A Joyful Stitcher

Howling at the Moon progress...page 9... almost there!

2012-02-02T17:40:00.001-08:00

I am sooooo close!!! I just have alot of light color fill in and a tiny bit of other fill in....it almost looks finished as it is, but don't be fooled, there is still a few more hours to go on this one!

Life has been pretty busy, after our trip I really got down and dirty with my work outs! I work out 8 times a week! Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings I do cardio, in the afternoon I do Interval training, and Tues and Thurs I do weights/toning and abdominal work outs. It's pretty intense! But I enjoy feeling the way I feel when I work out...I have so much more energy! It's amazing! So I am hoping to be able to keep this routine up. I keep thinking "Summer is just a mere 5 months away...I can have that bikini body by then!!!"

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! This weekend is my SAL weekend with Juls, so I will be working on "Coming Home for the Holidays". So I will share my progress on that one next week,and I have some progress on my Patchwork Bears to share soon as well!

My vacation

2012-01-27T14:47:00.001-08:00

I know my title is very creative!! LOL...So, me and the hubs (and Alyssa of course!) just got back from visiting the mainland of Japan, where my Hubby's father lives! Which is why I've not been here posting lovely stitchy photos!

The first day there we went to this Art museum, as my hubby is taking an art class and one of his assignments was to go to an art museum. It was pretty nice! They had some Monet's and I think that's all the works I would recognize...haha!

On Tuesday we drove all day and arrived in the city of Nagoya, where we stayed the night and we ate here...yup, Denny's in Japan! Don't be fooled! There were only 2 things on the menu which one might ever see on an American menu...a sandwich and french toast!
My husband is 6 foot 2...look at how short the doorway to our hotel is!! He had to duck to get through!
We later came to find out that where we stayed was in a bad part of town...where the Japanese Maffia squats, and they own most the town....I was glad we only stayed one night!

Next we went to the city of Toyota...where there are 12 Toyota Car Plants. We wanted to try to catch a tour of one of them, but by the time we got there we'd missed the tours for the day, so came to this museum. I loved these stuffed tigers....it was hard to get a good picture of them, because of the glass encasing!
there we are on the outside of the museum! Pretty building!
We were on the road for 5 days, and when we got bored me and Alyssa played with the camera and practiced for her days as a model! LOL!
Next stop? Hiroshima. This is the city where America dropped the Atomic bomb that ended WW II. Here is the memorial. This is called the A-Dome. The bomb exploded directly above this building. They have kept it in the state it was in since then, as a reminder. They do restoration on it every three years or so, that's why there is a bunch of scaffolding there!
Down the street to the Castle of Hiroshima.
Alyssa fell asleep in her little carrier while we walked around all day! How do baby's do that?!
This was also a castle. It was completely demolished in the A bomb blast, but when they restored it they turned it into a museum, we weren't allowed to take photos inside though.
Except for this one...they had Samurai get up to try on and photograph.
When we finally got back to the hub's dads house, his step mom had a little birthday celebration for Alyssa...(her birthday's in a month!)
Before we left they kept telling us to bring jackets it was between 30-40 degrees there. I was hoping it'd snow while we were there....and it did!
Alyssa's first time in the snow...she wasn't sure what to make of it!
This photo was taken as we were flying in, this is mount Fuji. My husband hiked this the last time we came in Aug 2010, all the way to the top. You know this wasn't taken as we were leaving, there was TONS of snow on it then, and I was on the wrong side of the plane to get a picture when we left!

So, that was my vacation. We had some fun times. I know my last post said I was bored, I was just having a bad day I guess. I did enjoy most of it, but you know how it is after awhile you just wanna go home!

I will share stitchy photos very soon!

Still on vacation...

2012-01-23T01:13:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to go home!!! We are on the mainland of Japan visiting the in-laws, and I feel like I am getting nothing of any production done at all. I have stitched a tiny tiny bit, and read a bit too, but I'm just BORED! And we're staying at my in laws and you know how it is when you are staying at someone's house, you just feel more comfortable with your own things....This has been the longest vacation EVER!! I will share photos when I get home! We are supposed to get a plane out of here Weds, keep your fingers crossed!

SAL progress on CH4TH

2012-01-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

This first photo is mostly all I worked on this weekend. The left hand side of the house, the upstairs window and some of the area below it!
And here is how the entire thing is looking, as my husband has been working on the foliage on the right hand side, he's been putting a bit of work into it too! Jules is such a fast/great stitcher it's taking two of us just to Keep up with her, and she's still WAY ahead!!!
Hope you are all having a wonderful week! Next week I probably won't be posting as we are going on vacation to the mainland (Japan) for a week. I might post photos of our adventures, but we shall see. I may just use the time to stay away from the computer all together and just enjoy life! I will probably post one more time this week, as I still need to share photos of Howling. For some reason, I have lost motivation for that one! And here at the home stretch! I have to MAKE myself work on it! ::sigh:: So I have a tiny bit of work in on it, and I am going to try to get a bit more work in on it today and tomorrow and I will try to share it sometime later this week before we leave!

Patchwork Bears progress!

2012-01-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

Here is my progress on this one! I apologize for the "foggy" look in the center, my daughter got ahold of my camera and slobbered on it! LOL, then it dried on the lens, and hence the fogginess! But it didn't fog up the area where I've been working, the border on the left hand side!

Sorry for the late post...I know, you probably didn't even know this was a late post, but I am trying to keep myself to posting every Monday and Thursday, except the first week of the month when I will post Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, because that is my SAL weekend with Jules and so will use Monday's post to share my progress on THAT project! =) We'll see, maybe I will just replace my normal Monday post with my SAL project instead...

Well I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I will share my SAL progress tomorrow!!! It's coming along slowly!

First stitchy post for 2012-Howling at the Moon!

2012-01-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

First off I want to share a picture of cute lil' Alyssa. Ten Months Christmas 2011:And now here is Howling at the Moon as it stands now!
I have really been trying to get a bit of work in on this piece! I'm on the last page!!! It feels so exciting! I just want to work on it all the time, to speed up the process, now that I'm so close to a finish!

Well, that is about it for me here, Just wanted to share my progress! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year Holiday!

Happy 2012!!

2011-12-31T15:52:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all my readers! I'm looking forward to another great year of stitching and Blogging!

Stitching goals for this year:

-Finish "Howling at The Moon"

-Finish "The Abby"

-Finish "Patchwork Bears"

-Finish "SnowValley Express"

-Work on Coming Home for the Holidays

Yup, just those 5! If I get other things done too, great! But I think that is quite enough for now! I am not sure how much stitching I am going to get in, as I am starting the P90X workout system this year, so if it works, I will probably find myself with too much energy to sit and stitch much, as always seems to happen when I do extensive workouts. We shall see!

I hope you all have a wonderful 2012 filled with lots of stitching and good health for you and your families!

Patchwork Bears- My "New" old WIP...

2011-12-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is the project that I was talking about that will take place of my Christmas cards that will be for Alyssa you can find the rest of progress from this project here.

I am really hoping to finish this one in 2012, as it has been a WIP/UFO for waaaay tooo long! And now I have a wonderful person to give this to, so why not finish it?

Although I have been toying with the idea of working Christmas smalls all during the year next year, but then would I have time to put into larger more detailed pieces like I want? We shall see. I never know what will happen when it comes to my stitching! I just never know what will fit my fancy at any given time!

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and a glorious New Year! See yah for lots more stitching in 2012!!!

Howling at the Moon-Progress! Page 8 Done!

2011-12-20T16:43:00.001-08:00

I know this is not a great photo...I'm sorry! It's very wrinkled, as I stitch in hand so...BUT! I finished page 8...almost! All I have left is white fill in. Now onto page 9! I am so close to a finish! Just one more page and fill in holes here and there, and I'm DONE!!! This will be my biggest finish EVER! In the 17 years that I have been stitching, this is The Largest project I have ever done! I have really been enjoying it! Thank you all of you who have left comments throughout the years that I have been working on this, to encourage me while working on this! Wow...just one more page.....

Alyssa says "Hello Santa!"

2011-12-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

Soooo cute! I love it! She was so curious about his beard that she didn't even cry!! Infact she almost took it with her when her daddy lifted her off his lap! Ooops...we almost had a "great reveal" issue! That woulda been bad! Well, I am just about finished with page 8 of Howling at the Moon! I am trying like mad to get it totally done up before posting a photo of it here! Then just one more page to go and some fill in here and there and wa-la! My huge piece will be done! I have also been working on another piece for Alyssa which I will share here soon, I had to get something else out since I'm done with my Cards, something a bit easy on the eyes for when it's late and I wanna stitch but don't wanna put the concentration in that is required for Howling!

Oh yeah, has everyone else's posting options gone to HTML? Just curious! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas if I don't make it back here before then! But I'm gonna try to!

Where is time going? It was just the 1st yesterday...wasn't it?!?!

2011-12-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

Wow!~ I don't know how it got to be the 13th without my posting a photo of my SAL piece that was worked on the first weekend of the month! The days are just going too fast!!! So without further ado here is Coming Home For the Holidays after working on it the first weekend of December...

Not bad! I think I got about 3 hours in on it. It is really coming along!

Lately I have been working on Howling at the Moon, now that I'm pretty much done with Christmas Card stitching, so that is my main project now! I want to look through my WIP's and see if there is another project I can work on so I don't bore you with lots of Howling at the Moon...I like to rotate my projects (loosely) to keep things fresh! A nice small project would be nice! But we'll see what I turn up...I will share Howling at the Moon in my next post. Page 8 is more than half way finished!! I can't wait! A finish on that big ole' honkin' thing is very near...probably a few months away yet, but the end is near....then comes the task of what BAP Iwanna work on next! I probably should go back and try to finish The Abbey, but I have been toying with the idea of starting a brand new one...we'll see....

Bad blogger!

2011-12-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

Yup, thats me! See? I think of blogging as a two part system! There's the "Posting to my own blog" part, and then there's the "Commenting and visiting your blog" part...I suppose I'm doing ok on the first part but horribly on the second! (If my overfull google reader is any indication!) Please forgive me wonderful fellow bloggers and followers! I just enjoy SOOO many blogs that to comment on every one all the time...well I would never post to my blog cause I wouldn't have any time to stitch,therefore nothing to blog about! So, this morning I did try to go around and visit and say hello to some of you! There is soooooo much stitchy beauty out there!! =) I will be back with a post of Coming Home for the Holidays soon...maybe even later today!!

I hope you're all having a great day! And although it is already the 8th here,I pray that my fellow Americans will keep in remembrance those who lost lives at Pearl Harbor 70 years ago!

Christmas Card Craziness!! And a bit of Cuteness

2011-12-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

Well, first up is a photo of Alyssa, just cause she adds a sense of cuteness to my blog that stitching just doesn't cover! She was hiding behind the curtains! And here are some of my Christmas Cards completed! I thought I had taken photos of the stitching for the last two that I finished just on their own, but apparently not, so here are 5 of the ten that will be going out to select close family and friends. I originally wanted to get more stitched up, but I couldn't do it! Oh well, better luck next time!

and this is what the inside looks like:

Is it corny? I mean I know it's not professional quality by any means, but my mom used to help us kids make all our Valentines for our class Valentine parties, while other people were handing out store bought ones, my mother instilled in us the special-ness of something hand made! So, even though it may not be perfect, I enjoyed making them, and so I hope those who recieve them enjoy them too.

Well, this past weekend, I worked on Coming Home for The Holidays, as it was SAL weekend with Juls, so I will be sharing a photo of that here soon!

Thank you all for reading! I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season so far, and I will post again soon!

I need some suggestions/help/advice!

2011-12-01T19:36:00.000-08:00

today as I sat on my couch happily stitching away on my Christmas Cards, which I have started assembling and I think they are looking really nice, I realized that my parents 50th wedding anniversary is coming up in the summer of 2013! I would LOVE to do a beautiful large piece of stitching to commemorate the occasion, and to gift them with. Do any of my readers have any ideas of something that would be a good idea for a piece for this? I sorta wanna do a sampler, but larger than that...something that says "Wow! She put some TIME into that!!" Something along the lines of my wolves, but that may have to do with love, or a 50th wedding anniversary...? I need some suggestions!

And I promise I will be sharing stitchy photos soon!!!

Howling at the Moon update and Marine Ball photo

2011-11-20T19:44:00.001-08:00

I am well into page 8 on this. I really wanted to be finished with this page by Nov. 15th but that didn't happen, so I guess my goal to finish this entire piece by Years End is not gonna happen! Oh well. And especially now with all the holiday hooplah going on...it's not gonna get done! So, I guess I will make a new goal: to have it finished by Valentines day 2012! That gives me plenty of time!

And now I will share a photo of me and my handsome hubby at the Marine Corps ball!

This isn't the greatest photo, as one of my eyes wouldn't adjust when I tried to fix red eye, so I have one red eye and one whatever-color-they-use-to-fix-red-eye-with eye. You can't see it, but the bottom of my dress has that dark blue sashing along the bottom as well. This is actually my wedding dress! I got it especially for the fact that it was sorta plain but would match his uniform, that way I could wear it on more than one occasion. I have now worn it three times, once to formal night on a cruise we went on, and once to The Air Force Ball, and now to this ball. I think for our next ball, I'm gonna buy a new dress. I am getting sick of this one! We'll see!

