I'm Back!!

So much time has past since my last post, where do I start?  4 years is awfully long time, and so much has changed!  Unfortunately not much has been finished with my stitching in that time, but a whole lot of starts have been added.  I have become something of a serial starter.

I am currently living in Kingston, I have a wonderful man in my life, I recently had the monumental birthday of the big 40 and I'm just starting to think about what I want to be when I grew up.  I'm still working as an Engineering Clerk for a manufacturing company in Kingston.  I tried my hand at pro-wrestling, but alas I found that passion too late in life.  It is a young persons game, though I did enjoy the physical activity aspect of it.

I am almost afraid to make a listing of my current WIPs, as the list has grown dramatically in the last few years.  So many pretty new patterns, and having been introduced to some older ones that I didn't know about.  I believe my current count is around 20.  I am going to try and make a serious dent in it however.  I have vowed to not buy anything new until at least a portion of what I'm currently working on is completed. And as the wish lists grow exponentially, we'll see how well that works out for me!!

I promise pictures are soon to follow. I will try to get a quick shot of all my WIPs. Unfortunately due to the sheer volume, I will spread out the pics so as not to crash something!!

Bad Blogger!!!

My name is Trista and I am a bad blogger!!! A full month without a post!! All I can say is that I put off posting because of a lack of pictures. I fill I should put a few more up and more often to livin' up the place, but I must remember to not let that stop me from posting completely!! I have been working TW's Fantasy Sampler. A project that my mother picked out many years ago for me to do for her. Just a wee bit late but at least it's well on it's way. Hopefully I will have a picture of it and my progress on Taj Mahal to show soon. I have made the decision that I will not allow myself to start anything new or add to my stash until my current pieces are finished. This goes in hand with my current debt diet. This will not include floss I may need to complete said projects!! The only other exception will be a trip to a not so LNS in Brighton that Rebecca of Rebel in Ontario suggested we take at the last stitching get together at her house. Thank you again for having me Rebecca!! I can't wait for next weeks session!!! Of course onoce all my current projects are complete, I will have lots of fun with lots of new starts and maybe a rotation system set up to work on them. So many charts, so little time!!!

In some non-stitching news, last night was my first class of Belly Dancing!!! Lots of fun was had and I feel great today!! No sore muscles just a little stiff. Which is very surprising with how out of shape I am!! After one class though, I'm ready to sign up for the next class and I still have 11 more weeks to go!! That's all for now, be back soon!! I promise!!

Cross- Stitch, a Zen art form?

Well, my stitching itch is back and in full force. Who knew that receiving a skein of silk and a packet of beads was enough to jump start my interest in Taj Mahal again!! It was the last bit of back ordered items for the peice, certainly not needed to continue but will be needed to complete the project. I plan on a stitch-a-thon weekend as the Pizza Man's kids are home and he is working all weekend. I will be sure to provide a before and after picture for this weekend's work.

In regards to the title of my post, many of my co-workers have ohhed and ahhed over the few projects I drag around with me and once and while bring out during breaks or lunchs. One in particular said something about my cross-stitching that has stuck. He called my cross-stitching a form of mediation. After pondering this idea, I have to agree. I know I can not be the only one who once in a stitching groove, losses myself completely within my work. Everything around me is blocked out and I completely lose track of the time. Such sessions are ended with a feeling of relaxation and a sense of accomplishment. No wonder we turn to our cross-stitch again and again!! Not only do we create beautiful pieces of artwork, that for me fulfills the frustrated artist in me, but we are allowing ourselves to relax and unwind, making for a healthier and happy us!!! Got to love a good hobby/obession!!!

Just a quick drop in!!

Just a quick drop into my blog today. I'm on my last break for the day at work, and anxiously waiting for the clock to show home time!! Not much on the stitching front to report. Suddenly out of the blue, I have lost my stitching drive. I knew it was starting when working on Taj Mahal. I wasn't bored with it, but I couldn't decided where to go next when I finished a colour or section. I thought that after working on it for a 2 weeks straight, maybe I just needed a little break and pick up one of my HAED QS that has been lingering untouched for so very long. I stitched for all of 2 nights on it and haven't picked it up since. I am now on my 5 day with no stitching. Not that I need another project but maybe a new start is needed. I will have to dig through the stash to see what I have on hand. I'm on the stash wagon at the moment until I finish some of my WIPs and UFOs, but I certainly have enough stash that I can start something and not purchase a new chart or fabric!!

