Good Monday to you!

I'm resolving to make this a positive day--even if it's only because I'm going to be able to post a lovely picture of my baby girl and myself!

Not much going on right now, I had a new start on Sunday. Didn't have too much time to work on it, but I started Ink Circles Cirque de Circles as part of the Monochrome SAL on the Passione Ricamo board. Really, the SAL was an excuse for Dawn and I to stitch this chart! LOL I'll post a picture of that maybe later, maybe tomorrow.

Here's a few more questions from my comments section:

Again from Outi:
4. Your favourite author?
Boy that's a difficult one. When I was growing up it was Anne McCaffrey with the Pern Series. These days my most read books cover a huge genre gap from fantasy to romance to thrillers! Most often read are Anne Bishop, Nora Roberts and Laurell K Hamilton. I will buy just about anything by Phillipa Gregory too, and I think I have nearly everything Marion Zimmer Bradely wrote! Told ya it was hard!

5. And, of course, you favourite cross stitch designers? :P
My favorite designers are definately Mirabilia, Just Nan, Indigo Rose, and Passione Ricamo. I seem to have tons of WIPS from just these four designers. I also have bunches of Chatelaine as well.

These are from Karen! :)
1. What's the longest you've ever taken to complete a cross stitch project?
Hmm, can I let you know when I complete it? LOL No seriously, not counting an utter UFO that has been hanging around (if I even still have it, I may have pitched it, it was on Aida) for about 20 years--My longest completion would have to be my Midsummer Night's Fairy from Mirabilia. I bought her as a kit from The Stichery, and HATED the Stony Point Linen. DESPISED it. Barely got any progress done on it, and then I discovered hand-dyed fabrics. Restarted it and was zipping along until I sliced the fabric BOTH ways when trying to frog her wing. I was heartbroken, but with the help of some friends was able to reweave, and finish her! She took Best In Show at the Deerfield Fair that year, so it was worth it!!

2. What's your favorite meal?
Anything I don't cook??? Ummm... Probably would have to be Veal Marsala when I can afford it and for a home cooked meal--probably my mom's roast beef, mashed potatos, homemade gravy and corn. I just can't manage to brown the beef like she does!

3. What's your biggest fear?
Being alone

Well that's it for me! Anyone else want to ask questions ? :) :)

Here's the picture of my baby girl and I as I promised!


Take care of yourselves!

Goals for Feb-New goals for March

Well let's see how I did!

For February I said I would:
1: Finish Shop Models!!!! Both of them.--Okay I've finished 1!!
2: Ship out Spot RR on time-- YES!!
3: Stitch JN RR--YES!!
4: Stitch 5 hours on Autumn Faery Spirit.--YES!!
5: Stitch 2 ornaments-- No :(
6: Start laying out Mira RR--No :(

So I was a little more than 50% on the goals!

So for March I would like to:
1: Finish last shop model--deliver them by March 15!
2: Start Ink Circles Cirque de Circles SAL March 4th
3: Get Mira RR ready to go!
4: Stitch 5 hours on PR Autumn Faery Spirit
5: Stitch JN RR/Spot RR and mail on time!
6: Meet all exchange/mailing obligations!

That seems like enough! Trying to stay realistic!

So I'll answer a few of the questions that were posted in my comments! More will come tomorrow with my trip report!

Outi asked:
1. Where you met your husband?
Well I met him online actually! We were both in a chat room and had known each other through a mutual friend. We got to be good friends for almost a year before we both started admitting how we felt about each other! We started a long distance relationship for 9 months before I moved from PA to NH! :) We got married about a year after that, and this November will be 4 years married!

2. Your favourite colour(s)? (I could make a guess about purple... this is just a hunch. )
You would be right, purple is my very favourite colour!! I have had to promise Dan I won't make the entire house purple. Luckily enough, his favourite is green and it works perfectly with purples and is my second favourite! So we have various shades of purples/greens/blues throughout our house. I think it works!

