Wishes

I just thought I would take a moment and wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. There are so many things to be grateful for this holiday season.......

May you be blessed in everything you do.......


Happy Stitching!

Spoiled Rotten

Oh...guess what I’m getting from Hubby for Christmas????? A NEW OTT LIGHT!!!! Yes, I know, I’m spoiled and I know exactly what I’m getting, but it couldn't be helped! As my grandmother would lovingly say, "You are a JAP (Jewish American Princess) after all!" LOL!

We went into Michael's on Friday night to look and see if they had a DMC color card, which they did not by the way. So, while we were on the DMC aisle, I turned around to show Hubby the light I wanted and my eye caught two different sale signs. (I'm always looking for a good sale.) One said “40% off Ott lights” (which I’ve seen many times before) and one said “All Ott Floor Lamps $99.99”. I about fainted and hit my head on the DMC rack on the other side of the aisle!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! The light I want is regularly $279.99 and that would be a $180 savings. While I was trying to pick myself up off the floor without Hubby noticing, one of the ladies came out of the back. I practically jumped her and asked if the sign was really true and could my lamp be on sale for so cheap? She came back with a price gun and wa-lah…..the lamp jumped into an empty cart that happened to be next to us in the aisle. I would have bought it myself since it was such a good deal, but Hubby decided that he would buy it instead. I’m so excited! (Did I say that already?)

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the Ott light I currently have. It is just that we are trying to "clean up" the house a bit. This light really fits into the decor of the room better than the plastic one I'm currently using. Not only that, but when it is my turn to host a stitchy night I now have good lighting for guests. Unfortunately, the lamp is sitting in my great room and it is teasing me since I can’t have it for a month!!!!! Anyway, if you need another light, now is the time to get it since they are so cheap! The sale runs through Wednesday, so you may want to jump in your car and pick one up for a gift of your own.

I didn't really get much stitching in this weekend. Hubby and I have been trying to get ahead start on our Hanukkah and Christmas shopping. I don't want to be out there with all the crazy people on Black Friday, so I think I'll stay home and stitch then.

However, I did take a page out of Edgar's book and I watched "On the Town (1949)" with Gene Kelley and Frank Sinatra. I just don't know how he gets any stitching done while watching these wonderful old movies. It was all I could do to tear my eyes away from the dancing! Thank goodness I was still able to get some work done on HEAD's Bo Peep. I took a couple of pictures of her this morning before heading off to work:

She's really coming along. I'm beginning to think I may finish her before the end of 2009 after all. Now, if only I don't get distracted by some other start......

Happy Stitching!!

Hanukkah Bits

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their kind comments. (A special thanks goes to Daffycat for the shout out on her blog.) I stitched Hanukkah Bits for my mother for Hanukkah this year (which starts on December 11th). She loves my stitching and I thought of her the instant I saw this piece.

Come to think of it, my step-father loves my stitching too. Over 20 years ago I designed a piece for him based on his favorite saying at the time and it still hangs in his office to this day. I think it said something like: I must hurry to catch up, for I am their leader! (Ok, I didn't really design it, I just picked out my favorite alphabet, his favorite colors and charted out the saying........what did you expect from a pre-teen?? LOL!) The last time I took my framed stitching to show off, I went home with one less piece. My step-father walked into the garage and grabbed a stool and a hammer while I was in the other room talking to my mother. We hear this banging and walk into the kitchen only to find my step-father hanging my The Sun Sets..... by M Designs. I didn't even get a picture of it before it was stolen from me. Oh well, at least I know it is loved and appreciated!

Oh, and Laurel, just go for it! The silk is not that hard to work on......just get really good light and have strong glasses. I also found that it was easier to see when I had something that was a solid dark color on my lap while I was stitching. One other note, I was too lazy to sew it onto some fabric and then put it in a hoop. I'm a in hand stitcher for the most part and I did this in hand too. The worst part was filling everything in. Not because fill in is a boring task, but because I really had to make sure I didn't miss a stitch. So, I'm cheering for you!

Happy Stitching

Dry yet?

Little by little, bit by bit, we are drying out from the terrible Nor'easter that hit at the end of last week. Roads were flooded and power was out in many places. Some businesses were damaged or flooded out and we also lost a local landmark. Hopefully they will rebuild.......


I even know of a family that ended up with a small fire after the electricity came back up after being off for a day or two. (Did you know that you should turn off your main breaker in the house so that this won't happen to you??? I didn't either!) Thank goodness no one was hurt and the damage was relatively minor compared to losing a home.


On a personal front, my home fared well during the storm. Our power flickered and threatened to turn off, but it never did. Thank goodness we are on the same grid as the hospital. Our power hardly ever goes out!


You would think that this would have been perfect stitching weather, but alas, I actually have been feeling a little "under the weather". I swear that the change in the barometric pressure is the reason for this sinus infection and my lack of stitching mojo. But, I've still been sitting in my "happy place" anyway and I'm trying hard to get my mojo back.


Over the weekend I was able to finish "Hanukkah Bits" for my mother. Now I just need to get it framed and back in my hands before December 12th..........

I've also been working on "Bo Peep" a little bit at a time. Here are a few progress pictures (taken on 11/16 and then again on 11/18). My ultimate goal is to have her finished by the end of the year, but with my mojo like it is, I won't make any promises......

