And finally a post that ISN'T a book review . . .

I have finally finished the first of my 15 items for my Crazy January Challenge. It is Lizzie*Kate's "Cinderella is Proof" and is too cute.  I also had my first WIP framed for the year in time for it to be entered into the Osceola County Fair where I have been told it received a blue ribbon. All of us from my LNS are going down there on Wednesday evening so I'll take pictures.  Then (yes there's more) the chart came in for the Scottie Dog models we stitched for JBW Designs. Mine was NOT picked for the chart itself but all of us that submitted a model were named on the chart. I thought that was so awesome! I am now concentrating on knitting another baby hat for Caps for Good Charity as they are due before the end of February.
Please check out the link for more information.

:: O M G :: I have a piece completely finished . . .

I am sooo excited. My "Earth Gatherer" by Shepherd's Bush is done A N D framed.

This is the only decent picture I have as I was rushed taking it at my LNS before it left to be entered in the local fair (fingers are crossed). This is the first time I've ever entered anything and this piece took me forever and spent the majority of it's life so far as a much neglected UFO.

I also have made quite a bit more progress today on my SAL piece ("Jingle Bell Christmas Tree Farm" by The Victoria Sampler). 

Especially considering I spent half the day organizing the stash I bought at my LNS's Superbowl Sunday Sale. Tell me, who can argue with 30% off charts, supplied, fabric and everything else? Definitely NOT me!

I saw a picture of one of Little House Needlework/Crescent Colours "Once Upon a Time trio. It was the fairy (Believe). Now I have seen this pattern at my LNS before, a few times in fact, and never really took the time to look at it because of how the cover picture looks.

But then, on my LNS's FaceBook page, a fellow stitcher posted a picture of her finished piece and it was beautiful. The  chart picture not only doesn't do it justice, but is quite off-putting (in my unprofessional opinion) and now wish that the designers could take the time to have stitched models every time, or afford to use photos for each chart. Whatever the reasons for the pixelated pictures, I get it, I just don't prefer it. Anyway, now I am sooo excited to stitch these 3 together along with the remainder of my ever increasing stash pile. I am so falling in love with LHN and Carriage house Samplings, and more in love with Lizzie*Kate designs. (As if you couldn't tell).

Well, it's late and I'm tired. I just really wanted to share this with you.

Till next time . . .

♥ H U G S ♥

First Completed Christmas Ornament

Did I mention that I'm also trying to complete a Christmas Ornament each month?
Well so far we are good for January - YAY!!!

This is a Lizzie*Kate from Tiny Tidings XII # 132. I just love when I have progress to blog about.

Stitch-A-Long

So I managed to push cross-stitching onto my co-worker and now she has become an absolute fiend :-D  Even though she has only been cross-stitching for four weeks or so, she really (REALLY!) wanted to stitch Vitoria Sampler's "Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm". Having never done speciality stitches she was intimidated but determined. So we are doing an unofficial, 2 person SAL.

She was so excited that I just couldn't say no, even though I have 15 "Crazy January" projects to work on plus 15 "Up For A Challenge" WIP pieces to finish. Oh no, I'm not stressed, not at all!!!! Here's what I have done so far since we started on Saturday . . .

Not much, but we had house guests, I didn't work on it Yesterday and am too busy blogging tonight to have gotten started yet. Not to mention I feel like I've been hit by a freight train. My head is all congested, I'm sneezing about twice an hour, and I just overall feel like crap. Stitching when I feel like this just invites the frogs over to visit! Till Next Time . . .

Afternoon Tea at the Garden View Tea Room

So my LNS scheduled afternoon tea at the Garden View Tea Room at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for a group of us stitch-heads. It was absolutely delicious and, surprisingly, didn't cost that much either. In fact for the atmosphere and indulgence, it was well worth the price (starts at about $15 per person). It is so nice to have people to get away with, even if it's just for a few hours. Anyone who gets a chance should definitely take advantage of Afternoon Tea at least once.

 

Pay It Forward 2011 - Results

Hello all, I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to 2011 so far and that it only gets better as the year progresses.  Due to the fact that I have only just reached 5 followers and that only one has signed up for the Pay It Forward for 2011, I will be choosing 4 people from my friends/family and passing on the instructions.  Gracie, you gem, has signed on for the challenge as I have also signed on for hers. I am also volunteering my best friend Cheryl as a participant.
As I need 3 people for Elisa's and 3 for Gracie's PIF challenge, that still leaves the 4 friends/family members to choose from. Are you confused yet? I know I am. Day 3 of the "Crazy January Challenge" finds me hiding out at my mom's trying to recuperate from something flu like and so not ready to return to work tomorrow. But I am getting plenty stitching done on project 3, Tree of Hope by Mirabilia. Will post pics either late tonight or tomorrow. Remember to keep checking out my page for the challenge here. I am simply updating the albums with pictures as I go. Good luck to everyone else and all their challenges.


Pay It Forward Participants

1. Cheryl

2. Gracie

3. Undecided friend/family member

4. Undecided friend/family member

5. Undecided friend/family member

6. Undecided friend/family member

Happy New Year!!!!

