First Finish of 2016 and opinions needed

Santa of the Forest by Lavender and Lace is finished!   I started this is in 2013 n put the final stitch in January 2nd around 3 in the morning.  I love how it turned out!!  Now to find the perfect frame!   This is one of the three projects I want to finish this year.  

The other two project to finish are: Preening Pixie and Victorian Winter

So I bought Mirabilla's Raven Queen and the fabric but I decided I think she would look better on sparkly fabric.  I love sparkly fabric.....but I can't decide which one I like ....So I am asking for opinions...

Dawn

Fathom

Hearld

Mire

Tempest

Twilight

Reading Goals for 2016

Getting lost in a novel is one of my favorite things to do and the proof is all over my house.  I have a different book for each room of the house!  I have a murder mystery by my bed right now.  A true story by my chair,  a magazine in the kitchen, not to mention  a book of Sudoku puzzles in the bathroom!!!  My car has my I-pod which is loaded with audio books and a some true crime podcasts.  I have set a goal of 101 books this year.  This is one more than I read last year....

My favorite genres are:
1)  Trashy Bodice Ripping Novels set back in Regency England time where I can marry a duke, go to a ball, get to wear fabulous dresses and have servants to draw my bath, bring me hot chocolate in bed plus cook all my food!!!

2) Cozy Mysteries - simple murders where someone finds a body (no gore anywhere) and then tries to solve the crime.  All the while, working in a cool shop with lots of time on their hands to leave their job to be an amateur  sleuth!  The ones I read usually have recipes, craft patterns or party suggestions at the end.

3) Physiological Thrillers -  These are fabulous!!  You have plot twists, crazy people, gory crime scene descriptions....I can never figure out the killers!!!

4) Young Adult books -  I won't lie...I love reading YA books!  They are fast reads and I can talk about them with my students.  

5) Memoirs, true stories about people ..most of the ones I read involve food  Not sure why since I can't cook but I like to read about people who do.

Do you have a reading goal this year??  Do you have a favorite genre??

I have recently discovered podcasts and I LOVE THEM!!!!!   What turned me onto podcast was the true crime series called Serial.

This sucked me in and I still can't decide if he is innocent or guilty!  If you haven't listened to it and you like true crime drama....Click here Serial  Scroll down to SEASON 1 ....Listen to it then let me know your opinions!!!!  I am on the fence about it.  My brother and co-workers have had many discussion over this trial!!!

Right now I am currently reading:

1) Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs - Cozy Mystery set in Charleston SC

2) My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss  - true story about a chef

3) Lose the Clutter; Lose the Weight  -  Peter Walsh ....I think this is self Explanatory

My friend Carol has suggested I try out this reading list this year!!  Looks like fun...so I am going to give it a go!

2016 Health Goals

I hope everyone had a Happy New Year!  I celebrated a little early because Disney streamed the New Years fireworks show at 10:50 pm my time.   It was so pretty.  I made me tear up thinking I was actually there two years ago.  I am going to do a few posts of my goals for the next few days so I don't bore everyone at one time. 

One of my goals this year is to get Healthier.  Here is a picture of me at Disney this past September.  As you can see, I have put on a few pounds and I just don't feel good about myself.    I had started working out this summer but developed a bad case of allergies in September  that turned into bronchitis and very close to walking pneumonia.  I have gained back most of the pounds I lost this summer doing my deep water running.  I just haven't got back into a routine of working out again.

Our local community center has put forth a challenge that lasts the entire year.  Each month you have a different task to complete.  For January...it is a 30/30/30 challenge.  30 Push-ups, 30 sit-ups, and 30 minutes of working out at least 3 days a week.  I am hoping by the end of this year I will be more fit.   

Part of this is you have to do a Inbody assessment.  Basically, I go stand on a machine that measures my weight, BMI, Body Fat Mass  amount of water in my body, Skeletal Mass along with a couple other things.   It told me that I needed to lose 42.6 lbs!!!  I freaked out!!  However, my trainer said I should set a goal of 25 Lbs.  If I lose anymore than that I won't be healthy....

So today, I pulled out my Wii Fit Plus.  I spent 32 minutes running in place, hulu hooping, and step work. I was tired but it was fun.  My Mii did go from very skinny to Very Plump when it measured my weight!  

So what is your favorite workout activity?  Do you like to go to the Gym or Home?   Anyone else have a fitness goal??? 

                                           

I found these really cute stamps to put in my planner!!!  They track my water intake  - Mason Jar Stamps.  My steps for the day - each foot is 2,000 steps.  I also added Hot Tea and Cokes to mine.  I add sugar to my hot tea so that makes it bad....or if I get a sonic sweet tea.  The bottom is for cokes.  I have decided that I like sweet tea and cokes...I refuse to deny myself those things!!!!

Good Bye 2015

I love this quote!!!!  I really can't believe it is New Years Eve.  My hubby and I spent it at home, him watching football and me watching Midsomer Murders on Netflix.  The animals were relaxed around us.  We did go for Chinese food and Sonic drinks.

As I look back on this year, it has been amazing.  I was able to go to Disney with my hubby, Charleston SC and to Ashville NC.  I have lots of laughs with friends and some tears.  All in all, it was a great year.

