Heading to bed at 4 am... working hard during my last week-end here, not happy at all!

Just popping it to show the BD exchange I stitched for Nancy K. So glad she likes it, I loved it too!

It looks bigger than it was on the picture, I zoomed to much with the camera. It is actually stitched one over one, so pretty small and delicate, with much fresher colors - it was a very grey day and even going out of the house didn't help much with the light!

December's Wishes by Blackbird Designs, 

from the book "A very fine collection"

So glad that you enjoyed the winter walk :) Actually all the huge amounts of snow are still there since Christmas, we only got some snow showers after that. Now I hear Poland got the very low (-28 Celsius this morning) temperatures we had for 2-3 weeks. I'm leaving Norway in 10 days or so and I hope we don't get THAT again when the plane lands in Warsaw! LOL Here it's not so bad anymore but I miss sun, days have been mainly grey the past week.
I keep hoping for more time during the day to update this blog with presents I have received, other photos... but work seemsto inflow through doors and windows and I don't dare to complain after the terrible job slump I went through the last two years.
I already miss the cat-boys. It breaks my heart to leave them again soon for some long weeks. I'm hoping to return after 5-6 weeks but that's a loooong time, if you ask me. These two little creatures brighten every day we have. I'll repeat myself again, but I really didn't know cats can be *so* gentle, social, friendly, cuddly and dependent on people. They are around us all the time, whether to sleep on our respective work desks or to ask to have their bellies rubbed. Always so dependent on each other, always together, always caring about each other. They sleep together, eat together, go out together... you get the point. Beware if one brother is stuck closed in a room! Brother # 2 will let you know immediately. They start to show their individual traits as time passes, but one thing doesn't change, the special connection that ties them together. I'll have to set up a slideshow to show you what I mean.
I pulled an all-nighter last night to deliver a text on time in the morning and I only slept 2 hours during the day - more work was coming in. I just feel for finding my bed and crashing in there for the night, so I'll leave you for today with this short update.
By the way, Kathy Barrick from CHS has been listing lots of OOP charts in her ETSY shop since Sunday. Some are gone, so I'd recommend you have a look in her Sold section - I am almost sure you could ask her for them with a positive result. I picked some charts I didn't know at all, like Katy Horn (I absolutely love it!!!), and Fanny Small, and In the garden, and Sampler folk....Go have a look before it's too late! :)
I've sent my Blackbird exchange some time ago, so I hope to be able to show it soon.
In the meantime, here are some WIPs I started during by the end of the old year and that will keep me busy for some long weeks :)

So. Where do we start? First, a chart I got and kitted the moment I saw it. Vintage Lace by Rosewood Manor. Something about the colors I liked. Now, even on 36ct., the end result will be BIG and I am not sure I like it. Hopefully I'll find a place to hang it one day. The fabric is Lupine by Picture This Plus, who amazed me with how fast they sent it (next day) and how fast it reached me here in Norway (just one week). How do  you like it? There are 14 parts and I finished almost 3 so far. The charts are not always easy to follow and the bad light in this old house is killing my eyes, but I love the colors.

Next is my start on CHS Shores of... I only got so far, later distracted by the WIP above and other small designs. It's my first of the series I'm stitching and it's surprisingly agreeable to work on, like most CHS charts.

The boys have busy mornings these days. I couldn't get a good shot of Lucky, so here you can see only Felinek, very still, very dedicated...

The reason for all this concentration? Blue tits! I haven't seen them around a lot this winter, sadly. We've hanged the food balls on two trees for them but they only came a couple of times so far.

And just in case you noticed some icky spots on the kitchen window above, you were very right. Here's how this window looks like:

 ... little cat paws all over the glass... you see, snowflakes can be very entertaining and it's very important to catch each and every snowflake you see!

Till tomorrow, hopefully!

What about a little winter walk?

The last ten days have been insane, I was swamped with work. The next two weeks will be just the same, but I promise to write back to all who I need to reply to. I'll return tomorrow (so many emails to write, so much to blog about), but in the meantime, why don't you join me for a little walk in the surroundings?
While you enjoy the snow, I think I'll finally hit the bed, I just slept 2 hours over the last 2 days... Did I mention too much work? (but let's not forget: work is money and money is stash!) :)

The house on the 1st picture is ours, the brown own the neighbouring one, which belongs to H's uncle.

