A finish!!!!

I finished snowman #4 today!!! At 10 this morning. I am so happy to have one more down, two more to go. Let me tell you, all that background blue? Ugh! Although easy enough to do, was boring me to tears! But! I was able to push through it and get it finished!!!





And now an update on #5:

Not much progress here, but a little.And now that I finished #4, I get to start #6!!! The last one in the series! Now to figure out what I want to do with them...do I get some cute wintery fabrics and make them into a quilt, or try to make them into ornaments...but I think they may be too big for tree ornies...in the book the patterns are in, they have them all strung together, kinda like a garland, and it's hanging over a fireplace, I think...Or kinda like they are mittens and stockings hung over the fire to dry...that would be cute...hmmm...this is usually the hardest part for me...finishing. I can stitch until my face turns blue, pushing towards that finishing goal, and then I heave a great sigh of relief as my needle finishes that last stitch...then dread! Oh no! NOW WHAT?! I have to figure out WHAT to do with this beautiful piece of stitching. There is someone out here in blog land who scrapbooks her stitching, I think that is a great idea, actually! Maybe that is what I should do!!! Although I like the idea of turning these blocks into a quilt. Hmmm...I think I am gonna have to use some time to ponder this one...any ideas out there? I'm open to suggestions!!!

Oh yes, and in my next post I have an assignment/vote for you all, as I have big plans to start CDC by Ink Circles...I haven't even bought the pattern yet, but I have some floss colors picked out and would like some thoughts on that, but we'll save that for my next post!

Happy Stitching! And Happy New Year if I don't get back here before then! LOL. may 2009 be a frogless year for us all! "Pack your bags, Froggies! You aren't wanted here in stitching blogger land!!!"

Just a note...

to say Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends! I hope you have a beautiful day filled with happiness, and spent with family and loved ones.

Its been a while...

And I have no idea why it has taken me so long to post...probably because I haven't been stitching too much. I have been spending a lot more time reading and pen paling, and running around like crazy getting ready for the move! There are soooooo many hoops to jump through to be approved for a military move...it's like if you sneeze wrong you have to go get 50 signiatures for approval to jump through the next hoop, and chances are the last person's signiature you need? They are on leave and won't be back in the office for the next two weeks!!! LOL! So we have started the papertrail very early, so we don't hit any snags that will hold us up later.

Work is going well. I am really enjoying it, I didn't think I would, but it is really relaxing and I enjoy all the people I work with.

Christmas stuff? What's that? No, I'm just kidding, just have not been in the holiday spirit. Is anyone else feeling that way? I am seeing alot of my friends really struggeling this year to get into it. I am one of those people. I have had a pretty crumby year all around, and although things are getting better, I am still sorta just bah humbugging it! LOL. I just can seem to get up any enthusiasm for the holiday.

Well, here is a photo of my latest progress on Jack(Snowman #4). He is coming along. So much for finishing all 6 by Christmas...oh well. I am going to try to get some blogs read this evening before going to work. I have been really trying to cut back on my computer time and it is working, but now I feel like I have to catch up on things...blogs, reading, commenting, etc. So, I am going to try to hit up some of your blogs during the holiday weekend. I have Christmas and the day after off from work, so I plan on catching up on some of it then.

I hope you are all well, safe and warm, and enjoying the holidays with great family and friends!

Progress Photo Friday!

This is going to be a heavy photo post, because I have been stitching my little fingers off and trying to stay with a good rotation...I did mess up a bit, but for the most part I stuck with it! I work on a snowman and 1 large project every day. I am working on 4 large projects, and two snowmen, so I work on three of my large projects twice a week, and one of them only gets one day. And my "main snowman piece" gets stitched 4 days a week and the other only 3. Right now, Jack, or the first photo you see here is my "main man" lol.

This is the Abbey. I have been working on this one for a few years now. I love it, but it seems to keep getting lost in piles of lost and forgotten WIP's, I was hoping to have this one finished by my birthday LAST year...to say I'm a bit behind is an understatement. But! I am on the second page of this 9 pager, so...there HAS been progress!

This is Jim...He is snowman #5 in my 6 snowman series. He is my non-focus snowman piece, he only gets stitched on 3 days instead of 4.

(Jack and Jim...Hmmm...nope, I'm not thinking of Happy hour! LOL!)

This is Howling at the Moon, I am getting close to a finish on the first page! This, too is a 9 pager! It is a fairly new project, I don't remember when I started it. Right now it looks like a bunch of grey crayons threw up! But it will get better!

And here is CH4TH. I think I got quite a little bit done on it the one day I worked on it this week,I think my other rotation day on this one is tomorrow.

And wa-la! that is it! That was a review of my week in stitching!

I have not posted my large #4 project, as that day is today and I have not had it out yet, but I will share that...maybe this weekend!

