Exhausted

Tamara is not well, as soon as she gets better, another infection pops its ugly head up. I'm worried for her health, not just because of the illnesses, but also the whopping amount of medicine she has been taking recently.
To top it off, my sleeping disorder is back, so I get hardly any rest. I am trying to use the unexpected extra time productively. I'm re-reading some of the classic books that were mandatory literature in school, but being too young, I failed to understand and thus appreciate them. I'm reading Madame Bovary and next on my list is Catch 22.
I have done some stitching too. I spent two weeks under the spell of Red. It was weird but fun. I couldn't even think of another project. I still keep it nearby, but now I'm working on a Lanarte kit I started about a year ago. Nowadays I'm too tired to enjoy stitching. I make myself do it because the alternative would be sitting numb in a corner, staring in the distance and drooling quietly.

Tulip sampler SAL

Here is a progress picture of my latest project, a folk art style sampler of tulips. The chart was designed by a Hungarian lady, it is available for download on her blog in four languages, if you want to join the SAL, just click here and you can start stitching!

I'm working on 36 ct white evenweave, 2 over 2 with various hand dyed threads. I'm using more colours than what the chart calls for, simply because I may not have enough floss to finish the design with just one skein of each, and I can't afford purchasing more floss at the moment. Yep, still unemployed. But I'm stitching and positive.

...why not?

Aaand I have joined another SAL, because why the heck not? It's a Hungarian folk style chart, still available for download on THIS link. It looks absolutely beautiful and I encourage everyone to join us. There is also a Facebook group for the SAL, should you be more comfortable or familiar with that format. I know I will choose different colours, not sure what kind, but I cannot wait to sink my needle into this design!

Just the pictures

Progress and S.E.X.

I've been stitching a lot lately, obviously I cannot show you the secret project, but I can inform you that it is growing steadily and I even started another minor secret project I am about to finish and reveal. Here are my progress pictures and a photo of my recent purchases. Yes, I've been a bad girl and increased my stash yet again.

Another WIP

I still didn't find the hand dyed floss for my x-mas SAL, so that is put aside in my UFO pile for now, but I will definitely finish it as soon as I put my hands on more floss. But since I was going through my UFOs I found an earlier project, that happens to be another x-mas SAL. At the time I couldn't finish it because I couldn't print the chart. I ran out of ink and couldn't afford a new cartridge. I know. Anyway, long story short, I got the ink, the chart, the floss, so I dusted it off and am determined to finish it this month. As you can see, I changed it to say 2011, and I plan to make it to a nice pillow for my girl this X-mas.

 The photo isn't the best quality, as I took it with my new cell phone. Yes, I have a new phone. The old one was kinda, well, old, and mom found a sweet deal at a provider, so she bought me a new one. I love it most because it has a big screen and a radio. And just look at the pretty pictures I managed to take with it! Of course, there is no way you can take a bad picture of such a pretty face!

Another giveaway!

Robin is celebrating her blogoversary by organizing a giveaway! Click HERE to check it out and enter the draw before Thanksgiving!

I finally finished part 7 and 8 of  my Christmas sampler and scanned it. I'm not sure if it will fit in the scanner next time! I didn't print part 9 yet, I might need to buy a new ink cartridge before. Which worries me, as it's rather expensive. There is the option of having the cartridge refilled, but I heard some cases when it was done so badly it spilled out of the cartridge and ruined the printer. Anyone knows anything certain about this topic? I have no idea, just rumours but no facts.

I got another great package from Granma Jane, again two issues of the Stoney Creek Cross Stitch magazine and a hand made Christmas tree ornament as a bonus! Plus I got some nice postcards from an exchange in one of my favourite Yahoo groups. And I even treated myself to a Heritage kit by John Clayton that I wanted to stitch since the first time I saw it. And since I've been browsing those kits I decided to make a collage wish list just for fun!