The Final Birth Record is Done!

Late last week, I completed my last child's birth record.  It's actually been finished for a few months, I just had the name, birth date and birth weight to complete.  But now, as his first birthday rapidly approaches, I realized I needed to finish it.  Husband always writes out the last part for me as I am not so great at figuring out where the center of the lettering should be. It's also been his way of contributing to the final product.

On the weekend we took it to our local framing store and spent a good hour deciding on the mattes and frame.  I think it's going to look wonderful.  Here's a sneak peek!

It's All in the Details.

Folks, I am in the home stretch of completing the baby's birth record cross stitch!!! 

This makes me happy for two reasons - the first is because another project is finished, and it's always a huge accomplishment when that happens.  The second is because it means I can focus the next few months of my life on the BAP - the Hermit.

The most tedious part of any cross stitch project has to be the final detailing at the end.  It's also very gratifying to see the final image come together.  Here's a series of photos I thought I'd share of the progress.

Ducks!!!

 

 

 

Giraffes!!

Turtles and froggies!

Stitching Groove Is Back!

I found my stitching mojo, people!

For the past week I have been stitching almost every night for several hours after dinner.  Husband and I are all caught up on the latest season of Game of Thrones!  ;)

Last week ended sadly for me, as I visited a patient dying at home.  I used my stitching as a way of processing my thoughts around his death.  I've mentioned before that stitching is kind of like my way of meditating.  My mind sort of stops - I can focus solely on the task at hand and outside thoughts drift away.

I am pretty close to finishing the "principle photography" on Little Pond.  I am hoping to get started on the detailing this weekend.

Progress On Little Pond.

It's been a good couple of weeks of stitching here. I've been back to work for almost 6 weeks now and the family and I have settled into a nice routine. I hadn't been stitching much until I had to stop running for a few weeks after a nagging shin splint made itself known. So, instead of running, I sat my ass down on the couch and I stitched.

And can I tell you a secret?  Even though I couldn't run, it was okay.  Stitching is such a peaceful experience for me, it really is.  I get lost in thought and am focused solely on which stitch I'm working on. It's such a lovely mental break.

I really wanted to work on the Hermit, but the new baby's birth record needs to get done.  The baby is already 8 months old and I really want his birth record finished before his 1st birthday.  So, I got down to work and have made quite a bit of progress since my last post.

As always, thanks for stopping by and having a look!

Mama elephant.

A close up of the swamp coming along.

I love the little lady bug here, that's why I added her eyes in already.

Duck feet!!

An Update on the Birth Record

It's been a long time since I last posted.  I am still on maternity leave but that is quickly coming to an end.  I go back to work in a few short weeks, April 1st.

I haven't done a lot of stitching; it's hard to focus and concentrate as I'm still getting up at least once a night to feed the baby.  He's completely weaned and now taking formula and although husband does get up for a feed, it's still fragmented sleep.  I find I make a lot more mistakes when I'm tired.

Having said that, this past week I was able to get some quality stitching time while the older two kids were visiting my mom.  I have been working on the baby birth record.  I'd like to finish it before his first birthday (in September). 

I'm Baaaaack!!!

Hello, hello!!!

It's been a while, hasn't it?  The baby is almost 3 months old and is starting to sleep more predictably and is finally in the crib, so I am slowly getting the rest of my life back!  And you know what that means?????

Yes!!!  I am cross-stitching again!!  Yay!!!

(Can you tell how happy I am to be working on my project(s) again??)

I decided to tackle the new baby's birth record - best to get it done and out of the way so I can focus on the Hermit.

I am certainly a bit rusty - well, at least my hands are.  After 15 minutes of holding the fabric, my fingers starting going numb and cramping up.  My right hand (the one I use the needle with) also started cramping.  Bleh!  I lasted about an hour.  Boo!  Going to have to build up my endurance again! ha!

Anyway, here is an updated photo I took this morning.  She's coming along nicely!

Ah... so good to be back!!!

Update on the Little Pond.

I've spent the last week working on the Little Pond.  As I mentioned in previous posts, it is a much easier project to stitch.  There are blocks of color to stitch, rather than having to change threads after 2-3 stitches like I often have to do with the Hermit.  It's also more fun in some ways because I can see the animals coming together much faster.

With my expanding belly, it is also easier to stitch this one because I don't have to use the large Q-snap.  The Hermit is so large that the Q-snap is resting at the top of my belly/uterus, which can be quite uncomfortable at times.

So, here's the progress photo.  The giraffe is coming along and you can see a little froggy!

As always, thanks for reading!

Another New Project!

I once was a one-project-at-a-time kind of stitcher.

Not anymore.


I currently have 3 projects on the go.  The Hermit, Warm and Fuzzy Kitten, and now a new birth record for baby #3. 

I started Little Pond Birth record on May 14, 2013.  I hope to have it completed before new baby is a year old, so sometime in the last quarter of 2014.  Totally doable, I think.  It's a relatively easy pattern, on 14ct Aida cloth.  It's funny to me how these charts are "easy" for me now after working on the HAED.  It is actually a nice break from working on the the Hermit.

Here is the first photo.

As always, thanks for reading!