3. As a kid... what you wanted to be when you grow up?
Well that changed often! What I settled on however, was thinking I wanted to be a teacher. My parents convinced me that history teachers were a dime a dozen and that I should focus on elementary school. I hated it, and have SUCH respect for those that do teach elementary school! I would love to have actually gotten a history degree and taught history in higher grades, but I never finished. Now I'm a stay at home mom, and love it. Although I am thinking about going back to school soon!

More tomorrow!! Peace :)

Home again, Home again

I'm finally home! We got stuck in PA for 2 days, after not being able to leave NH for 2 days later than planned--so it all washed out. Both times were due to snow, etc!
I'm pretty exhausted, so for now here's some pictures!

Five Questions.. and Five Things...or...

Angi is crazy, one of the these!!

here's how this works. For the first part, 5 Questions--my dear readers can ask me five questions--either in comments or feel free to email them if you'd prefer. I'll answer them in the blog as soon as time allows.

For the second, Five Things About Me:
Here are the rules:

1. Get tagged
2. List five things that have not been revealed on your blog
3. Tag five other people

Wow, I am not sure what all to list. I found this on Jenna's blog, and since I still owe her not one, but TWO PIF's, I figured it'd be nice if I took a tag! :)

1: I used to desperately want to learn to dance. Real dancing, not just the stuff I'd make up in my bedroom or the attic and pretend with. We're talking around age 8 here, and no I never had lessons.
2: I've been engaged twice before finding and marrying my husband!
3: My maiden name is actually my adopted name. My mother's husband at the time adopted me, and no I have no idea who or where my birth father is.
4: I had mononucleuosis in my senior year of high school and missed 4 months of school and had to be hospitalized for it. Lemme assure you--NOT Fun! LOL And I didn't even KISS anyone !
5: I grew up in a teeny town, and graduated high school in 1989. There were 89 students in my class. We were the biggest graduating class in 5 years.

Okay that's my five! I tag Jamie, Cathy, Belinda, Sue, and anyone else who wasn't tagged!

Best Valentine's ever, sorta :)

What a lovely day--for the most part! Mostly because it happened the day before! We got hammered with a snowstorm on Valentine's Day, and so DH was stressed and tired. We didn't really spend any time together. However, the night before was lovely! I got my hair done, and I LOVE it! Then I got home to my Valentine's gifts from my hubby and daughter.

Tory got me a faery statuette. The most touching thing about it is that it looks like her in such an uncanny way that I burst into tears. It will be my most treasured rose forever:



My husband-who has a huge jewelry backlog after 5 years together and no real ability to buy anything other than our wedding rings, bought me earrings. They are small, but lovely and I again was in tears from the cards and the gift. I am so blessed!



been stitching away on the models, although I'm missing 2 colors of Anchor (not sure how that happened!) Hopefully with packing et al today I can move further ahead on the other model! Otherwise I'm just getting ready for the trip!

Peace..

I remember sleep...

vaguely...

When the kiddo doesn't sleep, neither does the mom!! She did sleep better last night, so I got more sleep than I have lately.

I finished up Zoe's Spot RR last night-- I did most of this at the hospital! Zoe stitched the top row and the deer, I did the four spots!

Nebs and inhalers, oh my!

Well, if I liked doctors, I wouldn't by now. We just got back from another wonderful afternoon spent in the Emergency Department due to Tory's asthma. She has been coughing horrifically for over a week, and this morning she started coughing up blood-laced mucus. So off to the ER we trekked, and got there around noon. At 4:30 pm we were finally finished, after x-rays and many tests--her asthma has kicked into high gear, but no pneumonia or any infection. I'd have been surprised if there were since last Monday her Dr put her on zithromax and prednisone. We have a script for some heavy duty cough syrup and a direction to find a pediatric pulmonary specialist.

So the only stitching I did this weekend was in the ER LOL. I crocheted 2 rows on my gramma's blanket, plus did 2 full spots on the Spot Sampler RR I got in the mail yesterday. That's about it *blah*! LOL

Peace

This'n That

Not much new today--I shipped out my Spot RR, finished an ornie for Cathy's JN RR, and I've nearly got the green wrap done on Autumn Faery Spirit. I'll finish that up tonight and rotate away from it :( It's such a gorgeous piece!