Well, incase I don't post before then, I hope that all my American readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday!! I pray it is filled with lots of good food, and friends and family!

Some finishes and Birthday celebration! (heavy photo post!)

2011-11-14T20:01:00.001-08:00

First up I would like to share my recent finishes:
This one I JUST finished half an hour ago!
Here is "Christmas Blessings" Finished:

And now I want to share some photos from my birthday celebration. Note there will be no photos of me here, as my hair was a mess and the hubs wouldn't let me go brush it, so there! LOL

Here's the birthday loot...some of it anyway...I got more books with that gift card. My Father In Law got me all those beautiful shells, and the little green Shi shi dogs (The little statues right in front of the gift card) don't know if I spelled it right. I got also the boxed set of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. Ever since I saw the first one back when I worked in the book section of Sams club, over 3 years ago, I have thought these looked cute, and they were! I finished all 5 within two days I think! They were something that I woulda loved as a child...it sorta took me back to my childhood reading days. There in the lower right hand corner are two "More adult" books: "Joy comes in the morning" by Betty Smith (Author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn") and "The Plot Against America" which is on a list I am currently trying to read through "Dr. Boxall's 1001 Books you must read before you die" Which I am sure I will never get through all 1001 titles, especially since he releases a new edition every year, so it's more like 1020 books you must read..." And I was looking for some fun TV shows to watch, so hubby got me the first two seasons of Cougar Town, which I'm about half way through the second season, it is FUNNY!

Here is my hubby and Alyssa right before I blew out the candles...

Here's the cake!

WHAT?!

Aaaahhh, now THAT's better!

After presents we went out to dinner then came home to eat cake and watch a few episodes of my new show.

So, it was small, but a nice day. I also got 5 more books with the gift card, plus a book, a coffee mug and a ton of Victoria's Secret body stuff from a dear friend!

All in all a very nice 34th celebration!!

And now you probably can see by the inscription on the cake why the name of my blog is what it is! But you can call me Lana! =)

Yay for 34!

2011-11-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

I had an amazing birthday!! My hubby spoiled me like crazy! As most of you know who read this blog and know me my other passion besides stitching is reading, I made out BIG in that area! I got 12 new books!!! SCORE!!!

I didn't get any stitchy things, but I am still waiting for my parents gift (they usually send money) so maybe I can use the money for some stitchy stuff....maybe a new pattern by Ink Circles?...hmmm...

Along with my stitching and reading, I have decided to revert back to an old love of mine, when I was a kid, I used to LOVE to write and recieve letters...and I have found some great pen paling groups on FB (yeah sometimes that page isn't totally evil!) and so I have decided to try my hand at letter writing again!

If any of you want to pen pal with me, I would love it! You can put your e-mail address in the comments section, my comments are on moderator approval so if you put it in the comments and ask me not to I won't post it, or/and you can just put your addee down and I won't post it in comments. Up to you! =) I used to have some stitchy pen pals, it's fun, because then you can talk all about your love of Cross stitch...

So, that is what has been up with me here...just enjoying my birthday and a long Veterans day weekend! Been so busy with pen paling and reading my new books no stitching in for a few days now. But right after i post this I am gonna go remedy that!!

Thank you to you all who left such wonderful comments wishing me a happy birthday! and my headache DID infact flee the scene before my day! Ok, off to work some more on the Christmas Card I am working on. I think I might be able to finish it today! Wish me luck!

Coming Home for the Holidays SAL progress...

2011-11-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

Worked on this a few hours this weekend, wasn't sure I was gonna get to it. It was a busy weekend. Had to get up early Saturday to take guest to the Airport, then came home went back to bed for a bit, then got up, went to the store, then came home worked out, took my shower, made dinner, then our friend came over for dinner, and I had a headache so went to bed early. Sunday was church, then out to lunch with church people, and had a headache again, so rested. I wasn't sure I wanted to stitch with my head hurting like that, but took some meds and felt better so got some work in on this in the evening! It's coming along. All the blue on the lower right hand side? My hubby did that sometime earlier in October....lol...Hope you're having a great week! I'm doing ok, I still have my headache, it's rainy and tomorrow I turn 34 years old...Happy Birthday to me and the US Marine Corps! Joyful stitching!

Wow! busy busy busy!

2011-11-05T15:16:00.001-07:00

The past week we have had a house guest, so we have been busy! I got a little stitching in which I will share soon! I finished the "Christmas Blessings" card and am now working on "Three Candy canes" I am a little under half way finished with page 8 of Howling at the Moon. And this weekend I am working on "Coming Home for the Holidays" my SAL with Julie. So I've been busy, just not much time for posting here. But I wanted to share this picture of Alyssa. She was a little lion for Halloween...I thought she was adorable! She didn't like the head piece very much, and the costume was very warm, which was horrible, since it is still in the 80's here, with high humidity! I wish Fall would get here sometime soon! Or winter....I am sick of the heat! Well that's it for me here I will post progress on my other projects soon!

Christmas cards update...a finish and some progress!

2011-10-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

So, the christmas cards are just coming along. I was hoping to have 20 stitched up by Christmas. (Well, before then, actually, since I still have to have them assembled and ready to be mailed out in time!) Here is the one I am currently working on. All I have left is to finish stitching in the bird, and backstitch!

And here is my latest finish!

I have actually been trying to turn off the computer and get more reading and stitching in to finish up the year strong, since I have goals to finish 20 Christmas cards and finish Howling at the Moon by years end. And! I am in a 75 book challenge, which I have pretty much given up on, but have decided to make it a page challenge, of 22,500, and I am currently at 20,158. So I think I will make that! I just to read too many HUGE books this year! Oops...

I just got done reading David Baldacci's newest, which was awesome! You can find my review for it here: http://shandord.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-review-one-summer-by-david.html

If you enjoy books, which is my other passion, follow me there, and see what I'm reading! Love to see yah there!

Howling at the Moon-Page 8 Progress

2011-10-24T01:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the little bit of progress I've put into Howling! I wanted to post all last week, but that just didn't happen! I have started doing a pretty good workout every day Mon-Fri, to help with the depression AND to fit in my dress for the Marine Ball, so trying to find time to stitch enough to post something postworthy has been a bit hard. Though I HAVE been reading quite a bit!! and I have been working on my Christmas Cards. Infact I have another one finished and another started, which I will share on Thursday! So, that's what has been going on here, a little stitching, a little working out, a little reading, and hanging out with the daughter lots too! Thank you all for your lovely comments!! I love them all!

A finish!

2011-10-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest finish! A Halloween card. I only got 2 finished this year. I wanted to get more done, but that just didn't happen. This is a freebie I found at cyberstitchers.com. I did change a few things, Well, one thing...I gave the snail a smile. He looked really creepy with just eyes! So, I guess I do have time to try to finish one more card, but I should probably not, and just get these two finished and sent off, or they won't get there in time.

Thank you to those who laft me such nice, encouraging comments on my last post. Things are getting better, I think maybe I was just really tired. But even though I have not been feeling great lately I have made myself get up every day and do my workout! I think this might be helping my mood a bit!

Well, I started on page 8 of Howling on the Moon, but there really isn't enough progress to share yet. So, maybe next time. I am having a hard time finding time to stitch lately. Especially with trying to get a good work out in every day. I really need to just turn off this computer for a week and try to catch up on some things! =) As if! Ha ha!

Thank you for reading, and I will try to get some good stitching in and post some more photos of Howling here soon! I am also really close to a finish on my "Joy to the World" christmas card, so maybe I will be able to finish it soon and share photos of it as well. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

The blahs...

2011-10-10T02:47:00.001-07:00

Ok, this has very little to do with stitching, what I want to say, so if you want to just skip this post that is fine, I understand. I will start of with the stitch portion of this post so you can read and move on if you like! But I feel like I just want to "talk" about how I feel. I know, I know, you're probably saying "Get a therapist already!" LOL

so, stitch-wise things are...sloooow...mostly all I have worked on this entire past week has been one halloween card. I wanted to try to finish it this weekend, and just have not had the energy to pull it out and work on it anymore than a few minutes at a time. I have wanted to work on Howling, I have wanted to work on "Joy to the World" card, but I just can't find the energy...

Which brings me to the non-stitchy portion of this post.

So, Friday I went to the doctor to get a refill on my prescription for my Birth control, however, they won't give it to me because my blood pressure is too high. I understand this, and it makes sense. It's not the first time this happened. It happened in 06 also, and I learned to live with it.

I do have blood pressure meds that I take, or am supposed to...ahem. I am horrible about taking pills, and being on top of that. I forget them, or whatnot, so I am sure this has contributed to my blood pressure being so high. I had it under control when I was pregnant, and now it is all out of whack again.

So, in order to try to lower the BP I have decided no more coffee, until I get this straightened out. I have also decided to try to be better about taking my BP pills. Yeaaaah...There is a label on the pill bottle...something to the affect of "This medicine may cause drowsiness...blah blah and so on..." so, the whole "No coffee, AND taking of drowsy medicines"?....Naaaaaaap....zzzz....

I feel so out of it! I am tired, and due to the no hormones in the BC I am also cranky, and sad, and irritable, and I'm just a mess....I have no energy to do anything, I took a three hour nap today and though I just woke up a few hours ago I feel ready to go back to bed. I hate feeling this way!!

I'm sorry for the rant, but I just needed to talk to someone, and I appreciate it if you read all this drivel, I do. Anyway, I think I am gonna go curl up in bed and just go to sleep. Why fight it? I will try to get a stitchy/photo post up this week! Thank yo uagain for listening to me!

Happy Birthday!!

2011-10-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my blog!! Today it turns 6 years old!

My how time flies!! Thank you to all you wonderful stitchers who inspire me daily and encourage my love of cross stitch! I have found some great people here!

Coming Home for the Holidays

2011-10-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

I worked on this last weekend, and I think I got about 3 hours of work in on it, as me and the hubs were busy, it being payday weekend, we had date night, and grocery shopping to do, and we went out to dinner with a friend on Saturday. It is s-l-o-w-l-y coming along!! But I find that I am enjoying working on this one again!

WHERE is time going?!

2011-10-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

They tell me there are 24 hours in a day, but I'm not sure I believe it!! It is already October and there is less than 3 months left of the year!

Which reminds me....although I've been steadily working on Christmas Cards, I only have ONE Halloween card stitched up yet!! And there are only 26 days left until that holiday!! I better get busy, huh?

Well, I HAVE been busy, but just not on those cards...My daughter is now 7 months old, and she seems to want my undivided attention more than ever lately!! So, been busy with that. And I am trying to work out a bit more, as the Marine Ball is in a month and if I wanna fit in my dress I gotta loose some weight! UGH! I've been trying to read more as I am in a 75 book challenge at Goodreads, and I just finished book 54 last night...got a ways to go, and I don't see that happening! I am,obviously, not going to complete my "Up for a Challenge" goals either! Of course then I sit and try to read all your lovely blogs, and comment on every one! That takes up alot of time, but I LOVE it!!

Time just slips through our fingers like sand!! Hope the month of October is treating you well so far! I will share photos in my next post! I promise!

Progress photo Friday and a finish!

2011-09-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, i have been working pretty steadily on Howling at the Moon, and am almost finished with page 9!! which means just about only 2 more pages to go until a finish on this one! I figure, there are three months left of the year that gives me 1.5 months to finish each page. I think I can do it! Here is just the work on page 9:

and here is the whole thing...sooooo close now!! I really think I can finish it this year!!

And I have also been working on my Christmas cards as well. Here is card #6. It says Joy to the World, and has two angels with trumpets. (Or it will, when it is finished!)

And here is my finish on card #5! I like this one, I think it is really pretty! Sorry about the shadow in the lower right hand corner.

Well, that is about it for me here. Thank you to those of you who hopped over to my new blog to check out my story. I hope to be able to keep up with it. It is so weird, me and my hubby are both kind of hermits, we don't have a lot of friends, and don't go out alot, but I keep finding myself VERY busy!! I have soooo many hobbies!! sometimes I am actually overwhelmed with the things I have to do. not as in obligation "have to do" but as in they're there, so why not do them? LOL....Oh well, it makes life fun and full, right?

This weekend is my SAL with Juls from A Stitch in Time With Julie on "Coming Home For the Holidays"...so I will be busy with that, and the hubs wants to go on a date this weekend as well, so that will be nice,, to get out and away from the baby. I love the little tyke, but sometimes it is so nice to go out and not have to worry about her.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

A new blog for those romance readers out there!

2011-09-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you remember in June I had tried to revamp my blog here to include some of my other love, besides just stitching, then my life got a bit hectic and it all went to...well lets just say south...but! I have made a new blog for my fictional piece.

Here's a little peak at what will be there:

Breaking Away
When Dicia's long time boyfriend decides to break it off for another girl, she decides it's time to move on. Hang out with her for awhile and see how she mends her broken heart, by returning to her first true love-Cross stitch! Using plenty of Cross stitch floss and love from her true friends, she is able to break away from the pain and start to heal. And is that...? Yes! Maybe even a new love?

Please come on over and visit! I'm really excited about this new writing endeavor!

http://c79603.blogspot.com/

If you've stitched an Ink Circles "Cirque" piece, please help!

