Update

Thank you to everyone for your good wishes for my Tiger. She is doing very well, wanting to roll and rub her back, which she can now do as we went and had the stitches removed this afternoon. Now if her hair would just grow back faster so I don't have that constant reminder of the incident.

I do have some stitching finishes, just don't have pictures to show. We had heaps of snow this week, so I had loads of time to stitch. I got Groundhog Day done and Hope Perches by The Sampler Girl . I forgot I had ordered this and when it came in the mail yesterday I started it right away and got it done by evening. I want to finish it off into a pillow as shown on the pattern, just don't know if I have enough of the right fabric on hand. May have to go shopping :)
I'll post the pictures tomorrow.


These Totem Poles greet visitors to Stanley Park. Please take a stroll through this link, you will be amazed at the beauty of this park, it sure brought back some great childhood memories of my visits. I just may have to find some time this summer to go again.

Tiger and Stitches

BEWARE, long story, no stitching of our kind and photo at end not so pleasant.

I woke up this morning and thought it feels like an off day, something just wasn't right. Took Mom to Tim Horton's for coffee and was thinking about how I was going to spend the day after I took Tiger to Trout Lake. Mom settled that for me, asked if I would drop her off at a friends and pick her up on my way back. No problem. Dropped her off, stopped and bought treats for Tiger, gassed up the car, got to Trout Lake and decided to park in the west parking lot instead of going to the north parking lot (where I usually park), mistake #1. We started walking and as I was nearing the south end of the lake I saw a city truck and a women with 6 dogs. My first instinct was to put Tiger on her leash (this end of the lake is not off leash for dogs) , realized they were just chatting and were not animal control, but park workers, so didn't bother with the leash, mistake #2. As we walked by her 6 dogs "swarmed" Tiger, I got a hold of her collar and pulled her away and walked off. The women did call off her dogs and said she was sorry. I walked a little ways, realized Tiger was out of sorts stopped to hug and pet her, when I then realized she had been bitten on the back. I turned back and in the meantime the women was walking off in the other direction. I walked as fast as I could and started yelling for her to stop as I needed to talk to her. I must have yelled this out about 3 times, saying lady in the black coat with the white dogs, so she would know it was her being asked to stop. By this time I am getting very agitated and will admit I did use the B.... word. I'm sure she did have some female dogs :) She finally stops and turns around and as I am still walking towards her I asked if she would please come here as I needed to talk to her about what happened, she says she doesn't take orders from me. I get to her and show her Tiger's back, she does say she is sorry, but my dog turned on hers first and she has 3 witnesses. Words were exchanged and I went back to the city workers to ask them their version of what happened. Well they saw her dogs go after mine and she immediately put a muzzle on the dog who bit Tiger. I started to go towards the parking lot and see her heading in the same direction and had this awful thought that the van I had parked next to was hers. I thought this as the van had no back seats and was covered in pillows and blankets as was the front seat and filled with "junk". One of the park workers came after me and asked if that women was still here and we kept looking and finally saw her with one dog on a leash going toward the van. Yup it was hers, the other 5 were already in the van. The park worker went up to her and said that she saw her dog go after mine and that she would be responsible for half the vet bill. Long story short, she admitted "one" of her dogs bit mine but she didn't know which one, gave me her first name and phone #, I also took down her plate number. City worker gave me her name and # and advised me to call Animal Control, which I did after I got home from the vet. Something this women said made me think she had problems in the past with her dogs or at least the one. Guess what, she is "known" to animal control. I need to send in a signed statement, have already e-mailed them photos and they will be going to her house to talk to her. So far the vet bill is 468.42, they had to sedate Tiger and put a drain in as when she was bit the dog pulled and there is a pocket that could fill with fluid, she has 5 stitches in her. Decided not to show the close up I sent Animal Control, it is just too awful.

Mountain View

It may have been cold today, but the sun was out, and it was such a nice treat after all the rain we had yesterday. As I was driving about today I had the most spectacular view of our mountains. I didn't have my camera, so found this on-line to show you. These are known as "The Lions".

I have nothing to show for stitching. Am finishing up my exchange to put in the mail this week. Have two things started, I know I wasn't suppose to start anything new but couldn't help it.

Still de-cluttering my home. It's amazing how much paper and junk I have accumulated. I decided to start with my spare room and I should be finished by the weekend. Once done I can then start moving "organized stuff" into it.

