Steve Jobs 1955-2011

I have to start off saying that I am a PC. Always have been, and probably always will be. It is what I know, and what I love.
That said, one cannot deny the impact that Steve Jobs has had on the world of personal computing, and technology in general. He was a true visionary, and just a cool dude.
The Apple II was the very first computer I ever used. I fondly remember playing Oregon Trail on it when I was in grade school, and typing up short stories on the black screen with white pixels.

Today's announcement of the death of Steve Jobs does not come as a shock, as he has been dealing with cancer for a very long time. It is still one of those things that make you pause. The death of an icon will always strike a sad note, even when it comes after a long illness.

My condolences go out to Steve's wife and four children, and the entire family at Apple. A black turtleneck and jeans will never be the same.

Joe Tanaka Chiang of Toy-A-Day has re-released his Steve Jobs free printable as a tribute to this great man who had the brains of a geek and the heart of an artist. I thought I might share this with my readers because I think it is a fun and creative tribute for a fun and creative man.

Percy Penguin Free Felt Ornie Pattern

I thought I had posted this last year, but a quick browse of my archive indicates otherwise. It HAS been sitting in my Flickr photostream since December 5 of 2010.
I know that autumn has only just begun, and that I should not rush into winter (I am Canadian, so trust me when I say that winter is NOT something I look forward to!), but I am about to join the Trim The Tree Holiday Ornament Swap on Flickr. Percy Penguin here was one of the pieces I had considered sending one of my partners last year (I opted for sending out birdie themed felt ornies instead, and wee Percy went to my bestie's little sister)
When I made Percy, I quickly sketched up his pattern and made this printable one-page tute for anybody who would like to have him join their ornament collection. I have made him with felt, but you could also make him with painted muslin for a more rustic look.

As always, he is free for your personal use.
Hugs and Happy Autumn!

Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

Happy Boo-Day Halloween Freebie!

Hi crafty friends!

Sorry I am late, but I am sure you are used to it by now :D
Without further delay, I would like to introduce to you Miss Matilde Labelle. Matilde, an arachnid of the highest class, has always wanted to go trick-or-treating. Every year was the same story - nobody wanted to give candy to a spider. Some people even chased her with a can of Raid!
This year, Matilde hopes that she can fool those silly humans and get some candy. She has a fancy new Jack-o'-lantern mask, witch's hat, cape and boots, and funky striped socks.
I think the 8 legs may still be a dead giveaway, but don't tell sweet Matilde!

As always, I provide these patterns free for your personal use.
If you make something with any of my designs, drop me an email or leave a comment with a link. I would love to see your work!
Hugs,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

Coming Soon: New freebie

Hi people!
Sorry for the delay in my September freebie pattern release. Rest assured that I have not forgotten about you. I have sketched up my design and will be editing it and scanning it very soon.
I had to babysit my nieces 2 kitties (ok, HUGE cats). Rooney, the quirky ginger fella, decided to give me the pierced nose that I have been wanting (thanks boy, but really I want to have it done by a pro, and with a needle, not a fang). Parker, the docile black boy, just kinda purred about nonchalantly. I spent the night watching an Indiana Jones movie marathon on TV because I was without internet! Seriously, that is the first time I have been away from a computer for 24 hrs in YEARS! I developed a migraine. It could have been the Chinese food, or wearing my glasses for longer than normal, but I attribute it to internet withdrawl!
I did finally manage to make the fabulous pontetilla necklace knockoff from Flamingo Toes. The pic below is Bev's creation, as shown in her tutorial.

I won a kit from Bev's lovely blog ages ago. It is a dark charcoal grey and gorgeous! I would take a pic, but my camera is totally dead. I need to get a new battery for it, but it is one of those silly specialty batteries so I will have to order one online. ugh!

I also want to shout out a big hello to all of my new visitors from various online stamping sites! I had no idea that my embroidery patterns would be so popular with digital stampers, but I cannot wait to see what you all create! Please leave links to your projects here, or email them to me so I can show them off on my blog.

hugs to all,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

That's Pinteresting Vol. 2

Happy Wednesday, lovely people!
I am still pretty down about Jack Layton succumbing to cancer this week. Those will be some mighty big shoes to fill.
I also have PMS.
Praise scientists and doctors for Effexor and its mood stabilizing ability. I don't think anybody could have tolerated me, including myself!

