MVP

MVP...usually what's associated with Most Valuable Player but I like to refer to it as Most Valuable Patient :o) In this case though, I'm also referring to my Mitral Valve Prolapse. Early yesterday morning, DH and I drove to the Big "Town" where I had my Echocardiogram. My new Cardiologist, Dr. C, wanted to check up on my heart since it hasn't been done for a number of years. He was hoping this test would be good enough so that I didn't have to swallow that damn camera again >:o(

The results came back positive in that I'm still in the "moderate" rage (the rating system ranges within low, moderate or high) and my heart is working alright even though it's got a bum valve ;o) I got to do the usual fun stuff like watch my valve on screen and then seeing how much blood got regurgitated back. The woman doing the test was telling me that things have come a long way since I was diagnosed back in 2005. If I was rated a high moderate at this point, my valve could be repaired. That works for me! I'll take repair over replace any day :o)

When we returned home, we picked up the mail and I was so excited because there was a package there for me. It was my birthday order from SNT -

Ahhhhh... It was pure bliss going through and touching my new stash. It's been a long time since I've seen a decent haul. The Crossed Wings fabric is just gorgeous! Expensive but gorgeous! Thank you girls for making this happen :o)

I've been a little bad and started a new project about a week ago :oS I really have to examine my head again and see just how many holes I have in there... This is my start of Birds & Berries by The Prairie Schooler -

It looks a little bland right now but I hope once I get the leaves and berries put on there, it will spruce things up a bit.

That leaflet contains four bird patterns and I'm going to stitch them one on top of the other. I hope it will look good when complete.

One last thing before I go, check out Jolene's current giveaway! Now who doesn't like Jane Austen? Good luck!

Nothing But Blue Skies

This was my day today -

Absolutely beautiful in every way. The sun was shining, the temperature was hot but there was enough of a breeze off the water to make it enjoyable :o)

Since moving here to Nova Scotia, I still can't get over the fact that I have beaches just minutes away and sometimes I fail to take advantage of that. The beaches around here all have pure white sand. When your bare feet first hit the hot crystals, they sink down deep, wrapped in warmth. Then, as you walk towards the water, the cool compact sand awaits to cool off your tootsies.

I don't think there is anything better on a hot day than wading in cool salty water, with the waves lapping up against your legs. The sand underneath your feet almost comes alive, like liquid, as it pours away from below your feet, just as if you were standing in actual quicksand. It's such an odd sensation but almost soothing.

When I venture out on one of these journeys, this is when my inspiration really hits. The television, telephone and computer are all left behind and what you are left with is just nature itself. I just can't see enough of the things that surround me. I know some people must really wonder about this odd woman and her camera, who seems to be taking pictures of nothing. Good thing I don't have the two idiots in tow! LOL!

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to vote and giving me your input about naming my photographs. Things are really coming together now :o) Unfortunately I cannot post any of the pictures until I can get them watermarked. I do apologize to those that are interested :o(

In the end, I have decided to name each picture and the name will be placed on a label, attached to the backboard form. I'm still up in the air about my signature but it "will" be on there somewhere. Now off to write up a little bio of myself and that should wrap everything up :o)

Opinions Please!

Okay, I'm going to let the monkey out of the bag. He's been in there far too long and plus, isn't that cruelty to animals? ;o)

Seriously though...over the past month, I have been getting my photographs together in order to sell them :o) I'm going out on a limb and I'm going to expose a part of me that only few get to see. Nerve racking...yes. I'm not sure how they'll do but I've got to start somewhere, right?

I've done the math, bought presentation kits and spoken with a few shops. As I write this, I'm putting the final touches on getting everything together but I'm stalling. My problem? DH thinks that my photos should have names. I'm going to sign and date each picture on the bottom right hand corner of the mat. He believes the name should go on the bottom left hand corner of the mat.

I can see his logic when it comes to some of the pictures. Like...the church in Mahone Bay. Very famous for photos. But then we come to my other pictures that are classed as art. They don't have names and nor do I want to give them names. I want them to speak for themselves. But this is just MY opinion as the photographer.

So...I'm asking, pleading, begging for your help :o) On the right hand side of my Blog, I have placed a survey that is set up for a 24 hour period and I want YOU to vote. Even if you don't leave me comments, at least give me a quick answer to this troubling question. Just think, if you were the buyer of my photography, would you want each individual picture named?