Scissor Fob

I have stitched a scissor fob, front and back and 3 1/2 sides together, leaving an opening for the batting. I had forgotten that I need to add something to hang the scissors on with. Would it be okay if the hanger was just from one corner or should there be something at the opposite corner ? I have looked at other scissor fobs and they all have both corners done. I thought of using a cording around it but don't have a color to match. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is for an exchange and I want it to look really good.

This is Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. I have been there a few times, taking out of town relatives, but have never gotten the nerve to walk across.

Stitching Goals

I have decided not to set any .........yet. I am using January to do an exchange at Hooked on Exchanging, finish WIP'S, some finishing (ornaments/pillows and such), organize my stash by starting with getting my floss back into order. Right now I have floss here and there with patterns here and there, other "stuff" here and there and they are not all in the same "here and there". Clutter may be the right word to use :) I have a huge collection of paperback books that I have read and need to get rid of and that alone will make ton's of space available. I have started my list of stitching goals and it's a bit over whelming. Once everything gets put in it's place I will see what I have or need. There is nothing like pulling out a pattern and and seeing that it calls for a dyed floss that you don't have on hand and yet the model is stitched with it and you really want it to look like that :) It has happened to me so many times. I plan on "kitting" my projects up and am hoping this will help.

Speaking of reading, well I did mention my paperback books. I just finished a delightful book by Sophie Kinsella "The Undomestic Goddess". I could just picture what was being written in my mind and bring it to life. I am now having a hard time getting into reading a Mary Higgins Clark book and I can usually finish her books in no time.

I leave you with an aerial view of downtown Vancouver.

Stitching Bloggers 2007 Birthday Club

I received these lovely gifts from Julianne. My first ever tin finish and I just love the red and white design and the scissors. A fantastic PS Santa ornament. Gentle Art threads and one by Stranded By The Sea in blues which is absolutely awesome, I can just see a bluebird design done in this. A Gold Collection petites kit, which I can't wait to get started on. Some lovely blue flowered fabric and 28ct. Quaker "Country" fabric and a little frog post it. Oh and I can't forget the little gold bag with Werther's candies...yummy !



Post edited to read Julianne with a link to her blog. My apologies for having confused your name with Jean.

Wishing you all the best for 2008

Merry Christmas

Telus TV and A Fib

These have been popping up around town like crazy. First you need to have Fast Speed Internet access, then you can get digital TV through the same access.

I was tired of loosing signal with the dish that I decided to switch. After all you got 3 months free service plus $60.00 in programming credits. It has now been 8 months and I have no complaints. The photo is of the one at the end of my block and I like how they camouflaged it.

I did stitch up the lovely tree design from Stitch Pink and do have a nice photo I could show you, but that would be fibbing. I decided to make a pillow out of it and had it all sewn up nicely, but there was this fold in the back material that bugged me, so I got the iron out, oh did I say I used dyed floss. Yup, the water ran out of the iron and all over the design and it ran like crazy. So I now have this awful looking un-stuffed pillow, I guess in hindsight if I stuffed it well that damn fold might not have shown. Does anyone know if there is a way of fixing this without ruining it even more ?

I recently added a couple of tickers to one of my posts and just realized the Birthday one was wrong.






To those of you who I thought I was a Christmas Baby, I couldn't wait that long. :)

Sammy Snowcone

This design is from Stitchy Kitty . I stitched it on 14 ct. blue Aida I had laying around using the called for DMC and DMC 115 for the scarf. I decided to stitch a back with the date and then stitched the two sides together. I'm pleased with how it turned out, even if I did forget to stitch the fringes on the scarf and put in a ribbon to hang it with. It sits in a basket and looks just as good.

When I looked through the December issue of TGOS with so many nice ornament designs, I decided to do this one. It is stitched on 28ct. DMC Linen col. 842 with CC Cupid. It is a very quick stitch, took maybe an hour. Not sure what I am going to put on the back of this one, but I am going to try and make a triangle ornament.

After all the snow we had Sunday, the Pineapple Express came through last night and poured rain all night long and most of the morning. The temps went up 10 degrees and all but a bit of snow is gone. :)

Winter has Arrived

This is what I woke up to this morning. The first is a view from my front window and the other the back. I really should be out there shovelling it, but believe it or not they predict "heavy" rains for tomorrow. So I am going to wait them out.

Just when I was going to take pictures of my stitching the battery died, so you'll have to wait to see what I have finished stitching.

Snow !!

Not sure how the weather forecaster does it, but snow was predicted and it is now snowing. Not often they are right. It is also suppose to turn to rain by tomorrow.

