It was a cold day in the Yukon

It was, yesterday

Couple of years ago I set the cutting off point at -35 degrees Celsius, meaning that I will not start the engine in my car when temperatures reach -35C. Cars do not like cold temperatures. So I was home bound and I liked it. I finished my assignment for accounting course I'm taking and I stitched, and stitched.

With a horror in my eyes and heart almost stopping I noticed that I'd made a booboo in my Halloween House. I was sick when I started that project and maybe I can blame my cold for what happen. Mistakenly I turned my stitching 90 degrees and instead having fabric in landscape  layout, there it was - portrait. My fabric piece was too big for the project and for some unknown reason I did not trimmed it, thank goodness. So I start measuring and counting and it look like there will be enough width with an edge of barely 1 inch. I didn't trust my counting so I stitched a whole width of the project

and there it was, an inch and the quarter left on the right side. I'm safe, now I can stitch in peace. The project will not be centered nicely, but is doable. I'm finish it as a wall hanging so I'll be fine.

Now, I need your expert advice. The boarder is design as cobwebs and I do not like the way I started. (Click on the picture for more detailed view) I'm stitching these cobwebs with 1 strand of #415DMC. I tried long stitch and back stitch over 2 threads and I do not like effect of any of them. What to do? What I'm doing wrong? Please help! I think I  need a course in back stitching!

I have a new start... I know, I know, I thought I'm cured from startitis but Minnie of All xx's is stitching Sampler Rose and I wanted to stitch it since 2008. When I look at her WIP the urge was stronger than my sanity and I asked Minnie can we have a little SAL going. She said YES! Thank you Minnie, here is my new start:

I'm stitching it on 32ct antique white Jobelyn with Fall Splendor from Carrie's Creation. I hope it will not look so "noisy" with all the colors. My other choice of floss was DMC # 115 (red/dark burgundy variegated ). Will see after I have a little more done.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Halloween House

I stopped my Crazy Challenge and I have no idea what cured me from my craziness.  I'm suffering from startitis for many years. All of a sudden last night an unthinkable thing happen; I had untouched fabric, chart, floss and needles right  on the front of me and I could not make even one stitch... I never had that feeling of resistance before...  My sanity screamed "Evalina, you have over 30 WIPs, STOP! Finish what you've started and then start again!"

A few days ago, I think it was Monday - I was at work and with every hour going by I was feeling worse and worse. First I was just sneezing, later headache came and running nose and cough and muscle ache and shivers... I was swept of my feet for the next three days. I didn't slept so much since I can remember. In my tiny waking hours  I stitched some - but I wasn't able to read or even to watch TV.   Anyhow, today I'm feeling better and finally can go to work. I'm so well rested that I got up at 4:30 this morning and do not get me wrong, I do not I love my job but it is a way of making money and I do not get paid when I'm sick and staying home. If I only knew how I can make a decent leaving while working from home... (now I'm day dreaming)

Going back to stitching. Linda of Stitching with my Furbabies started SAL (stitch along) Halloween House by Urusla Michael. It's a lovely design so I'd join.

For some reason the white background did not appeal to me (model was stitched on 14ct white aida), I decided to stitch this piece on cashel linen Haunted and for cobwebs (frame around it) instead of black I'll use light gray.  Here is how it looks so far:

So long my friends,
Evalina

African Woman

You can call me crazy, but that's why I joined CJC again... Well, while traveling through the blogland I came across Becky of Becky Bee's Stitching Hive and she is hosting a BAP challenge.
Wow, I'm not the only one that's crazy! For this challenge I chose African Woman.

I saw this kit a very long time ago. It was pricey so it took me a while to splurge... The while was so long that it was unavailable anymore. I called Gita's  and they say they will try to get it for me. It took exactly a year and that was 7 month ago.

I promised myself not to start anything big this year, finish what I started before and do 15 new little projects from my stash. Well, I opened the package...

finished the fabric edges, put on the scroll frame and the rest is a history

That's the beginning of the challenge.  It should be done by December 31, 2012. The size of Lanarte's African Woman is 15.4"x19.3" (187 x 255 stitches).


For more pictures of my crazy starts visit Crazy Challenge 2012

Topaz

Last Saturday Freddy took Topaz to the vet for the checkup. Her ear is healing nicely but she has a lot of trouble with her collar. She still doesn't eat dog food but finally drinks her water. She has good appetite but only for people food...

In a week vet is removing stitches (if all goes well) and hopefully we can say goodbye to this huge, stiff collar.

So long my friends,

Evalina 

And the winners are...

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate today! I am a Roman-Catholic and my 12 days of Christmas ended on January 5th. Thank you so much to all who played with me, I wish you all health, happiness and prosperity in 2012. Now, lets see who the winners are...

Forgive Quickly goes to Mary Joan
Heart's Secret to Kaye
French Hen to Jen
Elisabeth's Stocking to Teresa S
Jeffrey's Stocking to Laurita Hall
Lavender and Roses to Kathy Ellen
Peach Tree Cottage to Jo who can't think of a clever nickname
The Rose in Morning to рыжая
The Harvesters to Katrien
Welcome Spring to Musicwoman
Wish ornament to pandy
and 12 days of Christmas to Mouse

Congratulations to all winners, I will send an email to each and everyone of you asking for your mailing address.

Have a wonderful stitchy 2012!

So long my friends,
Evalina 

PS. I do not have an email address for Musicwoman. If I do not hear from you my dear, I will choose another winner tomorrow after 12 PM PST.

12 days of Christmas in Blogland - day 12

We've made it! It's twelfth day of Christmas!!!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

• twelve drummers drumming
• eleven pipers piping
• ten lords-a-leaping
• nine ladies dancing
• eight maids-a-milking
• seven swans-a-swimming
• six geese-a-laying
• five golden rings
• three French hens
• two turtle doves
• and a partridge in a pear tree 

On the 12th day of Christmas I'm giving to one of you:

a chart by Sandy Orton - Twelve Days of Christmas.

Good luck to each and everyone of you! I will draw names of twelve lucky winners (one for each day) this Saturday, January 7th.

Topaz is doing fine, goes for walks, eats only roast and turkey - for now refuses to eat dog food or drink water. But she eats a lot of snow while walking.

So long my friends,
Evalina