Where Have I Been Lately?

Beats me!  I'm enjoying my retirement and doing something every day -- I just can't figure out what!

Here is a new needlework project to show off.  It is the 2000 DMC Christmas ornament, which I finally got around to stitching in 2010.  Ten years is not too bad, right?  The photo really doesn't do justice to the sparkly gold and red threads and the detail.

This will go to my newest 'honorary' cousin, Joyce, because of all the nice things she's done for my sister!

A Little Bragging (and some Shame)

In 2005, I took my Dad to Norway.  We had a wonderful time and we met dozens of cousins!  And, I got a wild hare that I needed to cross stitch something for every one of the female cousins we met — all 14 of them!  So here is the bragging part because I finally got them all done (and the shame part, too, because it took me so long!)

"Families are Forever" (Familier er Alltid in Norwegian) for Brit-Elin

"Gunnar" & "Freya" for Brit-Elin's daughters Rigmor & Kristin

"Colorful Rooster" & "Cat Treat" for Aud and her daughter Liv

"Four Seasons Angels" (with the seasons in Norwegian) for Oddlaug

"Victorian Roses" for Guri

"Hummingbird Paradise" for Sis

"Mini Strawberry Sampler" for Rønnaug and "Tree of Life" for Ingrid

"Morning Glory" for Sissel

"Majestic Magnolia" for Thora, who passed away before I could finish them all

"Floral Fancy" for Heidi

I did my best to match the design to the person, so I really hope they enjoy them.  I certainly enjoyed stitching them!  And, in my defense, I did take time out over those five years to stitch other things of a more immediate nature, like baby blankets and such.

That Blasted Blanket!

My best friend at work had a baby girl in July, and I wanted to make something special, so, giving in to my occassional "I want to knit or crochet something!" urge, I purchased a kit called Little Bunny Fou Fou.  It was the cutest thing!  But, before I finished, it became "that blasted blanket!"

I started working on it way back in March, and I worked on it diligently every spare moment I had.  I knew I had my medical leave coming up, so I was confident I could finish it in time.  Wrong!

Unfortunately, I ran out of every color of the baby yarns in the blanket, all at different times, of course, and had to wait for replacements to come through the mail since no one in town carries that brand.  All of the yarns were doubled throughout which caused the crochet hook to constantly catch on the yarns funny or only pick up one.  It was a trip carrying the background color across the back of the bunnies, too!

When I finally had the panels finished and started on the embroidery of the little flowers, I discovered the two yards of each color yarn provided for the flowers would allow me to embroider about 1 1/4 panels, not five!  So I had to get my son to take me to Michael's, not being allowed to drive during my medical leave, and I purchased full-sized skeins of yarn for approximately 10 yards required of each!  Then there was the fun of creating six pompoms from angora yarn...

However, it truly was cute as a button when it was finished, although not in time for the birth, and my friend loved it.  It definitely cured my desire to knit or crochet something...for awhile, at least!  I'm glad to be back to my regular therapy — counted cross stitch.