Monday, January 21, 2008

Happy Dance?


Can you do a happy dance when you've finished a section on a SAL? lol I have finished the first section of Rose Sampler (above)! I really like doing this piece! I can't wait until the next section comes out!


I've also worked on this piece that I'm doing in memory of my son. I started it in 2005. It's My Child designed by Gayle Nelson from Bucilla. I have done about half of it. Yesterday I did the letters N, O, and P. It's hard for me to work on it, but I'm going to try to do some of it each week. I bought this kit many years ago at Big Lots when they were still selling cross stitch stuff. I only paid $6.99 for it. I didn't stitch it until my son died and then it was the perfect piece to do in memory of him. God certainly works in mysterious ways!! I changed it from present tense to past tense. I already have a place I want to hang it waiting for it! I'm also planning to do it in present tense for DD someday!

I forgot to tell that I got the kit Frederick the Literate! I got it right after Christmas. Walmart had it on sell for $7.oo!! Walmart is selling out all their cross stitch stuff. I was so excited - I have really wanted this kit because everyone seems to be stitching it! Then yesterday I got a mag in the mail (Ladies Home Journal) and what should I see but a purse with Frederick the Literate on the front of it! Have you seen this purse!? I didn't realise Frederick was so famous! I also got 2 of Lizzie Kate's Double Flip-its. It's the newest one with the words Love, Live, etc. Donna at my LNS has the fabric on order, but it hasn't come in yet.

I was going through some more stuff the other day and found a big box of cs mags that I haven't looked at in years! I have had the most fun looking through them and marking what I might do some day! It was like getting them all new again - I didn't remember any of the patterns! Now I'm kind of stuck because I can't figure out what to do next! lol I didn't stitch much yesterday. There's about 20 pieces I would love to do next!! I'm going to try to work on some of my UFOs.
And maybe start something for my sister for Christmas next year!

I lost 2 more lbs last week! I'm back in the groove! lol I grilled hamburgers on my new grill/griddle, and I love it. They turned out wonderful!! We're going to have grilled hamburgers very often! Better go and work on My Child. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!





Friday, January 18, 2008

Snow!


The rotation didn't last long! lol But I'm going to do it starting now. When I started working on this charity square, I decided I really wanted to get this finished and in the mail. I really enjoyed doing it, although it does have a lot of backstitching! This is going to Love Quilts for an any child quilt. I've also decided to change something in my rotation. I'm not going to start the Victorian Christmas Eve piece yet. I'm going to pull out one of my UFOs to put in its place. I've decided to finish some of the pieces I have started before starting something new. (I will start a new charity square.)

It snowed yesterday! School was canceled, and we had a relaxing day at home. The dogs loved the snow, especially Bebe. She tried to chase all the flakes as they fell! It was the first time she saw snow. All of the snow is gone today, but the weatherman says we may get some more tomorrow. I love snow - because when I was a teacher, any time it snowed it was an excuse to do nothing - no housework - nothing! So I always loved snowdays. I still use it as an excuse to not do housework! lol I do cross stitch, though!

My birthday was on Wed. This was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. On Tues., Jerry took DD and me to Cracker Barrel (my favorite restaurant - because I love their breakfasts!).
He gave me a candle that crackles and pops like a real fire. I LOVE candles. Then on Wed., Katie took me out to lunch at Monterrey's. She gave me an Emeril Reversible Grill/ Griddle. I wanted one of these so bad! I have been looking and my mom looked. She was going to give me one for Christmas, but she got too sick to shop. DD found it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It goes on the stovetop over 2 eyes. It is cast iron! So far Katie has used it twice! I haven't felt like using it yet. Everyone is making sure I stay on my diet by giving me cooking things! lol Mom gave me a gift card for Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I guess she wants me to get something for cooking, too.

I had some kind of stomach virus yesterday! I wasn't able to stitch much, just enough to finish the square. I feel some better today! Better go and fix lunch. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Rotation Started


I started my rotation yesterday. I worked on my SAL, Rose Sampler, yesterday and last Fri. at my stitchers' club. I didn't get much done at the stitchers' club, because we talk too much! lol I really like and enjoy doing this piece. It's very relaxing, because you don't have to worry so much about the colors. There is a little gray in it, too. I am almost finished with the first section. Today I'm going to work on the baseball piece for charity. I'll post a pic of that later.

