Stitch n Chat

Roller Coaster Philosophy

2012-02-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

Life is like a roller coaster...it has its ups and downs and sometimes throws you a curve. Enjoy the ride! (I'm in the back row, right side in both pics.)

We got back in the wee hours of the morning yesterday from DS's band trip to Disney World. We had a great time! No stitching for me last week but I'm hoping to get some stitching done this week.

Quick Check-in

2012-02-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

I won't be able to post for a few days so thought I'd briefly check in now.

First a finish, a little freebie (oldie) from PS for a garden flower block exchange:

I like it so much, I just might stitch it again for me to keep.

I had some great mail too. Just for participating in a SAL, my cyber stitching buddy sent me this:

Looks like I can have some fun with that! Thank you, Cheryl!

I've made a bit of progress on the model I'm stitching for LHN. I'm enjoying it and I predict you will love it too.

Oh! Almost forgot. In honor of February, I posted a pic of a piece by Birds of a Feather.

Until next time, may all your needles stay threaded and may the dreaded frog stay far away from you.

Friday Show n Tell

2012-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the nice comments about my stitching picture on the "header". I'm a sucker for projects with personalization and this is one of my favorites that I've stitched. It took a while for me to frame it and after I finally did, I wondered what took me so long.

I have 2 finishes to show this week, the PS Woodland Santa (I want to stitch at least one more from that leaflet...someday) and a little cupcake freebie from The Floss Box. I'm in a yahoo group in which we stitch and exchange themed blocks throughout the year. That's what inspired the cupcake stitching.

Without further ado:

The colors in the PS one are pretty typical for me to stitch. The cupcake one is "out of my box" but I love how bright and colorful this project is. As small and easy as this one was, there sure was a lot of color changes...a few stitches of this, a few stitches of that, etc.

I just started a new model for LHN so can't show that until it's released but I also started another themed block. I chose an old PS freebie for the garden flower theme:

I also just barely started Quaker Gone Tropic (another sal I'm in) by Michelle Ink only I'm using colors from Ink Circles' Hawaiian Mandal Sampler. I'd like to stitch both and liked the brighter colors better. Reminds me of all the bright flowers we saw in HI. (I'm SO ready to go back but who knows when we ever will get to go.)

In the "patting myself on the back" file, my walking buddy and I completed our whole 5 days' walking by doing 4 1/2 miles all 5 days this week. (We'd increased our distance from 3 miles to 4 1/2 but b/c of either weather or scheduling reasons this is the first week we've gotten to do all 5 days with the increased distance.) Don't be too impressed. It's flat as a pancake here so not a big physical challenge. lol!

Busy but fun week coming up. Today's baking day for me to prepare for tomorrow's band activities. I'm working in the Judges' Hospitality Room setting up this afternoon and then being there all day tomorrow. We'll be dining on chili at the chili supper tomorrow evening followed by a band concert. After that's over, I'll get DS and me prepared for the band trip to Disneyworld.

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope everyone has a fantaastic weekend!

Finally Friday!

2012-01-20T09:21:00.000-08:00

I love Monday holidays! I seem to "pay" for them though b/c I spend the rest of the week "discombobulated" and SO ready for the weekend. lol!

One of the reasons I'm feeling tired is I had to be out 3 evenings this week, 2 meetings and a (longer than usual for some reason) choir practice...or maybe it's b/c of the cloudy skies we've had this week.

I'm (figure)heading a team that is busy planning a hospitality room (breakfast, gallons of coffee, lunch, drinks, and snacks) for the judges of the upcoming (next week) band solo/ensemble contest that our band hosts. It's a good team and I anticipate that our part will go smoothly.

My walking buddy and I took 4 4 1/2 mile walks and 1 3-miler this week. We're becoming addicted; I really miss it when we can't walk for whatever reason. We'd been doing 3 milers for quite some time and decided that after the holidays we'd increase our mileage. We both agree that aside from the extra time it takes, we're glad to be walking more. It's so flat here, it's not much of a challenge. lol! This week's weather fluctuated a bit. We had a couple of mornings where we bundled up in layers and then a few more mornings where we worked up a sweat and swatted skeeters.

It's going to be a busy few weeks! In addition to the contest next Sat., the band also holds it's chili supper fundraiser (including a silent auction). During the supper, serveral of the jazz bands play and we wrap up the evening with a band concert. Shortly after that is the Disney trip, and the weekend after that is the Belled Dance. (DS was invited last Sat. via a cake-gram.)

I've been stitching mostly on LHN's Family Sampler and PS Woodland Santa this week. I put a few stitches in Quaker Gone Tropic but not enough for a picture yet. I seem to be on the home stretch of the PS so maybe I'll have a finish pic next time. (or maybe not.....I will probably have another model to work on next week too.)

Thank you all for reading my posts and for the nice comments.

A week of stitching, etc.

2012-01-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

I seem to have startitis. I'm working on LHN's Family Sampler (in a remembrance sal), a PS Woodland Santa, a cupcake (freebie from The Floss Box for a block exchange), and today received my floss for Quaker Gone Tropic (another sal). I'd really like to start LK's Six Fat Men (received the overdyes I ordered for that too.) but maybe should finish something first. I'm still waiting on a friend to receive an ornament I sent before posting the pic which is my last 2011 finish. I sure hope it didn't get lost in the mail.

My walking buddy and I decided to increase our mileage so we're up to 4 1/2 miles. We can hardly tell the difference except that it takes more time than doing the 3 miles.

One DS just finished his last HS final for the semester and I just sent another DS back off to college today.

I'm helping tomorrow at a bake sale for DS's HS band and also helping in a committee for a judges hospitality room for an upcoming solo/ensemble contest. Shortly after that, I accompany DS's band on their trip to Disneyworld. Never a dull moment around here!

I hope everyone has a great week.

Today's picture "header"

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite things I've stitched. The design was the winning entrant in a design contest held by Woman's Day Magazine back in the 80's. We lived in MI then and this reminded me of the winters there. (Occasionally I even saw people cross country skiing past our house.) I actually stitched the biggest part of it when we only had 3 children and put it away for a while. Once our youngest was born, I did a little "unstitching", and took out the second dog from the original design, and put in a 4th child. Our dog then even resembled the dog in design. I don't know if you can tell from the picture but it's solidly stitched.

You can see how this design seems very personal to me and I thought it would be great for a "header" during January.

It hangs year round in our living room here in Texas.

Back in business (picture heavy)

2012-01-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

The computer returned home last night from the "hospital" so I'm back in business. You don't realize just how much you use your computer until you can't. I wonder if there's a 12 Step program for computer addiction.

I uploaded our pictures from our holiday trip to San Francisco to visit DD. All 6 of us stayed in her little apartment in the city. DS # 2 "called" this for his sleeping arrangements. My back hurts just looking at this.

While we did go to Sonoma for a little wine tasting, much or our trip wasn't your conventional Christmas trip to SF. On Chistmas Day we did a "little" 7 mile hike up Mt. Tam.

After hiking quite a while, here was our ultimate destination:

As you can see, I'm a little slower hiking uphill than the "kids". (I know, I know, this isn't uphill but one of the flat sections. I was catching my breath here.)

The view from up there was worth it:

After we climbed back down, we cooled down by walking along Stinson Beach. Someone's dog came over to say hello.

Another not so typical SF activity is our visit to urgent care when DS #3 dropped a piano bench on his toes. He's ok but was in too much pain to hike anymore.

We drove to visit old friends we knew when we all lived in MI. They're from Lebanon and prepared a feast for us. Yum! Isn't it great getting together with old friends?

Our next hike was up Twin Peaks for a view of the city. On the way we stopped at one of the concrete slides. DD says they used to be all over SF but there are just a few left. You sit on a piece of cardboard box and slide down. Of course I had to try it.

