O Canada

What can I say? It was an awesome game and we won the gold! I am so proud to be Canadian. 

Stitching and frogging and stitching again

Last time I posted an update on Heart of the Valley I noticed that I made a boo boo...

 

Yep, right there, I'm off of one stitch! So I frogged it all out...

  

and started all over again... My battle with silk floss is over, I've won! Now I even like to work with it:

 

It is looking better and better!

Canada thrashed Russia

What a game it was! Before the game Russians were so sure of their win:

“Let's get the guillotine or the gallows out, yeah?” Bykov sneered at Sovietski Sport. “We have 35 people in the squad. Let’s cut them all up on Red Square.”

 

Well... the Red Machine run into our Maple Tree and DIED! 7:3!!!

Heart of the Valley update

It's been a good weekend. So far I studied a little, stitched a little and watched Olympic games a lot. Here is my Heart of the Valley:

 

It is my first time of stitching with silk floss. Flowers inside the heart I stitched with 2 strands  of floss and I was having a battle with the tension. So, the rest I'm stitching with single thread and it is a little easier...

How are you getting ready for Easter?

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, first day of the 40-day Lent season. Many Christians giving up something for that time and do fasting. I look on that fasting a little closer and according to catholic on-line:

"Fasting: The law of fasting requires a Catholic from the 18th Birthday (Canon 97) to the 59th Birthday (i.e. the beginning of the 60th year, a year which will be completed on the 60th birthday) to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. Such fasting is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The fast is broken by eating between meals and by drinks which could be considered food (milk shakes, but not milk). Alcoholic beverages do not break the fast; however, they seem to be contrary to the spirit of doing penance."

Well, I think it is a good and healthy thing to have smaller portions specially when so many of us trying to loose weight, me included. So I'm all for fasting that goes along above rules (I love it! I'm aloud to have a beer or glass of wine while watching winter olympic games). And I decided that instead of giving up something I will take time to reflect and have a good look at my spirituality.

And I will stitch Jesus. Many of you remember my ebay purchase of a beautiful chart with fucking instruction in Chinese. Well, that project became UFO (unfinished object) because I gave up on those instructions (can you blame me?). But since I joined Kelly's UFO Tuesdays I decided to buy another kit (exactly the same but all instructions in English) and give it another try. Since I do not like to stitch on 14ct aida any more, I will exchange fabric for 28ct evenweave and I think it will look awesome. I will start stitching it right after I finish Heart of the Valley (this year I do not rotate projects to avoid future UFOs).

Do you celebrate Easter? How do you prepare for it?

One World One Heart giveaway winners

A big thank  you goes to Lisa for organizing One World One Heart. It was an awesome ride through the Blogland that will continue for quite some time (I still have many blogs to visit...)

My giveaway # 1 (Unicorn) goes to Connie  and giveaway #2 (bookmark) goes to Cat

Congratulations to both of you!

Olympics are on!

Happy Valentine's everybody!

I'm addicted to Olympics. If you do not see new posts, you know why...

And while watching winter sports I'm stitching Heart of the Valley. It is a brand new start and here is the progress:

And this is how it will look when finished:

I thought I can remember...

Some time ago I decided to celebrate my first blogoversary. I had a poll and you decided that you like to win cross stitch supplies. I made an executive decision and changed the prize from cs supplies to memory stick.

Would like to know why? Well, my memory is good but kind of short... I created this blog not a year ago but two (sometime in September 2007???), it wasn't active though and my first post ever in the blogland was February 2, 2008. So, no matter what, my memory is somewhat blurry. On the very bottom of my blog I installed a counter and from now on I will remember when is that blogoversary!

Here is my giveaway (if I know that you are a stitcher, I will include a few "extras", some surprise cross stitch supplies) and rules are under the picture.

To be eligible for the draw you should:

1. Leave a comment under this post (you can leave many comments, but only those under this post will count for the draw).

2. If your blog doesn't link back, or if you do not have a blog, please make sure to include your email address so I can let you know if you win.

3. If you are follower of this blog (old or new, it doesn't matter) I will enter your name twice.

4. All entries must be received by midnight (PST) February 28 and the winner will be announced Monday morning, March 1st. 

I hope that you like my prize and good luck!

And here is a view from my window, I have the most awesome, huge icicles hanging right behind the window:

As days go by...

every day my life is getting back closer to "normal".  Two weeks ago was my fathers funeral, my heart is aching tremendously but my eyes stay dry for much longer periods of time. We all dealing with grief differently, I throw myself back into work and it is helping, I think...

I want to say thank you to Kelly, Nancy, Pat in New Mexico, Debbie, Mel and Meari for sympathy cards. 

Debbie included with the card beautiful flowers that will last forever, Mel and Meari sent a gorgeous cashel linen for my father's memorial (my own design) and the cutest pair of scissors. 

Thank you so much my friends. It is very comforting to know that I'm not alone in my sadness. And even thou I never met you in person, I feel so close to you.

One World One Heart - GIVEAWAY

Welcome everyone! I just learned about One World One Heart and I thought that it is  a beautiful idea of combining peace and love with the ride on the Magic Carpet.

And to make the ride more magical I'm giving away my Summer Unicorn. 

 

It is an unframed piece 10" x 20 1/4" stitched by me on 14 ct aida. If you like it it could be yours, all you have to do is to leave a comment on this post by February 14. Since this is a blog event it is open to every blogger. Please make sure to include your email address if your blog profile doesn't link back (I have to let you know if you are a winner, right?)  The winner will be announced on  Monday, February 15.  Good luck everyone!

Saturday, February 6th

A little update: I decided to add another giveaway! It will be a bookmark (or two) in honor of the One World One Heart event personalized with winner's initial.