100th Post Party!

Never in a million years did I think this blogging thing would stick. And yet, here I am today writing my 100th post.

First off - whether this is your first time here or your 5th, I want to say thank you for staying with me. I know I'm not the most exciting blogger on the planet. I appreciate you spending any time here at all. There are just so many great blogs out there. I think most of them are linked in my sidebar to the left. :-)

Secondly, I'm going to celebrate a bit. If you leave a comment on this post (and only this post), I will enter your name into a draw. I will give you something. I will stitch you something. And, with a bit of luck, I might even make you smile a bit. I have to admit, I don't know exactly what I'll be doing yet, but that's just going to be part of the fun. And, you'll just have to be surprised!

I will close entries to this draw on Friday, February 6, 2009. Please, just one comment per person.

Let the party begin!

Read more...

Am I a *real* Scientist?

That seems to have been the top question I've been asked this past week. You might remember that I'm a presenter with Scientists in School - a company that brings science workshops to children in Kindergarten through Grade 8. I present a workshop on Force to Grade 3 students. I think last week set a record for how many times I was asked if I was a real Scientist. Then I was asked if I have a lab (ummmm, does my kitchen count?), then I was asked if I could make a potion that would make all the kids laugh (I'm a physicist, not a chemist!).... It was funny and sweet and I enjoyed busting some gender biases. Girls can be scientists too! :-)

I've been giving a good number of presentations this month (in fact, I'm doing another one this afternoon, two more tomorrow and a third on Wednesday), so my time at the computer to do stuff for me is limited, to say the least!

My stitching is suffering a bit, but needle is still being put to fabric. I even have a finish for 2009. I think I finished it very early in January, but time has gotten away from me again.

Jingle Sparkle Joy
by Midsummer Night Designs
Stitched on 28-count Lugana - "Metallic" in gold/mushroom by Zweigart
with recommended fibres (DMC)
Find it here.

I saw this freebie floating around the web-world for a while before Christmas and I couldn't resist any longer. Something about it was just too attractive to leave behind! It looks so pretty on the sparkly fabric!

Next up - a progress pic on Nantucket Rose. I would like to try and get as much done as possible on this during 2009. We'll see how I make out:

Despite it's size, this is a fun, easy stitch. Large blocks of one colour make it motor along at a good pace. Hopefully it'll keep moving.

Lastly, I've picked up another CreativFestival class piece. I think I'm going to try to always have at least one class piece in my active stitching pile at all times this year. I've got so many pretty class pieces that just have a little bit done on them. They deserve more of my time, so they're gonna get it this year! :-)



This is Dragon's Lullaby by Dragon Dreams - a class piece from this past year's CreativFestival. It hasn't yet been released to the public, but I believe it will be on patternsonline.com at some point. This piece is nice because I keep feeling like I'm accomplishing something every time I finish a band. I think I'm pretty much at the halfway point on this now. I don't think it'll take too much longer to finish either. Maybe it'll be my next happy dance!

Well, I'd better be off to get ready for work. I can't appear in jeans, much as I'd like to. Maybe I can squeeze out 10 minutes to stitch too.

Keep watching this space - this is post #99. Something interesting might happen next post. Maybe. You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?

Read more...