Tory is back in school, and catching up again. I dropped all sorts of stuff at the nurses office--inhaler, nebulizer stuff, aerochamber, instructions etc. We have a great nurse!!

Well here's my Spot RR. I didn't do much but the border, which is from Indigo Rose's Catherine Agnes. I'll fill the specialty stuff in when I get it back! The purple varigated is SNC Wild Violets,the green overdye is Dinky Dyes silk Rainforest. It's 4-sided, but I couldn't get a great picture of the whole thing, at least not that you could *see* it. I greatly enlarged the border as charted, since it was just 100x100.

Baby, it's cold outside!

Well we're in the middle of this deep chill, with more to come apparently! Not a good time for Tory to be struggling with her asthma again. She's home from school again--yesterday and today. Dr. put her back on prednisone and zithromax, and did a strep swab--the rapid test was negative. We're stepping up nebulizer treatments again, and I've got to take some stuff to the school in case she has problems there. Though nighttime seems to be her worst time!

I've been stitching, and I've got my Spot RR ready to go out, and I've finally figured out a layout for my Mirabilia RR. I need to get a HUGE piece of fabric for it though, 28x35 at the least. That's one massive piece of fabric!! I have planned to do the top part of Mirabilia's Rose Celebration, and then there are 8 sections around her for the other RR members. Hopefully I can get the fabric soon, so I can have it ready for the April 2nd maildate.

My other love right now in stitching is Passione Ricamo's Autumn Faery Spirit. The colors are absolutely stunning! I'm stitching her on SMF's Snickerdoodles, which is perfect. I've found it VERY hard to put her down, but I forced myself! I may up my goal time on her to 10 hours though, she's so pretty!

Hopefully everyone is warm!

adding some pictures for update on the Autumn Faery Spirit WIP and my kitty!

February Stitching Goals

I got out of the habit of setting goals lately, and I can tell! So here's the ones for February:

1: Finish Shop Models!!!! Both of them.
2: Ship out Spot RR on time
3: Stitch JN RR
4: Stitch 5 hours on Autumn Faery Spirit.
5: Stitch 2 ornaments
6: Start laying out Mira RR

Tagged!!

Well I said I wasn't going to do this, but I've got some time on my hands so what the heck. I was tagged by Jamie to list 6 weird things about myself. Huh.. I have to narrow it down to six--this should be interesting!

1: I am totally territorial about my kitchen--to the point that I have to leave the house sometimes if someone else is cooking.
2: If a food doesn't appeal to (or smells icky) my sense of smell, there's no way I can swallow it. Period.
3: I have zero interest in watching black & white movies, or most old movies.
4: I won't burn candles if my house is messy
5: I eat mayo on almost everything, including hot dogs.
6: I am obsessive about the order of my bookshelves. I group by author, genre and perhaps size. But I NEVER mix genres on the same shelf. This is a source of slight stress in my life at the moment, as DH just adores a hodge podge. No sorting, period *shudders*

Okay I'm sure there are TONS more, but that's all I'm admitting to!! Consider yourself tagged if you want to do this!

Brrrrrr

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their supportive comments! It really helped a lot :) We have met with the principal/teacher/counselor multiple times each year. They are all pretty clear on the understanding of what we will and won't tolerate, to the point we've even brought up the bully law in NH. We could file charges, if this gets out of hand again. We've also had DD in therapy for a while--she's 6-9 months younger than her entire 4th grade class, but she's also far advanced academically. She just has issues with the social aspects, thus the therapy.

In other news, I do believe winter has finally arrived with a vengence. I hate cold. I hate ice, snow, icy wind and the grayishness of the sky. Yeah I know, I moved here because I fell in love with a man, not the weather that's for sure. I could happily hibernate, every year. Unfortunately lol I can't do that if my family is to eat!

I got some more done on the border of my Spot RR sampler that is due to go out Monday. I may not have the spots I wanted to throw in there done, but I'm confidant the border will be done! Now I have to start planning my Mirabilia RR--what type of look do I want... it's something I need to ponder :) I missed the first Ornament SAL this month of Jan due to being busy. I'll try to do two in Feb!

