Blackwork Princess HD!!

Finished my Blackwork Princess by Dragon Dreams!! I did her on 28 count evenweave. Used GAST Jasmine and Bluebell along with gold metallic for the bling! I wanted to put a little twist on the "black" of blackwork! LOL!! Think she looks very nice if I say so myself!
I have some fantastic blackwork patterns coming! One of the ladies in my group, Margaret, has stitched them and I saw them in her photo album. They are of Henry VIII and his 6 wives!! I posted how much I would love to have them and she is sending them to me along with Elizabeth!! Cannot wait! Gonna be so neat to have those!

It's been a nice week this first week of school!! So quiet during the day and peaceful, it's been wonderful!! Started back at the Y on Wednesday, and it felt great to be back at the gym! I'm going to try to take off a couple of inches around my waist and hips along with toning muscles. Hoping to get in good shape before my cruise in January! Plus I bought some additional tanning sessions so I can keep my awesome tan going! I've never been this tan before and it looks nice on me! Will try to lie out some this week since it's going to be so hot!

DH still has nothing happening on the job front. He has applied to so many different places, but nothing comes of it. Most just right him back "does not meet our criteria"; whatever that one means?!

We're planning on having a "cook-in" at Mom's on Monday. Just us, mom and Aunt Helen. Will be making potato salad tomorrow for it. Everyone wants my potato salad! Don't really know why, but I must admit it does taste pretty good!

(after)Weekend Update!

This is the blackwork piece I have chosen for the Blackwork SAL for the Stitchers Heaven Yahoo Group! It's "Blackwork Princess" by Dragon Dreams. I have decided to add some 'bling' to her!! I'm doing her necklace, headband and jewelry in RG Petite Treasure Braid Gold! I think it adds a definite something !! Also going to do the vine in GAST Bluebells(sort of a bluish green color) I think that will be nice also!

Yesterday (Sunday) boys and I went to the pool down in Kenova. Boy, it certainly isn't the YMCA pool! Dirt all over the floor of the pool, too loud, and absolutely no recliners/chairs anywhere!! Thankfully I remembered to pack my recliner and a beach chair!! I just laid out and basked! Felt so good! Did a lot of work on my bw piece too. I got a lot of sun, actually across the back of my neck and forehead feel a little warm, but not burned. Nick got pinkish red across his chest and stomach, but he wanted to get some sun, and didn't use sunscreen (once again), except for his shoulders. Of course Alex, the fish he is stayed in the pool unless he was whining about starving!! LOL

Well, today is my last day of insanity!! Well, at least partial insanity will remain after tomorrow! School starts!! Have to get the last of laundry done today and go through Alex's clothes and pull out what doesn't fit! Also have to get bookbags ready! Stock them with paper, pencils, notebooks, pens, etc. Busy busy day today!

Finally took some pictures!!

Finally got around to taking a picture of Fairy Celebration III by Passione Ricamo. This is a free pattern she makes to celebrate Fairy Day! I have 2 of them done now, 2007 and 2008. Need to start on 2006 version. This one is the best of the three she has done so far. I added metallics to her wings and in the corners plus I used beads in the corners and for her wand's sparklies!!She is stitched on 14 count blue Fiddler fabric. I didn't have enough of the blue marbled Aida I used for the 2007 version.

Yesterday was my grandson's 1st birthday!! We just had a small family gathering here at the house. Here he is riding his riding/pushing lion! He is such a doll!! We got him a teddy bear that sings the "ABC's" and "123's" along with teaching colors and parts of body. He really like it!! His aunt (our daughter) got him this really neat baseball toy. It has a bat and ball and it says "Home Run" when he hits the ball off the tee. It also plays music and talks!! More noise for the house!!