It's just gorgeous looking down on the city from up there!

We spent our last night in San Fran hosting a pizza party (DH makes wonderful homemade pizza) for some of DD's friends. One of my sons enjoys making bread so he and another son worked together making homemade pita bread and hummus (sp?). It's fun to watch the process because the pita's fill up with air during the baking process (forming the pockets) and look like balls before they deflate when you take them out of the oven. His "helper" got a Jamie Oliver cookbook for Christmas and tried out a recipe for lemon poppyseed cake which turned out to be delicious. DS #3's toe was bothering him so he napped on the couch during the kitchen fun. I pretty much stayed out of their way in the kitchen and cleaned up afterwards. During the party I got to cuddle with a 6 wk. old baby who was smaller at 6 weeks old than any of my babies were at birth. So sweet!

Note the special equipment needed for baking pita bread:

Not much stitching on the trip but DH and I drove over to Alameda to visit Needle in a Haystack where I bought some of the silks needed for LHN's new repro/adaptation sampler. I'm splurging on silks for this one.

Yesterday I started LHN's Family Sampler. I'm in a sal group where we're stitching a piece in memory or in honor of someone in our lives. I'm stitching this in memory of my late grandma who was all about family. I hope to have some progress pictures soon.

Thanks if you've made it this far. We enjoy the rare times we can be together again as a family.

2012-01-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

We had a wonderful Christmas spending it in San Francisco visiting our DD.. It was great having all 6 of us together We did lots of hiking, eating, laughing, visiting wine country, and meeting some of DD's friends. San Francisco and the surrounding area is is so beautiful.

I stopped in at Needle in a Haystack in Alameda and picked up some of the silks for Little House Needleworks' new repro/adaptation sampler. Splurging on this one!

I'd love to share some pictures but our computer wouldn't turn on when we returned home. Hopefully it will be repaired ASAP. I'm suffering from computer withdrawl. I'm borrowing DS's laptop.

Giveaways at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe blog

2011-12-17T07:01:00.000-08:00

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is hosting 2 giveaways.

The first is for one of her Motto Sampler Kits and the second is for an assortment of her beautiful floss.

Here blog is here:

http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/

A quick finish

2011-12-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

I came across this wip (a UFO actually) the other day needing only a little stitching to complete. Now I remember why I didn't finish it. The woman's hair was charted with all french knots and I wasn't in the mood to stitch that many. I picked it up this time thinking I'd sub beads but the ones I have here are too big. Sooooooo I decided to try just stitching her hair to see if I like it. I do! So it's added to the finish column now. It's called Wee Carolers by Heart in Hand. I've sung in a choir or sung carols as long as I can remember so this design really appeals to me.

Once I finished this one, I got back to stitching on Shakespeare's Peddler's A Weary World. I'm really enjoying stitching this sampler.

Our DS comes home today for his Chrismas break so it will start getting a little busier around here.

Christmas Memory

2011-12-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

I happened to think of this the other day: When our youngest DS was in much younger than he is today, he was chosen to play Joseph in our church's Christmas pageant (entitled "The First Leon"--Noel spelled backswards. I forget the actual story behind the story--I think it was a play about a putting on a children's Christmas pageant-- but it was a cute presentation. Of course, isn't anything cute that kids this age do?)

Anyway, DS would probably kill me if he knew I was posting this picture but here it is:

As I recall, "Mary" had a little crush on DS which embarassed him immensely.

I look at this picture and it's hard to believe it was so many years ago. DS is now at least 6'1" and a "sophisticated" HS junior.

An unwelcome visitor at our house, ornaments, and model

2011-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

The stomach flu has made its rounds at our house. YUK! Our son attending college is glad he wasn't around for all the "fun". We're all on the mend but nobody feels much like eating anything more substantial than soup and jello. On the plus side, it should be good for avoiding eating too many Christmas treats.

I participated in a small ornament exchange and all the ornaments have been recieved so I can show them now. First is the one I stitched, a Country Cottage Needleworks design from an older JCS ornament issue:

Here's the ornament I received, a SamSarah design from an older JCS ornament issue. My friend, Renee, and I are both avid Ohio State fans and she changed some of the colors to scarlet and grey. Perfect! She also sent a little purchased OSU snowman ornament (not pictured).

Here's an ornament I stitched for another dear friend. It's a Prairie Schooler from another older JCS ornament issue (see a theme here?):

Finally, it's such a pleasure to be a model stitcher for both Diane Williams (Little House Needleworks) and her daughter, Nikki Leeman (Country Cottage Needleworks). Nikki just revealed a recent design for which I stitched the model. I'm sure it will appeal to many of you. You can see it on Nikki's blog here:

http://countrycottageneedleworks.blogspot.com/2011/12/in-meadow.html

That's it for this time. I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season!

Giveawy on this blog:

2011-12-08T06:31:00.000-08:00

Nancy at Victoria Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a drawing for some lucious hand dyed floss in Christmas colors. You can see the details here:

http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2011/12/hand-dyed-floss-give-away-for-christmas.html

Don't faint!

2011-12-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm actually updating my blog in a short time from my last entry.

I'm still working on the LHN model. Hope to finish this weekend.

I also "finished" 2 ornaments but can't show them until after the recipients recieve them...which will only happen after I take them to the PO to be mailed. (I'm leaving to do that in a few minutes.)

I CAN show you something, though. I took a little time off model stitching to start Shakespeare's Peddler "A Weary World", which I'm stitching over 2 with overdyed cottons on Wichelt 32 count lambswool linen. Not much to show but at least a start. I'm already enjoying stitching this one. A sampler....go figure! :-)

DS was recovering nicely from his minor surgery when he came down with a horrid stomach virus. He missed 2 days of school, one more than he missed because of his surgery. He felt well enough to trek to the surgeon's office yesterday afternoon for a wound check. lol! 2 hours in the car for a 10 minute appointment. It turned out to be a good thing, though. He had cabin fever so bad that I think he enjoyed the outing.

On to the Christmas season

2011-11-28T08:11:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed our Thanksgiving and now it's on to Christmas. It took me a while playing with the image (and remembering how to post it to the blog header as well as changing the blog background) but I'm pleased to have posted a pic of my Christmas Village by The Prairie Schooler, on of my favorite things I've stitched.

I'm not much of a shopper. I enjoy giving gifts but the hardest part for me it figuring out what people want or need; mailing out complicates the matter too. I wasn't brave enough to go shopping during the Black Friday weekend. Besides I read or heard somewhere that it's questionable whether you really save any money that way. That's my story now and I'm sticking to it.

DS is doing much better in his recovery from his surgery. When he started complaining about being bored, I figured he'd turned the corner. Our most recent dilemma was arguing over whether or not he should stick to his lifting restrictions upon his return to school today; his backpack was twice his lifting weight limit. Finally he agreed to do it my way, i.e. following doctor's orders. I think he was actually happy to return to school today.

Yesterday I drove to a stitching buddy's house for a gtg with her and some other stitchers. I love spending time with this group of women. I couldn't take the model I'm stitching (top secret) so I started "Weary World" by Shakespeare's Peddler. That one has been "haunting" me since it's release. I finally broke down and ordered it and the threads and stitched a bit on it yesterday at the gtg. It's an old fashioned looking sampler--right up my alley--and I'm already enjoying it. I doubt that I'll finish it this year but will enjoy stitching it, especially after I finish the model and can devote more time to it.