I have been keeping myself amused with some stitching for my dear friend Deana (aka AlwaysInspired), and of course, PINNING!
Seriously, if you are not on Pinterest yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
No, it is not just another Facebook/Myspace/Twitter/Google+ that you will try and forget in a week. This is some fun stuff! And SO inspiring! I find things that make me laugh, make me drool, and make me want to create!
I would like to share some of my recent pins with all of you.

THIS is why men should not do retro!

I want these cowgirl boots SO much!

I think I need to make one of these, and a Johhny Cash one too! (I would buy one, but $100? really?) I can't believe that Pam aka Kittykill hasn't pinned this one yet!

Spoonflower had a free swatch day on August 18, so I ordered an 8x8 linen cotton swatch of this retro beauty. (ps: If you missed out on free swatch day, you have not "Liked" Digital Misfit on Facebook! I notify my sweet peeps of stuff like this!)

DROOOOOOOL!

Just LMAO! I had to pin this because of my friend Deana's love of gnomes and hatred of pink flamingos, and my friend Bev's (of Flamingo Toes!) love of all things flamingo.

Bev of Flamingo Toes always posts the best tutes. This one is for a fab stitchy applique set. She even painted all of the frames. The templates for the furniture can be downloaded from her blog.

I could keep posting because I keep pinning. This is just a small taste of what lingers around the Pinterest world. If you haven't tried it yet, and now realize that you MUST, just leave your email address in a comment below and I will send you an invite!

What are some of YOUR favorite pins this week? Leave your Pinterest link so I can follow you too!

Goodbye, Jack

Early this morning, NDP leader Jack Layton lost his battle with cancer at the age of 61. He was probably the only federal politician that I truly liked. He was warm, caring, hard working, and always optimistic. He brought the NDP from being a barely viable party to being the official Opposition party. That is a pretty incredible feat, especially when the Prime Minister is Conservative.

Only two days ago, Jack Layton prepared a letter, addressed to all Canadians. This letter was written with the knowledge of his impending death, and entrusted to his beloved wife and partner, Olivia Chow, to be given to the media "when the time came". I would like to share the contents of that letter with you here. I think this is a beautiful reminder of how great a leader this man was.

I am publishing this letter exactly as it appears in the email from the NDP today.

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,
Jack Layton.

Calculations: New FREE Embroidery Pattern for Back to School

Sometime after we learned 2+2, but before we finished learning the multiplication tables, we all learned a little calculator fun.
We sent our first digital text messages by typing 01134 into our solar powered calculators and passing it over to our classmate. They would already know to turn the calculator upside down to read your cheerful greeting.
It did not take the boys in class long to figure out that 58008, 5318008, and the unkind 55378008 made far more amusing words.

(click image for full size, and right click to Save As)

In honor of the rapidly approaching back-to-school season (you can hear the cheer of parents and groans of children worldwide!), I offer up this bit of retro texting fun in 2 versions. Stitch up the 01134 on your child's backpack, or rock the retro with 5318008 on your college tote bag. You can stitch the designs right side up, or upside down! Either way, you are sure to get some smiles and comments from those who recall these "secret" messages in math class. Who doesn't love nostalgic geekery?

(click image for full size, and right click to Save As)

Pin It

I would love to hear your opinions on this design (my first inanimate object pattern!). If you stitch one up, please leave a comment with a link, or let me know on Flickr, Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook.

As with all of my free patterns, you may stitch it, stamp it, color it, paint it, etc for your personal use only (including gifts). You may not sell the pattern alone or as a part of a collection, or sell items made using this pattern without expressed written permission from me (I am very easygoing when it comes to items made for charity!). You are free to share this pattern on your blog providing you link back to THIS blog post.

Happy August everyone! Now get ready for class!

hugs,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

update: Thank you for all of the lovely comments! I am thrilled to see so many visitors from outside the embroidery world coming in. These designs do make great digital stamps. Don't forget to check out my other freebie patterns on the right sidebar. I will also have a new Halloween theme design coming out in the next couple of days. Hugs to the lovely CraftGossip mods!

That's Pinteresting!

I have to share with you my new addiction.

