Stitching and dreaming

monochromatic exchange

2009-06-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Latest "secret stitching project" was Lennu's monochromatic exchange (I had no idea how to translate that word in English, but thanks to Lennu, I found that word from her blog :)

Here's what I received:

My favorite color is red, and I got this lovely heart (stitched over one!) from Minna. She also sent me this lovely red candle holder... (Better pictures in her blog!)

I stitched my part for Johanna, who said that she likes brown and French models. So I stitched a model from French stitching magazine, De fil en aiguille with brown DMC (358) and framed it. I also sent her some brown ribbon. Unfortunately I didn't pack it well enough, because Johanna told me, that the glass of wooden frame was totally broken, and the frame was also damaged! When I heard that, I almost cried... I was (and still am) very sorry!!

Here's the picture, how it was before I sent it:

Model from De fil en aiguille - Carnet de broderie No 3
stitched with DMC 358
Fabric: Unknown 30 ct evenweave
Frame: Wooden frame with glass, size 8x10

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Viimeisin pistelyhomma on ollut siis Lennun yksivärinen vaihto. Minä sain oman pakettini Minnalta, joka oli pistellyt minulle ihanan pienen punaisen saksikoristeen - yhden yli pisteltynä! Mukana oli myös jotain muuta lempparivärisenä - ja minä sain punaisen lasisen kynttilä-alustan tuikkukynttilälle! Aivan ihana paketti!! Parempia kuvia Minnan blogissa, käykää kurkkimassa sieltä!

Oman osuuteni pistelin Johannalle, joka kertoi pitävänsä ranskalaisista malleista ja ruskeasta väristä. Löysin omasta mielestäni ihastuttavan ranskalaisen mallin De fil en aiguille - lehdestä ja pistelin sen Dmc:n sävyllä 358. Valmistuneen työn laitoin kehyksiin... mutta en pakannut sitä kunnolla.. joten kehyksen lasi oli mennyt postissa rikki naarmuttaen myös itse kehystä! Itku pääsi, kun sain viestin Johannalta rikkimenneestä kehyksestä! Harmitti (ja yhä harmittaa) ihan vietävästi! Tuossa ylhäällä siis kuva työstä juuri ennen lähettämistä.

mailed

2009-06-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

We moved back to Finland from South East Asia about a week a go and I'm feeling like my soul hasn't follow me yet :) So there has been really minimum amount of stitching lately. I participated an exchange (To stitch something - anything at all - using only one color) I stitched my piece of exchange a long time ago and finally today was time to mail it. We are traveling right now and not back home until next weekend, so I have to wait an another week to see my piece :) It's so exciting!

*****

Muutimme Kaakkois-Aasiasta takaisin Suomeen reilu viikko sitten, ja yhäkin tuntuu siltä, kuin sielu ei olisi vielä tullut perille... Paljon ei ole tullut pisteltyä tuosta muuttotouhusta johtuen. Olihan taas rutistus- se muutto siis!

Osallistuin kuitenkin Lennun ristipistovaihtoihin, jossa oli vuorossa yksivärinen vaihto. Pistelin oman osuuteni jo aikaa sitten, ja tänään sitten laitoin postiin lisukkeen kera. Nyt olemme reissussa, ja palaamme kotiin vasta viikon lopulla, joten en pääse odottelemaan postilaatikon viereen oman pakettini saapumista :) Ehkä hyvä näin :)

Happy happy

2009-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

Time is really flying... We are moving back to Finland this month, and it has been really crazy. I really hate moving over-seas!! But anyway, there has been some stitching also, and I'm happy to tell, that Willow tree inn has been ready over a week already. And Psalm 145 has seen some new stitches also :) I still haven't got my new Kudzu- color, but I managed to do some flowers instead. Some pics..

Mamma mia!

2009-04-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

This is related to my stitching, believe it or not! You know, until last week I didn't know much about Mamma mia! Of course I knew ABBA and all those classic songs, and I've heard about the musical. But somehow I had totally missed the movie! And when about two weeks ago I finally found it at the store and bought it, I had to watch it at the same evening. And I was totally sold! (can you say like that in English? I don't know.. but anyway :) After that I have seen it about 4 and half times already, while stitching or ironing or just enjoying. But mostly when stitching. I don't know, why I like it so much? Is it the story? I don't think so.. Or the beautiful scene in Greece? Hmmm... Or the music? Maybe. Or maybe the faboulus team behind it? I think that's it! All those together and that's a great film. Have to see it again :) and again...

