I thought it might be nice to have a little giveaway to celebrate the happy occasion and whipped up a little poll regarding the gift.
You have one week to make the difference.

What would, in YOUR opinion, be a good giveaway to celebrate 2000th entry?

1. Yet unpublished needlework smalls design designed by my dear alter ego, Lady Periphaeria for the lucky winner(s?) of the giveaway drawing.
2. Stitched item: my design.
3. Stitched item: generic design.
4. Small stitchy goodie bag.
5. Something else stitchy, please elaborate.

Answers to the comment section, thank you. ^^

Of the fever, you see. (In short: saw a doc in Thursday. We agreed that X-ray would be wasting money. She listened my heart (in case of heart issues as I had had some issues that morning (three weeks of bronchodilators can cause stuff... they had, muscle cramps)) and lungs. Checked my stomach for possible gallbladder infection and then wrote five more days off. I was urged to see her today if I still have fever. It vanished on Friday.)

What were you people thinking?

So, back to work on Tuesday. And now I am off to stitch.

I do love the sound of that.

Igor(ina): "It's easy to kill thomeone, and almost impossible to bring them back again."


Polly: "Almost?"

Igor(ina): "Well, if you don't have a really good lightning rod. And even if you have, they're never quite the same. Cutlery tends to stick to them."

Note that I was on antibiotics. (Yes, repetitive.)

During those four hours I started to feel sick again and measured my temperature. Turns out I have fever (being on antibiotics it's odd), but as it was only four hour day and I was almost finished anyway I stayed and went to see the doctor the following day (day 1 after antibiotics).

D: "It's possible that you have a virus which has been supressed by an opportunistic bacteria and now that the bacteria is dying/ had died the virus has better possibility to reproduce and spread around."

Me: "So, I may have, for example, The Swine Flu?"

D: "That is very much possible, but I can't say for sure because you simply have fever and muscle weakness."

D: "I won't make the test because you have no symptoms of influeza."

Me: WTF? So, you're basically saying that I have some odd virus which, oddly enough, has all the symptoms of the Flu and is as long lasting?

D: "... you must have sinusitis."

Me: Well, I rarely have fever when I have it, I have never been this sick with sinusitis and, the point here is that, my sinuses and face don't hurt."

D: *echoes my sinuses* "There's nothing here... You should get X-rayed... but I give you three days off, and if you're still sick come back and we X-ray your sinuses."

Me: *by herself* "Ok..."

© 2006-2008 Hoosier Ag Today

Basically, after being bed-ridden for a week with all the non-fatal symptoms it may be too late to even diagnose the Flu if I have had it because I have an odd feeling of getting better.
I understand that this way the doc thinks he ensures that I get the vaccination (not that I am paranoid or anything ), but... I am highly suspicious about the stuff for various reasons, one of them being my know hypersensitivy to certain medications and tons of other stuff, so I am not too sure do I get it - seasonal one I will take, as usual.

(By the way, when it comes to Neko (Mr. Avatar Kitty) he's enjoying his new life at my sister's (don't ask how he ended there )- he even has a new Lady friend now: Neko & Tellervo.)

I am still alive. Just tired, or bored, or have nothing much to say. Or just plain sick. (I am not going to get started, but: sinusitis and bronchitis, simultaneously... during pre-asthma life I never had sinusitis and only had had one bronchitis within my life... ah well.)

2.

I have recently realised that I have never stayed in one job as long as I have been in this one - truth to be told, I haven't been working much for various reasons.

3.

I happened to catch Wolfie online the other day and I have to say that certain things tend to amaze me: like the things I learn about him regarding me - or rather confirm. Which as such does not actually surprise me, but it's freaky to be right all the time. If I weren't me I would be afraid of myself.

And all the enthusiasts can relate to this...

Here it is (and also available for download for next two month at the usual place) in all its gorgeousness (even I say so myself as the designer). Funnily enough I feel like the project started last week and not 20 months ago!
Now I only need time to finish both versions of it and then get the thing on sale... anyone knows where they sell time turners (the kind Hermione had in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban")?

