Stash Buster Challenge

Finished

2009-05-16T07:20:00.002-04:00

Knocked it out in about a month. Since Pam died I have been stitching like crazy. I think she is pushing me out of my slump!! LOL Here is my Desert Star too, I don't think I ever posted a good finished picture.

Ha! I bet you thought I had forgotten this

2009-05-05T15:36:00.004-04:00

OK, Here is what I am working on. I am so hooked on this canvas work. This pictures is from a little over a week ago.

And this is from today.

This is Laura J Perin's Sunflower Star. I love it.

I also treated myself to 5 skeins of Carrie's Creations Threads. No I didn't need 5 but I was looking for 2 that went together to work on my Beehive Garden pieces from Wendy K.C. Designs and I couldn't tell from the online pictures which yellows were companionable! It ended up being Golden Glow and Fall Splendor. I got a couple more yellows for something else sometime. I also got one called raspberry Swirl that is not yellow as you might guess. I just thought it was pretty and I found a freebie of a Quaker style flamingo that it will be pretty in!

Finished!

2008-10-26T09:40:00.001-04:00

Here it is! The stocking is is finished. I will go buy material in the next day or two and sew it up into the Christmas stocking for Zane. Woohoo! Now to finish Rocky Mountain Christmas (Pam, quit that snickering!)

Update on stocking

2008-10-20T06:53:00.003-04:00

Is no one else stitching? I mean, I am bad but hey, come on you guys!!!

Here is the stocking again. And this picture is up to date. Just took it this morning. Have to do a bit of backstitching and half stitches for the floor then put the name on and sew it up! Yea!!!

The tree is DONE!

2008-06-19T10:00:00.004-04:00

Do you know how many French knots were in that thing!!?? No, don't either but I can tell you there were a BUNCH! And I hate French knots. Well, maybe that is a bit harsh. I don't mind a few French knots but this many was tedious. Here it is. Now on to other things on this stocking. It is coming right along!!! Have to be done by Sept. Do you think I will make it or have to wait until next year to enter in the fair? Does not matter as long as it is done for Christmas!

Small update - no photo yet

2008-05-03T06:37:00.002-04:00

The tree is finally going great. I have started on the dark green and since it does NOT fade into the other two I can zoom along. I will try to post a photo later. Also, I think I am going to pull Rocky Mountain Christmas out of my UFOs and get it finished. Pam sent me a link of one in the works and that inspired me. That will feel like an accomplishment. Urge me on, people!!! LOL

And BRRRRRRRRRRRRR I think we are back to winter this morning. Had to turn the heat back on. Oldest grandson has his last soccer game this morning. I may sit in the car.

Canvas work update

2008-04-20T11:26:00.002-04:00

This is from last week, I think I took it on Wednesday

This is from this morning but I didn't touch it at all yesterday.

There Pam, are you happy now???

Hello????

2008-04-18T23:33:00.001-04:00

So what's the deal? Are we just going to let this blog wither on the vine and die out? I'd really hate to see that happen, but I guess if no one is interested anymore, we can sure do that. Am I the last to know?

The cottages are finished!!

2008-04-05T00:23:00.003-04:00

Now if I can just get a picture of it somehow so I can show it to you. I still need to find the bellpull hardware and then it's done. I really like the way this turned out. I'm working on Queen Of The Needle now as well as a little piece for Dyani, just a little kit to hang in her room. It says "the princess sleeps here" and is in bright colors. She'll love it since she thinks she's a true princess (as only "Dora" can explain what a "true princess" is).

I am in a slump

2008-04-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

I just don't feel at all like stitching. I've been making tons of cards though. I wish the weather would break here since I am sure that is contributing to my slump...

Scissors keeper is finished!

2008-04-03T18:29:00.004-04:00

Here it is. Not put together yet and I have a bit more trimming to do but yea!! Now I can concentrate on the stocking. I am not sure yet if I will do the heart (probably not) and to put it together I am going to find some tiny ribbon instead of using floss or perle. As you can see, Maria - PINK! The B is stitched over one thread.

Update on Scissors keeper

2008-03-16T13:51:00.004-04:00

I have been stitching - but pretty much only on this scissors keeper. I know, I know. Have to be ready by Sept. for the fair with the stocking. I really will get back to it soon. Anyway, here is the scissors keeper: Front and Back

The frog is here!