Thank you :o)

Julie & Julia

DH and I went to see this movie on Friday afternoon :o) We'd been waiting for this to come out. DH was the one that brought the movie to my attention, so for his birthday at the end of July, I bought him the book. He seems to be enjoying it because every once in awhile, I'll hear him chuckling. Unfortunately he didn't get to finish the book before he saw the movie but he was okay with that.

They did an excellent job of paralleling the lives of the two main characters. Check out Julie's real Blog! I learned a lot about Julia Child too. There were many things I never knew about her. I didn't even know that she was married! And what can I say; Meryl Streep did a brilliant job of capturing Julia. DH says there is so much more in the book and you get to know the characters a lot better. I'm next in line to read it ;o)

There's something fun about going to a movie on a weekday afternoon. Not only were there very few people there but we were in one of those awesome theatres with the comfortable seats. To top that off, I even got my slushie!!!! Do you know how long I've waited to have one of those???? Pure bliss...

Did I happen to mention that Stanley Tucci acts as Julia Child's husband in the movie? Stanley Tucci. Tucci :o)

Sixth Finish For 2009

That's right! Beach Cottage by Country Cottage Needleworks is complete -

So pack your bags girls because the sand and ocean await you :o)

This was such a fun design to stitch. I'm going to have to dig in my stash to see if I have a frame to fit. That would be the most economical way. I know I have a few frames but what are the chances? LOL!

Since DH and I have moved here, the beach and the ocean have become a big part of our lives. The dogs love going to the beach and acting like complete idiots ;o) Duncan will venture out into the water only so far but little Brie still has her great swimming skills although she doesn't use her back legs while doing so. After she gets out of the water, she runs up and down the beach like a lunatic. LOL! I'm not sure if she's trying to warm up or if the water was that invigorating. You should see her belly though! It went from pink to almost black. Yup, our little girl LOVES to lie in the sun.

The other night I noticed that we are consuming a lot more seafood in our diet. And how could we not when we can eat this whenever we want -

That is one huge bowl of soft shell clams :o) Yum! Shelling and cleaning them is not so fun but boy they taste good. DH has also brought home fresh scallops and fish. We still eat red meat from time to time but not as often as we used to. Chicken still remains high on the list but I'd say it's second to seafood now. I guess that's a good thing.

Well...SHE DID IT! SHE DID IT! Stargazer brought home a first from the Exhibition!!!! On the back of my entry tag the judge wrote "Excellent work". I feel like a proud momma :o) I'm not sure if they have a Grand Champion for cross stitch here and since we didn't go to the Exhibition during the week, I wasn't able to see. That's okay though because I'm happy with the results :o) Unfortunately my photography didn't do well but like DH said, you don't know what the judges were looking for and I went out on a limb with my entries.

It's going to be another scorcher of a day :oP Yuck! The dogs and I just might be hitting the beach again. What a hard life. LOL!

Sandy Beaches

Progress on the Beach Cottage really accelerated this past week -

The landscaping was completed after a trip to the local nursery. I found some lovely pink Cosmos to put along the front. I love the way they sway in the breeze :o)

Since we didn't want to ruin the precious sand dunes, a board walk was constructed and then extended into the water. On hot days, it's nice to be able to sit at the end of the dock and dangle your feet in the cool ocean. Plus we needed something for the giant seagulls to sit on. LOL!

Well, I took the plunge and I'm anxiously awaiting the results. It's nail biting actually. I found information on a local Exhibition (fair) and was able to meet the deadline two weeks ago. Two of my pictures we're entered into the photography class and in the cross stitch class...Stargazer made her debut :o) I have no idea what the competition is like down here but I'll know by tomorrow night when I go and pick up my items!

Wish me luck :o)

The Inability To Navigate IS Inherited!

I went to the big city (Halifax) yesterday to see my ENT again. By 'myself' this time... DH went over the map with me the night before and it looked pretty straight forward. This is the road you'll be on and this is the exit you'll take. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Sure, okay, I can do this!

So, yesterday I'm driving along and I'm getting closer to where I'm supposed to turn off. What? Where's Exit 1? There was no Exit 1! That's fine, maybe I just have to drive a little further. Nope! The next thing I know, I'm driving towards Bedford. Crap! It's a good thing I left early.

