Seriously....

We have another 4 to 5 inches of snow this weekend... I haven't gone out to find out exactly how deep yet. (Fortunately, my fantastic neighbours shoveled the snow again from around the house, so I may not have to venture out today)

We had 6" of snow last weekend. I'm beyond tired of fluffy white cold stuff. I'm officially ready for spring to start.

St. Petersburg Progress....

Second Freeform Bracelet - In Progress

I wanted a white/cream bracelet to incorporate the vintage buttons, but I didn't want it to look too much like a bridal bracelet. I then found the green, which solved all of that. It's about 3/4 finished, as I started working from the centre out and now need to finish the ends and add a clasp.

Snow Day & a Happy Dance

We ended up with a lot of snow today - about 15cm (6 inches) so I took full advantage of the snow and stitched most of the day. With so much stitching time, I managed to finish Alhambra Garden!!

Back with pictures!

Here is the first freeform bracelet - blues and purples...

I have....

I have ....

... new frit (small bits of coloured glass) to create beads with
... a nearly finished piece (Alhambra) to bead on
... 1.5 hand knit socks in my newest favourite colourway
... a 1/2 finished freeform beaded bracelet

And somehow I seem to lack the motivation to finish any of them.

Snow's gone....

But it's not quite warm enough to be really warm yet - it's supposed to be quite nice for the rest of the week though.

I've been working out quite a bit lately - the last time I stepped on the scale it was quite a shock, and so I haven't got much stitching or beading done lately. I have been picking away at the white/green bracelet, which is turning out well. Alhambra is still "in progress". I can't quite figure out why I procrastinate more when I get closer to finishing a project, but it always seems to be the way. I also ordered materials for "Cirque des Circles" from Ink Circles, including Dinky-Dyes thread to stitch it with, and I'm hoping that shows up in my mailbox any day now.

Will spring ever arrive?

It's snowing - again....

I'm sure all of the snow will be gone by tomorrow, but it's depressing to see white stuff falling to the ground.

It's been too long

I can't believe it's been this long since my last post - and I have things to share, I just can't get pictures up. My laptop crashed in February, and although I was able to recover everything, I can't get back on to the internet with the laptop, and of course the only computer that connects to my camera is the laptop. It's terribly frustrating, but I'm hoping to get a new laptop and consolidate the laptop and desktop on to one computer.

I took a "freeform" beading class a few weeks ago, and finished a bracelet that I'm rather pleased with. I think it looks like undersea coral - lots of little branches of purples and blues, with some lampwork glass and crystals. Of course, that's my opinion now that I'm done with it, as there were plenty of moments that I *hated* the thing on the way to getting it finished. After I finished, I decided I was back to liking it, and liked it so much that I started a second bracelet, which will be white/cream with lots of vintage buttons and some spring green accents. I'm in the middle of the bracelet at the moment, which means I alternate between loving and hating it. I'm sure everything will work out, but there sure are tons of moments of self-doubt in the middle of a free form project.

In addition to that, I'm *almost* done beading Alhambra. It's now very sparkly, and the small packets of beads that I've had for far too long are getting smaller and smaller, which is encouraging. I hope to be done with Alhambra sometime this week, but again, no pictures until I can get the computer thing sorted out.

Slowly getting back....

Last week seemed like it was one thing after another - my computer crashed, I got a parking ticket and nothing else seemed like it was going right. This week is better - it's finally getting a bit lighter, and a bit warmer, and most things are going right.

I'm *almost* finished with Alhambra - just a few more sections to bead. I'd post pictures, but the camera only connects to the laptop, and it's the computer that is limping along at the moment, and won't connect to the internet, so there's no pictures. I hope to have something figured out soon so I can show everyone. It's definitely been a labour of love on that one, but I really enjoyed stitching it. I'm hoping to have Watergarden done sometime this year too, although I said that last year.

Just there....

Do you ever get so run down and tired that you know you're being cranky, but there's nothing you can do about it?

A life lived.....

I came across this on Christine's blog


Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyworld
8. climbed a mountain (it was a little mountain, but still...)
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the Statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train (I took a train trip through Eastern Europe a couple of years ago)
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the Everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person.
96. taken a road trip
97. been involved in a lawsuit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee
100. met the love of your life

More Watergarden....

I'm glad I picked up Watergarden again - I'm really enjoying it, and it may actually be achievable to finish it in 2009!

Watergarden Progress

Here's my long neglected Watergarden - I finally made some progress on it this week.

St. Petersburg progress

This is part 2 of St. Petersburg - I finally finished all of those eyelets!

My "helper"

My cat is exceptionally curious about, well, everything. She thought she'd take a look at what I was doing, and make sure that I didn't leave anything behind in the move. These are pictures from the old condo while I was packing up.

Happy New Year!

I'm a couple of days late posting this, but I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and all the best for 2009. I'm mostly moved in, but have spent more than a few hours this week moving, cleaning, packing and unpacking. I now remember why I hate moving!

I'm hoping that 2009 brings lots of stitching time. I'm still undecided on whether to get Oriental Harem garden before the on-line class finishes in June. I have several (read: four) Chatelaine's on the go at the moment, but would love this one too. I need more stitching time!

Almost there....

I've got most of the items that need to be moved over from the condo - just a few more things to go. Most of what's left is cleaning supplies - I'll probably go over later today to finish cleaning and get the remaining things out. It's been a long haul, but I'm so enjoying the new place.

It's moving weekend!

I've got movers coming first thing Monday to move most of my stuff over to the new house. I've been in an apartment style condo for many years, and it's finally time to get something without neighbors on all sides. I was woken up this morning before 8 am (on a Sunday) by the sound of my downstairs neighbor playing his bass (or the stereo). There's nothing like a rock band for an alarm clock to convince you that a move was the right thing to do!

TW Ornament #3

This is my Winter/Non Christian ornament for the TW Ornament exchange. The ornament is a net of Swarovski Crystals surrounding a larger (no-hole) crystal. The pictures on this one don't do it justice, as it really sparkles!