Smalls SAL

08/26/2015

Another  month has flown by and it's time to post my monthly smalls update. Thanks for Heather at Stitching Lotus for hosting this fun SAL.

I did a lot of stitching this month, but am only posting two smalls as I'm short on time tonight.

This cow will be made into a birthday card for a friend that loves cows.  Her birthday is in September.

And this cutie will be made into a Christmas card for somebody.  I haven't decided who, yet.

Happy stitching,

Michele

Hand update

07/29/2015

I just realized that I never posted an update regarding my hands.  I finally got in to the see the rheumatologist and was delighted to discover I do NOT have rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus or MS or any of the really bad stuff.  I do have osteoarthritis and Raynaud's Disease.  Not really surprised about either as they both run in my family.  With Raynaud's, the capillaries in my hands close up when I get cold or stressed, causing my fingers to turn white ( and cold).  There is no cure, but the doctor tried reducing the symptoms by giving me high blood pressure medicine.  The theory behind this is that high blood pressure medicine opens up your veins, etc, to allow blood to flow through better.  Well, after a multitude of side effects, I said enough of that nonsense, especially since my blood pressure tends to be low anyway.  I went online and found some gloves that are supposed to help.  They are by Prolotex and I purchased mine from Therapy Gloves.  Maybe it's all psychological, but the gloves really are helping keep my hands warmer and minimizing my pain.  And, bonus, I'm not on any medicine.  I need to call my doctor and see what kind of follow up program he wants me to follow.

So that's that.  One of the better results I could have hoped for.

Hope all of you are well.
Michele

Smalls SAL

07/29/2015

Wow, July is almost over, which means Christmas is right around the corner.  Thanks Heavens Heather at Stitching Lotus encouraged us to stitch Christmasy this month.  I had fun with a few things.

The above is the Winterbird  Wreath Cross Stitch Kit by Mill Hill.  I bought a couple of these kits last year and decided to give one a try.  It was quick to stitch and I love how the beads add such detail.

Despite the fact that this looks like a Christmas card, it's actually a birthday card for a friend that looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooves penguins.  I had to include it in the Christmas Smalls, cause her birthday is July 30.

And yes, this actually is a Christmas card.  I love the image of Santa on the moon.  Don't know who the card will go to, but since I need to stitch over 30 cards this year, I really need to get started.

I also stitched the Winter Woods kit by Mill Hill, but haven't taken a picture of it yet.

 I also stitched a few non-Christmas items. I may have posted the elephant previously, but this card is for a co-worker to give his brother and wife.  The original colors for the elephant are shades of pastel blue, but since the baby's nursery is gray and yellow, I modified the pattern appropriately.

And another Mill Hill kit, the Haunted Library. I am slowly but surely getting the "haunted building collection" completed and hope to turn the wall adjacent to our stairwell into a "village".  I love Mill Hill kits.

And last but not least, I stitched a sea lion card for a co-worker that loves sea lions. This is the first time I have given her a birthday card and I think she will be very surprised.  She turns 30 at the end of August and is going through a divorce and is having a tough time of it.


Happy Stitching everyone!

Michele

Smalls SAL Update

06/24/2015

Hello,
Once again I have completely ignored my blog for a month.  Thank Heavens for Heather at Stitching Lotus and her Smalls SAL or I would never write anything.  Speaking of Heather, I've been quite negligent in thanking her and giving her credit for hosting this SAL, so THANK YOU HEATHER!!!!!!!!!

Below are a few of the smalls I stitched this month.

 This is one of 4 geometric designs. I really like the pattern and wanted to give it a try.  I'm thinking of making all four, but changing the colors, maybe adding more blues.  They would make interesting pieces to send to WOCS to use for a man's walker bag.

This is for a male co-worker who loves beer.  I added the word "cheers" but am unhappy with the way it looks. I centered it over the design, but it doesn't look centered so I'm either going to redo and center it just over the foam of the beer, or maybe put it on the foam itself.

I love this elephant.  The original pattern was for shades of light blue, but I switched to gray.   I'm making it for a friend to give his brother, who's nursery theme is elephants and colors are gray and yellow.  Just waiting for the baby to be born and will then add details and finish the card.

Last one of the month.  This is for my new manager.  Her birthday is next week and she usually paints her nails red, with the ring finger in gold.  The original pattern called for shades of pink and purple, but I just had to make the card more personal.

I continue to work on my larger WIP's and have a few other smalls I have started, but not yet finished.

Keep stitching!

