Finally!

I finally have a finish for this year.  I'm happy dancing all over the house!  I cannot believe just how long it's taken me to finish this little design.  And I do mean little.  I guess I hadn't realized that I had lost my stitching mojo for a while.  It also took me a while to figure out the best way for me to see with my new vision.  But whatever the reason, it's done!  And it's done before Elsie is too big to use it (I think!).  In case anyone is wondering what it is, it's a hooded towel for after her bath.  It's actually a perfect design for them since they have quite a collection of rubber duckies in their bathroom.  Forgive the camera strap hanging down in the corner.  I'm using Sherrie's camera (she lost mine in the Philippines - whole nother story) and I guess I hadn't realized the strap was so long.  Anyway, now it's on to Elsie's birth sampler.

I Just Have To

show off a little here.  This is my beautiful granddaughter, Elsie.  When Chris, Annette and Elsie came down in July, we all went off to JC Penneys and had family pictures taken.  This is one of my favorites from that sitting.  That's Annette's and my hand holding Elsie's.  She wasn't old enough to stand on her own so she had a little help from Mom and Grandma.  She is such a sweet and happy baby.  Her smile just makes me warm all over.  I think she's gorgeous as well.  Takes after her grandma.  Opps, I meant to say mom.  Seriously I can see lots from both sides of the family in her.  Anyway I just thought I'd introduce my first grandbaby to the world.  World, meet Elsie.

Happy Independence Day!

I would just like to wish all my followers from the USA a most happy and blessed July 4th.  Our country has faced many challenges in the past but we have always risen above them.  I am and always will be proud to be an American.

I would also like to thank the men and women of our armed forces for keeping us free.  It's a job I certainly would not be able to do but I so appreciate and pray for our soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coast Guard.  Thank you for all you do.

I'm Kind Of Sad

I'm really kind of sad right now.  The LNS that I have worked in for the last 8 1/2 years has closed it's doors.  Yesterday was our last day for sales.  Next week we're taking inventory and then that's it.  Needler's Nest will be no more.  The really sad thing for me is that this is the first time in 18 years that I've left a job with no prospects of another.  I've worked for LNS's for the past 18 1/2 years.  When one store closed, I went to work for another.  I worked for Countless Stitches for 3 years and when Katie sold the store, I went to work for Barb, the new owner.  I worked for her for another 7 years and when she closed the store, I was asked to come to work for Needler's Nest.  Now 8 1/2 years later, Needler's Nest has closed.  It's been a fun, wild ride but all good things must come to an end.  I loved having first hand knowledge of all the new products coming out.  I learned so much about this craft that we all love so much.  I learned what I would or would not do if I had my own store (which let's face it, will never happen).  I lived my childhood dream of owning my own store.  Okay, I didn't own it but it working there was the next best thing.

I am convinced that it is almost impossible to open a LNS and have it be a success.  I truly believe it's almost impossible to make a living owning a LNS.  Yes, there are a few stores making it but I believe most small LNS will have a very rough go of it.  I do believe that the stores that make it are going to be the ones with a large Internet presence.  We're all familiar with Silver Needle, Stitches, N Things, Cross Stitch 123, The Attic and Elegant Stitch.  Why?  Because they rely very heavily on the Internet.  Of course, they have good service and lots of stuff that make our hearts go crazy.  But I really believe what helps them thrive is the Internet.  Nothing wrong with that but it does make it hard for the smaller shops to compete.  So I think the wave of the future is a number of what I will call mega-LNS's with some smaller ones scattered around.

So I'll get off my soapbox now.  It's been a great 18 1/2 years and now I'm on to my next adventure.

You've Heard Of

the Headless Horseman?  Well, meet the headless rubber ducky.  Yes, this is as far as I've gotten on Elsie's bath towel.  Guess when she and her mom are arriving?  Yep, you guessed it.  This Thursday.  Think I can finish it in time?  I'm going to give it the good old college try.  I'll be back on Friday with an update.

A Little Progress

Remember my last blog post about putting the toys away and getting back to stitching?  Well, it's been harder than I thought.  There are so many interesting apps out there and it's so easy to download and start exploring them.  But I really want to finish this before the end of the month.  I think I can but it's so awkward to stitch.  I've ended up using the sewing method to avoid having to stick my hand up in the hood.  But since I'm not used to it, it's taking me longer to stitch.  But I am determined to finish this.

