Hi! Just wanted to show you a little progress I've made! The first picture is the A Stitch A Week SAL being offered on the Friendly Stitchers yahoo group. I'm so excited because I fell a few weeks behind, but now I'm back on track. The 33rd week just came out today (the lovely little butterfly) and I actually finished it the same day! Now I'm going to be caught up for a whole week, and life is feeling pretty good at this moment! (If only I were caught up on my other SAL's!)
The second picture is of the Victorine Sampler and again, as of yesterday there were only five parts posted. I'm caught up with that as well. This is a pretty easy one to keep up with, the patterns are coming out with quite a long spell in between so it's not too late to get started! You can find it at this website http://clarelis.canalblog.com/
I've had a long dry spell with no stitching, and I have to tell you I was getting anxious! It's amazing how much it relaxes me. I ended my 8 day streak of straight days working with a sick day, and when I wasn't sleeping, I was stitching! That's how I accomplished so much. I don't think I'll try working that many days in a row again, it's exhausting and takes a toll. I skipped work yesterday, skipped a luncheon date today and missed out on Ben's band camp exposition for the parents tonight. I hope I'm feeling better tomorrow, we have tickets to see "Damn Yankees" at Toby's Dinner Theater in Baltimore tomorrow. I'm sure we can find someone to use my ticket if I don't. *Sigh* I'm missing all the GOOD stuff! Ah well, there's always stitching!
Off to work on another SAL that I'm behind in. I'll keep you posted on my progress. *Hugs*
Good Evening!
I hope all of you are having a great day! Mine? Well, it's been a little off the wall...Where do I begin?
First let me say, this is day 7 in a row working. I'm tired. And I have two more days to go ... Eeek! Friday I have "off" from work, BUT, it's the last day of Band Camp and there will be a performance and a picnic that evening. I hope it cools down before then!! The heat index the past two days has been well into the triple digits and I melt in hot weather. LOL
Tonight was a meeting for the "band parents" that lasted 2 hours! *sigh* It's the last thing I needed today was to sit in a HOT room, with an agenda three pages long and people who love to hear themselves talk. I learned that there is a calendar of events for the band that is two pages long and that only covers September through December and that the band's first performance will be the first week in September. I learned that the band has to raise $120,000 just to attend all the events that have been planned this year. Not to mention that the band teacher (who is WONDERFUL!!! by the way) is celebrating his 40th year teaching at the same school this year (and I thought my silver wedding anniversary was something special!) and they want to raise enough money to start an endowment in his honor that will give the school money for new band instruments every year for eternity, but that means raising at least $250,000...so the story is we are supposed to raise close to 1/3 of a million dollars this year *falling over in a dead faint* It's a commendable idea, I'm seriously going to pray that we can do this, but in these economic times, I shudder to think of the work that will be involved. As I sat in the band room, my eyes glanced around at the shelves on the wall that are COVERED in trophies. This band teacher knows how to inspire the love of music in his students, he knows what music entertains (I've been to a few of the concerts he's directed) and knows what judges are looking for when they judge a performance. He has put DS through his paces these past two weeks, but he's more confident than I've ever seen him and it makes me inspired to be a involved band parent. However...I know it's going to take a lot of time. So being a full time employee and an involved band parent is going to take away from my stitching time. I think I'm in shock, and in mourning a little too. It will be an interesting year.
Well, sorry for the weird post, just had to write my feelings and sort it out in my head. Thanks for reading (if you made it this far). *Hugs*
Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to share that DH and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary on the 4th of August. In some ways it's hard to believe that so many years have passed, and in other ways, it feels longer. LOL!! We both took the day off to share the day together (DS was in band camp for the day...yippee!) and we had a very enjoyable day. My Mom sent us a lovely silver platter with our names and our wedding date on it, what a sweet surprise! DH went to Jared! And DS went to Game Stop. LOL On our wedding day we gave each other silver crosses and I thought DH had lost his (well he did for a short while) so I searched everywhere for a replacement. Then two days before our anniversary he found his other one...but I think he liked the new one as well. If nothing else it was a sweet memory of our wedding day.
