Let me introduce you... Biscornu (from exchange at SBEBB), and all the goodies, from Yuko!
I've been drooling and ooohing here quite some time. ^^

I'm one happy camper here!

24

There is friends only entry before this considering my 24 hour challenge.
In general my 24h went like this: 'Depending on the definition I made it and didn't made it.'

I'd have succeeded if I hadn't got that cleaning spree, and if I hadn't got problems to wake up yesterday.
Then for something, if not completely at least slightly different....

Can you believe? I stitch two over two on 36 count!
I was sure one strand would be enough and two'd look bulky, but no. Two is just correct amount for this... and I still remember the days when I stitched one over two on 32 count because two over two looked so bulky.

^^

My first two squares for SOLAK have been used to quilt they were meant to.
Finished quilt

World Cup and 24 Hour Challenge

Poor AE is still awaiting for it's first stitches as I decided to participate 24 hour challenge and stitch one of my Recipe Exchange item(s) - or actually 1/4 of designs needed. No public pictures, but as none of RE participants, in addition to me, is LJ user I can give picture in friends only entry (Hmph, how about only LJ friends entry?).

But, AE fabric is gridded, washed (there was something similar to chocolate (which is odd as I haven't been eating chocolate lately (ok, before today)) in the fabric so I decided to give it a wash), zig-zagged and ironed. Though it'll get wrinkly again in one of these days as I decided not to use my frame for it. Why? Because my frame is too long to fit in my rucksack...
(Yes, I made one man happy today (actually I told it right after I found it out yesterday, but being as clear as I am... *giggles*). I'm free to travel now as my things are (mostly) cleared up. Now we just have to see when...)

And something, well, funny, in it's own way, happened yesterday.
We (snowprincipessa and bits_2_whole) came back from our aunt's 50th birthday by train and... Conductor glanced few times to my direction during that trip while passing by... because I was gridding AE fabric. Maybe you don't expect someone like me to like embroidery?

I could also give little rant about my father and his opinions, but I try not to think about that, as it just gives me another day with migraine... He just knows how to hurt me.

Tadaa! Success!

• Designer: Jennifer Aikman- Smith from Dragon Dreams
• Freebie
• 28 count Pewter Lugana
• Stitched with left-over floss
• All colours changed
• Star on top of the spruce is made with gold beads, other stars with some gold filament

Life with the polar bears

My blog's name came from one 'famous' prejudice, which is that there are wild polar bears in Finland. Though I haven't heard it in ages. Other reason for it was that I sleep with one (at least for the time being). Polar bear that is.
And nowadays it seems to me that Neko, scary 6 kgs of drooling cuteness, has also his own sleeping buddy: another polar bear (in addition of his habit to sleep sometimes with 'my' bear).
Maybe I should change that header to 'Our lives with the polar bears'?

Insomnia, friend of us who'd like to be close to someone dear who's far away.... *sighs*

Well, at least I did something productive and finished backstitching of my dragon. May I introduce: Dragon of Hope with Pacific Ocean view.

• Designer JL Aikman-Smith from Dragon Dreams Inc.
• Freebie
• On 32 count hand-dyed Silkweaver opaslescent Inspiration
• Two over two
• Colour conversion by me

If I had done this month ago it'd have been Atlantic view... but then I "met" certain someone, *coughs* (Yes, Wolfie), and well, as he resides in Pacific area do I actually need to say more?

And some symbolism:

Red

...Protective powers of the color red against evil influence were common belief.
Objects, animals and trees were covered in red paint, warriors painted their axes and spear-catapults red to endow the weapons with magic powers. Some of the Australian aborigines abide by this custom up to the present times. Neolithic hunters and Germanic warriors used to paint their weapons and even themselves in blood of slain animals.Roman gladiators drank blood of their dying adversaries to take over their strength.
In other cultures, the newly born were bathed in blood of particularly strong and good looking animals.
Red painted amulets or red gems, such as ruby or garnet, were used as charms against the"evil eye". Wearing a red ruby was supposed to bring about invincibility. Red bed-clothes were customary in Germany up to the Middle Ages as protection against the "red illnesses", such as fever,rashes or even miscarriages (famous example is the painting Arnolfini Wedding by Jan Van Eyck, dated 1434).