By the way, I'd like to have a give-away when I reach 100 followers.  But I can't yet cause I only have 96.  If I can get 4 more people to follow my blog, I'll have a give-away.  So if you're not following me yet or you have some friends that might enjoy reading about my stitching and my life, invite them along for the ride.

I'm Just

saying no.  It seems to me that lately I've been spending entirely too much time with my new toy, the Ipad Dave gave me for Christmas last year.  I should be using my time more wisely by stitching the many things I want to stitch this year or finishing the blanket I'm knitting for Elsie.  But no, I'm just sitting around playing games on my toy or surfing the web at night.  I haven't even been reading that much lately.  I've neglected my poor blog and have several emails that I owe people.  So hencefore (that's my word of the day) I shall endeavor to spend my time more productively and not waste so much of it playing games on Toy as it's affectionately known as around here.

Blog Hop #17 - Favorite Stitching Shoes?

It's time for another blog hop and this one is a doozy.

What’s your favorite footwear for stitching? Or perhaps I should say your favorite lack of footwear when stitching…

I really never expected to be answering a question like this about my stitching habits.  But I guess it's as good as any other question.  So here goes.  If I am stitching in the morning before I go to work (or if I have a chance to actually stitch while at work), I'll be wearing my socks and sneakers or, if it's summer, a pair of sandals.  If it's at night, the shoes come off and I'll either be barefoot or have my socks on.  Not too much to tell but there it is.

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
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Blog Hop #16 Missing Needles

Today's entry is interesting.  How many needles have you lost? Feel free to estimate. Tell us your best “lost needle” story

Missing needles, huh?  I'm happy to say that I have only lost one needle in my 30 some years of stitching.  I've always been very careful to keep my needles where they can't get lost.  I guess it goes back to when I was young and a friend of mine stepped on a needle in her bare feet and actually had to have surgery to remove it.  That made such an impression on me that I've always kept track of any needles I was using.  Now I did lose one needle but I found it again rather quickly.  In my elbow.  See, I had this bad habit of sticking the needle I was using in the arm of my chair.  I always knew where it was and it really was only a temporary place for it.  So I was happily stitching away and stuck it in the arm when I was getting a new thread ready.  I flung my arm down on the arm of the chair and, you guessed it, I found the needle.  Rather painfully, I might add.  I pulled it out of my elbow and promptly took myself off for a tetanus shot.  Since then, I have always parked my needles in a pin cushion or on the work itself in an area on the edge of the fabric.

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
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We Have

a badger!  Yes, I have finally gotten back to work on the baby sampler for my lovely little granddaughter, little Elsie.  It's taken me quite a while to get back my stitching mojo but I think this one will do the trick.  The backstitching is a little wonky but I'm used to that after stitching several Michael Powell designs.  I am so inspired to get back to stitching on this that I can't wait to get it on the floor frame and get to work on it.

Blog Hop #15 Stitching When Sick

It's hard to believe it's time for another blog hop.  Actually it's hard to believe it's almost the middle of February.  Where has the time gone?  Anyway this is a great subject and I'm interested to read what others have to say about it.

Eventually there comes a time when you’re not feeling well, whether it’s the flu or a cold or something else entirely. The question is, do you manage any stitching when you’re under the weather or does it just have to wait for better days?

I guess the answer would depend on just how sick I am.  If my allergies are bothering me or I have a little cold, then I usually will feel up to knitting or something that I can do without thinking about it.  An easy counted cross stitch project will also fit the bill.  But if it's major, then, no, I don't feel like doing anything except maybe reading or watching a little TV.  In September 2011 I came down with Valley Fever, a fungal infection found only here in the desert southwest.  Frankly I was so sick I didn't even feel like watching TV.  I just sat in my recliner and stared at the walls.  It took approximately a year to fully recover and I'm only just now getting my stitching mojo back.  So if it's something minor, I just suck it up and stitch.  If it's major, no way.  My entire focus would be getting my health back.

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
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Think This Will Help?

Okay, one of the things I've been complaining about for years is not being able to stitch at night because the reflection of the light on the TV bothers my family.  Well, I think I have finally found the solution.  Dave and I were at Ikea (I LOVE that store) on Saturday and found ourselves in the lighting section.  We weren't looking for anything in particular but I happened to see this lamp there that looked like it would solve my problem.  So somehow it found its way into our cart and into the house.  Dave assembled it and set it up next to my chair.  Guess what?  It works!  It actually works!  I can actually stitch now without the light bothering everyone else in the house.  We did keep the other light up because, as Dave said,  I do stitch at other times of the day, not just at night.  But if this works as well as I think it will, I can always use it with a pair of magnifying glasses and do away with the other light altogether.  Oh happy day!  As the guy from the A Team used to say, I love it when a plan comes together!

