Hurricane Sandy

To all of my friends in the path of Sandy, (no, not this Sandy although she has been a bit of a “hurricane” lately) please seek shelter and stay safe!

A lot has been happening in my life over the past couple weeks. I have accepted a new job and start on Nov 5th! I am still with the State and keep my benefits, however I will be receiving about $7,000 more in salary per year. I am beyond excited and a little sad. I am sad to leave all of my new friends at DOC. Although we will keep in touch and a few of us plan to still get together for card night. I am excited because it is a position working with veteran’s. This is something I have been wanting to do for quite some time now.

And now for the WIPocalypse update!

I worked on Coming Home for the Holidays in my SAL with Lana. I am sooo close on this one. I need to do the detail work and contact Dimensions for replacement floss.

 

I worked on Medallions:

 

I am not too happy about the new skein of floss (Aqua Clouds by Silk’N) as it is more washed out and doesn’t show enough of the blues and purples.

 

I worked on Cream for Kitty:

 

And I finished, YES Finished, Butterfly Shamrocks Wreath:

I also started and finished a little ornie for one of my co-workers/friends:

Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy Halloween!!!

Coming Home for the Holidays SAL Weekend

Well, another 1st weekend has passed and I can honestly say that I sat and stitched most of the weekend away. Lana and I have been SAL-ing on Coming Home for the Holidays all year long. Her idea for this SAL was to get her back into stitching on hers. Mine was to finish it before my dad passed. Well, we all know that didn’t happen, but it will be done before Christmas!

Here is what Coming Home looked like after my first few stitches were placed:

 

 

Here is the halfway point:

Here is where I last left things:

And here is my current progress:

It’s amazing how far I have come on this piece. It feels good that I am ever drawing closer to a finish. I have found that I am running out of some of the colors (a handful at best), so I will be contacting DMC to see about getting some replacement floss.

WOW! This piece is just gorgeous! I plan to do a few more in this collection.

In the job front ~ things are looking more and more like privatization will happen. I am also in the process of looking for a different, better paying job. I had a telephone interview last Friday and am in the top 3 as I have an in-person interview tomorrow morning. I really hope the 3rd time is a charm (this makes the 3rd time in 6 years I have interviewed for this particular job).

September WIPocalypse Update

Well, here we are at the end of another month and season. Well, the season ended a few days ago. Here in Florida, it still feels MUCH like summer and will for several more weeks. One of the biggest reasons I moved to this state, other than family, is for the warm temps year round. I do miss the fall color changes at times and the new crispness in the air as cool weather approaches, but nothing beats being able to wear shorts and tank tops year round, lol.

But, I digress…

Over the past month, I have lost my father (as many of you read about earlier in the month) and put many stitches into a few pieces. Here is my progress for the month:

Medallions. I finished page #2 (I started with this page as well, so I still have 1, 3 and 4). For the year, I used 3 strands of floss instead of 2 and added a stitch between the “0” and “1” to fill in the space a little better. I will have this finished by the end of the year!

Cirque des Carreaux. I am just about halfway through page #3. If I work steady on this piece, I could have it finished by the end of the year.

Coming Home for the Holidays. I so wanted to have this done before my dad passed, but alas that did not happen. I was soooo close! I am still going to try to complete it by year’s end including cleaning it, pressing it and framing it. I miss you daddy and I know you enjoyed watching me progress on this one!

The past few weeks have been everything from sad to surreal. While I may not be used to being alone for some time to come, I am working toward finding that peace within and taking everything one day at a time. Sandy and Abu look for my dad, but seem to be coming out of their grieving process. Sandy has been playing more, which is a good sign!

Hope everyone is getting ready for the fall holidays with much gusto! I have decorated a tiny bit and will share pics of that later.

~~~Until Next Time~~~

Progress Photos

I have had a little bit of time on my hands to do some work on Cirque des Carreaux as my dad is back in the hospital. Go to my other blog, here, for more info. Anyway, here is a snap of my progress:

I have also spent a bit of time on The Gardeners, but I will share that on the weekend in the WIPocalypse #2 August update.

This weekend is a holiday weekend in the US ~ Labor Day! I plan to work on my SAL with Joy (aka Lana). I really need to get some good progress on this piece since I would like my dad to enjoy it a little before he passes. Every moment with him is so precious now.

August WIPocalypse update

Haven’t done too much stitching over the past month. I do have some progress to share though.
First: Coming Home for the HolidaysSorry about the bottom bit being cut off, but as you can see, I am on the top portions now (again).


 Second: The Gardeners

Third: Cirque des Carreaux
I worked on this a teeny tiny bit while at my mom’s in July. I had every intention of getting much more accomplished on this piece, but I was having too much fun with my mom and niece

Well, maybe a bit more than I thought, lol!

~~~Until Next Time~~~

July WIPocalypse Update

Well, it’s been a more productive month that it has been most of the year! I had a finish and some much needed progress on a couple of pieces.

