makes it very difficult to find anything to cross stitch. Combine that with not having had time because of school, I feel like I'm out of practice. But last night I was determined to stitch on something.
I was trying to find the threads and leaflet to continue on Desiderata Sampler (see sidebar), because it's still sitting in the scroll frames and on the rolled-up floor stand. DS is there, in my face, and calling to me. But I can't for the life of me find the supplies. Digging through my stitching basket didn't help.
But guess who I find in the basket? My oldest friend, Guardian (see sidebar)! I have been working on him for YEARS! About 14 years I think. And there he was, in the basket, still in his stitching hoop (don't judge me!). I thought, "Naw, he will never be finished. There's too much confetti stitching. I've been working on that tail for years." And then he made a kind of mewling sound. And...guilt.
I brought my little (well, big) dragon to the end of the couch. Glee and Sytycd were on the night's agenda, so I figured a little dragon tail would go well with two of my favorite shows. I was bound and determined to finish the corner and tail THIS time.
No...it's not finished yet. But it is oh-so-close! Just a few more stitches here and there and some backstitching, and the corner that I have been working off and on for the last 10 years will be finished! I can't believe it! Then it's time for a picture.
I have never lost love for my dragon. I always go back to him with as much love and dedication as when I first started him. And now he's even more special to me because my cat, Shadow (died in 2006 at age 16) left hairs amongst the threads.
It was her one of her favorite napping places :)
6.24.2010
Summer is finally here...
which means I've been spending more time outside. It's so green here that who can resist sitting outside with a glass of iced tea watching the kids swim and listening to the gorgeous cardinals in the trees around our yard?
School takes up so much of my time lately (only two more semesters left!) that I don't have much time to do the many crafts I have going all the time. Stitching is my favorite though, and I get a little melancholy when I don't have time to do that. It's been a favorite hobby since I was 13, and I have so many things to finish. Since I have no summer classes I am going to relish being able to do some stitching every night.
I have a lot of small things that I need to get done. Needlerolls, ornaments, scissor fobs. Things that will take little time but I see something new I love and start that. Talk about startitis! But plan on seeing more small finishes in the weeks to come...
...I hope!
School takes up so much of my time lately (only two more semesters left!) that I don't have much time to do the many crafts I have going all the time. Stitching is my favorite though, and I get a little melancholy when I don't have time to do that. It's been a favorite hobby since I was 13, and I have so many things to finish. Since I have no summer classes I am going to relish being able to do some stitching every night.
I have a lot of small things that I need to get done. Needlerolls, ornaments, scissor fobs. Things that will take little time but I see something new I love and start that. Talk about startitis! But plan on seeing more small finishes in the weeks to come...
...I hope!
1.15.2010
Oh goodness! You mean...
I actually finished something? Really?
So I haven't finished anything in over a year, and I have a lot of little things just sitting around. I was determined to finish something before going back to school next week, and this only took a few hours. The picture is awful though, sorry!
Cross Stitcher in Residence by Lizzie Kate. Stitched on Flax Cashel with GAST.
Yay! A small victory!
So I haven't finished anything in over a year, and I have a lot of little things just sitting around. I was determined to finish something before going back to school next week, and this only took a few hours. The picture is awful though, sorry!
Cross Stitcher in Residence by Lizzie Kate. Stitched on Flax Cashel with GAST.
Yay! A small victory!
1.12.2010
It's time...
to start listing things on ebay.
I have so much crafting stuff, mostly cross stitch, that I know I will never get to. I have hoarded so much fabric and floss that it's just overwhelming. Plus, I'm moving, so I'm trying to get rid of stuff that is just here.
If anyone is interested in checking out my auctions, my ebay username is xphiler2000.
I only have a few things at the moment, but I will be listing a ton of things over the next few weeks.
I have so much crafting stuff, mostly cross stitch, that I know I will never get to. I have hoarded so much fabric and floss that it's just overwhelming. Plus, I'm moving, so I'm trying to get rid of stuff that is just here.
If anyone is interested in checking out my auctions, my ebay username is xphiler2000.
I only have a few things at the moment, but I will be listing a ton of things over the next few weeks.
12.16.2009
Where did you go...
2009? I feel like time is flying by!
I started school full time this semester, and it's taking all of my time. I intern in an elementary school two days a week, and do classes the rest of the time. This is sucking up all of my free time, but I think I may be more obsessive with it than I should be. I got good grades this semester (3 As and a B) but is that worth losing time with my girls and time to myself? I have learned the hard way that I can't go like I could in my 20s, and it's time I took a look at my life.
I will be 40 soon, and my oldest will be 16 in less than a month. Getting the certification for teaching will be so worth economically, but is it worth missing out on my girls growing up? Is it worth my health and emotional well being? I don't really think so anymore.
There are changes coming. It's a reality check...
