Last post of 2008

I can't believe this is my last post for the year 2008! I do have sad news to report. I did not reach my goal and finish my tiger. As you can see I lack one little section which is about 3,000 stitches left. However, I will start 2009 off with a bang because I will have a HUGE finish right at the beginning.

I have been getting my new projects ready for the new year. It is looking like I will have about 20 or so projects going at one time. How I will ever get them stitched I do not know. This does not include my monthly class at my LNS or my ornaments that I am doing this year. I am looking forward to starting my neighborhood RR and my new HAED.

I will doing the Ozark Sampler Myster SAL on 25 count yellow fabric over 1. I also purchesd the LE fibers from ozark Sampler and I will be using them in a patchwork freebie I found online. The design calls for DMC but I am going to use my new pretty fibers.

My New Years Resolutions:

1) Finish at least 3 BAP's

2) Try a new reciepe each week and report on how it turns out

3) Go out with my girlfriends at least twice a month

heres the real biggie: Try not to purchase new stash but stitch the things I have!!!!

Have a SAFE and Happy New Year!!!!!

Tiger - Page 14 is finished!

I finished page 14 early this morning!! Only 2 more pages to go and this BAP will be finished! I plan on hanging it in my classroom when I finally get it framed. Today was a very quiet day. I spent my afternoon watching lifetime movies and stitching. DH went to play poker at the Cherokee Casino. I answered emails, stitched on Tiger, and starting planning way to many projects for me to finish next year! LOL!! I do believe I am going to have to give up sleep if I really want to get them finished!!!

I have several huge projects I would like to stitch....two of them will be starting in January. My neighborhood RR and my HAED project I plan on stitching with my friend Kim. My LNS is also doing a Boo Club SAL with the Lizzie Kate Flip its, and I am doing the Ozark Sampler Mystery SAL. Those are just the projects in January I will be starting. In February, I will be starting my Blue Ribbon designs - My sewing sampler SAL. This doesn't include Fashions and all the other projects I have going right now!!!! I will never get them stitched!! LOL!!

Happy Holidays

Yes...this is a couple of days late but that is the story of my life. I used to be so punctual with everything but I don't know what has happened to me now. I am sitting here in my jeans and sweatshirt watching it rain. We are under a tornado watch today. Normally, I would be in my jammies with my stitching out however, my LNS is having a big sale this morning from 10:00 - noon everything is B1G1 of equal value...then from noon to 2:00 is buy one pre-cut fabric and then get 40% off the rest. .....from 2:00 to 4:30 it is 35% off everything in the store. I am goign to the b1g1 if I can brave the storm that is.....

Santa was very good to me this year. I recieved:

2 pairs of earrings

1 pair of Victoria Secret Flannel PJ's

The Entire box set of Sex and the city

3 New books

1 HUGE bag of mix and match sour candy

1 small lap electric blanket

2 new wii games

There were several other small things too!! Talk about exciting. I love my wii games. DH and I played my new Agatha Christie "And then there were none" game all day yesterday. He brought his work up from his office and set up shop in the living room. We actually played so long we ran the batteries out and had to replace them in the remote.

On the stitching note up top. On the 23rd I finished page 13 of 16 on Tiger!!! To make life more exciting...I only have about 1200 stitches on page 14 then I can post it! My goal is finish it before I go back to school on January 5th. I do have to work on Kim's RR piece today though. I also need to pop over to Hobby Lobby to pick up some threads so I can finish kitting up my Hometown Stoney Creek RR piece and my Haed SAL I am stitching with Kim. I am actually adding two more BAP's to my list....good lord I think someone should shake me!!!!!!

Lots of Stitching pictures!!!!

I am so excited....I have lots of pictures to show off!!!! I haven't really been posting on my Yahoo groups because I was in the stitching mood this week. I have been spending my stitching time focusing on Tiger and I am happy to say that I finished 2 more pages of Tiger!!!! I have finished 12 of 16 pages!! Only 4 more to go so I am in the groove because I can finally see the light. I have actually stitched 74% of this design!!!

Saturday was a great day because I recieved this wonderful SFE from Vicky on my ILCS group. My theme was tea related items so she sent me the darling teacup. Isn't it just beautiful??? She did a fabulous job!!!

