Freeze Frame

Last weekend at the ocean, I was able to get out and work on my photography skills some more. It was a beautiful fall weekend so there were many opportunities for great photos :o) I even dug out my SLR camera and popped in a black and white film.

Recently, I was challenged with a new project...how to display emotions with pictures. Does that sound hard or easy to you? What makes you happy, sad or fearful? At first, I thought the idea would be easy enough but once I started taking pictures and trying to tie them into my emotions, I found it to be a little more challenging.

Happiness seems to be the easiest for me :o) How can this picture not make you smile?

Trying to picture what makes me sad became a little easier the more I thought about it -

Death is a sad thing. It represents a life that may have been taken away too early.

I would have to say that my fear is going to be the most challenging. Most of what makes me fearful comes from within so how do I express that? The best photo so far has been this -

Water would definitely be on the list. But what about those fears that are deep down in the core? How is that to be expressed?

As you can see, I have my work cut out for me :o) I like the challenge though because it makes me think more and it broadens my ideas. There are other pictures that have recently been taken and they are now loaded into my Picasa Album. I hope you enjoy :o)

Where's Hammy?

Don't worry, he's still around :o) Every once in awhile I'll see him jumping through the trees, but most times I just hear him and don't actually see him.

DH has checked the storage shed periodically and so far there have been no signs of entry. Last month DH noticed that Hammy was going into our birdhouse -

Usually this is home to the swallows but since they were gone, I guess Hammy figured he would move in :o)

So, DH and I watched him for about a week going back and forth gathering food. I went by the birdhouse the other day while taking some pictures and something caught my eye -

Yes, the birdhouse is STUFFED with Hammy's stash :o) The swallows are going to have quite a surprise when they come home next year. LOL!

Finish Thirty-Eight

This little guy is called Sailing Dragonlet by Dragon Dreams -

This is a very special freebie that was given out to shoppers during the Sue Hillis visit. Given our situation at the moment, I thought the wording was quite appropriate :o) I stitched mine on 28 count light blue (not sure of the exact color name) Lugana. Let me tell you, my new fabric inventory system is FABULOUS! It sure simplifies my life.

As I already mentioned, we are at the ocean this weekend. It's bird hunting season right now so we've all had to be careful, including Brie -

LOL! She is just the cutest ;o) She's waiting in her chariot (the golf cart) ready to go!

We had a delicious Thanksgiving Day supper yesterday at my in-laws but it's hard to believe that this is the first week of October! What a gorgeous weekend it has been so far. The skies are a lovely blue and the trees are sporting all the different colors of fall.

Last night we went down to the bar and did some fishing. I couldn't believe it when my rod started jerking and here's proof of my "huge" catch -

LOL! This is a mackerel. They have such a colourful top on them. We only catch and release so this little guy went right back in the ocean. DH caught one later on but his was a little bigger than mine. There weren't many bites but we were down at half tide so that might have been a factor.

The tides are very low at the moment so we get to walk further out during low tide. It's neat to comb the beaches for sea glass and shells. I was able to find five or six sea urchins. I'll take some pictures later and post them :o)

I want to wish my Dad a very Happy Birthday today! Remember Dad, pick your age and say you're that forever but make sure you can get away with it ;o)

When Enough Is Enough

Even though I have not been stitching as much lately, I have still been somewhat productive ;o) I finally decided to tackle my fabric drawer(s). I say drawers, plural, because I now have two. I started with one and somehow it morphed into two, leaving me completely clueless as to what I had in them. This is the end result -

In theory, organizing sounds like a good idea but when your inventory is finally put down on paper, that's when you realize you may have WAY too much and that you possibly could open your own needlework shop. LOL!

So now I have the fabrics in my drawers grouped by count. Martha Stewart would not think that I'm "that" organized because I didn't break things down further by grouping fabric types and colors together. BUT, I did it on paper! I'm very proud of my new spreadsheets :o) They show the fabrics broken down by count, type and color PLUS the size of the fabric. Are you shocked?

But wait, there's more! By doing this, I was able to calculate just how much fabric I have and that is definitely the scary part :oS These are rough numbers because I know there are pieces here and there that I have missed but you'll get the general idea. Eighty-one pieces have been set aside because they have been pre-assigned to projects already. They are tagged with the count, type, color, size and project name. There's more...on top of that, I have 184 pieces, of various sizes, just waiting to be used. Now how shocked are you? LOL!

To take things even further think about this. I average about 50 projects a year. So if I add 81 to 184 (this is not going to be 100% accurate) I get 265. Divide 265 by 50 and I get 5.3. That means that I have enough fabric to get me through the next five years. Is that really enough though? If I expect to live until I'm 75, let's say, I still have 34 years to go, therefore, it shows that I need to buy MORE fabric in order to last me that long ;o) How's that for reasoning? LOL!

I'm going to say Adios for the weekend because DH, the dogs and I are going to the ocean :o) It's been a very stressful and emotional week and we really need some down time. I'm bringing my computer with me though! Things are still up in the air here but we're hoping for some good news in the next few weeks. Fingers crossed everybody! I just want to thank you all for the supportive comments you have left for me and DH. I can't tell you how much I appreciate them. As stressful as this is though, we're looking at it like this will be a new change and a change for the better. Okay, a show of hands...how many of you bought that ;o)

You know me, laughter is the best medicine! LOL!

Finish Thirty-Seven

Seeing that I have not been in the stitchy mood lately, I'm surprised I even have something to show! LOL! This is The Plum Berry Sampler by Bent Creek -

I don't know if it was just because of my state of mind but this little project gave me the most headaches. Grrrr! I had to frog the "complete" alphabet because I had stitched it in the wrong color :oS All along I was wondering why it wasn't showing up that well. D'uh!

