2015 Foodies Read Challenge

                                               http://irbratb.com/2014/11/23/foodies-read-2015/

Since I love to read, I was searching for a reading challenge for this year.  I found this Foodies read challenge and I am so excited!!!  I love to read cozy mysteries that have recipes in them!

I am going for the Cordon-Bleu Chef= More than 19!    This will make me search our new books and possibly try a new cookbook or two.
 

Guidelines:

The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2015.

You don’t need a pre-selected list of books.

It’s okay to cross over with other challenges.

Any book format is allowed (print, audio, ebook)

Levels:
Short-Order Cook: 1 to 3 books
Pastry Chef: 4 to 8 books
Sous-Chef: 9 to 13 books
Chef de Cuisine: 14 to 18
Cordon-Bleu Chef: More than 19

Final Stitch from stash

I started this challenge in hopes that I would have some finishes from my stash this year.  Lots of ups and downs with me saying...DO I really need that Disney kit???   I  enjoyed this challenge and plan to continue it into 2015.  

I am working on Faery Tales from HAED this week.  I set a small stitching goal that I am going to put 1,000 stitches in a day.  I know..that is a lot but I feel with school, I haven't had much of a chance to stitch.  I want to finish 2 pages by the end of Christmas break.  Fingers crossed that it will happen!

Next year, I plan on working on this HAED along with a Disney Kit that I have in my stash.   I just love this is my Stitch From Stash design I am going to work on next year.

I borrowed this picture below from Faith's Blog.  She has some amazing designs she is stitching also!!!

What a week!

In case anyone is wondering....if you get food poisoning it feels like death!   I  was a lucky person to get this last night.   Mark and I picked up Outback takeout and I got so sick from eating their food.  Normally, I love their Guacamole Crab Stack but never again!!!   The cold tile felt so good but Brigen thought he should help me out and lick my face while I lay suffering.  He just wanted to help me feel better.   Cold Sprite is amazing when you are feeling bad...not sure why but it tastes so good!!!

I did a little stitching this week.  I worked on my Faery Tales and now I am stitching a new story.  I am in the process of stitching a beanstalk.  I also started organizing my floss from all my finished projects.  I had a lot of floss. It took me 3 days to finally to get it all wound and organized!! 

I ordered my husband a TV for Christmas.  I ordered it from Sam's and had them ship it to my house.  I thought it would come in cardboard box with a label on it....Nope....This is how it was left on my front porch. I am just thankful we live in safe neighbor hood and it wasn't stolen!  Mark was home to bring it in the house.  So his surprise was ruined...TV is now set up in our bedroom.  Now, I have to find him another gift!!! 

Faery tales and New bags!!!

I can't believe that is it December. Where does the time go???  Since I decided to stop working on Sistine chapel and I am still feeling great about that decision. (see below for more)  I have been working on my HAED -Faery Tales.  This design  is 40 pages and it is fun to stitch.  I am a weird Haed stitcher because I don't stitch the pages in order...I stitch the first page -first row....then first page -second row and so forth.  

Sistine Chapel - I had several comments that I should put it up and would get back to it later..others told me they were glad for me and the last group said I should finish it anyway.   I have to say..I like my cross stitch patterns to go in order and not have to try and fix thing.  This patterns was way to confusing so I am happy with my decision!  Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement.

Check out my new purse!!!!   Isn't it amazing????  I did a little Christmas shopping for my family this year from Thirty-One and bought myself a couple of presents....the first was this new Canvas Crew bag in pink!!!!  I decided to personalize mine!!!

 I also bought myself a new Large Utility tote in Sketchy Dot purple...Can you guess how I am going to use it???  I love it!!!!!  If you are in need of a new stitching bag...let me know!  I can help you out!!!!

November Stitch From Stash

I was not a good stitch from Stash canidate this month!!!  I did pick up an Old UFO from 2007 and started working on it.  This is my HAED - Faery Tales design.  I am on page 4 of 40.  Love how the castle is looking.  

My purchases...I haven't purchased anything in a couple of months.  A friend of mine called me a couple of weeks ago to tell me about this cute little Disney Cross Stitch kit at Barnes and Noble.  It comes with 12 small patterns and 11 skeins of floss.  Had to purchase it!!!  It was $13.02 with tax and after coupons

Black Friday, Joann's had a 50% off coupon on a regular priced item...I bought the Large Lady and the Tramp kit for $21.00 but with tax and shipping it was $30.00.  So I did go over budget this month...but isn't my new stash pretty????

Sistine Chapel is No More!!!

So tonight I was working on my Sistine Chapel.  I had decided to start a new section to see if I could fix the mistake I made on the last section.   As you know, I had emailed the designer and her response was "Focus on ensuring the adjacent scenes are aligned and it'll work itself out with the background."   As a math teacher, I just can't do that.  It has to add up for me and all be equal!!!  If you look at the first picture,  this is as far as I got before I made the decision to stop.

See the pink section all by itself?   The open space to the below it should be 18 squares however, mine is only 15!!!!  I don't know where I went wrong.   I have decided that as much as I loved stitching this pattern, I am done!  I like things to add up when I do counted cross stitch!    

I felt a huge relief when I made this decision.  I am going to happily work on my other UFO's and to start making a dent in my collection.  What do you think of my decision???  Would you continue working on it or just say, I am done!

As you know, Christmas is coming and I do sell Thirty-One products!!!  We have some wonderful stocking stuffers for $20 and under if you are needing some personalized gifts!!!  

Augusta is FINISHED!!!!

Did anyone feel the earth shake last night???  It was me dancing all over my living room!  I finished my Augusta the 13th hole!!!  This is it right off the qsnaps.  I started it in 2007 but got bored stitching trees so I put it up for a few years.   However, I decided this year that it was my oldest UFO so it had to be finished.

I do have to wash this piece.  How do you wash your pieces.  I am thinking of washing it in the sink with Dawn dish soap.   Any other good ideas????

Now..my next oldest UFO is the my Faery Tales from Heaven and Earth designs.  This design is 49 pages and it so pretty!!!  

I have 3 pages completed!!!!  This is my next UFO project.   I hope to have it finished by Dec. 2016.