Saturday afternoon I went our monthly fiber fun class hosted by Mary from Ozark Samplers. This time we used a new type of fabric..we used Penelope fabric. It is bendy like fabric but similar to canvas....if that makes any sense. In our goodie bag we recieved 11 types of fibers, mill hill beads, Linen fabric, Perforated paper and Penelope Canvas. Plus 2 different ornaments to stitch. I decided to not to stitch the green branches at the top...they just didn't speak to me. I did change out the gold beads to purple beads...I think it looks great!!!

Every day on my way to work I usually sit in traffic so I have a car project that I keep with me. It is my Indians that I have been working on for a while...but I am almost finished!!

Historical Fashions update

It's been a couple of weeks since I updated fashions. I have stitched 58 hours on this design and have completed 14.2%. I am currently on couple number 2 - Renassiance period. The guys don't wear much on the bottom. The tights really define the legs!!!

I have also been working on my Eye of the Tiger deisgn. I will update a new picture of that later.

Today, I talked with my friend Kim and we came up with a plan to start a new HAED design in February. The design is Winter Heirloom. We have set a goal to stitch at least 3 hours a week on this design. So I spent some time today pulling threads for that design plus my Stoney Creek neighborhood RR design. I find it funny that I have tons of DMC but I still need to go buy more for these designs. I just can't believe that I have to buy over 50 some odd skeins. I am very excited about starting this design!!! Heck..what's another BAP for me?? I have so many of them I will never get them all stitched!!!

Disney Tree Skirt

Just look at this beautiful tree skirt that my friend Kim made me. I found it preprinted on ebay and just knew I needed this to finish out my disney christmas tree. She added buttons and picked the fabric for the backing. Isn't it just gorgeous??? She does such fabulous work.

Historical Fashions update

I finished the first couple on Historical Fashions. Only 11 more couples to stitch! I have worked on this for 42 hours and completed 13.4% of the total design. I try and work on it for at least an hour a day. If I cannot complete and hour then I make up for it another day. The colors really look great on this fabric.

Vegas Trip

Dh and I went to Vegas for DH's 40th birthday. It was a complete surprise to him because I wouldn't tell him where we were going until a couple of days before. We left very early in the morning and had a nice long uneventful flight into Vegas. We got to the Mirage hotel where we were staying and it was HUGE! I have never been in such a big hotel. It was beautiful also. We tried to check in but out room wasn't ready until 1:00 pm so we did some walking around. We walked across the street to the Venetian and checked out the gondalas and the hotel. It was just gorgeous inside. I couldn't believe it. When we were finally able to check into our room, Mark got his final surprise. His friend Patrick from Miami had flown in for the weekend. While they visited I met up with Karin and Betty for some stash shopping at their LNS. We also stopped off at a quilt shop and Joanns.

Mark and I had a lot of fun. He was able to play poker and Iwas able to go sight seeing. I tried to walk through most of the hotels. We saw Sigfried and Roy's Tigers, the Shark Reef at Mandalin Bay. We also went to see Zummanity at New York Hotel. I even layed by the pool one morning and actually got a sunburn on my face.

The only downside to the trip was that I caught a cold and was sick the last two days of the trip. Which was sad because I was in bed by 9:00 pm each night...talk about a downer. All in all the trip was great and Mark had a fabulous birthday!

HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY MICKEY MOUSE!!

I just couldn't let the day get away without wishing Mickey Mouse a happy 80th birthday! It was 80 years ago today that Steamboat Willie was first released. This is the small cartoon that made Disney into what it is today. As Walt Disney always said, "I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICKEY!!!!!

End of the week

It has been the craziest week at school and the quitest at home. Dh went out of town this week. He spent the Monday thru Thursday in New England visiting Walmarts and checking out the mushroom competition. I asked him to bring me home a lobster....but he said no!!! I have to say I have enjoyed not having him at home for a while. This is terrible of me but I enjoyed coming in and watching what I wanted on the big TV, sewing on my quilt without him complaining about the noise since I have to work on it in the dining room. I can't decide which was my favorite of these two: having the bed all to myself or not having to cook dinner for anyone but me!!!!!!

My kitty Jag turned 4 on veterns day. We adopted him 4 years ago on veterns day so I claim that as his birthday since he was found in an old abandoned house with his mom and siblings. He is quite the little kitty!!

On the stitching note, I have worked on my striptease quilt this week. I am sewing the top, batting and back together. It is just pitiful!!! I have found I cannot sew a straight line. However, this is my first quilt....It is for Tusk and Brigen....so I don't care if it is sewn badly. I am still learning!!! I also have worked on Historical FAshions. I have 8 UFO"s and now this project but I am really enjoying it so this is the one I am focusing on right now. I have completed about 10% of this so far and I have to say it looks great!!!!!

