Last Blog of 2008!!

Well, as you all can see, the biggest news this Christmas was my dear daughter getting engaged! It's a beautiful ring! 15 small diamonds on both sides of the solitaire! And I don't even really like diamonds, but even I said, "Wow, that's gorgeous!!"

Her bf (now fiance) gave it to her on 12/26/2008. She always laughed at people who got engaged on Christmas and Valentine's Day, so he decided to take her at her word!

He bought her some small diamond earrings and had them put in a ring box at the jewelers. When she opened her presents on Christmas Eve, she was really really expecting a ring! Apparently, she was 'extremely' disappointed there was no ring. Her bf said he had never seen anyone unhappy about diamond earrings!! LOL

Then, the night after Christmas, as he was walking her to the door after they had been at his family's for the day, he bent down like he was tying his shoes. He told her to give him a hand up, and when she gave him her hand, he just slid the ring on right then and there! On our front porch! She was really bouncing off the walls all night! I don't know how many times she came in and shoved it under my nose for me to see!! It was actually really funny!

She has always wanted fall colors for her wedding (burgundy, gold, green) but I don't know if it will be a fall wedding. They are both still in school although he is graduating soon. I will be doing the bouquets for her and the bridesmaids, helping with the decorations and whatever other "crafty" thing she wants!

We all had a wonderful Christmas. Sometimes it seems to be when we are in financial troubles, we have the best Christmas! Everyone got what he/she wanted, and everyone was happy! As soon as I get the pix from my dh's camera, I will post a few here!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful New Year's Eve and a happy, healthy, wealthy (yeah right) and wise New Year!! Remember, if you drink tonite at your party, don't drive. If you drive, don't drink!! Please be safe tonite and every nite!

One framed and some presents!

Well, finally got Marilyn from the framers today! She turned out so nicely! This will be for my dear daughter, who is a HUGE Marilyn Monroe fan! It's a Vervaco kit, stitched over 2 on 28 ct linen.

It's done with just browns, so it's a rather unique way of shading and everything! She came out wonderful!

She is in a creamish frame with dark brown mat. Framer did a fantastic job on her! I can't wait until she sees it on Christmas morning! Next problem, how to wrap her? I think I will wrap her and then put her in a gift bag! Sounds like a great idea to me!

Also, yesterday (Friday) I got an envelope in the mail marked "Fragile", so I was very curious! Out came these 2 little dragon ornaments! They are so adorably cute! They are from a wonderful lady on one of the boards, Christina and I absolutely love them! She knows how much I love dragons, and found these!

I have no idea where she got them, I've never seen anything like them around here, but I'm certainly glad she found them!

THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRISTINA!!!

Today, I had the privilege (arduous task) of shopping with my mother. Now, when I go shopping, I know just what I want to get and go in, find the stuff and get out. But with my mom, nooooo, that's not the way it happens!

We were shopping for over 4 hours!! Oh, my aching body! But she did pretty much finish up her shopping for the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids! Hallelujah and Amen!

Now for the homefront news! My microwave oven, which is probably about 5 years old now, decided it wanted to die-right before Christmas, when I need it the most! :( Happily enough thought, while we were out shopping today, when we were in Wal-mart, I saw a microwave on sale for only $58.

Mom was even nice enough to get it for me without it being a present! She knows I just want $$ for my present, so I can take it on the cruise (T minus 28 days today! ) Of ccourse, as soon as i got home, I crawled (literlly) into bed and passed out! I was hurting so badly with the walking, the standing, the weather front coming thru.

I had a nice 2 hour nap this evening and now I'm ready to really hit the hay! I have cookies, fudge and other goodies to make all day tomorrow! Yippee! Along with the laundry (of course), so I need to get to bed so I can start work on all the goodies I need to make!

