Last day of 2007

I'd forgotten about receiving these bookmarks for Christmas from Barb. Aren't they luscious? I had them lost on my stitching area which was simply trashed from holiday stitching! I knew there was confetti in the envelope too, ended up with a lap full of sparkly hearts anyway...giggle!
The other day it snowed just enough for love notes from Rick...I found these when I left to work!

A Christmas Surprise!

Here is what I found in my mailbox yesterday from my friend MHP in France! I love this sweet snowman wall hanging...wasn't that a great surprise?
In other news...I survived a DAY OF HELL at work on Friday. Three people (or was it four?) didn't show up for one reason or another and it was CRAZY busy. Everyone seems to panic when bad weather is coming and flocks to the grocery. We were only forecasted an inch or two of snow...how long can one get housebound with that? Calm down people. This is Oklahoma; we won't run out of food and you won't get stuck at home for weeks on end, I promise!!! SIGH.

However, those that did show up did a fantastic job for me and I thank them. A LOT!

Finally, it is snowing. It's just starting to cover the grass and look pretty. I'd rather a foot of snow than the bit of ice we had last week! So many in Oklahoman are still without power; it's been nearly a week! Thankfully, our electricity only went off for a few hours one night...many were not so lucky. Me? I'm counting my blessings.

December already?

How can it be December? I've been in a fog since Thanksgiving I guess! I'd had a dreadful cold and lost some time there...add working and keeping house and I think I've lost track of myself!

Here is a picture of the counting sheep. I got it out last night to work on a bit. I've been stitching Christmas cards but can't show any pictures as they haven't been received yet. These sheep are adorable...I'm stitching them on 32 count blue evenweave with Gentle Arts overdyed threads. I am tweeding the overdyes so I get very subtle shading and variation in color...


Here are a few very special cards I have received...from Joan and from Rachael, both in the UK...
This one is from Barb in OZ...
And this one is my EMS exchange from Annemiek in Holland...

Such a nice cuppa

Ahhh, a nice tea...thanks to Rachael! I was running out of my Lady Grey and Rachael was kind enough to send me a box. Along with a couple of Pot Noodles for Jessie and a sweet cross stitching gift box. Thank you Rachael, I'm in Heaven!
While I'm enjoying my tea, Rick is out with friends riding this monstrosity of a motorcycle he bought last week.
Personally, I think it's the UGLIEST bike ever! If he wrecks on it and lives through...I'll probably murder him myself. I'm going to drink my tea, watch TV and cross stitch in peace and try not to worry about him!

Pictures!

I've some pictures to share! The holidays get so busy I haven't had time to update. I'm working on two Christmas biscornus as thank-you's for two girls at work. Side one...

...and side two...
I'm sending off my EMS Christmas card exchange today. There is no chance she reads my blog so I'm sharing the picture a bit early. I think it turned out lovely! I wanted to keep it myself!
Lastly, here is a picture of the ornament I received from Tracy...pretty!
I got home from work last night to find Rick and Jessie had put up the tree! Rick had made spaghetti for dinner and even baked chocolate chip cookies! Today, I'm feeling so energetic and I'm not sure why. I've already finished all my household chores and I'm looking for more stuff to do. Strange! I need to get to work and finish the second biscornu as I'd like to gift them this week.

Stitcher's Challenge!

Take a quick photo of your stitching area...this very minute. No fair cleaning or neatening away clutter! You are allowed to remove any charts that might show for copyright protection. Here is mine...keep in mind, I'm working around 40 hours a week, so I really don't think this shot's too bad!

Post a link to your picture in my comments!

Feeling lazy

I'm up early today; cleaning house and trying to get in the mood for getting ready for work this afternoon. Blah, work! I had a GRAND time in OKC yesterday. We went shopping for stash and I was able to get the rest of the DMC Barb needed. When I pointed out to my dad that Hobby Lobby doesn't carry every DMC color he was (very sweetly) disgusted. What if your pattern call for that color? Jo Ann fabrics saved the day and I got the needed colors. I also got several packages of glass head pins in different colors. I'd like to make more pin-keeps...they turn out so pretty. Shame on me, I ended up with yet another cross stitch pattern book...

My EMS Christmas Ornament exchange has been received and here are the photos:


Didn't it turn out sweet?

This design, Star of Wonder, is by Ellen Chester of With My Needle. It called for an octagon shape but I liked the circle instead. It is a mixture of over two and over one on 32 count Belfast linen which I dyed myself. I'm thinking I must make one for myself now too!

I had a pressie arrive from Australia...Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch & Beading Christmas issue. Oh thank you, Barb! I'm in stash overload this week!

It's Official!

Jessie is going to Florida in late January. I was wrong, it is only seven months (not nine) but still to long for my comfort. I'm just glad she gets to spend her 20th birthday at home and my parent's 50th wedding anniversary before she leaves. We have tons of stuff that needs to be taken care of before she leaves and these next few weeks are historically crazy for us. Don't mind me if I start blathering on...I'm simply losing my mind.

