't was a lovely Christmas dinner...

I forgot to take pictures of some traditional Polish specialties, but here are some photos anyway...

And then the traditional pierogis with mushroom and cabbage... with mushroom sauce.

The unavoidable carp...

I baked bread...

A very special gift I received from my father... my brother got another one in the same style. They were painted in 1944, that is during the War, when my grand-parents with my father and aunt escaped from a part of Polans that is now part of Ukraine. They spent part of the war in Zakopane and when the war ended, found work in another part of Poland, where most of my family lives. Anyway, the wife of a doctor-friend in Zakopane was a painter and gave them these two paintings, plus my grandma's portrait which is hanging in the family house. I don't know and I don't suspect they have great 'artistic' value, but a big emotional value, yes... I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my gift. My father had it renovated, varnished and framed by an artist painter and wow, I must say he did a superb job on them. I will really cherish it...


I've uploaded more family pictures HERE. I am not on any,but there is my father and his wife, my brother, SIL and nephew Jeremi, and the new family dogs :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

My heartfelt wishes to all my stitching friends...

Have a wonderful, joyful, peaceful Christmas!

WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!!!

First, apologies...

You know who you are... many lovely persons who are still waiting for an answer, a comment on their blog, news from me... I apologize for neglecting my friends over the past weeks and just in time for the New Year resolutions, I promise to improve...
Life has been *busy*. The water pipe works in my appartment are over, leaving a thick layer of dust and dirt which I've done my best to fight the past two weeks. Others were less lucky than me and when I was leaving on Friday, works continued... noisy and disturbing. I wish I could say it's now behind us, but we face the neat plan of centreal heating pipes exchange in the spring... and that, as I was told, is much, much worse... Can it really be? LOL
I am already at my father's, enjoying an evening at the 'puter while he and his wife visit friends. I am dog-sitting :) two lovely mix-breeds, a 2007 addition to the family. They're small and adorable, one is still young, the female is about 4 years old, both rescued from a shelter almost immediately after the last doggie had to leave... I congratulated them on that decision. When I think they always called me nuts to have two dogs! Well, now it's their turn and they enjoy it. One day, another cat, another dog will join my cat and dog, but for the time being I'll be reasonable, I travel too much and my place in Warsaw is way too small for a zoo :)
H. was in hospital for two weeks. After his heart operation he is taking daily doses of blood thining pills which are adapted after each blood control which he does more or less every two weeks if there's no need to do it more frequently. Well, the last time the doctor didn't take time to think and his blood became to thin, generating an internal bleeding in one leg. He's now at home but still walks difficultly and is in a lot of pain. I'm flying to Oslo on the 27th and I suggested I'll take the airport bus to his home (a > 1h journey) because he can;t drive either. For him, this Christmas is not the best one. At least the whole thing didn't disturb our plans - we had decided that this year, he would spend Christmas with his mother. He was always here with my family... but as much as it is important for me to be together at this special time of the year, it was me who suggested he should stay with his mother... she's over 75 and doesn't deserve to have each Christmas dinner without her only son, methinks :)
I also started checking the reason for my recent health problems. I am finally diagnosed with PCOS and almost happy to finally have an answer after 15 years of noone knowing anything. Then another little thing was found and I need to undergo a surgery early next year, but that's nothing dangerous - just has to be removed before it becomes a danger. Unfortunately the reason of my constant pain in the lower part of the belly is still mysterious so after my return from Norway, I will continue doing checks and visiting doctors.
As you see it's been a time of dust and worries, so again, I apologize for a long silence to all who felt bad about it...
My brother, wife and kid arrive on the 27th as they are spending the Christmas Eve on the 24th with my SIL's family. My father is euphoric : he'll have both his kids and his only grand-son soon around him! :)
I just wish we had some snow... it's getting colder but snow we'll have not, this year, one year more, unfortunately. Ah, global warming...

