice), plus, since I want to cook, shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and chicken.   Hope to be able to update this tonight.

Ah well, there's my Sunday.. how will yours go?  Thanks for reading..  Happy Sunday!

Apropos of nothing - or, Almost Friday!

TG it's almost F.  Fridays couldn't come soon enough before, but now it doesn't really mean much since I work on Saturdays too.  Thank God for the work..  truly.  But I can't help but be reminded of how life was so much better without Saturday work!

Reading someone else's blog this morning reminded me of something my mom said - that "2 days of rest" is not guaranteed by law, but became common through the efforts of unions.  Yes, unions.  A lot of work conditions now taken for granted came about through the efforts of people banded together in unions. There's been a lot of flak about them lately, and bad press off and on throughout the years, but they were organized many years ago for good reasons..  Laws about better working conditions, rest, laws against child labor...  It's not Labor Day, but here's to unions!

It's a totally weird post, I know.  I'm having mixed feelings about goings-on at work.  Mostly sad.  And often tired.  On the up side, really eager to stitch - but I've got a bad habit of stitching in the mornings (better lighting).   I was going to post some progress, but I can't find my camera...

Pics!

It took me longer than I thought to get to actually post these pics, so I am further along with Kris Kringle than I was at the previous post (although Baby Jesus still does not have french knot - or bead!-  eyes:

I apologize for the delay in posting - planned to post last night -  but we've had some domestic ruckus involving getting my mom and my aunt off to their retreat in the mountains.. the best laid plans. sigh.  I will really have to take an interest in the automotive arts.. bigger sigh...

Anyway, in other news, I started making my ornaments and since they are super easy they stitch up in next to no time!  The little trains just need outline stitch and the other one needs its wheels, too!

A Christmas tree has been started (lower left - I could not sleep last night so I began but realized I really had to try to sleep as it was 4am!) and an angel is next on the list.  Then, whatever catches my fancy in terms of ornaments!  Though really I should just stick to my list so that I feel a greater sense of accomplishment.

That's all, folks.. I'm really looking forward to stitching and posting my progress - I can better appreciate how it's going!

give-away at betweenthestitches

I've been reading many blogs.. being brought here and there by links from different pages!  Everyone's got such beautiful stitching, and really lovely finishing..  Will I ever do my own?

Anyway, there's a beaut of a giveaway over at Ms. Cross Stitch Queen's blog, http://betweenthestitches.blogspot.com/.  Check it out!

In a Knot!

Hello, haven't posted anything in a while .. still caught up with work :(

On the up side, I've finished a square of the Advent calendar (Whimsey and Whit ) or I *would have* if I knew how to do a French knot!

The Infant Jesus square would be done, if I could do the French knots for his eyes..  

I am looking through some teaching blogs and Youtube, for how to do it.. now to get my nerve up to actually do it...

I have also started on the next square, Kris Kringle!  I didn't have the DMC equivalent of the Weeks Dye embroidery floss, so I am making do with DMC 3350 which I think makes Santa's clothes look a bit either worn (I think that's good!) or too pink (bad!).  So I'm almost done with his hat.  Speaking of which, I do wish there was a supplier of WD floss in this part of the world..

Post with pictures in a bit.

I'm also starting to "kit up" (what a lovely word!) the train which my nephew wants as his Christmas ornament.  It is actually pretty simple and I'm glad I rummaged in the other room because I found a whole booklet of Christmas ornaments (circa 1990s of course)!  I really regret not looking at Needlecraft stores while in Canada and the US this year, but maybe there's still time to do a quick trip there and back .. also because I haven't been able to find the Just Cross Stitch Ornaments 2011 magazine here..

I've been busy resisting the "Sale" and "Clearance" corners of various online needlecraft stores.  It might be less expensive to order from them than to fly over and buy the goodies.. but I don't much trust the post office here!

.. saying a prayer for the U.S. on the 10th Anniversary of 9-11.. what a horrific day.. I remember I was watching the evening news when the first plane hit the tower, and I remember rushing to tell my family about it.. going back to the coverage and then, unbelieving, seeing a SECOND plane heading for the towers..  that was unreal.   I knew then that it was no coincidence.  There was coverage of the people on the towers.. horrific.  I felt for them, and for their families.. some of whom probably didn't even know the events unfolding..  I prayed for them then, and I pray for them now, on this day of remembrance.

The 'ber months!

Yippee!  It's the 'ber' months, and way over here in our part of the world, it only means one thing... Christmas is coming!  Yep, we do reckon the countdown starts on September 1, so we are (as of the day  I posted) 3 days into the run up to Christmas!  Notice the "little" countdown clock much?  :)

Inspite of all the things that have been happening workwise and all the anxiety it's engendered, the thought of Christmas is always uplifting.  And since it's on its way, work on the Christmas WIPs have to be ramped up!  I wonder how far I'll get this weekend?  I saw a preview of the 2011 JCS Ornaments issue over at Ms. Anita's page http://anitalittlestitches.blogspot.com and the ornaments look wonderful!  I'll be checking out the magazine stands for this one..  I made a promise to myself to make an ornament each (this year, gotta remind myself!) for my beloved nephew and niece.

Thanks for dropping by!  Have a good weekend, y'all!