10-10-10 Finish

Well, I finally took some time this afternoon to finish the Cherish Each Day SAL. Funny thing, Helga's 2nd SAL for the year has already begun. But a finish is a finish! I think I'll start something quick and easy now, maybe a Christmas ornament. I need to experience some immediate gratification and maybe my stitching groove will return!

As for my week ahead...it involves fish sitting a friends Beta, Lovey-bug, and working more hours than I really want. I need to practice saying no to the powers-at-be @ work! Have a good week!

Long time, Little Stitch

So I have stayed away from Blogger for way too long...... excuses, excuses excuses. Honestly , I just wasn't inspired to blog. My stitching, as usual, has taken a backseat to other activities. Fall has brought with it 2nd grade and Pre-K. We have been busy with Swimming, Soccer, Girl Scouting and First Communion Classes (RE for my Catholic readers). No complaints here, we are active and happy!

Each September brings the same question in my household. What will everyone be for Halloween? I have always wanted my girls to go as a team, i.e. Velma and Daphne or Pebbles and Bam-Bam. They always have their own ideas and who am I to disagree, after all Halloween is for the kiddies, right? This year they have decided upon Super-Heros. My oldest is planning Spider Girl and the little one, Wonder Woman. They found their costumes in a magazine and came begging. Well, it was easy as 1,2,3. But I found myself with a craving to make some part of the costume. So I created a Spider Girl treat sack. This was done free hand, no pattern available....not perfect but what spider web is? Now if I could only come up with something for Wonder Woman!

Also I am posting my continued progress of my Cherish Sampler. It has almost been done for weeks but I just can't seem to make the time to work on it. The Spider and Web were much more fun.

   Well, I'm off to get some exercise and then to the Grocery Store. I'll leave you with the website to my daughter's 2nd grade class blog. Her teacher, Mrs. O, does a fantastic job and updates it daily. This helps fill in the blanks when one asks.....What did you do today and the child answers I forgot!

Teaching Touches Children Forever 

A Stitchy Mystery

So no stitching updates to provide. I have been busy lately, reading seems to be my biggest passion this summer. I have been taking my girls to the new library twice a week since June began. The goal was to continue my eldest daughter's reading education. So far that has been accomplished with almost 20 books finished this summer. But I too have been enjoying my finds. Why not mix hobbies a bit? So I have started The Needlecraft Mysteries by Monica Ferris. The 1st book is Crewel World and it was published in 1999, there are too many to count now and I am on book 3. Here are a few I picked up at a used bookstore, the others will be checked out from the Austin Public Library. Each book comes with a free chart! Stash and a good read, what stitcher could resist!   

a "Home" felt finish

So as you may remember from a fews months ago, I have been working on an adjusted version of a Pine Mountain Design. This pillow was named "March is Breezy", I changed March to say "Home" as I am planning to keep the pillow on my bed for most of the year. As you can see, the colors fit nicely with my quilt and various throws.  I needed to put this project on hold for a bit while I waited on the pillow form. I should have known in the beginning that it would be an unusual size. I was unable to find the form at the local crafts stores, also including my LNS. So once again, The Silver Needle, came through for me. And who could buy just one item from them??? So since I was paying shipping and their online store is so fun to browse, I did indeed add to my stash.

  

Aren't the scissors cute? They are from Kelmscott Designs also and feel sooo good on the fingers. When will there ever be time to finish all my stash?

Until next post,

Louise, my friend

Well, I have been missing in action lately. My original plan this morning was to post what I've been doing this July, but after a mid morning phone call I would like to introduce my readers to  Louise.


Louise was a wonderful friend of mine. She was my neighbor for many years. Louise lived across the street from my husband and I after we were 1st married. I always enjoyed her companionship and would often cross the street after work to check up on her. You see she was born in 1918, she passed last night at the young age of 92. 


Louise was a child of the Great Depression and she was smart as a whip. She had wonderful stories of her youth, stories of hardship and triumph. She was a twin and her mother had been left by their father. This caused her mom to separate the twin girls in order to provide for the babies. Louise was the luckier one who grew up with her mom, the sister lived in the country with her aunt. I always wondered if there were hard feelings between the sisters but was too scared to ask her. The sisters remained friends throughout their lifetimes, one a country girl and Louise, a city dweller.


Louise has been a widow since the mid 80s and finished her life in her home she purchased in the 1940's with her husband. She continued to drive up until last Christmas when she fell and broke her hip. Her many loves were traveling across country (via car) with her daughter, shrimp at Red Lobster, seeing her great granddaughter, Janie, going to exercise classes and attending mass on Saturday evenings. I hope visiting with me was as good for her as it was for me. She was a true joy in my life!


