TUSAL 2011 - June

I'm squeaking in here with my TUSAL post for June. Still no stitching to speak of, as I didn't even pick up a needle during our vacation. Instead, I napped and vegged out in front of our cabin's TV, watching endless amounts of Cake Boss and A Baby Story...LOL

My ORTs are in their new home this month. I definitely love this jar and it's a huge improvement over the old one.

Click for a larger image...

TUSAL 2011 - May

Well, I didn't get to add anything to my jar this past month, but I still have some good news!

See the other jar & holder in the picture? That's my new ORT jar! The base is actually meant to hold a jar candle, but this Libbey jar fits perfectly. I can remove the jar from the holder for pictures, which is another plus. I found the holder at Big Lots and the jar at Michael's.

This new jar makes me happy. I can remove it from the holder for monthly pictures, but during the rest of the month it can sit in the holder and "look pretty".

We're going on a short vacation the middle of next week. We'll have nearly 4 days in a cabin on a lake. There's a family reunion happening, too, but we're going down early. I can't wait for some relaxed family time and lots of stitching!

Anyhow, here is my picture for this month. Click for a larger image...

TUSAL 2011 - April

Here is my jar as of today, April 3. Can you see the bright blue & yellow and the mossy greens? Those are from the finish in my previous post. There's even a snippet of blue satin ribbon floating around, for a little added texture.

Click for larger images...

Second finish for 2011...another exchange!

The same group that hosted the Valentine's Day Exchange I posted about also hosted a Spring Freebie Exchange. The goal was to use one of the many freebie charts we've all collected over the years and do something fun with it.

I could tell from looking at my partner's wish list that she really likes Country Cottage Needleworks and that her favorite color is blue. In my stash, I found Bloom by CCN, a freebie from 2006.

Originally charted for pink & pale yellow, I changed those colors to a vibrant blue and brighter yellow. I found the button at my local Jo~Ann and knew it would be perfect for what I had in mind.

I finished off the design as an envelope and filled it with flower seeds. Hopefully they'll "bloom" for my partner.

Click for larger images...

First finish for 2011!

I finished this in February, but just managed to get the photos uploaded.

One of the groups I belong to always has at least one fun exchange going and I couldn't resist joining in on this one. This exchange involved finishing off a blank card with stitching for Valentine's Day.

I chose to stitch a freebie from Industrioushead. Emily is a very talented designer. You should definitely check out her blog!

Here are pictures of the card, inside & out. I'm very pleased with how it turned out! It's hard to see in the picture, but the paper inside the card is pale pink with darker pink fiber flecks. (I will admit to having a bit of a paper stash, too.)

TUSAL 2011 - March

Well, February was not a big month for stitching. I work for Hallmark & Valentine's Day is always a very busy time. Right now, I'm enjoying the lull before the Easter/Mother's Day/Graduation/Father's Day card rush.

I had the pleasure of attending a GTG in February, hosted by the wonderful Jo of Dinky Dyes fame. Jo & her husband are the most gracious of hosts and a fabulous time was had by all. Unfortunately, I had a massive allergy flare-up and only managed a few threads worth of stitching during the GTG.

I also started my first counted canvas piece, which will add some new & interesting fibers to my jar over the next few months.

Okay, on with the picture, poor though it may be...

TUSAL 2011 - February

Here is my very dark picture of my TUSAL jar, for February. I've got to find the "sweet spot" in my house for future photos.

Anyhow, my jar actually has some ORTs in it! Yay! They don't look like much, but they represent a FINISH! Woohoo! I can't show that finish just yet, as it is an exchange piece that hasn't reached it's final destination.

Oh, the jar will also soon be stripped of its pretty, yet annoying, stickers. They're starting to peel up (maybe because they're paper stickers?) and they do inhibit the view of the jar's contents. The March picture should be much clearer.

Click for a larger image...

TUSAL 2011 - January

As part of my plan to stitch more in 2011, I'm joining the TUSAL for this year. Daffycat is hosting this year. If you're interested in joining, click the button in the left sidedar.