Michele

Carpel tunnel update

05/20/2015

Well, it's amazing what you can find out when you meet with a doctor versus his PA(physician's assistant).  When I went to my first appointment, which was supposed to be with the doctor, I met with the PA ( apparently the doctor was double booked).  The PA diagnosed me with trigger finger in my thumb and gave me an expensive and painful steroid shot. He also said I had carpel tunnel and ordered a nerve test, also expensive and painful.  I, like millions of other people, am on a high deductible health plan.

So...the nerve test. Have you ever had one?  Oi vey, it is not pleasant.  There are two stages. During the first stage, electrodes are attached to your hand and forearm and electric shocks are sent between the two electrodes to test the speed with which the current passes through your nerves.  Shockingly (no pun intended) my results came back completely normal.  During the second stage, they insert needles into the muscles of your arm and hand and pass a slight current through the needle to test the response time of the muscles.  And yes, that stage is as painful as it sounds cause they move the needle around while it's shoved in your arm or hand.  OUCH!!!!!!!!!!  And again, the results were completely normal.  So, the very nice doctor that conducted this test told me I had no nerve damage, which is good, and that while it is possible to have carpel tunnel without nerve damage, it isn't very likely.  So,  what is wrong with my hands?  We discussed my symptoms and he asked if I had a family history of rheumatoid arthritis...not the direction I wanted to go.

From my nerve test, I went to the building next door to have my physical.  I discussed the results of the nerve test with my primary care doctor.  We joked a little he reiterated that while it is possible to have carpel tunnel without nerve damage, it isn't very likely.  I said I would schedule a follow up with the hand specialist.  We looked at each other and I said" or maybe a rheumatologist" and he gave me a very sympathetic smile and nodded his head.  Again, not the direction I wanted to go.  On a positive note, all of my "numbers" are good. Everything is low that should be, except my weight, and it is lower than it used to be.  I'm working on that.

Of course, by the time I get home from my physical, it's too late to call for an appointment with the hand specialist, so I got to stew about this all weekend. Bright and early Monday I called the hand specialist and was able to get a follow-up appointment May 6.  Whew, only two more days of waiting. I hate to wait.  I REALLY hate to wait.  May 6 rolls around and yay, I meet with the doctor, not the PA.  The doctor comes in, reviewed my nerve test results and asks about my symptoms. In about 3 minutes, he says I do not have trigger finger, nor do I have carpel tunnel and asks if I have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. So there, stupid PA.  I really wish I had met with the doctor to begin with.

A referral to a rheumatologist later, I'm out the door and feeling even more anxious about all the questions on family history of rheumatoid arthritis.  I head back to work and do what any normal person does, I get on the internet and start researching, you guessed it, rheumatoid arthritis.  And call to set up my appointment with the rheumatologist.  and I can't get through, and I can't get through, and, I finally get through but the first available appointment is June 2.  Again with the wait.  Did I mention I REALLY hate to wait?

So, where do things stand. I only have to wait about another 2 weeks, grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  And my internet research, well, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv.  But...my symptoms appear to be closer to osteoarthritis rather than rheumatoid.  So I'm hopeful.  In the meantime, I continue to stitch, because everything I can find on any type of arthritis says to keep moving. I also switched to lighter foam weights in my water aerobics class,but don't seem to notice any difference in the way my hands feel.

And I wait.  Did I mention I really hate to wait?

Happy Wednesday.  Graduation is tomorrow and I hope to post some photo's.

Michele

Smalls SAL update

05/20/2015.

Oh time flies when you are having fun.  It seems like I stitched a lot this month, but I'm only finding a few things I completed.

These two pieces were for WOCS. "Celestial" by Ursula Michael, took quite a bit of time, but turned out beautifully.  I've had a couple of friends ask if I will make it, or varations of it, for them. We'll see as I'm really behind on some larger kits I started earlier in the year.  

I also stitched this cutie for a friend that turned 30 and loves cats.  I love the "Kiri the cat" series.

I also stitched two more graduation cards, but I do not  have pictures of them.  I will try and get those posted soon.  My son graduates tomorrow and the party is Saturday so the next couple of days will be crazy.

Keep stitching!

Michele

04/30/2015

Trying to post more again.

I finished a few more herbs for WOCS for a total of 7.

Most of them are from "501 Cross Stitch Designs by Sam Hawkins", but Sage and Dill are from my PC Stitch software.

I also made a graduation card for Joe and now realize I have two more graduation cards to make.  Ugh, I'm really tired of graduation cards.  Here's the finished stitching, although I need to add two star beads, one each in upper right and lower left corners, and make the actual card.  The stitching area is about 5" x 5" square and I'll make it on a 6" square card.

Carpel tunnel test tomorrow, wish me luck and my hands continue to get worse.

Happy Stitching!

Michele