It cooled down here significantly and today is an offical soup weather day. I think I'll boil up the turkey carcass and make some turkey soup for dinner tonight. It's always a plus when I've figured out the menu this early in the day.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T16:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a day in the kitchen. I've baked 3 pies (2 pumpkin and 1 pecan), bread in the bread machine, and have a ham in the oven along with some homemade potatoes au gratin. DS #2 is on his way home from college and since his birthday was last Saturday, we're having a little birthday dinner for him tonight complete with birthday cake and ice cream.

Between tonight and tomorrow's feast, we'll all be growning and holding our stomachs for sure.

Band is over but I've been pretty busy catching up and even had some other band events last Sat. with DS playing with his drumline and marching at the parade in our city's holiday kick-off event followed by chaperoning the band's masquerade party. (I went as a bag lady, Buc band edition.)

DS #3 had a minor surgery yesterday so we've been home all day today. He's doing better but not recovering as fast as he'd like (he's wanting to be back to 100%, lol!) He's starting to get bored being stuck with me at home (always a good sign for someone recuperating from something) so if he feels ok later, I might give him the ok to go spend about an hour (quietly) with some friends tonight.

An observation: It's amazing how much you can get done at home when you spend all day there...well, not exactly ALL day because I had a couple of quick errands...but ALmost all day. Maybe I should do that more often.

There will just be 4 of us here for Thanksgiving. Our DD will be flying to join my parents for Thanksgiving, our oldest DS will be staying in GA but will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with friends and then watching the UT/Texas A and M game with some Texas Exes. Since they'll both be with people and we'll all be together next month, it will be fine.

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving spending it with people you love.

Bittersweet time

2011-11-10T05:01:00.000-08:00

Marching season has come to a close for another year. While I welcome my "normal life" back, I'm already missing seeing the kids every day. What an incredible group of young people!

I'm back to stitching in between trying to get the house back in order and finished a small freebie from The Drawn Thread for a block exchange in one of my groups.

Just checking in

2011-11-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

DS's band's last marching contest is this Sat. in San Antonio, TX. Our last regular season football game is tonight but we have the possiblity of "making" playoffs so there might be at least another game.

After that, my life will be back to "normal" (my version, anyway) and I should be back to having my regular stitching time. I DID manage to finish a small model for CCN and am working on some ornaments now whenever I have the time and energy.

Also, DS had his Eagle Board of Review and is now offically an Eagle Scout. We haven't even decided on a date for his Court of Honor let alone start preparing for it. I'm thinking maybe this spring....

All band all the time

2011-10-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

We're in the middle of marching competition season so when I'm not at practice, a game, or a competition, I'm out running band errands. (I'm in charge of procuring their food and beverages.) It's exhausting but the kids and directors are great.

Here are a few pics from last Saturday's competition.

Short update

2011-09-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a model this week so I can't share about that.

It was another busy week working with DS's marching band. What a great group of "kids", band directors, and other adult volunteers!

A Finish

2011-09-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

I finished LK's Harvest Blessings last night. Sorry the picture quality isn't that great. Just in time because I have a new model to start now.

I'm also working on an ornament for an exchange.

Diane Williams (Little House Needleworks) revealed a model I stitched for her called Autumn Band Sampler. It was a joy to stitch and I love it so much, I'll have to stitch another for me to keep. I love how she framed it too. She previously designed one called Winter Band Sampler that her fans (including me!) love so much that she decided to do a whole series. I'm anxious to see what she comes up with for Spring and Summer. Please visit her website at www.littlwhouseneedleworks to see all her beautiful designs.

No football game this week. I'm very tired so it will nice to have a break.

Remembering.....

2011-09-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Has it really been 10 years since that awful day? I remember it like it was yesterday. I pray for all those who lost loved ones and for all us Americans whose lives were forever changed. While we mourn all we have lost, let us learn how to live with one another in peace.

This song keeps running in my head as I watch the remembrances on tv this week:

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

(lyrics by Lloyd Stone, Georgia Harkness, music by Jean Sibelius)

A Little Progress

2011-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've had very little stitching time because of band but did manage to make a little progress on Lizzie Kate's Harvest Blessings. I'm really enjoying using my new StitchMate stand; I believe I'm actually stitching a little faster on it than when I'm using Qsnaps (the big ones, anyway).

Previous progress:

The band did very well last night. They played the first movement and most of the second of their show. TS (or whatever it's classified as now) Lee slightly lowered our temps and has provided us with an almost steady breeze which really helped.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend.

Ta-Da!! A Finish

2011-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

I put the final stitches on LHN's Virtue Sampler on Saturday. This is my first project mostly stitched on my new StitchMate floor frame. I can say I've fallen in love with this frame and wonder what took me so long to get one. lol!

Next up is an older Lizzie Kate...I think it's called Harvest Blessings. With it so hot, I'm thinking maybe thinking of fall might cool me off. It's worth a try, anyway.

We had our first football game Friday and the band did well. The football team won the game too. GO BUCS! It was so hot that day that we really worried how the kids would tolerate the heat...esp. since they wore those hot uniforms. Only a couple had problems but we were able to cool them down. Today the high will be 104 (I don't even want to know the "feels like" temp today as humid as it is.) UGH!

Catch up

2011-08-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Things have been pretty busy around here lately. I volunteer a lot with DS's HS marching band. We've finished our second week of band camp. I work with some other wonderful women who support the band by trying to keep the kids hydrated, dispensing bandaids, etc., and generally helping out where needed. We've been under a heat advisory since the beginning of camp and the kids so far are doing pretty well tolerating the heat. We moms have been "working out" a lot by lugging cooler after cooler of ice water out to their practice field so they can refill their camelbacks. This week they started putting some music to their drill, always exciting to see it begin. Go, Buc Band!!

Yesterday we drove to Austin to move DS into his college apartment. It's almost a 4 hour drive from here so, as you can imagine, it was a long day. We discovered in Austin that we'd left part of his futon here at home so we'll be making another trip soon. At least he can sleep on the mattress on the floor until we can make it back.

On the stitching front, a model I stitched for Nikki at http://www.countrycottageneedleworks.blogspot.com/ and http://www.countrycottageneedleworks.com/ has just been released on her blog so I can finally share it. I loved this one! My kitchen has an apple theme and I suspect I'll be stitching this one again for me. Nikki seems to really be "on a roll" lately with lots of beautiful designs.

My birthday gift from DH this year was a StitchMate needlework stand and it just arrived Friday afternoon. I think I'm going to love this...and wonder what took me so long to ask for it. You can read about the stand here: http://www.cozycottage.com/

I also finished and sent another model out to Nikki this week so I'm back to personal stitching (when I have any time or energy left from band. I'm working on LHN's (Dianne Williams, Nikki's mother) designed this piece, Virtue Sampler:

I finished the Moonwalking with Einstein book (very interesting) and started another Erik Larson book, IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: LOVE, TERROR, AND AN AMERICAN FAMILY IN HITLER'S BERLIN and am finding it very interesting.

Until next time, happy stitching!

Checking in

2011-07-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm stitching a model for CCN so I can't talk about what I'm stitching...except to say that I know you'll like it.

My foot is a lot better. I reached a milestone in the past few days. I can now tolerate wearing shoes on that foot and even went out yesterday to run errands wearing shoes. Yes!!!!! I still have a bit to go to be back to normal (well, my foot, anyway) but I'm pleased with my current progress.

Since I can't talk about stitching, I'll talk a little about reading. I LOVE reading a good book. I just finished one, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It's about the Chicago World's Fair, the people and the development/building of it, it's "run", some of the developments introduced at this fair (like the Ferris Wheel), and also some side stories about other things going on about that same time including a serial killer. The author has a great talent for telling the historical story and making it seem like a good novel. (I was told there's a name for that writing style but the person telling me didn't remember what that name was. If you know, I'd love for you to tell me.)