Hope all is well in your home......Happy Stitching!

Looks can be deceiving

This is a shot (from my phone) out of my office window. Looks like a typical rainy day, right? WRONG!!! Welcome to the November Nor'easter! Winds are gusting to 50 mph and the streets are flooding like they do during a Hurricane. Schools are closed and even the college I went to closed (and they never close)! I think our state may have even declared a "state of emergency" today.

Do you think that my office is closed? No, of course not! If the "big boss" made it in than so can everyone else! Ppfftt!

This would have been a perfect day to jump back into bed and sleep a little later. Then I could have spent my afternoon in front of the TV with some stitching. Wishful thinking!

So, if you live in the Mid-Atlantic, and you have to go to work like me, I wish you safe travel.

Happy stitching!

Did you see this?

It's Angela's giveaway. She has done an awesome job!

CHECK IT OUT!!

Happy Stitching!

Out with the old....

.....and in with the new! Ok, maybe I'm a little early for the New Year's resolutions. It's just that I've been doing a ton of cleaning lately.

It all started when we took the vacuum to the Oreck store for a minor belt replacement two weeks ago. It was really something that we could have done at home. But, hubby is not always mechanically inclined (after all, he was the one that broke the dang thing!) and I wasn't about to let him break it into a million pieces. So, off to the store we went.

The instant we arrived he went to play with all the new vacuums and other gadgets in the store while I took care of business. Wouldn't you know, he picked up a pink (yes, I said pink) vacuum and declared "I like this one. It's cooooool!" I have to agree, it was pretty cool...... and, to boot, the model was pink because proceeds were donated to breast cancer research. Next thing I know I'm asking the salesperson if they would take a trade in on my vacuum. Long story endless, we didn't end up with the pink one, but we did get a new vacuum. I guess it was time. After all, mine was 10 years old and it was starting to fall apart.

So, with new vacuum in hand, I've been on a cleaning rampage of all kinds. Hubby even had to take two separate loads of goodies to Goodwill. I have to say, I love the fact that things are less cluttered. Our goal? Well, it is to keep everything uncluttered. Guess we will have to see how that goes.

While I'm nowhere near done with all the house cleaning, by any means, it sure has been nice to get rid of all the old. I've had a much clearer head and things have really been coming together. I'm less stressed about all the mess and I have notice a HUGE weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I have found the transformation so amazing!

I've been busy on the stitching front too, after all, you can't clean all the time! I was able to put the finishing touches on LHN's "Traveling Stitcher" and on SB's "Feed My Sheep". I do have to say that this picture really doesn't do the fabric on "Traveling Stitcher" any justice. It is so much warmer in person......

Traveling Stitcher

by Little House Needleworks

Stitched on 32ct Vintage Light Examplar by Lakeside Linen

Used colors as charted except for my initials

Feed My Sheep

Kit by Shepherd's Bush

Used materials supplied in kit

I have even started some holiday stitching. This one is for my mom. It is one of Erica Michaels' new petite collection. I'm stitching it on the 40ct silk gauze that is included in the pattern. This is the first time I've worked with the gauze and I think I'm holding up well. Believe it or not, when I'm done, this piece will only be about 1" x 2".

I've got a little more cleaning to do again tonight, but hopefully I'll be done soon. After all, I really need to get working on my holiday stitching, don't you?

Happy Stitching!

Wordless Wednesday

Dreary Day

Today is another dreary day full of yuck and mist. Kind of sums up Halloween too.....

Halloween turned out to be a sad event in my neighborhood this year. I sat on the front stoop with the dog since it was still warm and the rain hadn't begun yet. The first group of kids were scared of the dog and wouldn't come up. (Seriously? Have you seen my dog? He's a little bit of nothing and was probably more scared of the kids than the kids were of them.) The second batch of kids didn't see me at all and walked right past. The third set, well, they were the brave ones and they came up the walk for candy. So, at 7:30pm I called it quits and headed inside with a bowl full of Reese's cups and mini Baby Ruth bars. More candy for us......like we really need it! However, before you call the spooky squad, you should know this......I live in a community which doesn't have many kids and the ones that are here usually go to the next neighborhood for candy.....

Sunday was a day for hubby and me. We went to a movie (which we haven't done in forever) and then went out for an early dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant. We were home in time to watch Minnesota vs. Green Bay (I told you it was an early dinner!) and then game four of the World Series.

I was also able to get quite a bit of stitching done this weekend. I worked on Bo Peep by HAED. Here she is on Thursday evening before I started working on her. I'll have to get another picture of her soon since I'm much further now.

I also spent some much needed time on my "Traveling Stitcher". I started this one on my way to the St. Charles market back in September and I haven't picked it up since. It's a quick stitch, so I'd really like to finish it up before the end of the year. If you were able to read about the inside of my stitching bag, you were able to see my start on this. Well, here it is after this weekend.....

It isn't the greatest picture and it doesn't do the fabric justice, but what do you expect for a quick snap under florescent lights?

Speaking of quick, can you believe it is November already? I've really got to get moving if I want to have a few stitchy gifts to give this year!

Happy Stitching!