Historical Fashions Week 3

Yes, I am a day late. I wanted the lady to have a face though before I posted next!! This is the Late Gothic period that I am working on right now. At first the lady looked like a picasso painting until I added the backstitching. I have completed 10% of this project. Not much but I am just chugging along on it. I am really enjoying stitching on it and this was the only thing I worked on tonight. I also popped in Pride and Prejudice..the one with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. I love this movie. I thought it was appropriate to watch while stitching on this project. Plus, DH is out of town so I can watch it on the big TV!!!

Good VS Evil-Which are you?

My friend Kim is on the Jedi side!! Today around 1:15 I popped on the computer completely frustrated with how the quilt lady at the little shop I go to told me to cut this quilt. I couldn't figure out how I was going to make it work...About that time, my friend Kim IM'd me and asked me how I was doing. I explained my problem and she started to help me. Around 3:50 we FINALLY had a plan. We both agree the lady at the quilt shop didn't actually understand what I was really wanting and was a little nuts. We worked it out together and the picture is just the start of it. It was just amazing that she is in Wisconsin and helping me out in AR! I was so thankful for her help. I had called her earlier about my other quilt and she was very helpful. She unfortuantely heard me say a very naughty word because I had just layed my quilt back on my hard wood floors. My cat, Jag, then proceeded to jump right in the middle of it and move everything. Then he started eating the tape!! I let a very bad word slip while talking to her! Jag got the hint...he didn't show back up around me until I finished pinning the quilt.

I also dyed some fabric this morning for my friend Debi. We are making a trade for some disney charts for hand-dyed fabics. She made a couple of requests for what colors she wanted so I tried to do the colors she wanted...I hope she likes them! I hadn't ironed them when I toold the picture. We have light blue, rose and teal

I will post my update on my historical fashions tomorrow. I didn't work on it today and I didn't take a picture of it yet so that will be tomorrow!!!

Tiger update

I had a GREAT day!! My mom and I went up to Joplin, MO so we could go to Jo Ann's craft store and visit some used book stores. We had lots of fun and I spent way to much money at Jo Ann's!! I found some great teddy bear fabric and really cute frogs for my nephew. I found sone great trashy novels at the used book stores. We stopped at Red Lobster for lunch...yum...chedder bisquits!!! After we got home, mom brought in 3 quilt tops that my Great-Grandma Ada made and hadn't quilted before she passed away. I just stood there in awe looking at them. I am going to wait to finish them until I get a bit more practice under my belt. One of them is of old fabric calendars. My sister was a little upset because granny didn't include the year of her birth but my brother and mine was there!!!!

I also worked on tiger this week. It was it's turn on my rotation. I have finished 62% of tiger. I was hoping to finish the current page but no luck! In my opinion tiger is turing out great! I do enjoy working on it.

Very Long week

I think this has been one of the longest weeks that I can remember. It was rough at work and with my grandmother in the hospital, I didn't think this week would never end. We went to the hospital today and saw my grandmother. She looked so weak and so frail. It just broke my heart. The are finally going to do the surgery tomorrow. They have been postponing it because someone had made a mistake and entered her blood count wrong on the computer. Mom and I went out to my grandparents house to pick it up. Luckily we did because when we looked under the sink, we noticed a leak. So I had to call my dad down to fix it. What a mess....but it was taken care of and all is well.

I spent this week working on Historical fashions and Cherokee child. I only work on Historical fashions for an hour a day. I have worked a total of 21.5 hours and have stitched 4.8% on this project.

Cherokee child is my mystic stitch that i have been working on for a while now. I am on page 4 and lack about 500 stitches to having that page finished. I have 48.8% completed on this project. I have 8 BAP's in my rotation. I have figured that I have finished 31.3% of all those projects completed. I would love to say that I will finish one of my BAP before the new year...but I can say that is not going to happen. My goal is to be up to 50% complete....I might can do that in last 8.5 weeks in this year.

Happiest Celebration on Earth

This is wear I would like to be now!!! OH well...I will just have to settle for stitching the castle. I really hated stitching the stained glass. I guess I will spend my time on the next rotation doing the backstitching. There are lots of beads I need to add too....but that will be at the end.