Btw,

my Silkweaver order is shipped and my little card had to pay ~$4 more because of the shipping fees. Blah. But then... stash! Come to momma!

What next?

Biscornu for an exchange, so no pictures before it's received. This is my first biscornu ever so thumbs up everyone!

May I introduce you: Dragon of Hope without backstitches.

Braiinss....

My dear brains have been acting up again today, so I could say that I'm impressed because of progress I made after my second awakening. (After first one I ate breakfast and realized that I should get back to bed because I was so dizzy. Slept almost 4 hours, I think.)
If there were any pain it'd have been easier, but when only thing you can do is lay down because your head has it's own merry-go-round... I'm not used to be dizzy.
I assume that this is just one new form of migraine as I have some sort of band around my head, and I definitely have problems with blood circulation even now when writing this... I don't know. For some reason it feels that these ones come from low blood pressure. Just a new phenomenon in my migraine types.
But I've to admit that idea of having too low blood pressure is almost hilarious for someone who had high pressure in her teens... though fact is that my blood pressure has gotten lower during years. (Silly, isn't it?)

As some of you know I don't own a printer and therefore I stitch my freebies from screen.

I was opening my laptop (HP from now on) in the morning, and for some reason I found that situation hilarious as I use one computer to follow design and other one runs movie I'm watching while stitching. (I think that getting HP will mean that I'll watch much more movies in future. As I don't have actual DVD player, but HP has CD-R - DVD drive in it... )

Anyway, I wont be able to fulfill my 24 hour challenge goal (I've only about an hour left). I slept quite long today, and I have had frantic (amazing, to be honest) SMS exchanging whole day so I think I'm excused.

Btw,

-3 kilos! \o/ (In about three weeks without doing anything for it!)

Which actually came as a surprise even to Nancy, organizer of 24 hour challenge (at Friends Gather). So, I'm not only one who seems to be bit lost with time sometimes. Good to know.

Well, as I have previously mentioned I'll do Dragon of Hope, freebie from Dragon Dreams.
Though I'll change colour of dragon from violet (not bad colour, but I've my reason to change it) to deep red. Why? Because it carries Earth on it's lap and I just think that shades of blue and violet may be bit too close to each others - just blame my degree. People with designing related education may have odd opinions about colours.
In other words, I want to make Earth visible. And for some reason I just see that dragon red.

In fact I have something stitching related I'd want to blog about, but at this moment my head is suffering from excessive sleeping or lack of caffeine. My frontal lobe is levitating somewhere over my head, so I'll leave that to later.

After threatening Christine with a whip - and I thought it was well hidden behind my back - she was nice enough to reveal April's Broaden Your Stitching Horizon theme, which is... Fantasy!
So, I've been browsing trough my freebies (I prefer to waste my money on floss and fabrics at this moment ) and I think it'll be Dragon Saliant

And while browsing around I think I found my 24 hour challenge piece too. Not any of the Christmyths, but from Dragon Dreams anyway: Dragon of Hope (it's just so... I don't know. I'm sucker for hope.), or The Dragon of Water (just because I happen to be water sign (Don't know where that came, but well... in that day when I get myself completely I'm ready to die - it's going to be long life for me )).

My stitching confronted DFA last night. This piece still has little mistake in it (miscalculated stocking), but it really doesn't matter. Problems begun when whole dragon wanted to be one stitch shorter and two wider... So, in theory I've restitched everything but the stocking.

But let me introduce you little Jules. (I've no idea where that name came from, but it popped on my head last night.)

Info:

• Designer Jennifer Aikman - Smith from Dragon Dreams
• Limited time freebie (but designer has permitted eletronical sharing for this particular piece, so in case you missed this...)
• Stitched with misc. GASTs (I love that Loose Threads bag!)
• All colours changed (originally he's supposed to be green and stocking should be red)
• Two over two
• Stitched on Silkweaver's hand-dyed 28 count Jobelan called Lullaby

Btw, I finished SECE replacement yesterday, so this is my second HD for this weekend!