I made a few changes to this pattern. Mine was stitched on 32 count Lambswool Linen instead of the Touchstone Linen it originally called for. I also replaced the WDW Mulberry for WDW Crimson and used round buttons to match. The Crimson was used for the specialty stitches; Rhodes, Smyrna and Eyelet and this picture gives you another angle -

I detest doing Eyelets! Does anyone have some good advice or hints on how to make them uniform?

I want to thank those who have left comments on my No Joke entry. You guys had me in "stitches" this morning!!!! LOL! The different ideas you all had just cracked me up so much that I was sitting here laughing out loud to myself ;o) Oh how I wish we were able to get a set of these for retreat. Imagine the mischief we would get into... ;o)

Look who dropped by today -

This little red fox has been through our yard twice this week. I believe it to be the same one I saw this past spring. It's not tame but it's not that afraid of being seen either. It's usually odd to see a fox out like this during the middle of the day but the coat looks healthy with no outward signs of disease. The dogs aren't too happy about the new intruder so we have to be extra careful when we have them outside. As much as I dislike foxes (one killed all my ducks a few years ago :o( ) they are quite beautiful and graceful to watch. I even got to see it hunting for mice and to see a fox pounce is just too cute :o)

No Joke

Since things have been a little blah around here this past week, I thought I would inject a little humour into my Blog :o) As my regular readers already know, I'm quite open about various things and when I saw this in a magazine, it really took the cake and I couldn't resist writing about it. LOL! Meet Pee and Poo -

No, I'm not joking! These are actually stuffed toys for children who are learning about potty training :o) They were developed in Sweden and they are being sold there as we speak. They even have their own website!

Okay, how disturbed are you by this? Can you honestly say that you wouldn't mind a pile of poo or pee in your child's room? What if friends come over and ask what that brown toy is over in the corner. Are you going to tell them "That's (my child)'s poo." ROFL!

Since I am not a mother, maybe some of the moms can comment on whether they think these toys would be great learning tools or not. Personally, I can't see it. Is it possible for a child to connect potty training with stuffed toys?

So the next time you ask somebody what they got for their birthday and they respond "I got Pee and Poo." they may not be shitting you ;o)

Knock On Wood

What wood???? That's the problem! DH got laid off yesterday :o( He works, or worked, for a local lumber mill but they shut their doors as of Thursday morning. We thought we knew it was coming but I think deep down we were hoping that something would change and that nothing would happen. This has definitely been a wakeup call.

The wood industry has not been what it used to be and there have been many mills throughout New Brunswick that have closed this year because of it. You've gotta love living in the armpit of the country :oS

Sooooo, DH and I have been running around trying to get things in order. We lost our medical plan so now we have to purchase our own Blue Cross and let me tell you that is not cheap! We won't have dental coverage now and we cancelled our RRSPs in order to help cover the new cost :o( We're also down to one vehicle so that should be interesting. We met with the bank this morning and they are going to let us skip the car and mortgage payments for the month of October. Thank goodness we have no other debt!

I think one of the things holding us together right now is the possibility that DH will get hired on by the Federal Government. Back in the spring he applied with DFO (Department of Fisheries & Oceans) for the Fishery Officer position and so far the process has been very positive. Unfortunately it's a waiting game but there's something to be said for having access to EI (Employment Insurance). That will truly be a help.

DH has gone to attend a meeting at the mill this afternoon so I'm not sure if he'll find out more or not. The good part about him having time off is that there is LOTS of work to be done around the house. LOL! The bad part, "I'll" never get anything done with him around home all the time ;o)

One-Year Anniversary Contest!

And the winner is....

DEBBY ~ STITCH WIZARD

You were lucky number 12! I didn't even look at the list, only the number of comments. Number 12 was picked because of my recent wedding anniversary :o)

I'm sending you an email to get your mailing information so I can get this right out to you :o)

That's right! In another few weeks, it will be one year that I have been yapping on the computer. LOL! To celebrate, I thought I would hold a contest to thank all my wonderful readers :o) I will be giving away one of my pillow tucks -

What a way to brighten a day :o) The tuck is 4.5 x 4.5, with an opening of 2.5 x 2.5. It will not be stuffed. That way you can use it one of two ways!

If you want to enter the contest, please leave your name and contact information (do NOT leave your mailing address!) in the comments section of my Blog. Those outside of Canada are more than welcome to enter :o) I will get DH to pick a name on September 27 and the winner will be posted at that time.

Good luck!

It's Fall Y'All

My favorite time of year :o) The leaves are changing so fast but they are so beautiful to look at -

One thing I would miss about moving to a warmer climate would be autumn. There's just this distinct smell in the air and the landscapes turn into carpets of red, orange, yellow, gold and crimson. It truly is a beautiful time of year here.

This past weekend, DH and I packed up the dogs and headed down to the ocean to baby-sit his parents' house and Cousin Buddy :o) By the time we got down there on Friday night, I was so tired and decided to decline DH's invitation to go fishing. I should have known better. He came back to the house just bubbling over because he had caught EIGHT mackerel! :o(

Saturday was foggy and windy so we stayed inside and just relaxed. Sunday, on the other hand, turned out to be a gorgeous, sunny day so we took that opportunity to get out and do some exploring along the beaches :o) As we came into the clearing of a nearby beach, I noticed two dark lumps at the top of a tree -

Can you tell what's there? You can't really see the other little guy but there were two porcupines! They must have been this years' litter because they weren't very big. If they had been full size, they would have snapped the top off that poor tree. LOL! They didn't really seem to care that we were there but we kept a good eye on them. The last thing we needed was a dog with a mouth full of porcupine quills :o(

Yesterday, I drove to Moncton (a two hour drive) and picked up Lori-Ann :o) I got to see her "creativity lab" and she even showed me her next cross-stitch design. All I can say is...he is SO cute!!!! I can't wait to see him stitched up. We had a wonderful time shopping and then headed over to the LNS, Because You Count, to meet Sue Hillis. I got her to autograph my Two By Two pattern book -

The Dragon Lady, Jennifer Aikman-Smith, was there as well and she had her newest design for sale and on display. Boy, was the shop ever busy! I picked up a few pieces of fabric but I was on my best behavior ;o) I did discover two wonderful patterns in my bag though! A special one, for this event, by Dragon Dreams called Sailing Dragonlet and Sew Many Stitches by Sue Hillis. What a great treat!