2008-03-03T07:53:00.002-05:00

daggone it! I thought I was putting on the last petal on that Iris last night and then things wouldn't line up. I took out what I had put in only to discover THAT part was right but the petal on the far right is off by one stitch. Now I have to rip that petal out. *sigh* See, I should have been stitching yesterday isntead of reading! Oh well!

Just Framed

2008-03-02T17:58:00.004-05:00

Christmas Village Elegant Christmas

Another one!

2008-02-23T11:36:00.001-05:00

This is on a 28 count hand dyed from Silkweaver's. I don't know the name unfortunately... The thread is Carrie's Creations, Bliss.

Thanks Jo Ann!!

2008-02-22T11:29:00.002-05:00

This is the first of the Arabesque Hearts I am stitching!! It is on 32 count Parkland hand dyed linen from Silkweaver's and the thread is Carrie's Creations' Pansy Splash. These colors do not show up as well in a picture as they do in real life!

Welcome Jo Ann

2008-02-18T21:49:00.001-05:00

let us know if you have any problems signing up!

Progress of scissor keep

2008-02-16T19:27:00.002-05:00

I would have posted a little sooner but I had to wait for someone to show me how to take a B/W photo! LOL

I think I may want to do something besides those tiny flowers on the front of this. I like the colors I chose but they do go with that particular flower arrangement!

FINALLY!

2008-02-11T08:13:00.000-05:00

I am finished with the exchange squares for COBS. This one is for JoAnn and it is Patrica Ann Designs' Rose for all Seasons. I changed everything to pinks. I just lvoe it. I still have to put my name on it but it will be out of here at the end of the week!

Elizabeth Designs Little Things

2008-02-06T11:46:00.000-05:00

I did this one to use up the rest of the piece of fabric I stitched the Five Flowers on... I love her stuff. Fast to stitch too.

Five Flowers from Elizabeth Designs

2008-02-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

I gave up and just fudged the end of the borders. I was not ripping everything out. There is a mistake in the distance between two of the flowers and that gave me one too many x's in the horizontal borders... Just too much to change!

I am so frustrated!!

2008-02-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

I am putting the border on that ED piece. I ripped out the cream and used white. I came up from the bottom right corner and everything fit on that side. Across the top once, got to the end and found I had missed one of the little squares in between....all the way back to the beginning of the line, ripped everything out and started again. Get all the way to the ned and I am one stitch off. I can't find it so I decide to do the bottom to see if it lines up and sure enough it doesn't. now I have counted and counted and counted everything I can count and everything is correct but it won't line up. WTH! *sigh* If I have to rip this all out again, it won't get finished I am sure. I finally put it away and went to bed. I haven't looked at it this morning.

As for the Papillon sampler, I am not happy with the pink either whch is why I stopped where I did. I think I am going to make some changes today. I am glad I decided to do one side at a time!

Ok, off to see what trouble I can make (or fix) today!!

Almost forgot

2008-02-04T08:34:00.001-05:00

Part one of the EMS sampler.

Here's what's up...

2008-02-04T08:07:00.000-05:00

The first one is a Elizabeth Designs piece from JCS 2/07 that I stitched using Carrie's Creations threads. I don't like the cream border on this though so I am going to rip it out and do it in white. The pattern is called 5 flowers and I stitched it on 32 ct light taupe Lugana that we got in those Summer Fun packs 2 summers ago. BTW, the colors I used are Highland Hills (green), flower 1 is dessert bloom, 2 epiphany, 3 purple pansy, 4 Alex's inspiration, and 5 Bliss. The colors are so rich these flowers are really too small to do them justice... It is lovely though!

This is the Papillon piece. I don't care for the color that has the turquise in it in the particular combination. I think I need something with a deeper hue... I don't know, I am still looking at it. *sigh* I need to make up my mind though before I put anything else in because I don't want to be backtracking after part one is finished!

I am stitching

2008-02-03T20:51:00.000-05:00

and now that I have found my camera, I can post. I need better light though so I will tackle that tomorrow.

I wish I didn't have anything else that needed to be done so I could just do what I wanted to do...

Here are some progress photos

2008-02-02T09:54:00.000-05:00

I finally took a couple of pictures. And no, I have been bad bad about completing my self-imposed times. Maybe I should reset those to just stitch every day. When I sit down and really stitch it is usually well over an hour but for some reason lately I just cannot get much done. Anyway, promise to do better and post more often.

