Monday, December 31, 2007

And a Little More Prairie Sampler...



I've actually been stitching here! I set up the dining room table as my computer/stitching area. I have my Ott-Lite set up on it and I've been listening to "Outlander" while I stitch. It's been great. The kids are being pretty good. Matthew has been an angel, he's so adaptable. Jake is bored, so I'm going to take all the kids to Chuck E. Cheese today. Well, not much else going on here. Write later! :)

Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Beauty of South Carolina

I love South Carolina. It's so pretty here. I took a few pictures this morning. It's rainy and foggy making everything look kind of mysterious.







We are having fun, I don't want to leave! I could definitely live here! I would have to change the name of my blog again though. Write later! :)

Friday, December 28, 2007

A Little More Prairie Sampler

Well, we made it to our hotel room. I told Bradley as part of his Christmas present that we could stay in a hotel on our way up. He loves hotels, so it's a very big treat for him. And an extra big treat because all the rooms have Tempur-Pedic beds. He was fascinated by the commercial with the girl jumping on the bed and not spilling her wine. :) I did get a little more stitching done on PS. The picture is a little funny, but you get the idea.



I was feeling a little down the other day (long story), so I decided I needed a little retail therapy (like a hole in the head). I treated my self to a new Vera Bradley bag.





It's called the Little Travel Case. A stitcher at the Susan Greening Davis class was telling everyone how perfect they are for holding projects and when I saw they were being discontinued I thought I'd better get one while they last! I loaded up my wips and stash and it is awesome. It holds so much! Well, I think I've rambled on enough for one night. I'm going to sink into my Tempur-Pedic bed and sleep - hopefully sleep late if the kids allow! Write later!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Prairie Sampler

I didn't start anything new after all. I decided to get "Prairie Sampler" out again. I worked on it just a little bit before I got too tired...





I love the little squirrel! :)

The kids and I are heading up to Charleston tomorrow to spend a week with my dh. They are so excited! Hopefully everything goes well on our way up! Wish us luck! Write later!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

New Stash!

Or maybe I'll start one of these...



I stopped by my LNS today after receiving an email saying the new Lizzie Kate's were in. I picked up a couple of them with some threads I was needing for them and some fabric I was not needing! :)

Three posts in one day! Must be a record! :)

With All Your Heart

I think I might start this next....



"With All Your Heart" by Blue Ribbon Designs. I think it's so pretty! It's also pink and not Christmassy! :)

I put some fobs on my sale/trade blog. I really do have too many!

Write later!

More Poinsettias and Pines

I finally got past the lower tree section on P&P!



The words shouldn't take too long. I'm kind of over Christmas stitching though. I may work on something else... Maybe get back to Prairie Sampler?? Well, not much going on here. Write later! :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

We are all doing much better today. We all survived yesterday, made it through dinner, etc. :) I got some great presents yesterday. One thing from my mom that I got that I love is a pair of vintage pillowcases with a crocheted edging.

Pillowcase








From my SIL I got the 7th and final season of Gilmore Girls. I was so excited about that! I can't wait to start watching it!



My mom got us both these cute Starbucks cups...



My MIL got me a gift card to Jo-Ann's. I got some new 5" Ginghers...



I've found it easier to cut linen with smaller scissors, so that's what I plan to use these for.

I also got this cute little sewing box....



And some threads for a couple of new patterns I got the other day...





Cirque des Circles (jumpin on the band wagon) and Kaleidoscope by Ink Circles. I just love all the colors in Kaleidoscope. It's so different!

Last but not least I also received a package from Mary Kathryn yesterday...





It's the two new thread packs from LHN "Spiced Tea" and CCN "Cottage Garden." I love the colors in these two also! :) I didn't get any stitching done yesterday. I went to bed pretty early and thankfully Matthew let me sleep in until 7:30, which is a miracle! That was a great Christmas present! The boys also had a great Christmas. Click here to see some pictures I took yesterday. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! I plan on stitching and relaxing and doing nothing today! :) Write later!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Christmas Joy

We all got sick yesterday. First Bradley in the middle of the night then Chris, then me. Jake only got it a little bit. I guess Matthew wasn't throwing up because of phlegm. I guess he had a bug and then we all got the bug. Fun, fun!

Unfortunately I have a history of being being sick at Christmas. One year I even spent Christmas day in the hospital because I was so dehydrated. I hope I'm not passing this unfortunate tradition (curse) down to my kids. The poor things. Thankfully they all seem to be doing better today. We are supposed to celebrate today because Chris is leaving to go back to S.C. today. He has to work tomorrow. I don't know if I can stomach a big Christmas dinner though. We'll see....

