Hermiting & Stitching plus the WIPocalypse

Well here it is, the third weekend of the month and that means it's International Hermit & Stitch weekend! Click on the little button with a crab to learn more about it.  I managed to sit and put in some solid stitching this weekend and decided to work on Lavender Pansies by The Silver Lining.

I've now make it to the top of the pattern and away to the left will be a leaf.  I'm stitching it over two with the called for flosses on 32 ct Waterlilies Linen.

I'm coming along quite well on the Heirloom Nativity Sampler as well.  Just a bit more to do on these sampler bands and then onto the last scene at the bottom.  I already know what my next Sunday project is going to be.  Tee hee!

Here's the whole thing thus far for you to see since I only did a snapshot of the area I was working on last week. And since the WIPocalypse is to be tomorrow, I figure this post will cover that as well.

A few other things kept me busy this weekend.  The organization bug struck.  It started when I looked at my shoes on Saturday morning and decided things needed to change quickly.

A right mess because I've run out of room on the rack.  So off my sister and I went, hunting for another shoe rack.  We found a nice one that would fit over the back of the closet door.  So I put it together and viola!

Yay! Organized shoes.  And there are spaces left so I can buy a few more pair. Yay!  Pleased with the results with the shoes, I decided it was time to organize the nail polishes.  They were all crowded into a couple of drawers in my bathroom.  It was a bit of a pain to see what was what.  So I found a rack, screwed it to the wall, and (once again) viola!

Tidy and I can see what I've got.  I mounted it high on the wall so I could put another one below it once this one is full... Which it pretty much is.

This weekend we (my sister and I) baked.  My sister baked lemon poppy seed muffens, lemon poppy seed cookies, and two different varieties of lemondoodles. (Think snickerdoodle with lemon flavor instead of cinnamon.)  I made cinnamon rolls with a caramel/pecan topping.  All the lemon things were yummy as can be but the caramel rolls are pure decadence. 

As far as the weight loss goes, this baking madness must come to an end!  Here's the update on the 1000 mileage challenge.  I've traveled 495.18 miles thus far and have 504.82 left to go.  Not too shabby.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

TUSAL and Turtle Trot

It's a two for one post today!

The new moon came and went back on the 10th, but it was today that I gathered up all my orts from all the little containers I keep them in and added them to the big vase.

Since I haven't added anything to the vase for a couple of months, the addition was big!  There are new little ort threads from all the projects I've been slowly working on. And since it's also time for the Turtle Trot report, here they all are:

I managed to stitch all of the Carve a Pumpkin block for Lizzie*Kate's Halloween Rules banner and started in on the Stay Up Late block.  I am using the called for threads and am stitching it over two on 32 counts Opalescent linen Wild Berries by Sassy's Fabbys.  I love the motled purples and I love the sparkley bits.

Heirloom Nativity by The Victoria Sampler is coming along nicely too.  I finished up all the angels and star at the very top of the banner and am now working along on some transitions bars in the bottom third.  I am also using the called for flosses but am stitching it on a 28 count linen that I think is called China Blue... or was it Delft Blue... It's light blue at any rate.  As soon as I finish these bars, it's another scene to do and then some Hardanger and done!  Maybe I'll get it done by Christmas.  If not this year, there is always next year!

I worked on Lavender Panises by The Silver Lining for two of the three Crafty-Stitchy nights that have come and gone since I last did a stitching update.  I can sort of make out where the change from one petal is to the next, but I expect that will come together once I get the back stitching done.  Sometimes as I work along on this pattern I really wonder about the flosses called for, thinking to myself "Can this really be right?"  Maybe it just looks odd since it's meant to be stitched over one and I'm working it over two on a nice bit of 32 count Waterlilies linen.

And the last little project that has seen some needle time is Santa's Village by Country Cottage Needle works.  I work on this a little bit here and there at work, and it got some good time on it at the last crafty-stitchy night.  I had thought I'd be able to do one of the houses a month, but I am seriously behind.  I should be working on the fifth house by now if that were the case... I'm just finishing up number two.  No worries thought, if it's not finished by this Christmas, there is always next year!

While in Vegas last week I did buy a wee bit of stash at Stitchers Paradise.  I am so proud of myself for not going crazy or overboard.  I picked up a couple of new releases by Lizzie*Kate (At our house and Chics) and a random floss pack from Crescent Colours.  It was fun to look through all their selection for Chicks since L*K packaged them all up with various bits of fabric.  I was able to choose the fabric I liked best instead of having it randomly selected for me had I ordered online.  There were some fabrics that I definitely didn't like at all.

And that's been my stitching since mid February.

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay

April 7th is January 1st

Well... somehow life went and got away from me and I've completely forgotten about posting to my wee little blog.  So here we are in April and I'm going to pretend like it's January 1st and go in with a new set of goals and resolutions and what not.  (It's my blog, I can make up the rules!)

I haven't been doing much stitching, so I don't have any pictures to show in that department.  Work is keeping me busy and the gym is keeping me exhausted.  The combination means that when I get home at night, I sit and stare at the TV for an hour or so before going to bed.  It really is too bad I can't stitch and walk on a treadmill at the same time.  Too much moving around to get that needle in the right hole with in a good time frame.

In March my parents came home from Brazil for a two week visit before heading back to finish out their mission.  They'll be home for good here in the beginning of October and it will be nice to have them back.  My sister is headed to San Antonio, Texas here in a month to start her first year of residency after graduating from medical school.  My brother and his wife are headed for southern Utah shortly after that so he can start his masters degree.  It looks like I'll be all by myself for a couple of months...  I'd better look into paying a neighbor kid to mow the lawn this summer since I'm hardly ever home to do it myself and I hate mowing the lawn anyway.

Today I'm in Las Vegas getting put together to head back home.  A friend of mine was running in one of those obstacle race things and a long time ago I said I'd come down with her.  She did fine in the race and I've seen a lot more of Henderson than I ever thought I would.  We ate at a buffet last night and had a nice time wandering around the strip Friday evening.  Since I don't gamble or drink, Vegas doesn't really offer much that I want to do or see, except for Cirque du Soleil shows but they'er a bit pricey for me right now.  I did stop by Stitchers Paradise here in Vegas and picked up Lizzie*Kate's new "We do" pattern.  I am really proud of the restraint I displayed.

I'm now an official employee at work, and not working through a temp agency.  The good thing is that I now have full benefits so it's back to the dentist and what not I go.  Yay!

So my goal for April/January is to keep up with my blogging and all the Stitch-a-longs that I joined back in December.  Maybe next time there will be pictures!!

Hugs and Stitches,
Kay