Watch this space - I spent half last night uploading pictures and now I'm about to post them all , just let me describe them :)

I reduced my participation in stitchers' groups and exchanges this year, so unlike many or most of you, I don't own/receive many stitched gifts. But at this end of year I still received a few very special gifties I want to share with you.

I've elfed myself!

Click HERE.

A Christmas Wish of Health and Happiness

That is the name of the recent Blue Ribbon Designs freebie I stitched for Cathy in Becky's Stitching bloggers Birthday/Christmas exchange. We didn't know each other before but this exchange was another great opportunity to meet a fellow stitcher from the other side of the globe :)
I mounted the chart on styrofoam, added two types of Norwegian (or Swedish?) ribbons and some beads. The back was in red fabric. I got several types of these ribbons with little hearts, they are actually very typical of Scandinavia and I was delighted to have an occasion to finally use them recently!

I included a clay rooster, a laced napkin, a little hand-painted bowl (for orts?) and a recent chart I loved.

Sharon's PIF

... Sharon opened it and here it is. A little box with a Prairie Schooler design from Cranberry Christmas, book # 142. There is a green star button with beads at the top and little clusters of mini beads in assorted colors, green and gold, at each corner.

It was a pleasure working it up for you, Sharon! Happy birthday again!

Some gifties will be opened this w/e...

It's Sharon's birthday today! I sent her a PIF and a chart....

And Mylene will be discovering her PIF/Birthday/Christmas giftie...

I love to spoil good friends! :)

PS cube again

Thank you *very* much for your comments on my PS cube! :)

Elisabeth posted two beautiful photos of the goodies I sent her along with the cube (two new charts, one kitted, a small Santa, a little chest made of one piece of wood, a hand-decorated traditional Polish chocolate cake, a hand-painted silk card and a box to decorate) and she kindly let me copy them here.

Exchanges can be soooo much fun when you have the privilege to spoil a little someone as gifted, talented and lovely as Elisabeth is! :)

I can't wait to discover what she stitched for me but I won't be home before next Monday, I think.

Hyttekos

Or 'cozy time' in a mountain cabin. For anyone interested in Norwegian traditions, HERE is a nice photo series on that theme, with comments in English. Aren't these cabins amazing... I remember each of my stays in one of those old houses... oh, we just have to plan something again!

Gingerbread cookies

We spent the week-end baking and decorating gingerbread cookies. A great time was had! All the family, big and small, everyone helped around a big table. And then we decided that from now on, we would always decorate - eggs at Easter and gingerbread cookies for Christmas, all the family together. Here are those I decorated, aren't they adorable? :)

My aunt created more traditional versions:

One of my cousins and my aunt...


His wife made funny couples, here is Mister and Lady Ghost:

Futher on, she painted a handsome little guy ready for a night at the opera (my cousin and his wife are big opera fans)...


...soon joined by the lady of his heart:

Prairie Schooler - recent finishes

Here is my exchange piece for Elisabeth - I created a four-sided cube (of which just two sides are shown). I was ambitious: it took me about eight hours to sew-it together and do the decoration in the upper part. Haven't I said I could never earn my life as a finisher at that speed? LOL But I was proud of the result :)
That was from Button up - Book # 143.

The three other photos are all also from a recent leaflet, Cranberry Christmas - Book # 142:
- the one with red fizzy finishing stays home
- the gold/red one with smaller and bigger beads is a PIF for Mylene
- and the last one also stays home - you'll notice I did it in colors and added beads etc. It is a constant source of frustration because no matter what I did, I was never able to take a good shot of it and it *is* really nice.I have one more to show but it has to wait till someone receives it... ;-)

Be blessed

A small recent finish that stays home - I love it way too much to part with it! LOL
I added a green thread around the cording, it was such a good idea.

Plumpudding Needlearts freebie
Stitched with my choice of overdyes on Silkweaver hand-dyed linen.

