What I am working on this week...

This is a stock picture of what I am working on this week. It is the AY 1801 sampler by Historic Stitches. I still haven't solved my camera issue, as you can see, but I will tell you the three motifs on the left side are completed now. That is big progress for this time of year.

I have worked on getting my pattern and fabric ready for a swap I am involved in. We get the names this week, so I will know exactly who I am stitching for. Since many of the people have posted likes and dislikes, I will pick colors and maybe even switch patterns based on that. Can't wait to start!

Have a great day. It is supposed to be beautiful here again today. Tomorrow the humidity will return...ugh.

Three day weekend.....

You Are 74% Burned Out

You are very burned out. You need a huge break from your responsibilities, starting as soon as possible. And you need this time to reevaluate what you really want out of your life. Because you're working hard and going no where... and that would burn anyone out!

Are You Burned Out?

Update on ....

Not much stitching this week. Those of you who work in schools understand this time of year. You work like a dog and you drop when you get home. So, the stitching has taken a back seat. I plan to stitch for an hour this evening, so maybe tomorrrow I will report some progress on something!

Wish me luck.

Another (small) finish!

This weekend I have been stitching away, just not on what I should be stitching to finish! I did hem most of my linen with the sewing machine and did some kitting of projects, but overall, little progress on those huge WIPs. I did, however, finish another of the freebie Quaker tree from workbasket. This is not mine just the finished one their website. Mine is completed in GAST Blueberry. It turned out very nice. Now, I need to concentrate on what in the world I will do with them. I would love to make these stand ups, but it looks complicated, with the balance and all. Any suggestions out there? I would love some advice.

I joined the Fair and Square swap and I also got my fabric and tentative pattern and threads together. We haven't exchanged names yet, but I have my ideas. So far, every who posted will likely be pleased with this pattern. I can't tell much more than that or it will give it away. I am looking forward to it, but I do worry that someone won't like what I stitched.

Back to work tomorrow. Ugh. I really need another job. I am really starting to dread it. It just simply wears me out. I don't know how long I can keep up the pace. Friday night, I went to bed at 7:00 and woke up at 6:00. Tell me I wasn't tired out from the long week. I napped for a hour later as well. Then I slept all night last night. That isn't normal and really does cut into my off work hours. I can't get work around the house completed because of it. I guess I should quit whining and be thankful I have a job.

Off to do another load of laundry and get my things together to watch the sopranos. Wonder who gets whacked tonight.....

Pooches....

Not pouches..pooches. Since I still don't have my cord for my camera, I am posting pictures of my dog children. They are absolutely the best dogs.
Here is Emma, our goldendoodle (yes...daddy was a black poodle....) She is the smartest dog we have ever had, but our last dog was a bassett, so maybe my thinking is skewed. She seemed so very lonely and really craved canine company so we went and found a homeless guy who needed somebody to love him.

And here is her beloved brother Otis, who still is driving us nuts with the potty training. He is a rescue and my DH swears this is the reason he was found at the side of the road! This picture is actually where he was clean! He seems to always look ratty and dirty. We think he is part poodle and maybe lhasa apsa. He has an extreme underbite and it really takes him much longer to eat because of it. Whoever thought a whitish dog was a good idea(me!) was nuts! He is forever filthy around his mouth. He is so low to the ground I have had to shave his tummy and legs short so not to collect burrs. I will say that he is spunky and very fun. We do enjoy them together.

So to make this about stitching, I have joined a swap, which I am certain to enjoy. Lots of nice women who all enjoying stitching. I will keep you posted on my progress there too.

I did have a finish today. The Quaker Tree, the third. It is a free pattern and stitched up quickly. I don't know what I will do with it yet.

Have a great Friday and beyond.

100 things to do in 1001 days....progress

I guess I really am making some progress on this list. Join me in finishing some of those pesky projects.

