Knitting for Dummies and my current WIP's

Ok, one more day of work left before a 3-day weekend.  I am soooo looking forward to the time off so that I can get some of this stuff done.  I want to deep-clean my house on Saturday and just sew Sunday and Monday, though I think one of those days we have to go to my mother-in-laws for homemade pizza, but that's quite alright with me!!

My cross-stitch is kinda on hold.  I'm eagerly awaiting an order from Anita's Little Stitches for the stitch-along that I joined for next year - Country Cottages.  I've been in a knitting mood lately.

So, here are my current 2 knitting projects - the flourescent green and pink will eventually be a pillow for my 2nd oldest niece.  The purple is going to be an  orange and purple pillow for my oldest nephew.  Though, for some reason, it looks royal blue in the picture.  It's actually really dark purple.  They are both being done in a popcorn stitch (knit 1, purl 1).

I also bought this today for my Nook:

Hopefully this well help me figure out some of the more complex stitches that I REALLY want to learn how to do.  It's so hard to do things left-handed in a right-handed world :(.  From what I have read so far, I really like it.  It's very straight-forward.

In my last post, I shared my new car :).  Here is the one we ended up getting for our daughter.  It's a beautiful blue.  She didn't really like yellow anyway :p.

This is at the airplane hanger we rent to use as a garage.  We don't have one at home, so hubby brings the cars here to work on them.  In the right corner, you can see the front end of the 1991 notchback foxbody that he's currently building.  Megan's car needed a new window, which came yesterday and Michael and she aer going to put it in tonight so she can start driving it.



The next few weeks here at work are going to be hell.  Seriously.  We have our upcoming SQF audit on the 19th.  Between now and then, we have 6 customer visits.  We have a Halal audit this Friday.  I am so stressed it's stupid.  So sewing and such is my only outlet.  I treasure the time I have to sew and read and just chill at home.  At least after this audit I can take some vacation time.  I haven't had a day off since May and I've worked 50-60 hours a week since April. 

I'm burnt out.

*sigh*

So long no post! ACK!

Hope all of you had a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!  Looking forward to a fantastic New Year, myself :)

Soooooooooooooooooooo......it's been too long since I have posted.  I'm currently working on a knitted pillow for my 2nd oldest neice who is 21 today (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALLISON!!).  I am still working on my mother-in-law's cross stitch.  I just ordered my Country Cottage packets for my stitch-along that I joined (SLACKER!!!).  I did thoroughly enjoy my long weekend, and am looking forward to another this weekend!!

Was Santa good to you??  He was AWESOME to me this year!  I got just about everything I wanted, other than a trip home to see my Mom and brother :(.  But, that will come this spring/summer.

Let's see - First, I got this

This is my Bumble Bee :)  It's a 1999 35th Anniversary Mustang GT.  Hubby traded his 1995 GT for it.  Well, that and some racing parts.  We were originally looking at it for our daughter, but this car was too nice for a teenager.  Funny how when you get a new car at work everyone and their dog spot wants to talk to you  and they never had anything to say to you before :p.  Some people ask "Don't you want a NEW one?"  Nope, I don't.  Hubby rebuilds them as a hobby and he can work on these blindfolded.  I'm very happy with no car payments, thankyouverymuch.

Christmas Eve, we went to my mother-in-laws where I got the following:

• Nook Tablet and Cover
• Gray leather gloves
• Pocketbook organizer
• $25.00
• Country Dance 2 for the Wii
• Zumba Fitness for the Wii
• Emerald and diamond earrings
• Basket of body lotions/soaps/gels
• Beautiful perfume

Christmas morning, we got up and were rather lazy.  I did my Zumba game for an hour.  Took a shower, then fed the family :

For dinner, I had ham, baked macaroni, yams, green beans and bread.  Oh, and pumpkin pie.  It was all REALLY REALLY good.

Tomorrow I should have some sewing updates to share.  It's been nice to take a little break from it after finishing Mom's project (which she LOVES) and my brother liked his scarf, too, so everything was a success.

The Real Wordless Wednesday Post - Mom's Christmas Present, framed and finished

Not-so-wordless Wednesday :p

Cross stitch update above.  I'm still not going to have it done by Christmas, but that's ok.  She'll be surprised when I give it to her any time.