Here is the scissors keeper with all the color taken out. Maria cannot know the color I am using!! LOL

And here is the stocking. I am again working on the tree. Grrrrrrrrr! Hate these different greens. My eyes are not so young and have to really hunt to make sure I am in the right place.

Are any of us stitching these days?

2008-01-31T09:32:00.000-05:00

Just checking in to see what's happening. I'm not doing much stitching at all lately. By the time I get home, I'm too pooped to care so I just blindly stare at the TV until bedtime. I need to stop doing that and force myself to get busy again--once I make myself stitch, then I find that I actually want to again.

Haven't seen much info yet on the online stores having Super Bowl sales, but I'll bet in the next 24 hours we start getting information. I know The Silver Needle in Tulsa will have a huge sale, this is the biggest one of the year for them. Fortunately I don't need a thing so I won't be really tempted this year.

We need this!!

2008-01-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

The Finishing Site

The sides are together

2008-01-15T10:47:00.000-05:00

I got better at the sides as I went along but...It's not as nice as I would like. I still have to make the pin cushions that go inside the top and bottom and the bottom. At least the top is finished now so I will let myself do something else.

On the afghan front, I got a second strip finished and thought I would sew them together this morning only to find that one is longer than the other. *sigh*, I miscounted somewhere. Now I have to re-read the pattern and figure out which one is wrong and rip one out. Just shows you should only do counting when you can actually concentrate!

Pam Kellogg Eagle

2008-01-08T08:31:00.001-05:00

This is what I have done so far on this eagle. It is from the Feb 2003 issue of the Cross Stitcher It can be ordered from here. if you are interested Pam. It was designed for a shoulder bag.

HTB Top finished

2008-01-08T07:59:00.000-05:00

Here is the completed top...I got it whipped stitched together with the lining this morning but I haveing difficulty getting the beads even around the edge. I have so much going on today that I think I am just distracted. LOL

Thank you Becky!!

2008-01-07T16:43:00.002-05:00

My fabric came. It looks perfect, I can't wait to try it!

Which L&L angel are you looking for? I have a bunch of them that I bought a couple of summers ago when HL was discontinuing them!

Hanging my head in shame

2008-01-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

I went to HL today to get some perle for the scissor keep and they as you know are clearancing the entire stitchery department. I found some M Designs patterns I didn't have for about $1 each and I bought 3. I know that qualifies as stash enhancement but I also think it was an stash necessity!!... Don't you think so too? LOL

Sorry guys, I will behave now. :-(

Hannah's Treasure Box

2008-01-02T11:31:00.000-05:00

This is what I got done on the top of the box on New Year's Day.

Thanks, Maria!

2008-01-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

I still don't see how you guys put your stash lists in there, but it doesn't matter now that you fixed mine. I appreciate it--and don't you know I so totally love being the computer illiterate one of the group. Geez! LOL

Becky!

2007-12-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

I knew that scissor keeper looked familiar. I was going through my books this morning and I have it too!! I think I will work on that as well! Let's not share what colors we are using until they are made! OK, I am off to get my groceries so I can come home and stitch! LOL

Oh and when I found the directions for this I discovered the heart fob is the small one and I have the large on I think. I have to go on line and see if I can find measurements but I am pretty sure that's the case. Darn...I have 2 of them too.

Hey, Maria!

2007-12-30T17:38:00.000-05:00

Of course I will. I will send you the fabric w/o the heart. But I think I lost your address on my old computer so email me and I will send it. Have to recheck the size you wanted! LOL

Hey Becky

2007-12-30T17:12:00.000-05:00

I think I havethe heart shapped form you need for the bottom of that scissor holder. I will look and see. Want to trade it for the 40 count fabric I want? :-)

ROFLOL

2007-12-30T11:06:00.001-05:00

I am having SO much fun with this. It feels so good to be looking forward to stitching! I hope it feels the same for you all too!!

Help me make a decision

2007-12-28T23:08:00.000-05:00

OK, I have picked out some projects and I need input. First, Mrs. Nick (remember this one, Pam).

Then a scissors holder, hardanger, from Emie Bishop's I Will Wear Lavender.

Emie Bishop Warm Christmas Wishes (Maria!).

Emie Bishop Sunshine and Flowers (Can you tell I love Emie Bishop!)

Emie Bishop A Needlework Story. I actually want to do the one in the book that has 12 patterns.

And finally Emie Bishop Heart to Heart.