Since then I have met my Wonderful, since then I found a steady job (two weeks from now I have my anniversary there o.O) and since then Mr. Wonderful moved to Finland after me (and that's not all my dear readers, but more about the rest later ).
Life has been busy, and there hasn't been enough time to stitch or do anything actually, but I hope that some of these days I get my rhythm in order and have energy again.

One of the things keeping me away from everything has been odd exhaustion, but I have found the reason for it: doctor and I agreed today that I really do have sinusitis and I am on antibiotics again... (But on a brighter note: I am not on sick leave i.e. I am not feeling sick nor have fever (my boss will be happy *grin*).)

Mr. Wonderful and The Deadly Spanish Bureaucracy

Yes, my knight in His shining armour is still in Spain fighting against the ugly monster called Spanish Bureaucracy. (Sonnenschein always told me how insane their bureacracy is, but now I really get it... Sorry if I ever doubted you. )

As I am used to Finnish bureacracy which is insane, but at least quite fast - usually - Spanish one really makes me fume, but Lady has to be patient even she would love to go and kick their bureacratic behinds to make it faster.

But, my throat hurts so I guess it's time for some medication... like cranberry- caramel ice cream, for instance.

(And to make the day perfect Mr. Wonderful called. ^^)

No, I haven't been shopping, at least not at ABC Stitch Therapy's Clearance bin... (Where the buttons and fabrics obviously aren't from... )

Nor at 1-2-3 Stitch!'s Clearance bin (and the regular selection where Christmas Sampler obviously isn't from )...

1. Documalis
2. Foxit
3. Photo Pos Pro
4. Irfanview
5. Open Office
6. FreePDF (*.tiff)

... Regardless the fact that I actually have about half of the designs as single patterns. Addiction *is* an addiction.

And OOP design is an OOP design and as every stitcher knows OOP is always a valid excuse reason to buy things.

The design in question should have been in "The Stitchery Magazine"'s August 1998 issue and is called "King Above (picture here).

While doing that I also noticed that there is one design in Stitcher's World Sept. 1995 issue and couldn't find it from eBay, so in case you have that particular issue or you see it somewhere I am here wanting to buy/ exchange it.

New stash

Honestly it just came out of the blue...

I had placed an order at Crafter's Market few weeks ago and had actually forgot the whole thing before my lovelies arrived yesterday:

The best bit in this is, IMHO, that Once Upon A Time... was only $2.49 (~1,75€) whereas it seems to be anything from $7 to $21.20 everywhere else.

And my excuse this time is that all this stash shopping has been good for my mojo! I started my day by cataloging(sp?) my book/ booklet/ pattern stash (got about 40% done) and after that I have been *gasp* stitching my own *gasp* design.

Off to stitch some more!

Not too bad noticing that it is edited with my cell phone's image editor.

An apartment is not a home without him

I took some stuff home yesterday (I have been at my mom's since Mr. Wonderful traveled: first watching cats and after she returned I just haven't had any days off i.e. no time to transfer all my stuff from A to B) and it really hit me how much I miss him. Everything at home reminds me of him and even all his things make me smile it hurts to miss him as much as I do - though on the positive side every day is one day closer to his return.
It will be difficult to be at home without him there: though I can avoid that quite well by working insanely and on 10th we head to our mother's cabin to celebrate our 90th - having some company will be good for me - and we won't return before 14th. Hopefully He is coming back around that time, finally (as it is taking longer than anticipated for him to get the documents etc., but August has been holiday season in Spain), as honestly speaking I feel lost without him by my side.

At least now I know that what I always say to him is true: he usually asks how my day has been when I come home from work and I reply "it's great now as I am at home with you". Now my days are incomplete as I can't kiss him when I come home, sleep with him or wake up beside him.

*sigh*

[Insert drool here]

I have a bad habit to check new additions at 1-2-3 Stitch! every now and then and I must say that the latest new additions are just so... on my wish list!

Check yourself:

• Southern Garden
• Christmas Sampler
• The Great Pumpkin COnspiracy
• Sleepy Hollow
• Counting Bats

Interesting thing, really.

(Our first date was that week in last August, second was when I went to Málaga and when we met for the third time Mr. Wonderful came here to stay.)

