Happy New Year!

It isn't quite the new year yet, but it will be in about5 more hours! Today was a lot of fun.My mom and I went shopping all day! We spent lots of money, and it was tons of fun! I know when my mother is gone I will look back and remember this day fondly.
Not much to write about. I have not been stitching too much. I have finished one ornament, and am more than half way done with the stitching on another, and yesterday I actually pulled "Dare to Dream" out and put a few stitches in it. But I have been busy reading. I got some new books, and I can't stop reading!Plus it is sorta easier to just sit down with a book rather than to drag out all my stitching stuff, while my busy little nephew runs amuck about the house! So much easier to set a book down rather than trying to gather up threads and things from a stitching project!
I am looking forward to the new year, and being able to spend some time at home, and getting to all my may hobbies!! I will be poor as dirt but able to stitch and read and write and blog, and quilt, and lots of things.
No, it really won't be all that bad! ...I hope! I do know one of my goals for this year (2007) is to loose some weight. I really have a hard time, I like to work out and eat right for awhile but it's the consistancy that is always such a hard thing for me! I will get on a kick where I will work out and do well but then I will take one day off and then two and then before I know it, a week or two has gone by and that's all she wrote! So this year I am definitely going to try to stay consistant. I want to loose 40 pounds. And it really won't be too hard, I loose weight really easily it is just hard for me to keep it off!
I also already have my list of stitching projects ready for the new year, and most of them are huge projects that will take awhile to finish. Which is good since I am unemployed. I need big projects that I won't need to buy much for. So, I am looking forward to this new year ahead, there are changes and exciting things in my new year. I hop everyone else has a great and safe New Year.

A California Christmas

I made it to Cali! It took us 27 hours to get to Los Angeles, and we missed out connection bus to Oxnard, We were pulling in as that one was pulling out, and the next one wasn't going to Oxanrd until 11:30, about 3 hours later. So, since it is only an hour away, we got a Taxi, paid quite a lot for it, but who wants to sit around a bus depot all day?! My parents live in Oxnard. So, we just got a Taxi and were home in an hour as apposed to sitting in the bus station for three hours to take a bus that willt ake 2 hours to get to where we were going. we shaved 4 hours off our travel time that way! So, anyway, we made it alright, and am enjoying visiting with my family. My mom oges crazy with decorating! And I am enjoying all that. And just being able to relax a bit. I finished an ornament since I got here. I didn't get any stitching done on the bus, because it was so full with holiday travelers that there was not much room, so I just tried to sleep a bit. I had my headphones and just relaxed. I am hoping it won't be so busy on our way back, as we won't be going back until the 5th of Jan. maybe most poeple will be done with their traveling. We shall see. Well, we are going to go face the crowds and take my little nephew out to do his Christmas shopping, he still has a few things to get. I hope you are all having a great holiday season! I am trying to keep reading blogs, but may not get to everyone's. (Boy, thank goodness I am unemployed now when I get back I am going to have ALOT of blog reading to catch up on! ) So, if I am not getting to your blog, to leave commets, I am so sorry! thank you Cindy and the other gals who have left me comments here!

I'm back, but not for long!