OK, now give me input!

OK, going to start a new project for the new year

2007-12-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have decided to pull something out of my stash (small) and start a new project for the new year. I will stitch one hour a day on Zane's stocking and thirty minutes a day on the new project. I hope I can find a small hardanger project but knowing me, the hardanger will be a big project. However, it does go fast. I want something FINISHED! So maybe this will get me going. I will post a picture of what I will work on this weekend so you can urge me on. LOL Thanks all! Oh, and Happy New Year!

Here is Sandy's square

2007-12-28T10:25:00.001-05:00

all finished. This picture does not do the colors justice. I just love it.

This is how I finished my Santa in the Moon pice. It is on a large covered button form. I have the red and white trim for the edge in my stash. It is really very cute. The button form made it easy to put together nicely too!

OMG

2007-12-27T17:29:00.001-05:00

U was driving home tonight singing "I don't have to go back for 5 days" and suddenly I remembered that I had those projects from the Celebration of Needlework show that I didn't get to go to! Woo Hoo. I am off to finish up those other pieces so I can work on Hannah's treasure box... YUM!! That will be my new years piece!

I only have a few beads

2007-12-27T07:02:00.000-05:00

left to do on the square for Sandy and then that is out of here. I should be able to finish it tonight. Then I have to take a look at what I have for Jo Ann and get that out of here. I won't let myself do anything else until they are done.

I was browsing my stash yesterday and found Cross N' Patches All hearts come home piece... now that is calling me. That may be my new years piece. After I leave work today I and off for FIVE WHOLE DAYS!! SHHHHHH don't tell anyone!! ROFLOL

Got to go!! Later!

New project

2007-12-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

hmmm... I just dug out my Pam Kellogg Eagle and I want to work on that, I have Fairy Grandmother started too. FIRST though I am finishing those daggone exchange squares from COBS so I can get rid of them.

I should probably start the Phoenix but I have some samplers that would be less concentration than those two I already have started so that might be a better choice.

I'd losve to dig into some of my hardanger, I have Cross n patches Quilteer's star I would love to do for my mom's birthday in May and my SIL asked me to do C'N P
's Welcome for her foyer...

New project????

2007-12-24T15:17:00.000-05:00

You have got to be kidding! LOL I seem to barely have time for that darn stocking. Seriously, I would LOVE to start something but right now my promise is to finish the stocking and Rocky Mountain Christmas. I have been so bad at stitching an hour a day and I do plan to remedy that soon.

New project. Gosh, I am not sure what I might want to do next but I think another hardanger project. I have so many I want to do and have not done one in ages.

Maria, what are your plans?

What shall we do for our "new" New Year's projects?

2007-12-24T09:14:00.001-05:00

Believe it or not, I worked out a rotation this weekend and I want to start that next week. I love my UFO's so I need to get busy on them again. But, I always start a new project on New Years, just because it seems like the thing to do. New beginnings and all--and after the year I had last year, I'm ready for a new beginning. Are you two going to start anything new or stick with the old projects? This year I want to finally do one of my Victorian houses. Now to decide which one. That will make 3 UFO's and one new project in a rotation of sorts. I can handle that.

My newest challenge . . .

2007-12-23T12:24:00.000-05:00

is to learn how to upload my photos to my Photobucket account so I can post them here. I WILL do that while I'm off work--I'm just vain enough to have to share these with you. I've done nothing major, but I'm very happy with the finishes I have so far. Now tell me, does the bell pull count as FOUR finishes or only ONE? LOL It was four patterns, but I only listed it as one project since it is all on one piece of fabric. Next I want to get really busy on some long overdue WIP's--I think first it will be to finally get my Stitcher's Stocking done. No comments here Becky--I do know how long ago it was that we started this one. Maria, she spent an entire afternoon teaching me how to stitch on evenweave and this is the project I started on. Now I want it completed. I love these stockings and all the colors in them.

Finished Needle Roll

2007-12-22T14:02:00.001-05:00

Here ya go! I stitched it together this morning. Now I am off to make cookies and fudge, finish a stocking, wrap some gifts, get food ready for Tuesday...on and on and on and on... LOL oh, and there's laundry and dishes and groceries to put away...*sigh*

I finished the M Designs Piece!

2007-12-18T11:39:00.001-05:00

It is the Merry Christmas Needleroll. I will post a pic asap!! Right now I need to get ready for work.

A couple more...