...and my reality is going to be much different than it has been!
I started school full time this semester, and it's taking all of my time. I intern in an elementary school two days a week, and do classes the rest of the time. This is sucking up all of my free time, but I think I may be more obsessive with it than I should be. I got good grades this semester (3 As and a B) but is that worth losing time with my girls and time to myself? I have learned the hard way that I can't go like I could in my 20s, and it's time I took a look at my life.
I will be 40 soon, and my oldest will be 16 in less than a month. Getting the certification for teaching will be so worth economically, but is it worth missing out on my girls growing up? Is it worth my health and emotional well being? I don't really think so anymore.
There are changes coming. It's a reality check...
...and my reality is going to be much different than it has been!
5.20.2009
Recital week...
is killing me. Not only is Aislin doing two dances, but so am I. I'm taking an adult jazz dance class at the studio where Aislin studies. Our group is known as the "Hot Mamas" since all but two of us are in our late 30s and have children. It's a lot of fun and great exercise, but right now I'm exhausted with all the extra practices to prepare for the recital this weekend. Wish us luck!
I've been slowly making progress on my niece's birth sampler. I really like the darker pink overdyed I bought. I think it's a nice change and it works well with the colors that are already in the sampler. I have tweaked a few other things, so it's taking me a bit longer than I would like. My OCD keeps me from saying "Yes, that looks pretty good" and instead I say "Wow, that looks really stupid!" and tear it out. I guess that's what creative license is about.
On the not-so-creative front, I've started a new round of classes for teaching, and I'm enrolled in 6 hours for summer school. I'm taking a 1 hour class on using technology in the classroom. You wouldn't believe the amount of work we have to do for a 1 credit class. It might as well be 3 credits like everything else. But it gets me closer to my certification.
I've set aside mornings for work/class time, so I have my afternoons free for errands or plain 'ole free time...think nap time here. By Monday I should have more time to work on other things as well, but until then...
...Lord give me the strength to make it through the weekend!
I've been slowly making progress on my niece's birth sampler. I really like the darker pink overdyed I bought. I think it's a nice change and it works well with the colors that are already in the sampler. I have tweaked a few other things, so it's taking me a bit longer than I would like. My OCD keeps me from saying "Yes, that looks pretty good" and instead I say "Wow, that looks really stupid!" and tear it out. I guess that's what creative license is about.
On the not-so-creative front, I've started a new round of classes for teaching, and I'm enrolled in 6 hours for summer school. I'm taking a 1 hour class on using technology in the classroom. You wouldn't believe the amount of work we have to do for a 1 credit class. It might as well be 3 credits like everything else. But it gets me closer to my certification.
I've set aside mornings for work/class time, so I have my afternoons free for errands or plain 'ole free time...think nap time here. By Monday I should have more time to work on other things as well, but until then...
...Lord give me the strength to make it through the weekend!
5.15.2009
Apparently...
the adage "Be careful what you wish for" is right on target. In previous posts, I complained that I had too many jobs and not enough free time. Well, guess what? Yep, that's right! I haven't any jobs right now. Well, that's not entirely true. My full time, put-food-on-the-table job, well the company is downsizing and outsourcing. That was good money too! But I do have my part time online teaching still. Not much but it's better than a sharp stick in the eye.
And so, as I have some free time, I decided to go back to school. I am going to finish up my certification for Elementary Education. I have been doing this for several years...taking a class here and there and then taking time off. Maybe now I will get it finished so I can actually teach.
I did start back on the Bride's Tree ornaments for my sister and brother-in-law. I have no idea what I was thinking when I thought an over one swirly fish was a good idea. You'll see what I mean when it's finished.
On the positive side, I did get back to my niece's birth sampler. Her birthday was May 12, and I was hoping to have this finished by the end of April but that didn't happen, again. One of the colors used in the sampler is a very light varigated pink. The thread is hand painted Japanese silk, and oh-so-yummy! Unfortunately, it wasn't a good design choice, and it didn't show up on the white linen. So begrudgingly, I had to hit the local LNS and get something in the same color family but dark enough for it to show up on the linen. I didn't get silk, but I did get a very pretty overdyed, and it shows up nicely! So this will be the focus piece until it's done.
I have some catching up to do on the QOTW and update my blog, as a lot of things are out of date. But since I have all this free time now...
...bring on the beach!
And so, as I have some free time, I decided to go back to school. I am going to finish up my certification for Elementary Education. I have been doing this for several years...taking a class here and there and then taking time off. Maybe now I will get it finished so I can actually teach.
I did start back on the Bride's Tree ornaments for my sister and brother-in-law. I have no idea what I was thinking when I thought an over one swirly fish was a good idea. You'll see what I mean when it's finished.