Before I headed for home, Lori-Ann introduced me to Tony's Pastries Inc. OMG! If you want a heavenly chocolate fix, this is the place to go! DH was lucky that a piece of it made it home ;o) I also stopped by my Gram's place to wish her a Happy Birthday. I was two days early but I was happy to be able to get down and see her in person. We had a nice visit. I always love going there but always hate leaving :o(

Remember, only one more day to add your name in the contest!!!! Good luck :o)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Remember, you promised me 70 years of marriage so you still have 58 more to go ;o)

I love you sweetie!

They're Here! THEY'RE HERE!

After such a rotten night and morning, I was SO thankful that the rest of today turned out to be awesome :o) Not only did my JCS Ornament Issue arrive BUT I also got the latest issue of Beyond magazine and my name is in there!!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!

From talking with other stitchers here in town and some across Canada, it looks like the ornament issue has not reached our stores yet :o( That's unbelievable since it's been out in the US for at least a week now. Katie, Shannon and Faith Ann take note...here is the proof that I have it in my hot little hands -

There are a good number of ornaments that I want to stitch this year so I guess Christmas stitching will officially begin here ;o)

The third issue of Beyond just hit the stands and luckily I spotted it when I went to pick up my prescription today -

In case you haven't read my whole Blog, Beyond is a fairly new magazine that is solely dedicated to breast cancer. It's only published twice a year. I can't say enough about this wonderful new source of information all in one. It's just full of useful and informative articles and you'll want to read it from front to back. The proof? My mother, MIL and DH have all read them so far :o)

This issue is special though because one of the writers, Michele Meyer, interviewed me over the phone for her piece on Dancing With The Fear. The article looks at the fear of recurrence and states "Don't let the fear of recurrence steal you away from life. Be inspired by how other women have learned to say no to this persistent suitor." I can't post the whole article but this exert is mine :o) "Needlework takes Cathey's mind off of her cancer - especially when she's in a rocking chair at her in-laws' home on the ocean. The Canadian from New Brunswick learned she had stage-II milk-duct cancer in 2000, at age 28, when she went for breast-reduction surgery. A radical mastectomy and five years of the anticancer drug Tamoxifen followed. "Seeing and hearing the waves is like meditation for me," she says."

Not bad for my debut! Now don't go bombarding me with requests for an autograph ;o) LOL!

I want to thank everyone who left such wonderful comments on my Blog :o) You guys are the best! I have some good news for you. My mammogram came back fine! Yay! The girls are back to feeling free. Now if I could just finish up with this awful diet...

Do you want to see what 332 skeins of DMC look like?

A wonderful relative of mine from the States was able to pick me up a load during the ten cent clear out sale at Wal-Mart. Luckily there was still a good range of colors so my back up supply will be good for a while. At least I think so ;o)

Finish Thirty-Six

My boobees are done! LOL! I know, I've completely scared away all my readers now ;o) But seriously, my Boo Bees by San Man Originals is complete -

I just LOVE this design. It's so cute and I love the play on words :o) I stitched mine on 28 count Storm Cloud Lugana by SMF. It's hard to tell in this picture but it's a lovely grey fabric that has light and dark patches throughout. I would love to get more of this color but I'm not dealing with SMF again. Their turn around time is just too long. I'd rather buy from Heaven Lee Creations if I'm going to wait like that.

So what's next on my plate? I really should get back to my afghan now that it's getting cooler out. I want to have two more squares stitched up by the end of the month. Whether that is doable or not, I have no idea but I'll try :o) Sue Hillis is going to be visiting a LNS two hours away from me on September 25 and so far, I plan on being there and talking to her about my afghan. Are you ready for me Lori-Ann???? ;o)

I have all the fall patterns on my list completed except one, Autumn Medley by HIH. I really should sneak that in there since all three other seasons are done :o) I even have the frame for this pattern! LOL!

This past weekend wasn't too bad. It rained most of Saturday so DH and I just vegged most of the day. On Sunday though, it was so gorgeous that we decided to take a road trip :o) Our destination was Cobscook Bay State Park in Maine so that meant crossing the US border. Ever wonder what it's like to be in two countries at once???? This will give you a bit of an idea -

Pretty weird huh? :o) This is a gorgeous park right on the ocean. The campsites are nicely spaced out and you're completely surrounded by trees. I definitely want to go back.

Did anyone hear my screams of joy last night???? PRISON BREAK IS BACK! WOOHOO!