I had a very busy weekend! Sat. I spent the day with my DB. He doesn't have a car yet. I took him to a tool shop. I have never seen so many tools!! He builds furniture. He is really an artist at it! He has been working at this new shop for 6 months and has already gotten 2 raises. After the tool shop, we went to Home Depot and walked all over the whole store! He is a shopaholic like me. I know - it's hard to find male shopaholics, but he's one! I didn't buy anything and I told him at the end of the day that I had gotten my shopping "fix" by just watching him buy all that stuff! He has his own woodworking shop in his backyard and that's why he's buying all the tools! After HD, we picked up lunch for us and our mom and went and visited her. He got up all of her leaves (I blew off her patio). We had a nice visit with her. She's a lot better, but not back up to 100% yet. To keep herself busy, she colors those fuzzy pictures. She got out all that she has done and showed them to us. She used to cross stitch, but can't see well enough now to do it! She keeps wanting to do a piece, but then has to give me what she's started because she just can't do it anymore. After Mom's, I took him to the grocery store and it took a good while to get all his groceries. After helping him get in his groceries and having my first look at his woodworking shop, I went home and passed out! I was asleep before 8 pm! But I had a great time!!

Yesterday, I did a good bit of housework - very rare for me! lol And then spent the rest of the day cross stitching! I never told what I got for Christmas. DB gave me a Crockpot, and DM gave me a food processor! Since I did Mom's shopping for her, I picked out what I wanted! lol I have wanted both of these appliances for years! We got another type of slow cooker for a wedding present, but after 22 years it finally died! I made spaghetti in my new Crockpot yesterday and it was great! DB even gave me a Crockpot cookbook, and this recipe even fit my Weight Watchers' diet! Oh, AND I am back on my diet - thank you for all your prayers! Last week I lost the 4 lbs. I had gained over Christmas! Now I'm back on the straight and narrow again!

I'm still working on getting my stash organized, but I seem to be making a bigger mess! I don't have a very big house and there's just not a lot of storage space! I really need a stitching room! I'll just dream about that until DD gets her own place. She's doing much better in her classes so far. She has stopped going anywhere during the week when she has classes! She has studied everyday. She has also asked them at work to only give her weekends. I am very proud of her. One of my dear "internet friends" gave me some very good advice. She said that sometimes it takes a person a while to figure out what she wants to do and that I should be patient with her! So I'm trusting her and relaxing as much as I can!

We found out there's going to be a new great-grandchild in the family! My nephew and his wife are expecting their 2nd child! This one was a surprise - their first son will be 18-months-old when this one gets here! They had a hard time getting pregnant the first time, but not this time! I can't wait to stitch baby things! I hope this one is a girl, but a boy would be fine, too!

The furbaby, Bebe, has learned how to climb! The other day we caught her climbing up the piano! She got in Jerry's recliner, which is beside the piano, got up on the arm of the chair, and was on the keys of the piano when we grabbed her and got her down! I don't know what she wanted from up there!! She is the first dog I've ever had that loves to make her squeaky toys squeak! She knows just where to bite each toy to make it squeak! So we hear "squeak, squeak" all day long!

Well, better go! I want to read some of your blogs before I start my stitching! I have a hard time finding enough time to do all I want to do! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Friday, January 11, 2008

Firetruck Happy Dance



I am so happy to finish this! It is past due and did I say that DD's purse diva pillow was the piece from hell? Well, it isn't! This is! It looks very simple, doesn't it?! Well, looks can certainly be deceiving! Maybe it was because I really didn't want to do this piece right now! I had to frog almost everything in this piece and some places more than once!! I know this isn't a very good picture, but it was too big to fit on the scanner. The border gave me the most trouble.I redid it twice. Learn from me - don't do separate parts of a border. When I tried to connect the parts, they didn't meet right! I was almost finished and had to take the whole border out! It is still 1 square too far to the right, but don't tell anyone! lol It is going in the mail today!! I'm not going to do anymore squares with a deadline. My life is more complicated than it was this time last year. I don't have as much time to stitch as I did back then. I'm going to do squares for any child. These don't have a due date; you just send them in when you finish them. Oh, and this square is going to be in a quilt and sent to a fire department in Charleston, SC, in memory of the firemen who died in that Charleston fire last year. I was really honored that they asked me to do a square - there's 9 squares - one for each firemen who gave his life trying to save others!



Someone wanted to know where I got the Rose Sampler. It's at this site. I can't wait to get back to it. I'm going to my stitcher's club tonight, and I'm going to take it to work on!



I took a break from the firetruck one day and started organizing my stash. I have thousands of mags and booklets. (This might be an exaggeration, but not much!! lol) I have been getting mags since 1980 (at one time I was getting 4 or 5 every other month.) This was pre-marriage and pre-children! lol Anyway, I am going through them and putting post-it notes on charts I would like to do some day and labeling them. I am also setting up 2 notebooks - one with copies of WIPs and UFOs and one with copies of charts I want to do in the near future. It's lots of fun looking at all of these charts!

