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!

Some finishing supplies...

At the end of my stay in Norway, I bought and ordered lots of finishing supplies. Here's part of what I got directly at the shop:

And once packed into a brand new box...

I guess everyone knows what my favorite colors are now! LOL

More when I have time... or when I need to procrastinate again! :)

Cats :)

Not mine, just love that picture. Was she yawning or what? :) Click HERE.

Young love...

My nephew and his fiancée as they call themselves... at 5 1/2! :)

Photo taken at the English school. They went to kindergarten together but this year, they started school, each went to a different one. So, they wanted to start learning English together. And they go to the movies, with one mum or another... How long will this last, we'll see :)

Women!

Back for good

From the day of my return to Warsaw I've been extremely busy. Here's a shortcut of what happened since my last post here. I was in Switzerland to visit my brother/nephew++, great food, great wines, great trips, great moments with everyone. Then back to Norway. Then flight back to Warsaw with part of my luggage and The Queen (cat). Busy, busy week. After which H. flew in with rest of my luggage and Happy (dog) for two days. Great time again but very busy. Trip to visit my family. After which work, work and more work. It doesn't stop coming in. I am booked till end of October and spent time working on the computer sometimes 20 hours per day. Won't complain, after several empty months this will fill in huge gaps in the budget.
Will be very very very busy this month but will try to post a lot of late pictures here. Also, in some days the works in the building will start : changing all water pipes - which means my kitchen will be demolished. I don't mind the bathroom works that much, it was planned to be reworked or at least repainted soon, but my kitchen was all made per individual measurements, and I fear they will simply ruin it all. And I still don't know how to cope with that and the Himalayas of work I need to deliver end of month... I still haven't heard when they will attack ;-) my flat, but I will try to talk them into doing mine after the end of the month. Will I be able to delay it? Not sure... so this month is far from being easy. The only thing I do except typing very, very fast many hours per day is stitching - sometimes a few minutes, sometimes a few hours when I manage to organize a whole evening free of work. Little crosses can be sooo relaxing after many hours of work! :)

PS. Thanks Michelle for kicking my b-tt and to Mylene!