2007-12-10T10:42:00.001-05:00

These are both from the JCS 2007 ornament issue.

The first is Santa in the Moon by Twisted Oak Designs. Stitched on White 18 count Aida with DMC 304. I love "moon" santas so I had to do that one.

The second is going to be the cuff on my MIL's Christmas stocking (she has never had one!) It is the Poinsettia from Brittercup Designs. Stitched on 28 count cream Meran with NN and WDW threads. I wasn't intending this to be her sticking when I started it but it just "came" to me about 1/2 way through. I love these simple Brittercup designs.

That's it for now folks, I have to go find some fabris to make the stocking now! You just KNOW I don't have anything already in my house that will work. *sigh*

Two little ornaments

2007-12-03T07:02:00.000-05:00

These are from a book that Pam sent me. They are more time consuming than they look! Cute though. I don't know how I am going to finish them.

This tree is driving me crazy!

2007-11-27T21:39:00.000-05:00

So many different greens. I am staying with one until I finish it then will go on to another green. When I first started the green I did not have any other colors in the tree such as the hearts or red. I decided I had to have something to help me mark where I was. This has worked. Here is my progress:
Hey, Pam, didn't your computer come with a card reader? Try that to download your photos to your computer. Do you need a tutor? LOL

Maria, is there a way for you to go in and change the date time on this blog? I keep getting feeds dated 1/1/2007 and 12:00 a.m. Yes, I signed up for the feed. Love getting your posts immediately. Going to update my blog now.

Question to you both

2007-11-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

Do either of you have a piece of 40 ct linen? I have an over one project I want to do and that is what it call for. I only need about an 8" square but I have to buy 13X 18 as the standard stock piece and it is about $14...

Ta Da!!

2007-11-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

Sampler finished!! 39 days total. That's one off my list. I am posting pictures of the other things I have been playing with on my personal blog too if you are interested! With my Needle

Everyone has gone home and this house is too big

2007-11-26T22:51:00.000-05:00

It has been a frantic and chaotic 10 days with the kids coming and going and the grandbabies here--and it was wonderful. I'd forgotten how exhausting it is to have company for that long and especially when one is 2 and one is 3 1/2. But, it was so fun. Cheryn and family left late Saturday and Paul and family left early this morning. I got so many wonderful hugs and kisses. We colored and played games and sang songs and rocked until baby Jacob fell asleep--and now I'm going to make myself cry remembering those precious babies and how much I miss them. Grandpa helped me a bit with that tonight though--he was in the computer room and I was watching TV and I hear his falsetto voice calling "Granny, where ARE you?". That made us both laugh--we heard that hundreds of times last week and I loved hearing it. When I said I was coming, he said "why????"--also asked at least a hundred times. LOL I know it's only cute to us and I won't keep boring you with baby stories, but these two angels are so precious and such fun. I will show you pictures when I get them developed. Still can't get Vista to recognize the digital so I'll just take the memory card to Wal-mart and develop them there.

Almost there ladies!!!

2007-11-26T07:52:00.000-05:00

I didn't quite have time to finish my beading this morning but that is all I have left to do on the sampler!! WooHoo!! I won't be able to post a pictre until tomorrow though sorry!! I have to be at work at 9 this morning!

Happy Dancing on my way out the door!!!

I am about ready to head out

2007-11-22T11:21:00.000-05:00

to my MIL's with lunch. I have been sewing all morning. I have all the hearts finished and the eyelets finished on the bottom as well. I am bnot staying at MIL's for long since i need to "rest"...I closed last night and have to be at work at 4:30 AM tomorrow! I am coming home and SEW... WooHoo!!

BTW Miss Becky, I can't believe you didn't already know how clever we are... ROFLMAO!

Don't get too stuffed ladies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T08:54:00.000-05:00

Just want to tell you Happy Thanksgiving! It dawns COLD and CRISP here in Amarillo with a forecast of snow. YEA! I love snow. I want snow. Hey, I don't have to go to work this weekend and we bought firewood last week. I can snuggle in and either scrapbook or stitch with no worries. Well, of course, there is that of finishing Dad's apartment. Sigh.

OK, progress - I am still working on the green of that darn tree and will be doing that for awhile. Do you know how many disconnected stitches there are! ? Sheesh. And you girls are so clever. I could not have guessed from that photo that this was Nortwoods Stocking and I done seven stockings!

