Stitchy stuff!

 I hope that everyone had a wonderful Spring holiday!  It is so nice to see the sunshine again.  I started weeding beds in my front yard a couple days after work this week.  It was nice to smell the dirt again.  It was beautiful earlier in the week, warm and sunny.  Monterey Peninsula weather is ever changing though, and by yesterday evening, it was freezing and gray.  I will have to wait a little longer to plant.

Last year, a number of cross stitch designers were incredibly generous and offered some lovely free designs as pandemic projects.  I am sure everyone must have seen the Long Dog Pandemic sampler.  It was over the top as one would expect.  Another was a blackwork sampler by Peppermint Purple on Facebook.   Here is my version of the 52 week 2020 sampler:

Sorry about the lack of ironing...I stitched it on mystery 28 ct evenweave (Monaco?) that was in my stash.  I used about two and a half spools of Sulky 12 weight.  I still have to pick a border.  I have it narrowed down to two, I think.  This was super fun to stitch.  Peppermint Purple has beautiful patterns that seem to be a combination of new and old stitches.  You do have to be a member of the group to access the patterns for stitch-a-

longs like this one.

So, what is as much fun as stitching?  Accumulating stash, of course!  A few weeks ago, I was on Facebook, looking at pictures of stitching.   I love seeing everyone else's work!  Someone started posting photos of their stitching designed by Veronique Enginger.  OMG!  So beautiful.  From what I have read, she is one of the most popular designers in France.  Her designs are very retro, and she uses beautiful colors.  The books are a bit expensive on Etsy, Ebay and even Amazon.  I wanted one so badly, but they seemed to be more than I wanted to spend at the time.  In frustration, I just Googled her name and these two books came up.  Guess what!  You can get them online from Target!  They are so, so pretty!

I took four years of French in high school and I am impressed with myself that I can still remember how to read some of the French!  Of course, the pictures help to offer a sense of context.

During the pandemic I decided to watch way less news and more things that make me happy.  The news was making me really anxious, so I took a long fast from it.  I quickly scan online news for anything critically important, and have the local news on an app on my phone that texts me any important news that is happening.  I have really been enjoying Floss Tube, although it is painful for my wallet.  Of course, I love to watch Priscilla and Chelsea because they make me laugh.  I have also found Lori Holt's channel, Cross Hatch Quilts and Attic Needlework Shop.  It was on Attic Needlework shop that I found out that people stitch on 56 count.  I have been stitching forever, and I had no idea that stitch counts went that high!  Wow!  

I find that Floss Tube tends to be a peaceful and happy place.  I like that there are a couple that I like that have patterns that are a little off the beaten path, and do not get as much visibility.  Watching stitchy videos are a nice way to spend my Saturday morning, in my pajamas, and with a cup of tea.  

More stitching to come!

I'm Back

 Hello, Everyone!

I hope you are well and staying safe!  What a crazy couple of years!

The last half of 2018 and all of 2019 will forever be known as the worst year of my life.  My family and I endured so much trauma and loss throughout 2019.  I felt that there was not much positive I could post anymore.  Fortunately, we do not stay in those periods of life too long.  Eventually, things get better and the sun comes out again.  This is the thought that kept me going.  

It was an interesting year in 2020.  So many people were going through so much sadness and pain.  I had already done that the prior year, and I felt a bit guilty that 2020 was an awesome year for me.  

In the beginning of 2020, I was recruited by a larger company.  The company has an awesome culture.  I started in April and on my first day I was handed a new laptop.  My new boss said that they wanted me to stay safe so I was told to stay home to work.  I went into the office 1-2 days a week.  The team that I work with is great and I feel like I get to work with an elite team of accountants.  Everyone on the team is exceptionally kind to one another.

In late 2019, I decided that it was really time to work on my education, so I went back to school.  I have been taking classes online for some time, however, I have ramped it up in the past year and a half.  Last year I decided to really tackle the home projects that I have wanted to complete for years.  I painted my bathroom, organized the garage, and put sod and flowers in the front yard.  I am working with a local contractor now to put in radiant heat tile floors in the kitchen and bathroom.  He will also be creating a new backyard for me and taking care of some new updates on the cozy cottage.  

There have been a number of blessings in staying home for the past year.  With so many companies, like the grocery stores, Costco, and Home Depot now having curbside or delivery, I have more time to do things I love.  I have time to really talk to my family and friends on the phone, to work on projects or to just think.  Life went really fast before we had to slow down.  A friend said to me recently that we keep wanting things to return to normal, however, we should really think about what parts of normal we really want back.  

My crafting friends and I were somewhat confused at the beginning of the pandemic when people were claiming to be bored.  We felt fortunate to have hobbies and interests that always keep us busy.  I am not sure I know what it is like to not be busy.  One of my guy friends said that he felt fortunate to have been a kid that came home alone every day after school.  He said that it taught him early to entertain himself.  He has taken this time to do things he has always wanted to do.  He is learning to play the guitar, cook, and read classics.  Other friends are taking online mosaics classes, quilting classes, and creating gardens.  I have gotten hooked on flosstube and get inspired by everyone else's stitching.  Unfortunately, this means that I have been participating in the economy by purchasing more craft supplies.

So, I am back.  I still have a little editing to do on the blog, so bear with me.  I also have photos to share of my stitching over the past year.  So bear with me for a few days!

I missed you all!