On another note, I started my new job and I like it so far. But I barely started it last night, so not much to judge by!

Alright, I am off to check e-mails, and read some blogs and get that stitching mojo-enabling thing going on that happens when I read blogs, and then I'm settling in for a nice day of stitching!

Thanks for reading! And for all the comments on my "Big news" I am starting to get excited! I am just one of those people who have apprehensions when it comes to new things, new experiences...weird, I know...but that's me! lol

Have a great Weekend!

Things are getting better!

The past two days have been pretty good, I finally got a new job. I will be working 5-1 at night. But it is only about 20 hours! Which leaves plenty of time for stitching!!! And all the other things I love to do! And it will give us a little extra income until!.....drum roll....we move!!!! Hubby got orders!!! To....drum roll....JAPAN!?!?!?!?!

Hmmm...I can't get my head around it! I have never lived out of the country, can't decide to be excited or what? I am worried that I won't be able to get all the lovely stash I need...er want for the next three years! Now I am really thankful I stocked up on all that DMC floss! Plus I have a ton of stash so I think I should be good for three years. It is crazy though!

Well, tomorrow is friday and that means it's Progress Photo Friday...and boy DO I have PROGRESS to share...on not 1, not 2 or even 3 projects...but 5!!!! So will share that tomorrow! Thank you all for your friendship and comments while I was going through that rough patch the past week. I really appreciate it!

More snow...but DIFFERENT snow!

Well, if you have followed my blog for a while you know that my husband also has taken up stitching, about a year ago he did his first project and is still stitching. Well, while we were in California, we went to Solvang, a cute little danish town and they have a lot of needlework stores there. And we went hog wild buying stash! We bought two projects though that are going to be "joint" projects....meaning we will BOTH be stitching on them.







Lord help us if we ever do split up, if these projects get finished that is one "custody battle" we will have to duke it out!!! lol! Anyway, without further adeu...Here is the first one it is called "Coming home for the Holidays", (From here on out on this blog will be called CH4TH...he he, sounds like something of the table of elements!) anyway...here it is:





This is what it will look like when finished. Such a cozy holiday feel to it!






























And here is our progress on it so far. He has done more than me...because I have been obsessed with my snowmen as of late, however...I did all the work on the house on the left, and he has done all the stuff to the right, that dark brown tree and such.

So, that is also what we have been up to. I am thinking I am going to start rotating again, cause I really want to work on some other projects other than the beloved snowmen I seem to be obsessed with lately.

And to make it easier for us to see who has stitched what on this piece, we have decided to highlight the pattern with different colored highlighters, yellow for him and pink for me....so next time I share this piece you will be able to see who has done what as I will share that as well.

Oh! and I have other news as well, but this is a long post already so will share that in my next post!

Joyful stitching to you all!

Another blah day...

Don't have a lot to say, this week has just been a huge crap pile, and seems to just keep getting worse. But I have been using my stitching to sustain me and try to keep focused on something...it has been my saving grace all week, that and Grey's Anatomy, and my books. I'm hanging onto a thread here...literally it feels like with all the stitching I have been doing. lol.

A blah day...

Ever have days where you just want to crawl into a hole and not come out? That was me yesterday. You know this past summer I had a humdinger of a time with my hubby and our marriage was not doing so well, I moved out and am now back, and we are trying to work things out, but every so often things blow up again. Tuesday night things BLEW up! Ka-BANG!!!!! So, yesterday I spent ALL day in my pajamas on the couch watching episode after episode of Grey's Anatomy and did nothing else. Which you know it means it's bad when I can sit that still for that long of time and do NOTHING! I usually can't go for more than an hour without grabbing some stitching or hopping up to do dishes or something, but yesterday, I just SAT.

So, no stitching progress today. I am feeling a bit better today, as last night when hubby got home, we talked about things and things are getting a little better. I think I feel functionable today. =) I may actually get some stitching in. And some reading and some Sims playing...I might watch another episode or two of G.A. they are SO addictive! But I still just feel quiet...not sad, just somber...

Maybe I just need more coffee....hmmm...

Better photos and progress.

Well, I thought I'd try to take better photos than the last post...those were horrible. But to tell you the truth, I'm not too sure these ones are gonna be all that better. Oh well. At least you'll be able to see my progress. I have really been stitching away on these little guys!!! I am pretty sure that at this rate I will see a finish on all 6 by Christmas.

Here is Snowman #3

Here is Snowman #4...I really got a lot of progress in on this lil' guy!

And here is the beginning start of #5!! just a blob now, that is a bit of his scarf (the red) and his little sweater. So, just wanted to get another post in, plus I have really been trying to be more active in the blogging community lately, reading more blogs and commenting and blogging here. I even paid a visit to my stitchingblogger Yahoo group last night. =O I know, don't faint!