Why do directions on paper always look so much easier? I always tease Mom that she could get lost in her backyard but it looks like I may have inherited this trait :oS In case you're wondering, yes I did manage to get to where I was supposed to go, after about a half dozen illegal U-Turns :oP

The appointment with the ENT was just routine, although he is not thrilled that I'm having so much pain in my jaw. I'm still waiting for the call to see the TMJ specialist. I am getting a new bite plate from my dentist but that will only help prolong the damage and not fix it. But first I need to stop being a weenie and get myself in there to have a few fillings done :o(

After my appointment, I got to spend a little time shopping :o) I picked up a really cute beach linen dress by Columbia but do you think that I could find a picture online to show you? Argh! What I can show you though is my new pair of pink ribbon scissors -

While I was at Fabricville picking up our new curtains (yay!), I spotted these at the cash. They're by Triumph and with my discount; I paid around $4 for them. Not an expensive scissor but one I can add to my collection :o)

So the big question remains...did I find my way home? LOL!

Landscaping Setbacks

Progress on the Beach Cottage continues, although it was almost at a snail's pace until just a couple of days ago. Due to inclement weather, the landscaping had to be put on hold for almost a week. Rain seems to be the flavour of the summer around here, with only a handful of really warm days thrown in.

The trees now have their leaves and the lawn has been put in -

I can sit on the front steps and the beach is just within reach :o) I'll have to start planting the flowers soon if I'm going to enjoy them at all this season. I guess I'll have to see what the garden centers have left. LOL!

Thank you for all the lovely comments on the house pictures. I truly do appreciate them and I'm happy that you've taken the time to stop by. If you have a minute, click on my fish pond and feed the fish :o)

Open House Part 4

The tour continues! I gave you a peek of the kitchen in Part 1 and now it's clean enough that I can share the rest of it with you ;o)

First up is the cooking area -

This is DH's domain. We invested in a propane/gas stove and so far, I haven't blown up the house ;o) But then again, I don't do a lot of the cooking. LOL!

If you go to the left of the picture, that will take you to the half bathroom and my stitching room :o) To the right of the picture, is the dining room and patio doors that lead out to the deck.

Here is the clean up area -

See those cacti? DH and I grew them from seeds when we first met. He says when they die, then so does our marriage. I've been trying to kill those things for years now but they're quite resilient! I guess that says something ;o)

Now that we have our new furniture, I can show you those rooms as well. They're not complete by any means so they're a bit sparse.

Take a view of our new living room -

I LOVE this furniture! Looks like leather doesn't it? It's not :o) They call it a 'leather-like' fabric.

We'll need to add some color to this room -

So far I've added The Quiltmaker. Hey, it's a start!

Finally we have our new 'media' room -

DH and I took the third bedroom, removed the closet, and now it's our new room where we veg after a long day :o)

Here is my side of the sofa -

This is THE perfect sofa. DH has a recliner on his side and I have a chaise on mine. It's a win-win situation :o) If you're wondering what that piece of wood is that's up in the air, it's actually the arm of a lamp. I found this table at an antique store in town. DH just needs to re-wire it and I'm good to go. I even bought an Ott-Lite bulb for it so my original Ott-Lite can stay in my stitching room.

Ahhhhh...notice that I have not put up pictures of my stitching room yet. I guess you're just going to have to wait around and see ;o)

A Super Giveaway!

Check out Dip Diddly Designs for her first giveaway. She's got some lovely things there so please take a spin over and have a visit :o)

Meet Willy!

What can I say...my needle felting class was a blast!!!! I wish I had known how easy and fun this was long before now. LOL!

The class was held in an old mill that was used to process wool. The grounds were lovely, with a pond full of ducks and a waterfall gliding over huge boulders. Inside the mill, there were many of the old machines that were used to mill the wool brought in by the shepherds.

There were at least seventeen ladies in attendance and as usual, there was no one there around my age. What else is new? LOL! I came prepared with my two inch upholstery foam and was then given a needle that was four inches in length! We were then informed that there were plenty of band aids available if need be :oS

Needle felting a three dimensional object is pretty basic when you break it down. You create each part separately and then join them together. Wool is bunched together and then jabbed with a needle, condensing it while you are trying to form your piece. The main thing is not to accidentally jab your fingers in the process. I did a few times and it hurts! Luckily, my jabs didn't break the skin.

