Merry Christmas!!!

Well, it has been almost a year since I have posted and I am sure many of you thought I had left the blogging world completely!  All I can say is it has been quite a year!

I finally found steady employment in an unexpected situation after close to 2 years without it.  It has been 2 long years full of stress & craziness!  There are many bosses/companies out there that are willing to take advantage of people that are desperate for work.  Places that feel that because of this they can treat you as deplorably as they want!  All I can think is that one day they will get their comeuppance.  What goes around, comes around.

I can also say for certain that while I thoroughly enjoy stitching, I cannot focus on stitching when I am stressed.  For those of you that it is truly a stress relief, you are fortunate.

While life is finally coming back into focus, I finally have a finish to show.  It's a Halloween design.  I know I am a little late showing it, but, here it is:

Designer:  The Trilogy

Design: One of the Motifs from "Eekology"

Threads:  Recommended threads

Fabric:  27 ct Bellpull

My niece got married in June.  I am still working on her piece.  While the piece is not large, it is taking me forever to finish it!!!  Now she is pregnant with her baby due in early spring.  So, I have that on the agenda to do as well.  One thing is for certain, it will be a small piece. She is having an owl theme for the nursery and I have found a cute little design to use.  Now, I just need to finish that wedding thing and get started on this one.

I generally give you my movie thoughts from time to time.  I haven't seen as many movies this year as I have in the past.  But, I will give my movie thoughts for the year on my next post.

I will also show you my finished RR piece that I got back a couple of months ago.  It turned out really well!!!  Thanks Clare & Lynda!!!  :-)

Have a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

A Patriotic Finish!

I actually stitched this Hob Nobb piece last year, but finally got around to "finishing" it this past weekend in time for Memorial Day. I tried all different kinds of ribbon and trim on it, but nothing looked quite right. It sat on this little table without a topper for several days. Finally, yesterday I was at Michael's and saw this trim for less than a dollar and thought I would give it a try. I actually liked it! It may be a little "over the top", but I thought it was a perfect 4th of July/Patriotic trim for it. Kind of reminds me a little of fireworks. What do you think of the trim?

Well, I think I can officially call it summer here in Florida. Today is my son's last day of school and the weather is over 90! So, with those two criteria, I think it is official.

As for stitching...I really haven't gotten around to it this past week either. Too much going on. We had company over the Memorial Day weekend and this week has been busy with chaperoning the end of the year party and going to a B-day luncheon of a friend that is recovering from treatments for breast cancer. So...hopefully I will get some stitching done over the weekend or next week. TTFN!!!

Valentine's Stitches!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Here are a couple of Valentine's stitches.

Design: Heart
Designer: Hob Nobb Designs

This was stitched last year, but I just finished it as a cube this past week.

Here's a second piece I stitched this week.


Design: i Y u
Designer: me
Threads: GAST - Cameo Pink & WDW - Red Pear
Fabric: 28 ct cream linen


I haven't really decided how to finish this, but I'm sure I will

come up with some ideas eventually. :-)

We dont' really have any special Valentine's plans. We generally don't. I know that sounds boring, but...I guess that's just how it is. We will go out to dinner this weekend.

Since it's Valentine's here are some of my favorite romantic movies to watch:

• PS I Love You...Hillary Swank/Gerard Butler...just came out recently, you might can still find it in some small theaters...excellent...can't say enough about this movie


• You've Got Mail...Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan...love over the internet between enemies


• Sleepless in Seattle...again Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan...love through the radio


• The Lake House...Sandra Bullock/Keanu Reeves...love in letters between two strangers that are seperated by two years


• Just Like Heaven...Reese Witherspoon/Mark Ruffalo...he's falling in love with the ghost haunting his apartment


• Kate & Leopold...Meg Ryan/Hugh Jackman...he's traveled through time and fallen in love with her...will she follow him back


• Somewhere in Time...Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour...another time travel...classic


• Sweet Home Alabama...Reese Witherspoon/Josh Lucas/Patrick Dempsey...who does she really love...the husband she left back in Alabama years ago or her fiance from New York


• The Illusionist...Edward Norton/Jessica Biel...part mystery/part romance between European uppercrust and an illusionist...set in early 1900


• Music and Lyrics...Drew Barrymore/Hugh Grant...he's an 80s popstar that needs helping writing a new song...especially great if you grew up in the 80s


• 13 Going on 30...Jennifer Garner/Mark Ruffalo...she's 13 and all she wants to be is grown up and 30...but wait until she gets her wish


• The Notebook...Ryan Gosling/Rachel McAdams...the story of two people from different backgrounds that fall in love in the 1930s


• Hope Floats...Harry Connick, Jr./Sandra Bullock...a little sad, but a wonderful movie about finding hope for life & love after losing everything else

I'm sure I could think of more, but that gives you a good list. If you are a Jane Austen fan I will include Pride & Prejudice (Keira Knightley version) and Sense & Sensibility (Emma Thompson version). I love Alan Rickman as Col. Brandon in S&S and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy in P&P. Plus the music in P&P is beautiful!!!

NOTE: Several of these movies have great soundtracks. A few that stand out right off hand...Hope Floats, You've Got Mail, & Sleepless in Seattle. Of course, for just great, beautiful music...the aforementioned Pride & Prejudice and Somewhere in Time.

So grab a great stitching project, a great movie and enjoy!

A Christmas "Finish"

It's hard to believe that December starts tomorrow! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Mine went fairly well. I tried the recipe I posted in the previous post and didn't like it. If anyone tried it, I hope they liked it. Will try to have a better recipe next time.

I finally got all my computer stuff caught up at work and was able to cut back on my work load this week. Yeah!!! So happy about that! I feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders!

I spent this morning paying bills, wrapping presents, making a last Christmas order and running a couple of errands. I think all my Christmas shopping is done now except for purchasing the Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix DVD when it comes out in December. Other than that I am done! I didn't get my son's annual ornament stitched yet this year, so I will have to do 2 next year to make up for it. Still hoping my stitching mojo will come back soon.

On a stitching note...I "finished" this little Christmas design into a cube today. I stitched it last year and finally dug it out of the "to be finished or framed" basket.

Christmas Candy Cane (not sure of "real" name)

by: Hobb Nob Designs

stitched on 28 ct. Willow by Picture this Plus

Latest movie thoughts:

Enchanted - Cute!

August Rush - I really enjoyed it, but my son did not. He thought it was very boring. There is a lot of "just" music. However, the music is beautiful!

Pumpkins!

Here is a piece I finished stitching last year, but finally got around to "finishing" it in the last month. It is my first cube. I thought it turned out pretty well. I like this finishing technique. I followed these "no sew" instructions. They were great! (I didn't put the "feet" on mine.) The piece is Pumpkins by Hob Nobb Designs. Love their stuff, but they are hard to find.

If you have not been to see "Dan in Real Life" I recommend it! It is a funny, funny movie. Probably in my Top 5 list of movies this year.

Not much other news. I've been extremely busy with work (still) and haven't had any time for stitching. Needless to say I don't think I have reached any of my stitching goals this year. Oh, well. There's always next year. :-)

Don't forget about the Stash for Sale two posts down. I will try to get it moved to its own site soon. Just scroll down to see it.