Pinterest has been occupying a LOT of my time lately, and with good reason! There is SO much to see. Pinterest is like the cyber lovechild of Facebook, Tumblr and Wists. You can "pin" things from around the web that you love, and sort them into various categories (boards). You can comment on other people's pins, and even repin them to your own boards. You can choose to follow other users, or just particular boards of theirs. Social bookmarking! Yay!
I love it because it enables me to bookmark tutorials and ideas with PHOTOGRAPHS. I have a zillion bookmarks, but it is a pain to find the one I am looking for because it is all text, and I never bothered sorting them beyond basic category (ie: my "craft stuff" bookmark folder has about 1100 links)
Pinterest still seems to be in invite-only stage, but if you want to check it out (and I REALLY suggest you do), just leave a comment with you email addy and I will shoot you an invitation.

Here are a few items that I have pinned recently:

You can find these fabulous posts (and the source links!) on my Pinterest boards. I welcome you to follow some or all of my pins.

If you are already on Pinterest, feel free to share your link in the comments so that I can visit you and see what tickles your fancy!

hugs,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

Big Hugs!

I want to thank all of you for your lovely comments, public and private. It has meant so much to me to have your support and understanding in dealing with mental illness.
If you emailed me and I have not personally replied to you via email, I will soon.

I also wanted to point out a new gadget here on My Hiding Place In Cyberspace - my Facebook page! On the right hand sidebar, you will find a Like button for Digital Misfit (me!). Since I made the page about 5 minutes ago, I have a whopping ZERO fans. I invite all of you to click that LIKE button so you can stay updated on the latest goings-on here and never miss a free pattern or even a giveaway. I think it is will be much easier than an RSS feed (which I also have, also on the right hand side!).

I will have a special giveaway when my Facebook page reaches 100 Likes.

So click here to Like me over on the 'book!

Busy, Lazy, or Just Plain Crazy

I always promise myself that I will blog more. I will visit more blogs. I will post more patterns and tutorials.
And then, without fail, I neglect my blog. Worse, I neglect you - the gorgeous people who actually bother to read my silly nonsense.
I cannot say that I have been unusually busy. People like me are rarely busy for more than a few days at a time.
"People like me" meaning agoraphobics. Did I mention that I am agoraphobic? I mean BEFORE just now? I don't think so. I know that some of you are already aware of my mental misfirings, but I have never officially "come out" on my blog as a person with mental illness.

Well, here you go - and you are certainly not obligated to read through what is likely to be a rambling post of me venting a bit.
I take meds every day, and have for the past few years (Effexor XR 300mg (venlafaxine) for anybody in the psych med know). The meds seriously help with the depression, and most of the anxiety, but it does not fix the panic attacks. So now I am the most laid back, easygoing chick you could ever know - who may suddenly start tearing up and panicking. It seems to confuse my doctor (whose specialty is sports medicine, btw, I have only seen a psychiatrist TWICE over the past 4 or 5 years) as much as it confuses me. I am not scared of anything in particular happening. I just react poorly to crowds and background noise.
This brain backfiring has rendered me useless in the workforce, so I have been out of work for about 3 years now. I am Canadian, so I have been in ODSP limbo for 2 years (like Social Security for people with disabilities). Pain in the ass, it is.
Have any of you ever taken Effexor XR for an extended period of time? It is some seriously effed up stuff. It has all but destroyed my short term memory. I have to surround myself with post-it notes, scribblings on envelopes, and trying to use as many senses to recall things as possible (eg: I forget if I have taken my meds, so I try to memorize where I am when I take them, say out loud that I am taking them, and note the taste of the beverage I take them with). I suffer hot flashes and night sweats that make menopausal women pity me. My body randomly twitches when I am sitting at my computer or laying in bed at night. I do not mean a little flutter - I mean a big jerk of an arm or my torso or my head. It can be quite embarrassing - and messy if I am holding a beverage! It has also really messed up my ability to score well in Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, dammit!
I would also bitch about it messing with my sex drive, but since I am a single gal who rarely leaves the house, that is probably a good thing!
My crafting is also dramatically affected by my illness, and by the medication. If I have a panic attack while working on a project, I find I cannot return to it. EVER. The meds suck the creativity and motivation out of me most of the time. I have thousands of creative ideas, but my brain goes fuzzy when I want to implement them. I am lucky to get a few artsy energy bursts now and then, but I am always slacking far behind in my projects (sorry Deana! xoxo). My WIP pile has the most random assortment of crafts in various stages of completion.