Family time

I am spending a week at my aunt, grandma, with regular visits from both of my cousins and wifes, kids - a wonderful time.
Today my cousin's children are staying overnight. They consider it a rare treat when I come to stay a bit and they insisted in staing at my aunt's for two days this week-end. And as we are busy cooking and baking traditional Christmas specialties, we also have a great time together, we laugh a lot and enjoy being together.
On the pictures, just some of the many trays of miniature gingerbread Christmas cookies we bakes today, my aunt and my cousin's kids.

Elisabeth - my dog and cat never lay together like on the picture. At the beginning, Toska tried but Happy was too scared. It was just a one time shot LOL!

Donna - I don't think H. will let her stay but from what I hear daily, she's having a great time and he's spoiling her totaly, so who knows with 7 weeks left... :)

Linda - your comment made me think. I was first surprised, then I realized I would have *never* given my own pet(s) to anyone else. And then I realized also why I let Toska go so easily with H. - it's because it's him, it's H. I know he's the most caring person with both people and animals and I know the way he is with both of mine :) I wouldn't have let her go if I hadn't known that apart food and going out, she gets a huge daily dose of care and warmth. She does :)

About weird cats

Toska is a highly intelligent, very opiniated and in many ways, difficult cat I rescued from a shelted in February 2006. For one long year, nothing changed in our relationship. Who thinks all animals are grateful for being rescued is wrong. She wasn't. I do not know what her past was before the shelter. All I know is that her owner (?) dropped her there one sad day, on Dec. 23rd, one day before Christmas, adding he is "cleaning before Christmas". She was not afraid of people, actually she was not and is not afraid or intimidated by anyone or anything. She came to sleep with me on the pillow on the first night. But she didn't like cuddles and remained unaffectionate for one whole year. She bites and scratches easily, as I say, she has an 'easy paw' LOL. And then I took her to Norway for 3,5 months this summer. And the moment I picked her at the luggage place at Gardermoen airport, she had changed. While Happy the dog was highly unhappy in his transporter and wanted to be taken out *immediately*, she was calm, curious, patient. And then for 3,5 months, she had a biiiig house, a biiiig garden and tons to do. She started to love me. She started to look deep into my eyes and she let me do anything I wanted, including scratching her belly. It was pure cat love for her own human. And the day we returned to Warsaw everything was back to what it was before the stay in Norway. No belly scratching, not much affection if I wanted to stay alive. She had again that angry look and that banging tail most of the day. I was sad. That all led me to think she must have had a big house and maybe also a garden in her previous life. And that she hates my small flat and the boredom. She doesn't even look at windows. Of course, she plays a lot, but it is not the same.

This week H. took her with him back to Oslo so that I can travel more easily, stress the pets less during the pipes works and spend less on the pets pension. I'll bring her back from Oslo with me in January.

And you know what? She is again a super happy cat. A calm cat who loves you with all her heart. She sleeps with H., walks after him like a doggie and disappears for short (it's cold in Norway!!) trips in and around the property. H. says she's plain happy.

I don't have much hope that he'll let her stay more than till January but who knows. He had been refusing till now - he travels a lot and doesn't want to have pets when I am not there. That said he LOVES all sorts of animals, after all he's a zoologist by education, it's just that he's much more reasonable than me. But maybe if you all cross fingers and send some good vibes, this time he'll agree to keep her? I love her to death and she loves me, but she *is* much more happy there and for me, that's what counts. Plus, I would spend 3 months with her next summer...

And the weird thing is that she really is not impressed by travelling - alone, in the luggage compartment. I read horror stories and Happy himself travels worse and stresses more each time - but not her. You deliver a calm cat, you get a calm cat, who just waits patiently many hours till the doors of her transporter open at the final destination. But then, in many ways, she is exceptional, many experienced cat owners tell me that.