God granted me one last conversation with her yesterday just hours before she passed. She knew who I was but I knew she was confused at times. I wish I had gone to visit her instead of just calling. But I would have only called EMS and she would have hated to return to the hospital. So in the end she passed away in her husbands old chair with her daughter beside her. Could any of us ask for anything better?


Goodbye Louise, you were such a blessing to me! 

Eat* Stitch* Love Giveaway

So I stumbled upon a Christmas in July giveaway on a fellow stitcher's blog this morn! Please check out Eat*Stitch*Love   for a look at her beautiful Gingher 4" scissor giveaway! And check out her blog, the stitching is just beautiful and I share her admiration for mutual designs!

Escaping Alex and more

So the last few days have provided some much needed stitching time and memories. We packed the car last Saturday and headed out for South Texas, to be specific South Padre Island. I have family in South Texas so we spent Sat night in Harlingen and had dinner with my two aunts. They are getting up in years, my oldest aunt must be 78 or 79 now. It is so hard for me to think of them as older, in my mind they will forever be timeless. South Texas is known for their Mexican Food, one of my Aunt's homes is really just 5 minutes from the border. We had a wonderful meal and Pan Dulce for dessert.

Sunday we got up and headed for the beach with knowledge in the back of our minds that there was a tropical disturbance in the Gulf....ALEX. We did our best to get quality beach time in. We played at the shore, pool and took a boat ride in the Bay. Our boat ride provided us views of approximately 25 dolphins. Many babies swimming along side of their mothers....little tidbit is that they solely nurse for 6 months before adding any seafood into their diets. The girls loved the dolphins as well as the Sea Turtle Rescue stop we went to. As predicted our time in South Padre came to a close early due to Hurricane Alex. They were not evacuating the island but everything was being boarded up and the beaches were closed. We left Tuesday after lunch and traveled north for about 6 1/2 hours. We were in and out of tropical showers but safe. We even saw a double rainbow over a cow pasture in Kennedy, Texas. It was quite picturesque but we were going too fast to snap a photo. The girls were sad but not as much as I. They were easily swayed with a promise of seeing Toy Story 3 at the movies once we got back home.  So we hadve tickets to see the film today after my little ones nap.

As for stitching I finished PART 1 of Helga's SAL. I have begun PART 2 but will in no way have it finished by July 2nd. Enjoy the pictures, South Padre is going to do fine. Alex will hit in Mexico and hopefully South Padre won't have much wind damage. The aunt's are planning to ride out the storm as they did a few years ago when Hurricane Dolly hit. The worst part is being without electricity for many days post landfall.  Until July....

TUSAL long overdo, progress and a hijacking!

Well this has been an interesting week! Shall I begin with the bad and progress?  Well my Yahoo email account was hacked this week. The hacker accessed my address book and sent spam re: a Canadian Pharmacy selling diet pills to about 150 different people. What have I learned?? 1) Change your password OFTEN! 2) Delete contacts that you don't plan on emailing. I tend to hold on to peoples addresses just in case I ever need to reach them (or for sentimental purposes). This was a mistake, so I cleaned up my address book and saved only needed individuals and even though it was hard threw away the rest!!!

TUSAL, well it is long over do. I planned to get it posted on the new moon this month but sometimes time just seems to slip by me. So instead I posted on a FULL MOON! Here in the states we say all "the crazies" come out on a full moon...here's wishing you a crazy free Friday!   

Well here is my progress on my SAL. As predicted I'm not far enough, PART 2 comes out today and there is still more work to be done. But, I am close! :) I love the variegated threads!  The letters are stitched with Gentle Arts thread, Red Plum. It is just so pleasing to look at and stitch with! I prefer to stitch on evenweave but none was available at my LNW shop in the color I wanted. So you're looking at linen...I think it will look nice once done! 

Hope a nice weekend is had my all. My next post will have pictures from South Padre Island. Wishing I wouldn't be in the car during the TEAM USA Soccer game! Cheers to all the Team USA and Team England Fans, wishing all luck!

Helga Mandl SAL Part 1, Sweetness and Ms. Hepburn!

So this weekend I have been busy partaking in Helga's 2010 SAL. Helga is a Croatian Designer that I first came across in reading The Gift of Stitching Magazine.  She is also the moderator of a Yahoo Group I belong to called wXSw (Wonderful Cross Stitch World). This happens to be the 1st SAL I have actually started on time! Lets see if I can keep up the pace. There will be a part one and two for a total of 2 weeks. As I don't have much time to stitch it will be a miracle if I finish with the group!