Off to work on that dinner. Turkey is in the oven, pies baked, need to fix dressing and sweet potatoes. Have a great day!

Making more progress!!

2007-11-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

I finished the hearts up the side I was working on and up the second side as well. I haven't done the eyelets yet though. If people would just let me stitch!! LOL So far this morning I made my homemade lasagna and a beautiful cranberry-apple tart for tomorrow. Now I have to get ready to go to work. What fun!

Have a great thanksgiving!!

Monday Morning Progress

2007-11-19T08:17:00.000-05:00

Here 'tis... I put a couple of more detailed pictures up on my blog but here is the big one. I really need more stitching time. *sigh* That sure isn't going to happen this week.

Silver Needle

2007-11-16T07:55:00.000-05:00

Stupid place, sending me their newsletter when I can't buy anything! OMG, there were some neat things in there. LOL

I am off today and tomorrow, other than taking my MIL to the foot doctor. I hope I can get some good stitching in. Of course there are a billion other things I probably should be doing too. *sigh*

I have to deal with some school stuff for Mark this morning and then take on the visiting nurse people and find out what happened there too. No rest for the wicked you know!

I'm Here!!

2007-11-15T22:43:00.000-05:00

OK, you guys have badgered - errr, coerced - no SHAMED me into this! Just kidding! Great idea. Now you have me stitching again. I am going to share where I am on Zane's stocking then the plan is to finish RMC. Then a new project. Yahoo! From the stash of course. One other challenge I am adding to my list is to stitch at least one hour a day. Thanks! Here is a picture of the stocking so far. Think it will be finished by Christmas???

Quote

2007-11-13T09:08:00.000-05:00

OMG!! Is this just US completely or what. I love this and I totally agree, this needs to be stitched and hanging where we see it every day--several times a day.

I got the Silkweaver's needleroll ready to stitch last night and I have to tell you, those are possibly the worst instructions and/or pattern that I've ever seen. The gridlines are not marked at all, it's all a copy in black and white and the overdyed threads are not identified except by their own name for them--which is a total guess for the stitcher. Is "Frankenstein" the green, the grey or the black & grey? I think it's the green since his face is green. There are also 2 different shades of orange--one is "pumpkin" the other is "autumn splendor", I guess I just use the one I want and call that good. There are only 6 colors so I can do pretty much what I want to do, but it annoyed me so I worked on the Lizzie Kate seasonal bellpull again last night. I'm almost finished with it--and I say that this project counts for FOUR charts, since I had to use 4 separate charts, one for each season, to make it. When I get this done, I'm at 5 stash projects stitched. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's Quote

2007-11-12T17:58:00.001-05:00

If this isn't for us, I don't know what is. I think I need to stitch it up!!

"Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do."
– Kathleen Winsor

Beautiful work Maria

2007-11-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

That is just stunning. You're really progressing on this one quickly. I love that pattern on that fabric.

Monday Morning Progress

2007-11-12T07:30:00.001-05:00

Not as much as I had hoped. There is no way I can get this finished and framed before Thanksgiving now. *sigh* Here's last week's picture and this week's.

Saturday--what a busy day today!

2007-11-10T23:49:00.000-05:00

DH got the jeep all fixed so we could go with the jeep club to be in the Veteran's Day parade this morning---which actually took all morning. We had to be there by 7:45 to get our line-up number and then get everyone into position to stand around until 10:00. We were entry #47 out of 162 and as it turns out, our group got the 2nd place trophy. There was a wonderful turn-out and it was all very patriotic, which always makes me cry--and the bands really were good--they played only patriotic music. Our group is almost all Vietnam Veterans or Gulf War Veterans so we had 25 jeeps totally decorated in red, white and blue of all types and every one of us had a large flag attached to the back. It was well worth the time and it was actually a lot of fun. It made me cry more to see so many people place their hands over their hearts as we all passed by with those flags flying proudly on our jeeps--I thought people had forgotten that sign of respect. Of course, it was almost all people over 50! Younger people just have no clue. At noon we all met at one of the club members' shop and we cooked burgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings--and had dozens of wonderful desserts. We ate a LOT.

After we got home, I had to make a mad dash to Amarillo to attend a book signing. Jodi Thomas, who is our writer-in-residence at the library where I work, has a new release out and she is holding signings all over Texas this month. She has another one tomorrow in Canyon and I'll go there too. I get her books for free because we work together, but it's a show of support and it's important to me for me to be there for her. She really doesn't need me there, she always draws a huge crowd when her books come out. I have everything she has written and all are autographed. I just love her and it's so fun to be around her at work every day (well, except for the days she is holding the book signings out of town).

