September IHSW Report

Obviously I am late posting this report. Although I have been writing emails, responding to blog comments, reading, stitching, & I guess that's pretty much it really, I haven't felt up to writing a post.  I don't have much to say I guess.  However, I do have my IHSW stitching to tell you about, so here I am.

I have been stitching ornaments I kitted from JCS Ornament magazines before I went to the hospital.  The one I chose to stitch this past weekend is from the 2012 issue.

 Design:  His Gift

Designer:  My Big Toe Designs

Floss:  Belle Sole Silks

Fabric:  32 ct Antique Copper Hand Dyed

I love stitching Christian designs when I can find them & this one especially called to me. I liked it so much that I even purchased the silk floss & special fabric the pattern suggested.  I enjoyed stitching it but I did have a problem with the Belle Sole.  It is a beautiful floss with great coverage, but I'm not thrilled with the way it is dyed.  The color variations are too long, at least in the 4 colors this project called for, & therefore they tend to make long stripes or large blocks of light versus dark color.  I actually wasted a lot of the green floss because about half of each strand was so light it was almost white.  Quite disappointing ... especially since I purchased several other skeins of Belle Sole for other projects. Hopefully the other skeins will have better color blending.  

I didn't actually finish stitching this design until last night so my post title should technically read September IHSW+3 Days Report.  By Sunday night I had finished the brown & pink parts of the design & had started the green.  It's really a very simple design but thanks to this annoying little visitor ...

... it took me 6 days to complete it.  Well, I can't totally blame Froggie.  The Belle Sole floss color blending didn't help either.

Last night I started stitching a new ornament ... a mystery for now   : )

And speaking of mysteries ... if you haven't yet heard about the Plum Street Samplers Sunday Mystery Sampler, click here for the details.  There are 9 parts to the sampler which will be revealed over 9 consecutive Sundays starting this coming Sunday, September 29.  The theme is the birth of Christ.  The sampler is titled Mary's Sampler, but there are actually two designs to choose from ... the original design & a more "densely designed" version which will require more stitching time.  I don't know which design I will be choosing to stitch.  I will make my decision on Sunday.  This is the first time I'm taking part in stitching a mystery sampler & the first time I'm going to have 2 projects going at once ... an ornament along with the sampler.  I'm already feeling faint at the prospect of stitching 2 different designs at the same time.

Here is yet another mystery!  A mystery bird that came to visit us last week.  We sure are getting a lot of new bird visitors lately!  This one is a little bigger in size than a cardinal. It has a bit of yellow green (definitely yellow green, not just yellow) coloring on it's belly. Do you have any idea what it is?

Yesterday I saw my family doctor regarding the odd things that were happening to me last week including that weird stroke-like episode.  Looks like I indeed may have had a stroke of some sort.  She is sending me for a brain MRI to see if any "damage" is visible, & for an echocardiogram to see if there is anything going on with my heart.  In the meantime I have been counseled that if this weird stroke-like thing ever happens again to get myself immediately to an ER.  Message received.

I will leave you today with one of my favorite Bible verses. 

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you may have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"

John 16:33