Lately I have been quite stressed over the fact that I must attend a large social function this coming Saturday. Normally a Saturday night would consist of watching a movie on the computer or reading a book. This Saturday, my nephew will be marrying his beautiful girlfriend. He is in the Canadian army, recently returned from his 3rd tour in Afghanistan. She is a nurse. I am very happy for both of them, and I want to be there with them to celebrate the special event. I just wish that I could do it via webcam or something LOL! On the bright side, there will be a lot of liquor, and a lot of attractive young men in uniform. Wish me luck (at the event, not with the hot young guys, though while you are at it...)

I will leave you with a photo of the lovely couple, taken at some kind of Army ball on the base.

Happy Birthday AlwaysInspired and FREE Gnome Girl Embroidery Pattern

Today is my awesome friend AlwaysInspired's birthday. I just wanted to do a quick post to embarrass her wish her every happiness.

If you get a chance, pop on over to her blog, The Inspiring Adventures of Always Inspired and leave some comment love. You will probably want to follow her too, if you do not do so already. She is a fantastic and creative gal and is sure to inspire you too!

Click on the image above for a full size jpeg and save to your computer.


To celebrate her birthday with all of you, I would like to share my Sweet Gnome Girl embroidery pattern. I designed this tiny gal last autumn for the Hoop Up! Stitch and Send Swap on Flickr for AlwaysInspired to stitch for one of her partners. She did a beautiful job in redwork, but I think Sweet Gnome Girl would look great in any color (or a rainbow of them!).

As always, my pattern is free, and can be stitched/printed/painted/etc up for personal use (self or gifts) but may not be sold. You are welcome to blog/Facebook/Tweet this pattern, but please link back to this original post.

Hugs,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

feeling stitchy: May Stitchalong: Cate Anevski

A quick heads-up to all of you sexy stitchers out there: The May stitchalong for Feeling Stitchy has been posted, and the feature artist is the awesome Cate Anevski. I am a fan of her slightly creepy but always fun and quirky style. In fact, I have been hoarding a FQ of her Ghosty Paisley fabric forever. The May PB&J pattern is so adorable and completely customizable.
As a bonus, there is a PRIZE this month! Cate will choose a winner to receive a free PDF embroidery pattern of their choice from her shop, and floresita will add a bundle of floss and fabric from her own stash!

Happy Mother's Day

I want to take a minute to wish my readers a very happy Mother's Day.
Hugs go out to all of the moms out there (yes, furry babies count!). Even bigger hugs to those who are missing their moms today.

I also HAD to show you all this piece stitched up by the lovely Troublet of The Trouble With Crafting.

She is one fast cookie! I just posted the Gnome No Evil free pattern on Thursday! Didn't she do a great job?! I love the tinting and the wide frame!

Hugs♥
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

Stitchalong Samples and NEW Free Gnome Embroidery Pattern

I almost forgot to post this! My apologies for keeping you waiting.
Before I post the new embroidery pattern, I would like to share with you a sampling of some of the fabulous embroidered pieces created during the Feeling Stitchy April Stitchalong using my April's Showers pattern. I picked these pieces at random to show some of the different styles that were created using the same base pattern. To see more lovely finished pieces, please visit the Embroidery group on Flickr.

Clockwise from top left:

The first piece I came across was this awesome rainy day chocolate stash box made by Joyful Stamper. She used the pattern as a digital stamp and colored her in. This is a fabulous idea (I may steal the rainy day chocolate box concept for future gifties!)

Troublet of The Trouble with Crafting, a fabulous Craftster and fellow puddle jumper, stitched up this fun colorful gal.

Rubes00 from Flickr stitched up this bold outline piece on great patterned fabric. Love the bright red frame!

Rachel from Stop.Drop.Roll stitched up this gray on pink small block for use in a future quilt.

Kat of Kat's Crafts completed this gorgeous applique on patchwork piece. She blogged about it in stages and I was excited watching it come together. Love this idea!

SewingByStephanie from Flickr tweaked the pattern to stitch up this braided beauty. I love the heart shaped raindrops!

I want to thank everyone who participated in the Feeling Stitchy April Stitchalong, and also the gorgeous Pam aka KittyKill for featuring my pattern for the project. I am excited and humbled by how many people have chosen to stitch up my design, and I hope to see more in the future. I will continue to provide free patterns here on my blog (with the links on my upper right sidebar).

And finally, I would like to share with you my free embroidery pattern for May 2011.
May = Spring. Spring = Gardens. Gardens = GNOMES!

Click HERE to download file.