Will keep you posted on how Tut is doing along with any other activities here at the homefront!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!! AND A SAFE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

Update on Tut and family stuff

Just thought I would post another update on TG's Tut tonight. He is coming along nicely, and I'm hoping to get him done before the end of the year, not sure, but certainly hoping to! I haven't really been doing a lot of stitching. Every time I sit down to stitch it seems like I start dozing off! Now, I have been accused of stitching while I'm asleep (actually several people have sworn I did it at Camp Stitch-a-lot a couple years ago!!), but I can't swear to it!

Our youngest son's school Christmas program was last week and here he is in his really tasteful and cheerful shirt! After all these years of going to (and suffering) so many Christmas/Choir shows, it was a very pleasant surprise to attend one that was actually cute, fun and very very good! It was entitled "Santa Claus Goes Green" or something close to that (can't really remember the whole title) and needless to say, it was about how Santa couldn't see any reason to go 'green'. It was a really nice program. I didn't even really notice time passing, so that is a big big plus!!

I have been reading the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. I have all of them now (finally) and I love them all! Unfortunately, the next one is not coming out before I leave for the cruise!! I don't know what I'll take to read. I have read the series about 4 times now! The HBO series 'True Blood' is based on the novels and it's totally awesome! Only second to 'Dexter' on Showtime! Both have Golden Globe nods too!

The other books I read a lot are the JD Robb's 'In Death' series. I have all 25 of them and I read them over and over again! It is so much fun to have a series like these to really get into and get to know the characters so well! It almost seems like the characters are family members, you know them so well.

I'm planning on baking this weekend. Making fudge, candy and cookies. DD wants to take some to her co-workers and since I have a doctor appointment on Tuesday, I think I will take some goodies to the registration ladies and my doctor and his PA. They are all fantastic and I want them to know how much I appreciate them. Even if my doctor isn't really comfy with treating chronic pain, lol! He wasn't much happy about increasing my pain meds last time I was there, but I couldn't go through another winter like last year!!

It's been so dismal here lately, can't remember the last time I saw the sun! We had a nasty system come through earlier this week and there was a 2 hour delay, but I just kept the kids home because I wasn't about to try to drive in that mess! There were fender benders all over the place! Another storm system is out in the midwest right now and will be heading here soon. My body figures it will be here in about 3 days, and it's usually right! I'm actually getting to be better than a meteorologist!

Well, back to watching "Mamma Mia", for about the 16th time since Tuesday! I love this movie! Of course, it helps that I love ABBA music (as if you can't tell, since it starts up when my blog opens up! lol). My aunt and I went to see it at the theatre about 3 times. The last time we went, we were the only people in the theatre so we were able to sit and sing to our hearts' content! It was really a blast!

Finally a pic of my first design!

Here is he in all his splendored glory! My first Stitchers Heaven Designworks design---Dragon Nap! This is from a picture (copyright free) I found on the net. I just altered the eye a little, because there were so many colors in it. Also "rounded" off the pillow a little by adding 1/4 stitches to it, so it would take on more of a rounded shape.
I think he is cute. I have so many CDs and books of copyright free designs/patterns, etc and I will be putting them on my laptop slowly but surely.
I would really like this to take off. I hope one day to have an actual business and people will actually buy my desigsn and I will have them in stores and catalogs! That would be wonderful!

Total change of subject, but a long awaited day has come! 'Mama Mia' comes out today!! I love ABBA and this movie was such a feel good movie! I can't wait to get the DVD and sit down and watch (listen) to it and stitch! I am so excited!!

It's apparently snowing outside (if you believe the radar) and it's about 35F colder this am than yesterday! Weird weird weather!

My First Design!!!

Well, I have finished my first ever Stitchers Heaven Designworks design! It is called 'Dragon Nap'!! Cute little dragon perched on a pillow. However, can't seem to figure out how to upload it to my blog, since it ends in .xsd (for pattern maker readers only). So, will have to figure that one out later.

Maybe one of the other ladies who design can give me some help on that one.

Just wanted to make that announcement!! Of course, it's not one I designed myself, it's a copyright free clipart thingy that I imported, but I did it!

Yeehaw! for me!

Oh Wow!