When I had recovered the backup I found out that the backup was only partial and that it had missed just the most important folder: my sketches! (Or it seems to be so, I just hope it really is the only folder as I have been working, working, and workin so I haven't had much time to check in addition of fighting with this d***ed thing...)

Thank G-d I had backupped my sketches folder only few days earlier and that I had made an imported preview of the only bigger design I had been sketching after that (so, basically I just lost two biscorni and some variations of the bigger thing so not as bad as it could have been) which the backup utility was able to save.

Funny thing? After googling I came to realise that it was not Windows as such that blew it up, but bugs in HP's backup and recovery utilities... What fun!

And now I just need to find a way to get all the data off from the hard drive as it seems to me that all the data is on the hard drive, I just can't get it out from there because it's hiding "under" this version...

Yes, I AM annoyed (still, it could have been worse).

Today I still feel nauseated and my head hurts and I have a feeling that I may actually have to go to see a doctor tomorrow and try to get 2-3 days of sick leave just to recuperate from yesterday as I have never ever had migraine even close to this and I don't think it would be smart move to go to work when I am still having the migraine in form or another.

Talking of colours...

Remember what I said about colours? "In The Arms of an Angel" by Lavender and Lace is a great example about this phenomena: I simply love the colours in this design (though whenever I stitch this it is very likely that I will convert the skin tone and hair of the angel - or at least of the child - into more mixed) and I must get it! (My wish list at 1-2-3 Stitch! is getting really long, one day I will crash their server with it... )

Some sweet stash...

I actually think that I may already have that seasonal santa, but there's always way to get rid of it in case I do (I'm planning to gather all my excess stash, create an album to my Ovi account and sell them - but that is within next five years or so *grin*).

Things to get (now I only need 72 hours for a day)!

Graphs by Barbara & Cheryl - these are mostly simply awesome and there is one design I have adored in fellow stitcher's gallery, but they didn't tell me the designer or the name of the design: Jacque's View (it looks ten times better stitched).

Now we just need to win the lottery - or Mr. Wonderful has to find a very well paid job.

Ok, I am just kidding. No matter what I will continue working until we have our first child (G-d willing, knowing my health issues (prayers regarding children are welcomed - if you believe in them)).

When it comes to spirituality...

It's interesting to notice the change in me: I have and am getting more spiritual (I wouldn't say religious as I am not member of any organized religion) since Mr. Wonderful came into my life. Or maybe it's just that despite the difference in our belief bases (basically the main difference is that he considers Jesus as Messiah whereas I don't) his love for G-d is contagious, or rather helps my hidden religious side to come out because the atmosphere is accepting.

Basically that difference isn't visible in our daily life as we both avoid pork, we both avoid blood, we don't use intoxicating substances in excess (actually I am becoming an absolutist with my current interest towards alcoholic beverages), we don't believe in birth control in committed relationship (yup, kids would be very welcomed ) etc..
The visible difference comes from our backgrounds: he comes from family where G-d was part of their daily life, I come from agnostic family and I was already in schoool when I realised that religions do exist.

He has really changed my life in so many ways, but then, I got what I was praying for:  a good man to share my life and have family with, and eventually, in July 2008, he sent me a message and the rest is history.

Do I sound sappy? Good, I feel like it.

I intended to share some lovely stash in this entry, but I guess I have to do it later as I should head to bed.

Well, these are really one-time expenses, but big when you least expect them, even more when you have a small income and bills to pay.

Regardless, just to shock you...

a WIP

I am stitching this to my mother as a surprise so it should be done and framed when she comes back from her cabin.

I am stitching this on white fabric, regardless the nice pink tone the fabric has in the picture...

PINK

I know, I know, but lately I have noticed a rather interesting phenomenon in my way of interpreting colours: all the sudden all kind of candy and yucky colours have become very pleasant to my eyes... canary yellow, turquoise, bright pale blue, pink, young grass green... you name it.
I still enjoy my old favourites, those dark and vibrant ones, and on the same time I my dislike towards muted, "dirty" colours has increased.

I guess it is a mental thing (I am mental, yes ) and I guess Mr. Wonderful is causing it.

I am not complaining, I just find it interesting.