AWOL

Sorry about just disappearing like that. Things got a little… er, busy, around here. Let’s just say that solo parenting combined with a baby with a cold & reflux issues does not make for a lot of free time. Especially when every time you try to get on the computer, the snot-producing littlest one gets right in front of the screen and tries to Skype his Da. Stickily <eww>. I think I was fighting off the bug too – I was just soooo tired ALL the time! But. Hubby is back. Things are slowly getting back into a routine. I figured it was about time to share a little of what I’ve been up to.

Monkeyboy Junior Jr. and I logged some serious hours bundled up in front of the TV last week (I’ve seen more Peppa Pig than any one woman should!). During that time, however, I’d try to sneak in a few stitches on the Daisychain Sampler I started a couple of weeks ago. This is what Alica (the designer) Paulson’s looks like…

But. (1) I found that I didn’t I didn’t have the same colours of floss that Alicia suggested – and I really didn’t want to go out just to hunt them down, (2) I also wanted to do mine on natural linen backing – which I already had handy… and (3) then my friend Jasmine loaned me a great book about embroidery stitches, some of which I just had to try. The end result is that my sampler ended up looking a little bit different than it was “supposed to”…

Overall, I’m pretty happy with it – and very glad I did it “my way”, as it’s much more “me” as a result. I wish I had known a few things before I started, though. Like “Don’t start on letter A, as it is the first thing people will look at, but as it’s also the first thing you’ve embroidered since you were, say, 8 years old, it’s going to be your worst letter…” And “If you’re going to stray from the original pattern, you should test things out on a scrap of fabric before you commit to them, or you’re going to have to rip out a lot of stitches. And those chain stitches are the worst!” But, hey. Live and learn.

Next, I have to frame the darn thing – which will require washing, blocking, and lacing it onto a piece of cardboard or something. I thought I’d better practice this on something a little smaller – I’d hate to ruin all that work if I messed up. So, I took a scrap of fabric, downloaded some fun fonts, and whipped up some “Naughty Stitches” – which I then practiced the framing with.

Looking good, don’t you think? Plus, I think I’m ready to frame the 11″ x 14″ one now… Next up, a mini –  “FML” piece. 😉 I know it seems a little bit of an “old lady” form of creativity (naughty acronyms aside), but I find it to actually be ridiculously relaxing, and a great thing to do while keeping one eye on the kidlets. Easily transportable, too.

So, yeah. That’s been most of my “creating” this last couple of weeks. Aside from some photo taking for Loose Moose and the Kids Theatre production of Sleeping Beauty, and putting together a frame of photos from last year for their homecoming event… But posting about those will have to wait for another day. Monkeyboy Junior Jr. and his Duplo are calling. Hope y’all have a great weekend!