This past week has been wacky.

Last Thursday, we celebrated Jean's (my mother-in-law) birthday.  We went to Four Winds Cafe in Forest Oaks.  If you are in the Piedmont-Triad area and want something truly unique, I highly suggest it.  It's a little hole in the wall place, but the owner was the chef at the White House when Reagan was in office.  It's FANTASTIC.  Every meal is 3 courses.  He never makes the same dessert twice - I'm dying for him to make his Irish Cream Parfait again.

Anyhow, that's what we did Thursday.  Friday was the 3-year anniversary of my dad's passing :(.  Saturday was our 21st wedding anniversary.  We again ate at Four Winds - both for breakfast and dinner :)

That all is mostly why I have been so quiet this past week.  I've just been in a REALLY REALLY bad funk and I can't get out :(

Running to Hobby Lobby here in a few to get a frame to finish mom's present.  Will take a pic after it's framed so you all can see.

Hope you're having a great week!

3 years ago today.....

I lost my Daddy.

Yes, even at 40 years old, I still call him Daddy.  Because that's what he was.

One of my first cross stitches I ever did was one that said "Any man can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy".

I miss you.....I love you.....and I will never, ever forget you. 

You were my champion, my biggest fan, and the one who could always, no matter what, make me laugh.  You worked 2-3 jobs all your life so that we would never go without.  I thought we were rich when we were barely above poverty level. 

I never knew velveeta existed until I got married.  And I just found out, after 40 years, that mom NEVER used cheddar cheese on tacos, but sliced American.  I never knew the difference. 

Pop or soda was never in the house - it was either tea or cool aide. 

Dinners out were a once every few months thing.  I still remember when we would to go to the restraunt at the Holiday Inn and then play putt-putt, because that was our "fancy dinner of the month".  

Family vacations consisted of either Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, Hershey Park, Busch Gardens or driving somewhere to walk on a nature trail or tour old historic houses.  In Nashville, we once drove back to a McDonalds after driving 3 hours because I forgot my stuffed dog.  I will always cherish the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville and camping at Grandfather Mountain.

You taught me how to stick weld and how to drive a tractor.  You taught me how to hang barbed wire fence and mow the grass.

You took a chance when we left Pennsylvania in 1985 to go to Oklahoma. 

And when I left Oklahoma in 1990, a bit of my heart stayed behind. 

No matter what I did or how I hurt you, you were always there for me.  I was always your "Yittle Yynn".  You put up with my friends every weekend.  You made them laugh.  I always had the "cool parents".  I will always remember Mahatma Havinagoodtimewishinyouwerehere, 10 little elephants and "yadayadayada".  And my magic word will forever be "Hucklebuckle".

You fought through lung cancer, diabetes, and obesity.  You fought congestive heart failure and numerous other conditions.  And in the end, it was a staph infection from a hospital that took you from us.  Something that could have been prevented.....

In loving memory of David Eugene Morrison, Jr - June 3, 1948 to December 9, 2008 - loving husband, most awesome father, and fantastic granddad.

My Christmas Present

Merry Christmas to me!  But, I can't keep it yet.....I have to give it to my mother-in-law so she can wrap it :(.

I wanted either this or the Kindle Fire for Christmas.  When my mother in law asked what I wanted, I kinda off-handedly mentioned the Nook Tablet or Kindle.  Not that I expected her to get either for me or take me seriously.

Honestly, I don't care what I get.  I don't NEED anything.  Yeah, I could use a new laptop, clothes, stuff like that, but I don't NEED it.  The past 21 years Michael and I have been married, Christmas has always been for the kids and family.  We rarely, if ever, exchange gifts.  We give each other stuff through the year. 

Well, dear mil calls Michael and tells him she looked up the price and as much as she wished she could get it for me, she had to stay in her budget.  She does, after all, have 3 sons, 2 daugthers-in-law, 4 granddaughters, 3 grandsons and 2 great-grandsons to buy for.  Not to mention, 2 ex-wives of said sons and random boyfriends of the granddaughters.  I told him I did not tell her that is what I wanted.  I told her it would be nice but I realy didn't need anything.  So my most wonderful hubby says "What if I go in half with mom on it" I said YAYAAYAYAAYAYAYAYA!!!!!!