Well, I have gotten some stitching done in the past week. Not too much, but I can definitely see some progress on Dare to Dream. I am so excited! Tonight is my last night of work, and then tomorrow we leave at 6:30 in the morning for California. Well, we finally decided to take Greyhound (The bus) to California, a long wonderful 30 hour bus ride! We will make stops. in fact one stop we make is in Cindy's town, Big Spring TX. However, we are only there for 15 minutes, or I would ask if she'd like to meet up with us, but I will be thinking of her!
So our transportation issues are taken care of for our ride out there, however, what to do while we are there is a whole nother matter. Once we are there, we won't have a car. So, we may have to rent if we want to go anywhere. I mean, my family is going to do stuff with us, but they have their own lives, going to work (dad) and being a second mother to my nephew(mom) so they are busy running and we won't be able to borrow the car much.(If at all)
So, I am not sure what we will do, Oh well. I guess I will do lots of stitching! I know that is what I plan on doing on the ride there and back, that and sleep. It's funny, when I was younger I loved road trips, I could sit and read and do whatever, for hours and not be interrupted much, but now I get bored on road trips. I don't know why. I try to settle into something, reading, or stitching but can't get comfortable in the confined space, so I just put it all away and stare out the window. And I can't sleep unless I am comfy, so I am thinking about taking Tylenol PM to help make me drowsy enough to knock out. That will help pass the time. I don't know. Anyway. But, I am still very excited about hanging out with my family, and spending the time with them and being there for Christmas, and maybe some down time will be good. Although I will have plenty of down time when I get home, as I will not be working then. I will be living the liesurely life of the unemployed...until I start stressing about the bills and being cooped up in a house all day. I figure that by March I will be ready to join the work force again. If not sooner. We'll see. Anyway, onto our favorite subject: STITCHING!!!
Here is a progress picture of Dare to dream. I am taking this one with me on my trip as well as a few others, which at this point, I am not sure which ones. We shall see. Well, blogger is going to be a pain in the wazoo and won't upload my photo, so I am sorry, no photos. I will try to post later, although I am going to be extremely busy today. I will leave my house at 1 in the afternoon and not be home until 9:30 or later tonight, after work.
1:00- take dog to the pet sitter
2:00- go for last fitting of wedding dress
4:00- work
9:30- home
So, I don't think much stitching will get done today, I will bebusy packing and getting things ready for our trip. But I will have lots of time after today to do plenty...on the bus and at my parent's house, and on the bus ride home and at home when I return during those hours of not working!
Anyway. I gotta get going. Got lots to do. I will probably be able to post while at my parent's house, but not post photo's. So, Will see you at blogger later!

Come back little mojo! come back!

Yes, for the past week this blog has been idle and I haven't touched hardley any stitching, none at all int he past three days. I can blame it on my new "hobby" and on my hubby! I have never been one that was into video games! I just never was interested, after about 20 minutes, that was that I'm moving on! Not so much anymore! He got me two new ones, ER, and Sims. I have spent so many hours on them both just since I got them! Yesterday was an entirely different matter though.
My hubby's older sister, three girls and hubby came for a short day long visit. They showed up yesterday at 4 in the morning, and then I had to work 10-3:30, after which hubby and I had to run and get some groceries, and then he went to the auto shop on base, where he tried to change our brakes, we got there at 4:30, the garage closes at 6., my inlaws were leaving at 7. So he gets the front two done minimal difficulty, then he starts on the back ones! Not so easy! and hour and half later, and an hour after the garage was supposed to be closed, we finally left without the new brake pads on the back tires. We had broken a tool of the garages which had gotten stuck in our breaks, while getting worked on and my husband looked like he had taken a dunk in a vat of grease! He was stressed because of the time limit, andof course then everything went wrong. Now the breaks are making a weird noise and don't really stop on a dime, at all. after outting the break petal all the way to the floor we still roll to a stop. All this right before we are supposed to be leaving for a 27 hours driving trip to California in two days! We get home finally at 15 minutes after 7 and my in laws had stayed to visit with me a bit and then they were gonna leave they went out to their van to leave and my hubby and her hubby were standing there forever just talkin' away (both military, so lots to talk about!) finally they decide to come back in and stay the night again, and they left this morning at 4. So yesterday I wasn't hardley even home and when I was, I was entertaining guests.
Today though I am off from work, there is no one here and I will probably paly a few hours of my games but for the most part I want to stitch. I have that craving to have a needle and thread in hand again. So, I will probably do that for most the day. I need to do some laundry and clean house a bit too, today so will probably do that also. But today will be a calm day. I think Rob may try to work on the brakes some more or find someone to do them, if they can't be fixed before we leave we may have to rent a car. Right now we are up in the air about the whole thing. So, anyway. Well, I want to show pics of Dare to dream and I will soon, but my house is sorta all in disarray because of having guests here, so soon I will share but not right now. Well, more later.