The Queen of Hearts

That is how Tanya called this little cutie from her companion Valentine booklet. The Queen of Hearts won mine the moment I saw her.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't pick my own threads for it... I checked the DMC colors recommended and when on with a similar scheme but I choose silk for the dress. My Queen of Hearts had to be elegant. I added four silver/orange/transparent glass beads in the corners and a cluster of the same beads of my initiative in her hands. She looked a bit empty so I decided to have her look so like if she carried a bunch of flowers. Some red floss and white and red beads in the upper right corner and she's ready for St. Valentine!

A question

Has anyone seen Just Nan's Snow Deer kit with a *brass* frame (not silverish) at their LNS that they could get for me? (I'll pay all costs, of course)
It's just that I waited too long and now that I so badly want it, I can't seem to find it online, either all are sold out or the silver frame is left. If anyone could help me out with this one, I'll be so very grateful!

I received Tanya's Valentine booklet this morning, lots of cute charts. They come with no stitched photo included so it's a fun play trying to guess out colors I'd like etc. I smiled seeing "A little tea if you please" re-released in this booklet. When it first came out as a freebie, I finished it this way...

Actually, it became a whole set...

It's less cold this week-end, how nice! This week, I've beaten my life record: it was -28 (around 1 Fahrenheit?), totally crazy! The main topic in the Norwegian media was the COLD and when the Norwegians start to talk about cold, then it *is* cold. From what I am being told, it is not unusual to have -15 to -20 in the Oslo region for, say, a week during winter, but now it's been several weeks of much lower temperatures.
Hah! I'm brave. I wanted to experience how it feels being out at such temperatures and I had a 20 minutes walk with Happy at -24 Celsius. I can tell you it felt... special. He was fine as he had his coat on and even little shoes which he got used to quite fast. Beyond -20 he can't walk without them, it seems, he lifts his paws and is so suffering that it makes no sense to have him out other than a few seconds. And that's what we have been doing - we have a long line (20 meters?) that he runs on in the garden. We just open the door, he does his business VERY FAST and runs back home. And this many times during the day. Otherwise when it's warmer (-15 to -20) we have normal half an hour walks.
During the walk I started to write about, I experienced funny things for the first time in my life. That when you breathe (I had a warm cashmere scarf around my mouth), air freezes instantly at such low temperatures and 1) it freezes your eyelashes and glues them because of the vapor that covers them AND 2) that you get ICE in your nose.... Not funny! :)
Only later in the newspaper I read tips from the army winter-school in Elverum (where Americans and Brits are sent to just before they're deployed to Afghanistan, to prepare them for the cold and mountains) and other articles where they recommend to wipe your face from ice with your hand, skin to skin, once in a while, otherwise you can get frostbites (if you have your face covered with something). Lots of interesting tricks and tips. I didn't know either that wool is better than cotton as the inner layer against your skin (cotton is fine as long as it is dry).
Tell me, how did I land with a Norwegian better half? Me, who spent 11 years of my tender life in North Africa? Life is weird. From sun, sea and beaches to snow, cold and wild nature. But, the funny thing is, I love it.
My father would have screamed if I told him we sleep in an unheated room - I and H. both love it that way! The house has to be warm, sure thing, but we need to have it fresh in the room to sleep good, otherwise I wake up tired and sloggy. Of course, we sleep under goose feather sets, but no heating in the room :) I'd have opened the window a little bit but a) H. has his limits LOL! and b) they are frozen, the windows, with ice. So there.

Last week was so busy with work that I decided to spend this week-end doing nothing. N-o-t-h-i-n-g except for some cleaning, cooking, blogging and stitching, in good order.

Here is the ornament I sent to Ellen S. in the recent HOE Christmas ornament exchange. I love how it turned out and I just need to stitch it again one day for myself.

Homespun Elegance
"Festive Redbird"

I sent the ornament below to Hazel for the Prairie Schooler exchange.
Oh, that one took a good two weeks to stitch since I insisted on stitching it over one. It is done with DMC and overdyes of my choice. So glad that Hazel liked it!

Prairie Schooler
adapted from book #95 - Christmas Traditions

Some of you would like to see the cat-boys and I'll happily oblige! The photos below are of bad quality because I took them during the night.

They are always together. Always.

I mean, aren't the two brothers beyond cute?


Yep, they got a scratching post this week. When we drove to Sweden to do food-shopping (a tradition for Norwegians because across the border, everything is dirt cheap comparing to here!), we found this one for 1/3 of the Norwegian price. We're still thinking of buying a huge one one day, but on the other hand, won't they have more than enough climbing and playing opportunities in the garden once spring arrives?

So far, they love it... (well, excuse the pile in the background, H. is busy sorting old stuff)
I'll leave you with this picture of the enchanted winter world taken in the garden...


Have a cozy Sunday!