Finish Margaret Gibson
Finish Sun and Moon Sampler(Working)
Finish Gettysburg sampler
Finish Child's sampler
Finish name tag FINISHED 3/08
Hem linen pieces. (FINISHED)
Finish scissor fob( FINISHED!)
Finish quaker sampler(Working)
Gather items for quaker sampler (blue/white) (FINISHED!)
Make scissors fob(house)
Stop buying items
Work on quaker needlecase(Working)
make scissor fob (grapes)
Finish West Chester sampler
Finish Forest Sampler (working)
Finish Blackwork Bellpull
Finish York Sampler
Finish Betsy Burrows
Finish Angel Sampler FINISHED 3/08
Finish Forest Folk Art Sampler (Working)
Finish top for shaker box.
Finish AY 1810 Sampler (Working)
Finish Old and the New Sampler
Lose 50 pounds
Stop eating junk during the week.
Exercise at least 2 times a week for a month.
Reduce cholestoral level. (Working) 5/08 137!
Limit computer use at home to one hour daily.
Work on hair. (Working)
Take better care of my skin. (Working)
Finish spools top
Finish Brown and Pink Churn dash (Chocolate Covered Cherries)
Bind Spring retreat quilt
Bind Fall retreat quilt
Bind green quilt (Nightmare on Leprachaun Street)
Bind red and yellow quilt (Colonial Weed)
Bind dark green quilt
Bind scrap quilt
Finish Dad's quilt
Get back for 2007 retreat quilt
Finish 2005 QOL mystery quilt
Finish Hawaiian applique pillow top.
Finish Autumn Nine patch
Finish spring top
finish blue top
Finish 30's reproduction top.
Finish Christmas Lemoyne Star quilt.(Working)
Finish library painting (Working)
paint kitchen trim
paint kitchen cabinets
paint windows in front
paint windows in back
Paint trim in Bathroom
Paint trim in downstairs BR
Stencil in library(wall)
paint windows on porch
paint porch floor
paint porch sides
porch sides
get rock for lane 6/08
stain deck
stain picnic table
replace screen porch
Work on living room floor
work on floor cloth for den
work on kitchen floor
stencil library floor
De-Stress by leaving 2 days open each month for office work(Working)
Do Taxes each month for business
Do Paperwork monthly for clients
Obtain business cards. (FINISHED!)
Send business cards to SLPs and MDs for referral.
Send business cards to Highlands School.
Finish Proper Stitch Sampler
Finish Route 100 Sampler
Finish Scarlet letter Bellpull
Finish Quaker Diamond Sampler FINISHED 8/08
Finish Elizabeth's Garden Sampler
Quaker Star Sampler(Working)
Lose 25 more lbs.
Paint living room
Stencil Kitchen
Bathroom: Wallpaper
Bathroom: Paint
Quaker Autumn Tree (FINISHED!)
Quaker The Third(FINISHED)
Quaker tree (FINISHED)
Obtain Camera Cord to post pix

more to come.....

Happy Momma's Day!

What a wonderful spring day! I know most would disagree, saying it's too cold, too windy..but not me! I love chilly and breezy, since I am in the middle of hot flashes and personal summers. If fact, this morning, I was asked to close the french doors to the deck, since everyone else was shivering. Since it was mother's day, I admit I did hesitate, but reluctantly thought of the rest of the crew here. Almost perfect!


The dogs gave me a begonia, stating in their card, they would be happy to dig the hole and water it for me. Ha! No oppositional thumbs preclude them from planting it however. My youngest daughter brought home from school a gorgeous daisy arrangement; she is taking floral design and is interested in horticultural studies. It is something I swear, I would pay for easily. She really did a nice job. Oldest daughter called; wished me well and apologized for no gift (she's 23) . She is a music teacher who may not have a job next year and said when she finds out that she does have a job, she will send me flowers! Yea....no job because of a reduction in force, and since she is not tenured yet, she may get whacked. The other music teacher is HORRIBLE, but tenured. Something wrong with this system, but I digress. DH went and got crab cakes for this evening. Yum. Great day!


