Updates and rambling

I've managed to accomplish a lot in the past few days. I did make my list of 100 things I want to get done ~ some big jobs and some little. I've even gotten a great start on getting some done and crossed off the list! =) Between the kids and I we have crossed off {drum roll, please} 18 items in the first 4 days! Yes, 18 items done and only 72 to go. It's a great start and it's become a bit of a game for us.

For those of you familiar with the FlyLady we also did a 27 Fling Boogie. It's a great way to reduce clutter and we all get involved with it. I highly recommend her book "Sink Reflections" if you're interested in getting your home and your life in order.

In other news....Justin is back in the States and is currently in California. I'm waiting {somewhat impatiently, I must admit} for him to come home on leave. He's expected to be deployed to Iraq again in September, and we've also learned that Jessica is going to be deployed to Iraq as well!! Nope, we're not going to go there at this time. We'll talk about that later.

I'm still working on reducing the yarn stash and made quite a large dent in it last week. Of course it helps that I gave a very large bag of it away. And I still have way more than I can reasonably use in my lifetime.

That's a bit of what's been going on in my corner of the world. I'm off to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet before bed.

I found this really cool card generator HERE

Time to clean up

Since I've been working I have a whole lot less time to spend cleaning house. It doesn't take long for things to get out of hand, does it? Oh no....it most certainly does not.

Well, Tara has a plan and I love it! I've been busy making my list of 100 items to get done. Trust me, it's not as hard as you'd think. Once you get going that list will practically materialize before you realize it. I love Tara's new blog (and the old one too, the name of which we shall not mention) Great hair Tara!! ;)

My friend Tracey was the one who mentioned Tara's plan to me in the first place....I had missed it. She's doing this too, and I'm sure she's doing great with it! =) Go see that gorgeous afghan she's made!

I'm off to work on my list.......

Sow Kind Seeds

Here is another....this one has the same frame used on the ABC piece. I had them done that way so that I could hang them together. I love the colors of the floss in this one!!! I rarely stitch anything that comes in a kit, (kits don't always use quality materials) but these last two pieces are the exception. They were both done on linen with pearl cotton and both are by Bent Creek I got two more of their kits from the needlework shop that recently closed, and what a deal I got on them!!!

Baby, it's COLD outside!!

The kiddos will be home today, most schools in the state have cancelled classes because of the temperature. At the moment it's -7 but according to the weatherman (is that one word or two?) once you factor in the wind chill, it feels more like -22. It was just as bad yesterday, though our school district was one of the FEW who did not cancel school.

Yes, I was one of the parents who complained. I have two kids at the high school and if you aren't familiar with the type of school my kids go to then you wouldn't understand. Our high school is actually 3 high schools sharing a very large area and the kids have classes in any one of them, depending on their schedule. Which means that they walk back and forth between them. At most, it's a ten minute walk from one school to the other, I know because I've tried it. And yes, I know this set up sounds weird, but it works....except when the weather is -22! A ten minute walk out there is brutal. Seriously,according to the newspaper, "At least six deaths were reported as of early Tuesday morning."

The bright side is that I am going to maximize the benefits of having them home today and get some housework done. =) That way I can get back to my charity knitting earlier today and finish up another pair of mittens.

You may (or may not) have read in my post from January 7 that I was working on using up my yarn stash. I've reduced it by two skeins....one was a 6 oz and the other an 8 oz. It's a start, yes? ;)

ABC

I should have included the frame in this photo, all you can se is a bit of the mat. I had it framed at the frame shop I used to work at and the frame is just beautiful. I just love the colors in this piece.

I sure do miss my framer!!! Wish I could find another place that can frame nearly as well as they did!!

Yet another

This project is more recent than the last several I have posted. I stitched this in one afternoon last fall. The doll came with the pattern, which I bought from my favorite needlework shop. The shop closed permanently as of 1/29/07, and they had a major sale all the month of January. I got some really great deals!

C is for Cookie

Another of my favorite pieces...this one was designed by Alma Lynn. I stitched this one in '98.

Another one to share

Here is another counted cross stitch piece that I've got hanging in my kitchen. If you look closely you can see that I finished it in 1999 ~ but it's one of my absolute favorites and I couldn't resist sharing it.


Ah, the joy of having a camera I can actually use!!! =)

Quaker Ribbed Bottom Hat

I finished the Quaker Ribbed Bottom hat that I got from Frugal Knitting Haus a few years ago. I was trying to find the link to their free patterns but can't locate it on their new site. I know the pattern is still available, I just don't have the link at the moment. I used Candy Cane, a gorgeous worsted yarn by Plymouth Encore yarn, one of my favorites.