I don't have any stitching to show, I like to show mine completed and I'm still working on some. I'm stitching CCN Gingerbread Cottage and can't find the 2 CC colors it calls for, so have ordered some. I was working on LHN Snow Bunnies and ran into an error in counting where there was too much to rip out. Wasn't that keen on the fabric, so will start it over when I find a fabric I like, hopefully in my stash.

I've added a couple of tickers to my blog, I've seen them on heaps of others, and like them so took the plunge. I've also added a "handwritten" signature, borrowed the idea from Cathey.

Pillow

This is a Heart in Hand design that I stitched earlier this year. I used DMC CV and Sassy Fabbys. Not sure of the names, but if you would like to know I will look them up. The blue fabric is what I used for the back.
Some of you have asked who the designer is for my "Just One More Stitch", I don't remember off hand and when I find the pattern I will post it here. It's an old pattern and put safely away somewhere :)

I'm Back

Well I never did leave, just wasn't posting. I won't bore you with the whys of not blogging, let's just say I am feeling much better :) In October, I stitched "Hope" designed by Mary Kathryn. That's all I have to share with you. Other stitching I have been doing is on larger projects that are not finished yet.

Surprise Finishes

Yes, I have surprised myself and done two complete finishes. The first is a pin keep, what you say there are no pins, well as soon as I get some suitable ribbon, there will be pins. The second is a pillow. Both pictures were taken with the items on their backing fabric. I am very pleased that I took the plunge into finishing and will be doing so with more of my work. I have also finished a LHN thread pack Peaches, stitched on 28ct. Lugana Autumn Blush.

2 Finishes

Here are two Country Cottage Needlework designs I have just finished up. Sunflower is stitched on 28ct linen called Blue Boy (I think). Peace is from the 2007 JCS Ornaments. I know it is stitched on 32ct Lakeside Linen but have no idea what the color is. I had ordered a sampler pack and there are no names on the package or the linens. Such a shame too, as I really like some of the colors.

Stormy Weather

When I got off work today, it was sunny and clear. As I was driving home it became darker and I could see the black clouds looming ahead. All of a sudden it started to downpour and then came HAIL. I was scared to drive, so pulled into a Safeway parking lot to sit it out. I could see the lighting but couldn't hear the thunder through the hail hitting my car. I have never been so terrified, the sound is indescribable and I would not wish it upon anyone. After 15 minutes it slowed down so I drove very slowly, as did most drivers and finally made it home. Tiger was not too happy, going from room to room and I now have a better understanding of how she must feel during a storm. 2 hours later it was sunny again. :)

$150.90 later....

This is what my poor baby looks like. Tiger looses hair on her back above the tail every summer. Yes, it is a seasonal thing, I believe from swimming in Trout Lake. If she can't get someone to scratch her, she goes under the bushes in the yard and scratches, uses furniture, rolls back and forth on the carpet, you name it she knows how to scratch. This year is especially bad, now she is getting little sores that are bleeding. So last Friday off to the vet we go, $54.00 just to walk in the door, since we are there $14.00 to trim her nails, the rest is medication and the cone. She is on antibiotics and antihistamine, which seem to be working well. She doesn't scratch (as much) and each day is less and less. Now, the cone, not sure why the vet wanted her to wear it, Tiger can't reach that part of her back with her paws. She had it on for maybe 15 minutes and I could not stand it anymore :), She must have thought the world ended, the look on her face was pitiful and all she would do is stand and look bewildered. Strange part is they never suggested she wear a cone when she gets ear infections and that would be when it is really needed. She is my baby and worth the cost, but it will cut into the stash fund.

My goal of finishing WIP's this month is not getting very far. I'm still working on one and I have a few to do. I really what to start stitching something new, but will try and restrain myself :)

Jammer and Floss

I went to Bellingham today in search of the .10cent DMC everyone is talking about and found them. The cashier had to scan each and every 271 of them individually. I always check for Jammers when I'm there and this time they had them. One would think since Walmart is selling out their stock of DMC they would discount the floss cards for storing them. Not so. I'm hoping I have enough on hand.

I am starting to feel overwhelmed with my WIP's and that they will never get done so I am dedicating this month of September to finishing them.

I work the next 3 days, so you probably won't hear from me again till next week.

Happy stitching !

Wanted

This is a cute pattern I got from Creative Poppy . It certainly lived up to it's image, I had to "rip it" a few times. It is stitched on Sassy's Fabbys Gray Flannel 28 ct. evenweave. The fabric I picked up at Michael's and am going to use it for the back. It just may mature into a pin keep. I also have a few small stitches I've done, no photos yet, recharging my battery.