Life With Jules, and other stuff

I have finished the last two parts of the 2009 Christmas SAL (began November 1). Here are the pics: We had a choice of language for the wording. I opted for the French language. I think it makes it a bit classier!

Olympus E-620 f/14 - 1/400 sec. - ISO-2000 - 42mm Date taken: 10/22/09

Kodak EasyShare Z1275 f/5.1 - 1/200 sec. - ISO-80 - 38mm Date taken: 6/10/09

Kodak EasyShare Z1275 f/3.4 - 1/100 sec. - ISO-100 - 17mm Date taken: 6/10/09

Olympus E-620 f/5 - 1/60 sec. - ISO-200 - 28mm Date taken: 11/26/09

I still don't have my own pc back, so I decided to download the pics onto my dad's pc so I can upload them here. First up is HalloSAL. I decided to go with beads for the owls eyes instead of continuing to fight the french knots. While I am waiting for part II on HalloSAL, I decided to stitch Fraidy Frog from the JCS Halloween 2009 Issue. The first image is in normal settings on my camera and the second is in the "pop art" setting. I really like how the colors look in the second image! And finally, an update on Astral Lion . I am almost finished (have stitched much more since this photo was taken) and will post another update on it soon. I am now all the way across the bottom, have the smaller lions done (except for the backstitching), and most of the purple area complete. Now to get my pc back from that blasted Geek Squad! I will have an update on the Christmas SAL over the weekend as I have the 4th part to complete and the last part will be out soon (Sunday, ...

Check out this incredible giveaway!!! http://hookedonstitches.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-is-it.html

Well, I have been without my own pc since Thursday afternoon (I am on my dad's at the moment). It's been stressful to be without it as I have not been able to work on my Master's Thesis much. I have done a bit of reading, but really need my pc to do the actual writing. Ugh! I have taken the opportunity to get some stitching in and have pics to share - as soon as I get my pc back! Until then...

Here is the third section all stitched on this SAL:

Well, I guess it's that time again! Here is my November report for TUSAL: I am also making some progress on Astral Lions . I will post a picture of that later in the week.

Yes, that does mean I have finished Makin' New Friends (well, as finished as it's gonna get)! Instead of french knots, I used black colored beads. I opted not to do all the "beadwork" because I felt it would look better without all the clutter. There should be white and red beads as well on the buttons and one of the scarfs. Here is a pic: Earlier today, my father and I were out and about and we stopped at JoAnn's so I could get some fabric for a project I am going to start for one of my graduate school classes. I am making a chapbook, of sorts, using my own poetry translated into Arabic. I plan to write the poems in calligraphy and then bind the book in a traditional (as traditional as I can get, anyway) medieval Islamic fashion. It will be a lot of work, but I am sure it will look great when I am done! Here is a pic of the fabric I chose (Yes, that is my kitten, Sandy, "modeling" with the fabric - it's hard to believe she is almost 7 mos.): I also...

Here are a couple of pics of Makin' New Friends : I only have the lower border to finish and some of the detail (french knots - faces). Here are a couple of the Christmas SAL:

Well, it's not quite the weekend yet, but I got a little disgusted with one of the texts I am reading for my thesis so I started this SAL last night. I gathered all of my materials: 14 x 15 piece of 18ct Regency Aida cloth in Oatmeal, DMC floss in various colors, scissors, chart - check! I began stitching at 8pm during "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and finished by 11:30pm near the end of the local news broadcast. Here are a few pics:

I have almost completed the first part of the HalloSAL I am participating in. Here is a snap of what I have done so far: I also decided to participate in a Christmas SAL. I will show my progress once I have actually done something on it; I only just signed up today and it started on the 1st. I intend to work on that one over the weekend.

I was hoping to show a picture of Zane receiving his birthday gift from me, but out of the 100+ pictures I took at the party on the 7th, wouldn't you know it, that was the only one that didn't turn out! Ugh!!! I will have to ask my cousin to ask around and see if anyone else who took pictures has one of that and if they will email me a copy. I will keep you posted... In other news, I picked up Makin' New Friends and am determined to finish it off before Christmas this year ! There really is not a lot left to do on it. Just a little bit of the border and those dreaded french knots. I am seriously considering using beads instead as I find the knots difficult to do. And I really don't have the patience to keep messing with the thread to get the knots just right. Maybe something I can practice doing after the holidays! I will post a picture when it is completed.

Well, those of you involved in that challenge may have noticed I "disappeared". I have decided to not do this challenge as my studies in graduate school are becoming more demanding. I had to give up something, and this was the obvious choice. As I feel the need to be creative with words, I will definitely post the poems here.

I have completed 3 Christmas cards (minus the inside saying) so far. I am enjoying making these; more than I thought I would. Here are a few pics (information beneath them): Tinsel Cat 14ct. White Aida Stitch Count 37h x 24w Cross Stitch Cards ~ Joanne Sanderson The next two are from Cross Stitch Crazy magazine's add-on 126 Xmas Designs : Snowman, p19 14ct. White Aida Stitch Count 40h x 48w (max) Three Kings, p16 14ct. White Aida Stitch Count 40h x 48w (max) I used scraps from my scrapbooking supplies to accent the designs and Staples brand Card Stock in beige. I have a couple of more that I want to make and then we'll see how the time is from there (as to whether or not I make more).

Well, I went to Kissimmee, FL today to visit NeedleCraft World. It is a wonderful little store with lots of neat stuff! I mainly went to get some fabric that I need for a couple of projects, and since it is the closest stitchy store near me (about an hour East), I gave myself a little spending limit. I managed to pick up a few patterns and a kit. Below are some pics: The top fabric is "Peoria Purple" by Week's Dye Works. This photo does not do justice to the actual color, but it is the closest I could get to showing you. The bottom fabric is a 28ct Linen (can't remember the color), which it turns out is not long enough, so I will have to reorder in the correct length. Such is life, I guess! lol...it also means I can get the rest of the floss I need to begin the HalloSAL. Starting from the top left: Rosewood Manor's Medallions by Karen Kluba (2008), The Cricket Collection's The Great Pumpkin Conspiracy by Vicki Hastings (2009), Ink Circles' Cirque des Carr...

Here are the first two poems I have written for the challenge : November 1, 2009 Entering Something New A new universe A new sound A new smell We enter something new A new sight A new feeling A new world We enter something new The old is long but forgotten The old is nowhere to be found As we enter something new... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ November 2, 2009 The Canon’s End Standing on top of the hill the canon points forward Aimed for the enemy at hand I stand there and wait for the order And when the order is called I light the fuse and look on The canon points toward the advance As I stare down its barrel and watch And then the fuse hits her mark and "Boom!" the ball is shot out Soaring away from us all Yet, I stare down the barrel and stall.