My jar is still empty, but it looks pretty! I found some stickers that match one of my most favorite fabrics and used them to decorate a re-purposed candy jar from last Christmas. The stickers keep trying to come loose, so I think the whole thing will be getting a coat of Mod Podge. After that, I have some lavender & yellow ribbons to tie around the neck of the jar.

Click for a larger image...

31 Days of Halloween by Annette & Missy!!!

I've been looking forward all year to Missy's "second annual" 13 Days of Halloween giveaway.

So imagine my surprise and delight to find out that Missy has teamed up with Annette to have a 31 Days of Halloween giveaway bonanza! Woohoo!!!

There are two buttons in my lefthand sidebar, one to each blog. On the odd-numbered days in October, click the button for Annette. On the even-numbered days, click the button for Missy.

The rules are simple and you can find them here.

It's going to be a super-fun month! So get to commenting and good luck!

Giveaway on the Blue Ribbon Designs Blog!

Belinda, of Blue Ribbon Designs fame, is hosting a giveaway! She's celebrating reaching 200+ blog followers! Congratulations, Belinda!

So, if you're in need of a new project bag, tool bag or 1 or 2 of Belinda's charts (don't we all need all those things???), head on over to Samplings from a Blue Ribbon Girl and enter for your chance(s) to win!

Happy New Year (and a quick review of 2009)!

Okay, so I'm 5 days late with the "Happy New Year" part, but it still counts, right?

2009 was really a bust as far as stitching, so I don't really have much to post about in that respect.

In other areas, it was an amazing/crazy/busy year! Steven was promoted yet again in January. He's now the Local General Manager for Schwan's Home Service. He's in charge of 6 (soon-to-be 7) routes here in Waco and the surrounding area. It's a multi-million dollar responsibility and I couldn't be more proud of him. This makes three promotions in 2 years! The next step will be up to a District Manager position or a lateral/vertical move into another division of Schwan's. The company definitely offers a lot and we still feel so blessed to be part of it all.

In conjunction with his promotion, Steven was invited to attend LGMU (Local General Manager University), an accredited school within the company, just for managers. Steven was away from home Sunday-Friday, for 13 weeks. Saturdays became very precious to us and to say we missed him would be a severe understatement. He graduated right before our anniversary and then we had a week's vacation; which we all needed.

Speaking of anniversaries; 2009 marked our 15th! Where has the time gone? Steven & I were just 17 & 14, respectively, when we met nearly 19 years ago. It was pretty much love at first sight for me and he caught up rather quickly. He's truly my best friend and I can not imagine my life without him.

Our wonderful children are all doing really well and growing like weeds (the pretty kind...hehe). Andrew will be a *gasp* teenager come August 2010, Annemarie just turned 10 and Olivia will be 9 in just a few months. My babies aren't babies any longer.

Currently, I'm on a mission to declutter and organize our home. I've been blessed to be a stay-at-home mom for most of the kids' lives, but I haven't always been the best homemaker, in my opinion. Steven & the kids are on board and helping with the decluttering (including the garage). That alone is helping me more than any of my own determination ever could.

As for stitching in 2010, I'm hoping to take the first quarter of the year to focus on some obligation stitching that I've apparently been boycotting. I've been so distracted, for lack of a better term, by everything I want to do for my home & family, that I've let "doing for myself" fall to the bottom of my priority list. I have come to realize, however, that I am much more productive if I take a little time for me (& my beloved hobby).

Okay, I think this post is long enought. I'm off to tackle some laundry & dishes...and some stitching!

Really cool giveaways by a really cool stitcher!

*** Missy's giveaways are over for this year, but I have a feeling she'll be doing this again...yay! Congratulations to all 13 winners! ***

Yes, it's been a year-and-a-half since I posted. So what has prompted me to post again?

I met Missy. Missy is awesome. Seriously. Then Missy told me about her giveaways for Halloween. Then I ran out and bought a new-to-me monitor so that I could use my computer again. Then I ran to Missy's blog and started drooling (at a safe distance from my treasured keyboard).