Somehow first round didn't do it. But after I watched all "Behind the scenes" and heard the stories how Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth were trying to learn how to sing and dance.. and how they practiced so hard, cause none of them is a "real" singer. So I really give them credit for that! It sounds and looks so easy, even if it's not. And I liked Amanda Seyfried (never heard about her before), she looked so sweet.. Mamma mia! Here I go again...:)

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Usko tai älä, mutta tämäkin postaus liittyy ristipistoihin! Jotenkin ihmeellisesti olen onnistunut elämään elämäni tietämättä mitään Mamma mia!:sta. Tokihan ABBA lauluineen on tuttu, samoin olin kuullut musikaalista. Mutta jostain syystä olen onnistunut missaamaan elokuvan ihan totaalisesti. Kun sitten pari viikkoa sitten sain DVD:n käsiini, ostin sen, ja katsoin samana iltana. Ja olin myyty! Sen jälkeen olen nähnyt elokuvan 4 ja puoli kertaa pistellessäni, silittäessäni, tai vain elokuvasta nauttien. Pääosin pistelen katsoessani. Vai katson pistellessäni?? En tiedä miksi pidän siitä niin paljon. Onko se tarina? En usko.. vai kauniit Kreikan saariston maisemat? Hmmm... Tai musiikki? Ehkäpä. Tai kenties upeat näyttelijät? Arvelen, että se se on! kaikki nämä yhdessä tekevät mahtavan elokuvan. se pitää nähdä aina uudestaan... ja uudestaan...

Ensimmäisellä kerralla se ei vielä iskenyt NIIN kovaa. Mutta sitten katsoin "behind the scenes", kuinka elokuva on tehty kohtaukset, ja olin vaikuttunut. Kuinka näyttelijät, jotka eivät ole ammattilaulajia, joutuivat opettelemaan laulamaan. Kömpelöt miehet joutuivat tanssimaan ja laulamaan yhtä aikaa.. Siitä heille kaikille pisteet! Ja Amanda Seyfried oli niin suloinen ja vakuuttava osassaan.. Mutta nyt, Mamma mia! Here I go again... :)

Violarium's Stitched mailart contest - vote your favourite!

2009-04-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

Violarium's mailart contest is closed - and all the envelopes are waiting for you to vote your favourite one at Violarium's site! You can vote until Tuesday 28th of April.

There is also a great opportunity for You to win also, even if you didn't participate the contest: Leena will draw one of the voters name from hat, and the winner will get a gift certificate of 50 euros!

***

Violariumin kirjekuorikilpailu on päättynyt. Kuoret on nyt nähtävillä Violariumin nettisivulla. Siellä voit myös äänestää suosikkiasi 28.4. asti.

Muiden upeiden palkintojen lisäksi myös äänestäjille on annettu mahdollisuus voittaa: kaikkien äänestäjien kesken arvotaan 50 euron lahjakortti! Joten kipin kapin valitsemaan suosikki!!

Traveling and stitching

2009-04-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last few weeks have been crazy - but nice :) First we had this huge (3 nights, 10-20 000 visitors every night) festival (related to work) and then long trip to our previous home town - 1000 km's from here. Both kids were also sick just before (DD) and in the middle (DS) of the trip.

It was very nice to see the mountains again - we really miss the North! Also the weather was much cooler (which is great!), so we enjoyed. We had so many things in our "to-do"-list, that we were running all the time, but it was nice anyway. Kids had a great opportunity to visit their old school and the teachers were thrilled! Especially our son misses them very much. It was great to see them both (teachers and our kids) so happy to see each other!

When went "up there" I also bought some DMC's and different colours of aida - and also a cute pair of scissors. (will show a picture later..)

Oh yeah, actually I have done some stitching also :) But not much. Beginning! I love the colors of this one. And even if I'm not a huge fan of green colour but in this one it doesn't look too bad!! :)

LHN - Willow Tree Inn, 30 ct linen, Dmc threads

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Viime viikot ovat olleet hurjia - mutta mukavia! Ensin meillä oli suuri työhön liittyvä juhla, jossa olimme mukana järjestelyissä (kolmena iltana kymmenestä kahteenkymmeneen tuhanteen ihmiseen). Sitten teimme matkan entiseen kotikaupunkiimme, josta muutimme vuosi sitten, noin 100o km täältä. Molemmat lapsetkin olivat sopivasti kipeänä juuri ennen matkaa (tyttö) ja matkan aikana (poika). Pelkkä flunssa onneksi, ei sen vakavampaa!

