WIPwednesday, B-Day Surprises and Arizona

Happy Wednesday stitching friends!  This week Wednesday finds me relatively cheerful as I have a 4-day weekend coming up so tomorrow is technically "Friday"

I'm trying to keep myself as engagement free this weekend as I can so I can stitch my heart out and my butt square!  I am finally seeing the home stretch on The Accolade!  I even took it into work today so I can stitch during my lunch hour!

I have finished page 11 and I'm moving nicely into page 12 on The Accolade.  I have absolutely no other stitching to show you this week... for obvious reasons!

Friday I celebrated my birthday.  This year I was spoiled by my friends and at work.  Lets just say there was almost too much cake!  I received two lovely stitchy surprises from stitching friends (as I always say the kindest, most generous people in the world).

My friend Janice happened to be popping into Stitcher's Garden on a trip back home.  I asked her to pick up two charts and a thread I couldn't get while I was at The Attic.  Janice gifted me with the March/Arpil Year In Chalk charts and a skein of GAST I was missing.  She also added a beautiful piece of 40ct linen!

Annette of the blog California Stitcher so kindly sent me this handmade birthday card, Ink Circles chart (which could only be gotten with a donation) and nice threads!  Thank you so much Annette!

Finally here's a few pictures I took while in SW Arizona a few weeks ago.

WIP Wednesday a Day Late, The Attic and Stash!

Alrighty, I'm back and I'm done travelling for the foreseeable future... as far as I know!  Where to start... stitching, my trip to The Attic in the Phoenix area or my new stash???

I think I'll get the stitching part out of the way first.

Before I left for my March Break trip to visit with Kathy in Southwestern

 Yule: Winter Solstice

The Primitive Hare

stitched on 40ct linen with DMC 

Arizona I started and finished my March Ornament.  I pulled out yet another freebie that I've had set aside to stitch.  Since life was so busy it was easiest to stitch up something that wasn't too big or complicated.

During my week in Arizona I focused solely on Cirque des Carreaux by Ink Circles.  I am very impressed with the progress I managed to make in a week. I've finished page one and there's not left to go on page 2.

Of course who doesn't want to see The Accolade?

Now onto the FUN, FUN, FUN stuff!!!  I do have other pictures from my trip, but not to overload you right now I just want to share my trip to The Attic!

Kathy and I set out for a little road trip during the last days of my visit with her.  We stole the car and drove the 3 hours up to the Phoenix area where we met up with Terri who was so kind to put us up overnight.  I had first met Terri years ago during my first trip to visit Kathy in Arizona, but at that time she was living in California and I was flying in and out of San Diego.  It was so nice to reconnect with Terri!

Later that afternoon she too us to her LNS, and one with quite a reputation, The Attic!  No wonder, look at this shop!  Its big and every nook and cranny is filled with models and charts to look through.

Terri stitching away

Not only were we able to shop to our hearts content (and boy I did some serious dammage), but it was stitch night too!  I must admit I couldn't really settle down to any stitching, I was too distracted by the shopping!

Me & Chris

While I was puttering around the store I had the best surprise on Earth!  I hear my name and I turn around, it was Chris of the blog Tot Hill Farm Stitches!  Oh my goodness!  What are the chances we would be not only in the same State (as you know I'm up here in freezing, cold Canada), but the same City, or even that we managed to be in the same store on the same day at the same time!  It was just so nice to get to meet Chris!  I sure hope our paths will cross again in the future... or maybe we need to arrange that, Chris?

As you can see I did very well at The Attic... lots of charts, fistfuls of floss, and some fabric.

During my first days at Kathy's she finished up the stitching on the Chatelaine, Desert Mandala!  During the rest of our stitching time she was madly beading away.  As you can see that's how she wisely spent her time at The Attic (though I do know she made a few purchases).  Terri and I were there to witness her full on, Happy Dance!!!!  Here it is in all its glory.

Then on the drive back South, I told Kathy we needed a picture of her in the desert with the cactus and her Mandala.  So here she is!  We found the perfect Saguaro to accompany Kathy and her Desert Mandala.

I had an amazing week with Kathy and I got to spend some time with a lot of fantastic people!  I wish every March Break could be like that!

Another WIPless Wednesday

Its Wednesday, and yet again, I don't have a WIP to share with you!

Be Scary - Hats Off To Halloween - 2

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 28ct Burnt Papyrus Jubilee from Sugar Maple Fabrics

Stitched with GAST, WDW & DMC

I have another small HD to share with you this week.  Funny enough this little Lizzie*Kate took me all week to stitch up!  I don't know what it is besides the fact that I've just been exhausted and not stayed up late or stitched too much in the evenings.  I also had an on again-off again migraine Friday-Monday (such joy).

The Accolade only got two thread lengths in it this week, so I have really nothing to show you there.

Byzantine Ornaments

Teresa Wentzler

I've got another ornament to share with you from this summer's finishing spree.  This piece I stitched a few years ago, but I finished it up for a Teresa Wentzler smalls exchange on a TW Facebook group.  Its now been received so I can safely share it.  On the disappointing side whoever was assigned as my partner (we were not receiving from the person we were sending to) never followed through.  I have nothing cool to show you that I received.  Exchanges are great, and so much fun, but when someone craps out it just sucks.  It also leaves one feeling a little bitter and not so excited to do another exchange.