On the Girl Scout cookie front, DD sold 355 boxes! She's 145 boxes shy of her goal of 500, but she'll get a few more credits with the booth sales. Of those 355, she alone sold 101 boxes to send to the US Troops!! I'm so proud of her!! Also, it's not too late--if you want to order cookies or donate to the troops, we can still take 'catch up' orders, with money due in early March :)

Peace...

Oddity...

As some of you know who I talk to in real time, my daughter has been having an issue with a little girl at school. They've been at loggerheads since 2nd grade. They just cannot get along, as much as they both desperately seem to want to. A couple of months ago, we went to the school and basically demanded they do something about the issue, as the other little girl had gotten quite nasty, following DD around wherever she went. She would say things about DD to others, and be really snarky to her face. But to everyone else this little girl is sweet as pie. I met with DD's teacher last night inbetween DI and chorus, and she let me know that this other little girl has been coming into their room again, just 'wanting to know how ___ is doing". *sighs* Call me cynical but I have zero faith this child has good intentions.

I do not understand, if you dislike someone so intensely to have said the things this little girl said to mine, WHY would you follow her around everywhere?? WHY would you insist on making sure she knows that you're there? I mean, if my child has been as mean as this little girl says she's been (which it has been proven she *hasn't* by the principal and teachers alike) why would this little girl want to constantly 'be' there? My husband says it's about control and power. I'm not sure I agree, but he has a point. This other little girl has the control, because my daughter doesn't go near her, doesn't play in the same area at recess, and won't sit near her at lunch. It's taken a lot of abuse and nastiness for DD to finally let go, but she did. Now that this bully (and that's what she is!) isn't getting a direct response, she seems to have resorted to *presence*. This logically makes my DD nervous about doing something to get into trouble, and the bully wins, she has the power and the control. It makes me wonder about what kind of person this little girl might grow up to be. I know she's got homelife issues, and I could be sympathetic if it wasn't my kid she picked out. Seems the recent events ramped up after DD announced she was being adopted and getting a new Daddy. Maybe, maybe that's part of it.

All I know is I feel helpless, I'm angry and I'm aching for my child who just wants to be left alone by this little girl. And who wants to be able to make other friends without being scared this little bully is going to show up and say mean things, or just stand there to intimidate her. It's not fair, but there's not much I can do. Except pray for this little girl, her family and her future. I know God watches over my DD, I just wish I could protect her from all these little hurts. I can't and that's what irritates me :(

Hug the kids in your life--they never get enough hugs!

Slump!

I have hit a stitching slump. I hate these. It could be due to several factors. I have strep apparently (just got the call from the dr's office). It could be because I'm typically cold since we're fighting with our thermostat and furnace. The thermostat is winning and won't kick on the furnace until some odd hour like 4am. Repair call for that is in the works lol. It could be because I'm dealing with an ongoing discipline regime for my daughter who made some really bad choices last week--choices that had the unthinkable happened, I wouldn't have known she was missing since she wasn't where she was supposed to be. Thank God for His protection. But this is all just... life. I don't think this is what is causing it. Blah. lol.

I stare at my stitching. Longingly. But the motivation to move the frame in front of me is just not there.

So if you find my stitching desire, out there wandering lost and alone, could you send it home? I'd appreciate it!

Peace!

A-MAZING game..