Oli ihanaa nähdä pitkästä aikaa taas vuoret - meillä kaikilla on ikävä pohjoiseen! Myös ilmasto on siellä paljon viileämpi ja mukavampi, joten me nautimme olostamme! Meillä on monta asiaa hoidettavana, joten juoksimme koko viikon ajan paikasta toiseen.. Mutta silti oli kivaa vaihtelua! Lapset pääsivät vierailemaan vanhaan kouluunsa, ja opettajat olivat todella innoissaan yllätyksestä! Erityisesti poikamme ikävöi vanhaa kotia ja koulua, joten oli upea nähdä kaikki iloisina jälleennäkemisestä (niin opettajat kuin lapsetkin).

Matkalla ollessani pääsin vähän myös "omille ostoksille": mukaan lähti DMC-lankoja muutamaan tulevaan työhön sekä erivärisiä aida-kankaita. Löysin myös söpöt pienet sakset. Kuva seuraa heti kun muistan valokuvata ne.. ;)

Ja olenhan minä vähän pistellytkin :) Alku ainakin. Pidän tämän Little House Needleworksin työn väreistä. Ja vaikka en olekaan mikään vihreän värin ystävä, niin ei sekään näytä tässä mitenkään pahalta :) Siedätyshoitoa?

Wow!

2009-03-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

I was really amazed and happy, when I got mail today. It was from Sari, and it was my part of ABC-exchange. Look, look, LOOK what I got!!!!

It was so perfectly done pillow, and I think Sari had read my likes-list - there was LHN, house, sheep, blackbirds and red! And then my surprise-extra was linen - 3 pieces! I'm still smiling here, even if I got it in the morning already!

Tänään posti toi minun vaihtopakettini Sarilta. Ja katsokaa ja ihastelkaa, mitä minä sain! Se on niin kauniisti pistelty ja viimeistelty, ja luulen, että Sari on tutustunut "tykkäyslistaani" - löytyihän työstä LHN:n malli, talo, lampaita ja mustarastaita - sekä punaista väriä! Lisäksi sain extrana kolme palaa kangasta, Violariumin kahta eriväristä pellavaa, sekä Belfastin 32ct palasen!! Aivan huippuihana paketti!!! Kiitos Sari, teit aivan upean työn minulle!!

ABC- exchange

2009-03-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Finally I can share this! :)

I stitched this Blue Ribbon Designs freebie, Bluebirds and Daisies for Neili in Finnish ABC-exchange. Now it has finally seen the recipient :) Hope you liked it!

I stitched it to greenish aida, and changed almost all the recommended colours to fit the fabric. I was fun to stitch!

In this exchange we were meant to send one stitched and finished piece and only one extra, which was something with recipients name's first letter.. I chose R as in Rose-candles :)

Tämän Blue Ribbon Designin ilmaismallin pistelin Lennun ristipistovaihdoissa Neilille.
Nyt se on vihdoin löytänyt perille uudelle omistajalleen!

Pistelin mallin maanläheiselle vihreälle (vai onko se enemmän ruskea?) aidalle, ja vaihdoin melkein kaikki värit sopimaan paremmin kankaaseen. Tätä mallia oli tosi kiva pistellä!
Lisäksi piti lähettää jotain vastaanottajan nimen alkukirjaimella. Minä valitsin jotain "paikallista", siis R niinkuin Ruusuntuoksuiset käsintehdyt sydänkynttilät.

2009-03-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Some stitches done - and some crying also! I finished the tree on the left. And noticed, that there is not enough green floss for the rest of the work.. There is still some leaves to do both up and down frame.. That's what happens, when you are just practicing something - like I'm doing :) My first work with hand dyed floss.

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Joitakin pistoja taas valmiina - samoin kuin kyyneleitä vuodatettuna. Sain valmiiksi jo kerran purkamani puun vasemmalla puolella. Ja huomasin, ettei minulla ole tarpeeksi tuota tarvittavaa vihreää lankaa lopputyöhön. Sekä ylä- että alareunassa olisi vielä lehtiä tehtävänä - ja Kudzu on armottomasti lopussa. Näin siinä käy, kun harjoittelee - niin kuin minä tässä parhaillaan. Tämä siis ensimmäinen käsinvärjätyillä langoilla tekemäni työ.

Original picture from the package

Monday morning and Bless our home

2009-03-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, busy weekend is over, and Monday is here again.. Time is really flying!! On thursday I sent my exchange-piece overseas and hope it will land fast and safely this week.

Last week we were on short trip, half work, half fun ;) I was able to finish my LizzieKate Bless our home. I changed almost all the colors, and used DMC floss. I need to change the color of word "our", since that one is too much alike the fabric. I enjoyed stitching this one, and I must say, that I love those curly letters!!!