2011-09-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

This will be a short post, as I have been having the itch to start a project by Ink Circles, I have not decided yet which one...I'm probably gonna eventually try to do all three in the "Cirque" series, I think they are absolutely beautiful!!

Anyway, I have a question, for those of you who have finished one of these pieces, can you tell me how many skeins of overdyed floss I will need (or there abouts) so that when I order my materials, I know about how many I should get? That would be so helpful!! I am so excited about this. I have been wanting to do one of these for a long time, ever since I finished BoInk in 2009. And now that I am soooo close to finishing that monster "Howling at the Moon", I have been thinking that ordering and stitching one of these would be a great reward for my accomplishment! =)

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my found project, and my Christmas Cards!! You are all so wonderful!!

A Finish and some Progress...

2011-09-23T17:08:00.001-07:00

Here is progress on my latest Christmas card. I just have to finish stitching in the ornaments and finish the back stitching on this and this one is done!!
And here is my finished Christmas Card that was in progress the last time I showed a picture. I like this one! i think it is very pretty!

Oh yes! And my lost project is found...right where it should be!! I'm just a doink head sometimes! all this time it has been in with my stitching stash, since up until now it has basically been a stitching project. but now that the squares have been stitched it's a quilting project! So, guess where I found it?! In the Quilting stash!!!! Gee, go figure! Thank you all who crossed your fingers for me!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and thank you to my new followers!!! It's always so nice to know that people are enjoying your passion along with you!!

Devastated...=(

2011-09-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

I can't find my lamb quilt project for Alyssa!!!! The last time I remember seeing it was when we moved in April....I have looked all over. I thought I'd put it in the special pile that I moved over to the house, but it is not with that pile (obviously, as "Howling at the moon was in the pile and I have it!)...I don't know what to do!! I am still looking. Tearing though everything, and looking every place I can think it can be! Please cross your fingers that I find it!

Will post a photo update soon!

Crazy busy!!

2011-09-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

Last week was insanely busy for me! We were babysitting a friends 7 month old son, while she traveled for work. Wow! It was almost like having twins! My daughter and the little boy are only 3 weeks apart in age! Throw in Separation anxiety and we had ourselves quite a busy week!! The poor little guy was so sad, as he'd not been away from his mom that long since he's been born. He would cry at night time, and just bury his little teary face into my shoulder and hang onto me for dear life.

She returned this evening and I had to sort of admit, that while it was quite a challenge and a test of my patience and motherly love, I was sorta sad to see him go. But I know he will be so much more happy with his momma.

this being said I was SOOOO exhausted every evening from the tearful tirades that being able to read or stitch after we would get the babies to sleep was just not happenin'. I was too exhausted and just fell into bed and often right to sleep pretty much as soon as I got both little tykes to sleep.

I am looking forward to some stitching and reading time this week! I have missed it sooooo much!! I do have some progress on Howling to share, that I had gotten done before the crazy week, and I have some progress on one of my christmas cards as well! So I will share them probably tomorrow! Boy this month has not been productive at all, and definitely not blog-filled. I can't believe this month is more than half way over with and I have only posted once so far!! We gotta remedy that soon!!

Ok, I'm off to curl up in bed with my book, it's late, but I need to get back into my routine. Tomorrow? I stitch!!! Good night everyone!!

SAL post #1...

2011-09-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

I know you LOVE my title!! Very original, and creative! Haha! So, today is the day I think we are supposed to share our progress that I am doing with Jules of "A Stitch in time with Jules" (Who recently changed her blog name, and used to be "Julies Creations".) Anyway, no matter the name of the blog, it is still the same great person writing about their lovely stitchiness!

We are both working on a project called Coming Home for the Holidays. I think the last time I worked on this one was in November and you can see what it looked like then here.

So, our SAL will take place the first weekend of every month and then we will share our progress the following week. This being a long weekend, it gave us a little extra time! So, here is my progress. for the most part I work on the big long line of brown and a little more blue and white in the roof of the house. (If you can tell that is a house)

I am sooo excited to be working on this project with Julie, and when you see how far she is don't laugh at me ok? She is WAY further along than I but I still wanted some motivation to get some work in on this!

Well, I wanted to let you know, that my weekend didn't get a whole lot better, the best day was Monday and nothing happened that day, on friday I was treated like garbage by someone I thought was a friend, then Saturday I fought with the hubs (but no worries we made up!) Sunday my daughter was a grumpy pants, because she is teething now! Poor little girl. And yesterday (Monday) was ok.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! and here before I close out, I want to share a video of Alyssa! Who doesn't like baby laughter?! I personally think it is the greatest thing in the world. It is so carefree and contagious! I can't help but to laugh right along with her when she giggles! So, enjoy!!!

Blue Christmas

2011-09-02T16:14:00.001-07:00

No, I don't plan on having a Blue Christmas, I'm just stitching Blue Christmas designs. For some reason, I really enjoy getting away from the traditional red,green, gold, etc. colors of Christmas. Here are two more cards. The first one isn't finished yet, the second one is!

That's about it here for me. It's a long weekend here, and it started off really badly for me, yesterday, but I'm hoping it gets better! Joyful stitching!!

Wow! I just looked and realized just how blurry these photos are!! I'm sorry! The lighting here is really bad!!

What the Huh?!

2011-08-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am mildly irritated!! Ok maybe a little more than mildly....I have always been able to order my DMC floss from a certain retailer on line, since I have moved to Japan. I am not going to name the retailer, because I don't want to give them a bad name, however, right now I am NOT very happy with them at all!! I tried to place an order for DMC on Saturday from this retailer, but I couldn't figure out HOW, I thought that is weird there is no place to put things "in my cart", then I notice at the bottom of the page a note in red that says "We're sorry we are unable to deliver this item outside North America". So I wrote them an e-mail telling them that I have an APO address and so my mailing address IS in the US, just that I AM in Japan. She wrote me back pretty quickly and said "Yes, but the product will still end up in Japan, so we can't make your order, I'm sorry."

So, I sent another e-mail saying "Well, just out of curiosity, why not? I have never had problems with it in the past." I mean, do the silk worms have cooties or something? I mean, I know the Japanese are huge germaphobes but come on now!! (No offense intended, it's actually a good thing!) And I have not heard back from them yet! They promise responses within 24 hours and it's been nearly 35 hours since I last sent it. (I didn't write the cootie part in the e-mail, just the fact that I wondered why not since I have never had problems in the past)

So I was actually thinking that I could get around it, by just having it shipped to my parents, and then just have them forward the package to me, but if I don't get an answer then forget it, I'm not gonna reward bad customer service!!

So now I'm scouting around to see if anyone else does shipping outside the US, it looks like "1-2-3 Stitch" does, and their prices look pretty reasonable...can anyone tell me if they have used this retailer before and if they got good/timely customer service? Or! If I can pay someone to be my "Floss Fairy"...lol...I could send you money to buy it and send it, if you are in the US it is just like mailing with in the US, there are no airmail fees or anything....I'm just sooo frustrated!! The craft store here, although they carry a good amount of DMC, for some reason NEVER have the color(s) I need! GAH!

Anyway, so that is what I am dealing with on the stitchy front right now!
I wanted to thank all the wonderful people who left me comments wishing me safety in our next typhoon! It actually went the other way!!! So, we have just had a little bit of rain, but that is it!

Also I am super excited for this upcoming weekend, it is my first weekend working on an SAL with Jules from http://julies-creations.blogspot.com/. We are both working on a piece called "coming home for the holidays" and although she is quite a bit further along in the project than I, I suggested we do a SAL, in hopes that it would motivate me to work on this project a bit!! So, we will be sharing our progress next week on that!

Well, I finished another Christmas Card but this is already a really long post, so I will be posting it in my next post!
Thank you all for stoppin' in to say hello, I love all your comments!! and I am also enjoying hitting up your blogs and leaving notes here and there as well! And Also a friendly Hello to my new followers!!!

Til next time: Joyful Stitching!!

Hiding...

2011-08-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

From all your blog rolls, that is!! Stop it, I tell you! Stop blog rolling all this wonderful stitchy blogginess! Don't you know, there are only 24 hours in a day?! And everytime I look at someones blog, I try not to, but sometimes, I can't help myself, I take a peek at their blog roll to see if there is someone I HAVE to keep tabs on, and my google reader is just getting FAT!! It needs to go on a diet! So for the love of my sanity!!! STOP posting all those lovely blogs! I don't have time to check them all out and that makes me sad! What if I miss something?!

I'm soooo kidding, of course!! This blogging thing is just about as addictive as the hobby itself! LOL...I love reading new (to me) blogs, and I keep finding more! It's a never ending journey!! LOL

Well, I wanted to also say I hope everyone out there on the east coast are doing all they can to stay safe from Irene! Don't try to be a hero, EVACUATE if they tell you to!! Do whatever you can to stay safe!!!

And while you are all batteling with Irene, we have a(nother) Typhoon on it's way here to our tiny Japanese island as well, slotted to hit on Tuesday or/and Wednesday...so we'll see what this one does! The last one took over 53 hours to pass through. During which we were all house bound....obviously since what idiot would really be out and about in 115+ mph winds? Hopefully no one!

I am going to be anxiously checking my google reader to hear from those of you on the East Coast, and knowing you're all ok!! Now go be safe!!

So much to do, so little time to do it all in!!

2011-08-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

While I have not been blogging, (writing posts or many comments) I HAVE been stitching! Here is a finish on my first Halloween piece that will become a Card for some lucky person! Ha ha! This was fun and pretty easy to do!

And here is progress on Howling at the Moon:

Sorry for the uncropped picture! I don't know what happened, I edited it when I downloaded it but when I went to put it up only this one was in my pictures. I also took one of the whole thing with the additional part, but it is sideways, so I will just wait until next post to share it...

I have been really busy. I am trying to get more reading and stitching in, and with my daughter, who as she is getting older is harder to keep happy...she seems to want momma's undivided attention every minute she's awake...soooo...I can normally only stitch or read during her sleeping hours, which it's great that she sleeps all night, but I gotta sleep then! So it leaves me with about 6 hours to myself, between naps, and her bedtime at 8 pm, to do anything I want/need to do, and I have been trying to work out more now too, so I gotta get that crammed in there somewhere, and this past weekend, it seemed that everyone and their brother wanted to hang out with us! So, stitching and reading has gotten set aside, but I am still getting a bit done, but I just have been not on the computer as much, as when I sit at the comp, I get that itchy, naggy feeling that I should be doing something else with my time! So, I haven't really taken the time to write many comments, or here blogging, haven't hardly been on FB at all, just to answer direct inbox messages, or respond to stuff people leave for me. I'm seriously thinking that next year I'm gonna get rid of my FB account all together, but I'm conflicted in that that is basically the only way I am able to share my daughter with my family back home.

Oh well, if what I hear is true, a hacker is supposedly gonna "kill Facebook" on Guy Fawkes day anyway! (we'll see about that!) Then I'll be free to stitch and read with out guilt! LOL Hope you are all having a wonderful week! Thank you all for your encouraging comments, and for my new followers: Welcome!!

A Finish and some Progress!

2011-08-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's my progress on page 9 of Howling at the Moon. This is a close up of JUST what I've done on 9. And here is the whole thing with the new part on page 9. This page is really coming along pretty quickly. There are alot of large sections of the same color, so not alot of confetti stitching here, which I would guess attributes to it being so quick to stitch!

Here is my snowman piece finished. This is going to be a Christmas card, I love snowmen and think this is sooo cute!

So, that is all here for today. I have been so good in turning off the computer and really putting time in my stitching and reading this month.

So far I have

- Finished reading three books

- Finished stitching Page 6 of Howling at the Moon
- Finished stitching 2 cards

So, not bad so far, for it only being barely in the double digits of the month!! I wonder if I can finish page 9 this month? I don't want to get my hopes up... I have been battling depression alot lately so I spend hours a day doing absolutely nothing, laying in bed, because I just don't have the energy or the care to do anything at all. Well, that's it for me for now, I will post again soon!
I started my first Halloween card today so maybe I'll have a finish on it next time I post!

A Finish!

2011-08-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

I finished the card for my parents! Look at the little bride's necklace! I made it out of a string of seed beads! The pattern originally called for French knots, but I totally suck at those, so I thought why not just use a string of beads. I think it came out cute!

Yay! We made it through Typhoon Muifa without a scratch! It lasted 52 hours long! During which we were house bound! But! We were some of the lucky ones...some people we know were without electricity (and still are) for HOURS! And we only lost power for about ten minutes this morning at around 7:30. Some people have flooding, we had none. We were very lucky! Thank you again to everyone who sent us good thoughts and prayers!

Category 2...

2011-08-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our super Typhoon is loosing it's super powers...it went from a Category 4 to a 3, and now we are at a steady 2! The last one we had was a 2 also and while there was destruction, the lower the Category number, the happier, and safer I'll be!

And I still need to share progress on Howling at the Moon! I will, I promise! Just things are kinda crazy right now with this storm coming, whenever I go on the computer I'm just looking at the weather and tracking this storm. Plus I don't know if you've ever been in a situation like this, but if you have you know there is a certain amount of nervous energy that gets stored up.So, I find that I have not been able to settle to do much of anything, can't read, or stitch, I just pace alot or dabble in mundane house chores, and then check the computer again. But now that it doesn't seem like it's gonna be so bad, maybe I'll be able to get some things done.