Stitchy Resolutions

Yes, I know I'm late with this.  I just can't seem to get it together this year yet.  Maybe cause it doesn't feel like it should be a new year yet.  Maybe my life just seems to be on fast forward and I don't know how to slow it down.  Whatever the issue is, I figure it's better late than never, right?

Now I know I said I wasn't making any resolutions but stitchy ones are different.  Perhaps I should call them goals.  Okay, what ever name you want to call them by, here they are.  I definitely want to finish the hooded bath towel I've already started for Elsie.  I also have her birth sampler to stitch.  Oh and there's her Christmas stocking I told Chris and Annette I would stitch for her.  Then there's a wedding sampler for Brian and Alisha.  That didn't seem so bad until Sherrie reminded me that I never finished her tote I was knitting and planning on felting.  And there's her college graduation sampler that she's hoping I'll stitch for her.  She apparently doesn't expect me to finish the one for high school that I stitched for her.  All it needs is a teeny tiny tassel and it's done.  So here it is, my list of stitchy resolutions for 2013:

Elsie's bath towel
Elsie's birth sampler
Elsie's stocking
Brian & Alisha's wedding sampler
Sherrie's high school graduation sampler
Sherrie's college graduation sampler

Knitting projects
   Elsie's afghan
   Sherrie's felted tote

I'm hoping that I can get all these finished in order to pick up Quaker Gone Tropic again.  It's all doable, it really is!

New Year's Resolutions

I know this is usually published on the first day of the new year but I've been thinking a lot about my resolutions for this year lately and I've come to a conclusion.  I'm not going to make any this year.  Yes, I plan on losing weight.  And I certainly plan on continuing my quest to declutter and reorganize my house and especially my stash.  But these are the same resolutions I've had for the last 2 years.  So why should I change anything now?  All of my goals are an in process kind of thing.  I don't know if there will be a place where I've totally happy with my weight or my hair or the way I look.  I know that decluttering is taking a while but I'm okay with that.  So this year there's no pressure to become perfect.  I'm getting happy about who I am and what I can achieve.  And isn't that the point of resolutions?  So I'm throwing away the list and keeping on keeping on.

Of course, I do have some stitching resolutions that I'll talk more about later in another post.  So stay tuned for those.

Blog Hop #14 - 2012 in Review

What was your biggest stitching accomplishment in 2012?
What was your favorite stash acquisition in 2012 and will you be using it in 2013?

Oh boy, this is a question I'm almost embarrassed to answer.  This is probably the first year I didn't finish anything!  Nothing, nada, zip.  I've been stitching for 35 years now and I believe this is the first year I didn't finish anything.  Of course, I think I have a pretty good reason.  Since I had my first eye surgery in March, I haven't been able to see well enough to stitch.  It was very frustrating to sit down and try to stitch and I couldn't even see the holes.  I did manage to participate in stitching my bosses Christmas present nut that was before the first surgery so I guess I can count that.  I'm hoping in 2013 to be able to get back into the stitching groove.  I want to finish Elsie's baby sampler and her Christmas stocking and then I want to do a wedding sampler for Brian and Alisha.  That's all my goals for now.  I figure if I keep my expectations low I might be able to accomplish them.

My favorite acquisition for the year occurred in the last month.  I had won the Survival pool over at the message board for Cross stitch 123 and with my gift certificate I bought myself a couple of designs by Chatelaine.  I really wanted Hawaiian Garden Mandala and the Sea Quilt but I could not justify the expense. So I decided that is what I wanted to get and now I have them in my hot little hands and plan on drooling over them while I ponder stitching them.

Hopefully 2013 will be much more productive than 2012 was.

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A New Year

Well, it's 2013 and another new year.  Is it just me or do the years just seem to be flying by?  2012 was a wonderful year due to the marriage of my oldest.  Brian and Alisha decided to elope to Las Vegas and Dave and I drove up to watch them get married.  It's been a long time coming and I'm very happy for them.  The second major event was that we became first time grandparents.  Chris and Annette (Chris is my second child and youngest son) had a beautiful baby girl, Elsie.  We got to spend Christmas with them in Minneapolis and it was wonderful.  But now I remember why we moved to Arizona.  It was COLD up there.  But we snuggled down with the kids and just enjoyed our beautiful grandbaby.  I don't know how we will top that in 2013.  My prayer and hope for all of you is a safe and happy new year.