Missy is giving away goodies for the "13 Days of Halloween". Just click the button in the sidebar (<~~~~~ look over there...it's a cute button!) and get all the easy details.

Good luck to all who enter!

Blog overhaul coming soon...

Updates are long overdue, but they're coming!

My template isn't going to change, as it took too much time and effort to get this one just the way I wanted it...LOL However, my sidebars are in need of some serious adjustments! Watch those sidebars!

I'm Still Here (aka I'm Back)

I cannot believe it's been over a year since my last post!

Shortly after my last post, "real life" decided to interfere with my stitching (and my blogging) in a big way. Steven & I dropped our paper route and I then went to work directly for the newspaper, in their distribution center. For the next six months, I worked 5-7 nights per week, from midnight-7am (and sometimes much earlier and/or later). It was very hard work, but I met some wonderful people and found several aspects of the job to be very satisfying.

Between shifts, I was home with our children while Steven worked. The kids were great about letting me nap in the afternoon...most days...LOL. After their bedtime, I would lie back down for a few more hours and then head back to the paper.

In January 2007, Steven changed jobs. Within a month, we could tell that his long days did not mesh well with my long nights. After much discussion, we decided that it was time for me to be home full-time once again. By this time, we'd made the last payment on our minivan, which made us debt-free except for our mortgage. We also had the beginnings of an "emergency fund" in place. Those were the goals we'd set when we began our paper route in May 2006.

It's taken a lot of time since then to get back to "normal". Stitching this year has been fairly non-existent, save for a few exchanges. I see that changing soon, as I've started a few new "just for me" projects!

I will post soon with pics and details of the projects I've completed and the new ones I've started. I spent days switching my blog over to the new layout and am just thrilled to be back!

3 Finishes for August

I don't think I'll manage another finish before August is over, but I am happy with the three I have!

For my son Andrew's 9th birthday, I stitched a card for him, using a Mouseloft kit sent to me by a friend in the UK. Thank you, Diana!! Andrew had a Luau/Pool Party and the card was very well received!



  


I also finished two projects on my StRIP list...S&BF's Bad Maid and JBW Designs' Tooth Fairy Pillow. You can see pics of both by clicking the links under the "My WIPs" section of my lefthand sidebar.

My dear friend, Brenda, who was so kind as to send me the chart & beads for the Tooth Fairy Pillow, will also be finishing it into a pillow for my kids to use. You can see the fabric I chose for the pillow here.

That's it for tonight! Have a great weekend, everyone!

It's a Spring Thing...

Okay, I will (grudgingly) admit that Summer is in full force here in Texas. That, however, does not keep me from thinking of cooler times.

In keeping with the theme of soft breezes and more moderate temperatures, I decided to stitch It's A Spring Thing from the San-Man Originals Secret Shop.





Sandy gave a suggested color scheme, but encouraged stitchers to choose their own colors. I already knew I wanted to use a fabulous "tiny tuck" made by the ever-talented JoAnn. For the design to fit, I stitched it one over one on 22ct fabric. I chose SSS Watermelon, Kiwi Lime Pie & Black Licorice. There were four embellishments included with the chart; a butterfly, leaf, flower & tiny lavender heart.

Due to the size of the finished design (1.75" square), not all the embellishments would fit. I chose to include the butterfly and the heart, as I could not resist throwing a smidgen of purple into the design.

It felt really good to finish something so quickly. I think I feel a "tuck marathon" coming on...LOL

Where did the time go?!?!

I can not believe it's been two months since I posted to my blog! Time really does fly!

I'm still here and still stitching. As a matter of fact, I just finished up my third model for San-Man Originals. My first model for Sandy was Snow Curls, which is featured in the Secret Shop. I stitched the second and third models for their upcoming retail debut. I'll share pics as soon as they're released!

In the meantime, I've also completed three exchange/surprise pieces. Here they are!