Progress!

Well, here is a photo, a crumby one actually, it is crooked and sloppy, but a photo none the less!! For the most part this weekend I worked on the top left part of this picture, the greenery and the gray of a wolf leg. I was on a roll with this one this weekend! And now I am thinking I need to get back to Snow Valley Express, as it has een neglected for a bit now. my stitching time will be cut a bit short today as I have a dentist appointment at 2:00 today to get my teeth cleaned, and Then I will probably have to go straight to work right after that. But, I only have a week and a day until I will not have to go to work anymore. I will be leaving to spend the holidays (3 weeks!) with my family in California, and then when I get home I get to start looking for a new job. So, I am anticipating lots of stitching time in there, while looking for a job! I am hoping to be able to find something by February. But if we can financially swing it I may not work at all. The other idea I am thinking about, and don't laugh, is a paper route. I saw in the ads, that they are looking for routers, and the pay is about the same as what I make at Sam's in a month. That would be awesome if I could get up early, and get my two or three hours in and be done for the day before the rest of the world even wakes up, and have the rest of the day to myself. I think that would be very fitting for me. Plus it would allow me more time with my hubby in the evenings, as right now I start work when he gets off work, so we totally miss each other, and I work most weekends when he is home, and so we don't get to spend much time together unless I have the day off. I am nervous but excited at the prospect of being unemployed. Well, I am off to stitch, as my stitching time will be cut short today so gotta go! I have really enjoyed reading lots of blogs, and everytime I turn around there's a new one I have never read, and on the list it goes! Thank you for all my comments you have been leaving! I love comments, and I try to leave them for others as well. So, if you are reading this, please leave me a comment and let me know you were here! I love to hear from you!

Wow! Where did the Weekend go?!

I cannot believe the weekend went so fast! I did alot of stitching this weekend. I had to work yesterday but I had today off and I stitched this morning and me and DH hung out in the afternoon. I have been working mostly on Dare to Dream and tonight I started kitting up Day Surrendering to Night. To answer My comments, I am just kitting things up for now but it will be awhile unitl I actually start them. So, don't hold your breaths waiting for progress too soon. I have quite a few WIP's I want to get out of the way first. Like Snow Valley Express, and The Abbey, and Dare to dream, and Dolphins, and some others that have not seen the light of day for a long time. Thank youall for the comments on my blog, I really need to share some stitching pictures. I will get to use the scanner tomorrow, so I can show you my progress on Dare to Dream. My hubby is on that computer right now. Well it is getting sorta late so I am gonna get going. I still want to stitch some more before bedtime tonight, as I have spent most of the evening getting my threads together for DSTN. Oh where ARE those prepping elves I keep asking for? =)

Stash Enhancement!

I am so excited! The order I placed from Herschners as my birthday gifts arrived today! I spent much time this evening drooling and looking over my beautiful new leaflets. I got 6 of them and a large cut of navy blue 18 cnt aida because I need it for In Blue Angel. Tonight when hubby got home from work we sat down and watched Superman returns. I liked it. I couldn't even stitch during it, I was so on the edge of my seat. I thought it was really good!So after that got done and over with I sat and worked on a Soduko book my hubby got for me, and then I felt restless, so I actually sat down and started kitting up "In Blue". At this rate I will never need to buy another project again! I don't know why, but I am addicted to those projects that take a million years to do. I love them large and detailed. =) So at this rate I don't think I need to buy any more for a very long time! I just need to buy the fabric and flosses. It's a good thing, too, because here pretty soon I will be unemployed and not able to buy any stitching stuff until I can get a new job. Which who knows how long it will take. So anyway. I think I am set for awhile now, although I will be tempted to buy stuff, I won't. I know I have enough to keep me busy until I turn at least 45 years old. At least that is how it feels. If I could just get some extra DMC threads I will be happy. Although I have almost the entire set, I am lacking about 20 of them, and I put them on my x-mas list for hubby to get for me. Which I have a good idea that it might happen, since last year he got me 50 of them. So, if he gets me the rest to fill in the holes in my set then a 20$ gift card, I will save the GC for when I run out of a color I can run and grab it. I am feeling really good about my stash right now. Just keep me away from all those wonderful Online needlework stores!!! anyway, enough rambeling, i have lots of kttinup to o. Two or three projects to do at least, i probably won't get them all kitted up but you never know. Well, I better get going.

