Thank you so much for your comments on my last creations, I feel encouraged for doing more. Actually, I am sidetracked to felt at the moment. Several people will receive felt ornaments instead of cross-stitched ones. The reason? As much as I could stitch all day and night, at this very moment I totally lack the inspiration to do any finishing. Having said that, I know I have my HOE Christmas exchange to send out - it's stitched but the finishing, ah well, the finishing... :)
Last night I worked long hours on a private tea exchange with Ela. If you've seen her work in the pictures of the pieces I received from her, you know it ain't easy. It has to be out of the ordinary, creative, fabulous, fantastic. Ah, but my creative juices were flowing fast, and I've added two more things, one is sooooo nice - and one very easy - and a fiasco at setting the eyelet - I *really* don't know how to put the nicer ones painted in color, in various shapes. When I bang with the hammer to set it, the tool's tip scratched the paint off. I was so upset. I'm thinking of getting a cropadile - but does anyone know if it is fine with the paint of the decorative eyelets? I'm asking because I read a nice description of all the possible eyelet setting tools on the market, and some are supposedly better for aluminium eyelets and others not etc. I need a tool that will be fine for painted eyelets. Any hints?
Ok. So I am very statisfied with last night's handcraft session. Alas, I will post photos only when Ela receives it, which should happen within two weeks maximum. That's all I can show!

Warsaw was very foggy this morning. Here's my view on the world (all windows are on the same side of the building)... Actually my brother got married in this church. How funny that many years later, I bought a flat so close to it. The bell rings (? is activated? what does a church bell do?) every day at noon but I am so used to it that I just don't hear it. Actually I _always_ hear it when I'm late with work and the bell is another stress signal :)
That view was the reason why I chose this flat instead of all others. From my 11th floor, I have a beautiful view to the east (towards Moscow, as I like to joke). Most people love this view but to my aunt, it's a view on a desert of concrete. In some ways, yes, it is. But the way the sun plays during different weather conditions would be enough to make a whole book of artistic photos :). I like my view.


Toska first tolerated my attemps at socializing from very close. Too close.

Ah, but soon she had her usual face. Usually, she is upset and agry. I have a characterial cat.

That banging tail should have warned me.

Told ya! Over.

My new born girls

Hello! I don't have a name yet, but I am a nisse-girl.

Actually, we are 4 sisters.


Like all girls, we love to chat... a lot.

We so love to play!

Soon we will be flying to our new homes, but in the meantime we love to wake sleeping cats...


Hope you like my new-borns! I spent the last two evenings making them. More in 2009 :)
I transmitted all your comments to Toska. Like all cats, she seemed not to care much. Cats know they are beautiful. Comments from humans.... pfff. But I saw her left ear moving. She was delighted. :)

Actually I have two more finishes from the last two weeks. First, a Secret Needle Night kit that I sooooo wanted to have, from Nov. 2006, I think, and I finally was able to get it on ebay from a very nice seller. It was pure fun to make it. It uses all sorts of funny materials with impossible names, Fyrewerk, some weird braid, cashmere wool and what have you. Contrary to what I expected, working with some of these was very pleasant and very rewarding, even though it looked more like ribbon than any sort of thread known to me.

See the cutie mouse... she's done in cashmere and is so soft looking in real, with a sort of plush tail. Oh that kit was fun. So very fun! I'll finish it into a flatfold of some kind.

Last but not least, a chart I treated myself to for my past birthday, "Fear not the sirens of the sea" by Carriage House Samplings. For a long time I thought this design just doesn't fit any place I could hang it, but something was attracting me to it. I so wanted to stitch it and now that it's done, I love it. The colors are so beautiful in real. The siren's tail (or whatever it is that a siren has in English) was annoying, but the rest was pure fun.

The last days were very busy, I apologize for not leaving comments on your blogs, but I do visit them all in free moments.

The other news is that I'll be leaving for Christmas early this year (need to put an info on top of the blog). On Nov. 28 my cousin will pick me up with dog and cat, so I can spend two and a half weeks with my dear aunt, grandma and the rest. I couldn't do the trip with my furry friends on the train, plus it's too long, almost 4 hours. There, I'll leave Toska with my aunt till some time in February. I'll return to Warsaw just before Christmas, probably on the same day as H. arrives (Dec. 22) and we'll take the train to my father's the next day. Back to Warsaw on Dec. 27 and we'll fly together to Norway with Happy the next day. It's been a lot of planning on my side to make this happen in the most gentle way to our pockets and to my pets... and to take into account H.'s work obligations. Now that all plans have been made, I suddenly remembered my grandma's 100th birthday on January 23rd. Not sure yet how we'll do it with H., if we'll fly in for the week-end when the big family party will happen or if I'll shorten my stay in Norway (was hoping to stay till the beginning of February). I usually have almost no work in January so I'm hoping for lots of snow and walks in the woods! Norwegian nature is so beautiful in wintertime...
This all means I need to adapt some other things, like I have to send Christmas gifties before the end of this month. Anything sent to me will be received on Dec. 22 or else in February... so I am sorry to say but all late Christmas cards will be opened that late this time...