On a non-cross stitch note I have been reading a fabulous new book. I am almost done with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. This happens to be his 1st novel and it is wonderfuly written. The stories heroine is pre-teen aspiring chemist who happens on a murder based in the 1950's in England. Flavia, the main character, is quite the mad scientist who tries to amuse herself by pranking her older sisters and shocking the township. Oh...and solve the murder her father is being blamed for. Already worth the $15 dollars spent at Barnes & Noble!

Yesterday I went downtown for a viewing of Breakfast at Tiffanys...which also included a martini and mini manicure! My nails look great...this will last until my next shift at the surgery center. The martini was great, cherries instead of an olive. The movie.....one of the best ever made! How on earth was Audrey Hepburn so beautiful and enchanting? Has anyone read the book? I'm looking for a new read!

Until my post next week!

Owl Box for rent and my update!

My latest project has been a Pine Mountain Design. I have altered it to say "Home" instead of March so that I can keep it on my bed for more than a month! The design has been fun to stitch but I hate not being able to use a loop or a scroll frame. One never realizes how much you depend on it for tension till the instructions specifically ask you not to use it! This may keep me from stitching another design.....it just depends how the final results look.

I have decided to put a rush on this work so that I can participate in the 2010 SAL from Helga Mandl. You can find this on the wXSwYahoo Group or by going to her website:

http://crossstitch.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=crossstitch&cdn=hobbies&tm=7&f=10&su=p504.3.336.ip_&tt=11&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//free-pu.t-com.hr/hmdesigns/index.html

On another fun note, one of my Mothers Day gifts was put into action today. I had asked for an owl box. We have both Screech Owls and Great Horned Owls that frequent my neighborhood. I have been wanting a box and my husband finally finished it!! We picked out a quiet corner of the backyard. This tree was picked after seeing 2 Screech Owls sitting on it at dusk a few nights ago! It is ready for move in, completely furnished with a soft leaf interior!

Pine Mountain Pull-out

So in the last week I have purchased materials to begin my stretching of my last finish. I plan to begin the process tomorrow. Hence no pictures of Babys World yet.

As a new project I have began a Pine Mountain Designs Pre-Sewn Pillow Kit. Has anyone done one of these? They are so very pretty and most of these are a month to month design. I purchased March because the colors match my comforter. I plan to change the words to state "Home" instead of March. Here is the picture the kit came with. Why you ask am I not showing you my work? Well....the pull out that is in progress. The instructions indicate please stitch with 3 ply floss....and I was not paying attention and stitched with 6 ply floss. Has anyone done this? It really looks very messy and way too thick. That's what I get for trying to stitch in the car again! :(

Maybe I'll have a new picture for you with my next TUSAL post. Until next time!       

Books, The Office and a finish!

Well, I guess all stitchers take a hiatus. I just needed to take a break from my stitching for a few weeks. During that time I finished Voyager and Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon and have caught up through season four of The Office.

Let me start by saying I love the books by Diana Gabaldon. Voyager has been my favorite in the Highlander Saga. I have started on the 5th book, but am taking a short break from her books as well! (maybe there is a pattern to my madness?) Jamie and Claire, the main characters, will be there when I'm ready to pick them up again!

Now for The Office, this show is so very funny! The characters seem to be extreme but I would bet that everyone has known an incompitant boss in their time! The fun in watching the show is that you feel like a fly on the wall watching their interactions. I love how it is filmed as a mockumentary. The interviews with the employees and the facial expressions make the show! Yeah for reruns on TBS....anyone heard the rumor that Blockbuster has filed for bankrupsy?

Finally my finish....Baby's World by Brody Broda of France. Baby Tristan was born to my cousin a few weeks ago in Seattle. His middle name his her maiden, I think McCoy sounds great as middle name! I have envisioned a pretty purple wood stained frame and some thick batting for a finish. As I have posted before I am looking for a new framer. I tried a new shop who gave me a price estimate of $176 for framing this, no glass included. They did not get my business. I have decided to try to frame it myself. I have found a few sites on line to help with my new project and have planned a trip to my local craft store for Tuesday, my next day off. Wish me luck, I hope not to screw it up! Any advice would be appreciated!

Texas Bluebonnets!

They say pictures are like a thousand words! This Spring, Texas has been blessed with the most beautiful wildflowers and above you see my favorite, the Bluebonnet. These pictures were taken in the Texas Hill Country at my in-laws. The home was my husbands Opa and Oma's farm built in the 1800s. It is no longer inhabited but still on family land.  The season lasts approximately 6 short weeks.