Stitching wise I did not finish one project!  I spent my time devoted to Faery Tales from HAED and I made it to the halfway point.  I am 93% completed with my Santa Design.

Goals for next year:
I plan on finishing 3 projects by March!!!  I am finishing:
1) Santa of the Forest
2)Victorian Winter
3) Preening Pixie

I have a fitness goal which is a 12 month challenge but I will go into that later


Happy New Years everyone!!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!!!   I had a wonderful one!  It was strange since it was 70 degrees with no chance of snow anywhere!    So those of you who had snow for Christmas...I am jealous.   Right before we went to bed on Christmas Eve I was able to snap this cute photo of Bert waiting for Santa!!

If you are wondering how I am spending my Christmas break...I am working on Santa!!!!  My goal is to have him finished by the time I go back to school in January!!!!!  Below you will find a couple more charts that I am planning to stitch....but before that..you get to see my family!!!!!

The only time I can get my hubby to take a picture is a major holiday....I just love this one of us!!!!   We feel so tall because my mom has a small tree!

This is me with my Grandpa.  He celebrated his 89th birthday this year!!!  

This is my lovely mom!!!

Here is my family on my dad's side.  My brother is standing behind me, my sister is beside me...my dad is wearing the red hat, my uncle is standing behind my grandpa...the others are my niece and nephew!

In case you haven't heard, Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED) has had designer Aimee Stewart design this amazing chart.  It is titled "A Stitch in Time"  It should be ready for purchase by the first of the year.   I have this on my I gotta have it now list!!!  The detail is amazing!!!!  The designer said she divided it by seasons.  There is a Facebook group devoted to this design as a SAL.   

My hubby bought me this amazing purse for Christmas!!  Does he know me or what???  I had no idea!   it was a shock!

Finally,  I woke up on Christmas Eve to find this chart had been gifted to me!!!    I plan on stitching it for my niece.  She loves teddy bears!  

I will do a final post for 2015 on Thursday.  Thank you for all the comments!!!!  

BTW....What stitching challenges are out there this year?????

Huge Happy Dance for my HAED!!!!

I posted one time the whole month of November!!!  What happened to me???   I have so much to show and tell on this post..  This will just be a stitchy post.....

I did it!!!  I am officially at the half-way point of Faery Tales!!!!!   I was so excited!!  I dance a little jig an my husband thought I was a little crazy.   I am happy that my mermaid is a modest mermaid!   

Here is my Santa of the Forest...it too is at the halfway point!  I am spending the month of December working on him.  He is so close to being finished....Hopefully I can get him finished by the end of the year.

Preening Pixie is almost to the halfway point.....Isn't she pretty???  

New Stash!!!!!    This is called Winter is Coming by Mary Weaver.   I found this on a Facebook Group where this lady went to a Russian Needlework show and she had a picture of it!  I fell in love with it.   I asked the lady if she would purchase me one and ship it to the states  to me.  She agreed!   The instructions are in Russian but I am sure I can use google translate to figure it out.  If you are looking for it...you can find it on E-Bay.  

This is a Christmas Gift from my sister.  I sent her my Heaven and Earth wishlist and this is the chart she picked....I know...just what I need another HAED.  Isn't it pretty????  I just love it.   I can't wait to start it.    

I have a couple more stitchy things to show but I haven't taken a picture of them yet!    I will post them later!!!!

November already??? New stitching journal!!!

It is very hard to believe that is is already November.   I had 3 trick or treaters last night which is the most I have ever had!!!!  I took this weekend off!  Last weekend, I spent 10 hours in my classroom playing catch up.  I decided this weekend was all for me!   I spent time working on Faery Tales.  I am happy to say that once I reach the bottom of this column, I will have reached the halfway point!!!!   I never thought I could say that but by the end of the year, I will be halfway finished!!!!!

The detail on this design is just amazing!

I am so excited!!!  I scored a major deal this weekend!!!!   I was reading a post on one of my facebook groups about a girl whose Staples had their Erin Condren life planners on clearance for $15.00.  These planners are usually around $50.00 so I thought I would check ours.   Of course they didn't have any but the manager asked me if I had a picture of her receipt and I did...so he matched the price!!!!    My sister is actually buying me one of these for Christmas for my personal planner for my appointments, Thirty-one parties..etc.  

This is my new stitching and reading journal since it is for 2015-2016.   They are spiral bound and you can replace the cover with a new design if you get bored with the one you have.

Each month has a page for notes and a great quote....

you have the monthly layout for your appointments.  I will be using this for birthdays etc...

I chose the vertical layout which has 3 boxes for each day. The top row will be for my daily stitching - what I stitched, how much progress I made. The middle row will be what book I am reading or listening too.  The final row will be how I am feeling.  I suffer from depression and anxiety so it is good to keep track of the amazing things that happen to you in life.  

There is also 6 pages of notes which I will use for books I want to read, or charts that catch my eye.  

there are a few pages of graph paper.  I haven't decided what I am going to do with these.

The last thing is stickers!!!!  There are pre-printed ones and blank ones!!!  So excited!!!!

I am so excited!!!!   I love my stitching journal!!!!!!