I used to be so into blogs, and then that sorta dwindled, but I'm making a comeback!!! Woo hoo!

Oh yeah and last night, I was looking at the sample photo of the lil snowmen in the book the patterns come from, and I realized the mittens and stockings themselves are backstitched!! Ok, don't ask me why I didn't think they would be, but for some reason that totally didn't register in my noggin, so now I have to go back and back stitch the first three. Oh boy! Oh well, it is pretty easy, just an outline, won't even need the pattern for that.

Ok, off to make some more progress on Snowman #4...I think I shall name him Jack. Sure, why not?

Progress Photo Sunday.

Ok, I know it's supposed to be Progress Photo Friday, but oh well. At least I have photos! Which is a milestone for me lately!!! I don't know why I have been being so lazy when it comes to blogging anymore? Hopefully this will change now that I have decided to cut social/networking sites out of my internet diet...well cutting back anyway. I don't know why I get so stuck on them, but I do, that is about to change!!!

so, as I stated in my last post I was just about finished with Snowman #3 and had started #4. and here are my progress photos, sorry they are sorta washed out and blurry. It is not yet full light here and I couldn't get the camera to do what I wanted.

Snowman #3:

Snowman #4:

See? I DO stitch!! And I am being better about blog reading and have left many comments on alot of blogs!! I am really enjoying seeing what is out there!!! I am hoping to have a finish on Snowman #4 by next weekend. And I am thinking I will start Snowman #5 sometime today. This way I am working on two at a time and hopefully that will help speed the process along...not that I want to SPEED it along, per se, as much as I would just like to see these lil' guys finished by Christmas!

I am off to get some more work into Snowman #4. Thank you all for reading!

Some New goals

Well, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Ours was quiet just hubby and I here at the house, we cooked the traditional turkey dinner, and ate way too much, I fell asleep at 8 pm and woke up at 12am, and now it is a bit after 4 am and I am still awake.

I have been stitching, I have almost finished Snowman #3 and have started snowman #4, I will share photos soon. I am also trying to read more. the thing is I find myself getting stuck on the computer for HOURS at a time just surfing and hanging out on a lot of social/networking sites. This is seriously cutting into stitching and reading time, so starting this week I am going to try ot cut back my computer time quite a bit. But! that being said, I am only cutting back on certain sites...my blog sites I will still hit. Hopefully maybe I will be posting a bit more myself as well.

I cannot believe it is the end of the year already we are on the countdown to Christmas now! So I really want to finish my 6 snowmen by Christmas. That is my goal, and I think I can do it, if I can just stay off the durned computer!

Well, so much for the good blogging streak I was on, huh? How pathetic!! If you look at my blogging history on my sidebar, in 2005 I posted 75 times, and I started blogging in October, and in 2006 and 2007 I posted over 100 times, and this year...I posted (so far) less than 40 times! I am ashamed! ::hanging head::

I don't know why this is! I am still stitching, I mean I know the end of the summer was pretty crazy for me with family issues and moving here and there but I just don't know! lol.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and Hubby took me shopping!!! I got SIMS 2 "Freetime" expansion pack, the only one I don't have yet. and a step for step aerobics! But this one is a NICE one, it actually has two pieces and you can set them up as an incline, or as 6 inch step, 8 inch step, or 14 inch step!!! (Yikes!) and it came with 3 workout DVD's which I checked out last night after we got home and really loved! I have a phobia of the gym...ok not a phobia exactly, but I would rather work out in my own living room to dvds, and I get all excited, I go buy DVD's that look like they'd be great I get them home and they are just NOT motivating!!! Like for me 1) the instructor has to be good at what they do, and look good, which is a motivator 2) I have to like the actual workout and steps incorporated 3) I have to like the music that the routine goes with. If I don't like any of these...forget it, I have a hard time getting into it.

But all three of these DVD's are awesome! Great music, great routine, and great instructors! Give me some time and I should have a...great body! lol!

Ok, with all that said...onto more exciting things (for this blog anyway.) stitching!

I have mostly been stitching on The third snowman in my 6 snowman series, I have worked on him everyday this week, and he is really coming along. I don't have photos to post, but I will soon.

That is about it here, I am looking for a job...ugh. with all my running to and fro over the country side this past summer, I lost my job and am now on the job hunt. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Happy November!

Ok, folks, don't faint!!! I am actually posting two times in as many days! AND! Both has photos!!!

Last night me and hubby had a nice quiet relaxing evening at home. We listened to classical music, and sipped Hot chocolate while he sat and read and I stitched. It was really nice, and made me realize how much I really missed my hubby while he was gone. I am so glad to have him home!

Anyway, onto photos!