But not just any gnomes - these are the Gnome No Evil gnomes.
I spotted a set of garden gnomes in these poses and I KNEW they needed to be stitched up! Unfortunately I have not yet had the chance to do it. I do hope that if you stitch them up you will show me so I can show everyone else! It truly makes my day :)

As always, the patterns on my blog are provided free of charge to everyone. They can be stitched, stamped, painted, pieced, glued, gifted, etc -- but they cannot be sold. You may link to the pattern on your blog/Facebook/Twitter/Flickr/etc but please link to this blog post and not directly the the Mediafire file.

Time To Get Politcal

Ok, with Election 2011 out of the way, it is time for me to get political. I know my crafty blog is probably not the BEST venue for it, but what the hell - it is the venue I have. For my crafty readers who are completely uninterested in my rant, I will post a cute free gnome embroidery pattern for you tomorrow to make up for these past few posts :)
Yesterday the Canadian government went from being a Conservative minority to a Conservative majority. That just plain sucks. For my American friends, our Conservative party is kinda like your Republican party.
We are not a 2-party nation. Unfortunately, there are only 3 nationwide dominant parties, the New Democratic Party (NDP), the Liberal Party (LIB) and the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC). The former 2 are more left wing, and the CPC is naturally right wing. When you have 2 main left wing parties, the vote winds up getting split, this time the NDP taking more votes than usual, and the country winds up with an administration that the MAJORITY of people did NOT vote for (CPC won with 39.2% of the vote).
Now today I had a friend on Facebook (I will refer to him as an ex, since there are few ways to describe someone who I spent a decade of my life with in varying degrees of togetherness) post the following (with my response underneath)

Now I must add that I have absolutely NO negative feelings towards this person. We are friends and always have been. But this attitude just pisses me off. Sure, you have the right to not vote. However, exercising this right does not make any sense. If you feel that there are no parties that represent adequately, then choose the one who represents your most important political values. Spend time writing to your elected officials. Campaign for causes that you believe in. Bring your values to the table. Don't just throw away your vote in a tantrum. Politics is a messy, ugly thing. No party or leader will be able to please everyone all of the time.

So, to my Canadian friends, if you voted CPC, I concede my congratulations to you and your elected official. If you voted LIB, NDP, or any of the other parties, I share in your disappointment (unless you voted for the Marxist/Leninist party that was on my local ballot - you are just messed up). And if you exercised your right to not vote, then I hold you accountable and I do not want to hear you complain even ONCE because you opted to not get involved.

To my American friends facing a federal election next year, please - get involved. Know your parties and their platforms. Campaign for issues that you care about. Blog them. Share on Facebook. Tweet. Be a royal pain in the ass. Just get out and vote.

Have Your Say - It's Voting Day!

Today is Election Day in Canada. I appeal to all of my fellow Canadian readers to exercise their right to vote. I vote because if I do not, I forfeit my right to bitch about the administration - and I will NEVER stop bitching!
If you need information about where you should be voting, or what kind of identification you will need, visit the Elections Canada website

Follow the rules and make your vote count. I won't politicize my post by discussing who I will be voting for because it is more important to me that you just get out there today.

Au Revior Osama!

Now Obama needs to get himself a fancy flight suit to show off his package while he proclaims MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - and this time it is real!

Feeling Stitchy Stitch Along

Hi Feeling Stitchy visitors!

This month I am honored to be the guest artist for the Stitch Along.
When my awesome friend Pam, aka Kittykill, asked me if I would be interested in drawing up a design for April, I jumped at the chance! I had previously drawn a young woman dancing in the rain for the Hoop Up swap on Flickr, but I wanted something a bit more whimsical for the season. I changed my design by making the girl younger, changed her clothes, and added details like cute polkadot wellies and daffodil flowers. I left the dress blank so you can use the decorative stitches of your choice (I think some plaid would be fun!)

This is what my new design looks like, but if you want to download it, you have to go over to the Feeling Stitchy blog post where you can click to get the full size image.


Remember to post pics to the Feeling Stitchy Embroidery Group on Flickr. If you do not have a Flickr account, you can email a pic to me (address on sidebar) and I will post it here on my blog. I would love to see how you interpret my design.

Big hugs and Happy Spring to everyone!

Heidi aka Digital Misfit

New Computer At Last!