The "Crap" Diet

Another one of my play on words. If you don't want to read any disgusting details, you might want to skip this post ;o)

Okay, so I've had some "problems" lately. My weight has gone down drastically and good food (fine food) no longer gives me the joy it once did. When we came home from grocery shopping yesterday morning, I noticed my pants falling down (yes, zipper and button were done up). The more I pulled, the farther down they would go. Basically, they would have come right off if I had kept going! LOL! Now don't get me wrong...I LOVE the fact that I have lost weight. For at least seven years now, I have been carrying more weight than I should have but my body would not allow me to loose weight, even when I tried. My dilemma, I got rid of all my smaller pants :oS

As I mentioned, food hasn't really done anything for me lately. The cravings are gone and even when I eat something it just passes right through. Do you want to keep reading???? ;o) My only concern is that it's happened so fast. I've lost a little more than 12 pounds in six weeks. I brought it up with my doctor last week and he recommended a blood test and...stool samples :oP When I picked up my "parcel" from the hospital I asked the nurse how "fresh" the samples had to be. I was afraid with my unreliable bowels that it might take awhile. I guess I can relax, take my time and brew up something really good ;o)

What has really caused a problem is the diet I have to go on for the next week or so. I've never been a fan of diets and I don't believe in them. I do, however, believe in proper eating and good food! This new diet has me eating LOTS of fiber, pork, chicken, fish, cooked fruit or vegetables. I cannot eat red meat (and that includes processed meats), liver (no worries there), raw fruits and vegetables. Hmmm... Do you see my problem? How am I going to avoid fruit for that long? I long for pineapple, grapes, oranges... Argh! So what does that leave me? Fiber. Okay, so I'm supposed to eat whole wheat bread all week? Anyone know of any high fiber foods that I can eat? Besides bran cereal people!

As of Monday, the collecting starts ;o) This should make for an interesting week. At least I will only poop in my own house (okay, that's a whole other topic!). DH has suggested that my "collection jars" should be isolated in the other bathroom. You mean seeing a jar of poop first thing in the morning isn't appealing? ;o) DH and I have also entertained the idea of just collecting Brie's poop and using it as my own. I wonder how that would turn out...

Finish Thirty-Five

I had so much fun with this finish :o) I stitched up Pumpkins by LHN -

And I made it into a cube -

What was so neat about this project is that I already had everything to complete it and I didn't even know it! See what happens when you dive into your stash ;o) LOL! I just love the fabric I had for the back.

This time I found a good website with instructions on how to make different bows but my bow making abilities still need some work. I'm such a perfectionist and arranging the bow is such fiddly work that I get easily frustrated. Boy, it's amazing how much ribbon it takes to make one bow. Yikes!

I want to thank everyone for their good thoughts about my mammogram :o) Just to let you know, I won't have the results until next week. I meet with my surgeon on Tuesday so I'm hoping she will already have the results or she can easily get them. Because I go to our main hospital for my mammograms, the turn around time is a lot quicker. Usually that's how it works anyway. The less waiting the better :o)

So how many Canadians out there are holding their breaths, waiting for the Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue to arrive? We aren't as lucky as those in the States but this "should" be the week that it comes out here. I hummed and hawed and finally gave in and got Drema to send me one :o) I'll see if I made the right decision. My only problem is, once I get it, I will get into the Christmassy mood and all fall projects will be put aside. I really don't want to rush autumn out the door because it's my favorite time of year. Plus, I still have a few fall patterns I want to complete :o)

Are you a seasonal stitcher? Does your stitching usually have a theme to it? Do you only stitch patterns that you absolutely love or do you get adventurous and like to try something new? How do you pick the projects you do? I'm curious so let me know :o)

The Big Squeeze

This morning I went for my second mammogram this year. I know, not fun :o( I always say I'm going to be fine but as soon as I walk towards that waiting area, the anxiety begins to show. And the longer I'm there, the more anxious I become. Today I could feel the light-headedness start as soon as they arranged the first squeeze and by the end of it, my legs were just like Jell-O. Luckily I did not pass out. I almost did one time and they had to bring in this "huge" chair, almost like a recliner. LOL!

I've read the joke about mammograms being comparable to slamming your boob in the refrigerator door. HA! That's a laugh! The mammogram is ten times worse. Not only are they squeezing that poor boob senseless but also they're contorting you every which way in order to get the picture they want. Do they not realize that the armpit is not a piece of the body that can be flattened like a pancake? And excuse me, a collar bone doesn't move either ;o)

I was only expecting LRB (Left Real Boob) to be done this time, because of the lump underneath, but they also did RFB (Right Fake Boob) because of the pain I'm having in my armpits. Well, the girls are a "wee" bit sore now and it feels like they have been bound in one of those insane push up bras for 48 hours straight :oS It probably wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the mammogram machine acting up. Figures! I can't just get in and out of there. I think it knows me by now and enjoys tormenting me ;o)

I always feel so self-conscious when I go. Ten times out of ten, I'm the youngest one. The other women always look at me and wonder why I'm there. It's like attending a Red Hat Society meeting but being under age :o) I can practically walk through the whole admitting process with my eyes closed but every time they go through the same instructions. Maybe I should make a sign saying, "Been there. Done that." and pin it to my chest for my next one ;o)

"Fair" Results

Do you like my play on words? LOL! Yesterday DH and I went to the FREX to pick up my items and although I am happy with how I did, it was kind of sad giving up my Grand Champion title ;o) Here were my results though -

Quilt Time Sampler ~ First Place
Gathering Eggs ~ Second Place
Biscornu ~ Second Place
Deck The Halls ~ Third Place

And...I brought home a total of $16! Well not really because DH and I went out for a treat afterwards :o) All I can say is, LOOK OUT next year because Cathey (and Katie!) are coming back with a vengeance!

While we were downtown, DH and I decided to take a stroll along the walking path and I got a chance to get some more pictures. This first one is of The Christ Church Cathedral -

That's where DH and I got married :o) Beautiful isn't it?

The other picture that I'm pretty proud of is one of "The Leopard" -

This guy is right outside The Beaverbrook Art Gallery. DH and I keep meaning to go there. We've both been there when we were younger but I doubt we really appreciated it. Not to the extent that we would today.