Have a nice week!!

***

Kiireinen viikonloppu on taas takana, ja arki alkanut. Aika kuluu niin nopeaan!
Torstaina laitoin Lennun ristipistovaihdon postiin toivoen, että se löytää perille turvallisesti ja nopeasti tällä viikolla.

Viime viikon lopulla olimme lyhyellä matkalla, puoliksi työtä, puoliksi huvia :) Sain pisteltyä LizzieKaten Bless our Home - mallin. Muutin lähes kaikki värit käyttäen DMC-lankoja. Vielä täytyy vaihtaa tuo sana "Our", se kun hukkuu tuonne kankaaseen ihan kokonaan. Tuota oli oikein mukava pistellä, ja pidän erityisesti noista ihanan kiemuraisista kirjaimista!!

Oikein hyvää alkanutta viikkoa!!

Hot season and some stitches

2009-03-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's very hot in here! This year hot season came almost a month earlier than normally and it has been awfully hot for a few weeks already. That makes our family tired and grumby... Luckily we have air-conditions upstairs (bedrooms and office), but downstairs (kitchen and living room) it's only fans. So cooking and homework downstairs Feels Like Real Work!!!

But anyway, I'm still doing some stitching in the evening. Here is my progress so far with LHN's Psalm 145:
Mailing day for Finnish Alphabet exchange is near, so maybe next week I can show some pics of my "secret stitching" as soon as my parcel is with her new owner! :) Since I'm a newbie with these exchanges, I'm really excited and anxious to see, how she likes my stitching and finishing...

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Ja tästä päivästä lähtien muutama sana myös kotimaaksi :)

Kuuma aika tuli näille kulmille noin kuukauden etuajassa jo muutamia viikkoja sitten. Jatkuva kuumuus saa koko perheen väsyneeksi ja kiukkuiseksi.. Onneksemme yläkerran huoneissa (makuuhuoneet ja toimisto) on ilmastointilaitteet, mutta alakerrassa ( keittiö ja olohuone), on ainoastaan kattotuulettimet. Joten ruuanlaitto ja muut kotiaskareet tuntuvat tosiaan "ihan oikealta työltä"! Jotain pistelyitä olen silti saanut tehtyä, todisteena yllä LHN:n Psalmi 145:n tämän hetkinen tilanne.

Lennun ristipistovaihtojen Aakkosvaihdon postituspäivä lähenee.. Koska olen uusi näissä vaihdoissa, odotan tietenkin jännityksellä, mitä parini on mieltä pistelystäni ja viimeistelystäni... Toivottavasti ensi viikolla pääsen laittamaan kuvia tekeleestäni, kunhan paketti on perillä uudella omistajallaan.

Stash

2009-03-05T02:57:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of my recent stash. I ordered these from Patchwork Rabbit together with Lizzie*Kate's Bless Our Home. And I really can recommend that place - the delivery was very fast and service friendly!

LHN's Curly Q Ewe is from Kirjokas other two LHN's from Patchwork Rabbit.

Frogging..

2009-03-05T02:38:00.000-08:00

After last posting I have stitched Psalm 145. And when the other tree on the left was also finished, I noticed that it looks different than the other.. And why is that, I was wondering.. And then realized: Wrong colour!!!! I stitched the leaves with light green ( ) instead of using the darker (=).. My DH tried to calm me down (I think he saw the smoke coming out from my ears...) and said, that "Honey, all the trees outside looks different, it doesn't matter..." :) I tried to see it like God's special creature (not just a copy from the chart), and stitched the verse.. but couldn't help myself... It was too much for me :) So after all I had to change the right colour! (but not picture yet..)

Lost and found - memory card reader

2009-02-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

This morning I finally found my cameras memory card reader, which has been missing few days or a week already... so now I can show some pictures :)

Here is my Psalm 145:

With flash

And same without flash..

Since my 5 years old son is very much into his Nintendo Ds and Super Kirby, on Monday I decided to do a little bag for him and his game. So this is what happened:

First I took a piece of white aida and draw Kirby...

Then some stitching with his name

And finally - the bag..My sewing skills are not very good, I still need a LOT of practice...
The stitched Kirby-part is also a pocket, and inside a bag is also an another small pocket. After one day of using this bag it already looks like it has been used years with all stains in it :) LOL. But I'm glad my son really loves it and carries it with him all the time...

Serenade in Pink

2009-02-16T02:26:00.000-08:00

Time really flies! Was it really on January, when I last wrote something here??
But still i don't have much to show. On January we were away from town for a week, and after two weeks at home, we travelled again - for 2 weeks this time.