Then, he says "So, you go buy it and give it to mom so she can wrap it". 

Me - **blink**........*blank stare*

Him - "Really, go get it and we can give it to mom when we have dinner with her on Thursday"

Me - "Why can't you go get it"

Him - "You want it right?"

Me - "**sigh** ok."

So, that is what I did at lunch today, I went and bought my own Christmas present.

Then, I went to Starbucks because when I got back to work, I couldn't finish setting it up becuase we don't have wi-fi at work.  I needed extra lunch time anyway :p

All I have to say is ......IT'S AMAZING!!!!   I can't wait til I get it home on Christmas Eve to play with it.  The graphics are breathtaking, and the video is outstanding.  Super fast loading time.  I'm stoked for the in-color knitting and crocheting books I'm going to get for it.

YAY for fun Christmas presents!

Wordless Wednesday - cross stitch update

It's soooo fluffy! ... or, the yarn I love to hate

December is such a crazy/stressful time for me.  I am coming down to the wire on projects.  I am in no way going to get my mother-in-laws cross stitch done :(.  I'll give it to her as a random gift.  We have a backup - she wants a blu-ray player, so that'll have to do.  My brother's scarf is almost done.  Gotta get mom's cross stitch framed this weekend so I can send them off to Oklahoma.

Mother-in-law's birthday is the 7th.
3rd anniversary of my daddy's death is the 9th.
My 21st wedding anniversary is the 10th.
Both my work and hubby's Christmas dinners on the 16th.
Christmas eve....Christmas....New Years......need I say more?

Top that off with I have been working 60-70 hours/week since May.  I'm pooped.

I haven't been to the gym regularly in 3 weeks and it's KILLING ME!!  I LOVE my gym time.  We are coming down to the wire on our January 19th audit and I work in regulatory affairs at a food flavoring company.  If you've had a frappachino from a place with golden arches, you've had our products.  If you use cake mix....you've used our products...same with biscuits, cookies, dog food/supplements, fish bait, vodka, rum, flavored water, you've used our prodcts.....get the picture? lol..  I haven't had a day off since May and I still have 7 vacation days to use before March.......

Anyhow.....this wasn't a gripe post, really.

I have discovered a new yarn!  Well, new to me.   It's eyelash yarn.  All  I can think of when I use it is the little girl from Despicable Me with the big fuzzy unicorn shaking it and saying "IT'S SO FLUFFY!!!!!".  I love this stuff....or rather, I HATE it because when you drop a stitch, you can't find it....and you can't take it apart because it knots like CRAZY!!! UGH!!

This is the PERFECT color for my hubby...if you follow football, it's Carolina Panther colors!!  I'm going to make a 3-strip lapghan for him.  Then, I am going to make a body pillow for me, lol!!! I freaking love how soft this stuff is!  The swatch above is longer than it looks.  It's squished up on the needle.  It's 70 stitches wide. 

Have you ever used it?  What did you make with it?

Floss Wonderful Floss......or not.....

I have been working with kits for the past 2 projects that I have done.  The first one was from Janlynn.  The second is from Bucilla.  The first one used DMC floss.  I have no clue what this floss is in the Bucilla kit, but I CAN'T STAND IT!!!!  It's not DMC - the numbers are way different.

It's very pretty and vibrant, and I do like the colors.  However, there is somethign with it that is just not "right".  It has a very nice, almost silky texture to it.  But, the more I use it, the weaker it gets.  I do maybe 10-20 x's and it's splitting.  It wears very easily.

It's driving me NUTS!  I'm affraid with all the breakage I won't have enough to finish what I am working on.  I've tried cutting it in smaller lengths, but that is not really cool either, becuase that makes me have to use more, I think in the long run.

Ugh.

This isn't the first thing I don't like about this kit.  The chart is in color.  And, the backstitching lines are shown OVER the cross stitch lines, so I am missing stitiches because they are covered by the backstitch line, which is a lot thicker than on any other patterns I have seen - and I have done TONS.

Ok, enough griping.  Back to work.

Have YOU ever run into an issue like this?