There are many places around the city that I have never been but keep meaning to go. It's a shame really because this city has a lot of history. I really should make it a point to visit some of those places next summer. Have you ever tried being a tourist in your own town before? Maybe you should try it too. You might learn a thing or two :o)

Finish Thirty-Four

I never really liked The Prairie Schooler until I saw their Nursery Rhymes series. Big mistake! LOL! Last night I completed Mary Had A Little Lamb -

When I first looked at the picture of the pattern, I had great doubts about the colors it called for but once I started stitching, I began to really enjoy this piece :o) I did make one change though. The pattern called for DMC white but to me it was too vibrant so I substituted it with DMC 3865. I have four nursery rhymes left to do but I think they'll be put off until next year. I've already got my next project picked out and kitted! Woohoo!

I want to thank Irene SO much for lending this pattern to me. It will be in the mail next week Irene so keep an eye out :o)

I can't believe we've had frost already :o( Because we're in a low spot, we get frost into June. This was such a short garden season for us this year. Our corn is only waist high with no ears and the tomato and cucumber plants have been killed by the frost and it's only September 8. Sigh! We did manage to get quite a few tiny tim tomatoes but very few of the bigger variety. There was some success with the green beans and cucumbers as well but we're still wondering about the carrots. At least the frost doesn't really touch those right now. The only thing that has done really well would have to be DH's pepper plants :oP

Now we're back to heat and humidity and my body is screaming again :o( Yuck! Fall is SO close! I know it's just around the corner. COME ON FALL! :o)

What Happens At Grandma's Stays At Grandma's

I don't think there is anything more comforting than being with a grandmother and mine is no exception :o) My Gram is exactly what you picture when you think of a grandmother. She's a very independent, strong and proud woman but she's also kind, loving and she has a heart of gold. I consider her my best friend and someone I can turn to when I need help or a shoulder to cry on. It's been that way for as long as I can remember.

Gram has been on her own since 1980. That's the year my grandfather passed away :o( She never remarried. In a selfish way, I'm glad she didn't. Whether she regretted it or not, I doubt I will ever know. Last year I hit the mother load when I learned about a drawer full of my grandfather's old diaries! No one had read them up until that point so I was more than happy to investigate. The diaries go way back but I decided to start with 1970, the year I was conceived :o)

I really wasn't prepared for what I was about to read. Here I was looking into someone's personal life, someone I can just remember. It enabled me to get to know a grandfather that was only in the first nine years of my life. It also enabled me to get to know that man before he had his stroke. I never knew my grandfather had such a sense of humor :o) It also showed me the love he had for my grandmother. I think he was completely smitten from day one ;o)

The passages that were written about me opened my eyes to what my childhood was like. It brought me back to those summers that I stayed with my grandparents at the old house in McKee's Mills. The mornings I would wake up early and crawl into bed with my Gram :o) I can still feel the comfort when I think about those times. Apparently I come by my sense of humor and love for sweets from my grandfather. This is what he wrote on February 7, 1976 - "Up at 9 am and was met by Cathey who wanted a chocolate bar but she was easily settled with numerous requests until after lunch time. When I went looking for a knife to cup up a Mars bar, Cathey quickly informed me she could break the bar in two and a knife was not needed."

I'm now reading his 1978 diary and I'm getting close to the end. I've been putting it off because it's hard to read about someone's life and know they are dying. The signs were early on but whether my grandfather knew what was going on, I don't know because he never wrote anything about it.

This past Saturday, DH and I went to visit Gram and her huge smile was there to great us as always :o) I love her hugs and she even smells like a grandmother, if that's even possible. LOL! We brought her a photo album full of a hundred of my photographs for her to enjoy. Gram doesn't get out very much anymore so it felt good to be able to bring something to share with her. Along with my parents, we took her out to eat and had one gut stuffing meal!

While we were in the city, I dropped by the LNS and was "a tad" bit naughty ;o) I picked up two patterns and one is thanks (NOT!) to a fellow Blogger -

All in all, it was another good visit with Gram although I always hate leaving :o( At least I know I can always pick up the phone and she'll be there :o)

Bunny Mail

Look who popped in by mail last week -

Karen sent me this little Rose Quartz bunny :o) He "is" little but so adorable! Thanks so much Karen!

Finish Thirty-Three

WOOHOO! My Halloween SAL is complete! Here is Halloween Bunny by Sandi Gore Evans -

I'm not really sure if that's his official name. The reason Shannon couldn't find the pattern was that it was part of the Leisure Arts A Stitch In Time 1997 Cross Stitch Calendar :o)

I got creative this time and finished him as a cube -

This is my very first cube and I'm very pleased with the results :o) I do need some practice with my bow making though and I thought I had an instruction sheet on how to make them but I couldn't find it. That would figure! LOL!

I kind of shot myself in the foot with this design. I knew I wanted to stitch it on black (32 count Lugana at that!) and never even thought of the black spider that is attached to his ear :o( Thankfully there exists spider charms! Whew! It just wouldn't be right to leave him out of the design.

I love the fabric I picked up for the back of this. Unfortunately it doesn't glow in the dark but that's okay :o)

I'm pretty impressed...there were a few of you who guessed my two favorite things but you were still unsure ;o) Pumpkins "should" have been on the top of your lists! LOL! And of course, BUNNIES are a must as well! When I saw this pattern I just about laughed myself silly and I knew I had to stitch it.

So, I'm doing "a little dance" now that mine is complete. Now to wait for Shannon, Katie and Faith Ann ;o)

All By Myself

I did it! I actually went to the movies by myself :o) I know this might not be a big thing for most but it was always something I wondered if I could do. And I did it! Me, Myself and I. Oh wait, does that mean I went with two other people? ;o)

All week the theatres have been playing matinee movies for a toonie! That means two dollars here :o) So yesterday after treatment, I "treated" myself to Shrek The Third. It was a weird sensation being there alone but I wasn't really uncomfortable. The movie itself...I was a little disappointed. Definitely not my favorite Shrek.

