December 05, 2010

Crazy January Challenge and More

Put up your hands and wave your needles if you're planning to participate in the Crazy January Challenge where we will each start a new project each day for the 1st 15 days of January and will then try to finish those projects by the end of 2011. To the first part, I say, "no problem! Woohoo! I'm there!" To the second part, I say, "Ummmmm." I was contemplating it anyway, taking out my charts and cooing to them. But I need some supplies--some thread to kit them up, some fabrics--nothing too much. Along came the email from Ellen at In Stitches, offering to help all us 15-new-stitches stitchers out of the jam of insufficient supplies and charts, because she's going to be having a nice early bird event from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on December 27. Those of us arriving in our pajamas receive a special discount between 7 and 10 a.m. So I'm going to be looking for some new pajamas, since what I wear now is not exactly fit to be seen, and it gives me the heebie jeebies to think about driving 30 miles in my jammies--and get a flat tire.

I got a jump on the challenge (although this won't be one of my 15), by starting True Virtue Sampler, from the Samplar Workes. I'm stitching it in the recommended AVAS and Trebizond silks on 40 count Lakeside Examplar. Here's the project photo:



Here's some progress on it:


And a close-up of one of the stawberry blossoms, done in satin stitches. One of the odd-but-charming things about this sampler is the "offset" stitches. The flower stems are offset from the vine by one thread.


I haven't neglected Catharine Metcalf, and I got more leaves and fruits stitched:


We had a little bunny scare this week. Little Elvis appeared withdrawn and quiet, and he didn't seem to be eating last Monday night. Bunny owners know that a bunny that isn't eating is a bunny that isn't pooping either, and a bunny that isn't pooping is a bunny emergency. Bunnies don't throw up, and they can get a hair ball mass in their tummies that can kill them, and it's particularly likely in a long-hair breed. Because my bunnies are free range within their room, I couldn't tell whether he was or not, but after watching him anxiously, it appeared that nothing was going in or coming out. So we wrapped him up in a towel like a bunny burrito, and syringed into his mouth the only thing I had on hand (I'd used the emergency supply of papaya juice and pineapple juice that I normally keep for such things): Laxatone cat laxative. Unfortunately for Elvis, it was tuna flavored (although there is no tuna in it). It did the trick, though, and he was back to normal in no time.

"Next time put my tuna in a sandwich and serve it with plenty of lettuce and sprouts!"


Happy week ahead!

31 comments:

Melissa said...

Well, I'm glad the bunny emergency is over, Glenna, and Elvis is back in top shape!

I love your new start! I've seen that sampler before and every time I went "look away look away" and there you are! It looks really cute!

CM is looking great. That's on my (ever growing) list!

Laurie in Iowa said...

I'm so glad that the bunny emergency had a happy ending.
Love the new start. Yet another sampler I'm not familiar with... you are such a temptress. :-)
So... you'll be taking the 2011 Challenge?

Cath said...

So glad Elvis is ok . Love your new start .X

Theresa said...

Glad to hear Elvis is ok....

I love your new start~~ That flower is so cute~~

Catherine said...

How scary for Elvis - good think he has you!!

Your stitches look wonderful!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Oh no...I'm glad that Elvis is back to his rockstar self...yikes!

And your new challenge is going to be worth watching...in fact I'm anxious to see everyone's big 15 start :)

I'm taking the other challenge...the find 15 WIPs and work on them and finish them in 2011. We'll see :)

Unknown said...

I don't think I own 15 pieces to start! Good luck on the challenge, I will be following to see it all unfold. :)
Chriz’s stitchy blog

Annemarie said...

Egh, poor little Elvis. Glad he's fine now, but what a scare you must've had!

You're actually joining in the January Madness? You're... mad. Good luck in finding some suitable jim jams.

Your new start is another beauty, Glenna!

Jan said...

Poor Elvis. Glad he's doing better.

I thought about the 15 new starts but I decided not to do it. Good luck with it and I'll see you at In Stitches on the 27th. I'll be in my jammies too!

The Fab Furs said...

Hmmm...15 projects in 12 months...math done...hmmm...not terribly likely.

Happy bunny dance that Elvis is better!

Alice said...

Good luck with that challenge! The shopping and the starting I could manage quite nicely, the rest of it not so much. Your current projects are looking wonderful and I'm so glad Elivis is back to being his very cute and healthy self.

Daffycat said...

OMG That was scary about Elvis. Poor fuzzy guy!

Love the new WIP. No no no...I am not going to cave and start 15 new projects! I'd get them all befuddled if I had that many going at once. My six or seven at a time is bad enough! Have fun tho' and keep us updated!

Cari said...