Time to show a bit of cross-stitch, don't you think? I've been babbling about all sorts of personal things when I returned to blogging (what a pleasure to receive visits from so many friends and meet new ladies!)...
Today, let's start with this star...

Christmas Star
by Faby Reilly Designs

Oh I must say it wasn't nice to stitch and took about two weeks to work and finish. Lots of color changes - which you don't see when it's finished. The designer charted it for DMC and used different shades of green and red. If I had thought about it earlier, I would have simply substituted all those for overdyes to get the same effect. And then the backstitching... eeeek. It doesn't follow the contours or anything. Now, when it's done, complimented with beads all around and in the poinsettia flower, I must say it's just gorgeous. I like so much Faby Reilly's designs so after a little time to breath from this type of chart, I will pick some other ones. Have a look at her website if you don't know her yet, some charts are just awesome!

Upon my arrival to Norway, I was greeted by this unexpected gift from Harmien... Oh the joy, oh the beauty! This cat angel by Bent Creek cheered us all through the Christmas period :) The idea for the finishing is superb, with the vintage bell hanging on a golden cord attached to the top... love it!

The next envelope was from Jennifer... a lovely card, a skein of funny colorful thread (always like to discover etsy sellers!) and lovely charts... What's best than receiving holiday cards from lovely people?


Earlier in December, Mylene sent me this nice package which took an awful time to arrive. The chocolate, as you can see, didn't survive the photo op'! LOL

Mylene stitched this lovely ornament for me... sorry the picture shows it a bit pinkish, it's not, it's a white-white fabric and the colors are so nicely coordinated, the finishing so well matched and neatly done... Love it, love it!!

One highlight of this Christmas was a package from my father and his wife, in which among others I found these amazing ornaments made of dough and seeds... it made me smile all the way not only because they are so beautiful, but also because it means she got me something "crafty" or "handmade", knowing I like handcrafts...
Almost the last thing for today, the lovely BD ornament I received from Cindy (NY) in the recent HOE Christmas ornament exchange. The hanger broke during transport (how weird!) so I will repair it and mask with a nice bead or something. Thanks again, Cindy!


And this week, we received a Christmas package from my brother who lives in Switzerland. Inside was a double Patrick Bruel's CD for me and for us both... lots of fancy French cheese! When my brother asked me what he could send to H. I mentioned camembert... but I was expecting only one! LOL
That and good wine and crackers completed our long evenings this past week... :)

Happy New Year!

We spent the last evening of the year quietly, at home, just as we wanted it. We watched Australia with Nicole Kidman, which took time to unwind and made the evening a bit boring, to say the truth :)
Usual calls to family past midnight, and here we are in the New Year!

For me, 2009 was a crappy year beyond words. Bad, bad, bad. Entirely forgettable. The crisis hit my business really hard and work really picked up only in November. Hopefully it will continue! I already have a few texts to deliver next week. Money, money issues and money worries dominated my thoughts and humor most of the year, sadly... In October, we lost my grandma after a long and painful fight. In November, my cousin's 14 years old daughter found a 1,3 cm "ball" in her breast. Oh the scare... she lost one ovary at the tender year of five. Turns out it is not dangerous, but it was a stressful wait. I was also badly shaken by the loss of a translator colleague in Paris who died after giving birth to her 3rd baby, leaving a one year old and a four year old. Unbelievable that at in our age, women can still die giving birth, but the doctors did whatever they could to save her. Sad, sad. Reading many friends' blogs and their sorrows confirmed it just wasn't a good year for many of us. I'm writing this with a warm smile towards Donna and Gabi, whose year was equally difficult...

I really wanted to write this yesterday, but time ran out fast. I am entering 2010 with lots of plans, hope, energy and smile. Actually I haven't felt that strength since many, many years. Cheers for the New Year! May we all have reasons to smile, stash to sort, lots of joyful moments to remember, few days to forget... Happy New Year, everyone!

Here's what I missed by not being home in Warsaw yesterday evening. A huge fiesta set up just three houses from mine (mine is on a nicer side street). Here are two movies from our main newspaper showing the preparations for the big party. You can see a bit of my usual surroundings. That big place called Plac Konstytucji was a "gift" from the Russians, built in the 50-ties. Remember, Warsaw was almost totally destroyed during the war. The style of that place is, well, what it is. We hate it and there are ambitious plans to hide and mask this and that and built modern facilities and expensive shops to turn it into Warsaw's own Champs Elysees. Chicken will grow teeth before it happens but we have faith in that day will come! LOL

Sylwester w Warszawie: Ogromna scena na pl. Konstytucji

Sylwester. Wielkie przygotowania