Hi peoples!
I am blogging today for the first time from my brand shiny new desktop computer. It is the first NEW computer I have ever had (I am the queen of the second hand PCs, but I keep those babies running as long as possible!).
My old gal was still running (albeit sluggishly), but my totally awesome older sis, Shari, surprised me with this unbelievable gift. I even have a nice new widescreen monitor.
I had some issues with setting it up.
First I could not do a damn thing because the OS was not installed, and the DVD-RW drive was not working. The PC is under full warranty for 2 years, but the catch is that it has to be serviced IN-STORE! Well the nearest location is a 7 hr drive away (my sis bought it from her usual PC shop near her home and shipped it here). The shipping would cost an arm and a leg for me. Opening the PC would void the warranty, and the company refused to allow me to take it to a local repair shop, even if I paid for it (well, I COULD take it, but once again, it would void the warranty). After being ignored by the company on Twitter, Facebook, email and by phone (I was transferred 3x to different departments, each saying they could not do anything and I have to bring it in), I said EFF THIS!
I had an awesome help partner by the name of Rick (@oatmeal_25) who walked me through some troubleshooting first. So sweet, since I had never spoken to this Twitter dude before. When nothing worked, I popped the case and noticed the problem right away - the DVD RW drive power cable was loose. A quick tap into the pins and it was ready to go! Can you imagine spending $80 on shipping (each way!) just to have a tech TAP a cable and send it back?! WTF?!
Warranty is shot for the PC, but I have a lovely working computer.
It took a couple of days to install all the drivers and software and stuff, and I still have a zillion files on my old PC that I will have to retrieve one day, but I am still thrilled.
I had no idea a PC could run this fast! With a terabyte of storage, I can save every tutorial and pattern I have ever admired and then some (not that this will make me actually CREATE more art/crafts, but hey, it is a start!)

Also, I noted today that my humble wee blog has reached 300 Google Friend Connect followers! How freakin' awesome are each and every one of you? Big huge hugs! I will have to have a giveaway next month to celebrate. What should the prize be? I am open to suggestions.

Bloglovin' and Lovin' Blogs!

Follow my blog with bloglovin

I have just signed up on BlogLovin' since it seems to be the thing to do these days. I like it so far - if you have Bloglovin' click to follow mine, and leave a comment so I can follow yours too.
It seems to be SO much easier to navigate that Google Friend Connect. I love my GFC followers (almost 300 of you! WOW! I may have to do a special follower giveaway soon!), and I love the blogs I follow, but it is hard to get around to them all (I really need to weed out old blogs that are no longer updated or have moved!).
With Bloglovin, I can search out the ones I want to check up on. It is free, no hassle, and come on - everyone is doin' it!
I also have the Networked Blogs gadget through Facebook here. I think I have too many gadgets.
Go ahead and follow me anyway - I am a lazy blogger and do not post nearly as often as I should, so I won't take up much of your time LOL!

I also wanted to send much love out to all of the participants of the 5th and final annual One World One Heart blog event (see 2 previous posts).
I had such a great time, and I was even lucky enough to win a LOT of awesome goodies from many beautiful bloggers. I am anxiously awaiting for my mailbox to hold such treasures as art & art prints, cards, gorgeous jewelry, art box, mini quilt, plush bear, cute bunnies, cloth art doll, and even the BJD. I do not want to accidentally forget anybody, so I won't list them all now, but instead blog them when they come in.

OWOH Winner Announcement! (and OWOA news!)

One World One Heart has come to a close.

I have so enjoyed this year's event, with hundreds of familiar faces, and even more new talented bloggers to meet. I tried my very best to make it to all 850+ blogs participating this year. I think I at least came close!
I am very impressed with the turnout, and humbled by the lovely comments so many of you left here on my blog. I had no idea so many people would be interested in my little artwork and gnome!

For the past three years, OWOH has been my favorite blog event, one I looked forward to all year. I was very sad to learn that this was to be the final year.
Until, that is, the ocean dreamer herself, Ms Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian, and the mastermind of OWOH announced that she would be heading up a brand new blog event next year!
Our World Our Art looks like it is going to be even more spectacular! Artists from all over the globe coming together to share their work with each other. I am getting inspired already!
I do hope that all of you will consider hopping aboard this new blog journey and sign up for the reminder newsletter on Lisa's blog.

Now for the news everyone is waiting to hear.

I have drawn the winner of my OWOH giveaway.
The honor was done by my trusty assistant, random.org

The winner of BOTH my canvas art piece and the gnome pincushion is ...
Drumroll please...

the beautiful and talented Kristin of Twinkle Twinkle

Kristin, I will be emailing you very soon for your mailing address. I do hope you like your gifts.