First, a little depressing news. Both of my favorite shows have now finished the season. Total bummer! Dexter on Showtime finished up tonite, and for once without a cliff hanger!! Nice, but weird. Two weeks ago was season finale for True Blood on HBO! Don't know what I'm goint to do until next fall! Thank heavens, DH has burnt them on DVD for me, so I can watch whenever I want to. Will probably take them on the cruise as well, that way will have something to watch in my cabin!

Found something very interesting! While I was perusing Passione Ricamo website, one of my favorite past times, I saw a gallery of stitchers' work, so I looked up my name! And sure enough, there I was!! This is the link to my gallery page on Passione Ricamo. I looked over all the other stitchers and for some really "weird" reason, it looks like I have finished the most of her designs!! She even added in some of the emails I sent along with the picture. Thought that was very nice of her.

Well, that's all for tonite, just wanted to share the depressed part of the night along with the happiness of seeing that my work is up to Laura's standards (I guess) and she put me in her gallery!

New Gadget on Side Bar!!

I have a new gadget on the left side bar!! It's a "followers" gadget! It lets people see who likes my blog and reads it often! Pretty neat idea!!

After you add it, it is 'suggested' to write a post and let people know so they will become 'followers' of my blog, so that is what I'm doing!

Come and read my blog and become a follower of Stitcher's Heaven! Thanks!!!

Snow Day!!

Oh yay! Snow day! Yet, there is less than an inch of snow!! It rained all day yesterday and then last nite turned to snow and everything froze, of course. So they powers that be at the school board first decided on a 2 hour delay. Then about 7 am they decided "road conditions had not improved" so they cancelled school for the day! But, the roads weren't bad at all in town. Maybe the roads out in the county were worse. But to me, it was a snow day wasted!

So, kids were home today and boy was that fun! I hate it when they cancel school! I did get some stitching done today on Tut and he is looking nice. I haven't been stitching a lot lately. I don't know why, but just not in the mood. I think part of it is because it's alway grey, overcast, cloudy and blah outside. I also hate the fact it gets dark at 5pm!! When it gets dark, I'm ready for bed!!

Tomorrow it's supposed to sunny and up to 43F so maybe I can get out and do a little shopping. I still have a few presents left on my list! I'm always one of those last minute shoppers. The presents are still unwrapped also! The tree is up and decorated but nothing is under it yet. It looks a little forlorn. Of course, it's going to be rather bare this year anyway.

Hubby still has no offers. He did discover the city's unemployment rate is 10.5%!! Unbelievable! They say the state's unemployment rate is around 4.6% but I don't see how it can be when cities are so high. I guess it must be because of the coal mining counties. This "recession" is getting so bad, it's really a depression.

No jobs are being found anywhere lately. Every time I turn on the news, there are more companies laying off or closing down. Just heard where KB Toys is going under and liquidating its stores. Not only that, but there are over 9 million gift cards that are going to be worthless real quick! Economists are saying not to buy gift cards this year because you don't know if the company will be in business or not! That's really bad!!

Enough of the moaning and groaning! It's Christmas time after all. Let's all just rejoice in that fact and try not to mope and worry!

Just another dreary day!

Just another dreary day here in my wonderful town. Grey skies, cool temps and rain on the way! What a day! Good day to hunker down and stitch!
Think that is what I'm going to do after I get dh to put up Christmas tree (at least I think we still have our tree). Last year I bought a real tree, but this year, due to $$ constraint, will have to go with our other tree. I love real trees, since they feel the house with a wonderful smell, but the prices this year are outrageous!

After that is done, think I'll snuggle down and do some stitching! I want to start on the new Christmas Fairy freebie by PR. She is exquisite! I hope Laura will make her full size one day. I can imagine her with a long cloak and walking on snowy ground! Absolutely stunning! Since she is not so big, I can probably get her done in a day or so. I will have to put her on plain blue fabric since I don't have any hand dyed that will do her justice.

There is another freebie I have I would like to do also. This is a snowman and will look good on the blue fabric. It is by Whispering in the Wind and I got him from another blog. So, I would like to get those 2 started (and hopefully finished).