No stitching to show you as I have spending a lot of time out doors. This is the only time to get planting done as our summers here come fast. The next post should possess the finished birth sampler! (Minus a name!)

The one who didn't get away! (until we threw her back)

Girl Scout Camp on Lake LBJ in Marble Falls, Texas! Romi caught two fish this morning. This was her big one, per the guide it was a 9 inch Bass. I have no idea but know it did look different than her perch. She was sure proud, talked about it all day, but wouldn't touch the fish! And wouldn't bait her hook either. Mom had to put on a brave face and do it for her. I inwardly was very squeamish but trying to act like it was not a big deal! The things we do for our kids! Camp was a lot of fun, sleep deprived but fed well and the weather was great! The day was wrapped up with campfire, smores, song, stars and a large Diet Coke for the drive home!

 

As for my stitching I have been moving along. Almost done with the birth sampler. It is cute but has not been very satisfying to stitch. I think I prefer more color changes. Maybe I should have tried it with hand over-dyed  floss? The more I stitch the more picky I become? I suppose this is normal! Have a wonderful week! Next post I'll have some pictures of the Texas Bluebonnets for you. We are in for a fabulous wildflower season this year!

Remember the Alamo and more!

Well Spring Break has come and gone. We were blessed to have beautiful weather here in Central Texas. We spent Friday and Saturday in San Antonio with what felt like the rest of the Texas Tourists! I have never seen San Antonio so busy. We actually waited 50 minutes in line to get into the Alamo...and no they were not checking bags! But daughter #1 had just had a Texas History lesson and she just had to see the Alamo, 1st hand! Once inside the walls (built in 1744) we were happy we waited! There is so much to see, lots of artifacts and "History Buffs" recreating the story.  You just don't see such old architecture in the southern states!

As for my stitching, it suffered. Not much time to stitch when one is entertaining 2 kiddos with a week off from school. I did get a little done at night but not as much as I would have liked. I need to light a fire under myself as the baby is just weeks away! Enjoy your week. Here's wishing you blue skies, rain at night and sprouts in your garden! And of course and extra hour here and there to stitch!  

The Maddness of March

Well it has been too long since my last post, where should I begin? March started of with a bang in regards to kid activities. There have been soccer games, the celebration of my oldest's 7th birthday, a meet and greet with a childrens' author (Mary Pope Osbourne of the Majic Treehouse Books), Sports Day (see the beautiful Spring Day pic to the right), playdates and now Spring Break. The girls have been keeping me busy. Did I mention I started a new job 6 weeks ago? The new job is beginning to jive. I am working at an outpatient surgery center getting both kids and adults ready for surgery. Lots of IV starts and cocktails of ....the GOOD stuff. So this adds early mornings to my routine. 0600 am work arrivals to be specific, the alarm goes off at 0440 which about killed me on the Monday after Daylight Savings. Well, thats my March so far! Up next this week.....the San Antonio Zoo, The Alamo and the Texas Memorial Museum. I mentioned Spring Break, right?

As far as stitching I have 2 pics for ya'll today. The 1st one is my latest project from Brodi Broda. It is a birth sampler for my cousin's little one in the oven. The little peanut is to be born late April in Seattle, Washington. We know he's a boy but name is to be determined. #2 is my TUSAL which was do on the  Ides of March. The container is beginning to fill but still slow in comparison to most! Enjoy and Happy Saint Patricks Day, hope you have your green on!

Weekend for Lucky 7's....

Well today is a special day for me. It was my eldest daughter's 7th birthday. We spent a quiet Sunday as a family. Church, roller skating and a nice home cooked meal!

Saturday we celebrated early with birthday girl's 1st soccer game of the season! She was so excited to get a brand new blue jersey (favorite color) and on back of the jersey.... #7! The #7 brought her luck with the first goal of the game and the 1st win of the season! I too felt lucky as it was in the mid 50's and tolerable while we were out cheering her on. Saturday afternoon we continued the fun with our 1st Lady Longhorn Basketball Game. The Lady Horns did not have OUR luck, they lost to University of OK but it gave me a chance to talk about good sportsmanship with both of the girls! This must be learned early!!! We ended the evening watching our DVRed Womens Olympic Ice Skating! Kim Yu-Na was breathtaking, words just can not describe her performance! If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to google it! I dare to say it will be the best skate of my lifetime!