Have to go and get ready for stitchers' club! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

A New Start


I just couldn't wait!! I took a short break from the firetruck, and started the Rose Sampler. This is the progress I made last night. This is going to be HUGE! The material is 19" X 25". Someone was "fussing" at me for doing it on Aida, but I couldn't have afforded a piece of fancier material that large! lol I have never stitched anything monotone, but I am really enjoying this!! Even DD said she might do it, too. She's working on a snowmen kit "Santa" gave her. I'll show her piece soon. I'm going to put this aside (sigh) and finish the charity square! I hope Mr. Frog doesn't show up again!

I've been thinking about a rotation:
  • Sunday - Rose Sampler (RS)
  • Monday - Charity pieces
  • Tuesday - The piece for my son - My Child
  • Wednesday - Future Christmas presents
  • Thursday - Victorian Christmas Eve (VCE)
  • Friday - RS
  • Saturday - VCE

How does that sound! I'll try it a few weeks, but I really like working on one thing at a time! I'm afraid I won't ever get anything finished! We'll see!

That's about all for today! Got to finish that charity square before I can start my rotation! Better get started! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Charity Square and Christmas Present


I finally got started on the square for the quilt to honor the firemen who lost their lives in the Charleston, SC, fire. I failed to notice that the instruction sheet said the due date was Jan. 1st. I am furiously working on it! And. of course, Mr. Frog has made an appearance several times! You can see where I had to take out some red. I hope it doesn't show after I stitch it again! After I finish the firetruck, there's only the border and my name and a leaf to do.

Above are the 2 pieces of fabric that DD gave me for Christmas. They're both 28 count hand-dyed jobelan. The piece at the top of the picture is blueberry and the bottom one is raspberry lite. Aren't they beautiful?! I had told everyone that I wanted money to buy fabric, but she was the only one listening. She went to the LNS and picked these out! She wants me to do her something on the blueberry piece. I haven't found anything for it yet. I bought a Mirabillia fairy pattern to do for her and hid it somewhere, and, of course, now I can't remember where I hid it! She might look good on this fabric, but I'm not sure because she is wearing a purple dress. I'm going to have to find her to see if the colors will show up. It was so much fun getting fabby! I never have before!

And this is one of the pieces I want to stitch in 2008! It's called "Victorian Christmas Eve." This is in the Jan., 2008, issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlework. She's by Nora Corbett - and I just bought 2 of her patterns! I already have some 28 count linen (Waterlily) that I'm going to do her on. I'm about to kit up the Rose Sampler that I'm doing as a SAL. I wanted to do it on 32 count linen, but they didn't have any at A. C. Moore or Michael's; and I wanted to use my gift cards. I got 16 count antique white Aida instead. It's okay with me; I still enjoy stitching on Aida!

DD got signed up for her new college classes. She didn't do as well as she should have last semester! She's going to drive me crazy! She just won't apply herself and doesn't believe me when I tell her she has to study!! She doesn't believe anything I say! I know - that's how teenagers are - but still - I do know a few things!! She says she will get serious this semester. She's very intellegent! She was always in advanced classes. She just doesn't put forth much effort! This is so stressful for me! I told her she had to think seriously about whether she wants to go to college or not. If she doesn't, I told her, she could take classes to learn a trade or something. I told her that unless she's going to take her classes seriously, she should just drop out and get a good full-time job! But she said she wants to get a college degree. We'll see what happens this semester!

I have finally done it - my freezer is full!! I have been watching the sales and stocking up on a lot of things and I have filled the freezer! But I don't seem to want to cook! lol I have to get back on my diet. I gained 4 lbs. over the holidays! I know that's not as bad as it could have been, but I've got to get my will power back! Pray for me!!

Well, better go. I need to get to work on that charity square! I'm anxious to start the Victorian Christmas Eve piece and the Rose Sampler! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Lost and Found


I panicked and thought I had lost the ornament above, but I found it this morning! I was trying to get this finished for my DB for Christmas, but couldn't get it finished. I finished it a few days ago. He and my DBIL collect anything with deer on it. I was really excited when I saw this and another deer ornament in one of the bargain books I bought! It's in Donna Kooler's 555 Christmas Cross-Stitch Designs. There is a whole section on Nature Christmas. Although I finished it in 2007, I dated it 2008 because I'm going to give them to the guys next Christmas. I have started the one for DBIL. I'm going to finish it next. They were really excited when they opened their pictures of the deer heads on Christmas. I had a really hard time framing them. The wood of the frames was very hard and I couldn't get the nails to go in to hold the pictures in. I finally taped them in - I hope they stay put! lol I put brown paper on the back so it didn't show. I also lost the little hangers for them. Stupid me - I put them in a ziploc bag and put the bag in a "safe" place. Of course, when it came time to put the hangers on, I couldn't remember where I had put them! lol As my DB was leaving that night, he said, "Vicki, thanks for giving me the head." My sister and mom (who have dirty minds) got a giggle out of that! lol