On Wednesday afternoon, DH and I were able to take advantage of the cheap matinee and we saw Evan Almighty. Now that had some funny moments! We had a great time and again; I got to indulge in my orange slushie. Ahhhhhhhh.... :oP Seriously, this is the only place that I know of; in this city that has them! Grrrr!

My next challenge? That would be to eat in a restaurant by myself. I think that's going to be a little harder. Does anyone else have problems doing these things by themselves? I tell you, it sure makes your confidence feel good when you can overcome a fear.

Btw, my Halloween SAL is completely stitched! Keep an eye out this weekend for a picture of it in its finished form :o)

Off To The Frex

It's that time of year again. Our annual fair starts this Sunday and preparations are being made to enter some items in the exhibition. I just picked up Gathering Eggs from the framer today and here she is -

Although I am not crazy about this piece, I do love the frame that I chose for her. Whether she will be a winner or not remains to be seen but I highly doubt she will be Grand Champion material. I guess I have to give up that title at some point ;o) Speaking of which, I saw Katie's Mirabilia Cherub entry and she's FA-BU-LOUS!

There are a few other classes I'm going to enter but my entries will be small this year. I usually enter the photography classes but I didn't get my act together fast enough so I will have to pass that up this year :o( I had some good pictures picked out too!

I think it's been about seven years now that I have been entering my work. There is a lot of preparation but I'm still having fun and that's the main point. Although winning money is always good, what I really enjoy is looking at all the items people have created. There is so much talent out there!

If you have a local fair, why not investigate and see if they have an exhibition where you can enter your items. Whether it's a small or big fair, the joy should still be the same and really, this is something that you should enjoy doing :o) A lot of people are so critical of their work that they refuse to let it be seen. I say, "What's the point?" Let others enjoy looking at something you made or created. Don't worry whether people will like it or not. What would the world be like if we all liked the same things? Take a chance. Have some fun :o)

Hammy's Revenge

He's back again and he's determined!

Yesterday morning I got to enjoy watching the little bugger as he was trying out his new plan of attack on the shed. I saw this red/brown streak run across the top of the dog kennel and pop up on the other side of the shed roof. His aim...under the eave. What Hammy failed to realize though was that the roof is trimmed with bent metal. Have you ever seen a squirrel trying to hold onto something so slippery? I just about died laughing, although DH not so much! LOL! One minute he'd be hanging off the siding and then the next he'd be hanging by one arm or falling through the air, legs desperately trying to grab anything that his little nails could hold onto :o)

Has he given up yet? Nope! The last time I saw him, he was heading for the ground. My guess is that his next attack will be aimed at the wooden door :oS

Finish Thirty-Two

No, this isn't my Halloween SAL but a little project I've had in my stash for awhile now and I really wanted to stitch it :o) This is Wipe That Pumpgrin Off Your Face by San Man Originals -

As you 'should' know by now, I am a pumpkin freak...hint, hint ;o) Since I rarely use glue to finish my projects, it took awhile for me to figure out how to go about making the project into a small wall hanging as instructed -

I don't usually work with Aida so pulling threads was not a fun task. I had enough fabric on either side to bring around the back and then I stitched them closed so you can't see the back of my stitching :o) I also did a blanket stitch through two layers of Aida just above the fringe as extra support. I used the threads that I pulled from the Aida so they blend in very well. I'm definitely happy with how it turned out.

I also brought out Noah's Crew for our trip down to the ocean on Sunday and I made a bit more progress on that. Now I have four out of the thirteen pieces completed. Here's what I have done so far (the rabbit was already done) -

These pieces really don't take a lot of time. I should just finish the project but it's a good one for the car since the holes are big enough to see ;o)

My Halloween SAL is in the works and I'm doing well. I don't believe I have ever stitched on 32 count black Lugana before and boy...I'm not sure if I want to again! Oye! I'm a little disappointed with my readers though. No one has guessed my two favorite things yet. I just gave away one hint and I thought that was an obvious one! LOL!

Barking Mad

What do you call a family with only two grandchildren but EIGHT grand-dogs???? Barking mad, that's what! LOL! I kid you not and here is the picture to finally prove it -

From left to right we have Samson (the devil of the bunch), Brie (the instigator), Buddy (the old man), Duncan (the slow child), Briar (the obsessive compulsive), Misha (the gentle bear), Cassy (the long distance runner) and Stella (the shy one).

As you can see, they all have very different personalities. Yesterday was the first time that the eight dogs have been together all at once. Surprisingly there weren't too many scuffles although Duncan decided right off the bat that he did not care for Cassy so he found himself in the kennel for part of the day :o( Brie was kept inside or close to us for the whole day because she is the smallest of the pack and usually gets swarmed by the other dogs. No one is out to hurt one another but it's best to keep on the safe side of things. I'm sure all eight 'cousins' are tired today. Brie has not even stirred and it's going on 2 pm!

So, yesterday found DH and I down at the ocean for a family celebration! My SIL just got engaged to her SO and they'll be married around this time next year :o) We also got to see my SIL, BIL and nephew. They live in the States now so it's much easier for them to come and visit :o) Finally, my other SIL (yes, big family), her DH and our little nephew were there with Dylan being the entertainment for the event. LOL! He even said Brie's name and he's just 15 months old!

The day was very relaxing with delicious food. When we had left home that morning, I noticed that my jeans were quite loose now so I indulged in a few brownies ;o) There were numerous visits to the beach and at the end of the day we all took the dogs for a walk down to the tip of Oven Head. I had a great time snapping pictures and I spotted some Sea Lavender or what we like to call Wild Heather -

This plant is great for drying and it's very popular at the farmer's markets this time of year.