As for stitching, I haven't progressed very far. My project changed rather quickly as I decided to get a birth sampler started for a cousin's little one who will be born in May. The design is called Baby's World from Brodi Broda. You can find them via the online store, Creative Poppy.com. Creative Poppy has wonderful European Designers, which are hard to find here in the States at our LNS. I'll post a pic when I get a little more completed. 

Have a good last day of February! Heres to a lucky Monday and the start of a new month!

Design by M. Klewer finished!

My Lucia was completed last night. I did finally find the name of the designer, no 1st name listed. The design was done in 2003. I think I'll frame it and put it up next December rather than use it as a card.

My big question is what to start on next. My stash box is overflowing and it is such a hard decision. I'm contemplating starting a big project from Praiseworthy Stitches, The Skating Party. I love starting a new project, part of the fun is picking all the specifics. I always lean towards evenweve, but not too small.... maybe a 28 ct. I also love to use variegated threads, Gentle Arts are my favorite. They feel so smooth running through the evenweave! But with such a big project as this one, it may be too expensive. Check out the link to my future endeavor!

Skating Party, The - Cross Stitch Pattern

On a personal note, last night I spent some quality time with the little one. Her big sis and dad went to the Girl Scouts' Father/ Daughter Dance. Baby Girl and I don't get too much time just us, so we watched her favorite movie, Snow White, ate popcorn and colored together! A great time was had by all!  Until next time....

TUSAL update and ACLS

Well I'm late again in posting my TUSAL update. I have been busy with nursing studies. I am taking ACLS, which is short for Advanced Cardiopulmonary Life Support. This is an advanced CPR course for healthcare professionals. I have taken it before but I let my certification expire and now it's back to the books for an intense 2 day course and exams.  The exams are both written and oral, the oral part is what is scary...done in front of your entire group and all will know if you fail! So as I post my latest picture, know that I am also procrastinating! Wish me luck...and a good nights sleep to all!

St. Lucia

So last December I attended my 1st Saint Lucia Procession at a local Lutheran Church. I am not of Scandinavian Heritage or am I Lutheran, just thought I would expand my horizons. It was absolutely beautiful!! Since then I have been looking for something to stitch to commenmorate Santa Lucia Day. I finally found a chart pack online, sold from The Nordic Needle out of Fargo, North Dakota. It is called Lucia but  I am unable to read the signature on the chart park for the designers name. I normally don't stitch on Aida but why waste fabric...it was already supplied. I'm going to finish this small design but am still searching for something with more detail. So if you see something through your stash or online....I welcome some suggestions! Until next time,  stay warm!

Always a bridemaid and happy to be Auntie again!

Well nothing to note as far as stitching. This past weekend I went to DFW for Brides Maid Duty and while I was there my other girlfriend went into labor! Talk about timing!! Lets refresh....

Thursday: 1) pick up friend from airport and drive 3 hours to Dallas/Fort Worth.

Friday morning: 1) bridal luncheon. Friend in Dallas wakes up crampy, it's sleeting. She opts not to attend luncheon....due date February 2nd. 2) 1 pm, she's gone to the hospital in full blown labor...4 friends wait for the good news, mimosas help! 3) 6 p.m. Friday night rehearsal and margaritas....nice combination. Epidural in place and text message @ 10 pm. Baby Cade has arrived and so has a light snow! 

Saturday morning:  1) trip to hospital and thought about a baby snatching (just kidding)! 2) toenails at 1230 and quickly inhale ramon noodles 3) arrive at church by 3:30 4) 7 p.m. walk down aisle 1st, as I am shortest again! 5) dancing till 1 a.m....bruises noted on feet! 

Sunday: 1) 3 hour drive back home 2) perkiness needed for reunion with kids 3) 9 p.m. exhaustion  

I'm posting a few pics. None of the new baby...must ask new mum. Enjoy!!

Jardin Prive SAL Completed!

This morning I have completed my 1st project of 2010.  This stocking was a freebie provided by The Thread Basket and Jardin Prive. I used Gentle Arts Overdyed Threads and Christmas Green Joblean. I particularly like the pink, which is Clover by Gentle Arts.  It was an easy stitch now I just need to decide how to finish it! No pressure as there is still time before the holidays are upon us!

I want to thank everyone who has left me such nice comments and stopped by to visit the blog! It is amazing to  me that so many of us all across the Earth can share the passion of needlework! I always look forward to checking my blog in the morning to see who has taken a peek! Thank you Venezuela, Australia, Canada, Russia, The Neatherlands, Wales, Hungary, Malta, Budapest and of course the States!

Links:

www.jardinprive.com

www.thethreadbasket.com

www.thegentleart.com/ga/home.asp