First, Cancer Awareness Ribbons:

Next, some progress on Medallions:

And finally, progress on Coming Home for the Holidays (my SAL with Lana):

I am heading to Michigan at the end of this week for vacation and I plan to take Cirques des Carreaux with me as my only project for the week. Only 4 more pages to go! It would be wonderful to finish it while I am there so that I can give it to my mom to frame and hang in her home.

~~~Until Next Time~~~

June WIPocalypse update

Finally, I am able to post my update. I received word from Terri that she received her win from my giveaway. Here are some pics of the piece I stitched for her:

Blackwork Jewels Pincushion VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I am still slowly getting back into my stitching mood. I think doing the giveaway helped quite a bit in that effort as I have been doing more stitching over the past couple weeks than I have in a couple months.

Now for my WIPocalypse update:

First up is Coming Home for the Holidays (my SAL with Lana):

I have determined that if I can park my bum for an entire day, I might just be able to finish this piece before summer’s end. We’ll see!!

Next is [Colon] Cancer Awareness Ribbons by Ink Circles:

I am actually much further along; almost finished actually. I am not sure how I will finish it, but am leaning towards an ornament or a pillow. Also, on the four ribbons that are stitched in the variegated color, I have decided to use 3 strands for the border (solid) color. I am also leaning toward adding some backstitch around the ribbons to make them pop a little more.

That’s all the update I have for WIPocalypse at this time. I plan to finish up Cancer Awareness this afternoon/evening and pick up Medallions. I am hoping to have a couple of finishes to share with you next time!

By the way, I wanted to share with you that my dad had a bone scan this past Monday. The oncologist was checking to see if the cancer had spread into his bones or if the chemo has softened them. He’s been having pain in his right hip for quite a while. The results: Arthritis!

 

~~~Until next time~~~

May WIPocalypse check-in and a Giveaway

Well, it’s almost here! I am almost 40!! Why do I sound so happy about it you might be wondering. Most people get to this age and act as though their world is coming to an end. I choose to look at it in a positive way: I am STILL ALIVE!!! I know HE has a plan for me and my life. I am thankful everyday that I wake up.

I am also thankful for my stitchy friends here in bloggy-land. Just because we don’t know one another on a personal level doesn’t mean we don’t know one another, right?! So, I am going to celebrate my birthday with you all. I am going to do a giveaway. Yup! I will call it “My 40th Year Giveaway”. What will be included in this giveaway you might ask? Well, stay tuned! I plan to reveal that a little later on, but first here is my check-in post for WIPocalypse:

I put a few stitches into Coming Home for the Holidays (my SAL with Joy):

I plan to work a little more on it this evening.

I also put some more into Cancer Ribbon Awareness by Ink Circles:

I think I am going to finally be getting back into my stitching. It’s been a while and it felt so good to do a little yesterday. Now that things are calming down for me at my job, I am not as tired on the weekends!

Now, a little more about My 40th Year Giveaway. this post will be the official post for entries. The rules are very simple:

You must make one comment on this post!

That’s it! Nothing to it!! Oh, let me know what your birth month is (date too if you are so inclined, but month is all I need).

I will close entries at 11:59pm EST Sunday, May 20th. The actual drawing will be sometime during the day of Monday, May 21st – MY BIRTHDAY!

Be sure to include an email address so I can notify you. Unfortunately, because of one of the prizes I am including, I can only take entries from the U.S.

You can expect something stitched by me and a gift certificate to my favorite restaurant (the item that cannot go outside the U.S. as it is not located abroad), and a few other goodies.

~~~Until next time~~~

WIPocalypse for April

Well, I am on a more normal schedule now. I still have 4 more days where I am driving for about 45 mins to and from work. I am sad that I will be leaving Hernando Correctional, but looking forward to begin my new job at Zephyrhills Correctional. For those who are asking “What is that?”, I work for the State of Florida Department of Corrections. Basically, I work in a prison, lol! I am going from working around female prisoners to male prisoners which is kinda scary, but I know some of the people at ZCI and feel safe enough!

With everything I have been dealing with over the past month, mainly the job transition, I haven’t found myself wanting to stitch much. Here are a couple of things I did work on:

Coming Home for the Holidays SAL with Joy! I filled in a little more in the center, especially around the bannister on the porch.

Ink Circles’ Breast Awareness Ribbons in shades of blue to represent Colon Cancer. I started this one and plan to finish it by Father’s Day for my dad.

The first piece is also for my dad, but it’s for Christmas (2010, LOL). Yeah, I started that monster back in January 2010 with all intention of finishing it for him that same year. Ummmm, that didn’t happen!

All in all, things are fine around here. Dad is still taking chemo for his cancer and will for the rest of his life. The new drug he gets is much stronger and makes him somewhat ill for several days, but he’s staying as strong as possible. Oh, we did trade in his van last month for this:

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt!!! We both are really enjoying it.

Finally, may you all have a Blessed Easter holiday!

He is Judged, He is Crucified, He is Risen!!!

WIPocalypse for March

Well, it’s just about that time again! I thought I would post a wee bit early since I (had to take) today off. Car troubles. Long story. Quite annoying and boring. I digress…

First up is an update on Butterfly and Shamrocks Wreath. I am really liking how this one is coming together, although I am rather tired of the constant color changes. It is a pretty piece though.

Next up are a couple of finished finishes. Since I had to stay home today, I decided to take the opportunity (and the motivation I was feeling) to make a couple of ornaments out of recent finishes. On the first one, I used a piece of cording received from Cindy Mae Designs (quite) a while back. The second one still needs some cording. I am leaning towards a red combination. I have also shared with you the coordinating backing fabrics I used on each ornament.

 

While we did not do our SAL this past weekend, I did decide to put a little time in on Coming Home this afternoon. I know that Joy had family visiting, so we decided to skip this month, officially that is, lol. I won’t post a progress pic on that until after the April SAL weekend.