My grandmother fell and broke her hip today. She is currently in the hospital and they plan on her surgery tomorrow..but due to her blood thinners it will probably be Friday or Saturday. I am praying that all it ok.

I had a very stressful day today at school today. I just need a small break. It must be something in the weather because everyone at school is stressed.

Historical Fashion week 1

I have spent a week working on this design and it was a headache!! I made several mistakes and spent several hours frogging those mistakes. Then had to restitch everything...I am now on the right track and it is looking good!!!! Once I was on the right track...I loved working on it. I have been keeping up with the hours stitched and subtraction hours frogged...so right now I have put in a total of 14.5 hours and have finished 3.6% of this BAP finished.

I went to Walmart on Saturday and found four different fabrics that I like that go with my star wars themed quilt. I couldn't make up my mind so I bought a yard of all four! DH and I went to the Razorback game Saturday evening...it was so disappointing to lose by a fieldgoal!

I did work on my Indians this week. This is my car project. If you are curious to what a car project is let me explain. Every morning I am in traffic for 30 or so minutes...so I am working on a project that isn't that hard. I stitch in my car as I stop and go...stop and go. If i am sitting at a stop light...I pul it out to work on....It is slowly coming along!

May the force be with you.....

This is my nephews favorite movie of all times! He eats, sleeps and breathes Star Wars. So I decided to make him a Star Wars quilt. It took me forever to find the Yoda fabric but I finally located it in Hawii of all places!!! The online store is titled Gotfabrics and they had YODA!!!

The web addresss is: http://www.gotfabrics.com/ and they were very fast. It took only a week to get my fabric. I hope my nephew is shocked when he sees his quilt. I do have to find Teddy Bear fabric now for my niece. She loves her teddy!!!

I STARTED!!!

Last night I picked up my fabric for Historical Fashions! I was so excited. I started working on it at 9:00 pm and did not stop until 2:30 AM!!! I was having so much fun!!! I did make a change. The pattern called for me to use DMC 414 for the border. To me...that just wasn't pretty so I started going through my Krenicks and found Braid #8 in periwinkle. It looked FABULOUS against the fabric and so that was it. I actually used up one whole spool of kreink last night. I did order a new spool from 123stitch...but I am going to check out my LNS to see if she has a spool so I can work more on my border. If not...then I will go ahead and start with the design. So...what do you think about the colors?

Year of Kitties!!

I put the final stitches in my 2006 Kat's by Kelly tonight. I really stink at french knots so I decided to use light green petite mill hill beads for the kitties eyes. This piece started as my RR piece for ILCS and so a couple of the kitties have french knots for their eyes. I am so excited that I finished another piece!!!

I also worked on my quilt today and I have sewn all the rows. Which means I have 6.5 rows...now I just have to put them together. I may skip ceremics tomorrow night and go to my quilt class so I can lean how to that. I was looking for fabric for the back and I think I have found it. As you can see there is a picture of the quilt and then in the next picture I have placed a picture of the fabric I would like to place on the back. What do you think? Think the stripes is to much?

I have to say, tonight I am missing my friend Kim. She is out of town visiting her family without internet access. I am so used to chatting with her around 9:00 pm everynight...I think I am going through withdrawals!! I miss chatting with her.

Cinderella update

It was Cinderellas turn in my 4 day rotation plan. I finished all of the stitched part of the castle. I left the beading and backstitching until I get finished. Which I really HATE to do!!! I like to do all the beading and backstitching as I go...but everyone told me I should wait until the end so that is what I am doing. I have stitched 13% of Cinderella. On the next rotation, I will be starting her dress which is the biggest part of the design.

I worked on my quilt this morning. Sewing all those blocks into rows. I worked for a couple of hours and then took off to my grandparents to celebrate my grandpa's birthday. I did take my grandma to Hancock fabrics and then to K-Mart. She hadn't been to Hancocks in a while and we looked all over the place. Then, we stopped at K-Mart to find her some sweats to wear around the house. She found a great pair of brown sweats that she just loved!!!

Tomorrow is a staff developemnt day so I guess I will be busy doing that. I hope to come home after school and finish my quilt rows.

crafty day

Thursday evening I had my quilting class. I spent two hours in my quilt class. When I first got there I was giving the task of ironing all my strips. Then, I had to cut all 11 strips into blocks. I have always appreciated the beauty of quilts but I am starting to appreciate the work put into one quilt. I do have to confess...I have been looking for new fabrics to make a new quilt! This is going to be another expensive hobby.