First up is a finish on my Brittercup Kitty!!!! SOOO cute! Now all I need is the cute lil' spider button to go on him, but I really think he is cute enough just as he is!

and I also have some progress on my Tombstone as well:

As you can see I have decided to go ahead with the called for colors on this one! Although I still don't think I like them too much! Oh well, what's done is done.

I am now thinking of putting this one away though, as it is such a Halloween type peice, with it's morbidity and dark colors and pull out something alot more cheery...such as my 6 snowman mitten/stocking series I was working on at the beginning of the year.

I am finished with designs 1 and 2 and am now onto 3, so have to finish #'s 3, 4, 5 and 6. I wonder if it is possible to finish them by Christmas? Hmmm...I suppose so, if I hurry. But, I am seriously thinking that a rotation is in order, as I have so many projects that are calling my name again! We shall see. I want to work on "The Abbey" and "Howling Moon" plus I have a ton of WIP's in my WIP's and UFO drawer that I wouldn't mind pulling out and working on. Oh so many projects not enough time!

Of course I have also been very busy doinking around online and also reading quite a bit, as I am still acquiring more books, and still have a huge pile of books yet to be read that I bought from splurges over the summer. Good grief! Oh well, between my stitching stash and my book stash I should never be in want for something to do!

And last but not least here is a photo of me and Hubby at Disneyland:

Progress Photo Friday!

This is my progress on Brittercup Kitty Ornament. I am actually a little more finished with it than you see here, as I had tried to post these photos the other day, however, I lost the page after I hit the "publish post" button...=( So, decided to give it another try. Next up is "Tombstone angel"

This is a really bad photo of this piece, sorta wrinkled. I am enjoying this one alot, However, I am not sure that I want to use the called for colors on this one, as they are very muted. Which would make sence since this is an old time piece, but I think I want to change up the colors on this, so have basically been working on the black in this piece only, until I figure out what to do with it.

This next photo is...fun! Over time whenever I go to a craft store, if I don't have my DMC list with me, I will pick and choose a handful of random skeins of floss, and this has become my collection. I never even realized how much I have. This is my "Reserve pile" Incase I am working along on a project and "Ooops, ran out of this color." I don't have to (Hopefully) run out to the store and get it, I am hoping I will already have it here. There are 233 skiens of floss here! I do need to catalogue it, tho so I do know what I have or don't have. It would take me forever to try to find a DMC number I needed in that mess!

Well that is all for me here. Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.

I'm home!

Phew! We made it back! All in one piece! We had a wonderful time, and I have tons of photos to share, but I have to put them on the computer first! On our way home we stopped in San diego to visit my grandparents grave, and then went to the Grand Canyon. It was beautiful!!!

But I am so glad to be home! Although all the riding in the car did afford for some great stitching. Even though I didn't finish my puppy piece, because I got so wrapped up in my new projects I took that I didn't work on it much at all...oops. Oh well. =) That is about all the news I have here. I am greatly enjoying reading all the blogs out there!

Greetings from California!!

We made it!!! It was a long drive, but nice. I got alot of stitching in, which is wonderful!!! I did bring my pup one, but I also kitted up two new projects just minutes before we hit the road!!! (Yeah leave it to a stitcher to run around cutting threads and fabbies to be brought on a trip at the last minute instead of making sure they have not forgotten to pack everything!! lol!) I decided to start two new ones that were found int he latest issue of "Just cross stitch" One is the Britty Kitty Halloween ornament, and the other is The Tombstone angel sampler. I picked these one to bring because they only require a few threads. Plus th eornament is small and I can stitch on it easily on the road. I am actually getting quite a bit of stitching in, and I am loving it! I am pretty sure I will have plenty of stitching to show when I get home. We brought the digi cam with us so I may be able to share them sooner, we shall see. Well, just wanted to stop in and say hi, and let you know I am stitching, and you will see photos soon! Sorry for the lack of photos lately!

And yet again...

I found it!!! My mojo that is...and you want to know where I found it? Amongst the wonderful photos and words on all your lovely blogs!!! Such inspiration out there! So, thank you all you wonderful enablers! You have once again done a great job! lol.

Yup, I have once again picked up needle and thread. I must admit, I was sorta stitching but not with a ferver that I used to have where I was thinking about my projects whenever I was away from them. Does anyone else do that? While at work or whatever? Dreaming and planning out their next projects, or what they'll stitch that day and think and plan out their rotations, and think obsessively of all those projects that must be done on a certain date? Maybe a gift, or a RR that must go out, and it is in your head forever, maybe I am the only one who does that. But it helps get me motivated to stitch. I am a deadline girl, if I don't have a deadline, forget it, look for the project to be done like in 10 years! lol. But once I put my mind to it and really focus on something,that's all she wrote! watch out, because it will get done in a jiffy!