I also read another of his books, Isaac's Storm about the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Unfortunately I read it shortly before moving to the Texas Gulf coast. It scared the bejeebers out of me. Larson has at least a couple other books out and I plan to look for them.

Someone in my SS class was talking about a book he's reading, Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer which I'm currently reading. I remembered the title and author without looking it up. This is significant because the book is about human memory....about the capacity of humans to remember things, how many of us forget things, about how memories are formed and retrieved, and about "mental athletes". It could be a rather dry subject but the author makes it interesting...at least most of the time.

I love hearig about what others are reading...and recommendations for good books.

Soon both my stitching and reading will be taking a "back seat". DS's band will be starting band camp the first week of Aug. and since I volunteer with them nearly every day....... It's very rewarding though and they're a great group of kids I also enjoy working with the other adults. I'm just never ready for band to start yet. lol!

It's been a while

2011-07-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

We returned home a few days ago from spending almost 2 weeks "up North" visiting with friends and family. We missed going back last year so it was great getting to see everyone again. It was also great to escape the Texas coast heat and humidity for a while.

Unfortunately just before the trip I bashed my (bare) foot against a basket filled with magazines. (My parents didn't name me Grace for a reason.) I went along my merry way and it started feeling better until I walked all over the airports on the return trip like nothing had happened. Turns out I dislocated my (and possibly broke it). For the most part I was doing what I should have (let's not talk about that 2 mile hike in flip flops). It's a lot better now but I still can't tolerate a shoe. Hopefully soon.

Timing of the trip was a little complicated since our older children who live in CA and GA didn't have as much time as we did yet both wanted to visit both sides of the family (OH and PA). We spent a few days with my parents in OH, drove to PA where the kids flew in to meet us (on different days from one another), spent time with DH's side of the family enjoying wonderful Italian food and wine (and s'mores cooked over a fire pit in the back yard). Then we drove the whole crew back for few more days in OH.

I also got to spend a day in Columbus to visit with my buddy, Renee. We had so much fun and the day went by way too quickly.

I spent a lot of time enjoying the weather outside with my foot propped up and got to do some stitching too. Here's some of my progress on:

Beds of Roses:

CCN's Red, White, and Bloom

Hopefully it won't be so long before I post another blog entry. Happy July, everyone!

Happy Father's Day and catchup

2011-06-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

Sorry for the silence but I've been working on a couple of models. I finished the second one yesterday so I've started some personal stitching again....put a few more stitches in Beds of Roses, started CCN Red, White, and Bloom, and kitted up a couple of samplers. (I've been craving starting another sampler lately.) No pics yet, but hopefully soon.

I've always been rather klutzy. Yesterday I stubbed my toe pretty badly and it's so swollen that I can't (at least don't dare) put a shoe on. I'm trying to look at the positive...enforced sitting with my foot elevated so I just "have to" stitch today. I'm hoping it will recover enough from my am walk tomorrow.

Since I last posted, I got a new phone. I've joined the ranks of people with smart phones. Mine's a droid and I'm still learning how to use it. It's probably one of those things that I don't really need but once I use it a while, I'll figure that I can't live without it. I think it will come in very handy especially when traveling.

May Mayhem winding down

2011-05-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

End of the School Year activities are winding down. Saturday I attended Tony's gf's senior piano recital (wonderful!) and Tony's recital the follwoing day. I'm amazed by the kids' talent but even more blown away that they play these challenging pieces by memory.

I took a few pics of T at the piano after the recital.

I worked the final marching band boot camp Tuesday night and missed the NCIS season finale. Thank goodness for On Demand!

Last night was Band-o-Rama where all the bands from 6th grade through HS play some fun music. Some of them include costumes and kids (and directors) hamming it up. T's band played La Cucarrcho; many of the kids wore Mexican hats, etc., some bug antennae (including T), and the director wore a cockroach costume. Towards the end of the piece one of the kids chased him and sprayed him with "bug spray" and the director fell on his back and started waving his "legs" in the air as he "died". Cute!

Other excitement for the week was that we had our roof replaced. No leaks yet but it's time. It's hard writing out that check and I can't excitedly tell friends to drive by to admire the new roof but it feels good to have this done, esp. before hurricane season.

Hopefully T finishes up his Eagle project Sat.

On the stitching front, I'm working on a model so not much personal stitching. I did get a bit done in my Novalee and Beds of Roses pieces. I'm itching to start CCN's Red, White, and Bloom but I need to finish something first and gather up the materials.

Until next time, Happy Stitching!

I actually stitched some this week!

2011-05-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

I'm mostly better from "the plague" or whatever I had. Now DH has it...but he's starting to feel better already.

This week has flown by...in addition to all the wife and mom stuff, we've been in the process of getting bids to get our roof replaced. Cha ching!! We've reroofed before and I have to tell you that you should have a lot more fun showing off your new roof for all that $$ you spend to get it done. I picked out the color yesterday. They roofer we chose made a big deal out of suggesting the wife pick it out and told me how beautiful it would be. I made a slight change but it's going to pretty much match what's up there now....just newer and less faded. It will be good to have out of the way...esp. before hurricane season starts again.

Speaking of hurricanes, we finally got some rain yesterday. It had been 2 months so we could use some more.

T and DH continue to work on T's Eagle project. They're hoping to finish up in a couple more weekends. We're ALL hoping they do.

In addition this weekend, T's gf has her senior piano recital. (I think I'll go to this), T has his piano recital (I know I'll go to this) and DS returns home for the summer.

Now for some stitching: I worked a bit this week on my bap (Village Square Sampler), Beds of Roses, a sal from the Novalee02 blog, and LHN's Liberty and Justice.

Also, Nikki at Country Cottage Needleworks just released a model I stitched for her. You can see it here:

http://countrycottageneedleworks.blogspot.com/2011/05/button-button.html

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day out there to all the mothers and children of wonderful mothers.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been rather busy around here with the end of the school year activities mounting up. I accompanied my DS's band on their spring trip to Dallas last week. The kids performed in a concert competition in a wonderful concert hall (smoked the competition). The hall was gorgeous and the acoustics were fantastic. In no particular order, we enjoyed dinner and some jousting at Midieval Nights (some of the girls---both teens and moms--swooned over some of the cute knights), dined at Hard Rock Cafe and had a rocking breakfast at House of Blues, toured the JFK (6th Floor) Museum, rode some roller coasters at Six Flags, and had a behind the scenes tour at Cowboy Stadium culminating with the kids being able to play some football and throw frisbees on the field. Unfortunately one of our kids came down wrong on his ankle so we had an unscheduled visit by the EMS who took him to get checked out. He's ok and now has quite a story to tell about his experience.

The weekend was cold and rainy and I couldn't yell at the kids for forgetting to pack/wear their jackets b/c guess who forgot to pack hers too. lol! Do you know how hard it is to find a hoodie at a TX amusement park? Slim pickin's! That's why DS and I have matching hoodies. Poor kid! I tried not to hang with him too much with our mother/son hoodies. He was a good sport, though. And...since another DS attends UT, these will come in handy another time.

The first band Boot Camp was Tuesday (I work those helping monitor the kids, pass out tyelnol, ice bags, etc. if needed, and directing traffic (so parents don't drive on the portion of the parking lot that serves as the "field". That same night, our DS was initiated into National Honor Society.

My throat started hurting on the trip and I just couldn't seem to get my energy level back up. Turns out I had a horrible cold or flu that really knocked me off my feet. I'm feeling a lot better now but still pretty low-energy. (I couldn't stitch for most of the week which is a big indication of how bad I felt.)

DS's band banquet was Friday night. It's so convenient that he can drive himself to things like that now. It would have been a golden opportunity for DH and me to go out to dinner but I only had an appetite for a bowl of soup.