Well, I did manage a little stitching before I got too sick. I'm almost done with the bottom tree section on P&P. I'm definitely not going to get finished by Christmas. Oh well, what can you do?? :)



Well, not much else going on. I've been listening to "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. It's pretty good. So much intrigue back in 16th century England. I'm looking forward to listening to more of these books. I also just finished season one of Mad Men. I highly recommend this show! I don't think many people know about it because its on AMC. I would have never heard about it if my mom hadn't told me about it. Season two is supposed to come out next summer I think. Anyway, I hope you all have a very Merry and Healthy Christmas! Write later! :)

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Not Much Stitching....

I love having my dh home, but he's really cutting into my stitching time! :) Matthew being sick hasn't really helped matters either. He's been waking up very early around 4 or 5 am crying and coughing. This morning he woke throwing up a little because of all the phlegm. The poor guy. Waking up so early has left me exhausted at night. I've been going to sleep around 9 pm. I do have some good news. My husband checked out my wish list on Amazon and he actually bought me something from it. I was so shocked, I never thought I would get it. It came yesterday and he let me open in early.



It's a Nikon D40. I just can't tell you how much I love this camera and how much I have to learn about it. I've been experimenting with all the different settings. Here are some pictures I took of the kids...







And some pictures of my stitching...



I'm still experimenting with what's the best setting for taking pictures of my stitching. I think good lighting is key. Some of you may notice the fob - I kept one for myself too! :)



Well, I've got to finish getting Bradley ready for school. Write later! Hopefully with some stitching progress to share! :)

Friday, December 14, 2007

A Few More Trees

I haven't been stitching too much. I've kind of gone fob crazy the past couple of days. The bead shop has captivated me! It's just too tempting and sparkly going in there to come out empty handed. I did get a little bit stitched on P&P.



Along with making fobs I coffee-dyed some more linen. I may try doing a couple more pieces again when I have more time to see if I can get them a little darker. The best way for me is to just do them in the sink and poor the coffee over them. I tried simmering them with grounds, but they turned out a little grey.



My dh is coming home tomorrow for about nine days! He has a trial that he has to testify in from when he arrested someone down here. So they are giving him off for that and his supervisor told him he didn't have to come back until Christmas when he goes on duty as a duty agent. That when they get their cases. And then I'll be going up there with kids for a week on the 29th. :)

Well, not much else going on. Matthew is sick. He's caught a bug of some kind. He's had a fever, coughing and runny nose. I just gave him some tylenol, so hopefully he'll go to sleep soon. The poor thing.

I'll leave you a pic of some of my fobs. I guess I need to put some up for sale, but I just hate to part with any of them. I get so attached! LOL! :) Write later!


Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Two Trees and a Reindeer!



I did get some stitching done once I tore myself away from the computer! Although, now I'm not as confident that I will finish this in 13 days. Oh well, I'll just keep working on it and we'll see. :)

Bine in Germany asked what fabric and threads I'm using and the answer is 40 ct. Luna by Lakeside Linens and 1 strand of Belle Soie silk by Crescent Colours.

Thank you all for your very kind comments on my progress! Write later!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bored

You know I'm bored when I post twice in one day! I should be stitching, I want to be stitching, but I'm not, hmmm.... Anyway, I decided to try coffee dyeing some fabric. I really like how it turned out!



I just let soak in some coffee for about 15 minutes. I sprinkled some salt in the with it. I rinsed it out some, not too much. I didn't want to lose the color. That happened to me before. Anyway, I'm happy with it! The fabric was white Belfast and Cashel linen.

I also went to the bead store by my house today and picked up some beads. I made this fob for myself today. They had these crystals together in a pack and I fell in love. They are more autumn than winter, but I think they're pretty!



I also stopped by my LNS today. I really only needed threaders, but something else jumped in my hands...



Well, that's all. I'm going to stay away from the computer and fabric and anything else distracting! Write later (not today)! :)

Stitching and Stuff

I got a little bit more done on P&P. It's coming along. I'm almost to the reindeer and tree section. I keep thinking if I do keep working on it non-stop maybe I will get it done by Christmas?? Maybe?? We'll see! :)



I use to have trouble with 40 ct. linen and I think I've figured out why. I always used a size 28 needle and I found it was too sharp and split the linen threads too much. I've been using a size 26 needle and it seem to be working much better. I did get a little stash in the mail yesterday too...



I got my "Brave Hearts" pattern and some silks for it from Handcrafts Online. I'll probably start this one sometime in 2008 after finishing P&P and Prairie Sampler.

Well, I'd better get some work done! Write later! :)

Monday, December 10, 2007

Wow!