I knew that we were going to be creating an animal but I didn't know it was going to be a sheep until I got to class. So everyone, I want you to meet Willy -

Willy is made from 100% wool from Nova Scotia :o) His curly locks are real ones sheered from a sheep.

Handsome, isn't he? ;o) I think now that I know what I'm doing, I might actually be able to buy this kit, or maybe this one :o)

If you have been waiting for my sale's list to go up, I apologize that it's been late but it IS up now! Just head over to the Market. There is still a bit of fabric to go up and unfortunately it won't be until later in the week. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

The Beach Cottage

I've really been holding out on you all because I haven't told you about the latest construction project that has been going on ;o) Over the past few days, the workers finally finished up our new beach cottage -

What do you think? I love the blue door. Very fitting for the decor. Speaking of decor, the inside is being done as we speak. We've gone with whitewash boards throughout the back part of the cottage that looks onto the ocean. It will be accented with blues and reds. The floors are all done in stone, with in-floor heating, that will give some warmth to the place. There will be plenty of comfy chairs and sofas to sit and stitch on ;o)

As you can see, the landscaping is being worked on now. I didn't realize that a tree trunk could be planted and the leaves added later on. LOL!

Some of you asked what color I was using to stitch The Bramble & The Bush. I chose Shortcake by Threadworx. If you look on their site, the sample picture does not show enough green. Don't worry; I will keep trudging on with that piece. I just needed a bit of a break.

Guess what I'm doing on Saturday???? I'm taking a needle felting class :o) I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it advertised in the paper! And we'll be making animals too. I'm so excited! Maybe this is my chance to meet other stitchers. Maybe.

One last thing before I go, I've been going through my stash and will have quite a bit of stuff going up on my Market Blog in the next day or so. There will be a lot of fabric, mostly Aida (14-22 count), some magazines, patterns and a beautiful black trinket box. So keep your eyes peeled :o)

Contest At Violarium!

You don't want to miss out on this -

Check out Violarium's Blog on how to enter this fabulous contest :o)

Yes, This IS A Cross Stitch Blog Too!

Oye! I thought that I had better post a picture of some cross stitch soon for fear you all might think that I had completely given up on the hobby ;o) HA! No worries there! Although I have to admit that I have not had as much time as I would have liked lately :o(

You probably don't remember, because this was 'awhile' back, but I mentioned that I had a wee bit of startitis. What could possibly have brought this on you ask? Well, I had 'just' gotten my June issue of The Gift Of Stitching when I feel madly in love. On the cover was a new piece by Ink Circles called The Bramble & The Bush. I immediately knew what I was going to use to stitch it with and here is the result so far -

I know, I know, I haven't gotten very far and for some reason this project is going much slower than I would have hoped. Maybe if I could stay up past 8pm, I'd have better results ;o)

I might have a problem though. Because of my quick jump to start this piece, I think I may end up short on fibers at the end :oS Perhaps if I were wise, I'd order another skein now and avoid any panic towards the end, seeing that the end will probably be in another five years. I DID say if I WERE wise ;o)

If anyone is keeping track, yes this is the second Ink Circles piece that I have on the go. Bad, bad, bad, bad! What is it with me and big projects???? Maybe now that I have my new stitching chair, things will go much faster. Ahhhh...you'll just have to wait and see ;o)

Open House Part 3

Today I'm going to share with you another favourite room in my house :o) This is our dining room -

Not only do I love the furniture but I also love the fact that DH and I can actually sit down at a table and have a meal. For years we've been eating suppers in front of the television so this is a wonderful change. We also have a beautiful view of our backyard through the patio doors.

My shamrock plant seems to love this room as well -

We've also hung some important pieces on the wall. In this picture you can see a print that we picked up in Bar Harbour, Maine. It's called The Wedding Night and it's by Russel Dalessio. You should check out his work. We visit his studio every time we visit the island.