~~~Until next time~~~

WIPocalypse post for February

And then some….

First, the “then some”. It’s been an emotional week for me. Well, weekend really. It started with some not-so-good news on my dad’s prognosis. His CT scans from Dec and Jan revealed a 25% increase in cancer cells in his liver and it has spread to his lower lungs. We will find out the course of further treatment this coming Friday. I also found out that same day (Thursday) that his brother went back into the hospital after being in post-op rehab for a week. He wound up with a blood transfusion.

This morning, I played traffic director after a major head-on collision in front of our church. There were 3 cars involved, however 2 were destroyed. Of those 2, one had 5 elderly citizens inside – three in the back, not in seatbelts, passed away. The driver and passenger were taken to hospital. I believe they were husband and wife. The other car had only a driver and he was also injured. So, to end my weekend a bit shaken up by all of this…

I turn to my WIPs!

First up is Coming Home for the Holidays, the SAL I am working on with Lana over at A Joyful Stitcher! Yes, the horse finally has a head, LOL!!!

 

Next is Medallions! I am really loving the darker fabric and hope to have this one finished by early Spring so I can get it on my wall.

 

And finally is Hope by Imaginating, Inc from the 2009 JCS Ornament issue. I actually finished the stitching portion and will probably finish it next weekend.

And another finish that I can finally share. I found out the Ellen at Cross Stitch Passion received her giveaway win. She told me that she loves everything and that the chocolate didn’t last long (of course)! LOL Anyway, I did finally finish that pin cushion pillow from The Gift of Stitching eZine and sent it in her package:

WIPocalypse ~ January

Well, I am off to a slow start on this Challenge. I did manage to put in quite a bit more on Woodrow Wilson’s Birthplace over the New Year Weekend.

I have a little bit more to do in the grassy area on the lower right, the signature portion between the red and blue at the bottom, and I have to purchase another skein of floss to finish off the bottom center (where the white areas are).

I also started an ornament. This one is from the JCS 2009 Ornament Issue: “Hope” by Imaginating, Inc.

This afternoon, I plan to put some quality time in on Coming Home for the Holidays, or CH4TH ~ the SAL I have been working on with Lana over at A Joyful Stitcher. You should check out her blog if you haven’t already! This is where I left off last month:

 

 

Yes, the horse is still headless, but I will fix that this afternoon, lol!

 

~~~Until next time~~~

A Christmas Story

Christmas in Michigan tends to be interesting. What with the snow and ice covering the ground, trees, houses, and anything else in sight! One particular Christmas, however, was especially interesting. I am reminded by a fellow blogger about a Christmas season where a cat found himself enveloped by a Christmas tree:

Now, while Chris’s cat may have been causing mischief, my mom’s cat, Casper (name is rather fitting), decided he would nestle down for a nap. I woke up one morning to find him in the tree. I wasn’t looking for him. I just happened to see that white spot surrounded by green and ornaments, LOL! I mean, can you imagine?!?! And would you believe that he got into the tree, very near to the top, and out of it without harming a single ornament!? Now that is one smart cat!!!

He was quite content, I might add!

On the stitchy front, this being the first weekend of December, it is time to once again pick up the CH4TH SAL with Lana over at A Joyful Stitcher. For those who are not familiar with the acronym (thanks to Lana!!) it stands for Coming Home for the Holidays. We both found that we are stitching it and she suggested the SAL. Of course I said yes! And we are now on our 5th or 6th SAL weekend. I will be spending Saturday and part of Sunday with my sister, but I plan to take it along with me and put a handful of stitches into it. I don’t think that I will finish it for dad this year, but plan to early in 2012. This is where I left off last month:

I am not sure how Lana would feel, but if anyone reading this is also working on this piece, please feel free to join us in our SAL. We are mainly doing it as an encouragement SAL. No time frame to complete it. No pressure. Just put a little bit of time on the 1st weekend of each month and see how you progress!!!

Another year gone by

Wow! I can’t believe I have blogged another year away. Yup! I missed my own blogoversary on the 1st but that’s OK. I did spend some of that day stitching. Here are some pics of what I have worked on:

Progress on Coming Home for the Holidays

A Christmas Ornie from the insert that came with the 2010 A Cross Stitch Christmas book

Pincushion Pillow from the October 2011 issue of Gift of Stitching.

I will probably finish up the GoS piece and put more work into the ornie tonight.

I also need to show an update on Week-end a Paris:

Until next time…