Words

It's interesting how people you don't actually even know can make you feel so good with their words. And how correct they can be with their words.
I could never do that, and it makes me wonder how someone is able to do so?

Chapters of life

I think that I finally ended one chapter of my life's story. In fact I don't even care will he ever answer to that question I emailed, even I'd like to get it. Then... I don't keep my hopes very high.

As I see it: even not replying is a reply. And in cases like this it tells more than you want to know. But it gives you all the answers you need.

And then something completely different...

It's me! Kiwa Hirsuta - which I've named lovingly as PCOs crab.

Have you ever realized how difficult it is to be blogging cat slave? My youngest one is demanding attention from me and therefore he's standing in front of my monitor. Try to write entries trough 4 kilos of fur.
I think he's just thrilled because I'm at home. He's way to used to see me in here. Old cats are used for me being "career girl" - and they seem to be pleased to get some me time.

Cross Stitching

I realized last night before going to bed (~21 (9 p.m. (That stands for post mortem, doesn't it? ))) that yesterday was official starting date of 2nd Silhouette. I haven't even made gridding lines for the fabric yet (in fact I haven't even cut that fabric...), and I should be organizer...

When it comes to 24 hour challenge I'll stitch Christmas Surprise 2005 Dragon by Dragon Dreams (Freebie which was available only 48 hours).

I've been thinking to participate Stitch-A-Thon at Friends Gather next weekend. As I've to stitch that needleroll before 27th I thought SAT might be good thing to keep me focused.

And I haven't finished my SECE replacement stitching yet, though I'm almost done with it! \o/ Some backstitching to do and mount it to card. Then it's ready to be sent.
I've to say that even it's not my kind of theme it will look great. You guys will see it when it's received (in case I remember to take a picture of it).

Some lousy pictures for your entertainment:



Finished front page.
I changed colour of that text. It's supposed to be stitched with greens, but mean /me used pinks. I thought that it'll look better with my teal green fabric (How smart you can be? ).



Back and front. Inner pages are in progress - and my goal is to stitch them before I get to bed, because I want to get my needle smoking with topiaries. There's not that much time anymore, and damnit I want to finish them! I want my medals!
So, I could say that I'll look like this soon.

I think I know what I'll do in March 24 hour challenge. For some reason I happen to love the idea behind the Claddaghs, and AON Celtic Art (my home page's wallpaper is from there, btw) has one for free.
If not... then it's something from Christmyth series.

Parcel

My merinos, and knitting needles made of rosewood, came. Those needles are piece of art! They were a bit pricey, but I can believe that it's a pleasure to knit with them (and then: I've problems with nickel and I can't stand bamboo needles). Just...Wow. I'm just bit afraid to work with those needles as they're kind of short, but then... my hands aren't that big and you divide those loops in four knitting needles so... but anyway, it's knitting time after Olympics end. (Btw, one great thing: that IOU's due date is in the end of March!)

Satyr is finished

• 28 count Pewter Lugana
• Two over two, with two strands
• Changes:
  1. Lighter pink in his face is not what it should be - some close shade anyway (used old leftovers)
  2. Snow is stitched with 1+1 of DMC's white and white metallic
  3. Scarf and mittens are made with Stranded by the Sea's Flame Scallop

Now to bed, and in the morning it's time for SAL needlebook (I did a bit of it yesterday (Friday)). Pictures of it will follow after I get first part stitched.

Btw

I requested for yarn sample in Wednesday evening, and yesterday (Friday) it was in my letter box... Just perfect for something which comes next to my skin (as I've may mentioned about million times I've sensitive skin), very soft 100% merino wool.
So, I placed an order for joint warmer yarns yesterday (she sends items with IOUs (lovely feature)). Click for an image; ball in the middle of upper row. Lovely, isn't it?