After dinner, I settled myself into my recliner with my Kats by Kelly October kat. I caught up on some of my shows, Biggest Loser, One life to live, and criminal minds. I am a huge TV junkie...terrible I know...but I love to sit and stitch while watching TV. I finished the small design in one evening...which I know they are small but they usually take me a couple of days.

My DH went to Outback for our dinner...when I got home from quilt class he had dinner waiting on me!!!! I was so excited!! They have this chopped salad with blue cheese and candied walnuts that I just love...he brought me that with a fully loaded bake potato. Talk about a good husband!!

Augusta - 10% complete

Yes, I have completed 10% of my Augusta the 13th hole project. This piece is for my DH. I have already stitched the 12th hole....and there are 2 other Augusta patterns....so I have a feeling I will be stitching these until I am dead!!


This project is in my rotation system. Right now I have15 projects in my rotation. They are broken down like this: 8 BAP, 3 medium size and 4 small projects. So, I work on a big project for 4 days and then alternate between small and mediums. I am cheating though. I am working my snowman piece in my car during morning traffic. I sit still so much I can actually get several stitches in during the morning. So that is my car project. This just tells me how much I am addicted to stitching if I have a project in my car!! LOL!!


It is another late night for me. I came home today and took a nap...big mistake..but I was so tired. Hopefully, when I do go to bed I will sleep well.


Tomorrow is my quilting class!! I can't wait to see what I do with all those strips!!! Will let you know!!!

Can't sleep

It is 2:30 in the morning and I cannot sleep. I have so much on mind about school things. Nothing to drastic...but I have several things that need to get finished this week and my mind won't stop racing. I have tried counting sheep, counting DH snores...Nothing works. I am wide away. I have teach in the morning. Hopefully, I can get mind to calm down enough for me to take a little nap before I have to get up. This is the worst because you are staring at the clock saying...ok..if I fall asleep now I can sleep for 4 hours ..that will be good...but then you stare at the clock..slowly watching the minutes tick by and you get more frustrated!!!
I am finished venting...so I am going to try and sleep or at least count my husbands snores.

Stitchy Weekend

I was busy yesterday and today doing stitching things. I picked up my yard of fabric for my Hometown RR project that I will be starting in January 2009. I know it is early but sometimes it takes a while for my orders to come in my LNS. Sara sent me an email saying it was in and I asked if Sunday was member day with double punches on our buzzy cards...she said no, it wasn't until the craft fair weekend. I said Ok...just hold onto it because I want the double punches. I received an email a while later telling me that she would go ahead and give me double punches. She said with an order this big...I deserve them!!!!! So I received $155 dollars in punches!!! I was so excited!! Then I stopped by HL to pick up some DMC threads that I was running low on and completely out. After that was stop at Office Depot. I made working copies of my Historical Fashion charts. That fabric should be in by War Eagle craft weekend so that means more double punches!!!! LOL!!!!!

When I finally made it home, I spent the evening in my sewing room. I was finishing up 4 SFE for my ILCS group. I made 4 very cute little boxes. How it works is you pick a theme, and everyone stitches something for you in that theme. The themes I have left were: owls, summer and then 2 black cat themes. I loved this little cat design so I stitched it for both of them! I also finished LK Tea lovers chart....I left off the top "official" part because I didn't like it!

After finishing the projects I put away my new floss, kitted up my historical fashion design (just need fabric), cleaned up the floor from all my scraps of threads, fabrics etc. It was bad.

This morning I got up and worked on my quilt. I listened to the movie Philadelphia Story with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. I was just zooming right along with my quilt when my bobbin messed up. I knew it was making a noise but it was still sewing so I moved right along on this piece....well...the top stitched ok but the bottom looked horroid so I have to frog all of this piece and start again! That really stinks. I just need to stitch up 3 more blocks including the one I messed up on and Iwill be finished with the first part. I go back to class on Thursday night and see what my next steps are in this process.

This afternoon I worked on Augusta the 13th hole. There wasn't much progess...I started page 2 of 16 so I have a feeling it will be awhile before I finish this design. Off to watch the Amazing Race.