It's been a blur since then. Even though it's a slow time at the store, work has been busy for me. It seems there are not enough hours while I'm there to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Oh the pressure! We are just barely keeping ahead of the orders (but at least we aren't falling behind...yet)
I solved a puzzling mystery the other night. Each night just after I get into bed, I hear strange noises on the deck behind our house. I run down the stairs and peek out the back door and see the garbage can on it's side, lid still securly in place. Well the other night I couldn't sleep and was wandering around the house when I heard the noises again. I ran to the window, and guess what I saw!?!?!?!!? It was a masked bandit! Oh, not the kind you're thinking, this one had four feet. LOL Yes it was a pesky racoon. Now we keep our garbage can lid on securly, and he hasn't been able to pull it off, but he keeps coming back nightly to challenge himself I guess. He sat on the railing glaring at me as if to say..."How's a starving racoon supposed to survive?" I tried to shoo him away but he sat there (the cheeky critter) until I threw the lock on the door, then he scampered away. Who would think, in such a metropolitan area, that I would have racoons and foxes in the back yard, and deer eating the heads off flowers in the front yard? I guess I don't need to go to the mountains to see wildlife! LOL It's a shame, I guess, that we've encroached so far into their territory...but I can't help thinking "What's next? Hopefully not a bear!"
That's it from the wildlife sanctuary. How are things in your neck of the woods?
Hi again! I didn't write much when I posted my picture as the "boys" wanted me to play a game with them. We have a Wii system and we just recently got a new game. It's called Wii Sports Resort. They've improved the remote (added a little gizmo at the bottom that is more sensitive to movement) and it is amazing the things that are in this game. We can't seem to put it down! LOL Our favorite so far seems to be the frisbee golf game. You can definitely put more spin on the ball in the bowling game too. Anyway, DS is loving this game and because he doesn't have a sibling, DH and I are his near constant "playmates". We have a good time anyway. We were laughing so hard at one point tonight that tears were streaming down my face. I love my guys!
I just had to write that I found out yesterday that I work with a celebrity! This is one talented lady! She was in school to learn about the film industry. She helps film sporting events in Washington DC. While she was an intern in college, she helped film the show "Forensic Files". She appeared in a few of the episodes as an extra. I'm going to be watching very closely now to see if I can spot her in some of those episodes. What fun! LOL The reason she mentioned it is because I was telling her that one of the occupational hazards of working in a frame shop is that you notice framing wherever you go. I was once watching a movie and wondered how they framed a particular piece hanging in the background of one of their shots. That's when she mentioned that she watched Forensic Files closely to see if she could spot others that she had met while working on the show. Any of you have "occupational hazards" like this? If so, I'd love to hear about them!
It's quiet in the house right now, the guys have gone to bed, and I finally have a minute to myself to sit and comtemplate. This has been a wacky and wild year for me and there are times I get a little overwhelmed. Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself, something happens that reminds me that I really have nothing to complain about. I wrote that I lost my Dad in June. Then a couple came into the shop yesterday who had lost their daughter to cancer and they were having her picture framed for a memorial service. I will miss my Dad tremendously, but I imagine the pain of losing a child you've known and loved for 30 plus years is a much harder pain to bear. We talked about focusing on the good memories and started sharing funny stories of our loved ones. I hope they went away from our encounter feeling a little better like I did. I try to look at things this way...a difficult experience is preparing me for something later in life, either to strengthen me for something, or to help someone else through something. When I look at it that way, it gives me the courage to carry on.
Ok, time to get ready for bed. Take care and God Bless...
You may wonder why I'm so excited...hm...where do I begin? Well...first of all, it's my weekend off! I actually slept for more than 8 hours (that 4 more hours than I'm used to each night lately!!) and didn't wake up to an annoying buzzer in my ear! The boss is back in town and now I don't have to worry about things anymore! I actually got some stitching done and I finished another SAL that I started 7 months ago! My Alla Turca is complete. Want to see a picture? I thought you would never ask! LOL 
Just wanted to make a little note...and I'm sorry I didn't post this the first time. This design was offered as a free SAL on the Stitcher's Heaven Yahoo group and was designed by Pelin Tezer. All the pages have been posted there but you may also find them on Pelin Tezer's website herehttp://www.pelintezer.com/withmycompliments.htmI'm sorry that I didn't post that originally, but it's here now...all designers deverve their credit and I apologize that I didn't do it sooner. Thanks again, Pelin, for a wonderful design!
This was stitched on 32 ct black linen over one with Weeks Dye Works Tobacco Road thread. It was a joy to stitch and I'll miss working on it.
*Hugs*