Thank you again for all your good thoughts and prayers! They are greatly appreciated!

Typhoon update

2011-07-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

Our Typhoon HAS infact calmed down...now at a cat 3 by the time it hits land...which is still pretty strong, but there are still a few days yet, it may be a cat 2 or 1 by the time it gets here...prayers up! I'll be logging in later to share a stitchy update on Howling...I got a little work in on it this weekend, and am doing well on page 9! Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts for our tiny island!

ANOTHER ONE?! Come oooon!!!

2011-07-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Super Typhoon Muifa : 5 Day Forecast Map : Weather Underground

This isn't a stitchy update, but just wanted to ask my readers if they could keep us in prayer/good thoughts? There is a HUGE typhoon to hit our island direct this week, (A category 4 which is 131-155 mph winds!) It isn't slotted to hit the island until Thursday, so by then it may calm down a bit, or it may change direction...but the last one we had was pretty bad, and I think it was only a cat.3 (111-130 mph winds) I'm a little freaked!

Anyway. Thank you all! And if you dont' hear from me, my electricity probably got knocked out or something!! I don't know...Oh well, the good thing about being a stitcher/reader is I can easily amuse myself for hours with no electricity! =)

And I'll See You in Your Comment Box!

2011-07-27T14:06:00.001-07:00

Wow! This has been a very good bloggy week for me, not so much in the fact of MY posting so much as how much I am truly enjoying reading all your blogs! See here? Here is my google reader...to the right you see those words "No Unread items"....I'm so proud of myself! For the past three days (four? Hmm...don't remember...) I have read and commented on every entry that has been in my googlereader! I started thinking about life, and about the things I am passionate about, which are 1)family 2) Stitching 3)reading...so, I decided that life is too short not to do the things I love! How many times have you heard friends or loved ones say "I love to read, but I don't have time for it anymore?" Or "I used to love doing needlework/crafts, but I don't have time anymore." In my opinion they didn't "love it" they might have enjoyed it, and liked it, but if you love something I would think you'd invest some time in it! Even when I was working practically full time I would get up an hour and a half earlier just so I could do some reading and stitching before heading off to work! THAT is loving something. I don't know, maybe I'm crazy! Anyway, all this tangent to say that this whole blogging experience is so wonderful! I have met some lovely people, who are so creative and inspire me in that love of my life, and then all I do is sit on the computer and go on FB....which don't get me wrong, to a military spouse who is stationed on the other side of the world from friends and family, I am grateful for FB and the easy chance to stay in touch with friends and family back home. But many of them do not understand or share my love of reading and stitching, those people who are nuts about fabric and floss I have found here, in blogland. So, why would I spend hours a day looking at FB, and yet allow my googlereader to overflow with months of backlog? I miss so much! So, I have vowed to spend my computer time more wisely, investing in my passions, even whilst on the computer! So, thank you,dear fellow bloggers! For encouraging me in my passion for stitching and for just being such wonderful people! Stitchers are the friendliest people around!!

Ok, now that that tirade is off my chest, here is a progress photo of the card I am stitching up for my parents wedding anniversary!
I think this is their 48th(?) anniversary! So I thought I would stitch up a cute little card for them. I have been so busy with the new baby that my card sending has gone to pot this year! I don't think I've even sent one yet this year! ::hanging head in shame:: Not even a store bought one! So! I thought to make up for it, I would try to finish off the year with hand made ones instead! They can't balk at that, right? (I hope) Anyway, I love these little bears!! They come from a book called "101 Bears with Personality" I got it YEARS ago, infact I think I got it the same summer I started stitching which was 17 years ago! I've used this book to make other cards in the past as well. They are just sooooo cute! As you can see, I am just about finished with the little bride, all I have left is to finish backstitching her and her flowers. This photo doesn't show it, but the blue I used to backstitch her veil and garter is shiney sparkly blue! And then of course you can see I have quite a bit to finish up on the little groom! But it shouldn't take too long.

So, anyway, that's what has been up in my neighborhood! A little stitching and enjoying your blogs! See yah in your comment box!!

A "finish", and a "start"

2011-07-24T15:55:00.001-07:00

I did it! I finished page 6 on Howling at the Moon, and am now working on page 9! Now I only have 3 more pages and some fill in to work on (you can probably see holes here and there where I skipped...Ooops...anyway....I am so excited! 1 more "project" crossed off my "Up for a Challenge" challenge!

Here's the whole thing:

And here is JUST the part I finished and the start on page 9...quite a bit done!! I haven't worked on this on in forever It feels like, I never pick it up, thinking "I don't have enough time to work on it, I won't get enough put in to matter", but when I do, I find that it actually stitches up pretty quickly! Well, that is all for today! I worked a tiny bit on my parents Anniversary card, but I would rather wait until I finish it to share here. Hope you have a great week! The last week in this month! Wow!! It always seems like the second half of the year goes faster than the first...I don't know why that is...is it just me? Or is it like that for everyone? Hmmm...Ok, off to read or stitch while the baby is taking her morning nap!

Thank u! Thank you! thank u!

2011-07-21T22:58:00.001-07:00

I took all your advice and it worked!!! sometimes I can be such a dork! Love technology, but sometimes it just doesn't love me back!! LOL...Thank you all so much!!

So frustrated!! UGH!

2011-07-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so what is going on with this new blogger thing?! I'm not having problems with blogger per se, but I am having problems leaving comments! Is anyone else having these issues? It's frustrating me! I'm so sorry to my friends who I couldn't leave comments to...=( I tried, I really did! But it keeps telling me to sign into my google account, about a million times, so I give up! I think it's Wordpress users I'm having troubles with...SAD!!

Finish #2 for the year!! I'm on a roll!

2011-07-20T15:06:00.001-07:00

This is a really dark photo of my second card finish for the year!! It stitched up pretty quickly. If I'd just concentrated on it and not been playing on the computer I'd have had it finished sooner!

I am still working on the snowmen, but not much progress on them, so decided to wait until it's finished to share them! I really think that I need to set the Christmas ones aside and work on the anniversary one for my parents that is due next month! So, probably in my next post I will share that...hopefully it will be a finish.

Still no finishes but there is progress!

2011-07-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Snowmen: I have been working on my cards this week! Here are two of the Christmas ones! They are still in progress! The "Joy" one is closer to a finish than the snowmen one! All I have left of the Joy one is to do the shaded outline of the letter, finish the christmas tree that is in the middle of the "O", and backstitch. I was hoping to get a finish on it yesterday, but the tiny tot, cute as she is, would not let me stitch! She wouldn't nap!!! And boy is she whiney when she doesn't nap!

Well, that is about it here, I am also working on an anniversary card for my parents! I was gonna make a wedding one for my sis in law who is getting married today but I don't think she'd really appreciate it! So, eh, forget it, I'll buy her one at the store! Afterall I sent her an e-mail telling her congratulations and wish we could be there and we are sad that we can't be and told her I bet she'll be abeautiful bride and can't wait to see pics. Then I asked her a non- wedding question about someone I thought she might know. I got an e-mail back asking only about the person I asked about! No thank you for the congratulations or any sorrow for our not being able to be there- Nothing!!! I was like I am NOT wasting my time, energy, materials and talent on someone like that! Oh well, no biggie! Just more time to work on my other cards. I am thinking that once I finish one of these Christmas ones I'll get started on a Halloween one! I am soooooo excited! I know Summer is only half over but I can't wait for fall! We don't really have fall here...ok we DON'T have fall here at all, but I can still stitch in fall, and that is fine with me!

My very first Finish of the year! And Alyssa all ready for July 4th!

2011-07-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

I did it! I did it!! I actaully finished a piece of stitching!!! Amazingly enough the year is half over and I stitched this up in 2 days flat. I have decided to start stitching cards: Christmas, friendship, birthday, Halloween, Thankgiving, etc, etc....as I enjoy having a quick finish now and then, plus, like last year I had monthly finish goals with my monthly smalls, and I really enjoyed having a monthly goal. And small finishes. This one isn't a monthly goal sort of project, but I have my list of recipients and their birthdates and anniversaries, and of course all the holidays as well. And I'm just gonna work on cards and see how many I can get done and sent out this year, andit will probably go into next year as well. So now that this "friendship piece" is finished I wil probably put it in a letter for a pen pal...since I have a few, and my next card endeavor are two "wedding type cards"...one is for an actual wedding, and one is for my parents anniversary, which is next month, then I have my FIL's birthday in September, and then of course October: Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and then start in on Birthday ones for the following year, and St. PAtty's Day, Easter, and so on and so on...it'll keep me busy, I'm sure!

And this is not a stitchy pic, but here is Little Alyssa in her Red White and Blue, and ready to celebrate the fourth. Which ended up as a flop for us, but that is alright. Those people my hubby invited never showed! (After we spent all morning running around going to the store getting enough food for an army,and trying to get the house cleaned up!) they call an hour AFTER the time we'd invited them for, and told us they weren't coming!! So, while I was ticked at that, I was also relieved and glad they didn't come! So...it all ended up fine, but now I have an over abundance of Macaroni salad!! Oh well.

Ok, well I am off to get started on my next coupla cards, which I hope to share here soon! Hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!

A bit more progress!!

2011-07-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

I am so almost done with page 6 now!!! It is coming along! Just one more color to fill in on this page then it's down to page #9! (right below page 6) And the color I have to fill in here is white, so what you see here is basically as it will look after I have put in the last color! I am still lovin' this one!!

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent me sites on Christmas stuff!! Thank you all soooo much!! I actually looked in the one 4 drawer cabinet I DO have access to, which is mostly filled with WIP's and projects that are kitted up and ready to go, and finishes that need to be "finished-finished", and I found a few books in there with some holiday stuff I am thinking of doing...so between your suggestions, and the few books I found, I think I'm good!! Thank you sooo much!!

And! I wanted to share another cute photo of my girl, she's 4 months old now!! And weighs over 13 pounds!! More than double her birth weight!!

Here she is in her little Baby Gap jeans and her little monkey hoodie! SOOOOO cute!!!

Well, happy Fourth of July to all my American readers!!! I have to go clean up the house, as my wonderful husband invited people over for a BBQ without consulting me first, so now I have to go crazy trying to get the house in some sort of order, which will probably be torn apart anyway by the people's, who he invited, 5 year old animal...er...kid...who they don't discipline, so he runs wild like a savage! I hate it when parents don't do their job! Not like I'm a great mother or up for Mother of the Year Award or anything, but when you tell your kid no five times and then just decide to ignore them, when they ignore you, and not discipline them for not obeying you the FIRST time you said no, there is a problem! They don't enforce their word! Anyway, I am sincerely hoping they decline our offer to come over...keep your fingers crossed for me! Maybe I will get through the day with my house (and sanity) intact! ::rant over::

Christmas in July...help?

2011-07-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

For some reason lately I have been wanting to stitch small christmas designs fit for Christmas cards. I've never stitched my own cards before, because I was always so busy stitching other HUGE projects for myself or someone else.

Well, I am sorta getting tired of stitching on Howling at the Moon, actually, that's not true, I am still loving it like crazy, and am almost finished with page 6 but I want to work on something other than that allll the time! Just some small things to break up the monotony of that big ole' thing.

So, my question is, does anyone know of any sites that feature cute smallish free patterns that would be suitable for Christmas cards? I have plenty in my stash, but when we moved, my wonderful hubby didn't check with me first and put my huge box of sittching patterns at the bottom in the back of the storage closet!!! (I'm so mad!) So, if any of you could help, I'd appreciate it!! Thank you!!

Doing a bit better....

2011-06-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those of you who took the time to send me some virtual hugs and well wishes! I truly appreciate it! I am starting to feel a bit better. I guess I was just having a bummer coupla days there.

Well, I have been thinking about it, and I think I'm gonna go back to the way my blog was before...just stitchy stuff, just whenever I feel like posting...I still am going to write bookish posts you can find them here:http://shandord.blogspot.com/ , and I will also continue with my "book" which I will be putting in a new blog...I will post the link there in a bit, once I get it down.

I have finally found some time to work on Howling at the Moon a bit this week, so I will share that in my next post.

Tomorrow my husbands work is supposed to be having a "beach day" but the forecast is calling for another tropical storm, though it doesn't look like it will come too close to us, we will probably still get some outlying residual rain and wind from it, so the beach day may be cancelled!

But my hubby did get us tickets to a comedy show, featuring "Sinbad"....remember him? lol...So, tomorrow I get to leave my daughter with a sitter for the first time...I'm a bit nervous! We are going over to meet the sitter today, before we actually leave her there. but this lady is certified and has many charges so I'm guessing she must be pretty good. It'll only be for a few hours.

Also, I want to send out hearty thanks to a few wonderful bloggers in blogland. I was noticing that alot of people have been hitting up my blog lately and looked at my stats, alot of them came via these blogs, who have me on their blogroll....so I thank you for the extra traffic!