On the positive side, I did get back to my niece's birth sampler. Her birthday was May 12, and I was hoping to have this finished by the end of April but that didn't happen, again. One of the colors used in the sampler is a very light varigated pink. The thread is hand painted Japanese silk, and oh-so-yummy! Unfortunately, it wasn't a good design choice, and it didn't show up on the white linen. So begrudgingly, I had to hit the local LNS and get something in the same color family but dark enough for it to show up on the linen. I didn't get silk, but I did get a very pretty overdyed, and it shows up nicely! So this will be the focus piece until it's done.
I have some catching up to do on the QOTW and update my blog, as a lot of things are out of date. But since I have all this free time now...
...bring on the beach!
2.21.2009
A little of this and a little of that...
February is almost over, and I realized that all I do is work. I started classes this semester also, to finish up my elementary education certification. I get very little time with my girls, and I certainly don't get to do anything that I like to do. Relaxation is NOT my middle name here!
I have made the decision that after this weekend (since I'm grading final essays right now) that I will spend at least 30 minutes stitching or doing something that I want to do every night after the girls go to bed. To get me back into "stitching mode" I uploaded a picture of my current favorite WIP, Desiderata Sampler. This picture was taken last September. There's a full-size picture of it in my webshots album.
I love(d) stitching this piece! In addition to having lots of different types of stitches, it includes silk thread, which those of you who know me know that I have an obsession with crunching silk. It's a very relaxing piece to stitch, and it actually keeps my attention for longer than 2 days.
2008 passed by so quickly that my resolutions and goals I made at the beginning of the year were pretty much made in vain. I made the lists when I was unemployed, and had no clue that the year would end the way it did.
So here are my resolutions, revamped for 2009 (which means they will probably be exactly the same!). If you feel you *must* know what my resolutions were in 2008, here you go.
Stitching Related
1. Finish Guardian, which is my longest running TW wip.
2. Finish Desiderata.
3. Finish my neice's birth sampler by her 2nd birthday in May.
4. Finish the Bride's Tree SAL.
5. Stitch 1 ornament a month.
6. Keep up with the SBQ.
7. Join the local EGA and go to the meetings/stitch ins. (This will probably have to wait until at least fall.)
Work/School Related
1. Teach two classes 4 times a year with UOP online.
2. Get the book I'm editing into production by May 31st.
3. Get my beading and calligraphy businesses up and going, on a minimal basis of course. My BIL finally finished my logo, but I have a few tweaks I want done on it.
4. Take two classes a semester toward certification.
Personal
1. Continue in my dance class. It's so much fun!
2. Go to the gym. I did sign up, but I don't have time to go. Wasting money!
3. Lose 20 pounds.
4. Pay off whatever bills I can.
5. Save at least $5000 by the end of the year.
6. Start a college savings fund for both girls and contribute to it often.
7. Have at least 2 Alyssa-only dates a month. I worked hard to keep this up last year, and even had "Mommy-Aislin" days. Even if I had to skip on something I was supposed to do, I made time for them. Granted, it wasn't as much as I would have liked, but it's better than nothing!
8. Go on a real vacation with the girls. Myrtle Beach here I come!
That's probably enough for the year. I will add or delete as needed...
...yep, probably delete.
I have made the decision that after this weekend (since I'm grading final essays right now) that I will spend at least 30 minutes stitching or doing something that I want to do every night after the girls go to bed. To get me back into "stitching mode" I uploaded a picture of my current favorite WIP, Desiderata Sampler. This picture was taken last September. There's a full-size picture of it in my webshots album.
I love(d) stitching this piece! In addition to having lots of different types of stitches, it includes silk thread, which those of you who know me know that I have an obsession with crunching silk. It's a very relaxing piece to stitch, and it actually keeps my attention for longer than 2 days.
2008 passed by so quickly that my resolutions and goals I made at the beginning of the year were pretty much made in vain. I made the lists when I was unemployed, and had no clue that the year would end the way it did.
So here are my resolutions, revamped for 2009 (which means they will probably be exactly the same!). If you feel you *must* know what my resolutions were in 2008, here you go.
Stitching Related
1. Finish Guardian, which is my longest running TW wip.
2. Finish Desiderata.
3. Finish my neice's birth sampler by her 2nd birthday in May.
4. Finish the Bride's Tree SAL.
5. Stitch 1 ornament a month.
6. Keep up with the SBQ.
7. Join the local EGA and go to the meetings/stitch ins. (This will probably have to wait until at least fall.)
Work/School Related
1. Teach two classes 4 times a year with UOP online.
2. Get the book I'm editing into production by May 31st.
3. Get my beading and calligraphy businesses up and going, on a minimal basis of course. My BIL finally finished my logo, but I have a few tweaks I want done on it.