So, anyway, That being said, before I got all my lovely stash back home where it belonged, I had very few things here to work on and none of them were the least bit inspiring, so I went to the hobby store and got a few things to keep me busy until I had my WIP's and such.

I showed photos of "Achoo" and the other one with the wolves, who's name eludes me at the moment. But then I also got a small piece by Dimensions, called "Never underestimate the power of a nap" and it has a little dalmation puppy sleeping on a blue blanky.

This little guy helped bring my mojo back to me! I have been stitching on him alot for the past couple of days. It sorta started out with a fight with the hubby, after which I went and locked myself into the spare room, with my headphones and my stitching...well with no destractions from the TV or anything else, I was able to get comfortable, slip on my headphones and stitch merrily away!!! It is so therapeutic!!! After awhile, I was like "Fight? What fight? Hubby? hmmm...yeah I remember him. Eh, oh well...stitch stitch stitch." It puts your mind at ease,and makes the world seem like such a beautiful place.

So, anyway, I don't know if this will really happen, since I leave today for a two week long vacation to California today but I am taking the "Nap" puppy with me and hope to have him finished by the time I get home. I think I should be able to, as we are driving and that is a good long drive, and I have claimed the backseat, I am gonna put a pillow back there and get comfy and stitch stitch stitch and read read read.

Thank you all for listening to this rambeling post! And thank you for the wonderful motivation of all your beautiful blogs! I love my blogging friends!

Wow, it's been a while

I thought I would be back into blogging regularly by now...however, that is not the case, I am also not stitching regularly either. I have lost my mojo for it. It's sad. I even get all excited when I read other blogs, but When I sit down with needle and thread after about three stitches, I'm done. I have the want to want to. This is my favorite time of year to do stitching too. With the holidays just around the corner...if you happen to see my mojo hiding somewhere, can you tell it to come home? I miss it!

A Stitchy post!

Well, life has finally settled down some, and so I'm now ready to dive into my beloved hobbies. However, now I am having the same problem I was before, before I moved, I had left my stitching stuff here and left, and now it's there and I'm here. Which is bad, especially since I had put in quite a bit of time on Howling at the Moon. and I thought I'd brought it with me, but I didn't!=( However, I do have "The Abbey" with me, so I will be working on that, also! I bought some new stash!

Two new kits by dimensions:

Achoo:

and In Harmony:

So, I think these should keep me busy for a bit, as if I need to make any new starts! but what's a girl to do?! I don't have my WIP's with me, so you got to buy new stuff...right? lol! so, I will be working on the Abbey and maybe starting to sort the threads for these two projects today. Hubby returns today after a LONG 8 month deployment to the desert! I'm excited, there will be lots of figuring things out, but I am thinking positive, and hoping things work out.

My prayers are with you.

To any and all who are dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Ike in Houston TX~ my heart and prayers go out to you.

So close yet so far away.

It seems so odd to me that the closer you get to a finish the farther away it seems, you think "So soon, it'll be done" and you just keep stitching, and stitching, and stitching....aaaand stitching, and you start to wonder were you as close as you really thought?

That is how it's been with Fruit of prayer! I have had the past 3 days off from work as my company is cutting back hours because we went way over in man hours to prepare for and work inventory, so now we have to cut back, so I took the last four days off. Today being the last of the four days.

So, I have had plenty of time to stitch, and I have been doing that, however, between a very rivetting Mary Higgins Clark, and a hilarious Sophie Kinsella, I have not been doing much by way of stitching at all! I have done some, but I have to put some of the blame to my hubby who got me all seasons 1-9 of Law and Order SVU. Darn him for spoiling me so! LOL! Who can stitch when watching Law and Order? I did do it a bit, but I get so into the show that then I sit watching with needle in hand staring zombie like at the screen while my stitching sits idly on my lap.

Between good books and a hubby who spoils her with HOURS of TV entertainment....what's a girl to do?! I think today I am gonna put in my Janet Evanovich audio book which I still need to finish and stitch away!

And to answer the commentor who ask a while back, I have started the numbers series by this author, I have read #1, have number two but have yet to get into it, but I will. It is a really good series, so far. I don't know if I will ever catch up, seeing as how Number 14 was just released. By the time I get to number 14 she will probably have written number 20!!! Not to mention that my "To Be Read Pile looks like this:

Edited: Added photo that wouldn't load earlier!

Have a great week! Happy stitching!



Ps...that is the headboard of my bed, if those books fall while I'm sleeping, you may never hear from me again! Thank goodness Texas is not prone to Earthquakes! LOL

Oh yeah and the books IN the shelf, not on top are two rows deep!

Photos finally!

I finished him!!!! Yippee for me!!! I did actually finish him by my dead line, on Sunday, I have just been lazy and not posting here. I have been more into reading lately than stitching. I have done SOME stitching though.