Chocolate Angel Cake Recipe

I have had several people ask about this recipe. I hope you take a peek at what it is suppose to look like.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Angel-Cake

As I said below...it took me a little while to make the cake..but it was worth it

Home Made Chocolate Angel Food Cake

I made this cake all by myself. It may not be pretty but it sure does taste good!! Dh was flipping through a magazine full of recepies and he saw this cake. He wanted me to make it and I agreed to try. It was an interesting experience. I had to separate eggs and even dig out my flour sifter to sift powdered sugar, cake flour, and cocoa. I started the cake at 6:00 pm and finally finished icing the darn thing at 8:50 pm!! The icing had to chill for an hour, the cake had to bake an hour and then it had to completely cool down...so it took almost all evening. With my husband sitting in the living room saying "Cake, Cake Cake" every hour on the hour. He jumped up and cut himself a piece as soon as I said "it's ready!!!" It got 2 thumbs up!!!! So, I made my husbands day....
Hmm...since I made him cake does that mean I get to buy some new stash?

Paperback Swap- GREAT MONEY SAVER!!!

I joined paperback swap last week and I am already addicted. I even added a link to the page for you to visit and join!!! As you probably can tell by the title of my blog....I am an AVID reader!!!! I can start a good book and not put it down until I finish it. I find myself going into bookstores and coming out with new books on a weekly basis. I love used bookstores and seem to spend tons of money there also!!!
I was so happy to find Paperback Swap. I will confess I have 3 bookshelves FULL of books and I won't read them again but I don't want to donate them somewhere they won't be appreciated....so paperbackswap is the answer. I just created an account Tusksmom is my nickname. I entered in 10 books that I wanted to trade...and I got 3 credits to spend!!!! Each book that you order is only 1 credit!! So I went shopping....I found 3 books and clicked "order book" then I found several that I wanted so I created a wishlist. and wouldn't you know...someone had them in their stash that they wanted to get rid of....I wanted the books so I found out you can use your paypal account to purchase credits (ONLY IF YOU WANT TO) which I did...so more books came to me!

You only have to pay when:
you want to purchase more credits
you have to ship a book to someone
That is it!!!
You don't have to pay a dime to join or have a book shipped to you!!!!! Plus all your books go where they are wanted and appreciated...what book could ask for more?
So check it out.....and remember my nickname is : tusksmom
I would appreciate the referral credit!!! I have lots of books I want to get!!!

Striptease anyone?

I started a new hobby and I came home with all my fingers!! LOL!! I have driven by this quilting shop in our little town everyday for over 2 years. I did go in this summer when the ILCS group was in town...but didn't buy anything. I finally got up my courage and scheduled a beginners quilting class. I went in afterschool and met with the owner (I am bad but I can't remember her name). She told me to go pick 4 fabrics and we would get started on my Striptease quilt. After looking around for over 30 minutes we finally found the fabrics I liked for my quilt. I decided I wanted a twin size quilt...I can cover up with it or Tusk can lay on it. Yes, I am making a quilt for my puppy...I am terrible.


She gave me a rotary cutting lesson which if you remember is how I sliced open my finger this time last year. I managed to cut thirty-three 2.5 inch strips and then elevan 6.5 in. strips after I had to iron all my fabrics. After that, I was tired and stressed because I just knew I was going to slice open my finger!!


My plan this weekend is to sew up the strips and head back next Thursday night for my 2nd class!!!

Tiger update

I worked on Tiger for the past four days. I was able to get a lot of stitching done this weekend. My DH spent his days watching college football so I stitched! It was very nice. I am on page 10 of 16. I have about 3/4's of page 10 finished so only 6.25 pages left to go!!!! I am so ready to finish this design. I can't work on it for a long period of time due to the fact that my wrist hurts after using my big qsnaps.

It's Here!!! It's Here

I opened my mailbox today and there was a FABULOUS package waiting for me!!! I mentioned a week ago that Kathy in the UK was sending me her pattern of Historical Fashion. It came in the mail today!!!! Now I wish I had my fabric!! It is on order and supposed to be in by the end of the week. I am going to pull my threads and wait patiently for the phone call telling me my fabric is in the store!!!!

My DH told me that we are going to be god-parents. His best friend from High School called to let us know that he and his wife are expecting again. This means another baby blanket for me to stitch. I went through my alphabet patterns and found 4 that I liked. My friend Kim and I decided on the really cute teddy bears. However, DH vetoed that idea....he thought it was too girly. So I found a really cute Bug Afghan...that he liked idea. So I have made me a working chart...got the threads and fabric. I just need to get the excitement to stitch another afghan!! LOL!!!

