Now It's Spring!

I know, I know!  I promised an update soon and here it is almost 8 months later and I am just now updating!  All I can say is that life has been challenging.  But, on to better things!

I think I have back most of my stitching mojo!!!  YAY!!!  Or at least a good bit of it.  Despite all the craziness that has been going on in my life in the last 8 months or so, I have managed to get some stitching done! 

I finished stitching my niece's wedding piece and then stitched a birth announcement for the beautiful baby girl she had born the following year, but, did I take a picture before I mailed them?!  No!!!  So, unfortunately I can't show those 2 pieces to you.  If I ever remember when I am down visiting her, I will take a picture to post here.

Here is my long overdue Olympic Finish:

Design:  Warm Water Wash

Designer:  Raise the Roof

Fabric: 28 ct Zephyr by Picture This Plus

Changes:

• Several color changes (sand, basket, bucket, center of sun, clothesline)
• Made bucket & shovel smaller
• Used a free pattern for sandcastle (with a couple very tiny changes)
• Added some different buttons and rearranged placement of others

Another piece I finished around Halloween:

Design:  Vlad's Vash Day

Designer:  Raise the Roof

Fabric:  28 ct Heather by Picture This Plus *

Changes:

• A couple color changes (words, ribbon for medal, colored zig-zag in undies)
• Did not add flower, bat or heart buttons
• Changed placement of some buttons

*The piece of fabric was purchased several years ago and looks quite different from the Heather I have seen recently.  My piece is gray with purple places in it.  The ones I have seen more recently are darker gray with larger, darker purple places in them.

 I have been continuing to work on my large train project and am coming closer to finishing it with each stitch.  I have also been working on Promise Me by Lizzie Kate (with some color changes), my SAL with Sharon of Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat (not much progress there) and starting a new baby sampler for the above mentioned niece as she is expecting (surprise!) another baby in late summer this year (only in very beginning stages here with fabric choice and design, no stitching started).  

Here are my latest movie thoughts.

 Favorite Movies of 2012:  

 

The Avengers
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Hunger Games
Wreck-It Ralph
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Rise of the Guardians
The Lucky One

The Dark Knight Rises

Honorable Mention:

  

The Woman in Black

The Vow

Hotel Transylvania

Silver Linings Playbook

Disappointments of the Year:

Brave - beautiful animation & enjoyable, but, least favorite of Pixar movies.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 - somewhat enjoyable, but, least favorite of series probably

Dark Shadows - just disappointing all around!

Movies thus far in 2013:

•  Oz The Great and Powerful - somewhat enjoyable, but, left feeling overall somewhat disappointed.  Makes me want to read all the original books and see how true the movies are.
• Safe Haven - really enjoyed it.  Wish it had done better at the box office.  I think a lot of people missed out on this one.  If you like other Nicholas Sparks movies, you should enjoy this one by him as well.
• Warm Bodies - my son drug me to this one and I must say I enjoyed it.  Surprisingly.
• Beautiful Creatures - enjoyable, if you like supernatural type movies.  I had not read the book before I went to movie (a friend wanted me to go), but, since reading the book, they changed quite a lot.  So, I guess it was probably disappointing for a lover of the books.  I was surprised it didn't do better with the teenage/preteen set, especially those that loved Twilight.  Go figure!
• The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - Just disappointing on so many levels.  I enjoy Steve Carrel and Jim Carrey can really surprise me at times, but, this was just so not good.  Though I will admit I liked the illusion they did at the end.
• The Host - I really enjoyed this, but, it is a very slow, cerebral type movie with a lot of inner monologue going on, so it can be boring to those that want action.  Never could get past the first chapter of the book, but, this has made me want to try & read it again.

 Movies I am looking forward to in the rest of 2013:

• Iron Man 3
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• Monsters University
• Man of Steel
• The Wolverine
• Thor: The Dark World
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Well, off to possibly work on some stitching.  I will do my best to post again soon.  ;-)

It's already Spring!

I can't believe that winter has gone and that spring is here.  Where did the time go?!!

I have actually been a hair productive lately.  I finished my first box!  I think it turned out quite nicely for the first time.  I did this for a friend of mine who's mother passed away.  I made all the pins for the box top as well.

 Design:  Freebie pattern by Blackbird Designs

Fabric:  28 ct evenweave scrap in a very pale taupy pink
Thread:  Gentle Arts Sampler Thread - cannot find label for color name

 Inside of box 

Magnetic area on lid for pins

pocket inside bottom holds a stitch ruler

Scissor fob I made to go with it

I also have finished up my stitching for my new RR.  Will post pics of that next time.  

Recent Movie Thoughts:  

• The Vow - really enjoyed it - had seen interview about 10 yrs ago with the "real" couple this movie is based on.  Very interesting and thought it stayed true to what I remembered of the interview.
• The Woman in Black - Great little haunted house/ghost movie.  No gore, just scare!  Of course, it has been keeping me awake at night.
• The Descendants - hmmmmmm...not sure what to say here.  The movie was interesting, but, in a dull/daily life type way.  George Clooney gave a very understated performance that definitely fit the role, but, I can't say I thought it was Oscar worthy, nor did I think the movie was.  I thought the girl that played his daughter (Shailene Woodley) deserved more the Oscar credit than the movie or GC, but, again...can't overly say that she deserved a nomination either.
• The Hunger Games - Loved it!!!  These books swept me away fairly recently and it has become my second favorite series after Harry Potter.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and thought the did a great job with it.  If you have not read this series and you enjoyed HP, then go out and get these books and read them!!!

Oscar thoughts:

•  Was glad that Octavia Spencer won for Supporting Acress
•  While I like Meryl Streep and think she is a fine actress, I wanted Viola Davis to win Best Actress since I thought she was the true heart of The Help

Until next time.