Okay fair readers, this is my last football post. Well there'll be more than football at the end, so have patience ;) The first thing I want to say is Congrats to the Indianapolis Colts and their patient fans. What an incredible game! I am sad that my team lost, of course--but I think that was one of the most amazing games I've seen all year. It literally came down to the last few seconds, and that is what good sports and great football is all about. Those teams left it all out there on the field and Peyton Manning finally rose up and said "enough! this is MY time" and it is. Honestly if they had been playing anyone *but* the Patriots I would have been cheering my heart out for Tony Dungy and the Colts. I'd rather lose to a great team who, while they made mistakes too, dug in and perservered. I was also so very happy to see the dignity with which the Patriots lost, and how genuinely they congratulated the Colts. It was almost as if everyone decided, after the final whistle, to acknowledge the great rivalry and history these two teams have. Patriots can't always be the winners, and they conducted themselves with dignity and decorum. I've read a lot of things lately that talk about how most of the nation hates the Patriots, and how we've become the Yankees of the NFL. I have to say I'm not sure I agree, and I am not sure how I feel about that. I do think that after a while, people just *expect* great teams to do more and get more irritated when they fail. This season was up and down for us, with lots of mistakes and controversy to start it. The Patriots stand poised to have several key players retire, and are in negotiations with others who deserve market salaries (not that anyone "earns" being paid millions, but I digress). I'm not sure what next season holds, but for now I am looking forward to the SuperBowl and Draft Day. Because after that is the interminable wait that only includes basketball, hockey and baseball. *blech*

I did not pick up a needle all week--It's been just... blah. I did head up to ABC Stitch with my good friend Jamie on Thursday. I taught her to stitch a few months ago and she has been finally totally assimilated! She's even joined some SAL's and I just sit back and giggle. We did a late Christmas exchange with her since we hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving--she gave me a Bruschi T-shirt!! I was all decked out last night for the game in pink Patriots socks, the Bruschi shirt and my Patriots Santa hat! LOL Nooo, no pictures! She also gave me Elizabeth I with Helen Mirren, which I adore and watch over and over since I DVR'd it. Now I have it on DVD and couldn't be more pleased!

More happening today, but I can't post about it yet.. don't want to jinx it! :)

Peace

What a heart-stopping game!

(Warning: Football post!)

Not for me (heavens no!) but the hearts of the San Diego Chargers and their fans. As a die-hard NE Patriots fan, let me start by saying--Holy Crap!! I was resigned to watching my Pats put up a decent fight but ultimately end up losing the game. San Diego has dominated all year, they had the best record in the league, led in offensive points scored and also in least amount of points allowed. So to my Pats family here, there would have been little shame in fighting the good fight, but losing to the Chargers. We had a depleted (again) secondary, Junior Seau hurt, my man Tedy Bruschi is aging and just a hair less sharp than he used to be, and a big playmaker Rodney Harrison taken out in the last game (sure it was a legal hit, but it was definately dirty and it certainly torqued off the Pats). We have a struggling (yet nerveless apparently) Tom Brady, who most expect to announce he's had shoulder surgery the day after the Pats season ends and a receiving corps that well, isn't all that gelled yet. All of this facing the Chargers who had the NFL MVP--quite deservedly--and the "best" defensive player in Merriman. My opinions of Merriman I'll keep to myself, however I think he got shut down *quite* effectively. Overwhelming odds, you say? Absolutely. However--everyone (myself included) underestimated the danger in the Brady/Bellichek playoffs. I certainly didn't expect a win. I was ready to let it all go, and cheer for whoever played the Colts to win and win big.

They did it again! The formidable and dangerous combination of talent and apparently raw determination succeeded where it should have failed! In retrospect, I imagine the Chargers wish they hadn't been so confidant they were already talking smack about their SuperBowl parades, scouting the OTHER teams that they could be facing. They had already won, in their eyes. Even before a single ball was snapped, ex-Chargers Reche Caldwell was being 'consoled' by his old teammates. And then, it was gametime.

It was a nailbiter for Patriots fans, to be sure. Brady threw for 3 interceptions, and the defense bailed him out again. He also ended up throwing for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. But that's what a "team" is for, right? Jabar Gaffney (in October we all went WHO?) had 10 catches for more than 100 yards. Reche Caldwell (Chargers basically told him to 'move on' at the end of last season) had an incredible game and a touchdown versus his old team. Our rookie kicker might have finally put the ghost of Adam Vinateri to rest--at least until next week when the quite familiar match-up of Colts-Patriots takes place.

The Chargers are apparently upset by how the Patriots celebrated. That paragon of NFL-rule obeying, clean playing, utterly always respectful Shawne Merriman claimed it was upsetting because the NE Patriots have already won 3 Superbowls. Huh? Well clearly that disallows all big-game celebrations. While I disagree with LaDanian Tomlinson, at least I respect LT and think he is a gentleman--and give far more weight to his comments than I do to a drug... well let's just say I don't think Shawne Merriman deserves much in the way of respect.

