And the pain continues..................

My trip to the doctor last week has proven fruitful to a point, I guess. I've been referred to an orthopedic surgeon. I've also been sent to have a knee arthrogram (you can read all about the tortures of it here.). It involves needles - that's good. Sadly, they're all going into my knee. All I can say is ow. I imagine I will find some more inventive words tomorrow around 1PM EST. Perhaps I should bring a gag???

*whimper*

In an effort to not think about the tortures of tomorrow I've been stitching a fair amount. When you consider that standing, sitting and walking all cause pain in various forms, it's impressive that any stitching has occurred. Then again, when I sit, I can sit with my handy ice pack on my knee. This is a very good thing.

For the most part I've been motoring on my last remaining model which I naturally can't show pictures of.... However, I did have some wait around time and hence finished one travelling project and made amazing headroads on another....

Here's the one I finished:







This is the last of a series of 4 ornaments that I've been working on for the last wee bit. It's from the June 2007 issue of the Cross Stitcher. I used good old DMC 310 and the same 32-count platinum belfast linen that I used for the other 3. I really like how these 4 ornaments turned out. I plan to finish the above one with some gold lame (can't find my French character to spell that correctly)-like fabric I've got and make cording in black and gold. I think it'll look quite stunning when all is said and done.

Next is what I'm working on now during those hurry-up-and-wait moments:

Toothasaurus Rex

Design Copyright © Dragon Dreams

This still needs some backstitching, so it's not really finished as of yet.... Soon though!

My little Bryce has been losing teeth left, right and centre (corn on the cob isn't an option right now...) so I decided it was time he had a tooth fairy pillow - especially since I've heard the tooth fairy has a hard time locating the tooth beneath the pillow due to its diminuitive size.....

Then it occurred to me - I've got two nephews who are a year younger than Bryce who are also starting to lose teeth like no tomorrow. So, there are two more pillows to come. Then you add in the two other nephews and two nieces who will all get to the tooth losing stage within the next 3 - 5 years.......................................................

I'd better get stitching.

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Ow, ow and ouch!

$600.

Yes folks, that's how much it took to get my faithless vehicle out of jail, um, the mechanics place. What's worse is that it likely needs another couple hundred dollars worth of work done on it. Sadly neither my credit card nor budget can do that this month. *sigh*

And just to add a little fun and entertainment to the mix, my knee has started acting up again. You see, I've had a chronic knee problem since I was 12. I've done a variety of stupid, idiotic and painful things to it over the years - torn ligaments, dislocated kneecap, etc., etc..... I won't bore anyone with the gory details... Well, after the zoo trip with DS#2's class it started bothering me again - to the point where I saw a dr. about it for the first time in the better part of 12 years. Generally I just hobble along on my own when it acts up and it really hasn't been that bothersome until lately. One anti-inflammatory prescription later and much rest, ice, compression & elevation (ahhh, good old RICE) I was feeling better, but not quite my old self.

This week I got very tired of just sitting around and not getting any exercise, so I thought I would just try some gentle toning movements - some squats, leg lifts - easy easy, no impact and slow movements..... And now I'm limping again and discovering the joys of a bag of frozen peas applied liberally.....

Off to the dr. this afternoon. I feel an orthopedic surgeon in my near future. Bugger!

In other, more interesting and less whiny news, all this sitting about has got me plugging away on my remaining model at a good clip. However, I did decide to take a little break and finish off a really, really, really old UFO from a class I took at CSNF waaay back around 2001 IIRC. I was almost finished but ran out of the #8 perle cotton I needed to finish it - in two colours. I was lazy about getting more #8 and just put it off and put it off. Well, I finally ordered the last of the fibre and decided I'd finish it off.

A Dragon's Quilt

Copyright © Dragon Dreams

Stitched on 28-count Cobblestone Linen by Zweigart using recommended fibres (DMC Rayon, perle cotton, Kreinik #4 braid and DMC floss)

I really enjoyed stitching this piece originally and have no idea why I never ordered the fibres I needed and finished it years ago. Oh well, it's done now!

My garden has moved into hyper-blooming phase and many things are busting out all over.... Here are a few pictures of some of the things that are blooming today....

This is a daylily of unknown type. I rescued the daylily from a friend's garden - she had an overabundance of ditchweed at we call it.... I really love the colour of this lily - very rich and vibrant!

This is one of my Morning Glories. I plant these every year and usually by now they are thick with leaves and blooms. This year they are very scraggly and just not doing well overall. But, I am getting some very large blooms as this one shows.

This is one of my Hybrid Tea roses - Chrysler Imperial. Last year I had a really bad case of black spot on my roses but so far this year they are remaining spot-free and they're blooming quite well, all things considered. This rosebush has at least 4 other buds working their way towards a full bloom. My other Hybrid Tea rose is called Tropicana which was my grandmother's favorite rose. It'll be blooming in another day or two.

Off to get some things done!

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I'm ba-ack.....

Here I am home again after a lovely week at the cottage. The weather wasn't the greatest - it rained a few times and was quite chilly at night but we still managed to have a great time lazing about, playing games and watching the odd movie or two.

Being forced indoors was a good thing for me though as I finished one of the two models I've got on the go right now! I am *so* happy to have gotten one of the two out of the way. Now I can focus on the one that's left and motor through to the end of that.

We came home from our holiday early on Friday so that Cameron and I could hit our local Chapters for our copy of Harry Potter. Things were going along swimmingly until we stopped at a shop to get some black hair-spray (Cameron was dressing up in his Harry Potter Quidditch costume that I made him a year or two ago for Hallowe'en)..... We returned to the van, got in, turned the key - and nothing happened! GAH!