And it is on! ! !
Along with almost two hundred other crazy stitchers I have started the New Year with the first of 15 new projects as part of the Crazy January challenge. I will post pictures as I go. We rang in the New Year with friends & family and I am looking forward to a bright, new, shiny & successful year (even if that success is only in reaching my goals).

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.  ~Oprah Winfrey

Only 2 days left . . .

Today is December 29th, and I ask you, where in the heck did the rest of 2010 go?

I have 2 days left and still haven't completely decided on what I want to stitch for the Crazy January Challenge. I have my 15 projects but would rather stitch other things that I will hopefully be picking up today or tomorrow from my LNS.

The Goodreads Book Challenge for 2011 that I decided to join is ready to start, all books have been chosen (small YAY!).

I have ALSO challenged MYSELF to finish current WIP's throughout 2011. We will of course just have to see how that fairs.

I have followers - I should have probably announced this first, as I am honored and pleased to say that I now have THREE followers. Thank you to Jessica, Gracie, and Minna for taking the time to read this wild ramble. Now if Cheryl can just figure out how to "follow" that would take my number up to a whopping FOUR.

I also want to successfully complete a knitting project (or more than one) as I have started leg warmers, socks, and wristlets . . . Once I get a flow going on the other projects in January, then I can start that back up.

In the meantime, I am finishing up my second Snowman '10 by Lizzie*Kate, this one is flipped so that when finished I will have a pair that are looking at (or away) from each other instead of in the same direction.

I will probably have to change the rules completely for my Pay It Forward as I don't have any responses yet, and just post what is sent and to whom. I haven't totally decided that yet.

I can't wait until Victoria Sampler's new designer, Linda Rosser, (previous owner of my LNS and an absolutely wonderful person) is released. She hasn't been able to show any of us what it is, as it is for The Victoria Sampler, so it will be a big surprise when it is released.  There is a sneak peek on Thea's newsletter if you are interested.  It will be warming up here in Florida for the New Year and I cannot wait. I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year.

Snowman '10 . . . Another Christmas Present (Maybe)

So I absolutely could NOT resist this pattern at my LNS. The colors are delicious, the design is cute. Do I need to say anymore?

I'm going to stitch him twice. The second one will be facing him as I flipped the chart on my Photo program so it's a mirror image. I'm curious to see how that works out.

I'm going to finish the first 2 presents (Friends Forever, and Friends make life Sweeter) this weekend and will share finished photos of my attempts.

Pay It Forward 2011

Pay It Forward 2011

I was chosen as one of Elisa's PIF recipients and because of this I am now offering a PIF on my blog...the rules are simple

If you would like to be chosen as one of my three 2011 PIF recipients then please post a comment with your email address on this post only, you will then receive a stitched gift from me during 2011.

I will draw 3 names at random on Sunday 2nd January 2011 at 7pm (EST)

If you are chosen to be one of my recipients you must then offer the same PIF on your blog to keep this going...there you go...as I said SIMPLE!!

Looking forward to you joining in!

Christmas Presents . . . Continued

Oooh - So I already finished all the stitching on my first present and have started another. Yay!
I plan on setting aside a day or 2 to finish them into either pillows or wall hangings. I'll need at least that much time to reacquaint myself with my sewing machine.
Here's project # 2 . . .

And here's the project photos . . .

Christmas presents . . .

So I'm actually going to stitch a Christmas present for my best friend this year. 

This implies that . . .  

1) I'll be able to part with something and that 

2) I'll have it finished in time. Good luck to me on both parts. 

The main reason I am sharing this with you all is so there is actual pressure to complete said gift. At least, that is my theory. I figure that it'll be good practice for this Crazy January Challenge thing.

Here's what I'm stitching . . .

And here's the project photos . . .

It's finally starting to get colder and wetter here in FL . . .

I was just chatting with a FB friend today who lives in England. She was reminding me just how fortunate I am to live in "Sunny Florida" instead of England where the weather is "CRAP"! It's now raining outside and is starting to feel like fall.

I have been inspired this past week to get back on track with my cross-stitching, blogging and whatever else gets me out of my bubble. I even made it my LNS on Saturday for the sit-and-stitch. Yay! My mom was watching my daughter so I didn't have to worry about her running around the store trying to touch everything. So NOT the place for little kids. 

My LNS owner has a preview chart from one of her fave designers that we are all stitching up so the designer can pick one for the cover. I'm not sure if I should mention the designer so mum's the word for now, but I will take pics and post when I've confirmed I can. 

I also got SUPER adventurous and purchased a knitting project. I have not knitted a thing since I was 11 (now 32) and don't know what possessed me, but it is soo much fun, and I remembered the basics quite quickly. Now I just have to learn things I never worried about as a kid.  I am knitting leg warmers. Don't quite need them in FL, but I love them and they're fairly easy for something to get back into.

I also signed up for a super crazy challenge - not quite sure why - but I read about it on another persons blog and thought it sounded fun. Here's the information/blog post "Crazy January Challenge" in case anyone else is interested. And here's the original blog where I first learned of it.

I have many of my finished project pictures up on my page over at The Stitchers Village but I have yet to post any on my blog. I will eventually.

Well I guess that's all for now.

Oh - I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - and it was AWESOME!

So here's yet another cool movie poster and a picture of my daughter drinking a ButterBeer (So Yummy).