~Edgar at:http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/
~ Trina athttp://stitchingoz.blogspot.com/
~Sharon at http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/
~Sandy at http://smalltownstitchin.blogspot.com/
~Meredith at http://merrystitching.blogspot.com/
~ Dawn at http://goldenangelsworks.blogspot.com/
~Blu at http://blustitcher.blogspot.com/
~Deborah at http://cranberrysamplings.blogspot.com/

If you don't or have not read these blogs, go give them some love!! They are encredible people and also amazingly creative!!

Well, I am off to get my day started, and watch the rain....hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I hope to see you at "A Joyful Reader" (my book blog) and at my fictioanl blog (once I get it up and running!) I will let you know the addee soon!

'Til then, Happy stitching!

Down in the Dumps...life-ugh! Who needs it?!

2011-06-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

I am sorry to report that I don't have an update this week, as me and Alyssa have both been sick and under the weather this past week, so I haven't had much of a chance to stitch at all, plus,being sick, I just haven't had the energy or the want to to stitch, when I do have free time I usually sack out on the couch with the TV on or with a book...I am not sure when I will feel up to posting again.

I am also going through a slight depression right now, I usually do about this time of the year, so I don't really feel like being among the living, I just really wanna hide my head and wish that I were never born! So, maybe after I emerge from this emeotional funk, I will feel more like posting, but for now, I'm takin' a break. I'm sorry, dear readers, I hope you understand!

Tree Branch Thursday!

2011-06-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, last week while Lyssa was asleep, I was able to get some work in on this one! I am almost to the end of the outline of the green on top, if that makes sence, then once I'm done filling in the outline, which is the hardest part, trying to follow the pattern, then all I have to do is fill in and backstitch, on that part. My goal for this piece was to finish Tigger and that green up top there, I am not sure that will happen. I have not had a chance to stitch the past two days. And after dinner I always think "I'll stitch in the evening, but I'm so tired in the evenings I've been going to bed early (8-ish), by the time I'm done cleaning up after dinner, and getting the baby fed and down for the night, I am just too tired to do any serious stitching. I hate stitching when I'm so tired because I know I will probably mess up and then end up having to frog it all and so what's the point?

Anyway, I also wanted to share this photo of Lyssa and her daddy:

I thought it was so cute!! All you can see are her eyes and her feet!! LOL!!

Well, tune in again tomorrow for chapter two of "Breaking Away"....And just so you know! YES! There will be "Stitching" involved in my story...what do yah know? But that Dicia is a stitchaholic just like us!!! See yah all tomorrow!!

Book Talk Tuesday

2011-06-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

This past week has been good with the reading!! I finished THREE books:

-The Interruption of Everything by Terry McMillan
-The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
-Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by: Joanna Weaver

The first two were the last of 7 library books I checked out 6 weeks ago, and the third was a book that our womens bible study group at church picked.

What's next?

Well, I have been "reading" War and Peace now since May of last year. I use the term "reading" loosely, as I keep sitting it down to pick up other books, but I am going to make it a goal for me to finish War and Peace by September 15th... I am currently on page 812, and it has 1455 pages, which means I only have 643 pages left. So if I read 10 pages a day I should easily reach my goal!!

I am also in the middle of a few Re-reads as well. I love Anne Rivers Siddons, and i own all her works, and usually read a few of them every year, I think I have read all her works at least 4 or 5 times apiece. Right now I'm reading Colony. One of my favorites of hers. It takes place on the beach so it is a good summer read. I am also reading The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith. If anyone were to ask my what my all time favorite book was, this is it! I have read it about 15 or so times, and here I am reading it again.

So, that is what I'm working on in the reading arena right now. I know I said I would write a review but I have not worked one out yet. I need to, as I've already read 35 books this year, and now reviewed a single one. So...maybe next week. Now I just gotta figure out which book I want to review...anyone have a suggestion which book they might want to know more about that I could review?

Oh yes, and along the lines of "booktalk"...I was pleasantly surprised this past week when I opened my box of Cheerios and a childrens book fell out! It is called "How do you Hug a Porcupine? It is really cute. I will definitely put it on my daughter's shelf. I was impressed!! I remember when they put toys in cereal, and now they are putting in books?! Wow! I think that is awesome! I guess someone is trying ot get our kids to read more! I like that idea!

Howling at the Moon Monday

2011-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to get a whole lot done on this piece this week, as Alyssa is starting to cut teeth, and has been irritable, and cranky, so has needed some extra TLC this week, but this weekend with hubby home I was able to get about three hours in on it. I am still really enjoying this one, and even though I still have 3 more pages to finish after this page is done, I have been thinking about which big project I want to start next. There are three in my stash, so I have a few to choose from. I told the hubs that for my b-day I wanted money to order threads for the new BIG project I decide to start next year. We shall see! well, that's it for me here. The baby is asleep right now, so I'm gonna go try to clean up the house a bit and then sit and try to get some more stitching in. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Oh yes, and thank you for all the lovely comments I got on my posts last week. I know this used to be strictly a stitchy blog, but I think I will post more often this way, and it gives you a little variety! Thank you also goes to my new followers as well!!

Tree Branch Thursday!

2011-06-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Not a whole lot done, but a bit more in on Tigger, and the green in the tree at the top and the yellow border is growing on the left hand side. This one is really hard to keep up with, as the chart is really hard to follow, but I try to work on it a bit here and there, when I get a chance which, with a whiney pain in the butt child (cute as she may be!) it's not easy! speaking of which, gotta cut this short, she's crying AGAIN, gotta go!

Book Talk Tuesday

2011-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every year (for the past two years, and now this year) I try to read 75 books. I am a member on goodreads.com, and joined a group on there called the 75 book challenge where we all try to read 75 books during the year. Which basically averaged out is about 6 and a quarter books read a month.

As you all know, I had a baby in February, so the beginning of the year really stunk for me in the reading department (stitchy department too!) And so in February and March I only got 3 books read in each of those books! ::gulp:: However, I have drastically picked up the pace! This past month (May) I read 8 books!!! I was so excited!!

I am hoping to be able to do this again this month as well! Anyway, I just wanted to share what I read last month, with my personal star rating next to them, out of 5.

1. The Adventures of Sherlock Homes ****
2. Safe Haven By Nicholas Sparks ***** (Sparks usually always gets 5 stars here!)
3. The Christmas Train By: David Baldacci *****( This was my first book I've read by this author, and he will definitely be making another appearance on my book shelf!)
4. Amazing Word search collection (Not a REAL book, but I counted it, since it DOES have an ISBN number! Hey! With a new born in the house,I need all the help I can get to reach that 75 book goal! )
5. Haunted Schools ***** By:Allan S. Mott ( I love true ghost stories and am really into the paranormal!)
6. The Boleyn Inheritance ***** By: Philippa Gregory
7. Haunted Highways **** By: Dan Asfar (More ghosty stuff!)
8. Standing in the Rainbow **** by: Fannie Flag ( I read one other of hers a few years back, and her writing has that country down home, small town feel to it! I liked this one quite a bit)

So, that was my reading list for May! I finally turned off the computer and got lots of reading and stitching in, and I hope to do this again this month as well! If you have questions about these books, you can ask me in the comments, or you can find me on goodreads here:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3080295-joy

I have already finished one book for the month of June: The Memory Keepers Daughter. I loved it alot, it definitely got 5 stars from me!! I had heard really great things about it, and when I saw it at the library I had to snatch it up!

Right now I am reading two,which are both VERY good:

-The Red Queen By: Philippa Gregory
-The Interruption of Everything by: Terry McMillan

Next time I post "Book Talk Tuesday" I will have a review or two, hopefully!!

Howling at the Moon Monday

2011-06-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

This one has seen alot of sunlight lately, as it seems that anytime I feel like stitching this is the one I reach for! Which is great, since I started this one inMay of '08, so has been in the works for over 3 years now. I also have a personal goal to finish this one this year. I think it is coming along wonderfully! Quicker than I thought it would!

Next up I have some cute photos to share! On Mother's day we went and had our family photo done, so here are the pics from the photo shoot, I think they came out really well. I especially love the one with my husband and Alyssa, and the one with just Alyssa. The one that I was hoping would come out best (the one with all three of us) is the worst! There's a huge shadow on my face, and Lyssa looks funny, as we had just pulled her pacifier our of her mouth so her little lips are pursed, and she looks like a little fishy! Oh well.

The Whole Family:

My beautiful daughter!

The baby and her #1 fan!

The love of my life and I:

The other love of my life and I:

If the color looks funny on here it is because we were playing around with the antique setting on the colors, so your monitor isn't going out, it really IS the coloring on the photos!

Well I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Ours was relaxing!!

A little bit of newness

2011-06-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

Yup, I first of all changed the name of my blog, as I have decided to change up my blog content. I will still be showing my stitching here so dont worry about that, all you wonderful readers and followers (which I see I have a few new ones, thank you! And welcome!)

I have decided to have a new posting schedule which will hopefully allow me to 1)post more often 2) mix it up a little with variety so as not to bore you all! (Or me!)

So, here is my new posting schedule:

-"Howling at the Moon Monday": Update progress on Howling at the Moon and general chit chat about my weekend
-"Book talk Tuesday": I will chit chat about what I am reading or plan to read or what I have just finished reading

-"Okinawa Wednesday"- Just a glimpse into my life here in Okinawa Japan. (Most of these posts will be very photo heavy!)

"Tree Branch Thursday": Update on Tree Branch, and general chit chat about my week

"Fictional Friday": this one I am especially excited about, as I have always loved creative writing, and won the young authors award when I was in 8th grade for Ventura County, I have always enjoyed writing, stories mostly, and though I don't think I am good enough to be published, I enjoy it just for me! So, On Fridays I will be posting installments/chapters of a "book" I've been writing. I actually have not started writing it yet, but I have a bunch of ideas floatin' through my noggin, so I hope you enjoy these posts as much as I do!

So, I am hoping that with these new changes, I will be able to keep up better with this blog, and it will be a little more exciting to read!! Let me know what you think!!

Having Issues!!

2011-05-31T23:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, is anyone out there having trouble signing out of blogger? Cuz I am stuck on this blog. I want to sign out and post to another blog, but it won't let me! Am I the only one with this problem?! Sorry, I know this isn't stitchy at all, but I'm annoyed! =/

I'm stuck!!

2011-05-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I do think that the last time we talked (Not the last time, but I guess the time before that!) I mentioned I would work on "The Tree Branch", so I could share progress on it, however, it seems that my stitching mojo is much more inclined to work on Howling at the Moon, so I shall share new photos of it instead! I hope you are not getting too bored by watching progress on it, instead of other things, but what can I say? I'm stuck on it and I just want to spend hours on it, and have in the past week! So, here it is in all it's gorgeous stitched beauty! I really love this, and the more I work on it the more I want to work on it!!

And while I know I won't get page 6 completely finished this month, I know I am getting a fair amount of work in on it, and so feel good about that!! I'm stuck on this one, and I will not apologize!! LOL

And now for some info. I have been asked about where I found the Monkey I stitched for my friends baby sampler. It is called the Safari Baby sampler and was featured in the March 2010 issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlework Magazine. I only stitched the monkey, but the whole thing looks like this! Had I more time I woulda tried to do the whole thing, I think it's adorable!

This photo doesn't do it much justice, but the colors are really bright and gorgeous!!

Well, that is all for me today folks! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend filled to the brim with friends, fun, family and stitching!!

I guess it's the googlereader for the win!

2011-05-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but for some reason the blogroll on my sidebar isn't working as it should. I have it set so all the blogs that I have in my googlereader is on it...or should be, but let me tell you! They are not! So, I guess from now on I am going to have to catch up with people from my googlereader. It was full to overflowing and I just went through and left a bunch of comments all over blogville, and then (so sorry!) had to hit "Marked as read" to SOOO many posts!! Over 700...closer to 800!

Is anyone else having trouble with their blog roll on their sidebar? I have had it working correctly in the past, but now it is rebelling!! Well thank goodness for googlereader!! Hopefully I won't miss so many posts now!! I plan to hit up more blogs on a more consistant level now, and try to keep my blog up to par as well. I miss it when I am away from blog world for too long!! It was great to catch up with so many blogs that I love!

Howling at the Moon Progress and some Japanese Scenery

2011-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I normally would try to update yesterday but I was soooo sick!! Sunday night I came down with something that had me up about four or five times during the night getting sick! It was horrible!! But this morning I am feeling pretty much my old self again. So I thought I would share some photos of my "new start" on page #6 for this project! It is really coming along now that I am actually stitching on it, if I can keep this up I may actually finish the entire thing this year...wishful thinking...I only have 4 more pages of stitching to do on it now!

And here is a photo of JUST the progress on page 6:

It is really amazing how much can actually be done when you sit and work on it! It goes pretty fast! I may be able to finish this page this month...we shall see...again, wishful thinking... and here is a photo of the beach here at Okinawa. This was taken at a resort called Okuma. It was overcast and cloudy the three days we were there, but the water still had that beautiful tourqoise quality to it, normally when it's that dark the water is also dark, but that day it wasn't.

Well, the little one is sleeping, so I am going to try and get the house in order (its amazing just how messed up a house can get when you are out of commission for even one day!) and then sit and stitch for a bit, see if I can get some more progress in on "The Tree Branch" so I can share a photo of it on Thursday.