Wow...I'm so glad everything worked out (lol) with the Bunny. I didn't know bunnies couldn't throw up.... but boy oh boy my cats do!! I've taken to putting a small amount of mineral oil in their wet food every morning and it really helps.

Love your new starts too. They are something else. And yes I'm joining in on the 2011 Challenge...It sounds like fun and it will be I'm sure. Have a great week!

RG said...

Rock on Elvis!!!! Good work Dr. Mom.

If I were to start a project a day for the first 15 days in January how will I ever finish the ones I already have started???

I hope there are pictures of the pajama shop-in. Ermmm - OK, maybe not?

Margaret said...

Love the new project! I have to be strong and not fall in love with it like I have your last 3 hundred projects. lol! Poor Elvis! You're lucky Elvis cooperated with taking the laxatone. It was a struggle to get Mia to take it when we had that scare with her! Even tuna flavored didn't make her want to take it! She did sort of, but only sort of. lol! I'm so glad Elvis is all better now. Poor thing!

The Scarlett House said...

Poor bun bun, glad nurse Glenna knew what to do. Good luck with your 15 day challenge. Just reading about everyone's plan makes this one at a time stitcher a bit queasy, lol.

Katrina said...

Both WIPS are gorgeous!!!! Love the new start.

Glad Elvis is doing better and the home remedy worked.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Glad Elvis is doing better, I think long haired bunnies have more of those type of problems than short haired ones...

Michelle said...

Ooh, scary for Elvis. Glad you got him back to his old self. Love the new start - the little flowers are lovely!

Karen M said...

Glad Elvis came through OK. These bunnies do like to scare us.

Anonymous said...

Yea Elvis! glad you had a speedy recovery. I lost my Lion head last spring to the same problem. I Still miss him, my other bunnies just don't have the personality that Kirby did. I still think of him when ever I see a Mini Cooper I'm sure that's the car that all Lion Heads would drive if they could.

Deb said...

Thank God for a bunny mama who knows her buns!! Poor Elvis! You're such a good mom, Glenna.

I love your sampler work, too.

Have missed our visits. I hope we'll be back to that in 2011.
Happy holidays, dear friend.

Deb/LavenderRose/BookishDame

barbara said...

Hmm. I wonder if they have something like that for chickens? I hope Elvis remains in good health. We had a house chicken for a week who had in-and-out-issues, but I doubt hairballs were the cause. I won't discuss the cure, but let's say I've been washing my hands A LOT.

I love your projects. You have great taste. I have, of course, been tempted by the 15-new-starts challenge but have managed to hang on to my sanity (so far) and resist. ;)

GingerCat said...

Start 15 projects in January? Hmmmm! That is an interesting idea that I just might try. I was part of a "Year of Starts" in 2010 where we started a new project every month. That went well. but we did not make a commitment to actually finish anything. If we did, that was a plus! (I did manage to finish about 3/4 of my starts, but still...)

I am glad that your bunny emergency is over!

Nicole said...

I'm glad Elvis is OK Glenna! What a scare you must have had! Good thing your such a good bunny mommy and knew just what to do! I love your new start and Catherine is looking great!!

I would join the crazy challenge, but I've been having my own crazy challenge the last couple of months! ;)

Giovanna said...

Your new start is just lovely, and so is Catherine!

Brigitte said...

I'm waving these needles to say "hello, I'm also one of the Crazies". I joined just for the fun of it, knowing exactly that it will be a pleasure to start those 15 projects but that it will be impossible to finish them all by the end of of 2011. But who cares? LOL.
I'm still browsing through my stash and haven't decided on my 15 projects yet but I think I'll look for 15 different designers.

Julie said...

OMG - how scary! I'm glad Elvis is ok! I love his name.

Great progress on your projects. Very pretty.

Siobhán said...

I'm super behind on commenting, as always, but so glad to read that the bunny emergency was solved without too much of a problem. :)

Love the new start!! I'm so glad you're doing the challenge. I figure, hey, if the stuff isn't done in 2011, nobody is going to show up at my door to thrash me with wet floss. ;)

Sue said...

I'm always intrigues by these New Year's starting challenges. I love to start projects but don't like have so many unfinished. I'm good to be working on about 6 projects at a time but then I get stressed about them. I'll watch for your 15 new starts, it fun to watch new projects beginning!!

quiltcat said...

I'm so glad that Elvis is o.k.! my sister has nearly lost her house bunnies to hairball masses a couple of times and it's very scary for evfurrybuddy.

I think the January challenge is hilarious...it would be easy for me to start 15 projects, but well nigh impossible to finish them within the year! I have soooo many unfinished projects already!