Stitching...slow at best. I did finish the stitching on a free workbasket quaker autumn tree.
Mine is done with GAST Blueberry, and still on a big piece of linen! I really need to figure out what I want to do with it before I get scissor happy and cut too small.

I worked a bit on my folklore forest last night, but the hot flashes with the humidity were fierce, so I didn't last long. Tonight, as I watch the Sopranos, I will work on it. It really only has a couple of hours and it will be finished. What is it about a project that those last hours are not very enjoyable?? Anyone else have this problem? I love to start but that glow retreats about 5 hours into the project! I guess I have ADD!
Off to work on the second quaker tree that goes with this one. These are so quick even I don't get bored with them!

Hope everyone has a great Momma's day!

Busy week

This week has been quite busy, so no stitching, quilting or anything fun. It has however been productive. In February, I signed up for the second "leg" of required course for certification for P.R.O.M.P.T., which is a specialized, dynamic type of speech therapy. The third part will be a 4 month project requiring video taping and extreme scrutiny from master clinicians. For three days we discussed jaw stability, lip rounding and the like. It is a wonderful type of therapy and I really believe in it efficacy. I just don't see that many children any more since I became a supervisor. This means I have less time to practice and what is needed is practice. Perhaps I need to advertise for clients for the summer so I can pick up a few more for practice.

My friend, Karen, who lost her husband last Monday had also signed up. Imagine my surprise when she actually attended. I cannot fathom personally sitting in the class for three days as I grieved my husband. She is, in her words, very pragmatic and went ahead and attended. PROMPT is one of those things is that is so different from what you have learned before and really requires a paradigm shift in thinking, so attending while you are thinking straight is challenging. Coming home from the all day classes means that you are essentially brain dead and can't do much else. Karen attended and even seemed to process the information. Hats off to her for her resolve and strength. Please continue to keep her in your prayers, as she has many hurdles to overcome.

Now, back to reality and the job. Too many things to do. A therapist with chronic bipolar issues is once again absent. This means that in my position I find a sub to come in and do her job. Since there is a national crisis and extreme shortage of speech pathologists, this is never possible. I usually end up spending 3 days a week doing her job and trying to keep things afloat. This is absolutely crazy as my job is far more than full time as it is. I have several children to assess this month and since I am the PROMPT trained speech pathologist, I must do the assessment. This morning, all I really want to do, is pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. The last 2 times I had to do this, my health really suffered and I developed eczema. And of course, all this for all the same money! Only 3 more years and I can retire early! Then it is private practice for me.

New York, New York

Our anniversary was lovely yesterday. We went to NYC for the day and decided that since the weather was so wonderful, we woudn't see a show. Typically we will buy TKTS 1/2 price tickets and then so one destination within the city until the show starts. Yesterday we got on the subway, went to Ground Zero and walked the entire way back to 52 street where we met the bus.

It was a great day. We started the day by winning $50 on a scratch off lottery ticket, which was just plain fun. Typically, we buy scratch offs on New Year's Eve and our anniversary. We won $25 on New Year's and $50 on the anniversary. Great year!

Lunch in Soho, on the street with a Margarita and a salad. I could have stayed there all day, personally. Watched lots of people and simply enjoyed doing nothing! Walked and shopped along canal street, little Italy and up to Greenwich Village. An "Impeach Bush and Cheney " parade was going on and was really quite entertaining. There was a group that was advocating the medicinal use of marijuana, but I didn't see too many people who looked like cancer patients. (wink wink) More like Jerry Garcia than grandma. Entertaining anyway. The flowers and trees in GV were so wonderful.

As the hike continued, we out of shape older folks decided to stop and rest at the dog park near the Flatiron Building. We played with several pooches, as ours were at home with DD. It was a great time, throwing balls to pooches we don't even know.