This lovely dragonfly piece was stitched as a present. I'll reveal more after the present has been delivered...hehe


  


I stitched the design for this teapot ornament (Thanks, Shirl!) for an exchange. The design is adapted from an older issue of Cross Stitch Crazy. I love that magazine!



  


Last, but not least, is my most recent finish. This is another great design from San-Man Originals, inserted into a tuck made by the ever-talented JoAnn. The little label is tie on with DMC floss and some tiny little buttons. It was a true pleasure to stitch!






During the last two months, Steven and I also celebrated our 12th anniversary! We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at The Northwood Inn. The next day, our entire family went to see the movie, Cars. We loved it!

As for the not fun stuff, we're still running the paper route. It has become easier to get up so early, even on very little sleep. Of course, the constant driving seems to have sped up the rate at which our van needs repairs. Since the A/C was finally fixed, we've also redone the brakes and replaced the shocks & struts, air filters & fuel filter. This week, we'll complete the tune-up with replacement of the PCV valve, spark plugs & wires and the serpentine belt. All that's left after that (we hope) is to drain & replace all the transmission fluids and replace the pan gasket seal. So much for the paper route providing a second income, right? To this point, it's all been going to repairs on the van, instead of additional payments on the van. That should change soon, thank goodness!

I'll close for now. My next post will deal more with the fun stuff, like our son's upcoming 9th birthday party! He's having a Luau and it should be loads of fun!

Have faith...

I am happy to report that I have finished another project from my StRIP list! Yay!

I stitched the Faith freebie from Accents, Inc. on a bookmark edged in dark lavender, using SMS Filled With Hope and Kreinik #4 braid in gold. I also used SMS Filled With Hope for the Nun's Stitches at each end. I'm thrilled with the finished piece!






This bookmark will soon be winging its way to a very dear lady in New Orleans. She was able to repair her home after Hurricane Katrina struck last year, and always seemed in such great spirits. She's definitely an inspirational person! I'm hopeful that this little gift will help her as she faces the upcoming hurricane season.

Also, I am slowly turning the titles of my WIPs (in the left hand column of my blog) into links to a current scan of each project. I need to scan most of them in, or at least stitch enough to warrant a scan...LOL The progress bars alone have been a great source of inspiration to me! Let's hope the scans provide even more motivation to stitch, stitch, stitch!

The repair list is shrinking...

Little by little, it's all getting done...

Our garage down is now back in working order! A technician out yesterday. Twenty minutes later, the door was going up and down with hardly a sound. The tension coil wasn't broken, just stuck, so no new parts were needed. Yay! I did make certain to get the tech's recommendation on a lubricant, maintenance, etc.

Also, within the next couple of hours, our van will have new brake pads and be ready to go. We also suspect a slight brake fluid leak, which will (hopefully) be easy to find and repair.

That leaves the compressor for the van's A/C system and our roof/fencing. Maybe, just maybe, all the repairs will be done by the end of the month.

I'm very thankful that, so far, all the repairs have gone smoothly. I hope and pray that the trend continues.

Shrimp on the barbie...LOL

Apparently, I can no longer stitch on 14 ct Aida. Perhaps it's just me, or perhaps it was the stiffer quality of the Charles Craft navy blue Aida, but it's just not working.

I've been promising to stitch Sue Hillis' Burger King for my grill-mad hubby. So that's what I started on Sunday evening. I really thought the colors would "pop" on some navy blue fabric (which they do), but to me the stitching itself looks sloppy.

I have heard some say that they rinse their DMC or CC Aida to remove the stiffener. I, however, used to like the stiffer feel for stitching in hand. Now I stitch almost exclusively with Q-Snaps, which I love! Maybe the stiffener plus the tension of the Q-Snaps just isn't a good combination?

Anyhow, I'm going to rip out the little bit I stitched and restart the project on a white evenweave. I've become very enamored of evenweaves. I just love them! And I do still love 18 ct Aida, stitched with 2 strands.

Note to self...rinse the fabric next time...LOL