Big Happy Dance!!!

Hi Everyone...

I'm back after a much shorter absence. This feels a little more normal. I've been keeping busy as usual and had a nice IHSW weekend and a nice weekend away in the North Coast of California. That consisted of lots of wine tasting and stitching. It was fabulous! Of course, I'm now back to the grind of work, housesitting and figuring out how to cram everything I need to do in the few hours I have free each day. It's basically impossible!

The good news is that I have a happy dance. I ignored all chores that needed to get done on Monday so I can stitch my way to a finish. I am happy to announce that after 53 weeks of mostly off and on stitching, my Jane is complete and she is gorgeous, if I don't say so myself.

 Shakespeare Peddler Jane Pattison 1806

Lakeside Linens 40 Count Porcelain

GAST Overdyed Cottons (not the called for wools)

And a close up of the final third of the sampler. I just love the left and right flowers. The cream one just reminds me of some sort of Art Deco design. 

While up at the cabin, I made a small start in Mirabilia Lilac. For now, it just looks like a green blob. I started in the middle as starting at the top seemed too fussy with the color changes and that didn't seem too fun right off the bat.

Of course, now that I finished a project, there are a million I want to start. That sounds familiar, I'm sure, doesn't it? Top of my list is BOAF A Very Fine Sampler but as I dug out the pattern last night, I realized I don't have most of the called for threads since most colors call for 2 skeins so I think I will need to wait a bit for that. So instead, I pulled out Mary Wigham. I haven't worked on her since April of last year and am still on Part 5. But perhaps I can make a little progress on her as Jane has me accustomed to working on 40 count linen now!

So there is a lot going on and I'm contemplating a lot of changes. My rent is increasing so I will stay put for now but it's time for me to start researching if home (ie condo) ownership is feasible for me because it's pointless for me to throw my money down the drain if my rent is comparable to a mortgage. I see lots of forms, credits checks, bankers and realtors in my future. Since rent went up, I am thinking about switching gyms to another place that's more cost effective and canceling my cable and just catch up with shows via streaming Netflix and Hulu+. That would be a huge step for me since I've always had cable and am a huge tv addict. Athough, I have to admit that I have fallen behind on many of my shows and have been relying on On Demand and Hulu+ to catch up as it is. Maybe I don't really *need* cable. It would save me $70 a month! All these things make me think that I need to slow things down so I can focus on these things on top of the organization projects I've been putting off at home. So heads up that I may be a spaz in the next few weeks and my "randomness" posts may make a reappearance. 

Hope everyone is doing well and has a wonderful weekend!!

Until next time...

Resurfacing...

Hello my dear blog friends...

It's hard to believe that I've been away from my little space for more than two months. I have no idea how time flies so fast. Much has been going on. I had a lovely trip to Portland and Seattle. Portland to visit a friend and Seattle for a girl's getaway. I do have to say that Seattle feels as much to me as SF does and each time I leave, I pine to be back. I hope to go back in the Fall for a couple days more so I can explore and perhaps figure out if SF or Seattle is where I need to be. So strange to say that. I'm quite lucky to be where I am but Seattle calls to me much the same. Although in the end, it's quite a lot of work to pick up and move a life when everything I know and love is here. Perhaps frequent trips are what I need to visit Pike Place Market, gaze upon the same ocean from a different vantage point, eat delicious food and lust after the hot bartender that made this past visit so much fun. Sadly, he has a girlfriend but looking and chatting doesn't hurt nothing and no one.

Besides the hottie bartender and spending time with my great friends, the next biggest highlight was visiting the Chihuly Glass Garden. L-O-V-E!!! Here are a couple of snaps.

The trip came at the perfect time. It was a wonderful distraction. Since the beginning of the year, I was spending time with someone that I hoped would become more than just friends but after months, I realized that even though I was attracted to him and his totally adorable dog, I deserved to be treated better if we were really having a relationship. So I parted ways and threw myself into dating. So much so that my friends were calling me a "dating fiend" and asked how I kept up. The answer is that you don't. After a couple of months, you get tired, throw in the towel and get frustrated with men. I'm exhausted!! I realized that none of the guys I was dating made me feel butterflies...or super excited. They were great guys. Nice. I could sit over dinner and talk and talk with them. I could have a fun time. But I just wasn't feeling *it*. So at the moment I am feeling quite "ho-hum" about dating.

With working full time, housesitting chores, dating galore, spending time with friends and the usual errands and such, stitching has been low on the totem pole. I get to a point where I feel that if I don't stitch soon, I will go insane and when I get to that point, I'll cancel plans for a night or two just so I can force myself to relax and stitch.

I've only been stitching on my Jane. She's all that holds my attention and since she is a little on the big side and on rods, I can only stitch on her at home. Not like I have time elsewhere anyways. I managed to complete the middle section. She's looking pretty! I didn't even realize until I was stitching that the name on the sampler is more like "Iane Pattison" versus "Jane Pattison". Who knew! I need to pay closer attention.

I've moved onto the last third of the sampler which has the last flowers. This is my favorite section and I am getting that feeling that the project is winding down. Not much farther to go!

This weekend is stitch group and next weekend I am driving up to my little sanctuary in the woods to get some R&R, disconnect from the technology world and get a little bit of stitching done. I was thinking I would leave Jane at home and work on a new start. Over the last few days, I've been slowly getting the supplies together to start Lilac. I've loved her from the moment I laid eyes on her. I saw a finished photo of her on (old) Silkweaver Fallen Leaves which is a soft green-grey color and I bought the fabric ages ago. I think that I can start her in qsnaps and once Jane is completed, Lilac will take her place on the rods. Here is the floss toss. I need to get a move on if I'm going to be able to start by Saturday!

I managed to get a couple of packages out in the mail. Of course, in my rush to send them out I didn't take any photos! I stitched up this Drawn Thread ornie for Carol as a happy belated birthday gift.

I was so happy that it was well received! I stitched it on 32 count Light Mocha Belfast and stitched it completely according to the instructions. The finishing instructions were easy but no matter what, I seem to have a block when it comes to finishing. I am really happy with how it turned out! Carol, I hope you don't mind that I snagged a photo from your blog!

And lastly is my TUSAL report. My jar is woefully lacking in orts. But then, stitching on 40 count doesn't produce very many to begin with!

Doesn't that gigantic peony look gorgeous?! They are my favorite flower and their season is so short. I can't resist treating myself to those fluffy blooms. I'm hoping the big flowers distract from how empty my jar looks!

So I have a couple of things that I need input on. While I was on vacation, Google announced that they are discontinuing Reader. Why are they getting rid of such a good thing?! So I think it's between BlogLovin or Feedly. Any pros/cons? I haven't had the time to research since I've been slammed. Also, how do you write a copyright on a photo? I thought it was Paint but Paint was being a diva tonight so maybe I have it wrong.

I appreciate all my friends and followers sticking with me during my absence. I'm hoping to blog more often but we'll see how things go!

Hope everyone has a good end of the week/weekend!

Until next time...