This weekend DS and DH (and some other friendly Boy Scouts and a Scout dad) have been working on his Eagle project. He's replacing 2 footbridges (feetbridge?) at a local Bird Observatory. They ran into a glitch yesterday but have figured it out and got the frame for one of the bridges cemented in this afternoon. I'd taken pizza over to "the crew" yesterday and lost my reading glasses. I thought they were just gone but today DS found them for me. He's joking that finding them is my mother's day gift. Speaking of gifts....I've been offered a smart phone if I want it. Since it's not really a necessity, I'm mulling over if I really want the extra montlhy fee on our phone plan...but I'm leaning towards getting it.

I've been stitching a bit the last couple of days...working more on my bap sampler and also started a seasonal sal piece where you get the next part by emailing a pic of the finished part to the designer. I also started a sampler called Bed of Roses which is monochrome. I'm using GAST Faded Roses for that one.

DS #2 has finals this coming week at college (and has a cold, darn it). Potentially he could be home for the summer by next Sunday. (Which means I have to clean my stuff out of his room this week.)

I hope to get time soon to "redecorate" my blog and maybe post some stitching progress pics.

A Sort of update

2011-04-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been updating much lately. I'm working on a model lately so I can't really talk about what I'm stitching. Also the end-of-the-school-year activities are revving up so I haven't had much stitching time. Hopefully I can get some more stitching time done this week but with Easter coming up (and choir cantata Maundy Thursday), who knows.....

Yesterday was busy with DS's high school prom. I sang with the choir at a memorial service for a dear friend so I didn't get to be there for the "send-off" and pics. DH was assigned picture taking duty and he did pretty well. I think the kids had a great time.

Happy Friday!

2011-04-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

We've had some absolutely gorgeous weather here for the last few days. I'm trying to drink it in because soon enough it will be way too hot and humid. My walking buddy is out of town but I've managed to motivate myself to keep up my 3-mile walks this week except for one day when I was a slacker.

I've made progress this week on my Village Square Sampler. I got the biggest part of the inner border finished as was overjoyed to see everything "met up" the way it was supposed to. Hopefully it will turn out that way when I get the outer border stitched up.

I also stitched just a bit on ALTWL. I'm devoting some time on Wednesdays to work on this one along with some stitching buddies who are working on the same project. I've played around with the colors on this one just a bit. I was a bit too tired to think much about counting so since I'm playing around with the idea of making the outline of the "boxes" in rows of red, white, and blue, I just worked on getting some of the boxes stitched. The jury's still out about the colors of the boxes. I hope to finalize a decision before many more are stitched...esp. if I decide to frog them out.

I saw a sampler on others' blogs last week that I instantly fell in love with. I didn't have a chance....bought it the same day. It's an antique repro called Marianne Wenn and available for purchase as a downloadable pdf from Needleprints...if I remember correctly on their blog.

I hope to soon be working on another model. From the description from the designer, it sounds like I'm really going to like this one.

Until next time, happy stitching!

Hi, again!

2011-03-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. Here's what I've been up to since the last one.

First, DH celebrated a milestone bday this past week. Our kids thought it would be great for us all to celebrate together so our older two surprised him by flying into Houston last Friday afternoon. (We'd been plotting for weeks.) The other boys and I drove up and met them at DH's office where we "kidnapped" him and took him out to dinner at a Tuscan/Texan "fusion" restaurant called Stella Sola (Lone Star in Italian). He was totally surprised! The next night the kids cooked dinner at home including making homemade pitas which are really fun to watch baking b/c they puff up like a ball. The kids alwyas have a good time when they get together...it makes this mom's heart feel good.

On the stitching front, I finished and mailed out another model to Nikki from Country Cottage Needleworks. I can't say anything about it except that it's a really cute one and I love the color combo. I'll let you know when it's been released so you can see it.

For my personal stitching, I finished a little wip of a freebie from Val's Stuff. I also worked a bit on LK's Harvest Blessings, Village Square Sampler, and America, Land That We Love. The last one I'm stitching along with some friends and I've altered it a little from the original.

Thanks to seeing a stitching buddy's blog, I fell in love with another antique repro sampler and ordered it the same day I first saw it. It's called Maryanne Wenn (sp?) and is available for download from the Needleprints blog. You'll need a paypal acct. to order it, something I'd resisted for a while but since I had to order this one........

Spring has definitely sprung around here. My walking buddy and I have enjoyed hearing the birds sing, the warm temps, and seeing the flowers. The other day we saw an armadillo crossing the path in front of us.

Speaking of flora and fauna, we live on a lake and often see ducks, geese, turtles, etc. I had a close encounter with one of the geese last week who came up close to the house. Never a dull moment!

Giveway on a beautiful blog

2011-03-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

My friend Carolyn is having a nice giveaway on her blog, Just One More Stitch.

http://carolyn-justonemorestitch.blogspot.com/

Even if you're not interested in the gifeaway, she has a beautiful blog and you won't want to miss seeing it.

Another Friday already

2011-03-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, everyone! My younger boys have spring break next week and I celebrated by buying some flowers for them to help me plant.

I've been stitching too. I may have mentioned that I recently stitched a model for Country Cottage Needleworks. Nikki's released it on her blog so I can now share it with you. It's a beautiful design and it was a pleasure to stitch it.

I also finished a couple of blocks for exchanges. One is a summer themed block by Erica Michaels, and the other is an owl themed block from a blog called Stickeule.

I'm working on another model for her now. I'm also working on an older freebie by Jean Farish called America, Land That We Love. I decided to stitch the states in the order that they became states instead of alphabetically.

Happy Friday

2011-02-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

DS's coming home from college for the weekend so I've been busy baking cookies today. I also made some bread in the bread maching that I'll slice and freeze in small packets for him to take back to school.

I get to join some of my buddies for a stitching day tomorrow so I'm baking rosemary foccacia for that. Yum! The house smells good. Unfortunately, it's warm and humid so it was hot in the kitchen.

On the stitching front, I started (finally, I've had it in my stash for a long time) LK's Harvest Blessings. Maybe I'll even have it stitched and framed for next Thanksgiving. I also worked some more on my bap. Since I liked the BC Sow Kind Seeds so much, I thought I should start one for myself since I already have the threads pulled for the other one for the exchange.

I have a couple of finishes too...the church from the Town Square freebies (Trilogy) and LHN's Joy to the World ornament. Both were just about finished wips. It sure feels good to finish some!

Small Finish

2011-02-19T08:39:00.001-08:00

I stitched this Bent Creek design Sow Kind Seeds for a block exchange in one of my groups. I really like it...which means I'll have to stitch it again for me someday. lol!

I've also been working a bit on my bap sampler (see it in posts below), a freebie church deisgn from a 2006 freebie series called Town Square, and even picked up a wip of CHS Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. I had just a start on it using DMC's and have been debating with myself (funny to watch, I'm sure) whether or not to invest in silks for that design. After seeing another stitcher's one done in DMC's, I finally decided to stay with the DMC's. If I stitch another of the Hawk Runn series, I may go for the silks.

I'm getting overwhelmed with all the stuff I want to stitch and how little time to stitch it all. I'll never be bored. :-)

The weather has really warmed up here. After a bit of cooler than usual temps, now we're having warmer than usual temps in the mid 70's. I like this but dread the really hot and humid weather to come.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all.

I thought I'd devote this post to food. I baked some heart shaped cookies the other day but they were eclipsed by my DH's wonderful cake. He made this just onece before right after our new baby son and I came home from the hospital....20 years ago. We've been having a great time saying he makes this cake every 20 years.

The cake is from an old Bon Appetit Magazine and has everything I love in it....orange, raspberry, and, of course, lots of chocolate.

Stitching, etc.