The other piece on the wall is by yours truly -

It's a picture I took down here. I enlarged it and combined it with a frame that my in-laws gave me. Now it looks like you're looking out a window :o)

The china cabinet, or what they call a server, was an excellent purchase. We bought sight unseen and luckily it matched out dining room set perfectly! It's got loads of storage and now I can see all my pretty crystal pieces :o)

Here's one last look -

I hope you enjoyed another open house. Our new furniture arrived today so as soon as I get those rooms looking respectable, I'll bring you on another tour :o)

Before I sign off I want to share with you another typical Cathey adventure of 'What Not To Do'. DH was working last night so it was my job to take the dogs out to do their final business before I went to bed. So, at 11pm, I took them out the side door. Duncan did his job right away so I let him back in the house. Brie, as usual, was taking her sweet old time.

Somehow and for some reason, I ended up closing the door. What's so wrong with that you might wonder? Well, our doors lock automatically 'unless' you unlock them yourself. Yup, that's right; I locked myself OUT of the house IN my pyjamas with one dog in the house and the other outside with me!

I looked in the window and pleaded with Duncan to open the door. His response? He walked downstairs to bed. Great! And then I thought, I have a cell phone...I'll call DH! Said cell phone was 'inside' the house. Then I thought, I'll just climb in the car and wait for DH to get home (it was only going to be another couple of hours). That's not possible when your keys are 'inside' the house.

Accepting defeat, I walked over to our next door neighbours' place, with much hesitation mind you because these are people I hardly know. Imagine their surprise when I knock on their door and there I am in my pyjamas, holding a wiener dog. You can stop laughing now!

So, always make sure you have an extra key handy for such instances ;o) I asked DH how long he thought it would take for this news to get around the neighbourhood and his response - "It already has."

Open House Part 2

See, I told you that I'd be back ;o) I wasn't going to make you hang there too long. LOL! Today, you'll be touring the bedrooms.

First off is the master bedroom -

Yes, that is Taz in the window. LOL! We don't have curtains yet and he happened to be the first thing I grabbed to put up. The neighbours haven't said anything so I guess he stays :o)

For the first time since we've been together, we have actual bedside tables -

And they're solid wood! We were so pleased to find them. Now we just have to find some lamps...

DH installed the fan light that you see -

I insist on having one in the bedroom for those hot nights. Hot 'weather wise' people!!!! Get your mind out of the gutter ;o)

Next is the guest bedroom -

Mom made the quilt on the end of the bed and she also made the pink ribbon one in the back corner :o)

Pictures are starting to be put up on the walls -

Do you see who's on this wall -

Stargazer has emerged from her packing and she's okay :o) I have put Angel of Grace in my craft room and I'm still debating where to put The Quiltmaker. I just got word this morning that they are going to deliver our furniture on Wednesday! About time >:o(

So keep your eyes open for more open houses. I'm past the halfway point in my Blog reading so if I haven't been to your Blog yet, I will be! I'm hoping with the newly downloaded Google Chrome, I'll be better able to see some of your Blogs. What's up with IE anyway????

Open House

Since there are certain people, ah-hum...namely Nancy, that cannot wait to see pictures of our new house, I will allow a few sneak peeks ;o)

Unfortunately, the furniture we ordered is still NOT here and our curtains won't be ready until mid-July, but there are a few areas that I can open up to you and maybe entice you to come back. LOL!

This is part of my kitchen -

I absolutely love our new fridge. Having the freezer on the bottom really makes a big difference. See the garbage can? That is DH's baby. He searched high and low for that thing and all because it doesn't slam shut. Just don't ask how much it cost...

Luckily, we did find some blinds that we liked for the two big windows on the side -

Note: take the time to check out the price of the item you are purchasing BEFORE you purchase it ;o)

Now I take you to the main bathroom -

This is one of my favourite rooms in the house. I never would have picked out grey for a bathroom but I love it, I really do. I find it quite striking. My plan is to hang some of my black and white photographs in there.

This really is a good size bathroom, considering the size of our house. There's a huge countertop with a beautiful vessel sink. The jars on the left are filled with shells I have gathered since we've been down here :o)

In this picture, you can see the shower curtain that I ironed (LOL!) and the upstairs hallway. We have the same porcelain tiles in the bathroom as we do in the kitchen. The flooring upstairs is all original and gives the rooms such character.

So, that's the end of our tour for now. Don't worry; I'll be back with more pictures! I'm just giving you a little taste so you will come back. I would like to see the number of followers increase. I'm wondering if I scared some of them off ;o)

Thank you for all your comments. I love reading each and every one :o) I am back to reading Blogs so please know, I will be visiting your Blog soon and leaving my comments!