4. Take two classes a semester toward certification.
Personal
1. Continue in my dance class. It's so much fun!
2. Go to the gym. I did sign up, but I don't have time to go. Wasting money!
3. Lose 20 pounds.
4. Pay off whatever bills I can.
5. Save at least $5000 by the end of the year.
6. Start a college savings fund for both girls and contribute to it often.
7. Have at least 2 Alyssa-only dates a month. I worked hard to keep this up last year, and even had "Mommy-Aislin" days. Even if I had to skip on something I was supposed to do, I made time for them. Granted, it wasn't as much as I would have liked, but it's better than nothing!
8. Go on a real vacation with the girls. Myrtle Beach here I come!
That's probably enough for the year. I will add or delete as needed...
...yep, probably delete.
12.28.2008
Nothing!
I have finished nothing this year!
On the positive side, my girls are great and my sister is here with her family. Joy!
On the positive side, my girls are great and my sister is here with her family. Joy!
7.05.2008
Too many jobs equals...
not enough time for Sandy to do what she wants to do. I have a 45-minute commute (one way mind you) to my regular job. That means I have to be out of the house extraordinarily early and worry whether or not I'm going to be able to pick up my baby on time at the end of the day.
I have about an hour to spend with my girls, and then it's time to teach online. I am contracted to spend four hours a night online, which means I get to bed after 11 pm every night. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to be up by 5 am. I feel like a walking zombie most of the time.
Let's not even talk about stitching. I won't make any of my goals this year. I was supposed to have finished my niece's birth sampler for her first birthday in may. Not even close. I haven't worked on an ornament for the Bride's Tree SAL in months. Even Desiderata has been languishing in the closet for a long time.
I am dying to do creative, fun things, to spend time with my girls, and to just have time to relax. If this is what being a grown up is all about...
...I refuse to grow up!
I have about an hour to spend with my girls, and then it's time to teach online. I am contracted to spend four hours a night online, which means I get to bed after 11 pm every night. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to be up by 5 am. I feel like a walking zombie most of the time.
Let's not even talk about stitching. I won't make any of my goals this year. I was supposed to have finished my niece's birth sampler for her first birthday in may. Not even close. I haven't worked on an ornament for the Bride's Tree SAL in months. Even Desiderata has been languishing in the closet for a long time.
I am dying to do creative, fun things, to spend time with my girls, and to just have time to relax. If this is what being a grown up is all about...
...I refuse to grow up!
4.20.2008
No thread means...
I had to go to an LNS downtown and order thread for my heart. So that means I am almost 3 months behind on the Bride's Tree SAL. I'm very irritated and disappointed, as the person I ordered from originally has been my ONS for many years. She has always been very dedicated to the best service and has always been very fast. I'm not sure what happened but I won't be ordering from her again.
I did finish the first section of Desiderata and took a picture. Hopefully sometime today I will get it off of my camera. I am going to start the wrapping on the heart and get a scan of that up. I have also been working on my niece's birth sampler, which is not difficult. It's a lot of white on white though. But it's going to be very pretty and dainty. I have been put way behind, between helping my mother with her classes and working on that book.
Spring has finally come to North Carolina (I think!) and we have had a few nice days. The trees are blooming and the Japanese maples outside the house look amazing! I always feel better mentally and physically when things start blossoming again, like we have come out of purgatory or something. Maybe not the best comparison, but there's nothing like seeing the first hummingbird of the year flittering around the empty feeders.
I am determined to get a good picture of a cardinal this year!
I did finish the first section of Desiderata and took a picture. Hopefully sometime today I will get it off of my camera. I am going to start the wrapping on the heart and get a scan of that up. I have also been working on my niece's birth sampler, which is not difficult. It's a lot of white on white though. But it's going to be very pretty and dainty. I have been put way behind, between helping my mother with her classes and working on that book.
Spring has finally come to North Carolina (I think!) and we have had a few nice days. The trees are blooming and the Japanese maples outside the house look amazing! I always feel better mentally and physically when things start blossoming again, like we have come out of purgatory or something. Maybe not the best comparison, but there's nothing like seeing the first hummingbird of the year flittering around the empty feeders.
I am determined to get a good picture of a cardinal this year!
3.19.2008
There is no end...
to the amount of things I do. Especially for other people. My poor mother is taking classes to get an add-on to her teaching license, and this project she had to do was so unbelievably ridiculous! But it's finished now, and I doubt she would have even gotten finished if it weren't for me.
On the stitching front, I STILL haven't received my one tiny spool of thread to finish my February heart for the Bride's Tree SAL. I ordered it on February 2. It's really getting on my nerves, and even though I ordered it from the shop that always came through and got things to me within a week, I'm thinking of finding a new place to shop. I have even started the March ornament because I want to finish the February one first!
I am almost finished with the first part of Desiderata (probably tonight!) so I will post a picture of it tomorrow. Then I have to move on to my niece's birth sampler, or it will never be finished and framed by her first birthday.