Finally some Pics

I have finally gotten around to going to a hotspot to post some pics here!! This is a picture of Elliot the Hero, a Boyds Bear. This guy was done for my uncle who is a firefighter in Markham, just outside of Toronto. The helmet even sports my uncle's own helmet number. I will get him framed shortly and pass him onto to his new owner. I'm certain that my uncle will apreciate the piece. The top picture, thanks to blogger, is my heartache-happy dance from New Years. Taj Mahal Mandala Garden by Chatelaine. The fabric was 2 inches shorter then stated on the packaging, leading to me not being able to complete it at that time. I have since received the supplies to complete the project, and have been happily stitching on it for 2 weeks. The next picture is my current progress on The Three Graces, a Josephine Wall artwork from Heaven and Earth Designs. I was drawn to this chart by the amount of colours, over a hundred. It is a really pleasure to work on, but it will take me a great deal of time to complete. What you see is 8 pages of 36 completed and has taken me almost 2 years to complete that much!

On Wednesday I got to meet and stitch with Rebecca of Rebel in Ontario. I'd post a link but I haven't played with Blogger enough to do so yet!! It was great to finally meet Rebecca after almost 3 years of corresponding online!!! She has a wonderful family and a beautiful home and I can't wait for the next get together!! And it was great to finally have a stitching session!!! I have been stitching for 15 years or so and never found anyone to stitch with. Only one of my friends cross-stitch but unfortunately not often. She hasn't developed the same obsession the rest of us have I guess!!!

Dial Up Sucks!!!!!

I have been putting off posting because I was determined to post pictures. My blog is looking a little bland because of the lack. But as you can see, no pictures!! I pulled out my trusty notebook computer last night, connected the necessary cables to connect to the internet, and expected the process to be long, it is dial up after all. What I did not expect that because said connection was so slow last night, that I was unable to upload my pictures. Or even email them to myself here at work where I could quickly post during break or lunch. So, unfortunately still no pictures. Needless to say, I will be hunting down a hotspot this weekend to load my pictures.
In the meantime, I expect my order from ABC Stitch Therapy to be waiting for me when I get home for work. This means I will be able to re-start Taj Mahal Mandala Garden and I am of course ansty for the workday to end!!
I have been busy working away on my 3 Graces, an HAED design by Josephine Wall. I love the colours and it is turning out so beautifully!! But no word of a lie, in some of those 10 x 10 blocks, I swear there is almost 100 colour changes!!! No wonder it's taken me almost 2 years and I've only completed 7 full pages. I am almost done page 8 so Taj may just have to wait until I have a mini happy dance. And I'm trying to figure out a rotation that will fit all my crafts. A day for Taj, and day for the ladies, and maybe one other cross-stitch project. Then a day for knitting, and one for crocheting. We'll see how it progresses, but it's the only way I can see me finishing anything at this point. I'm turning into a serial starter!!!

New Year Happy Dance and Heartbreak

I hope all had a wonderful New Years!!! Mine was a mix as the title of this post states. I had a happy dance that was also a heartbreak!! I was happily stitching away on Taj Mahal New Years day when I looked closely at the fabric, and how large the stitching area was starting to take up. I had finished the center medallion and was starting to work on the first Taj Mahals, when something did not look right. Out came my measuring tape and sure enough, the fabric was not large enough. Now in all the years that I have been stitching, this is the absolute first time that I did not calculate correctly, or so I thought. With the measuring tape, I found that the evenweave that I had purchased at a Micheals store, was not the size that was indiciated on the packaging. I am throught disgusted that said fabric was actually almost a 2 full inches smaller then the 20 x 27 inches I thought I was purchasing. It would have been tight on the sides, but should have been large enough to complete the project. After a little bit of frogging, I have a very pretty center medallion completed. And with further disgust, I got online and order replacement crystals, beads and threads. I also purchased a piece of fabric that is well oversized for the project so that this horror does not occur again.
So for my New Year's resolution? I will only purchase my needed cross-stitch supplies from online sources. Micheals and other local craft store will only be used for emergency supplies, and DMC when on sale!!
Unfortunately, because of the heartache, and anger over the failed attempt at Taj, I do not have any pictures. It was even a few days before I could pick up any cross-stitch.

For now, I will post my Stitching Goals for 2009

* finish Tah Mahal Mandala
* finish TW Fantasy Sampler
* finish HAED Forest Light QS
* finish at least 2 UFOs
* work on HAED Unicorn and Foal, 3 Graces and Earth QS
* start stash for Egypt Garden Mandala
* start Firefly Faires
* start Bluebeard's Mermaid
* organize all charts, fabrics and fibers in stash
* finish 2 cross-stitch sweatshirts for Christmas presents

Of course with all other lists people make of this nature, I'm sure new items will be added!!
Tomorrow, my goals for January, and hopefully some pictures!!