I've sent my ornament for the EMS exchange on Tuesday. Have also finished my Christmas card for that exchange as well. My card turned out wonderful! I hate waiting for them to be received...I want to post photos NOW! I'm stitching a small sampler with Crescent House silks I received from my Aussie floss kid. Not sure what I'm going to do with the sampler; I just wanted to play with those LOVELY silk threads. Thank you, Barb!

I should say, I gave my Friday evening shift at work away! School is out for Oklahoma's centennial so Jessie and I are (escaping) going to go to Oklahoma City for the day and do a little shopping. My floss kids have asked for some things I can't get here in town and if I don't take a break from work...I really will go crazy. We shall do our shopping, stuff ourselves at our favorite Mexican food restaurant and visit with my family. I'm really looking forward to it.

Walt Disney, Growing Up and a Nervous Mom.

My daughter, Jessie, is a second-year college student; studying technical theatre. She applied for an internship with Disney and received her acceptance this week. OMG! If she takes the internship she will leave in January to live & work with Mickey Mouse in Florida for nine months. Oh dear, am I nervous! This will put off school for a semester...which she is willing to do for the chance to work at Disney World. She is terribly excited, scared and generally overwhelmed.

What am I going to do without her for nine months???

Big Yawn...

At 3:30 this morning Sheba stood up in bed and barked. (Yes, I sleep with the dog!) She doesn't usually get up in the night so I knew something was wrong and sat up. Then the doorbell rang. Rick got up, looked out, saw a teenager on the porch and went to get his pants on. When he got back to the door the kid was gone. By now, I was up and saw someone jogging down the street. Rick called the police, thinking maybe the kid had car trouble and needed help. The police had a very bright spotlight which they searched our neighborhood with but I don't know if they ever found him or not. We went back to bed but couldn't fall back to sleep! I gave it an hour or so but no joy. Only info-mercials are on TV at 4; did you know that?

Now, I'm tired and I'm thinking I will try to go back to bed. Thank goodness I don't need to be to work until 2pm...zzzz.

Blooming

Here is a photo of my Sansevieria plant. A couple of days ago it came up with a flower stalk. This is significant because I've had this plant for 20 years and this is the first time it has bloomed! I wish you could smell how fragrant...it's perfume is lovely! I've heard this plant called a mother in laws tongue or snake plant. Also heard you can force one to bloom by putting it inside a clear plastic bag and adding apples. The chemicals from the apples as they ripen trigger the plant to bloom. Or you can wait 20 years like I did. Isn't patience a virtue?

I LOVE Mondays...

...well I love Mondays when I've the day off work! I finished my Christmas ornament for the EMS exchange. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I'd post a picture but it's a surprise...shh...so I can't! I hope my pal likes what I made for her!

I am working on a pretty design I was going to make into a biscornu. I started stitching and when I closed the square...it wasn't square! I recounted and my counts are perfect; it's the fabric that's off. What's up with that? This is MCG Textiles 28 count evenweave. Boo...one side is 2 3/8 and the other 2 1/8 inches. I'm not sure if I'll biscornu this or not as I don't want to do all the work and have it look terrible.

Was listening to my ipod and stitching & thought I'd better break and update my blog. Work wasn't too bad this weekend. I'm scheduled to work next weekend AGAIN though. Grr! I'll have to start writing my own schedules if it keeps up; I do not want to work every weekend- duh!

I signed up for the EMS Christmas card exchange. Whee! I love exchanges. I'm trying to decide if I want to join the scissor fob & needlecase exchange. I can make a fob but I've never made a needlecase; so will have to think about it.

Today, Jessie and I were driving in town and I started giggling. Jess asked what's so funny? I said I had this insane urge to pull into the tattoo parlor and just get a tattoo. It was so sudden and strong, this urge...that it made me laugh. Isn't that weird? BTW, I didn't get a tattoo.

Working all weekend.

In a bit I'm off to work. Until 9pm. How cool is that? Then...I get to do it again on Saturday & Sunday! I do have next Monday and Tuesday off so I shouldn't gripe. But I've worked the last three (?- I've lost count!) weekends. Just tired of working.

I'm ready for a holiday. Perhaps two weeks in England & Scotland. I'd be sorely grouchy for six months after coming home- but hey! Just kidding, I can't afford to go for quite a while.

Starting today, I'm trying out stitching on my breaks at work. Just 10 to 15 minutes but maybe I can get some small projects finished and I won't get so fed up with working instead of sitting home stitching the days away! Off to work...

I've created a Blog!

Yes, I've created a Blog and cannot think of anything to say! I suppose I'll get used to "talking" into thin air as it were.

I had the day off and did little more than sleep. I should have been stitching. I need to finish my ornament for the EMS annual ornament exchange. Just too tired. Here's a funny picture of my dog, Sheba. She is squinting at the camera flash.