SFE- from Elaine

I recieved this really cool trivet in the mail from Elaine a couple of weeks ago! I realized last night that I had forgotten to post a picture of it so I am trying to make up for it now!! To tell you the truth I have already been using it in my sewing room to hold my hot chocolate. I love this design!! Thank you Elaine!!!!

Small Finish!

This is has been a crazy week. I had to go to Little Rock this week for a Special Education Conference concerning APA's. Usually I don't get much from these, however, this time I actually learned some things that I didn't know. I took my Fall Cat to work on for this 4 hour trip...but the first hour in and I broke my needle!! The ladies I was with didn't realize the importance of my needle. So, there I was having to ride in a car without stitching!!! I was so sad!!!

I did finish my Fall Cat tonight though. This was a project I started in a fun fiber class at The Busy Needle. Sara had the pattern, but we had to pick our own fabrics and fibers. I loved the sparkly purple fabric and thought it would be perfect for Fall!!

I also got some goodies in the mail this week from Sarah in the UK, Debra and Mylene. These are from our SFE in ILCS. EAch person picks a theme and my theme was tea. I loved the designs they picked for me.

I also ordered another YARD of fabric....I was looking for this wonderful chart on EBay and/or 123stitch mesage boards. I was wanting this kit from a designer called Pako- the chart is called Historical Fashions. The kit sells for $159 and I didn't want to pay that for a kit with thread and aida fabric. So this WONDERFUL lady in the UK -Kathy- had the pattern and she is sending it to me!!! It belong to her DD who passed away a few years ago and she keep some of the things that were in her DD stash. She didn't think she, herself, would stitch it so she is sending it to me to stitch. I did have to promise her that I would send her updates...which I will gladly send to her. I just couldn't beleive the generosity of her!

I am exhausted!!!

What a day! After being sick with strep throat for the last 3 days and feeling like a truck hit me. I finally woke up this morning feeling better but I think I over did it. I got and filled my truck up with all the recycling we had at the house and it was a truck full!! We don't go as often as we should but I still recycled. Then it was off to walmart for some 18 gallon rubber maid tubs and some cat food. After that, I was off to HL to get threads for my Mother's wisdoms RR piece and I needed some ribbon/buttons to finish some small projects. After I left there it was off to The Busy Needle to pick up the JCS ornament issue for my friend Kim in WI. I also got some cute buttons for my ILCS fun fiber contest piece. Next, it was the PO where I mailed off several exchanges and birthday card. The next stop was home to pick up the boys so I could take them to be groomed. Finally, I was able to run by Dairy Queen for a burger and then home.
I sat and had lunch started watching the Razorback Game but it was a slaughter during the first quarter I decided it was time to start my main project. It was that time....to clean out the closets!!! I pulled out all the clothes that Mark and I cannot fit into anymore...which is alot. I filled up all 3 of the 18- gallon Rubber Maid tubs I bought and I still need 1 more! I finally said enough. So I am going to finish up the border of my Mother's Wisdom piece and then start my ILCS piece.

Busy week

This week was busy!! I took Inspirations to the fair and it won a blue ribbon. I picked it up today and the lady couldn't match my number on my entry to my project. Luckily, I had placed an address label on the back and I showed her my drivers license. That was the only way I was going to get my project back!! I did meet the lady who won best in show. I told her congrats and that I loved her piece...she just did a half smile and turned around! I was not impressed.

I worked on 4 different pieces this week. I did finish my heart design. This is the fiber class I taught at the ILCS retreat. The design is from Ozark Samplers. It was fun to make. Each heart uses a different type of stitching method with hand-dyed fibers. The next piece is my Indians that I am working on from another of Mary's Ozark Samplers fun fiber class. We had the option of picking Pilgrims or Indians...we did get both patterns...but I chose to work on my Indians first. This was a large count class also so it is on 8 count. In case you didn't know, my LNS is the home store for Ozark Samplers. Sara and Mary are the best of friends so Mary hosts a number of classes at The Busy Needle. The final project that I worked on this week was my Happiest Celebration from Stoney Creeks Disney designs. There is a TON of backstitching on this thing...so what I did today was use one strand to stitch a section then backstitch, then stitch another section and so forth....I did get some of the backstitching out of the way but not all. I still have beading to do on it too....but that will be at the end! I finished my September Cat on my Kat's by Kelly design...the month of September. That was a HUGE pain...nothing but backstitching. UGH!!!!