I found a neat book list on Terri's site. Just follow the directions!
Look at the list of (100) books below. Bold the ones you’ve read. Italicize the ones you want to read. Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in. (Movies don’t count.)
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25 . Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
There are a few on the list that I have absolutely no interest in. Like the Ayn Rand books. I really hate her writing. I started Atlas Shrugged in graduate school and just couldn't stomach it. So anyway, have fun with the list! I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow to catch up on the SBQ.
On the stitching front, I STILL haven't received my one tiny spool of thread to finish my February heart for the Bride's Tree SAL. I ordered it on February 2. It's really getting on my nerves, and even though I ordered it from the shop that always came through and got things to me within a week, I'm thinking of finding a new place to shop. I have even started the March ornament because I want to finish the February one first!
I am almost finished with the first part of Desiderata (probably tonight!) so I will post a picture of it tomorrow. Then I have to move on to my niece's birth sampler, or it will never be finished and framed by her first birthday.
I found a neat book list on Terri's site. Just follow the directions!
Look at the list of (100) books below. Bold the ones you’ve read. Italicize the ones you want to read. Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in. (Movies don’t count.)
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25 . Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
There are a few on the list that I have absolutely no interest in. Like the Ayn Rand books. I really hate her writing. I started Atlas Shrugged in graduate school and just couldn't stomach it. So anyway, have fun with the list! I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow to catch up on the SBQ.
3.03.2008
My baby had her follow up today...
and the doctor said everything looks great! The scabs are all gone from her throat and there's no infection or swelling. I'm so relieved, and I think the procedure was worth it because she is sleeping better. No snoring, no apnea, no waking up screaming. I can tell she's breathing better and just feeling better in general. Thank you so much Dr. J!
I'm almost ready to post a WIP pic of Desiderata. Maybe after tonight, because I want to get the first part completely finished. But I so totally love working on this piece. It's not difficult, but its simple elegance makes it look like it is. I haven't been this excited about working on something in a long time!
It's time to go pick up my big girl. She has a doctor's appointment too. If it's not one...
...it's the other!
I'm almost ready to post a WIP pic of Desiderata. Maybe after tonight, because I want to get the first part completely finished. But I so totally love working on this piece. It's not difficult, but its simple elegance makes it look like it is. I haven't been this excited about working on something in a long time!
It's time to go pick up my big girl. She has a doctor's appointment too. If it's not one...
...it's the other!
2.27.2008
Let's play catchup...
on the SBQs! I have some time before I need to run some errands, so now would be a good time!
For 2.26.2008: What is your cross stitch weakness? (i.e., What do you have to have when you see it, even if you are supposed to be on the Wagon?)
I would have to say that one of my weaknesses is thread. There are so many colors and types out there, and I have to have them all. I am especially fond of silks, because they glide right through the fabric. And when I squeeze the skein there is a very satisfying crunchy sound that no one else understands! I probably have a few thousand dollars worth of just thread, because if I get one of a particular line, then I have to get all of them.
Another weakness I have is Christmas patterns, especially ornaments and snowmen. It's my favorite time of the year and I'm always on the lookout for really unique or pretty Christmas patterns. I mostly only stitch the ornaments, but I like to look through them, even if I might not ever stitch them.
For 2.13.2008: Do you have any projects that you have scrapped and started over? What made you start over from scratch?
I have several projects that I have scrapped for various reasons. Either I made a huge mistake and didn't have the energy to fix it, I ended up not liking the pattern as I stitched it, cut fabric threads by accident, my daughter wrote on it, or any other number of reasons. I did scrap one ornament because I messed it up when I was trying to be creative in sewing it to the backing fabric, and cute it right against the stitching. I will do this one again because I really liked the ornament. But I usually don't start them over unless it's a gift for someone else, so they just end up languishing in a drawer forever. After the next ice age, these projects will be found and they will end up in a museum in the Primitive Art wing.
For 2.6.2008: Are there other crafts that you have tried and abandoned? Why do you like stitching better?
I did try scrapbooking but really didn't like it. It is SO expensive to buy all the stickers and tags and paper and all the other goodies that make the pages look good. I thought my cross stitch habit was expensive, but the scrapbooking was ridiculous! Plus it was very stressful for me, when it should be relaxing. Trying to find just the right doo-dad to put on the page, or choosing the perfect picture, was making me lose my mind! I'll just stick to what I do best...following someone else's pattern.
Well, that's it for today kiddies,...
...as I'm sure that was more excitement than you can bear in one day!
For 2.26.2008: What is your cross stitch weakness? (i.e., What do you have to have when you see it, even if you are supposed to be on the Wagon?)
I would have to say that one of my weaknesses is thread. There are so many colors and types out there, and I have to have them all. I am especially fond of silks, because they glide right through the fabric. And when I squeeze the skein there is a very satisfying crunchy sound that no one else understands! I probably have a few thousand dollars worth of just thread, because if I get one of a particular line, then I have to get all of them.