Not much

Not much stitching going on that is! I don't kno wwhy, but the past two days I have been not in the mood to work on any of my projects, so yesterday I started a new ornament, something I thought wouldn't take too long to do, and I wouldn't have to concentrate much on. Picking up any of my other projects have just seemed liek achore lately which is wierd. well, I DID put about 30 stitches into Snow Valley Express the other day, but that is about it. I guess that stint with The Abbey really killed my mojo! I think I may get it back today though, I sorta feel like working on something, but I am not sure what. Maybe Dare to Dream...? I don't know. Not the Abbey though, I am putting that lil' stinker (ok, rather large stinker) away for awhile, probably until the beginning of the year, after the problems it caused, it deserves some time out, right?! (Lets just forget that it was ME who forgot how to count and caused all the problems,not the project! =) It's still grounded!)
Anyway, I am thinking I will try to finish up the ornie I am working on now, and then I will post some photos. Today is my day off from work, so I think I will be doing quite a bit of stitching, it is perfect weather for it too! Brrrrr...cold! well, hopefully I will be motivated to show photo's later!

And moving on

It's amazing that even though I messed up ont he Abbey royally yesterday, I am still in the mood to stitch on it, and that is probably what I will work on today. I can do it! I can! I also need to work on Snow Valley Express as well. I started some christmas ornies a bit back, and they have gone unoticed for a while, I thought that maybe I would put some time into them. I got up extra early this morning so I could get some things done before going to work. (ie:"some things"=several different stitching projects worked on! =))
Last night after work, I was going to work on some stitching, but when I got home, my hubby was playing ont he computer, so I sat at the playstation and started playing Final FantasyVII. My husband is a gamer, he loves them and spnds tons of time with them. It is his hobby, such as stitching is mine. well, last year he picked up stitching so that he could spend time "doing something" with me, on my level, and so just this past weekend, I decided I would give gaming a try. I have always enjoyed watching him play, and thought it looked fun, but whenever I would try i would get bored after ten minutes and say "Forget this" and go back to stitching, but I am making an honest effort now, I started with "City of Heros" I have my own character on there, and then Final Fantasy XI the online one, I have a character on there, and last night I started FFVII on the Playstation. So! I am trying! It is actually sorta fun once you get into it. But of course I needed LOTS of help from DH to get me through my first mission. Well, I am off to get some breakfast and pick up some stitching, today I would like to work on:
-Snow Valley Express (2hrs)
-Christmas Ornies (1 hr)
-The Abbey (1-2 hrs, depending on how much time is left before work)
So, as you can see, I have a "very busy schedule" today. LOL! So, I better get to it! Have a great day, and I will show some progress here soon!

Frog go away!

Well, I just sat for about an hour and frogged out alot of what I did on the Abbey, and here is what I have left to work with. Not awhole lot, but at least I didn't have to completely start over, keep your fingers crossed that this time it will go much better!
I think it looks like a creepy face right now.=)

The Abbey-I'm finished!!!

Ok! Everyone, grab a box of kleenex and cry with me, because....Ta da! I royally messed up on the very first part of it and threw the entire count off! The bottom portion of the page is an entire row over too far, which makes the top half not going be meeting up with the correct row at the bottom of the page above it, if that makes any sence! So, once again I am thinking I will scrap it...or should I frog it? I have Four or five whole hours in on this thing!!! (Major whiny voice here...) Look at all the progress! It's depressing! What do you all think I should do? Scrap or frog? If I toss it I am not sure I will start it over again, I'm not sure I have the heart to right now. And I was so excited! It's amazing how much problem ONE little stitch can cause, one stupid little X! I did one too many in one row and wa-la! There you have it! I really have gotta learn how to count to 6! NOT 7.