So we just came back Saturday evening. W e though, that we would go also a little vacation after a "business trip", but we all were sick. We still went to that lovely island for 5 days, but were ok only 2,5 of those days. We enjoyed the ocean and clear water, snorkeling etc.. And cause trip was very "watery and sandy" I didn't get any stitching to do..

I have only something small to show.. Before our trip I started a birthday present for my Mom, who loves birds.. Serenade in Pink

New Year with LHN

2009-01-05T22:36:00.000-08:00

I started this year with two LHN's models, Holly&Berries (which I finished 2 days ago) and Psalm 145, which I started yesterday. This is my first time using Gentle Arts and Weeks Dye works threads.. So far, I'm enjoying :)

Today I haven't stitched any, ' cause I've been preparing food for my family and put it in to freezer. Tomorrow night I'm travelling away for 5 days. Alone. It's first time since I got married..and had kids... Veeeery scary!!! I know they are doing just fine here at home and we are meeting at the capital city next Monday.. But I don't know how I'm gonna survive without them!?! :)

Angel of dreams

2009-01-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

This one was a christmas present for my sisters first baby, who just had his first christmas! Actually I found the chart few days after my sister told me she's pregnant... I just wanted to start to stitch it right away, which means I didn't have time to find a right fabric for it.. So I just took peace of black aida and.. Yeah, as you can see, it's not as good as it could have been with dark blue linen, but... I just couldn't help myself!! :)

Anyway.. I finally finished it at October, framed it here (it's MUCH more cheaper here than in Finland), and sent it to them before Christmas. They loved it, and that's the most important thing, isn't it? :)

Model is Dimensions "Angel of Dreams", designer: James Himsworth

Stitched on black aida with DMC's and some Kreinik (gold) threads.

About a Year Before Christmas

2009-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

Some Christmas stitching I was about to send my friends as ornies, but didn't have time to finish these... But maybe next year :) Every one of these pieces are missing something.. Some only few stitches or beads...

Lady Blackbird NOT so proudly presents: Christmas UFO's 2008:

Ice Princess

Designed by Judith Tuttle of Twisted Oaks Designs

The Gift of Stitching issue 23 Dec 2007

Skiing Bear

Designed by Casey Buonaugurio of Casey Buonaugurio Designs

Just Cross Stitch December 2008

Not a creature was stirring...

Text modified by myself :)

These next 2 lovely elves are from French Stitching magazine... And since I don't understand French AT ALL (means not even a single word), I don't know the name of these.. But here they are anyway

Designed by C Mon Monde - Virginie Gousset
Mains & Merveilles Point de Croix no 63 Nov-Dec 2007

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Here it is - Year 2009.

I feel much older already! :)

Happy New Year!!

Few more hours to go...

2008-12-31T01:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went. So quickly, I almost didn't notice! Like I wrote last time ( a looong time ago) I love Christmas time. We decorated our home with the kids, made gingerbread cookies (and ate them, of course!), listened christmas carols etc... It was fun, and now it's already gone!! And again... I have to wait an another year, before it will come again! So unfear!

I didn't stitch much this December, but now I started again. First one after Christmas has been Holly&Berries, which will be ready soon. Before Christmas I participated my first exchange! That was something exciting!! Here is what I did:

My Betlehem-ornament wenr out to Margaret...

And here's what I got:

Isn't it lovely!! It has been hanging in our Tree since the day it arrived! Thank you Madonna!

Christmas and smalls, my favorite 2 :)

2008-11-15T01:24:00.000-08:00

Mains&Merveilles Point de Croix No 63
November/December 2007

I love Christmas time... I'm already listening Christmas songs and dreaming... Dreaming of a white christmas, of course! Like I wrote, we are expats, so christmas time is also a time of missing family, dear friends and home... and white christmas. So what can I do about it? Not much.. but only stitch the pain away! Stitching small ornaments for friends and family back there!

New beginning

2008-11-15T00:20:00.000-08:00

Here I am, starting a new life with a brand new blog! As you can notice, I'm not a native English speaker, but let's try how it goes :). So please, don't mind my spelling mistakes and missing grammar... :)

First of all, little bit of myself and this blog. I was born in the 1970's in Europe and lived there, married and got two kids there also. And then my husband's job took us to Asia. So now I'm living abroad with my family (for few years now already), trying to live one day at a time as a housewife, mother and also a teacher to my kids.

This blog is going to be mostly my stitching diary for myself. And since I love to travel around the world and enjoy other stitchers lovely blogs, I need to have one for myself also, so I can leave a comment. But enough talking, let's go stitching :)