Another weakness I have is Christmas patterns, especially ornaments and snowmen. It's my favorite time of the year and I'm always on the lookout for really unique or pretty Christmas patterns. I mostly only stitch the ornaments, but I like to look through them, even if I might not ever stitch them.
For 2.13.2008: Do you have any projects that you have scrapped and started over? What made you start over from scratch?
I have several projects that I have scrapped for various reasons. Either I made a huge mistake and didn't have the energy to fix it, I ended up not liking the pattern as I stitched it, cut fabric threads by accident, my daughter wrote on it, or any other number of reasons. I did scrap one ornament because I messed it up when I was trying to be creative in sewing it to the backing fabric, and cute it right against the stitching. I will do this one again because I really liked the ornament. But I usually don't start them over unless it's a gift for someone else, so they just end up languishing in a drawer forever. After the next ice age, these projects will be found and they will end up in a museum in the Primitive Art wing.
For 2.6.2008: Are there other crafts that you have tried and abandoned? Why do you like stitching better?
I did try scrapbooking but really didn't like it. It is SO expensive to buy all the stickers and tags and paper and all the other goodies that make the pages look good. I thought my cross stitch habit was expensive, but the scrapbooking was ridiculous! Plus it was very stressful for me, when it should be relaxing. Trying to find just the right doo-dad to put on the page, or choosing the perfect picture, was making me lose my mind! I'll just stick to what I do best...following someone else's pattern.
Well, that's it for today kiddies,...
...as I'm sure that was more excitement than you can bear in one day!
2.26.2008
I can't believe...
that February is almost gone already! Things have been so hectic and chaotic around here that I haven't had time to do much of anything. And forget about finishing anything.
My baby had her surgery on the 12th. The doctor went ahead and took out her tonsils along with the adenoids because they were bigger than what she thought. Plus her adenoids took up about 75 percent of her airway. My poor little baby girl did NOT do well after the surgery. She refused to eat and cried a lot of the time. Mostly she just wanted to snuggle in my lap. She started vomiting and couldn't keep down anything. She lost almost 5 pounds, and my whole family was beside themselves as to what to do. We thought she was going to have to go back to the hospital.
Luckily, she had no bleeding, just a ton of pain. She missed a week of school, and then I slowly got her back in for just a couple of hours for a few days. She still has a little bit of pain, but her throat is looking much better! Thank you so much to everyone who sent encouragement and prayers!
It's really difficult to edit a book when a 4 1/2 year old wants to be in your lap for two weeks, so I'm behind on both of my books. I've also started training to teach online courses, so that takes up most of my evenings. I have this week of training, then a week break, then two more weeks of training. But I would like if possible to get both of my books out by mid-March. Keeping my fingers crossed!
On the stitching side, I have gotten to stitch a bit on Desiderata. Within the next couple of days I will post a picture of the first section. I have to say that I love it and it's looking gorgeous! I'm really enjoying this piece. Still waiting on my thread for my hardangar heart for the Bride's Tree SAL though :(
For the first time, I have been tagged by Olenka.
THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
Here a 7 weird or random facts about me:
1. My eyes are two different colors. They are both blue, but the left one is blue on the bottom half and greenish gold on the top half. A doctor told me that one day my left eye could very well become all greenish gold.
2. I have five tattoos and two piercings (not my ears).
3. I absolutely hate the smell and taste of celery. It tastes like soap to me. So of course my parents make everything with celery!
4. I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was in preschool. Until I got to college and couldn't pass chemistry.
5. I wanted to see the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre when I was five years old. I haven't lost my love of horror movies one bit!
6. I'm obsessive about my handwriting. I had trouble finishing things in school because I would restart everything if I didn't like my handwriting. Unfortunately, that has crossed over into much everything else I do.
7. The first car I bought was a little green Ford Festiva. They don't even make those any more! I named it "Little Green Roach-Mobile." How lame.
I won't tag anyone, because most people I know have already been tagged for this one. But if you are reading this and haven't been tagged...
...you are now!
My baby had her surgery on the 12th. The doctor went ahead and took out her tonsils along with the adenoids because they were bigger than what she thought. Plus her adenoids took up about 75 percent of her airway. My poor little baby girl did NOT do well after the surgery. She refused to eat and cried a lot of the time. Mostly she just wanted to snuggle in my lap. She started vomiting and couldn't keep down anything. She lost almost 5 pounds, and my whole family was beside themselves as to what to do. We thought she was going to have to go back to the hospital.
Luckily, she had no bleeding, just a ton of pain. She missed a week of school, and then I slowly got her back in for just a couple of hours for a few days. She still has a little bit of pain, but her throat is looking much better! Thank you so much to everyone who sent encouragement and prayers!