I'm back!

That was quick! Wasn't even gone 15 minutes! I had a panic attack as I was on the road. I have this OUTRAGEOUS fear of driving. Which would explain the fact that I didn't get my license until I was 28 years old. I was in a car accident as a child and it has apparently scarred me! Then of course, I get my license and a month after I was in a wreck, totalling my car, and ever since, the only place I drive is to my work, which is about a mile away. My dentist is on the other side of town, and in a very busy area, right by the mall and all sorts of businesses and stuff, and I couldn't sleep last night, for thinking of the drive into the dentist, and I was fighting the fear all the way to the end of my road, and I went blind! Ever been so afraid you can't see? I don't know if that makes sence, but my sences go all out the window when I have these attacks, and so I just turned right back around and came home. And now that my heart is beating normally again and the attack is over, I shall resume with life. I called the office and they said if everything seems fine, no swelling, or pain, or drainage she'll mark on my chart that I'm fine and if there is a problem I can call, and come in. And I am doing just fine, infact I ate a huge yummy guacamole bacon burger for dinner yesterday, so I'd say things are fine! Phew!
Onto the stitching! Yippee! So, here is a photo of my progress on The Abbey that I worked on yesterday. I only put about an hour and a half in on it, but I got some done, it doesn't look like much, but it is coming a long. I think I will have to go about 10 hours at a time for progress on this one, as it is so big that if I work on it an hour or so, you can't see much, so my next update will be at the 10 hour mark. I am at 3 hours now, I think. So, lets hope I have an update soon. =) That is about it with my stitching. Since I don't have to go to the dentist I have a bit more time this morning to get to some stitching, before work late this afternoon, so I am going to go do some housework, and then stitch my heart out!

Oh no! Not again!

If you have read my blog for awhile, like since the summer, you will remember my talking of a girl who works with me, and who became a leech and wouldn't let go. Calling me 5 times a day and wanting to hang out,and just basically being extremely clingy. And I guess words' got out that I will be leaving my job here ina few days, about two weeks, I guess, and now! The phone calls are starting up. See? She switched to another shift, so I hardley see her anymore, and so it has been nice, and what not, she hasn't been calling me, or anything. so the other night I'm leaving work and I passed her, and she's like "Hey, come here. What's this I hear your leaving?" and then as is her usual annoying style she had to KNOW WHY and When and if I was moving out of the area or just quiting my job, and just everything, and I felt shanghaied! So, she tells me that her and her boyfriend are getting married in the summer, and I HAVE to go to the wedding, and help her with the reception! Woa! I don't even know this chic very well, she watched my dog for two weeks when i went out of town over the summer, and all of a sudden she acts like we are best friends. Anyway. So, last night she called me, three times! I never answered and the last time, she left a message saying for me to call her because she wants to throw a going away get together for me. Which I gotta admit IS sweet, but no, I don't think so. Then she will just think we are the best of friends again and all that hooplah will start up again. The thing is, she has the makings of a sweet person, but she is just annoying, and clingy! It's really unhealthy, and it freaks me out! Well, I gotta go for my post extraction check up at the dentist, so I will share stitching stuff later!