Oh yeah and I did finish the little monkey piece in time to give to my friends when they came over for dinner the other night, but in my haste and hurry to have it put in the frame, I forgot to take a photo of the finished project... Hey! I had my first REAL finish of the year, and forgot to take photo proof! Dang it! Oh well.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!

Just Monkeying around!!

2011-05-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this piece for my friend, and thought I should share a photo, since I've not posted here for awhile!!

I love this piece!! I think it is coming along really quickly!! All I have to do is finish stitching his date and weight, and I'll be done. The original pattern for this piece is much larger, but I wanted to just stitch the monkey so that it wouldn't take me forever to finish. Lord knows I already have plenty of large projects on the go right now, I didn't need to add another one to the mix!

Speaking of which, since I've moved I have not really much been stitching at all, except on this piece! I've not picked up "Winnie the Pooh/Tree Branch" or "Howling at the Moon", or "The Abby" or anything!! I have been playing on FB and reading a lot. And unpacking and watching lots of TV (I got season 6 of CSI on DVD) and then of course there's Alyssa to attend to and other life things to do, so stitching has sort of been on the back burner as of late. I just really wanted to try and finish the monkey piece this week, so I can put it in a frame and give it to the recipient this weekend as we are going to be having a housearming bbq with them on Saturday.

We are expecting a large Tropical storm to hit here sometime tomorrow, so I may loose power or the internet for a bit, which may be a good thing...maybe I will actually get some stitching in! Or more reading! We shall see!! Well, I hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day!!!

Oh yeah and just because I feel like telling you, this is my 600th post!!! Wow!!

All settled...sorta...

2011-04-30T01:17:00.000-07:00

Well, we're all moved into our new house, and we have internet again, thank goodness! I was going through withdrawals!! LOL We still have many boxes to unpack but things are slowly getting done.
With the move, I haven't been stitching very much at all, and when I do have down time, I have been playing my Sims 3 game, or watching season 3 DVD boxset of "Private Practice" or reading. I started a new project. It is a birth sampler for my friend, who had a little boy exactly 3 weeks before I had Alyssa. It has a little monkey on it. I got the pattern from a magazine, and it actually had a bunch of animals but I thought it would take too long to do the entire thing, and since my friend always has her son in monkeys (monkey clothes, monkey blankets, monkey bibs, monkey nursery stuff) I thought I'd just go with the cute monkey hanging from a branch and his birth info. That way maybe I will have a finish by the time the kid turns 6 months old.

I am hoping that maybe tonight after the dinner dishes are cleared up, to maybe pull out some stitching, maybe work more on the birth sampler, or The Abby, I am not too sure.

Well,I will leave you with an adorable photo of Alyssa in her little Easter dress! I need to take one without her pacifier, but the pacie sorta matches her outfit! So it works!! Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Oh wow!! I can't believe it! My first project crossed off my Up For A Challenge challenge...

2011-04-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

I did it!!! I finished page 3 of Howling at the Moon!!!! Wow!!! I am soooo happy!! That was my goal for the month, and here it is 10 days left of April and I'm done!!! I'm glad too, because after today I will have no internet for about 2 weeks, so I'm glad I am able to post the photo today!!! Wow!! 5 pages done, 4 more to go!!! More than half way finished with this big ole' monster!!! LOL Now onto....welllll...I was gonna say I would slide down and start work on page 6, but maybe I will pull out another project that is on my Challenge list, just for a change. Hmmm...We shall see. Maybe The Abby....According ot this blog the last time I worked on it was June of last year!!! Wow! It desperately needs some love and attention!!

Thank you for the lovely comments on my progress photo of The Tree Branch and on Lyssa's photo!! I just want to fill my whole blog up with Lyssa Photos, but alas, this IS a stitching blog....so I will try to keep strictly to the stitching updates...ok, maybe not so strictly!

Tree Branch progress!

2011-04-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here is my progress on Tree Branch!! I finished the little tuft of green leaves sticking out from the trunk of the tree, and have been working on all the green of the tree at the top as well as working on the backstitching all over. I worked on Tiggers foot a little bit, and the actual branch part of the tree that the characters are sitting on. This one is coming along. Slowly, but surely!! All those huge blocks of color are a blessing and a pain all at once. They are great because they sorta go fast in the fact that you don't have to keep referring back to the pattern for counts, but a pain because it feels like it will neeeeveeer end, just endless stitches in the same color!!

Sorry about all the creases!!! Oops!

And next up, a picture of Alyssa's first smile caught on Camera!!! She is SOOOO cute! I know I had a hard time at the beginning of motherhood, but this little grin and cute face just makes motherhood all worth while!!! She kept flashing me a ton of them after her nap yesterday, as if she was just sooooo happy to see me!!! Made my heart soar!!! Not to be confused with "sore"...LOL

I pray you all have a wonderful stitchy day!! And if I don't post before then, I also hope my friends have a blessed Easter for those who celebrate it!!

Howling at the Moon Progress

2011-04-15T15:00:00.001-07:00

Yes, I DO believe a finish can be achieved on page 3 on this one THIS month!! Especially with the move, while I know that will keep me busy for most of next week, after that, when we are settled into the new house I will have lots of time to work on stitching and reading, as I don't think we will have internet connected at the house for awhile...hopefully not for too long, though. But it may be a goooood thing!

I am looking forward to a finish on page three so I can finally cross one off my "Up for a Challenge" challenge!! All these other ladies have been flyin' through their WIP's and me? I haven't gotten any yet!! But most of mine are BIG projects, though. There is only one that is kinda small, but the reason it is a WIP is because the pattern is such a pain, so I have set it aside and not picked it up lately. I could have had it done by now, except I cringe when I think of working with that pattern!! I love Dimension pieces, but their patterns just suck!!

Well, I hear the little one starting to wake up so gotta go, but wanted to post this update before the move and I loose my internet for a bit. Oh, speaking of Alyssa, here's a cute photo of my girl!

Oh wow!

2011-04-14T00:45:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have times in your life when things just seem to be moving way too fast? We found out two days ago that we have to move out of our house by late August, because the military is remodeling these homes, so that means we had to find a new place to live. Today we went to a meeting to find out some information about how things would go with moving, what housing was available and such. Somehow by the end of the day, we ended up with a new home!! So we are moving this week!!! This morning it was "Lets JUST get some info", by noon it was "Lets JUST look at a few houses to see what's available when the time comes" And by late afternoon it was "We are moving in a week?!" I am super excited!! But I don't know how long I will be without internet so I may not be here for a bit...but that may be a good thing! I can get more stitching and reading done! Ha! Yeah right!! I'll be busy moving and unpacking all my stuff and getting my house in order!! LOL... So, that is what is going on with me! I am excited!! I have been stitching, mostly on The Tree Branch, and it is starting to look really good, I've just not had much time to get online and post photos. Work on Howling at the Moon has slowed down quite a bit, but I still get some time in on it, every so often. My resolution to stay off the computer isn't working out so well, but I still am trying not to spend AS MUCH time on it as before. It's just a constant battle! LOL...I don't think it is one I will ever truly win!

Monday update

2011-04-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! Page 3 is really coming along great!!! I think I have put in about 12 hours on it since I last posted a photo!! At this rate I think I may finish page 3 by the end of this month!!! That is if I stick with my "two days of computer" rule!! I am enjoying my time away from the computer. Yesterday I got over 100 pages of my book read, and plan on finishing it today!! And! I plan on stitching on this project today as well. I love being productive!!!

If you want to see how much progress I've gotten done, scroll down about 4 posts!! =)

Prioritizing....

2011-04-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Well, as most of you know, my life has changed quite a bit lately, with the birth of my first baby. This has been a bit overwhelming for me, as I do not take to change too well. But slowly I am working through things. One of the things I am working through and adapting to is the amount of free time on my hands. I used to have all sorts of free time, as I don't work, and I just had to tend to the household chores and had no kids to worry about. But now I DO have a kid to take care of, and so now have a bit less time to do all those lovely things I enjoy doing, like reading and stitching. Before Baby, I didn't mind frittering away the hours playing online, surfing and playing mindless Facebook games, and reading blogs and tweeting and reading others tweets on Twitter. However, now I am realizing just how precious time is. We are all only given 168 hours to spend in a week. Time is truly the one thing you can never get back. Once it's gone, it's GONE. So, just HOW do I want to spend my time? Of course I want to spend much time with my beautiful daughter as possible, but what else should I do to make those hours worth it? How will I get the most out of my time? And I have decided that a drastic cut in online time is going to have to happen for me! I find myself at the end of the day, frustrated because I didn't do the things I wanted to do, mostly stitching and reading (my two major passions, next to my family) and I think about how I DID spend my time, and usually it is wasted on the computer! So, with this said, I have decided that I will only be turning on my computer two days a week: Mondays and Thursdays. For a limited amount of time. Probaby just in the morning. So, this means that I will probably not be hitting as many blogs as I am used to. And for this I am sorry. I truly DO enjoy reading your blogs and leaving comments here and there, and seeing all your lovely projects, however, if I am to make each day count to the best of my ability I need to make cuts somewhere, and this is the only place I can see to do so (NOT just blogs, but the computer in general). I do hope you understand. I will be using this time more wisely (in my opinion) to get more stitching and reading done, and thus feeling alot more productive at the end of my days. I will still try to blog twice a week, to let you all in on what I am working on, since I love to share what I am working on!! But if you don't see me in your comments as much you know why. I am probably curled up in my easy chair with needle and thread, or a good book! Thank you all for understanding!!

Tree Branch progress!

2011-03-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have been able to get a little bit of stitching in on this one, as well as Howling. The yellow border on the left side is growing, and the tree trunk is all filled in, now onto the actual limb that Pooh, Piglet and Tigger are sitting on, and I started Tigger. That orange blob is his foot (or the start of it!) And I finished the bottom blue checkered border. Well, I finished the checkers, now there is some backstitch design that goes in the white spaces. So, it's coming along!! I like the bright colors in this project!! I think it's about time for me to start focusing on putting Lyssa's quilt together now though. So this week I am thinking that my stitching time will be put into that. We shall see....

Well, my mom came out to visit for the birth of Alyssa and she just went home yesterday after 5 weeks! I miss her terribly! =( Yesterday I cried on and off all day after we dropped her off at the airport. I guess you never get too old to want your mommy, huh? LOL

So, today is the first day Alyssa and I are home just her and I, so far not bad. She had a hard time sleeping last night. My mom held her all night, when she was here, as she has back problems so cannot sleep flat in a bed, and sleeps in a recliner, so she just held Lyssa and slept in the chair here. Well, now my daughter is used to being held pretty much 24/7 and after 5 weeks, has to learn to sleep in bed....it was not a good night. I think we only got a few hours of sleep. Finally this morning in the wee early hours, after I fed her, I put her in her carseat (her favorite place to knock out!) and laid on the couch and got a few hours of sleep.

She is sleeping now, and I'm surprised I am not knocked out. I will probably take a nap later today that is for sure!

Howling at the Moon...an old photo of new progress!

2011-03-25T16:06:00.001-07:00

I meant to post this photo before I went into the hospital to have the baby (Over a month ago!!!) But it just never happened. So here is progress on Howling. I think since I've had the baby I have (maybe!) stitched in 2 lengths of floss!! And at this rate, it should be ready to give to Alyssa when she graduates from high school in some 18 years, and it can hang in her dorm room at college...=/. LOL...

It is just hard for me to pick this one up as it is so detailed that I like knowing when I will have to put it down, and since I can not predict when the baby will cry and need my attention, I have not really wanted to pick it up. I have been working more on the Winnie the Pooh piece instead, as it is normally pretty easy to put down and pick back up again. I will post my progress on that one again soon. And you will see, that for all my belly aching the past few posts that I DO have a LITTLE bit of time to stitch. =) Things ARE getting better now that she is a month old and we sorta have a routine down. Granted it's not as much time as I used to be able to stitch, but that's alright, as long as I get to work on it a little bit.

Now I just got to find some time to get the sewing machine out and start putting Lyssa's Quilt together....maybe before she turns three? Hmmm...LOL

Thank you all sooooo much!!!

2011-03-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post and just say thank you to all who left such encouraging and thoughtful comments on my last post!!! It is so nice to know that I am not alone!!! And it also felt good to just vent, and get some feedback!!!

It's sorta funny, because after I wrote that post, yesterday I had a pretty good day. The evening was trying as this is the time my little one decides to scream her head off because I think she has intestinal issues, (gas, and a hard time passing stools) and it broke my heart that I couldn't get her to stop crying!! But I had some time yesterday to tidy up my house, and do some laundry, and I never had a chance to pick up my book or stitching, but I was ok with that....it's just like being able to vent here just took the frustration away, and when Lyssa started in with her screaming, I am proud to say I didn't loose my cool, I just kept holding her and talking to her, and crying right along with her! LOL....

She turned a month old yesterday, and things ARE starting to look up, I just every so often have "a day", or a "A moment" if you know what I mean!! And again, thank you all so very much for your words of mommy wisdom, and encouragement!! It really helped me know that there are others out there who know what I am going through!

And I promise the next time I post it will have stitchy info!!! LOL =)

I could use some encouragement,and virtual hugs too...