It's really difficult to edit a book when a 4 1/2 year old wants to be in your lap for two weeks, so I'm behind on both of my books. I've also started training to teach online courses, so that takes up most of my evenings. I have this week of training, then a week break, then two more weeks of training. But I would like if possible to get both of my books out by mid-March. Keeping my fingers crossed!
On the stitching side, I have gotten to stitch a bit on Desiderata. Within the next couple of days I will post a picture of the first section. I have to say that I love it and it's looking gorgeous! I'm really enjoying this piece. Still waiting on my thread for my hardangar heart for the Bride's Tree SAL though :(
For the first time, I have been tagged by Olenka.
THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
Here a 7 weird or random facts about me:
1. My eyes are two different colors. They are both blue, but the left one is blue on the bottom half and greenish gold on the top half. A doctor told me that one day my left eye could very well become all greenish gold.
2. I have five tattoos and two piercings (not my ears).
3. I absolutely hate the smell and taste of celery. It tastes like soap to me. So of course my parents make everything with celery!
4. I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was in preschool. Until I got to college and couldn't pass chemistry.
5. I wanted to see the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre when I was five years old. I haven't lost my love of horror movies one bit!
6. I'm obsessive about my handwriting. I had trouble finishing things in school because I would restart everything if I didn't like my handwriting. Unfortunately, that has crossed over into much everything else I do.
7. The first car I bought was a little green Ford Festiva. They don't even make those any more! I named it "Little Green Roach-Mobile." How lame.
I won't tag anyone, because most people I know have already been tagged for this one. But if you are reading this and haven't been tagged...
...you are now!
2.04.2008
What a great start...
for February!
First let me say that the Giants were awesome last night! That was one of the best Super Bowls I've seen in years, and my dad and I were yelling ourselves hoarse the whole time. Eli made some great plays, and I'm so happy he got out of big brother's shadow. The Patriots needed to be taken down from their pedestal, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick found out that they are not invincible. I can't believe that Belichick walked off the field before the game was over. What a poor loser!
And House was on after the game! It was a really good episode, and it really threw me for a loop. That's one of my favorite shows, and I plan on getting them on dvd. What a great tv night it was last night!
I also got my February ornament for the Bride's Tree SAL *almost* finished. It's a hardanger heart, and I got everything done down to the cut threads, until I realized that I had bought the wrong size of perle coton to do the wrapping, weaving, and dove's eyes. So I had to order the thread. But that's ok, because I'm way ahead of the game. Whoot!
Today is TW Monday, so *maybe* I'll finish my brother-in-law's ornament. Although I have two books to work on today, so I don't know how much stitching I'll actually get done.
So, I guess I'd better get started on the books. No time for a nap, no time for stitching, no time for working on calligraphy samples. How is it that I don't have a job...
...but I still have to work?
First let me say that the Giants were awesome last night! That was one of the best Super Bowls I've seen in years, and my dad and I were yelling ourselves hoarse the whole time. Eli made some great plays, and I'm so happy he got out of big brother's shadow. The Patriots needed to be taken down from their pedestal, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick found out that they are not invincible. I can't believe that Belichick walked off the field before the game was over. What a poor loser!
And House was on after the game! It was a really good episode, and it really threw me for a loop. That's one of my favorite shows, and I plan on getting them on dvd. What a great tv night it was last night!
I also got my February ornament for the Bride's Tree SAL *almost* finished. It's a hardanger heart, and I got everything done down to the cut threads, until I realized that I had bought the wrong size of perle coton to do the wrapping, weaving, and dove's eyes. So I had to order the thread. But that's ok, because I'm way ahead of the game. Whoot!
Today is TW Monday, so *maybe* I'll finish my brother-in-law's ornament. Although I have two books to work on today, so I don't know how much stitching I'll actually get done.
So, I guess I'd better get started on the books. No time for a nap, no time for stitching, no time for working on calligraphy samples. How is it that I don't have a job...
...but I still have to work?
1.31.2008
It's finally hit me...
this cold that is. I've been fighting it off for a while, and I woke up today feeling like I've been hit by a truck. My nose is running, my head hurts, my body aches, I'm constantly coughing and sneezing, I can't breathe, I can't talk. Well, you get the picture.
I'm assuming this cold is the reason that I haven't felt like doing much lately. I've messed around with my calligraphy blog, took long naps, and basically neglected my freelance editing and my stitching. I have played about 4,000 games of bingo though!
I was going to answer the latest SBQ, but there isn't one yet, so I'll just go pass out until my doctor's appointment later today. Maybe tonight I'll have something interesting to write about (it's not as if I usually do though lol!).
I really hate cold season!
I'm assuming this cold is the reason that I haven't felt like doing much lately. I've messed around with my calligraphy blog, took long naps, and basically neglected my freelance editing and my stitching. I have played about 4,000 games of bingo though!