And the piece above is one that worked up very quickly yesterday. It's a freebie at Cyberstitchers site. I changed all of the colors except the white. It also said to backstitch the snowflakes in dark blue, but I wanted my snowflakes to be white. I bought some little Christmas buttons last month and was glad I could use one on this! This is only the 2nd piece that I have put a button on. I really like this. I'm going to make it into a little pillow that I can hang on my perpetual calendar.

I haven't told everyone what happened at my mom's house on Christmas with DD's boyfriend. DD finally agreed not to ask him to come, but she was there and we had a great time! I went with her to Jerry's family get-together. I have always declined going to it although his family asks me to go every year. Well, this year his sister-in-law (whose house the gathering was at) called and begged me to come; so I went. I had a great time and they all treated me like the prodigal daughter returning home! I plan to go from now on.

DD has broken up with her boyfriend! Hallelujah!! She finally realized that he was a deadbeat and was using her! She finally saw that she deserves better! I hope she can meet a nice guy with a JOB!!! lol

I'm going out in a few minutes - I got 2 gift cards for Christmas - 1 for A C Moore and 1 for Michael's. I want to buy some new material! I got a 50% off coupon for Michael's out of the paper; so I should be able to get something really nice for nothing!

Better go! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Last and First


This is my last finish for 2007. I did it yesterday. It didn't take but a couple of hours. This came from the book Cross Stitch Celebrations Month by Month by Sue Cook. This is one of the books I got from the Bargain Books site I mentioned in an earlier post. There are so many things in this book that I want to stitch!

And this is my first finish of 2008! It's in the book Christmas Ornaments produced by Kooler Design Studio. I started it last night and finished it today! I collect cows, and like to do cow ornaments. Pattern Nut wanted to know where the ornaments in my last post came from. They're in the Dec. 2007 issue of Just Cross Stitch.

This is a huck towel that I was trying to get finished for my XMIL. I couldn't get it finished in time. I decided I wanted it myself! It's not quite finished. I have to stitch the border. It's gold with blending filaments.

And this is the piece I did for DD. I didn't get it finished in time for Christmas either. I finished it day before yesterday. I thought it was going to be my last finish of 2007, but I decided to do the little ornament. I'm going to get some black and white material and make a pillow with this piece. DD really likes it! It's very appropriate for her; she got 2 new purses for Christmas! (Now she has at least 2 or 3 dozen purses!) I have 2 purses - 1 for the summer and 1 for the winter! lol I can't find the book this came out of right now. I'll look for it and name it in a later post!

I am going to set up a rotation this year. I haven't quite figured it out yet. I have so many things I want to do. I want to set aside one night for charity stitching, one night for future Christmas presents, etc. I'm going to do a SAL - my first! It's on the EMS website. It is a large freebie and they will post a new part of it each month. It is a roses sampler. So I'll need one night for working on that. There's also a Christmas Lady in the latest issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework that I want to do. It's by Nora Corbett. I also want to do the Mirabilia piece that I bought to do for DD for next Christmas! I also have at least a dozen WIPs and UFOs that I need to finish! There is just not enough time to stitch all I want to stitch!!!

I didn't have any problems with my depression during Christmas - I guess because I was so busy. However, the last week I have been thinking about my DS all the time! I really miss him! One thing that has set me back is that 2 of DD's friends were killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve. They were 2 guys - both 18-years-old. The one driving was speeding and lost control of the car and hit a tree right in the other boy's front yard! I can't get their parents off of my mind. I know what they're going through! This makes 3 young men we've known that have been killed in car accidents since my son's death. I worry so about my DD. She's a good driver, but I don't know what I would do if something happened to her!

Also last week I got a notice that I have been called up for jury duty. I was called about 2 months ago! I had to have my dr. send another note to the clerk of court telling them to excuse me because of my depression and anxiety attacks! It looks like they could flag my name or something so I wouldn't get called up again!

But I am feeling some better today - the depression is just something I go through after Christmas every year since my DS's death! I am looking forward to a great, new year!

Well, I'd better go and figure out that rotation! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!