Now I just have to talk to her on the phone and convince her to stop walking and purring on H.'s body all night! He tried to close the door to the bedroom but she opens door so he prefers her heavy presence on his back to several minutes of noise till she opens the door :)

Here is an older picture I love. You'd think they are good friends ;-)

Monday update

I haven't been blogging for a while, I know. After two months of being submerged with work, I know have very little on my plate, but I've been busy otherwise. The pipe works in my flat (yes, I know you've been hearing about it for a while LOL!) will finally happen sometime in December, hopefully before I leave for Christmas at my fathers and to Oslo! I can't wait to celebrate the New Year in the fresh Norwegian air. Anyway. The preparations for the pipe works took a *lot* of time. I emptied furniture after furniture, sortied stuff, threw a lot, still have piles of magazines in the living room to sort, then cleaned otherwise unaccessible places with H.'s (great) help. H. was here for 3 days - 3 days of hard work helping me clean and move and unscrew the furniture etc. But, we had a delightful birthday dinner - I was inviting of course and the food was heavenly, but not the bill - the ....#$^#^#... - made me pay half the price of the dinner for ONE bottle of wine. Arrrrrgh. They didn't have a wine list and I assumed that when I say "reasonably priced" it won't cost 70 usd!!!! Ah, good I had a budget for that. If not for that bad moment, everything was perfect and I had an excellent idea of a gift for H. - I got him a laser meter and he was soooo happy! This will make it much easier for him to change the bathroom etc. I was so glad with my idead, but then I must say I am good at choosing the right gifts for people I know well.
Healthwise I still need to check things out and I worry a bit [...]. I am leaving for a week or two at my aunt though, with Happy the dog, to breathe some family atmospehre. I'll be working normally though and receiving me mail as usual.
I have lots to show but not before a few persons receive their gifties :)
I also received a huge order from Theresa at Shakespearesppeddler, one that I had been gathering for 2 or 3 months, and it was one happy, happy day. I got some charts as doubles to send out as gifts.
I've sent out my Prairie Schooler exchange to Elisabeth, a PIF to Sharon, a PIF/Birthday/Xmas to Mylene and my Birthday exchange (the one organized by Becky) to ----. I hope they all like what I picked and/or stitched for them!

Busy week-end

I've been very ill the last few days and I need to do more medical checks but I am close to completely fine now. I've never been that sick in my whole life and it wasn't funny, but hopefully it was a one time problem. When the main pain attack was over, I spent the next three days sleeping most of the day and night, I was very weak. Then on the fourth day I decided to spend the whole day doing finishing on many gifites that were stitched and were waiting for inspiration to strike on me. Actually I think I worked on that for two full days. Oh, I don't like finishing. Only sewing and decorating my partner's Prairie Schooler exchange took me 8 full hours.... LOL! Too bad I can't show you the result yet, but I am very satisfied with it. In total I did the finishing on 8 pieces, including a little box. Oh, I am also very happy with that one. Two PIFS (for Mylene and Sharon) are also waiting to be sent as soon as I feel strong enough again to go to the post office. It was lots of work but I am as happy to have it behind me as I am happy with the result! I certainly couldn't earn my life as a finisher though! :)
I've just posted a fall pillow that stays home (lousy picture though! it is much nicer in real) and I'll be posting more in the next days and weeks, when these gifties reach their future owners :)
The works in my flat are approaching and H. might arrive from Oslo this Friday instead of Monday, two days earlier, because he wants to help me empty the kitchen furniture into boxes and unmount the furniture. I don't look forward to all this work but it can't be avoided either. he was supposed to fly in on Monday for his birthday but this way we'll get to spend 5 days together instead of 3, even if they will be quite busy. I will make sure though to organize a lazy and/or attractive day on his birthday. I plan a dinner in a good restaurant and I've already ordered his gift online - not sure of the name in English, it is a laser hand device for measuring distances in a building, instead of using a tape. Something tells me he'll be delighted :)

Fall pillow finish

Stitched with Fallen Leaves (Crescent Colors) on Autumn Gold 36 ct linen (Lakeside Linen).