2011-02-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

I finished a model and mailed out a model this week so I got to return to my personal stitching.

I finished LHN's Winter Band Sampler. Such a pretty design! I almost forgot...I also stitched a Sanman freebie called Love, Love, Love for a heart sal for a stitching group I'm in.

I worked a bit on my bap (Village Square Sampler by Samplers Remembered) and started a Celtic themed piece that I've been meaning to start since we lived in Dublin, OH. (We moved away from there almost 10 years ago.)

It's still unusually cold for our area and my walking buddy and I have enjoyed our invigorating am walks. Brrrrr!

2011-02-12T07:30:00.001-08:00

Update

2011-01-27T07:58:00.000-08:00

I see it's been a while since I've updated this. It's been busy around here for January but since I don't think I'd like being bored (not sure what it feels like, lol!), it's all good.

I have some finishes since I last posted. BOAF Love (with some color changes thanks to my friend, Renee), a Casey B. freebie for a chocolate themed block exchange, an old PS freebie for another block exchange, and a snowman freebie I received in a snowman themed kit exchange.

I'm currently working on a model so I have to be hush hush about it until after its release.

As for non stitching life, this will be a busy weekend with DS's band's solo ensemble competition, working the consession stand during the contest, the band's chili supper fundraiser, with the concert to follow. (DS will play his solo on vibes while people are coming into the auditorium before the concert.) I'll be baking some stuff to donate to both the concession stand and chili supper tomorrow. I'll use the Big Game (Go, Steelers!) for my excuse to be a couch potato on Sunday.

TGIF

2011-01-14T09:33:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy week but I have a slow day and an empty house today. That's nice every once in a while.

DS is on his way back to college. I'm thinking the respectful thing to do would to wait at least a day before converting it into my craft room....but I may take a few things up there today. ;-)

It's been unseasonable "cold" here this week. (I'm from the Midwest so this doesn't really qualify to be called cold but, oh well.) The am walks have been nice and I've enjoyed turning on my oven and making comfort food. Today it's already starting to warm up. Seize the moment, right?

I've been working on 3 things this week, a chocolate themed block for a block exchange (designer Casey B--can never spell her last name), my bap sampler, and LHN Winter Band Sampler. I'm "into" cardinals lately and this one just called to me. I may even finish and frame it before it's had time to properly "ripen".

Until next time..........

Back to Normal

2011-01-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

I guess we're back to normal here...or OUR brand of normal, anyway.

I started off the week Monday evening by having my first band booster board meeting. 3 of us have been to the doc or dentist this week (more of that next week), DS and DH drove to Austin Wednesday to find DS an apt. for this semester. (He attended community college last semester and will go back to UT this semester. Unfortunately the deposit that was supposed to hold a dorm room for him DIDN'T hold a dorm room for him and we just found this out last week.) So between now and the end of next week we have to scramble and buy some stuff for his apt.

The Christmas decos are all packed and stowed away for another year, a big job b/c I like them packed away "just so".

Another DS is preparing for his upcoming solo ensemble (Jan. 29, the same day as the band's biggest fundraiser of the year, the Chili Supper/Silent Auction) and his Region Band clinic/concert is coming up next Fri/Sat. (same weekend his older brother moves back to college.) He also informed me the other day that he's been asked to the Belle Dance (his HS's version of a "Sadie Hawkins" dance so we'll probably be renting a tux for that.)

This world just keeps spinning faster and faster. lol! I love it, though.

On the stitching front, I started a Jan. 1 sal project, LHN's Winter Band Sampler and another sal BOAF's Love, an OOP chart I'm borrowing. I plan to get back to my bap sampler when one of these is finished.

I downloaded a freebie for my Kindle last weekend...The Winner's Manuual: For the Game of Life by Jim Tressel (GO BUCKS!). He describes the manual he's developed and uses with his players and has some very good advice for how we should all live our lives. It's so good that I bought a hard copy for my sons's to read. Funny story about that...I live in a small city in Texas. I was out yesterday and, even though I didn't think the small bookstore here would carry a book like that by the coach of Ohio State, I looked anyway. Imagine my surprise when I found one copy of it, yet there was no copy of a similar book by Mack Brown (the UT head fb coach. lol! Long story short...it's a good book. Makes you think...and a good read for the beginning of the year when self-improvement is on all our minds.

Speaking of books...I'd like to start a blog list of books I'm reading with the ability to cross out the ones I've finished. I have no clue about how to do this so if anyone knows, please let me know.

Until next time, happy stitching!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

I just have some cooking planned (not too much) and stitching for the first day of 2011.

Here's a picture of the sampler I've been working on...Samplers Remembered Village Town Square. I've stitched a lot on this one but there's still a lot that needs to be done. It's truly a bap! I'm just hoping to finish it in 2011.

I plan to start 2 sals today, LK's "Boo Banner" (with a couple of friends) and LHN's Winter Band Sampler (my Jan 1 project with one of my yahoo groups).

It was supposed to get "cold" here in SE TX but it's still too warm for my tastes this time of the year.

Post Christmas

2010-12-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We enjoyed having all 4 of our children here. Our DD left today but we'll have our oldest DS here until Friday and the next DS here until he goes back to school in mid. January. From left to right in the picture: Chris, Laura (holding Newman, the wonder dog), Mike, and Tony (notice our "baby" is the tallest one...and he's still got time to grow taller).

On the stitching front, I've picked up a bap sampler (Village Square Sampler by Samplers Remembered) to stitch on again. No picture yet but hopefully soon. I also have planned a project to start Jan. 1 with one of my groups. I've chosen LHN's Winter Band Sampler. Yet another one I'll start in Jan. will be Lizzie Kate's Boo banner. I also have a rough "list" in my head of other new projects for 2011. It looks to be another busy stitching year.

In case I don't make it back before Christmas,

2010-12-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm still behind (my tradition, I guess) on preparations. Our adult children will be home with us this Christmas for which we are so looking forward. The weather has been crazy, going back and forth between summer and fall (I'm from OH so the fact that it's not cold makes it hard to feel like it's almost Christmas.) To add to all the "fun", our 20 yo DS is having his wisdom teeth extracted Dec. 22. We're grateful they could work him in so as not to impact (pardon the pun) his going back to college in Jan.

On the stitching front, I've made progress on HIH Wee Carolers. I'm getting close to having to do a lot of either colonial or French knots for the hair on one of the women and I've put it down for a while and started LK's Be Naughty.

I've been reading online about the "crazy" stitching challenges for next year. I'm not officially signing up but have started a list of potential projects for 2011. So many projects, so little time!

I wish a blessed holiday season and a very happy new year for all of you.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

2010-12-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Well, not really here in SE Texas but I'm trying to get the decorations up.

I've done a little stitching since my last post...LHN's Peppermint Lane is all stitched but I need to add the candy cane button. In a moment of insanity I started Lo How a Rose (Brightneedle) over one on 28 ct. It will be pretty if I ever finish it. I promise to try. I also started HIH's Wee Carolers. I thought since I love to sing that I should stitch this for me.

'Til next time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

Just in case I don't get on the computer tomorrow, I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

I spent a good deal of time in the kitchen today teaching DS how to bake pumpkin pies, baking a pecan pie myself, as well as cranberry orange scones, and some honey wheat bread in the bread machine. The vote is in and the turkey will be deep friend tomorrow so I'll let the men-folk take care of it while I busy myself making all the sides.

I have a couple of small stitching finishes to show you. It feels so good to be stitching again after marching season.

One piece is a Prairie Schooler Santa that I stitched for my final "installment" of this year's Bride's Tree ornament sal blog. IMHO nobody does Santa better than Prairie Schooler. I picked a drumming Santa since DS plays percussion in band.