I'm currently stitching on Thea Gouverner's Tut pattern. It's so pretty! I'm not particularly fond of the linen included in the kit though. That's the problem with kits, sometimes the fabric is not the best. Also the kits usually just have 14 or 16 count fabric and I like 28 count the best!! I think it looks better. However, this linen is very thin and lightweight. I don't know what kind it is, but I don't like it that much. I would rather have the pattern and pick my own fabric!! I do love her designs though. There is one, St Petersburg, that I would love to have! But it's like over 100 bucks! The last thing I spent that much on was The Last Supper by Vervaco!

Only 8 days until I get 1/2 my sanity back!! The kids will be starting school, hallelujah!! Of course, with dh still at home and job hunting, that will mean 1/2 my sanity is still gone! LOL!

I do wish he would find something soon. He is getting very depressed about not finding a job yet. I don't know why he can't find something in the call center business, all his rejection emails say something about "not meeting our criteria", whatever THAT means. I have to wonder if it has to do with his age (55).

Our wonderful daughter started her teaching career last week. She isn't even out of college yet and this school wanted her to teach Latin to 4th and 5th grades!! She is loving it though! She was so excited last night when she printed out her first quiz!! It was really kind of funny to watch and listen to her!

Slacking off some lately

Sorry, but I've been a little slacking on the cross stitch side of things lately. Don't know why, but just can't seem to get it going! Hate that too!
I've been reading the Twilight series over and over again. Absolutely love this series! It is totally awesome! Makes you look at vampires differently than before. There is a movie coming out in December from the first book. Can't wait to see it. I added the countdown widget here so I can see how many days left until it comes out!
On the old homefront, no job openings on the horizon for dh yet. Each time he has applied somewhere he either gets an email that says he doesn't meet their "criteria" or "expectations". What is that all about? He has over 14 years of managment experience!! How can that not be up to their par? I think it may be an age issue also. Lots of places don't want to hire someone who is over 50.
Youngest son is doing very well. He had the tooth pulled on Monday and boy what a root on that thing! It must have been at least 1/2 inch long!! I've never seen a root that huge on a tooth before, not even my wisdom teeth (and they were wrapped around my jawbone!) He recovered very nicely from that. Didn't even so much as flinch when the dentist did the Novacaine shot (can we say ouch!)!! Brave boy!!! He had plenty of applesauce and mashed potatoes to eat though.
Did get my flight plan today for the stitching cruise in January. Thought I better get it before the prices go up even more!! Not a bad price actually. Was more expensive the first time I looked, but this time it was less than it would be for gas, so I decided to go ahead and buy it now. One less thing to worry about!!
Well, that's my update so far in my life! Promise to get back into the stitching craze again real soon! Want to work on some projects, but just can't seem to get inspired! I think the stress of everything is getting to me now.

She is completed!!

After 39 hours 22 minutes throughout 22 days, she is finished! She is so gorgeous with the metallics and the beads!! I think the Crystal Mercedes fabric by PTP was a very good choice!
The left picture is the full view and the right picture is a close up of her body/face!

The way Laura had us do the beads for this was unusual, but totally fun!! We mixed all 5 bead colors together and then we were told to go wild with them!! It was loads of fun to just pick a bead and say, okay you go here!

I finished her on 8/5/08 and I must say I just love the colors!

Today I had to take my youngest son to the dentist for an abscessed tooth. The dentist sent him immediately to the ER for some IV antibiotics!! I have never heard of that one before! So, off to the ER we went. Of course, everyone knows it takes forever in the ER. However, today we were lucky as it just took a little over 2 hours to get him signed in, seen by the doctor and the IV meds in. (Doesn't he just look pitiful?)--------------->

After that was over, I took him to Cold Stone Creamery for a treat, for being so good while he had the IV put in. Then I brought him back home and went off to fill his prescriptions for antibiotic and pain meds. They cost 68 bucks!! Boy, I hate being without insurance!!

Of course, all this happens just shortly after the insurance ran out! Naturally!! If it weren't for bad luck, we would have no luck at all!!

Well, that's my update so far!!