I must admit I didn't finish page 1 of Howling at the moon by the 10th as I'd hoped, but there is some progress, so that is good. As for The fruit of prayer sampler, I haven't even laid eyes on the thing in awhile. I don't even know where it is! So I better get a move on it if I plan on finishing it by the 20th, although I doubt that will truly happen. But you never know!

I have however started the next snowman in my 6 piece series. And have gotten pretty far. I have been stitching while listening to a book by Janet Evanovich. "Metro Girl" It's pretty good. I have recently invested in a few more audio books to listen to while stitching, that way I can do both at the same time, sorta. I don't consider listening to an audio book "reading" but ::shrug::.

So, here is my photo of the next Snowman:

Poor headless guy! lol! Although I think this one is a girl. She has heart shaped buttons on! It looks like a blob right now, but hopefully that will be changing soon. All that red you see is the scarf, if you can't tell!

and here is my progress on Howling at the Moon. So, I didn't make it to finish page 1, but I'm kinda close.

This is what the pattern looks like, so you can see that I really don't have that much left to do on this page! With all the color changes on this one is does take awhile, but I love it!

Well I hope you are all having a lovely week so far. I am doing well. I have to take Freedom to the Vet today, poor girl. it's just for her yearly check up and shots though, nothing major. She hates going though. I think I will share a photo of my pup, she is part German Shepherd part something unidentified! She has beautiful coloring though. She's my baby!

Mr. snowman

I have really been going to town on Mr. Snowman this week. So he is coming along, I don't see why he won't be finished by Sunday. I have been putting in a lot of the background color, and I don't have much more of that to finish, I finished filling in all the green in his little sweater, so mostly now all I have to do is back stitch, finish up the background color and all the white, and that's it, so he is coming along well, I have actually started the backstitching on his head and upper arm/shoulder area.

I have been listening to an audio book while I stitch, so that is cool. It makes the time fly. Well I am trying to drop in on your blogs and leave comments here and there but still just trying to catch up on reading them and looking at all your lovely stitching. Pictures coming here soon!

I have goals!

Short term Stitching goals that is! I want to:

1)Finish Snowman #2 by this Sunday

2) Finish page one of Howling at the moon by June 10th

3) Start Snowman #3 next week

4) finish him by June 15th

5) Finish the Fruit of Prayer by June 20th.



Although I think finishing Howling at the moon Page 1 by june 20th and FOP by june 10th would be more realistic, but oh well. We shall see how we do.



It is super hot here, and my AC is messed up so I have to have someone come look at it today, because it will be alot more comfy to stitch if it weren't so stuffy and hot in this house.



Ok off to stitch. I actually pulled mr. snowman out and DO hope to finish him by the end of the week! progress photos coming SOON!

Smash mouth!!!

Well, I have not been around much lately. I have been busy with friends from out of town. I have a fun and crazy story to tell. my friends from California came out to visit me this weekend, and while on the plane ride here they struck up a conversation and started playing Scrabble with a really nice guy on the plane. Well, he was traveling with a few other men and they kinda looked like they belonged in a band, so my friend asked them if they were in one, and it turns out it was Greg Camp, the lead guitarist from Smash mouth playing Scrabble with my friends. Anyway, my friends were telling Greg that they were coming out to Texas to visit me, and that they were originally from Santa Cruz California, which is where Greg lives. And so they just hit it off, and so Greg invites them,and me! to the show that Smash mouth is putting on at a place called the Glass Cactus that was in Fort Worth, VIP passes with backstage access and everything! So, we went, and still two days later I am still on a high over it! So here are pictures of our evening.

Photo 1- me with Steve (Vocalist) and Mark (Percussion)








photo 2) Mark Percusssionist beating on Paul the bass guitarist with his drum sticks to loosen up his back muscles before the show

photo 3) Steve and Greg and me after the show















Photo 4) Steve during the show









Photo 5) Paul and Steve during show.

So! We had a great time! These guys are so sweet! They are SO down to earth! and don't suffer from "Star syndrom" at all (when people think they are hot stuff and better than other people because they are stars) It was so much fun.

I haven't been stitching much, but my friends are leaving tomorrow so I am hoping that after they leave I will get some stitching time in! That's all for now!

"I have a throat Ache"

Do you all remember that commercial of the kid at the doctors and the doctor asks how she is and she says "I have a throat ache" That's me!!! I have a throat ache and have had it for three days now. I feel yucky, and I am still working, my voice is basically a gone thing,I sound like a croaking frog! lol and I'm still pushing on. Of course after work all I really feel like doing is being a huge couch potato, so nothing has really gotten done. I just sit and watch tv, and try not to hurt. I sure hope this goes away, soon.

