My Third Finish of the Year

I finished "A Little Bit of February" from Lizzie Kate yesterday. I look forward to March becoming available as this is going to look really cute all the months stitched together. So I don't know what I am going to stitch next. I came across a really cute little freebie that I think I will stitch into a St. Patrick's Day pin.

I receive my heart block from my STO group. It is darling and stitched by Lynda. Shirl received the Kaleidoscope Heart which I stitched. Irish/Celtic was the theme for this month but couldn't find a design I liked to stitch. March's theme is Easter. I am going to look through my million freebies to see if I see something I like so I can participate next month.
I wanted to share the beautiful bookmark my friend Nancy crocheted for me for my birthday. Her Grandmother crocheted a bookmark just like it for her many years ago. I have it in my Bible and I love it. For her to share something so near to her heart for me makes me feel blessed to have her as a friend.

It is still very chilly here in the suburban wilds of the midwest. The very accurate and educated meteorologists that we have on our local networks are calling for snow and perhaps ice starting this evening thru Tuesday morning. We shall see.

I made some monkey bread yesterday morning and finished it up today. I have a chuck roast which I am going to toss in the oven later today. I would like to get some sugar cookies and fudge made to put in Valentine cups I purchased to give to my team members at work. I got the cutest little Valentines to accompany them. So I shall have a nice day today.

So I continue trying to keep my stitching fingers warm in the Artic air of Suburbia!

End of vacation update!

Well it is very sad to say that today is the last day of my vacation. I have really enjoyed being off and I feel good about getting back into my stitching. Friday my friends, Sherry, Whitney (Sherry's daughter), Raye and Theresa took me to Red Lobster for lunch. I had the steak and shrimp which was quite yummy. We had a new waiter "Zane" and he was but a tender age of 19 but a definate cutie. He had been on the job but a mere week and we really befuddled him! The girls spoiled me with lots of presents and it was much more than I deserved.
The photo of the pink rose is the delivery I had at work on January 25th. I was so surprised and it was wonderful. The little vase is a votive candle holder with the darling butterfly decorative cover.

I have been working on the Lizzie Kate "A Bit of February" and will work on it again today. I don't think I will have it done today but I will try. I have laundry to do and I want to bake some cupcakes for a dear friend at work whose birthday is tomorrow. Happy Birthday dear Mikey! A whole 25 years young you will be!

I have been trying to figure something out. Our county government tried to get us to buy a crock of horse crap to pay for a rolling roof on Arrowhead Stadium, promising that we would get a Superbowl if we would vote for and pass the proposition. Well now wait a minute, last night at the Superbowl in Miami either that was rain or their roof sprang one hell of a leak. Now I am thinking, they have no roof, they had a Superbowl. Makes one go HM-M-M-M!

It is still very cold here and my gas bill is the proof! Yicks! Let me warm my fingers up and get stitching here in the wilds of cold suburbia!

Wahoo!!! My second finish...

of the year. I am so excited! I have been really excited about stitching and it has been a long while since I felt that. The black line down the center is a guide line to help me keep the months centered. I am going to get started on February today!

It is cold out! We had a bit of snow yesterday and it played havoc with the drivers. I went up to work for my Ascension to Excellence luncheon. I am now a CCR II which means a 6% raise! It was nice as several co-workers I SME'd with were also at the luncheon and we got to visit.

This afternoon I am going to go to Mom's. She is making me cheese and cauliflower over toast. Yummy! Tomorrow Sherry, Raye and Theresa are taking me to birthday lunch at Red Lobster. I am really looking forward to spending time with them.

I have enjoyed my vacation time. If I am absent free at work I was figuring by July I can have enough time accrued that I can take another week off. I will work on it. Well back to stitching in cold Suburbia!

Off to a good start...

with the first finish of the year! This is for the block swap on my yahoo needlework group. This month's theme is hearts. The design is from The Sweetheart Tree "Kaleidoscope Hearts". Next month's theme is Irish/Celtic. I couldn't find a design that I like for the February theme so I think I will pass.

I started on the Lizzie Kate Calendar yesterday. At C.C. & Co. they didn't have any of the Cashel Light Mocha so I picked a similar color in a 28ct linen. I put a black thread down the center so I can keep all 12 months centered correctly. I had to substitute the Twilight in the January Flip Bit. I used the GAST Limited Edition Twilight which isn't as dark at the WDW Twilight and yet it blends well with the GAST Dunagree which the big "J" in January is stitched with. For the first time in a long time I really enjoyed stitching and spent most of the day yesterday stitching. I am slow stitching but it is steady.