But, first things first, I have to get dh to get his butt in gear and put up the tree!

Extra news I forgot!

I forgot!! I have a new toy, thanks to my wonderful, computer literate son! I now have Pattern Maker! Exciting!! Yippee!! and all that jazz. Now, I can try my hand at designing my own designs!!
This may just be the beginning of another career! I can only hope to 1/10th as good as my idol, Laura of Passione Ricamo! I can only hope and dream that one day (soon, I hope) Stitchers Heaven Designs will be out for people to actually buy!
I am so scared to take this step! One, it will take away from my stitching and two, I don't know where to start! But, excitement is my other feeling right now.
So, hopefully sometime soon, I will be posting a picture of my very first design!

On a rant today!

I have been on a rant today! Have been writing letters to just about everyone in DC!! About the bailouts, the stupid credit check law, and even to President elect Obama, who is wanting anyone's ideas and stories!
Why am I on such a rant? I don't feel well today, to say the least! It's been bitter cold (20F) and it snowed yesterday. The roads are slick, we had over 150 wrecks yesterday alone in the town!! Bunch of idiots, if you ask me! Just stay in if you can't drive on snow/ice!!!
My road is finally clearing, thanks to cars travelling around it to the church, but it will all probably freeze again tonight.
DH had a bad accident yesterday. Heavy sigh!! Men are such idiots at times! He was working on a model (cars) and he was using an Exacto knife to cut something or other on the model. All of a sudden he comes running in, saying he had cut himself badly. Understatement of the year!!
He had sliced his forefinger (left hand) from the first knuckle (near palm) to the tip!! He actually had it cut so badly the skin was flapping. So, I immediately grabbed some paper towels and put pressure on it. Then I had everyone in the house running for tape, bandaids, and whatever I could think of at the moment.
First I put regular bandaids on it, pulling it as tightly together as I could to put added pressure and to close the gash. Then I called dd to pick up some surgical tape and Neosporin. When she got home, I made steri strips out of the surgical tape and pulled it together some more. Then I put a bandaid on the smaller end of the gash. Then I wrapped it all up with some Kling.
The worst part was down near the palm, where he started the gash. It is pretty deep. It really needed stitches, but without insurance, no can do. So, being the retired nurse, I made do. Of course, it is killing him right now.
This time I know exactly how he feels! When I was about 14 or 15, I was peeling potatoes for my mother and I accidentally peeled my finger (left forefinger also). All of a sudden, there was this huge section of flesh in the sink with the peels! When I looked down, I could see the bone in my finger. Needless to say, since then, I am rather jumpy when peeling potatoes. Actually, it wasn't until after I was married that I ever peeled a potato again!
So, he is in agony, I am in agony, our grandson is here and we both are in no shape to play with him. Disappointing weekend all the way around! I am going to try to get some laundry done today and maybe fit in some stitching Tut.
Adieu for now!

Been a while, but....

I do have a good excuse! Been busy doing so much and being down (physically), I haven't gotten a lot of stitching done lately! I did finally get the first 2 pages of Tut done and here is how he looks right now. This is the first 2 pages and part of page 3 done (page 3 was when I first started this bad boy!).
The metallic in this makes the illusion of light on the right side of the face more realistic! In "real life" it looks fantastic!
I'm sorry to have been absent so long, but things come up and a person just can't do what she wants!
DH still has not found a job and he is really despondent about it. I totally understand how he feels and am totally behind him on his job searches. Unfortunately, it looks like the economy is going to get worse before better! I heard on the news this morning that they have finally admitted the US has been in a recession since last December. Hello? Where have they been? Now, I think, we are in a depression instead of a recession!
I just realized the other day that when the inauguration is! I will be sailing the Eastern Caribbean on that day. I hope the ship will be able to pick that broadcast up, I really want to watch it! After all, his bumper stickers are on my car! LOL
Well, that's about it for now, my back is killing me and I have to go lie down some more! Then I hope to get a little stitching in today!