I have stitched a tiny bit, but nothing noteworthy. I pick up my stitching , put in like a handful of stitches, set it down, and just vegetate staring at the tv screen! You know I'm sick when I do that! I always have to have my hands busy, even while watching tv. So, I think when I feel better I need to pick up my little snowman, he is laying on the coffee table looking up at me with those cute snowman eyes just begging to be finished! LOL! Happy Tuesday!

Progress Photos!!

Well I was going to upload these yesterday but never got around to it. So here are my progress photos of howling at the moon, and Fruit of Prayer. I don't feel as though I have devoted a ton of time to these pieces lately, but it seems like there is more progress than I thought there was, if that makes any sence! I guess just a little stitching each time adds up too. Hope you have a great Thursday!

An unexpected visitor!

Well it has been awhile since I last posted here. The reason being, my father showed up to surprise me last Tuesday for a week long visit. Which is fine, but last week was finals. So, between finals and my dad being here, not much got done, stitching or other wise. But I did have a nice visit with dad, and school is now over for a month, well about two/three weeks, I guess, which means more stitching time for me!!! And reading time as well.

I did do a little bit of stitching on Howling at the moon. Today is my day off, and I plan to stitch stitch stitch. I have a dentist appointment this morning and after that I am going to sit in bed, and stitch. I don't know why but bed is my favorite place to stitch/read, it's comfortable. Plus I am a huge hermit and was one all growing up and at my parents house growing up I usually just sat on my bed to stitch and read, so that is just where I like to relax. I do like being out in the living room sometimes to stitch, but the lighting int he bedroom is much better for those big complicated, very detailed pieces, such as Howling at the Moon. I can't explain it. =P

So, after today's stitching session I think I will share photos. Thanks again for reading!

Thank you!

Oh my goodness! The wonderful responses I recieved from you who answered my cry for help!!! thank you all for your lovely bits of insight, and for enabling a fellow stitcher! lol. I have spent the majority of my computer time browsing some of the shops you all suggested, and oh. boy. I WANT IT ALLL!!!!! lol. And in lieu of my crazy sence of want I have decided...gulp... not to buy anything. THIS is why:

This is my pile of magazines and leaflets and chart books, and the other photo is a 4 drawer cabinet thingy full of kitted projects that either 1) need to be started or 2) WIP's. I also have a BUNCH of kitted projects out by my stitching chair in the living room, but seeing as how messy my house is, didn't want to share that, but believe me, for now I think I have my hands full with enough stitching stuff!!! More than enough to get me through this lifetime. lol
But!!! Thank you all so much for the wonderful help and when I get in the mood to spend again, I have bookmarked a few good places! I'll let you know when/if that happens! I may, one of these days decide to splurge.

Oh, and I have another new start. This one will take me awhile to get finished, it is called "Howling at the Moon"

And this is how far I am:

Obviously not very far at all, prob about 200 sttiches, maybe a little more. I think that was like 2 or 3 hours work on it, it has a TON of color changes! I am doing it on 18 cnt white aida! I am really enjoying this. We'll see how long it can keep my interest! lol! Well, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and hope you have a great week coming up! and thanks for reading!

HELP! =)

Ok, fellow stitchers, I have a request! Maybe you can help me out. I am wanting to order some things...er...stash =) online, however, I have during my time here reading blogs, seen some positive and negative feedback on various stores. If you could leave me comments with some good stores and some bad ones, if you've had bad experiences let me know which stores to stay away from and if you have good ones let me know. Right now I am leaning towards Stitching bits and Bobs, and stitch 1-2-3, because I like their selection. Any word on them? Thanks guys, I just 1) don't want to wait a year for my order to arrive and 2) don't want to give my money effort and time to someone who doesn't deserve it, or has gypt any fellow stitchers.

Thanx! I look forward to some feedback...come on guys be the good enablers I know you can be!!! lol

Progress photo Friday!

Gosh downloading photos from a camera is so easy and fast! I love it! Now I can post lots of progress photos! Like this one for instance:



This is my sampler as of right now, I worked on it a bit while watching "Sabrina" with audrey Hepburn yesterday. I have a little more done on it today, but I plan to work on it more today so will post progress probably tomorrow, or Sunday!

I have not worked on Mr. Snowman since I shared the last progress photo. I have been really into this sampler. It is stitching up so quickly! Sorry about the wrinkle down the middle of this piece! lol. Still trying to figure out the best way to get a good photo.

Well I am off to watch CSI and work some more on this, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Trying to get through it...