Ice cream at BR and a little shopping at Macy's, but no stash shopping all day! The City Quilter in Chelsea called my name earlier in the day, but didn't seem so important after just bumming around and doing nothing.

But the best of all, DH and I ended up in the diamond district and guess who bought me a new sapphire and diamond ring! Unbelievable! It is a band (white gold) with 5 diamonds and 5 sapphires. It is beautiful. What a keeper he is!

We were exhausted when we finally hit Friday's for a little nosh before heading home on the bus. Didn't stitch a bit all day but didn't miss it one bit.
Yesterday was good for the soul.

Oh, and since this is a blog to help me get motivated to finish some things, I will work on my quaker sampler tonight during the Sopranos.....so who will be whacked tonight?? Paulie, or is he off the hook??

TTYL

Ramblings..

Thanks Vonna, for your prayers. She will need all the help she can get.

Another crazy day at work. The job just is too much. I am too old. I am too disinterested. Something isn't right, but I still do it. Need to update the resume. Add that to the 101 things to do list.

I just subscribed to the online stitching magazine, The Gift of Stitching. I need some new project ideas (!) Actually the cover of this month's issue caught me, a set of Quaker seasonal samplers.
Aren't they nice? I have no idea if I will be able to stitch them or not, but the lure of the stash was real.

Tonight, DD is coming home to crash for a night, before she goes to meet up with college buddies for a Cinco de Mayo party tomorrow. Get ready, the house will look like a hurricane was here before she gets out of town! Love her, but love her better when she isn't living here! She lives at the beach, but still comes home once in a while, I swear just to aggrevate me. At least she doesn't bring her laundry anymore. She teaches music to middle school kids, but has heard she might get laid off next year. The arts are always the first to go. Just like in Mr. Holland's Opus, pretty soon there won't be anything to read or write about!


Tomorrow, DH and I go to NYC for the day. It is our 18th anniversary. We thought we might try for a show, but because the weather is going to be so nice, we are just going to chill for the day. I think we might start in Tribeca and Greenwich Village and see what we can get into. Hopefully there will be a street fair or something. We love those things. Hopefully I will run into something " textileish". Doesn't it sound like a great day to sit outside a restaurant watching everyone pass by on the street with a Margerita in hand?? Almost as good as stash shopping!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Progress

I was able to work about 2 hours on my Folklore Forest Wednesday night. I would say around 10 more hours should do it. Unfortunately I got one stitch off on one motif (where it matters!) so I will have a few minutes of reverse stitching too!
Last night I went to the service for my friend's husband. Ironic that every picture they had of him, he was smiling and appearing quite happy. You really don't know what drives a person into that dark place of no return. As he was only 37, the turnout was incredible. Now the real work begins for her; taking care of three young boys by herself and getting on with life. What a sad state he must have been in to take his own life.
No pictures. On the shopping list is purchasing a new cord for the camera, so I can post some of my progress. Don't know where it is, but that is a sure way of finding it. Our "computer library" is being painted and so the scanner isn't hooked up. DH is painting and fixing up the room so it can be his "study". Yea...a flat screen TV with all the bells and whistles.....study isn't exactly the word I would use! I will be making a floorcloth for the room when it becomes a little closer to the finishing stages. And yet another project.

Since it is 3 am, I think I am finally sleepy again. Back to bed...nite!

May Goals

Okay, things are out of hand. I must focus.

1. Finish the darn Sun and Moon Sampler
2. Work 25 hours on Margaret Gibson
3. Finish Folklore Forest.

I have been distracted by the lure of the silkenfuturestitch. It must not get in the way of my goals. Wish me luck....

House night!

House, MD on tonight! Spoilers at this address : http://realityinsiders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30375

for the rest of the season. Hector the dog, who is apparently the canine version of House, joins House tonight, which ought to give the Dog Whisperer a stroke.

Off to find something to stitch.....