So, next week it's the Colts-and the Brady vs Manning thread has already started on Football Outsiders. Those people are crazy lol! I'm looking forward to next week's game, and no I won't make any predictions. Can we win? Sure--will we? I have NO idea! LOL

Blah days...

January is always a 'blah' month for me--not ever sure exactly why. This Jan seems to be no exception, and with the weather not having a clue what it is doing or how it's behaving--sheesh! I mean I love 70 degree weather, but not in January!! Seems that today and yesterday the weather remembered this is New England, and our wind chill temp right now is 8 degrees. While I don't like it--brrrrr-it is *normal* LOL!

I tend to combat my blahs with new starts, etc. So last night I picked up our mail and in it was the Dragon Blood floss from Vikki Clayton for Mary Queen of Scots by Papillion Creations. I was stunned that I could find no one has this as a WIP? No pictures, etc. Sooo I've decided I'll have to post lots of pictures! It's quite the large piece-16.5"x25" on Belfast-so it'll take me for*ever* lol! I also plan to do her complimentary chart The Three Emblems, which is the companion piece, as a biscornu in the same floss.

Passione Ricamo did it again! There's new designs I LOVE Love LOVE! My Lady of the Snow and Make a Wish (Little Wishes Line). I already have a few of this designer, but I can see these being added to my wishlist! I've started Enchanted Faery and Autumn Faery Spirit as part of my January starts... her faeries are getting more and more stunning!

Well I think that's about it for today--hope you and yours are well!!

Peace

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!!

Yes it's once again that time of year. My daughter is selling GS cookies (she's been a scout since 1st grade!) and she's earning to go to 2 weeks of riding camp this summer. The troop is also earning to take the girls to NYC at zero cost to parents!!

A lot of people say they don't want to *eat* the cookies--well the girls have another option! They are sending boxes to the US troops serving in Iraq. Anyone can just buy x-number of boxes, and then they will send those boxes to the soldiers serving over there. They've done this for a few years now, and it always goes over big with the soldiers!!

Email me if you're interested!

There are days...

when I wonder just how I get (or will get!) it all done! LOL Today is housecleaning day for me, and as much I despise cleaning, I love when my house is all put together! I'm not sure I'll get to the tree today, or if we'll leave it up until after Epiphany. But I've been slacking these last few days, and boy does it show!! Luckily my laundry is nearly all finished so that won't take up too much of my time today!

If I get my work done, I will be sitting down to stitch this afternoon--working on a few littles lately, so we'll see how that goes!

Maybe post later, we'll see!

Peace..

Happy 2007!!

I hope everyone had a safe, happy and peace-filled New Year! In our house it was quiet--we've never been much for NYE celebrations. Tried to let Tory stay up this year (she's almost 10) but she conked out around 20 minutes to 11. DH was doing his Soduku puzzle book, and I was stitching when we paused to kiss the new year into being. Pretty typical for us!! LOL I'll be happy if that's what our 'year' holds, since that is what we were doing when it ticked over.

This Christmas season/New Year marks somewhat of a landmark for Dh and I as well. We have been officially 'together' for 5 years. Not too much when you think about it, but I am grateful and happier than I have ever been in my life. We seem to be able to work through whatever is tossed our way, and I thank God everyday for the strength He gives us and the blessing of love that was granted to us.

Stitching in 2006 recap coming soon! I did manage to start 3 of the 8 planned starts this month for Guilt Free January. I think nearly all of them are large starts, so there won't be many finishes yet, but I have been a good stitcher all year long! I started Royal Holiday and Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea by Mirabilia, and Enchanted Faery from Passione Ricamo. The faery is one I've been aching to start for a long long time, and I know I'm going to LOVE her!! Other planned starts include Mary Queen of Scots by Papillion Creations, Shiraz Sampler by Dinky Dyes and the Halloween Limited Ed Faery by Mirabilia.

Peace