Trying to get through what? you ask! All the feeds on my google reader with all the lovely stitching blogs that I love! I have been absent from the whole stitching/stitcher blogs scene for some time now, and I think that is why I haven't been stitching. I forget how much enabling happens when I read blogs, reading them makes me just want to take up needle and thread and go to work! But, I am trying to get through my long list of blogs. I had 800+ at one point it is now down to under 700...phew! We'll see if I can get through them all, before the week's end...ha! ha! LOL! I have Friday and Sunday off, so maybe if I sit and read them on those days instead of doinking around on other sites I will actually make a good dent in them! But I always find myself wanting to sit and stitch after just a few minutes of reading people's blogs. So, i may actually get some stitching in as well.





Things here have been good, I have been busy which is good, since hubby is gone and time goes faster when you keep busy! Schoolwork for the most part really, but also work. I have switched departments so now I am learning new things and really enjoying what I do. But! I work a crazy weird shift...I start at 5 in the morning!!! So I am having to totally adjust my sleeping patterns...once again. But! The good thing is the latest I get out is 1 int he afternoon! But most days I get out at 10/10:30 in the morning, then I come home take a short nap and have most the day to do whatever! It is really nice! so, this makes me really wonder why no stitching? I have no idea! Ok, yes, I do, homework for one, reading for fun or another, and a website that I recently came across called "Myyearbook.com". It is much like myspace, but ALOT better. I'm always there, chatting with people, and whatnot. It is lots of fun.





Anyway, I said that next time I post I will share a photo of what I am working on now...


So, here it is...it is a sampler (obviously) call the Fruit of Prayer. I got it out of a magazine...I don't remember which one, but I had been int he mood to work on sampler for awhile, and there are SO many cute ones out there. i see so many in different blogs and I thought "I have only done one so far, and that one I gave to my mom, i really want to stitch one for me" So there it is.

Oh yes and let me clarify one thing...in my last post I said my hubby bought me "one". The "one" I was referring to was a new digi cam, not a new scanner, and I have never uploaded photos from a camera before, so this is all new to me, so if some of the photos are a bit weird, sorry, please bare with me, as you can see...this one has a shadow on it, but I'm new to this so...sorry! Hopefully I'll get better with time! lol

Well, I am off to either read more blogs, or sit and stitch. We are supposed to get some strong thunderstorms later today, but I will be at work, gosh I hope I won't have to drive in any of that junk. I hate driving anyway, and then add rain and a storm...ugh! Oh well, work is only 2 miles away so it shouldn't be too bad! Alright, I hope you are all having a wonderful week! I'll try to post more later, especially if I stitch more. Which I am hoping to. Wish me luck!

Mr. Snowman

Ok, I know I haven't posted in forever, there was a reason for that tho, and it was because I had no way to share photos, my hubby took our digi cam with him on deloyment, and my scanner broke, however, my wonderful hubby realizing what "dire straights" I was in without a way to post my wonderful stitching online, ordered me a new one!!! So, here is Mr. Snowman. To tell you the truth I am sorta disappointed that he isn't finished yet, but I have been working on something else. Plus getting things finished up with school, and reading, I have been very busy! I will share more photos later, for now I gotta run, but wanted to drop in and say hi to all and share Mr. Snowman! Next time I will share what other project I have been working on! Thanks for reading!

Dang it!

I have been working diligently on Mr Snowman but just about a week ago my stupid scanner decided to die on me, so I am without means to show you my progress, he is looking really cute tho, I hope that it will decide it wants to work again soon, it seems tempramental at times, so who knows? I am really dragging my feet when it comes to buying a new one simply because I bought new ink cartridges for it, and I can't return them if I decide to buy a new one, I'm gonna be out of the 50 bucks it took me to get them. So, you can see my dilemma. Anyway, still stitching and busy with school stuff. that's it here.

Just sailin' along...

Wow! this one is coming along quick! I am really enjoying it alot, I worked on it alot yesterday before work, and a bit after work, which I left work 3 hours early because I smashed my hand and it started bleeding and made a big mess, I thought after I got the bleeding under control I could go back to work, but they sent me home. So I returned home really early, and got started on this little guy, agan, then a friend called and we started talking then I got on line and spent the rest of the afternoon/evening playing around on the computer! But this morning I woke up and got my coffee and set down with this, and this is how far I've gotten, I still have some time until I have to go to work today so I think I will continue on with him until it is time to get ready for work. I think this lil guy is so cute! Thank you all for your lovely comments!!!

Progress!

Wow! this is my progress on the newest snowman, the mitten just since yesterday. I started it right after I posted here yesterday, I think I have come quite aways already, so far this one is stitching up pretty quickly! I am off count with it, but I am working with it I didn't feel like frogging it all out. So, anyway, he is coming along, maybe he'll be finished before I thought he would. The last one took three months practically! It must have been the fabric! lol!!! Well I am off to get ready for work and then off to work! I will probably stitch more on this when I get home, I have a short day today. Thank goodness. More stitching time for me!