This is from Tante's Zolder (aka My aunt's attic). The pattern can be found in the August folder.

Tea with Jane

(click for a better view)

I finished this lovely freebie by Tanya Anderson some weeks ago but only had the time today to take some pictures. Now it's about time to invite a good friend for tea! :)

Bent Creeek exchange sent

I know that my partner received the package yesterday so I can finally posted. Not sure how you'd visualize it, but this is a *big* bag, a shoulder typeof bag, with a zipper. The bag was bought in a hobby shop and I sewed the stitched piece to it. That was extremely hard because the material the bag was made of was like a rubber type of rafia. Hard and giving a rubber feeling. But I so wanted it on this bag :) Then I sewed (by hand all the time, I don't own a sewing machine) a color-matched ribbon on the upper and lower part and added a wood-like "Adventure" button in a corner - this seemed so suitable for a pattern with woods and a cabin. I hope my parner likes it. I've also sent a hand-decorated chocolate cake for all her family and some other goodies.


Bent Creek - "Cabin in the wood" - stitched on hand-dyed fabric (Silkweaver) with DMC, to make the bad usable/washable.

I invite you to browse through the Bent Creek exchange album here. There are over 130 pictures to see and they are an incredible source of isnpiration for other exchanges. A few are simple, others are complex, creative pieces. Enjoy and admire! :)

Bent Creeek exchange received

Earlier this year I subscribed to a French Bent Creek exchange. One week before sending, when all the stitching was done, and I had started working on the finishing part, I broke my right hand. I was devastated because that meant I could not face the deadline for sending for a long time. I didn't want my partner to think I was not serious, so I did a little research online and found her home phone number in France, called her and apologized. Anne was very understanding. I had chosen a tough material to sew on and only in September I could finish my exchange. Then the mail gods decided to play with the package. I sent it as "priority", which means delivery is guaranteed within 2-3 days in Europe and 5-7 days in the whole world. Well, this took MUCH more time and I was seriously worried because of all the weeks of work and worries related to that exchange.
I'm afraid that due to lack of time I never posted what Anne sent me and I am so sorry for that.
Here is the cute bag I received from her:

More finishing supplies

Here is another batch of ribbons and other materials I brought from Norway. Now I can't really say I am missing any of that. Though I must say I followed one or two major color schemes - but these colors clearly reflect those I like most. Certainly lots of Christmassy and fall colors.

Feeling for procrastinating a bit

Big yawn. It is past 10 am, I am (still) working for a few more hours. Uncounted coffee cups. I had to delay the huge horror text till Monday, but this can't be delayed more. I have to deliver one part tomorrow morning and the rest on Monday. Oh, if you knew how this one is tough. Basically, I am translating the new international financial reporting rules for a company, from Polish to French. Idiotic work, since somebody based his work on the French/English version. And boy is it tough. I have to skim through endless reports, EU texts, European Bank databases etc. I am extremeply pleased with the result, but there is still *alot* to do. I am telling myself that if I get to Monday sane and alive, a new life awaits LOL! I've been working on that assignment since weeks. Already sent a xstitch order :)
Now, I need to wash my face with cold water, walk doggie and type a bit more.
I have tons of things to post - but that'll happen on Monday.
Thank you everyone for your comments! Cheryl, the key to stitching that much while having so much work is simple - I'm doing nothing homewise. The joys of living part of the year alone :) Next week however I'll have to do a big decluttering and cleaning. Brenda, that was so sweet of you to say :) We can always do a private exchange sometime! :)

And for a bit of morning fun, see this short movie. I especially liked the bit "If you are stolen, call police at once". Heh, some fellow translators don't do their work well.

Stitching a bit too..