So half and hour and one taxi-ride later we made it to the book store in time to enjoy the fun set up at the store. I had pre-ordered the book in February so when we got there we just needed to pick up a wrist band and wait for midnight. The store had spots where you could get your fortune told, see some snakes and other assorted reptiles, play Quidditch and so on. It was fun and entertaining.

We lined up for our book at about 10:45 - after we each picked a book out to read while we were waiting.... At midnight Cameron set his stopwatch to time how long it took us to get a book and we had one in our hot little hands within 12 minutes and 53 seconds....

Luckily we ran into friends in the lineup who kindly offered us a ride home and Cameron and I settled in to read the first two chapters before bed. I managed to sleep for a few hours but then woke up early to read. I finished the book by Sat. afternoon. Cameron is a ways behind me as he's had to wait for me to finish. :-)

All I'll say here is wow. And I'm sorry it's over.

I suppose I should get on with laundry - there's an unusually large amount of it. I'm sure we only went away for a week, but the laundry pile looks as if we've been gone months!

Here's a picture of the boys out in the kayak. They loved paddling around in it while we were up this time - although you'll note that Bryce doesn't have a paddle. He's conned his brother into doing all the 'hard' work for him..... :-)

I sure hope that my van remembers that just because it's visiting it's favorite mechanic that there's no reason to bankrupt me with repairs...... :-(

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News, views and a brief change of locale!


Well it's been a typically busy time in my little corner of the world. Now that the boys are home from school for the summer, I spend most of my time prying them away from the computer (Mom needs time on the computer too), video games and TV and re-directing their energy to more fun stuff like large Lego project building, bike riding and playing in the great outdoors when it's not too hot..... My youngest DS is taking swimming lessons daily, so that gets us out of the house in the morning and often gives us an opportunity to head to the park for a picnic and some playtime in the afternoon, although it's been dreadfully hot and humid in the last few days, so we've been house bound, but not bored really.


I have managed to put in a little stitching time - mostly in the evenings after the boys are in bed. I'm working primarily on my models - one is almost done! I'll likely finish it in the next week. I did finish one more little ornament in the series of Damask ornaments that I've been working on - whilst watching DS#2's swimming lessons....



And here's the current SBQ!


Suggested by The Wagon (http://thewagon.yuku.com/):

What do you love to do that many people hate? What do you hate to do, but do anyway?

The permalink to this post is:http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/07/sbq-love-and-hate/


I would have to say french knots and back stitch, although I wouldn't say that I love either of those stitches, I can do them with great ease and no bad feelings come with. I don't mind doing either of them - I've actually gotten pretty fast at french knots and can do them in rapid succession. I can do colonial knots as well, which I know may folks prefer over french knots, but I'm faster at french knots. About the only thing I hate would have to be confetti stitching. I hate having a back that looks like a rats nest and often confetti stitching leads to messy backs. I do it anyway though because usually the end product is worth the angst. It might just take me longer to resign myself to actually doing it though.....

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I have mentioned in the past that I'm a cat person and am owned and operated by two little darlings. Here's a pictures of my diluted calico, aptly named Callie. She has an obsession with sleeping with her head on a pillow..... As a result, I regularly have to de-fur the couch she's sleeping on (velveteen + hairy cat = furry couch!)....


We're off to the cottage for the next week, but we're coming home in time to go to the Harry Potter Book Release party on Friday night. Can't wait to get my hands on #7! :-)

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SBQ Catch Up

Well, since blogger is presently accepting posts from me, I think it's time I caught up on some SBQs. I've fallen dreadfully behind!

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June 14, 2007: suggested Jennifer(http://astitchinwrinkledtime.blogspot.com/)

How do you store your WIPs and other projects that you have kitted up?

The permalink to this post is:http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-storing-stuff/

I don't generally kit things up in advance, but current WIPs are usually stored in Ziplocs if they're of a compatible size for that. I also use some zippered bags that came with some curtains I purchased years ago - they're clean, sturdy and (my favorite part) free! I've also got a larger zippered bag that came with a set of sheet I purchased long ago. If a project is too large to fit in a Ziploc or one of my other bags then it generally lives in a pillowcase. Easy to transport and keeps things clean.

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June 22, 2007: suggested by Kathryn(http://threadsofdesire.blogspot.com/)

When you start a new work do you look for something small, do you lookfor another huge project or do you consider your UFOs?

The permalink to this post is: http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-the-choices-we-make/

This really depends for me. If I've just finished a large project, then I may very well kit up and start another large piece, particularly if there is a large piece that has been calling for me for quite a while. I often consider my UFOs or unfinished projects from classes I've taken as they are usually pieces I want to work on but haven't had time to get done. For the most part I think it depends on my mood at that moment.

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July 3, 2007:

Do you consider yourself a "floss miser?"

The permalink to this post is: http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/07/one-thousand/

Absolutely. Or at least I do when it comes to pieces I'm stitching for myself anyway. When I'm working for a designer on a model, I tend to use floss more liberally as I'm far more concerned that the finished product be as perfect as I can manage. As a result, I'm more likely to use shorter lengths of floss and have more wasteage than I would on a piece that is just for me. DMC is so cheap that I don't worry overly much about 'wasting' it, but often find myself going 'for pity's sake, it's only 50 cents to buy another skein!' when I'm stitching down to the last iota of the thread. I'm definitely more frugal with my silks and other specialty fibres - if I've spent close to $5 or more on a card or skein, I'm going to get the most for my money!

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So, why does blogger hate me?


I know I'm not the best blogger in the world. I'm not even funny. Or entertaining. Just plain old boring me.


So why is it when I have a chatty post full of lovely pictures, blogger decides that I'm just not worth having around?


I've been trying to post for over a week. I give up. Uncle!


Maybe another time blogger will let me post pretty pictures. Until then - I have been stitching. Really. Stop laughing.

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