I also finished a freebie (part of the 2006 Indy Town Square freebies) by La-D-Da called Schoolhouse.

I like to display holiday pics of the kids from years ago so thought I'd post some here in honor of Thanksgiving. The youngest "baby" is 15....time sure does fly!

This week....

2010-11-19T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's been a little busy around here getting caught up on stuff at home and other activities.

Our dishwasher died so we had to get another one. The installer was over an hour later than the 3 hour window they gave us...on a Friday night. Grrrrrr! But....it's here now and I'm spending less time hand washing dishes.

My bread machine also died. I thought there would be many to choose from this time of the year and inexpensive but I was wrong. It took me a while to find one and I paid a little more than I'd wanted to but I can now bake bread in the machine again. Tried it out yesterday and the house smelled so good!

I had a "hankering" for something pumpkin so made some pumpkin bread. You can tell I didn't spend much time in the kitchen during marching season...the boys have pretty much devoured the pumpkin bread, even the loaf I put in the freezer for later. I have all the ingredients here so I may bake another couple of loaves today.

I spent the best day Wednesday with my walking buddy. First we took our walk and the regrouped after our showers to go shopping in Pearland. Neither of us had a long list of things we had to do so we accomplished a little, had lunch, shopped some more, and then shared a piece of double Godive chocolate cheesecake before starting back for home. The weather was gorgeous too. What a fun day!

I finished another Little House Needleworks ornament called Frosty Flakes. I also started a Thanksgiving design by Sandra Cozzolino but already have lost interest in that one...there are so many other things I'd like to stitch (and I have one more Bridestree ornament I have to stitch for that sal to finish up for the year).

Today is my DS's 20th birthday although he won't be celebrating it at home. We'll have a celebration with him on Monday. Guess I should be preparing for that. lol!

Finished another one

2010-11-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a sal of Bride's Tree ornaments and Angel is the theme for November. This is The View Above by Little By Little and is in the Just Cross Stitch 2001 ornament issue.

Recent stitching

2010-11-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

Some recent finishes posted above.

Currently I'm working on an angel piece from an old JCS ornament issue, a schoolhouse freebie by La D Da from the 2006 freebie Town Square freebies, and I also picked up an old wip of Christmas Patches by Leisure Arts and worked a bit on it. I hope to have more pictures soon.

It's a whole new world after marching band season. lol!

My poor, neglected blog

2010-11-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

As of last Friday's football game, marching band season is officially over. While I enjoy rediscovering my "normal" life, I already miss the kids. lol!

I've picked up some stitching again and hope to have some pics to share soon.

Checking in...........

2010-10-26T05:12:00.000-07:00

I know I've been ignoring the blog but it's been for a good cause.

I've been very busy volunteering for DS's HS marching band. I "work" every practice and also am in charge of ordering/buying/packing all their food and drink for both games and band contests. (for 300+ of my "closest friends")

We won second place overall in last Saturday's contest which advanced us on to State competition which will be in San Antonio on Nov. 2.

We're all so proud of the kids who've worked very hard to get this far.

After next week my "normal life" returns. I'm already thinking how much I'm going to miss those kids since I've seen them almost every day since early Aug.

It's been a while........

2010-09-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Same story...busy with band. The show is coming along nicely. I'm always amazed at what these kids can accomplish with all their and the directors' hard work.

I feel like this week has been a cheater week for my stitching. I had some almost finished wips that I finished up this week: sewed a button on Trilogy's Friendship, finished some leaves, tendrils, and lettering on a CEC piece from the Gentle Harvest leaflet, did some French knots and straight stitches on CCN's Season of Love Ornament, and finished the bat's ear and face, some spiders, and over one lettering on a piece from Hillside Samplings called "Come in for a Bite". For having so little stitching time, it sure feels good to have some finishes.

We have the weekend off (no football game) so I'm looking forward to getting some catching up done around home and also more quality stitching time. Everyone have a great weekend!

It's marching band season not stitching season

2010-08-30T17:13:00.001-07:00

It's not cooking or cleaning season either. lol!

Part of me thinks I'm getting too old for this....volunteering nearly every day with DS's marching band.....doling out lots of TLC, band aids, ice bags, lugging water coolers out to the practice field, riding the hot "yellow dogs" (school buses), climbing up and down the bleachers during games, staying out way past my bedtime on those long away game nights, etc.

But.........I love these kids and am always amazed at what the directors can get them to acheive. Too soon our youngest will graduate from high school and this will all be a memory. Plenty of stitching time after that.

I did manage to finish the stitching on a couple of small pieces, Trilogy's Friendship (still needs a button or a charm) and some pinecones by Prarie Schooler.

Not much stitching time this week

2010-08-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

DS's high school marching band camp started Monday. Since I volunteer there every day, my stitching time has been much impacted. lol!

It's been unbearably hot and humid but the kids have been tolerating it as well as expected. Part of my "job" is to help them cool down, make sure they have plenty of replacement water for their camelbacks (which we've required this year...I think they're being able to nearly constantly sip water has made a big difference in how they tolerate the heat.)

To add to my decreased stitching time, a woman backed out of her parking place and hit my minivan on the driver's side. I clearly had the right of way and she's not trying to deflect blame but it will be a hassle (and consume more of my time) getting the repairs done. We're blessed that nobody was hurt so I'm trying to stay positive about it.

I managed to finish stitching a LHN ornament called Red House in Winter. I love the color of the house on this design.

Did I mention that it's really hot here? lol!

Friday update

2010-07-30T09:07:00.001-07:00

Summer is pretty much over. Percussion camp started yesterday (I spent the am scrubbing out band coolers. Luckily I had some great helpers so it was done much sooner than it would have without the help.) Full band camp starts Monday so I'll be there every am helping out.

I worked a bit on One Nation.

I picked up my neice's birth sampler again. Note the date...at least I hope to finish it before she starts high school. I started with a base design and made a lot of changes. I wasn't happy at all with the lighthouse I tried to design so frogged it all and just stitched the original design's lighthouse. I'm awaiting some buttons I ordered and will stitch on a couple pairs of mama and baby fish and a sea turtle on the bottom. I need to stitch on a shell button in the beach section and then I think I'm finally finished.

I have a small finish...a teapot from a CEC leaflet. It's for the teapot theme at the Brides Tree Ornament sal blog.

Until next time.....happy stitching!

2 finishes and progress

2010-07-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Despite it being hot/humid down here (who knew it would be hot/humid in SE TX in the summer?!) I've been keeping up with my 3 mile walks. It's great having a walking buddy to "keep me honest".

On the stitching front, this week I finished La D Da's My Sunshine. We were joking around in one of my stitching groups when a friend stitched a piece that was a song...the joke turned into starting a sing-along stitch-along so this is the piece I stitched for that. I actually cheated...it was in my wip pile...but a finish is a finish.

I also got a bit more done on One Nation. I'm loving this one...the fabric and floss are great, the theme is great. I'd better keep on loving it because it's a huge project.

And almost forgot...I did my first ever "no sew cube" finish on a Glory Bee freebie recently. It was an easy finishing technique...don't know what took me so long to try it.

Keep cool, everyone, in every way. :-)

More Patriotic Stitching

2010-07-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Now that I've finished CCN's Liberty Lane, I started One Nation by ByGone Stitches. It's easy stitching but LOTS of stitches.

I hope everyone enjoys their July 4th weekend and takes a little time to reflect on all the sacrifices made by others to benefit our freedom.

Finish!!

2010-06-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

I've been stitching away trying to finish this one so I can start another.

Here's CCN's Liberty Lane with some color changes (with a little help from my friends who are more experienced at changing colors).

Next start is Bygone Stitches' One Nation.