I want to thank you all for participating in One World One Heart, and for visiting my little hiding place in cyberspace! I hope you come by again. I know I will be visiting many of you again very soon.

Big hugs,
Heidi
aka Digital Misfit

One World One Heart 2011 - Giveaway Closed! Thanks for visiting!

To enter, 

Welcome to my little hiding place in cyberspace!

This is my third year as a participant in the One World One Heart event hosted by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian.  This is the 5th and final year of the event, so it is a bit bittersweet.
I have enjoyed meeting so many beautiful bloggers and "discovering" countless talented artists during these events.
A bit about me:
My name is Heidi, though I am more commonly known around thius land of bits and bytes as Digital Misfit.
I am a 35 (patooey!) year old woman freezing my ample posterior off up here in northern Ontario, Canada.. During my childhood, I was never without a crayon or pencil in my hand.  I loved to draw, play with clay, pretty much anything artsy.
Then for years I put away the toys, focusing on work and other mundane stuff.
A few years ago, when I became ill and unable to work, I stumbled upon a crafty website called Craftster (heyyyy to all my Craftster friends who are visiting!).  I was so inspired that I bought a sewing machine, stocked up on craft supplies from every genre and got my hands dirty again.  I have been experimenting with everything from doll making to mixed media art, hand embroidery to polymer clay.  I love it all!  This year I plan to take up crochet (I am DETERMINED to learn, dammit!) , purse making, and small scale quilting.  My current main crafts include felt, embroidery and embroidery design, and painting.

Now for the stuff you are all here for: the giveaway!
Today I am giving away 2 completely unrelated items that I made especially for this event.
First up is a mixed media painting on wrapped canvas entitled One World.

This goddess is painted with watercolor crayon, progresso pencils, graphite pencil, acrylics, and ink with decoupage bits from a vintage Dutch copy of Jane Eyre. The sides are painted so she is ready to hang as-is.

Secondly I have Gnome on a Knoll.  This lil guy and his mushroom pal are handsewn from felt and perch upon a felt pincushion.  Even if you are not an avid sewist, you should have a safe place to keep a needle or two handy for those emergency button-repairs.  I just love gnomes and toadstools, don't you?

To enter, simply leave a comment in the section below.  I would love to know where you are visiting from, since this is such a fantastic international event.
BOTH of these items will go to ONE winner, which will be drawn from the comments below using random.org on February 17th.   The last day to enter will be February 16th at 11:59 pm EST (GMT -5h).
This giveaway is open to bloggers worldwide.  You do not have to be a participant of One World One Heart to enter, but you MUST have an active blog (ie: not a blog you created this morning to enter the giveaways).
If your blog does not have contact information on it, please leave your email address in your comment so that I can reach you in the event that you win.  To avoid spam, you can write it as myemailaddy (at) emailprovider (dot) com
If you want to participate in One World One Heart, you can still jump right in! Just visit the website to find out how.  I look forward to visiting all of the OWOH 2011 participants over the next 2 weeks. Big hugs to all of you!

heidi
aka Digital Misfit

Happy New Year (a bit belated) and blog event news!

Happy New Year to all of my beautiful bloggy visitors.

I know I am the laziest blogger ever, but hey - it saves you time when catching up on your blogroll, right?
I wanted to let everyone know about the One World One Heart blog event hosted by A Whimsical Bohemian.
This is the 5th and final year of the event, so it is rather bittersweet.  I was a participant in 2009 and 2010, and I will definitely be participating again this year.
OWOH is an international blog event where bloggers of all kinds get together and go on a massive blog hop.  Each blog will be hosting a giveaway, and last year there were over 1000 participants, so it is a REALLY big event.  It is an opportunity to meet artists (and non-artist bloggers) from all over the world, and maybe even win some beautiful prizes!
You do not need to be a participant to enter the giveaways, but you DO need to have an active blog.  It is an event meant to help us all get to know each other, after all.
I am working on my super-secret project for the event giveaway (super secret because if it turns out poorly, I will be whipping up something else entirely).
The event begins on January 30 and runs until February 17.  There is no cost to participate or enter the giveaways.
Please consider joining in the fun.
The short list of rules for the event are on Lisa's blog - A Whimsical Bohemian.

Big hugs! Hope to see you there!