I was going to answer the latest SBQ, but there isn't one yet, so I'll just go pass out until my doctor's appointment later today. Maybe tonight I'll have something interesting to write about (it's not as if I usually do though lol!).
I really hate cold season!
1.27.2008
Procrastination...
is my middle name!
I haven't felt like doing much lately, except wasting my time playing bingo for a jackpot that I've been trying to win since 1996. I did get my calligraphy site running, but there's just so much I need to do on it. This seems to be my lifetime habit: jump into everything with both feet and then get overwhelmed because I'm not sure where to start.
So, I haven't stitched but maybe two words on Desiderata since I finished my house ornament. I just feel blah.
SBQ for 1.23.2008: Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?
Yes, I've had a happy dance on the house ornament. But maybe I should consider it half of a happy dance, because it hasn't been ornamentified yet. I've really got to finish my brother-in-law's ornament (insert big pathetic sigh here).
Maybe I'll go watch Spongebob with Aislin...
...so I don't have to expend but half a brain cell for that.
I haven't felt like doing much lately, except wasting my time playing bingo for a jackpot that I've been trying to win since 1996. I did get my calligraphy site running, but there's just so much I need to do on it. This seems to be my lifetime habit: jump into everything with both feet and then get overwhelmed because I'm not sure where to start.
So, I haven't stitched but maybe two words on Desiderata since I finished my house ornament. I just feel blah.
SBQ for 1.23.2008: Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?
Yes, I've had a happy dance on the house ornament. But maybe I should consider it half of a happy dance, because it hasn't been ornamentified yet. I've really got to finish my brother-in-law's ornament (insert big pathetic sigh here).
Maybe I'll go watch Spongebob with Aislin...
...so I don't have to expend but half a brain cell for that.
1.24.2008
I think I've had a semi-productive week...
even if the week isn't over yet.
I got my federal AND state taxes filed, applied for health insurance for me and Aislin, and finished an ornament ahead of time (although I still haven't finished my brother-in-law's). Plus, I have my heart ornament picked out for next month! It's a hardanger heart, and I'm starting it on February 1st!
Aislin had an appointment with the ear, nose, and throat doctor yesterday. She has to have her adenoids removed on February 12th. I know it's a rather routine surgery, but I'm scared to death! She's only 4; just a baby! I'm worrying so much that I'm giving myself a migraine. But it's something that has to be done. She snores and has sleep apnea, she breathes and eats with her mouth open, and has bad breath no matter how much we brush her teeth. I hope it makes her feel better, but I'll be so happy when the surgery is over!
One thing I need to get working on is my calligraphy business. I have the business card done, I just need to make up a brochure with some of my samples and a price list to send out to stationary stores. Plus I need someone to develop a professional website for me, but I can't afford to pay anyone to do it right now. For the moment, I have a blogspot page for my calligraphy:
An Ornamental Quill
I think it looks pretty good for a beginning. I'm sure it won't generate much business as a blog, instead of a real store-type website. But...
...it's a start!
I got my federal AND state taxes filed, applied for health insurance for me and Aislin, and finished an ornament ahead of time (although I still haven't finished my brother-in-law's). Plus, I have my heart ornament picked out for next month! It's a hardanger heart, and I'm starting it on February 1st!
Aislin had an appointment with the ear, nose, and throat doctor yesterday. She has to have her adenoids removed on February 12th. I know it's a rather routine surgery, but I'm scared to death! She's only 4; just a baby! I'm worrying so much that I'm giving myself a migraine. But it's something that has to be done. She snores and has sleep apnea, she breathes and eats with her mouth open, and has bad breath no matter how much we brush her teeth. I hope it makes her feel better, but I'll be so happy when the surgery is over!
One thing I need to get working on is my calligraphy business. I have the business card done, I just need to make up a brochure with some of my samples and a price list to send out to stationary stores. Plus I need someone to develop a professional website for me, but I can't afford to pay anyone to do it right now. For the moment, I have a blogspot page for my calligraphy:
An Ornamental Quill
I think it looks pretty good for a beginning. I'm sure it won't generate much business as a blog, instead of a real store-type website. But...
...it's a start!
1.21.2008
It's a house...
although it looks much prettier in person. This is the January ornament for the Bride's Tree SAL. I think my scanner is putting too much light into the scans, but when I try to fix it, it just gets worse. But this is stitched in the most yummy warm shades of browns and tans.
One down, eleven to go!
Victorian Cottage Ornament
designed by Nancy Spruance
stitched on 28 ct antique white Monaco with DMC color variations
YAY ME!
One down, eleven to go!
Victorian Cottage Ornament
designed by Nancy Spruance
stitched on 28 ct antique white Monaco with DMC color variations
YAY ME!
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