2011-03-21T22:39:00.001-07:00

I wasn't going to write about this here, but I feel like venting, so sorry if what I write upsets people.

So, is being a new mom always this hard? I feel like I've died, and will never be happy again! It;s hard to admit this, as I have a new baby, and I'm supposed to be happy, but I don't. I'm tired, and I don't have any time for myself, I smell like milk all the time, and I am just NOT feeling this whole "Motherhood thing"...

I have always said that when God made me he forgot to put in the Mothering instincts...Instead he filled that spot with an extra dose of selfishness! I hate taking care of other people. I hate taking time out of my day to feed my kid....I suck! I know! I feel like....I don't know....like crying all the time, and...I don't know.

I hope you don't think I'm a horrible person for thinking/writing these things, but I was just wondering if any other mothers out there can send me some encouraging words, or if they went through this too, so I know I'm not alone....because that's how I feel...completely and utterly ALONE. Help, please? =(

Not a ton done, but some!

2011-03-14T15:45:00.001-07:00

Not alot of progress, but a little!! I have been working on the trunk of the tree, some of the backstitch, the border on the bottom and the yellow border on the left hand side. In between feedings and holding the little one!! She sleeps enough to let me get a little stitching in!! Ok, gotta go...time to feed the baby again....she eats alot!!! Yesterday was her 2 week appt, and she has gained a pound since birth and she has grown almost 3 inches!!! She is starting to get little chubby cheeks now!! I will try to post photos of her in my next post!!!

Thank you all for reading!!! Happy Stitching!!

Edited to add:

PS....Just to let all my wonderful friends, and fellow readers/bloggers know, I am doing fine, the earthquake and tsunami on mainland Japan didn't have an impact on our tiny island. We are safe and doing fine!!! Thank you Jayne for your concerned comment!!! I meant to write something about this in this post, and then had to run to get baby, so thank you very much for your thoughts and concern! It means so much to me!! =) Also if you could keep our military in prayer and good thoughts, as many are being sent from this island up to the mainland to provide assistance to the rescue and relief efforts there. It is a dangerous place to be, what with aftershocks still rumbling the ground, and nuclear poisoning from the power plants that were hit and damaged. 4 men from my husbands squadron were already sent this week, and they may call up more to go. Thank you!!!

Wow! I did it!!

2011-03-07T02:51:00.000-08:00

Tonight while the baby slept, I was able to finish the last lamb piece for her Quilt!! Now I just have to put it all together. The hubs bought me a sewing machine, so it might be a little easier! At any rate, I am glad to finally have this 5 piece project done!!! Happy Dance for me!!!

Alyssa

2011-02-28T01:04:00.001-08:00

My little angel made her arrival on Thursday Morning, Feb. 24th at 6:01. She weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz, and was 19 inches long!!

I was in the hospital for 5 days for complications, including high blood pressure causing pre eclampsia, and then I hemorraged when I gave birth and had to have a blood transfusion. It was a rough couple of days, but we are doing fine!!!

Welcome to the world, my Angel girl!!!

Trying to catch up....

2011-02-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

I have been a horrid blogger this....year....I was going to write "month", but...."year" seemed more appropriate!

So! I thought that since for most of this week, I will be out of commission, as I will be admitted to the hospital to be induced on Wednesday morning, and will most likely be there for the rest of the week, I would write a bunch of posts and post date them, so they will post during the week. I really need to catch up on my posts, since even though I have been stitching a bit, I have not been blogging about it. Ugh, pregnancy...I can't wait to have this baby!

And moving on to the real reason behind this post....

An update on "Tree Branch" This is a Winnie the Pooh piece I am trying to get done for my daughter. I started it years ago for my nephew and well, you see what has become of it! LOL. I have almost finished filling in that purple in the tree, though there is still alot left to put in the tree itself. I have also been working on the blue brick a brack border, and the yellow border on the left hand side. And I have been putting alot of backstitch in as well. So, slowly but surely this one is getting worked on, with this one, it is just huge bunches of fill in with the same color, which is great, cause you don't really have to use the pattern for most of it, just keep filling in huge blocks of color, but it also gets sorta boring at the same time!

So, there is "Tree Branch". This one is also on my "Up for a Challenge" list. I apologize for all the wrinkles on this piece!!! I stitch in hand so it is hard not to wrinkle such a large piece whilest working on it!

To Stitch or to Throw out?

2011-02-20T19:08:00.001-08:00

So, this piece is on my Up for a Challenge list. It is an OLD WIP that I started waaay back when I lived in my parents house, like probably about ten years ago! So, I thought I'd pull it out and finish it up for the challenge, but as I work on it, I keep thinking "Do I really even enjoy this piece anymore? What will I do with it once it's finished? It's not really my cup of tea anymore, plus this 14 count aida is driving me nuts! What was I thinking when I started this?!" Anyway, you get the point! But I have continued on with it for some reason. Mostly I have been working on the big bright green patch on the lower left side. That is ALOT of green, I don't think I will ever get it all in!!

Anyway, so I don't know what to do! I don't really just want to throw that much work away, but I don't want to throw my time and effort into something that will sit in a drawer and never see daylight, just so I can say I finished the thing.

Do other stitchers have this problem? Have you ever come across something in your WIP drawer/pile and think "UGH, WHAT was I thinking starting THIS?!"

So disappointed...

2011-02-11T10:03:00.001-08:00

I miss having my smalls to focus on at the beginning of every month. I have very close to no motivation for stitching anymore. I don't know if this is because I am 8 months pregnant and can hardly sit still to save my life, it's just so hard to get comfortable, or my pregnant brain won't settle and let me concentrate, or if I just lost my stitching mojo (the reading mojo is gone too!!) I just don't care anymore. I used to be so driven to get my hobbies worked on, and now I'm just lolligaggin around, wasting my life. Not that stitching is life....well, would I sound lame if I said it used to be my life? I LOVED planning projects and faithfully trying to get them stitched in a reasonable time, and now I go days at a time without touching any stitching. I have no stitchy goals, and the ones I do have seem unattainable. i have even tried to work out a rotation, and it's just not happening! I just feel soooooo scattered....this sucks.....thanks for listening to me whine!!! Could you wonderful stitchy bloggers send me some good stitchy vibes? I could really use them!!! Thank you!!!

Howling at the Moon Progress

2011-02-06T17:15:00.001-08:00

Sorry the photo quality is pretty poor! But you can see how much work I have in on page #3. The last time I shared progress on this one was in November! I think it's just because I have been focusing so much on Alyssa's quilt pieces that this one gets shoved aside. But now that it is on my WIP challenge, I am trying to work on it a bit more! Well, I got another appointment for baby today. If all goes as planned we are supposed to induce on the 22nd!! And she should be born on the 23rd. So excited, but this means I will definitely not get her quilt finished before she arrives...boo!! But oh well. I just hope I can get it done before she turns 6 months old, and can still enjoy it! (as if she'll even know! haha! but I will!!) I am sooooo close to a finish on it, that it will be a shame to not finish it!!! I was just hoping to have it ready for her arrival! Oh well!!!

Well, that is all for now. I am off to shower and get ready for my appointment. Thank you all for leaving such lovely comments, and for all my new followers! You all make this blogging experience so wonderful!!!

Wow! It's been awhile...But there is progress!!!

2011-01-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

I have just been sorta in an "anti-computer" mood lately. My hubby and I went on a marriage retreat put on by our church this past week, and I went totally without internet for about 3 days, and it felt soooooo good that I have sorta been staring at my computer with disdain ever since I got home!

Which is great for stitchy progress!!! I am almost finished with "Sunshine", the last lamb panel for Alyssa's Quilt. I am out of the blue I need to finish filling in the sky, but I ordered it from Herrschners this past week and it should be here in about 2-3 weeks! I should have ordered it a long time ago, but I kept hoping my craft store would get it in, but oh well! It's on it's way now. I have been just working on filling in the white in all the clouds until my floss shows up. But I still have plenty of other things to do for the quilt itself (piecing) until it does get here, so there will still be progress just quilty progress not stitchy progress! Like the strips that will make up the border all need to be put together, and one of the borders is made up of 2x2 inch squares of alternating fabbies, I have LOTS of piecing to do! So, still have lots to do to keep me busy until my floss shows up! I think I may have bit off more than I can chew, seeing as this is really the first quilt I have ever made, but I want it to be something special for my lil' angel! Not just a couple squares of fabric thrown together. So, we shall see how it all comes out!

The Power of a Nap

2011-01-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Oh man!! HOW did it get to be Friday already?! This week has FLOWN by, and everyday I mean to blog, then never do!!! Grrr....So, decided today was it!!! I need to share my first bit of progress for my WIP challenge. I've kinda been working on a few from my list of 15 but haven't shared anything yet, don't know why, lazy I guess! Ooops. Tired, actually. I have been taking LONG naps everyday this week, plus I have been having to go to the doctor twice a week for a "Non-stress test" for the baby. UGH, and I have to do this twice a week thing until she's born! Grrrr....Whatever.

So here are progress photos of The Power of a Nap. The first is how it looked when I brought it out into the light again and the second is how it looks now, it doesn't look like much progress but I worked on it a few hours.

You can hardly see it, but I added some light blue half stitches to the blanket, and then the dogs nose and some grey on his belly. This one is a small one, so it should be easy to finish soon, as long as I keep working on it. Which lately I have mostly been working on "Sunshine", so I can get that blanket finished before the baby gets here.

Well, off to get something done before I have to go to the doctors appointment. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Progress...Sunshine

2011-01-07T06:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I find it weird, that this is one of my most worked on progress pieces right now and for some reason I never put it on my Up for a challenge list...Oh well, I may have to change that. Here is my progress on Lamb #5.

I have been trying to work on it a little everyday, I actually ran out of the light colored blue of the sky, so need to get some more, but I keep pressing on with the HUGE sun, and working in the clouds, so there is still progress happening! i REALLY want to finish this one by the end of the month so that I can use most of next month to put the Quilt together, and have it done by the time my lil' Lyssa-Bear arrives in March. I have been having trouble getting comfy when I try ot sit for long periods of time to stitch or read though, so I have not been stitching AS much as I would like, but IF I can get this done before February then I'll be happy!

A Finish...last years but still a finish!

2011-01-06T17:57:00.000-08:00

Here is the last of the Alphabet series I worked on all during the year in 2010. I DID finish this in December, but am just now getting around to posting a photo!!! The picture looks a bit more washed out than it really is, the red color is coming out a lot more orange-y than it really is! Hmmm...

And! I just found out I was nominated by Emily at Emmie's Ramblings for the stylish blogger award! Wow! Thank you so much, Emily!!

So, now I have to pick 5 things that people don't know about me and then nominate 5 more people.

1. I have had 16 plastic surgeries
2. I'm adopted
3. I have an adopted Brother
4. My adopted brother who is 2 years older than I, and I share the same b-day
5. my second toe is longer than my big toe.

And now I have to nominate 5 people...

Meredith(Merry Stitching)
Goldenangelworks
Kathy (Kathy's stitching and other comments)
Joy (Sorrow to Joy)
Lynn (Kearnel's Korner)

If I nominated you and you have already done this, don't worry about doing it again! But I do enjoy your blogs, I enjoy MANY blogs, but just wanted to throw a shout out to these ladies!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T06:28:00.000-08:00

I have been perusing blogs, (not commenting much, but just quietly lurking...=)) And I am seeing so many "Finishing up 2010 and goals for 2011" posts!!! It is wonderful to see in one fell swoop all the lovely pieces all my blogging friends have churned out in 2010!!! I am not organized enough to do on eof those posts, but I do have my finishes for the year on my sidebar. For the most part I finished all 12 monthly checkered blocks, and all the alphabet blocks, and three out of 5 lambs that will be going into my daughters quilt this year. So, mostly SMALL finishes for me this year, but they were part of a larger whole, so I think I did pretty well overall. I finished all I set out to do, and that is what counts. All in all I got 36 finishes done for the year and read 83 books! So, did really well!!

For next year, I have my WIP's posted a few posts down if you wanna check them out, but I'm not counting on finishing much, what with a new born on the way, but I am not throwing the idea out the window in frustration yet! I guess my biggest goal is to finish "Howling at the Moon", and "Snow Valley Express" if the other ones don't get done, eh oh well, but I would like to at least get these two done or very close to a finish for 2011. I am hoping to take a framing class that is offered here that way maybe some of my finishes can grace the walls, as apposed to be sitting in a drawer. =) Oh yeah, I would also like to finish Patchwork Teddies, and Tree Branch (winnie, tigger and piglet in tree) that way I can put them up in Alyssa's room, and of course I want to finish the lamb quilt I have been working on for her too. And maybe get a start on putting the alphabet quilt together as well. Who knows....Anyway, I'm off to get some stitching in, and enjoy the holiday weekend, I realize i still need to share my last alphabet block with you all, so will do that soon, as well, as progress on the last lamb in the lamb series, and progress on The Tree Limb. So much to share!!!

Oh yes, and I aspire to be amuch better blogger this year as well!!! I would like to have at least 155 posts this year, that is just under 3 psots per week!!! We shall see how well I do with that!

HAPPY 2011!!!!! I Hope your year is full of stitches and love and good things!!!