I really do have the nicest blogging friends! Andrea from The Craft Room asked if she could send me something and I said "Of course!" I've always admired her stitching and was so excited to receive this beautiful pinkeep in the mail today...







I feel so honored that she thought of me! The stitching and finishing are perfect! I love it - thank you again Andrea!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Home Again, Home Again...

And I'm not leaving home for a while! I got back from Georgia tonight and we are done! The house is cleaned out and cleaned up. I took all three boys and that was an adventure to say the least. They were pretty good though. I think I did say "Shhh" and "Be Quiet" at least 500 times. They were bouncing off the car walls! :) I should have took pictures of the house, but I didn't. It's too sad. I will miss it and the area we lived in. It really is so pretty there. I'm definitely a hills and trees kind of girl rather than a beach girl as much as I try to like it down here. Oh well, what can you do? It's done and it's time to move on!

I did get a bit of stitching done before we left. Here's a little bit more of "Poinsettias and Pines."



I'm sure I won't get this finished before the end of 2007, but I thought I'd put the year anyway. At least I won't forget when I started. I'm really enjoying this one and hope to keep working on it until it's done. I also got a little package in the mail before I left. I had to take a picture of the tissue paper. It was wrapped so pretty!




"Christmas Tea" by Plum Street Samplers

I fell in love with this design right when I saw it! I think it's so cute! Well, that's all for now. We are all getting a little cold. Everyone is sneezing. Of course we are though because the holidays are coming up. It seems we are always sick around Christmas time. Write later!


Thursday, December 06, 2007

A little more Poinsettias...

I got the bottom row finished last night and started on the numbers above it. Again I only made it to 9:30. Which I guess is a good thing because Matthew woke up before 5 am today! Anyway, here's my wip pic. It's not much!



Just another day and it's back up to Georgia. I'm not looking forward to it and snapped at dh because he couldn't decide what size trailer he wanted. I'm just tired still and don't want to go. I'm feeling like a five year old, who is pouting because she has to do something she doesn't want to do. Oh well, after this weekend it will be done. I hope. Write later!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

I got one too!

I actually got it last week and was so surprised! Thank you whoever you are out there! :) You made my day!



I got a little bit more stitched on Poinsettias and Pines. Not much because I'm still recovering from moving. I've been going to bed around 9:30 every night!



Well, not much else going on here. Just listening to the kids playing (thankfully nicely). I took a cute picture of them today.



I couldn't get them all to look at me at the same time! Who knew I'd have three cute boys one day! :) Write later!

Monday, December 03, 2007

I'm Back!

I'm back and I'm exhausted. Moving is not easy. At all. I feel like I've been run over by a truck. A big orange U-Haul truck. :)

Tuesday I drove up to Brunswick and that was fine I was able to relax and I got up the next day and stitched some. I went to Target and found something decent to wear to dh's graduation. After the graduation we drove to Charleston to drop off dh's car at the apartment and then drove up a little ways and stayed the night in Orangeburg, SC. We got up early and drove to White, GA where our house is. We got right to work. Bagging up garbage and packing up dishes, etc. On Friday we got the U-Haul and loaded it up with the garbage and old furniture. I'm ashamed to say we filled a whole 14' truck with just junk. We were amazed at all the stuff we accumulated in 14 1/2 years. It felt so great to get rid of all the stuff we didn't need, all the junk we had been carrying around with us for so long. After a trip to the dump we started loading the truck with things to take to the apartment. We got up early the next day and drove back to Charleston. Again we got right to work unloading and unpacking. Much easier this time because there was no junk to deal with! Only the essentials! The next day I got dh setup with wireless internet (only took two tries with two different routers), did some laundry (our dryer is not working so we had to go to the laundromat) and then I left for Florida. Dh did not want me to go, but I had to get back to the kids. They were missing me and I was missing them! It took me 7 1/2 hours to get home. I fell into bed hugging my pillows.

I have to go up again this weekend. We have some things we need to put in storage down here in FL. And I want to get some more cleaning done for the closing, which is still supposed to be on the 14th. I'm not looking forward to it, but it has to be done.

Well, I knew it would be a miracle if I got any stitching done. I probably stitched one hour in five days. Here's my little progress pics....


LHN "Prairie Sampler."

I decided to change the red in Prairie Sampler to Sister Scarlett instead of Red Fox. Red Fox was a little too light and pink. I think Sister Scarlett looks better with the rest of the colors in the design.


BRD "Poinsettias and Pines."

I tried to work on this in the car. That didn't work too well. It's not easy to stitch on 40 ct. linen in a moving vehicle! :)

Well, I think that's all. I wonder if I could get away with not working one more day. I just want to lay in bed and be lazy! :) Write later!