The Abbey

As you who have been reading me for awhile know, I have been working on This piece for awhile. I started it the first of January of this year. Well, just recently I decided I didn't like the fabric I started it on, and have decided quite recently that I would switch out the fabric and start over, so the next photo is the beginnings of this new decision!
Last night I worked on it for a little over an hour while watching Gilmore Girls, which amazed me, since I hardley ever can stitch at night, but that I guess was because I had put my stitching lamp in my bedroom a while back so I would have good light in there while stitching in bed, then never brought it back out to the living room, and now that I have my little lamp back out in the living room, watch out! The needles have been asmokin' in the evening.
So, It isn't much, but it looks better now than it did when I was stitching on 22 count whatever it was that was so tiny my eyes were going cross eyed! I had decided to start it in the upper left hand before, which was all blue sky, and I was doing it one over one, and it was taking forever to do a tiny little bit. But this time I decided to start right smack dab in the center, and I can already see the house taking shape, which is quite a motivator as apposed to blue blobs. So, I am happy with my decision to restart this one!
I love Marty Bell. Her stuff is beautiful! I have a list of her stuff that I want to stitch eventually...one day, one being Miss Hathaway's Garden. It is beautiful. But Very large, and detailed. Well, that is it for today. No more work has gone into Snow Valley Express. I need to keep crackin' on it, but when there's a project like The Abbey staring you in the face, how can one choose?! Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Over 100 blogs?!

Can I just say?! There are ALOT of stitching blogs out there! I keep finding new ones everyday. If I read them all everyday, I would live on the computer, because by the time I finished reading them each day it would be time to start over! The way I do it is I have my blogs split up by days. each Monday I read the group of 7 or 8 people for the entire week, then Tuesday the same thing, but before I assign a blog a day I put it in my "To read all the way through" file, and that list is encredibly long right now! I really need to start reading and get these bloggers assigned days so I can keep up with them. Stitching?! What stitching? Reading about everyone else's stitching is a hobby in itself! I love it though, I truly do! It is so neat to know that there are so many others out there who share my love of this craft. I love seeing everyone's WIP's and i love rejoicing with them when they complete a project and I love sharing my finished projects with others who understand the labor of love that went into my work. Today I signed up to join a yahoo group for sitching bloggers. I really hope I am allowed to join. It would be so nice to get to know some of you better!
Well, Yesterday I wasn't home hardley at all, as DH decided to go shopping and I decided to go with him yesterday. so, i read blogs, and we went ot he mall and he turned in the car to sears for an oil change and so then we were stuck there for the next 2-3 hours, and by the time we got the car, it was time for me to go to work! So, no stitching for me. Why does life have to get in the way?! When all I really want to do is sit on my wazoo and stitch?! Like take today for example, it is already almost 9 in the morning, I have to go to work at 12. I only work a short shift, 5 hours, but tonight DH will probably want to do something. I have tomorrow off, but I will probably end up spending it running around doing errands! ugh. And my DH asks me why I get up so dang early?! Oh well. well, I am going to take advantage of these quit hours before work and get some stitching done. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Come on Blogger! Cooperate!

I want it to cooperate, because I have a bunch of photos to share with you...well, three progress photo's! so, here it goes:
The first one is of Snow Valley Express, I am almost done with the stitching of the first page. I have been diligent about working on this one, and as I wrote earlier this week, it goes quickly once I actually pick it up, it's just picking it up that is the hard part. And I am definitely not looking forward to backstitching this one! Ugh! But that is a ways off. The next one is of what I worked on yesterday for a bit, not for too long, though. "Dare to Dream". This one has been in the "TO DO" pile for awhile, and I think the last time I dragged it out was...well a LONG time ago. So, here is Dare to Dream, which has been put into my rotation now. It doesn't look like much right now, but give me time, and it will! =) and lastly is my hubby's eagle piece. He hasn't touched it in quite awhile, but the last few days he picked it up for a bit. I think he is doing really well.
I am not sure what I am in the mood to work on today, maybe more Snow Valley Express. Yesterday it snowed here. Just a little bit, but man, it was freezing! Brrrr....But it will probably be all melted by this afternoon, as we are supposed to have a high of 55 today. Which is just fine with me! I hate icey roads! I made DH drive me to and from work yesterday because I was freaked out by the ice, as it was he said he slipped on some ice on his way to pick me up last night. So, I know alot of you in the states are having snow and icky weather, and I hope you are all safe on the roads. Well, I am off to look at projects that are calling for my attention and figure out which one I will give my attention to!