A long overdue post

2010-12-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

This photo is long over due! This is the last installment of this checkered series that I have been working on all year long. I must admit that this one isn't one of my favorites, although I did like stitching all that bright pretty red! =) I still need to share my last alphabet block on here as well., a nd will do so soon, I promise, not to mention my progress on "Sunshine" and some of my WIP's I have been pulling out for the WIP challenge.

It is weird, I have been looking at some of these projects that I started years and years ago, and i'm thinking "I wanted to stitch that?! why?" Do you ever do that? There is one on my list, "A country mile" and I put it on the list thinking I would like to finish it, but I'm starting to rethink that, but I don't just want to chuck it, there's quite a bit of work in on it already, what to do with it? I can't even fathom what was going through my mind when I started it, probably that I was living at home still with my parents, and I happened to have all the called for flosses for it, and so why not? I don't know!! LOL It's definitely not a piece I would start now.And now I'm wondering if I should even finish it? Afterall, what would I do with it once I did? Give it away as a gift? Ugh...any suggestions? =)

Well, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and have a safe and wonderful New Year Holiday. The hubs is home this week for the holiday, from work, however, Santa Claus got him a PS3, so I think I have seen the last of him for the duration of his holiday at home! Ha Ha! As I type this, the destructive noises of "Call of Duty" are ringing through the house!! Ooooh....boys and their toys!!!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

I pray that all my wonderful blogging friends have a wonderful Christmas, filled with family, fun, and stitching!!!

My Christmas is just about over here in Japan, as it is 11 pm here but most of my friends in the states are just starting their Christmas day! Hope you all have a merry,merry day!!!

15 WIP's for 2011

2010-12-23T02:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally comprised my list of 15 WIP's that I want to try to finish next year, and here it is! Wish me luck! LOL

1. Howling at the Moon Page 3
2. Howling Page 6
3. Howling Page 9
4. howling Page 8
5. Howling Page 7
6. The Power of a Nap
7. A country mile
8. Tree Branch
9. Patchwork Teddies
10. Snow Valley express
11. Dare to dream
12. Achoo
13. The Abbey page 3
14. The Abbey Page 6
15. The Abbey Page 9

Not sure how well I will do, as most of these are extemely large, and have very little work in on them, but I'm at least striving toward a goal, and I like that! =)

And never before seen on this blog...

2010-12-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I decided to join the "Up for a Challenge" challenge for 2011. Which is just trying to get 15 WIP's completed during the year. I highly doubt I will make it, since SO many of my WIP's are HUGE, but maybe this will at least help me pull out some OLD WIP's that need to get finished. Like this one, for instance:

This is a WIP that I started in (I think) 2004, and I was going to originally make it for my nephew who was a small kid at the time, and is now almost 13 so doubtful he'll want this (This is the photo from the pattern book, not my work):

hanging on his wall anymore! LOL...So, anyway, guess who's lucky baby girl gets it on her wall? Yup, that would be mine!! I totally forgot about this one, until I started looking through my WIP list, (which is on my sidebar,by the way, the letters in parenthesis refer to the size, Small, Medium, Large, or X Large)!!! I worked on it a bit last night and again this morning, before realizing that I needed to share a photo for progress sake!! So, this is just ONE of the WIP's I plan to "WIPe" out this year!!

I have not made up my list of 15 yet, but I'm working on it. I may not even make my list 15 WIPs long, since many of my projects are huge! But I am gonna just work on as many as I can and see what happens!

If anyone would like to join us please do, we'd love to have you! Here's the link: http://up4achallenge.blogspot.com/

Anyway, my list of 15 is yet to come! So stay tuned!

November smalls...

2010-12-07T22:47:00.001-08:00

Wow! Can it truly be that we are in December now and I am almost finished with these two small series for the year?! Amazing!

And here are all three of my smalls for November!!! Now just have to finish up the last letter for this month and I'll be done. I finished the December block already, but will share that in another post!

I cannot believe I'm at the end of the year!!! And I did it, I kept up with these little things and now I have a bunch of tiny squares to make more quilts out of. Last night I started planning out my quilt for the alphabet blocks, I think I've come up with something. It will also be for Alyssa, to hang in her room, so she has exposure to the alphabet, but I'm not worried about having it done before she's 2 when she can really understand, so it's no big hurry, it's nice to have these squares finished though for when I am ready to put the quilt together.

So with the end of a year come the ideas and ponderings of new goals and projects for the new year!!! Always an exciting time, I don't know about you, but I love the beginning of the new year when you can start looking through your stash to find new things to work on as the new year comes!

I, however do not think I will be starting anything new....but! I must say that I am a "series" girl, and I do have a "series" I am thinking of starting, but I also have so many WIPS in the works I am not sure I feel right doing that. But!! On the other hand, THIS entire year I have not started ANYTHING new, except for the monthly checkered squares, which I started at the beginning and took all year to do. All the other projects I worked on this year have been WIP's. My lambs were started ALONG time ago, back when I lived at home with my folks, Howling at the Moon I started in 2008, The Abbey I started in 2007, and the alphabet sampler book I started last year (I think), so I think that maybe I do deserve a new start! I don't know, we shall see.

Anyone else looking forward to some new starts? OR maybe just trying to thin out their ever growing WIP pile? I have heard of the New start challenge, someone here in blogland started, where you start 15 new starts in January and try to complete them by the end of the year. Sounds great, but I think by the end of the year I would just have added 15 WIPs to my pile and that would just be disasterous. LOL

Well, off to the store to get some much needed groceries! Thank you to all my new followers!!! And my commenters and all those who just stop by to visit and are quiet....I hope you are all enjoying this festive holiday season!

Progress that went unreported!

2010-11-27T13:38:00.001-08:00

Remember back in July I decided I would take a break on the lambs? And decided to replace them with Snow Valley Express? Well, somehow in the midst of first trimester morning sickness, then traveling to the mainland for 2 weeks, then coming home and the holiday hooplah starting, I forgot to share what bit of progress I DID make on Snow Valley.

So, here it is as it looks now....

This is how it looked when I picked it up then...

I filled alot in on the right hand side, under the bridge and the last couple of train cars got a lot of fill in. I think that once I finish my lambs, I am going to pull this sucker out and focus on finishing it for my dads birthday in May for next year! This has been a birthday/christmas gift for him for the past 5 years (depending on "Oops, I missed his b-day guess I'll shoot for Chirstmas") It's just that this one is NOT fun to work on!!! It is.....blah! The colors are all dark and dreary, the pattern is hard to follow, and the charted backstitch...ugh...don't get me started! It's just not pulling me in to work on it!!! (Which is why it's continually getting shoved off the map!) And I hate feeling this way about it, because it IS a gift,and you're supposed to feel good about wanting to give, and have furvor for a gifty type piece of stitching, knowing that the recipient will love what you made and yet......I have a feeling that once I finish this piece I will never want to see the thing EVER again! Humph.....Ok, off to work on Lyssa's Quilt Lambs!!! (See? smiling with that thought!)

Remember these little guys?

2010-11-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well, just recently I realized HOW very close I am to my due date, this baby girl should be here in about 3 months if everything goes to plan!! Which put me in what my husband calls "My freak out mode" I realized that I really needed to get going with finishing up the lambs for the quilt, and possibly start piecing the top of the Quilt.

So, I pushed everything else aside, and grabbed for the lil' white fluffy guys! And this is where I'm at.

This is a start on the very last lamb in the series!

And this is the lamb I am currently working on. The fourth in the series. She is almost complete just have about 100 stitches to put in on the right hand side in the clouds....which I am planning on getting done today, and to backstitch one flower.

I am so excited about completing these little guys so that I can move onto assembling the quilt itself.

So, I think this will be my focus project for awhile, until it is finished, I was going at a good clip with "Howling", but I just need to let it go for now, I got 16 hours in on it for the month which is GREAT! And I got alot of progress on it, which I am happy about, but there are priorities and deadlines to be met, so I need to work on the things that are most important now. It doesn't mean I'm putting "Howling" away completely, oh no,no,no,no....I still plan on working a little bit on it next month since I only have 2, not 3 smalls to finish next month, but my goals for Howling will be alot more relaxed....definitely NOT a 25 hour goal....probably more around 10 or 15, we'll see....Sorry, rambling, aaaand moving on....

Thankyou to those of you who answered my plea for help in my last post!!! Your answers were VERY helpful!! Thank you!!! And to my new followers-Welcome!!! And thankyou for your followship....it means so very much to me!!!

I hope all my American readers had an amazing Thanksgiving!!! I know I did! It was just Hubby and I, but we had fun in the kitchen together, and the food was great, and the leftovers are great too!!!

Oh yes, and remember a few posts back I said a baby Gecko got into the house? We caught him yesterday after he stayed with us for about a week....I breathed a sigh of relief to see my hubby carrying him out the door!!!

Quilters!!! Help?!

2010-11-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

So, I am pretty well versed on the whole cross stitch online shop scene, however, I am making my first quilt for my daughter, and need to buy some supplies for Quilting. Can anyone suggest a good online Quilting Shop? I would greatly appreciate it!!! Thank you!!!

WIP...Howling at the Moon

2010-11-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

This is what it looked like the last time I shared, at the beginning of October... And THIS is what it looks like now, after approximately 20 more hours work on it! I finished Page 2 and have started page 3!! It's amazing how much progress there is when you actually work on it!!! I have worked on it about 1 hour everyday this month....a little less, I have 16 in for the month. It seems the more I work on this the more I want to work on it!!! As I see the progress coming along it seems alot less daunting task!!! I LOVE these big ones!! And I have quite a few more in my stash, and last Wednesday was my birthday and so I have accrued some more stash money!!! I think I will be poppin' into "Kuston Krafts" Website and maybe ordering a few more! But.....with all the ones I still have to do, maybe I won't afterall! It seems like a great idea though!! Maybe I will save my pennies and after I finish this one, I will reward myself by buying more! We shall see!

U is for Umbrella...

2010-11-16T22:42:00.000-08:00

And boy have I needed one of these quite a lot lately here!!! It has been raining almost every day or every other day, and when it doesn't rain, it is just dark and dreary out and makes this pregnant lady just want to sleeeeep, which I do, all day long, and then I get up and feel guilty for letting the weather dictate my sleepiness! Of course it's partly the weather and partly the baby, but Oh well.

Today the sun came out this morning so I actually went for a nice walk, which I think really lifted my spirits and gave me a bit of energy, because I feel pretty good today.

Of course I am on my toes right now anyway, as when I came back from my walk and I opened my front door, a baby Gecko got into the house, and I tried to catch it, but it went under the entertainment center, and I couldn't get to it!!! Grrrr.... so I guess U could also be for "Ugh, I don't want a creepy crawly in my house!" I keep thinking I see it, or I am looking for it everywhere...blech! I suppose it will show up sometime! It's an island thing....

Well, I think my next post will be of Howling at the Moon, as I have pretty much finished page 2 and got a pretty good start on page 3, it is really coming along!!! I have been really working alot on it lately...I set a goal to work on it 25 hours this month, and I have 15 down ten more to go!! I have noticed it helps that I actually put the project out in a prominent place where I actually see it, as apposed to next to my bed where I only see it when I go to bed....

Ok, enough rambling from this corner, I think I am going to go get some more work in on Howling. Or "W", which for some reason I have not been wanting to pick up!!! I am so close to a finish on this series, but I haven't worked on it in a day or so. Maybe I will try to get it done by the end of the weekend. Who knows? Ok, for reals, going now!!!!

October Checkered Block

2010-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

10 down, two to go!! Actually, as of this post, I have finished 11 and only have December to get done! I just haven't shared a photo yet! This one reminded me of the talking hat in Harry Potter! Just add a mouth and wala!!!

For Meredith who asked about my book list you can click on my "goodreads" widget on my sidebar...all my books are there, along with a few personal reviews and thoughts on some of the things I've read.

Thank you to all who commented, and alot of you came up with a great idea!! why not use a button or charm for the big blank space on my letter T piece!!! Thank you for the reminder!! I just may have to do that!!

T is for Table....and a big hole in the middle of my pattern....

2010-11-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

Another of my October finishes, finally being shown here in...November! I'm a little behind...story of my life!

So, there in the middle of the pattern you will notice a nice big blank spot....where a flower, in a vase (I'm guessing a tulip) is supposed to go...but it is charted for one over one on linen, and since i am doing this on Aida, it wouldn't work right at all, so I either need to rechart the flower to fit aida, or I have been toying with the idea of trying to design a Teapot....I just haven't gotten to it yet!

Well, hubby has been gone this week on travel for work, so I have had loads of stitching and reading time, I finished book #69 last night and have only 6 more books to go to reach my 75 book goal!!! I have also put in loads of time on Howling at the Moon. I made a new monthly goal concerning that one for this month...I want to work on it for 25 hours this month, I'm finished with 9 of those hours already!!! So, I am hoping to stay on top of it!! I also worked a little on Petal last night, as I really need to get that one done up, and move onto the last piece of that project, or Alyssa will be 10 years old and not wanting little lambs on her quilt anymore! So, I am truly aiming to have that entire blanket finished by her birth day...what ever day she decides "Hey, man! It's cramped in here, I want out" and makes her debut entrance into this world...I can't wait to meet her!!! Just about 4 more months to go now!!!