At the end of the day, we had a gorgeous sunset to end the festivities -

Why did we have to come home???? LOL!

Hammy's Back!

And he's MAD!

One night while we were making supper, I heard this awful noise coming from the backyard. When I looked out the kitchen window, I saw Hammy up on the dog kennel swearing up a blue streak and he was looking right at DH, who was at the BBQ! LOL! We're thinking that Hammy just got back from vacation and found out that his winter storage shed has been squirrel proofed and therefore he cannot access his food. He was not a 'happy camper'.

I've noticed that Hammy has been hanging around all week and I was beginning to wonder where he was making his new home. I may know the answer... DH came in to wake me up at 10 am this morning. As usual, he'd already been up and working for part of the morning. While he was out in the yard he noticed that...he had left the shed door WIDE OPEN ALL WEEK! ROFL!

Maybe it's Hammy who is having the last laugh now ;o)

Finish Thirty-One

Here is Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon Mandala by Ink Circles -

This is a freebie on their site so check it out! I really love this piece. I used Carrie's Threads and found them very nice to work with. I will say one thing though...in the end, I only had one strand of the four yards of Purple Pansy (the main part of the mandala) left :oS Towards the end, I was biting nails thinking I was not going to have enough. I even dove into my orts bag and rescued some strands that were long enough to do small areas. For me, that was just too tight for comfort. LOL! This piece was stitched on 28 count Platinum Lugana, my new favorite color :o)

This pattern was on my 2007 Goal List and now I get to cross it off :o) I haven't been very good at following this list. I have a feeling I won't do any better than last year but I still have four and a half months left in which to stitch. Will I be able to do it? I'll hazard a guess right now...nope ;o)

The girls and I are going to do another Halloween SAL. We did one last year and it was really fun! Boo by Dragon Dreams was the pattern we all stitched but this time we've decided to each do something different. I've picked mine out and I even have all the material to finish him into a cube when I'm done! What will it be you ask? I'll give you a hint...the pattern includes two of my favorite things :o)

You Might Be A Redneck...

if you hang your laundry out on your gazebo. Yes, that's right and "I'm lovin' it!" Kim, this may very well be up there with your satellite on the side of the outhouse ;o) LOL! But seriously, I think it works out really well. See -

Now, come on! You don't think I'm going to take a picture showing my undies do you? And plus, you already know that they're white ;o)

A few years ago my 'normal' clothesline broke and DH just never replaced it. I harped, a few times, and even tried putting out just the indoor clothes' rack but it just wasn't big enough for full loads. Then last weekend, DH came up with the brilliant idea of a temporary clothesline and I just about died laughing when I saw what he had rigged up! It's great though because we don't have to run the dryer 'and' you just can't beat that fresh outdoor smell you get on your clothes :o)

We had a few good laughs as to what it probably looked like to people when they drove by. Last Sunday we were invited up to T & J's place for supper and I mentioned the fact that I was glad they didn't come down to our place for supper because of our new laundry situation. Little did I know they had already seen it! LOL! Busted!

I never really did like doing laundry. One reason was getting the clothes to the washing machine. With my Fibro, it's very hard for me to carry a full basket of dirty clothes to the other end of the house so therefore, I rely heavily on DH to be around and do that for me. I have finally purchased the neatest laundry hamper though and I'm SO excited about it! Yes, it is exciting :o) This hamper is divided in three so that the laundry can be separated right from the start. It also has...wheels! Woohoo! It's going to be a breeze wheeling those dirty clothes down the hall now ;o)

While we're on the topic of laundry, what is ironing? I'm really not too familiar with that word ;o) Who out there irons? I refuse to, unless it's a piece of cross-stitch. LOL! I have never ironed our clothes since I got married. My mother used to iron e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, and I mean everything! To me, it's wasted time. If you're going to fold the item and place it in a drawer, it's going to come out with wrinkles so why bother in the first place? Why not iron it right before you wear it? That's what I used to do until I met 'the dryer'. I know, I know, it's not good to run it that much but it's SO much faster :o)

A New Creative Outlet

After a very long and mentally exhausting day yesterday, I was pretty tired when I got home. DH arrived shortly after I did, with a quirky smile on his face and something hidden behind his back. This always scares me because I never know what he's going to produce. LOL! I was completely taken off guard when I saw what was in the bag -

I am now the proud owner of a Watercolors Painting Kit! I absolutely love watercolor paintings but I have never painted before in my life. Well...walls and fence posts, but those don't really count in my book. Nothing artistic about that. LOL! DH thought that with this break I needed a new creative outlet, something of my very own that I have come up with myself. A way to express myself in a different medium. To bring forth how I look at things through my own eyes. I can't even begin to explain how touched I was. My DH believes more in me than I do myself. Maybe this is a way to increase my confidence. I don't know. What I do know is that I can't wait to try it out so you might have to put up with some pretty interesting pictures for awhile ;o)

So far, it has proven to be a great stash week -

Drema, who always spoils me, sent Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Rhymes II by The Prairie Schooler, Captain's Inn by LHN, a piece of 32 count white Jobelan, two packages of Peacemaker Needles (#26 & #28), GASTs (I'm getting very close to having the whole collection!), WDWs and two skeins of Belle Soie (my new best friend!). I was finally able to track down Heart In Hand's Easter Sampler kit thanks to Lois :o) I was also sent two breast cancer patterns, a kit called Hope Blossoms by Cindy Valentine Designs and From The Heart (needleroll) by Lois Mouriski Bear. If I can find a tin small enough, I think I'll attempt it with Hope Blossoms. Katie, I'm going to need your expertise help with the needleroll. Just thought I would give you the head's up ;o)

