Sunny But COLD!

It’s a beautiful, only now becoming partly cloudy day outside today. The sky is a lovely shade of blue. Too bad the temperature won’t get above freezing and it’s windy, too. Terry just came in from being at a meeting and the poor guy was chilled!

On the work front, I’m developing some RSI symptoms in my shoulders due to the repetitive work that I’ve been doing lately. It’s been coming on at the end of the day in one shoulder and I go home and rest it, but today, it’s in both shoulders. I was going to take a half-day, but Terry went out for sushi after his meeting, just getting to our building a little bit ago in time to inform me that he had a 3 PM meeting that he had forgotten about. *groan* Oh well, I guess the rest will have to wait until after that meeting, as well. Something told me that I should work from home today. Maybe I should listen next time? 🙂

Other than that, though, it’s been a good day so far and I’m just happy to be here!

Posted in Life in General | 5 Comments

SBQ: Wagon Busters

This week’s SBQ was suggested by Rachel and is:

What is your cross stitch weakness? (i.e., What do you have to have when you see it, even if you are supposed to be on the Wagon?)

My weakness happens to be limited edition designs by my favorite designers. If you couldn’t tell already, Just Nan is one of my biggest weaknesses. And she happens to oblige by putting out limited editions on a fairly regular basis. My most recent purchase was the limited edition WhimZi called Peter Cottontail. Mostly because he will fit so nicely into my set of seasonal WhimZis that I display in my cubicle at work. I also made sure I was placed on the reservation list for Barnabee’s Bride while I was at it. This one will be released in March and may be the perfect piece to get my restarted on Barnabee’s Quest.

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 6 Comments

SBQ: Scrapping Projects

This SBQ was suggested by Loretta and is:

Do you have any projects that you have scrapped and started over? What made you start over from scratch?

I have scrapped two projects, both of which are BAPs (at least, to me they are). The first was Bonsai and Buddha. I had to completely rip out every last stitch and restart the piece because it’s stitched on printed aida and I realized that there was a specific directionality to the print that was being violated from whence I started. The second was Fairy Moon. I decided that I didn’t like the fabric that I had original picked, so I bought another piece. I’m not totally sure that I had any stitches in that one, though.

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | Leave a comment

SBQ: Crafting Other Than Stitching

This SBQ was suggested by Kathryn and is:

Are there other crafts that you have tried and abandoned? Why do you like stitching better?

I actually have tried my hand at many crafts for which I still have the supplies but which I don’t take the time to do anymore. These include candle making, soap making, Gallery Glass, painting miniature plaster buildings, etc. I don’t have the heart to sell off the supplies, since I can always get back into them whenever I want. The one craft that I haven’t totally let go of (besides stitching) is scrapbooking. I’m stuck right now because I finished our honeymoon album and don’t know what to work on next.

I don’t know why I like stitching better. Probably because it fits into my lifestyle better, allowing me to work on it practically anywhere. Besides, it’s the oldest craft in my repertoire. 🙂

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 2 Comments

SBQ: Happy Dance?

This SBQ is:

Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

No happy dances for me yet this year, as I haven’t been stitching for quite a while. I did kit up Just Nan’s Butterfly Heart last night, as much as I could, as I’m missing a couple of the DMCs. I believe that this will probably be my first happy dance, but as I’m still napping after I get home from work, I probably won’t start on it until the weekend and I don’t know when I will finish it.

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | Leave a comment

I’m Ba-ack!

Yes, it’s true. I’m blogging again. Hard to believe I haven’t done so in a month. I don’t think I’ve touched a needle in that time, either, which is even harder to believe.

The depression is waning. The psychiatrist thinks that we jumped into taking me off of one of the bipolar medications (which also has antidepressant properties) too soon; while I was still coming up to therapeutic levels of the new bipolar med. So, she put me back on a low dose of the medication and I’m feeling better.

It’s been a long, hard road this winter. My therapist keeps telling me that I’m a trooper and that I’m doing everything right, so I have good support in that area.

I also have all of the wonderful comments that keep coming in, wondering where I am, a postcard from Barbara and even a gift from Dawn! Check out her blog to see the post with a lovely picture of the heart box that she made for me to lift my spirits. I have a great support system in all of my blogging friends! THANK YOU!

Most importantly, I am learning how to manage my depression. I know that going into work is critical for me, both to help keep me busy and distracted, as well as the social element. Working from home is not an option right now, unless Terry stays with me. Even now, I still tend to crash out on the couch after dinner. Weekends are a bit harder, unless I have something planned like going out to dinner or something. I tend to turn into a little hermit on the weekends, which just seems to exacerbate the depression, especially while it’s still cold out.

As I said, I haven’t stitched at all this month (yet). I ordered smaller new Just Nan pieces from Drema at Needlecraft Corner to try to help me kickstart my stitching again. They arrived yesterday, so now all I have to do is kit one up and get stitching. Maybe tonight, if I’m not feeling tired again when I get home.

So, that’s it for me right now. I had to mark all of your lovely blog feeds as read so that I can start from scratch; otherwise, I’d never be able to keep up. Look for comments from me as you post anew.

Posted in Life in General | 13 Comments

Where Have I Been?

I’m still here, mostly. I’m still trying to climb up the side of this pit of depression that I’m stuck in. I’m not at the bottom of the pit, but I’m definitely not at the top, either. I’m somewhere in the middle, perhaps.

I sleep all the time now. I think I use it as an escape, honestly. I sleep pretty much when I’m not at work. Work is slowly getting better, with more to do in my new position and recently a bit of work to do in my old position, as well.

I’m fighting a UTI, trying to flush lots of water through my system during the day (you know, when I’m not asleep). That does seem to be doing the trick, so hopefully no doctor visit or antibiotics will be needed. Yay!

I haven’t stitched in over a week (see above reference to my sleeping patterns). In fact, I sometimes sleep from the time we get home until it’s time to go to bed. I even miss dinner at times. It’s just a difficult place for me to be right now. I really wish there would be more sunshine, but that only helps so much. I know I’m supposed to be exercising and that’s supposed to help, according to my therapist (and it actually does), but if I can’t even motivate myself to stay awake, how the heck am I going to motivate myself to exercise?

Ahhhh… the vicious cycle in all its glory.

Posted in Life in General | 16 Comments

SBQ: Stitching Accompaniment

This SBQ was suggested by Outi and is:

What is your favorite past time while stitching? Do you just enjoy silence, listen to music/audiobooks or do you “watch” TV/movies? Do you have specific favorites you listen to/watch while stitching?

I enjoy stitching in silence, especially on a quiet and bright morning. I also like to stitch while watching TV. Particularly reruns of things like Law & Order or CSI. Shows or movies that I don’t have to concentrate on; more background noise than anything, I suppose.

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 2 Comments

Finally, Some Progress!

Yes, I finally have some progress to show on Pretty Posies. I finished the bottom third of the design on Saturday night, sans beads and paillettes. Now I’m working on the middle section and should have something to show later this week, I hope.





Posted in Stitching | 20 Comments

SBQ: Favorite Finish

This week’s SBQ is:

What was your favorite finish of 2007?

I think my favorite is the biscornu that I made for myself using a design from The Sweetheart Tree called Renaissance Romance. I stitched it in my own color palette and it just turned out so nicely with the beaded border and all!





Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 6 Comments