This past Friday I packed up my car and headed down for a stitchy-weekend!  I visited with Kathy for probably the last time this year before she heads South for the winter.  On Saturday we got together with Rebecca, Bonnie, Lianne, Lynn, and Trista to first check out the Cataraqui Guild's Merchant Market.  Some shopping was definitely done.  I just bought two charts.

Kathy & Rebecca

Bonnie

After shopping we spent the rest of the day stitching and chatting at Rebecca's.  We were treated to "Garbage Can Turkey" by Curtis, Rebecca's husband.  It is always so nice to spend a day with like-minded friends.

Trista

A Little Cross Border Stashing aka A Day With My Man

This past Friday one of those rare opportunities arises where Todd and I could actually be off of work on the SAME DAY!  Friday was a PD Day at work for me and things are a little slow at Todd's place of work and the owner is giving his employees the next couple of Fridays off.  Todd didn't have to be off nor did I.  As Todd is office staff he had the choice to go in if he had work to do, or take a day off if he was doing well with his work load.  For me, the teachers had a day off without pay (a contract thingie) I had the choice of either going into work or taking a day of annual leave.  Todd and I both opted to be off... Todd's one condition was that we did something that day, not just sit at home as is our habit.

Todd's first ever trip to Bass Pro Shop, he looks very grumpy because he was hungry

and he honestly does not like having his picture taken!

At first I came up with mundane ideas like... going to the movies or a museum.  Then I thought nah, they're going to be busy because all of the kids are off!  I didn't want to be out with kids!  So I developed a plot that Todd could not say no to!  A trip to Bass Pro Shop in Auburn, NY... which on the way I would get to go to Stitcher's Garden in Fayetteville, NY!  A win-win-win situation!  I got to go to the LNS, Todd got to go to Bass Pro for the first time, and we got to spend the day together!

I did pretty well at Stitcher's Garden...  Here's the results of my little shopping trip:

 I wanted to start this the moment I saw it!!!

 From Jo-Anns

My favorite highlighters from Wal-Mart

January IHSW - Timberhouse Retreat 2014

I am behind on all of my scheduled blogging lately, so here is my belated IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend) report!  I hope this isn't going to be the trend for 2014, I'd hate to start the year off behind and continue the year that way!

I honestly didn't hermit at ALL the weekend of January 17-19... it was even BETTER than hermitting I was stitching with 17 other ladies at the Timberhouse Country Inn Resort!  As a group except for a quick little trip to do a little stash shopping most of us pretty much stayed inside warm and safe stitching!

Up until this past November the retreats I go to at the Timberhouse were run by Ann of Knowledge and Needles but now that she has become a Snowbird, she's not around anymore.  We all wanted to continue the tradition of our January, March, and November stitching retreats so Bonnie and I have taken over running them.  In all honesty Bonnie does much of the work as she's much closer to the facility than I am.  But I'm there as a sounding board, support and help whenever she needs it.  January was quite a challenge to get off of the ground this year.  Up until late November we had a full retreat and slowly people started dropping out.  That is quite a challenge and frustrating when you have people dropping out and needing to fill spots three weeks before a retreat!  We've learn a few lessons and will put a few things into place to hopefully reduce that stress.

On the upside, we had a few new faces there!  It was nice to spend the weekend with my friends Julie and Mylene.  Julie and I took a little selfie Saturday morning!  It was wonderful to get to spend a weekend with Teresa who I had previously met twice at the annual Knowledge and Needles open house that Ann holds near the end of August.  So I guess that's the upside of some of the usual retreaters dropping out, we get some new wonderful additions to the group!

I didn't really take any pictures this year...  My urge to take pictures seems to have left me this last year.  Saturday afternoon we did get out to Knowledge and Needles since Ann had left the keys for Bonnie and I to open the shop to anyone who wanted to do a little shopping.  I of course couldn't help myself and I did buy a few things.

I was also able to finally pick up the signed chart I had won off of Facebook from Norden Crafts.  They regularly give away charts and if your name is drawn its sent to the LNS of your choice to pick up.  I'm looking forward to stitching this one on 40ct in a gorgeous red!

... I like long romantic walks on the beach.... (please note down winter coat, snow on the ground and that Lake Ontario is FROZEN!)

On the way back to the Timberhouse, I wasn't in a very social mood so I took a little time by myself with my camera.  I stopped a few times on my way home AND I went down to the "beach".

Here are some of my shots...

Meanwhile back at the Timberhouse...

 Stitching-wise it was a productive weekend!  I worked on getting all of the white put in on the adorable owls in Three Little Maids.

Tall Snowman

cHeart In Hand

Stitched on: 32ct Belfast Linen - Autumn Field from Zwiegart

Stitched with: DMC & WDW

When I had enough of stitching with white floss I pulled out some of my other January starts which were ornaments and worked on those.  I managed to have three finishes!  So that's I think 5 of my 15 starts finished in the fist month of 2014.

Christmas Favorites Santa & Reindeer

cPrarie Schooler

Stitched on: Mystery fabric

As usual Sunday came around all too soon and it was time to head home.  Normally we pack up around lunch time but it was snowy, and windy.  I decided shortly after breakfast it would be best to start making my way home.  Instead of 3-3.5 hours to get home it took 5.5 hours!  Wow!

Check out both Bonnie and Christin's blogs they took a few more pictures than I did, many of the stitching on display.