Ya think she will stop playing with her new camera SOON???

And why on earth thinks she that my nose is a central point of attraction tonight???? Eeeeeh?? Ya know, you humons???

It's Saturday and I hope none of you has to work today :) Me, I'm typing away a text on homeopathy, actually a whole series of 8 articles, not easy at all, and I wish I were stitching. But work is money, and money is stash, right? I'll leave you with this lovely bouquet I spotted this summer on a wall near the Holmenkollen ski jump tower in Oslo (by the way, does the name ring any bell to Americans? I'd love to know).

And Toska in her favorite position...

Hey, you all go stitching since I can't!

I am working this night, a couple of hours more, till 3 or 4 am. Friday was busy, but in the evening I felt the urge to go jogging, which I did and it gave me loads and loads of energy to work.

In between some Christmas stitching, I've started a CHS piece (Do not fear the sirens of the sea) just for the fun of it. I love the colors and I find it relaxing to work on even though it is stitched over one on 40 ct.

Thank you so much for your comments on my first nissejente (nisse-girl in Norwegian)! I so enjoyed her and the three others. Not sure at this moment if I'll do more of them or try some other special gifties for Christmas. As for now, I gave up on the other book I bought with more difficult models - they require modeling faces, painting them etc. I'll get back to it next year much earlier, when I'm less under pressure with Christmas gifts.
Noone commented on the easy faces I made, which I take as a good sign. I really made them easy, just three black dots of varied form for the eyes and the nose. I have no drawing nor painting talents so before I try painting the wooden heads and then all the elements of each face, I need to practice some before and I don't have time/inspiration to do that now. I think.
Anyway, I hope their recipients will like them. They look pretty easy, but they require a lot of cutting, sewing, glueing etc. :)
Petra - the boy from that series is just made without the hair, I wasn't too inspired to make one but I might :)

Here are the three others:
Enjoy your week-end, friends!

HOE Mattress pincushion received and more

Thanks a lot for your recent comments on my first nisse-girl and the basket. Actually, the basket is a kit from Homespun Elegance which contains - the basket, some fiberfill, a piece of fabric, the chart. It goes quick to stitch it with your favorite thread color and all that is left to do is to attach the stitched piece to the basket. It's a neat little kit and really not expensive.



I've received today from Nic the cutest mattress pincushion, it is absolutely adorable, very soft and fresh in style. I am happily exhibiting it today near my workplace to look at it :)
Nic also included a chocolate cat (long gone!!), Mill Hill beads in a very practical color, two skeins of Vicky Clayton threads, a DMC leaflet, a super adorable card and - a highly appreciated leaflet from my wishlist! Thank you so much, Nic!! I love it all.


What else? In the past days I've stitched two more pieces by Homespun Elegance, their two 2008 ornies, but I haven't done the finishing part yet. When inspiration comes....

I like the first, but I don't like the second. I hope to have the inspiration one day soon to finish it into something I'll love. Btw, I replaced the 2008 year in the upper left corner with God Jul, Norwegian for Merry Christmas.

Hope all of you are having a great week! Here it's not really a good one, recession seems to strike my business, I am scared to death.

Meet my first girl!

And please tell me what you think of her! I am curious to hear your comments because it is my first work of this type... Yesterday I surrounded myself with wooden heads, felt, false hair, other materials and I tried this first funny one. Oh it takes time to draw, cut, work and glue and tie and assemble all the elements. The little bag, I had to redo it twice because it was the cloth was hard to work so it wouldn't deassemble. The borders were ripping open. Here's my first one then and three other have followed for Christmas gifts, I just need to do the final finishing steps. They are pure fun to do once you got the hang of it!
I am anxious to hear your comments, good or bad (especially bad!) and any suggestions you might have, serious!

HOE Mattress pincushion exchange

Here is the mattress pincushion I made for Joan for the HOE exchange of the same name. I stitched it over one. This is "Nuit d'hiver" by the French designer Tralala.




As usual, my trademark is a piece of fabric stitched to the back :)

HOE Prairie Schooler exchange

I was delighted to hear tonight that Irene received and liked her Prairie Schooler piece. It took around two weeks to reach Canada and I was hoping for a shorter time. I must tell you I had a hard time parting with it, it really was a fav' piece of mine.

Stitched on Silkweaver fabric with my choice of silks and WDW/GAST. Finished with rust-coloured hemp thread and a metal ring (meant for jewelery-making) to which I tied a rafia bow.

I was particularly happy with my choice of colors, but seriously, the fabric was awesome to work on. In reality it is a little more colored, but not much. Alas, I misplaced the little bag so I must do some detective work, I'd love to buy much more of it one day. It is so soft also :)

Here is the back fabric I chose from my Fatquartershop stash...