So, to continue, by now it's almost 5:00, we've been up and going strong for 12 hours, and oddly enough, we're getting hungry again. LOL We just ate a sandwich, changed into our jammies, snuggled under an afghan and took a nap for about an hour. All in all it has been a wonderful, but busy day.

Sometime during ball games tomorrow I have to get my grocery list ready, my menus finalized for next week and start thinking along those lines. The kids will be here next Saturday, their flight lands at 3:00, they plan to leave Sunday for Albuquerque until Wednesday, then they'll be back here until the following Monday. I'm going to see if Cheryn and her crew can come for Thanksgiving and just do one huge blow-out then. I think they'll all have more fun if they are here together, but that's just me. We've also invited several single friends so we'll probably feed around 25 people by the time it's all done. That's ok, I can crash after this week is over--and if we don't have to do Christmas, then I'm done! We get to have 2 free paid days off work for our birthday (isn't that a wonderful idea!!!) but I have to use those 2 days within a month on either side of my actual birthday. I'll use those days when I really just need to rest and relax a bit all by myself after this is all over and everyone has gone home again. I'm also going to have the majority of the meal cooked and frozen before they get here. That's a trick I learned a long time ago. Done right, it tastes like I just made it and no one needs to know any different. I'm also excellent at delegating various cooking assignments--no way is this ALL going to be on my shoulders.

And, that's my world today. Oh, I also did get to finish that needleroll, now I need to figure out how to scan it or use the digital camera with Vista. That just has to be another day, my laundry is piled taller than I am, I'm sure and there are bills to be paid either right now or first thing tomorrow and my weekend has been, and will continue to be, very busy this time.

Now I'm heading to bed. Catch you later.

Good Grief

2007-11-10T12:02:00.000-05:00

It has been a bad stitching week. I made a mistake at in the bow at the top of the wreath and couldn't find it, then I thought I found it, fixed it and started again only to find that there was another mistake so I ripped everyting out again. It is finally on and complete across the top. Not I can start down the other side.

I have some errands to run today then I am heading home to stitch in front of my chick flix...I am thinking First Knight, maybe Dirty Dacnign but that was...welll... then I want to call people I shouldn't you know? LOL

When are the kids coming?

Oops, I dropped the ball here

2007-11-09T23:44:00.000-05:00

This has been one of those truly insane weeks and the weekend is only going to be worse. In fact, I just realized I won't have 5 minutes to myself now until the first of December. I can't tell you how much I hate this time of year and long for January to get here. But, on a more pleasant note, I unknowingly did start on Wednesday so that sounds really good to me! ROFL I think posting as we finish is a great idea because I tend to change my mind too often. I'm going to finish one more project this weekend, if I can just get about an hour to sit and do it. It may be late at night, but I'm going to make that happen. How is your stitching going?

Let's just start today...

2007-11-07T19:44:00.000-05:00

Why wait for the weekend? Are we going to list the 10 projects we want to work on or should we just list 10 projects as we finish them? I would choose the 2nd option.

I accept this challenge!

2007-11-07T13:56:00.000-05:00

This sounds great to me. Any thoughts on the start date? I think we should start on a weekend if that works for you, and the sooner the better. I'm nearly ready to dig in the old stash bucket and find another project anyway--but I also have to get my UFO's into a rotation of some kind. No sense waiting until after any holidays as far as I'm concerned. I'll have family around, so what--they are all used to seeing me stitch anyway. This will be fun!!!

The Stash Buster Challenge

2007-11-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

The rules are:
1. Have fun reducing your stash.
2. There is no time limit-
3. Thou shall not purchase any new patterns until 10 projects have been stitched. Pattern size does not matter.
4. This challenge can also apply to knitting, beading, sewing and crocheting patterns.
5. You can make some exemptions - There are always things that pop up at too good to be true prices.... Remember, though, the goal of this challenge is to reduce stash so too many exemptions will sabotage these efforts.
6. Gifts, gift cards, trades,and patterns bought with gift money are not a violation of this challenge. This also applies to purchasing patterns for gifts that give other people. Woohoo!
7. Freebies count as part of your total and you can aquire them at any point.
8. The offical start date of this challenge is????

Are we on???