Another small finish and link to another blog's giveaway

2010-06-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

I finally decided on a fish to stitch for the Bridestree ornament sal blog. It's a freebie from the xstitchhappy blog. We had a koi pond at our last house so I thought this was appropriate for me to stitch for this theme.

Also, there's a giveaway at the following blog; last day to enter is tomorrow. It looks like a great giveaway package if you're into crazy quilting/ribbon embroidery:

http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/2010/06/first-day-of-summer-giveaway.html

Friday stitching update

2010-06-18T08:36:00.001-07:00

I'm really enjoying stitching CCN's Liberty Lane...esp. since I'm using deeper colors.

The finish of each little house feels like a "finish". I'm hoping to finish the whole piece soon because I'd like to get back to the sampler and want to start One Nation by ByGone Stitches.

Blogging help?

2010-06-15T07:54:00.001-07:00

As you can see, I've been playing around with my blog picture. I can't figure out why it's so huge, even after looking for stuff on the help section.

Is it the picture size itself or some mysterious setting on the blog?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Finally framed!

2010-06-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

I finally took this sampler to be framed and picked it up yesterday. It's only been languishing in my pile of finishes since the 1980's. Yes, you read that right. lol!

My framers did a beautiful job and I have a place on my BR wall for it to hang.

I'm still working on CCN's Patriotic Row. It's been coming right along and is a joy to stitch. I hope to finish it up soon.

My stitching week in review

2010-06-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

I've been working mostly on CCN's Liberty Lane this week. Thanks to help from my friends, Renee and Sherre, I've deepened the colors in the design. (I changed my mind on the greens after I stithced those little bits on the right side...I'll be frogging that out and replacing it.) It seems to be moving along despite it being a busy week (for some reason...school's out--I thought that meant I would be LESS busy!).

I had a great stitchy mail day yesterday. I'd bought some used charts from other stitchers' for sale albums and a bunch of them arrived yesterday along with my JCS and Cross Country stitching magazines. If that wasn't enough, the sampler I ordred from The Attic while we were in AZ in March arrived. It's Three Things by Moira Blackburn.

I've already got a wip of a bap sampler, Village Square (I'm probably not getting the name just right from memory).

I also started today a summer themed block for a block sal for one of my online stitching groups.

Someone please help me find time to stitch all this stuff! lol! At least I won't be bored.

Another small finish

2010-06-01T08:43:00.001-07:00

I put in the last stitches and button on Little House Needleworks' Winter Sheep ornament last night. I really like this design.

I'm also still plugging along an my bap sampler; it's slow going b/c I've been so busy lately. I also want to start CCN's Liberty Lane and One Nation by ByGone Stitches. I have quite a case of startitis.

Model

2010-05-18T10:12:00.001-07:00

I stitched a model for Diane Williams of Little House Needelworks earlier in the year.

It's just been released.....The Mercantile. You can see it at her website www.littlehouseneedleworks.com under new releases.

It was a joy to stitch as are all her designs. I love the frame she chose for it.

On a roll

2010-05-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get ahead on my sal's and DID finish my last block for the block exchange. All too soon summer marching band practices will start, then games, and contests, then Christmas. You get it! lol!

The first picture is my last block for the block exchange on STO with a Christmas tree theme. It's a freebie by Blue Ribbon Designs called A Star on Top.

The second I finished tonight. DS is at his band banquet and DH left for a camping trip. I went out for dinner with some friends and then came home to stitch. Great evening!

The finish is from the 1999 JCS ornament issue and called Christmas basket. I'm doing double duty with this one; it's for the JCS ornament sal on one group and a fruit themed ornament for another.

Another small finish

2010-05-10T07:53:00.001-07:00

I decided to try to finish the rest of the exchange blocks for the year. I finished the pumpkin block, a freebie by Drawn Thread, and picked out and started a Christmas tree block, a freebie by Blue Ribbon Designs.

I think I'm in too many sals/block exchanges this year. I've noticed there are a lot of small finishes for me this year but not many bigger finishes. I'm still plugging along on the new sampler I started, though.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Only one of our kids was home but the other 3 called. (DS in college moves home next weekend and I'll see oldest DS towards the end of the month near the time he has a conference in Houston.) Even the son at home Sunday was gone for most of the weekend so DH and I ate out one night, grilled steaks the other and tried to get some things done around the house. It turned out to be a nice weekend.

Couple of small finishes to share

2010-05-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

I can always tell when the end of the school year is here because of the increased activities.

We had the first marching band boot camp Tuesday evening (I always "work" those.), a concert tonight, and Tony's going for an overnight band event Friday/Sat for which I'll have to help him prepare. I'm also on a committee for a band Legacy event (to honor past and present band directors and students) that's coming up next month so we're busy planning that.

Despite all the running around I was able to complete these two little pieces. One is a penquin freebie I stitched for a block exchange for STO (an online stitching group) designed by Stitchy Kitty. I'm not a penguin person nor a pink person but I really enjoyed stitching this little guy.

The other is an ornament by Little House Needleworks, part of an ornament series Diane is designing this year. There's a blog devoted to these that I've joined too. It's fun to see everyone's interpretations of the ornaments.

He's a Flake

2010-05-02T07:40:00.001-07:00

I'm participating in a sal blog for the monthly LHN ornaments this year. Here's the blog if you're interested in seeing everyone's ornaments:

http://littlehouseornies.blogspot.com/

Here's my version of He's a Flake. He's stitched on some Waterlily 32 ct. linen by Wichelt (in my stash for a while) with the recommended floss/beads.

Just finished

2010-04-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

I finished stitching this yesterday for our nephew's wedding. It's the third one I started for the wedding...I guess the third one's the charm. I love the passage from Ruth.

Speaking of charms, this is an old design by HIH and the charm called for isn't even being made anymore. I like the sub. I found.

Sorry it's not the best quality picture...I just scanned it. I'll try to get a better picture after framing it.

Favorite sampler?

2010-04-13T07:59:00.001-07:00

Do you have a favorite sampler? I realize that's like asking if you have a favorite child. lol!

Here's one of my favorites, Namesake Sampler. I love it for several reasons...first I think it's a great design. The designer is one of my stitching friends, Debbie from My Big Toe Designs. I also love it because of the family initials and our anniversary date "hidden" in the midst of the alphabets. I even remember putting it away for a while and another stitching buddy just told me to finish it already (not in so many words, but I needed a "push"). :-)

I still enjoy pausing for a look when I walk past where it's hanging.

Sorry for the flash. I'm a better stithcer than photographer.

Why I stitch

2010-04-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

Do you ever think about why you stitch?

I can remember even way back in high school admiring needlepoint and cross stitch samplers that I'd seen then.

I think my favorite stithcing "genre" has always been samplers (although I enjoy manyother types too). I love the symmetry, the colors, the old sayings, the history, etc. and imagine those little girls way back when sitting there doing their stitching...when maybe some of them would have rather been outside with their brothers. lol!

I enjoy starting a new project, finishing an old one, and just the process of stitching, the tactileness and rhythm. I even love leafing through my stitching leaflets, magazines, etc. dreaming of starting more projects. Stitching is often comforting when things aren't going well. When looking at a certain piece, I can sometimes remember what was going on in my life while I was stitching it. When I'm stitching for someone else, I think of them while stitching the piece and sometimes say a small prayer for them.

I finally have a blog!

2010-04-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

I may just be the last person on earth to start a blog. I love reading others blogs and have intended to start one but wonder who on earth would be interested in reading about me. I also get busy and sometimes forget about the computer so I can't promise that I'll be blogging regularly.

I DO like to cross stitch and have been stitching for over 30 years. I'll probably be doing a lot of show and tell here.

Anyway....her goes!!! Look, Mom....I'm blogging now!