I also tried my hand at a fall-themed scissor fob... with a brass flower, metal sun(flower), a big wooden bead and others:

... and I enclosed a Victoria Sampler pattern, a little tuck pillow, a piece of Moda fall fabric, solid perfume with the scent of fresh cut grass from one of my favorite etsy sellers and last, a bag of raspberry tea to warm up the colder evenings. Hope Irene and her Mom like it! I was thinking that she could re-use the linen bag for stitching or finishing purposes...

I so love cross-stitched blacbirds... much less the real ones!! When I see a sampler with birds, trees and a house... well, you've heard that already. This one flew to Canada this time :)

I finished this little basket by Homespun Elegance last night. I just love it!! It is already hanging in a different spot near my usual stitching place. It is meant to receive your scissors and stick your pins in the little pillow, and that's what mine does now. I made the pillow a bit narrow but I'll let it stay this way.

Also, I've put the last stitches on this piece by Blackbird Designs. I know it's a big no-no, but today I'm showing it not ironed yet, because I have a lot of work to do.

If you're curious what Warsaw's metro (underground) looks like, here's a short film for you from the last station in the south of the town:

Stacja Metra Kabaty

The last (I think) station to the north opened this week. It looks pretty nice and modern to me. To see a photo, click HERE.

Are we normal?

I mean, errrrr, completely? When we went to see the movie Mamma mia this summer, I lost the plot twice because there were gorgeous Greek alphabet samplers on the wall and on the bed. I couldn''t take my eyes off them. Have you noticed these two scenes?

Today, my beloved aunt asked if I wouldn't like to come and stay again with her for, say, a month. I just visited her in September! But the answer is obvious to all who know me. Yes. BUT. Traveling with my laptop (hey, I also work!), some clothes, a dog, a cat, some cosmetics, a ton of stash, all this on a train isn't easy. Doable, but not easy for a 3,5 h train trip plus the transport effort/time to and from the station. So they've set up a whole plan. My cousin will be in Warsaw in ten days and he could pick me up with his wife. Luxury conditions. BUT. There's Christmas in sight. How do I take ALL needed supplies with me TOO?? I wanted to make some Norwegian nisse. I am also unable to decide on the right fabric beforehand, I need to see which colors etc. suit best. Which cording. Which ribbons. I need my glue. My scissors, my cutters. My working surface. My favorite cross-stitch fabric. And several bags of threads. So I said I need to think. I've been constantly on the move since May. I wanted some peace.... some time alone, which you difficultly have when you stay at someone else's place, even if it is your paradise on earth. My aunt's place is my paradise on earth. So, why do I find it hard to decide? Even my two tailed friends will love it there, as usual. Toska could rule over the other female cats and ignore the male one, named after her, a modified version of the name I gave her. She could hiss and strike, bang and terrorize all the company. Happy loves the garden. All so different from being stuck in this small living space. Very downtown, but very small. I need to think! :)
My grandma will be 100 in January. I hope she will. She starts to need a lot more care these days. I could help my aunt a bit. That's an additional argument :)

Now, Nicole tagged me today and Donna before... No more pretext, I will oblige tonight :) Here we go:

THE RULES:
Link to your tagger and list the rules

List 7 random facts about yourself

Tag 7 people

If you're tagged, play along and pass it on!

My random facts... hmmm, let's think.

1. I am a survivor of a real sea catastrophe. Yup, the big ship sank in the infamous Bay of Biscay, I, my father, 6 other passengers and over 20 persons running the huge industrial ship were rescued in dramatic conditions, but my parents lost all they had gathered during an 11 years life abroad, including a car. All I was able to take was me and myself, same for my father.
2. I have a genius brother, the real type. Yes, we had the same parents. Yes, we are *very* different. In almost all possible ways.
3. I live in Polish, I work in French, I communicate daily in English, I love in Norwegian.
4. I've always lived downtown, whether in Paris, Warsaw, my hometown or Morocco - but I am a rural girl at heart and hope to pursue my dream of living elsewhere one day.
5. Toska is my first cat. Both my parents and my brother *hate* cats. I now *love* cats even though I used to be a dog lover only.
6. I am attracted to all forms of art if only they depict birds (especially blackbirds, which I am not so fond of in real life), trees, a house, and possibly a dog, a cat. I'm a very "homy"person.
7. Learning languages has always been very easy for me. I know a few quite well and can communicate in several others. But I struggle with Norwegian.

And I'll tag:
Joke
Ela
Karen V
Jennifer/OH
Irene
Janaina
Staci

I was delighted to receive the stickers I ordered on etsy the other day. Sorry for the bad picture! One already flew off far away on my HOE Mattress pincushion exchange yesterday.

I ordered them from THIS seller.

Etsy discoveries...

See THIS beauty and make sure you browse all others... yes, they are crocheted!