I'm still plugging away with the last Harry Potter book. There are just not enough hours in the day! DH and I went to see Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix on Sunday night. I have to say that this is by far my favorite of them all. I was on my toes the whole time and the camera angles were awesome! I'm not sure if they have a new director or what but it definitely added to the movie IMHO. Just a note...I must have looked some funny coming into the theatre with my bright pink oversized straw :o) You see, I LOVE slushies but they have to be the "right" slushies. They have these "perfect" slushies at the theatres and nowhere else in the city BUT they never have big enough straws. On recent trips to Maine, I've found these "perfect" slushies with the "perfect" oversized straw. Needless to say, the straw came home with me. I coveted my orange pop slushie the whole movie :o)

Before I close, I just want to thank all of you who read my post "It's Time For A New Boob". Your comments were hilarious and I really appreciate the laughs that you gave me in return :o)

It's Time For A New Boob

LOL! You heard me right :o) I didn't think I was going to post about it on my Blog but hey, I've already covered farts, snot and underwear, so why not add to the list?

As some of you may know, I had breast cancer back in 2000. I had a radical mastectomy of the right breast followed by a saline implant. Because they removed so much tissue, there wasn't much for the plastic surgeon to work with so I was given a Fake Right B Boob (FRB) and my Real Left Boob (RLB) was reduced down to a B as well :o) Well, over the years my weight has fluctuated and of course with weight gain we all know it can add itself to any part of your body. That and gravity :o( Some of mine was added to RLB.

I never really gave the mismatch much thought. I was just happy that it looked like I had two real boobs. I doubt that anyone off the street, that didn't know me, would be able to guess otherwise. But, as 2007 started, I began to notice a big change between FRB and RLB. In the colder weather I only had one nipple and in the warmer weather I was lopsided. LOL! Talk about a dilemma! On top of that, trying to find a bra that fit was a nightmare! I couldn't find the one I was wearing anymore and most of the bras out there had under wires and are designed for two boobs that are somewhat symmetrical. When you can actually "see through" your bra, you know it's time for a new one ;o)

I knew I probably wouldn't find what I was looking for in the regular stores so I started investigating mastectomy products. Going with a breast prosthesis after my surgery was something I never even considered. The thought of carting around a heavy, jelly beanbag didn't thrill me at all. Then, about a month ago, I finally got the nerve to call and see what they had to help my unique, or so I thought, situation.

Well...let me tell you, they have quite the array of products! They have your full breast, partial breast, bras and yes, even nipples :o) DH was quite excited about the last one, dreaming of different areas on one's body to attach them to. LOL! For me, I needed something that was going to increase the size of my FRB so I went with a breast prosthesis that looks like a full breast but it has an indent in the back of it for my bump to fit into. I could not believe the difference when I tried it on. I actually looked like I had a "full rack" again ;o) I can even shift it around in different angles, lol!

Now the bras are something else. I don't ever recall having a bra that fit so well! The only difference, compared to a regular bra, would be the two "front pockets" for the prosthesis and the price. You think a Warner's bra is expensive... I joked with the girls about my new bras, commenting that I could use the pockets to smuggle floss across the border ;o) Once I have the prosthesis and the bra on, I don't even notice it. The weight disappears. It's almost fun to stick out my boobs now. Hee, hee!

The thing that shocked me the most was that Blue Cross covered the prosthesis 100% but would not cover the bras at all. Do they even understand? I mean, how am I supposed to wear my fake booby when I've got nothing to attach it with? It just seems weird. But guess what? I can have a new boob every two years! Imagine that ;o)

This whole experience just seems so funny to me. When I went and picked up my prosthesis, I ended up taking the wrong size home. Do you know how odd it sounds to call up and say that you got the wrong boob in the box???? How can you keep a straight face when they tell you that your new boob has a two-year guarantee???? I asked the girl if there was a maximum mileage as well ;o) You know, the five-year guarantee or 100,000 miles.

I hope I have not offended anyone with this post because that is not the purpose at all. This blurb was meant to be lighthearted and funny and something that I want my friends, family, readers to enjoy reading :o) I know all about the deep impact that breast cancer can have on oneself but I refuse to sit in a corner and feel sorry for myself. I don't mind talking or joking about my experiences, in fact, I hope that someday I can help someone out there that is going through the same thing. The boobs don't make the woman...our souls make us who we are.

Finish Thirty

Wow! If I had stuck to The 50 Project Challenge, I'd be more than halfway through it by now! Knowing how strong my will really is though, I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did to begin with ;o)

I just completed my second Biscornu -

The pattern for the top portion was in the July 2007 issue of The Gift Of Stitching. It's called Sweet Biscornu and it was designed by Periphaeria Designs -

On the bottom, I just made my own adaptation -

I enjoyed stitching this project but because of the heat and humidity, it took longer than usual. This time I used 25 count Light Taupe Lugana with Needle Necessities Passion Flower (#1941). DH had helped pick out the buttons :o) The finished size of this Biscornu is 3.5 x 3.5 inches. A little easier on the eyes than my last one. LOL!

Yesterday the humidity topped 42 C! Thankfully late afternoon brought heavy rain and cooled the outside enough that I even got goose bumps :o) We're in for another humid day today but the rest of the long weekend is looking good.

I'm officially done work until the end of December!!!! Woohoo! I can't tell you how well I slept last night. It felt so good. Now if LTD will just leave me alone for a few months so I can learn to relax, I might get myself back on track.

I now have the new Harry Potter book in my possession :o) I tried SO hard last night to get in few chapters but when I started reading the same line over and over again, I knew it was time to put it down. I'm so excited to read it though! Thank goodness Katie came to the rescue ;o)