Today I want to stitch some more and I need to get my block mailed out to Mar. It is cold outside and I just want to stay warm.

New Year, New Hope

Gosh, once again I didn't realize that it had been so long since my last post. Life seemed to get in the way. But this year I have goals, not resolutions, I think goals sounds better in some way. Let me list some of my goals, changes in my life and attitude to help me stay positive, which is a goal, and on track to a life that is more enjoyable and productive than the last couple of years have been. I really let my husband and his problems drag me down into a depression. He is only my husband by law and I want to work towards severing this folly of a union.

I want to focus on the big picture, and pray more. I want to avoid judgemental thoughts about others and I want to work at avoiding gossiping. If I learn to focus on others and not myself I can avoid sinking back into the grips of depression. I also want to work on a personal behavior of exaggerating and I know what I mean! I want to work on budgeting my money, saving money and paying bills on time. I would really like to work on having $1000 in a savings account by year's end. I want to force myself to go to work, even when I feel like staying home. I can only call in when deathly ill. I want to start taking walks around the neighborhood with my girls. I want to really begin enjoying the hobbies I have, needlework, sewing, cooking, baking, reading and collecting recipes. I want to enjoy life again, focus on my blessings.

This blog is a letter to myself and I want to remain faithful to myself.

On today's agenda, the thrift shop for priceless treasures, laundry, making my Amish Friendship Bread...the starter is ripe. I want to beat the girls at least a half dozen times today, I am just joshing! I want to work on my Swap Block today. Pic to follow. I will enjoy the day and pray. Love, Me

Crowned Heart from Blue Ribbon Design 

Well at least I am consistant in my long periods between entries!

I just finished the sweet free design from Blue Ribbon Designs. I stitched it on a natural 28 ct cashel and I like it much better than the model stitched on a lighter color called Light Cappuccino by R & R Reproductions. Mine turned out 4¼" by 3¾" in size and I did stitch it with the recommended GAST colors. I am thinking of making a small pillow out of a beautiful green taffeta fabric that I purchased at the Thrift Shop for a whooping 35¢! I would like to hem stitch the edges of the stitching and then attach it to the pillow with small appropriate buttons. Right now I can't find my hem stitching book so....

My next project that I would like to start is another free design from JanLynn's site. It is designed by Sandra Cozzolino and it is entitled "Hey Pilgram". A turkey in a Pilgram's hat is holding a fish and it says "Eat Fish". It is recommended with DMC which I bought. I just have to pick my fabric and I am ready to stitch. http://www.janlynn.com/project_of_the_month_thanksgiving.htm

The weather here is supposed to be turning colder. I think to this point we have had an unseasonably warm autumn. A very strong southwest wind has knocked most of the leaves off my maple trees in the front yard. I opened the door and could smell all the leaves and hear them rattling around in the wind like a wind chime.

So until next time I will wish you Thanksgiving Blessings! Sandra in KC

Harvest Block Finished!

Although not in time to participate in my STO block exchange I did finish my Harvest Block. It is stitched on a 14 count aida, whose color remains a mystery as it wasn't on the packaging! I used DMC floss and GAST floss to stitch motifs from the Marquoir MIB series that Isa at Passion Broderie presented last year. http://perso.wanadoo.fr/passion.broderie/ I think it turned out rather nicely, sort of fun to stitch! I will keep the block for myself since I was late!

So next month's block theme is "Moose". I have looked and looked for an appropriate design and am unhappy with all I have seen. I am far from a designer and do not play one on T.V. but I have a mad, mad idea I want to try to sketch out. I am seeing letters "M-O-O-S-E" with big Bullwinkle pupils in the double oh's! Then I see moose antlers protruding from the oh's. I can use part of a design I have for the antlers! What do you think? I know, crazy!!

I wanted to start a cute free design from Blue Ribbon Designs! http://www.blueribbondesigns.com/
However I can't find my GAST Pomegranite! Oh, utter madness!! I want to stitch this free design "Crowned Heart" over one! Let me go tear up the house some more! Frenzied Searching in the wilds of my home in Surburbia! Sandra