I just can't wait till next Friday night, that's when I'll deliver the huge job, the last one on my plate. I just got news that the pipe works will happen in November in my flat and that they'll mean more destruction in both the kitchen and especially the bathroom. Also the heater in the living-room is dead, which also means extensive work - moving large furniture to access the pipes etc. BUT somehow I can't seem to stress over that :) My perspective stops on Friday. I will only work like mad for 6 days more. 6 days more! You bet I'll sleep long afterwards! :)
In the free time I can allow myself daily I've been in a stitching frenzy. Here is part of the projects I stitched, there are more but I can't show them yet. Most of them are for gifts but two will stay home. Devil stitcher as I am, most are done in my choice of threads, usually a mix of overdyes, silks and plain 'old DMC.

And here's my progress on one of my WIPs, LHN's Necessities Sampler:

Friday at last!

I have such a feeling of accomplishment today. Somehow I managed to reach today even though it meant sleeping 2-4 hours per day over a week, working double work hours for the last few weeks etc. The last two days, the end client (a famous lawyers firm) was constantly making changes in the 40 pages agreements I was translating and they were driving me nuts but hey, they are paying good money and I like legal, so in a way I enjoyed working on this. I am going to allow myself two week-end days of sleeping, stitching and (sigh) cleaning the flat. My brain is fried. Then on Monday I will start the next intense 12 days of work - more intense that ever, on 180 pages of heavy finances and accounting. The challenge is to be able to finish it in time for the 26th, which at this moment I can't even imagine. Not my cup of tea :( and the volume is enormous. I'll fight it! :)

I did a lot of stitching recently but I want to do the finishing first before I show them. Some Prairie Schooler ornaments for gifties, a set of napkins with a freebie pattern adapted, and I made progress on The Blessing (Examplars...):

I'm waiting for a refill of several colors to arrive but I'm now trying to work the details which colors I have.

I mentioned some weeks ago that Stitchesnthings were selling some shop models. I couldn't afford many at that time - the nicest ones sold out fast, but I got these two. I absolutely fell in love with this punchneedle Blackbirds Designs piece and I could not let it go. I am unsure of the fabric but it looks like 48 ct at least. Tin, tiny, tiny!!! Fabulous work. I don't do punchneedle, somehow it doesn't tempt me, but I admire some beautiful projects I see. So, this is the first punchneedle piece I own and hopefully it's not the last, though I haven;t seen many samplers done in this technique. For 15 usd finished and framed, what a bargain it was! I looooove the frame. The colors are brighter and cleared in real, a genuine gem.

The other piece is that one. It even has the year written on the back: 1994. What, 1994? It looks like new! I always wanted to stitch that piece, even bought the leaflet, but I am delighted to have it done and already framed. I might change the frame one day, it is too dark black for my taste but for the time being, it stays that way on my wall! :)

Talking about techniques other than cross stitching, I so admire needle felting. See this beauty . How I wish I was tempted a little bit more to try it! I'd looooove to have this squirrel and its nuts on my shelves but what, I don't think I am gifted for that technique. I know I already posted it here but that's an excellent occasion to remind everyone on the work Rainymoon does. I find her projects absolutely amazing and check on her blog regularly to see the new arrivals!

Late birthday gifties...

When I finally returned to Warsaw in September, I was so surprised to bring from the post office several unexpected birthday gifts! I left for Norway just two days after my b-day so many parcels didn't reach me. What a delight it was to see and open many envelopes that I didn't know were waiting for me! I'll post more of them over the next days...

Here is what Mary Kathryn sent me - and she said nothing about it! She sent me a chart from my wishlist - and she chose one of my absolute favorites! I can't wait to stitch it. Alas, it required overdyes in colors I ran out of, but I already ordered them. This is going to be stitched and *framed* NOW! As I wrote to her, I have a special thing for samplers with one or more houses, with a garden, with a girl/couple/dog/cat and birds in it. They remind me so much of the house in Norway, of my stays with H. And this chart, it also has a lettering that strikes a particular chord in me, it says what I say in my heart each time H. leaves and I know it will be several weeks before we see each other again. Thank you again, Mary K!