I'm a Chillin' Out

Well, on one hand I am literally Chillin' Out here at home spinning on my stationary bike this evening and catching up on my blogging...I am, also, Chillin' Out as the weather here has been in the low to mid-70s during the day and the mid-50s at night - the perfect weather for keeping the windows open! And, when it is time to decorate the Christmas tree, it too will be Chillin' Out when it is adorned in this...

This cute ornament travelled all the way from Canada and Angela P's and took only 16 days to arrive (yikes!). I know that she was stressing out about it, but for me it was well worth the wait. Isn't it adorable?

For the Ornament Swap, Angela asked all of us to submit what our favorite designers were and what we liked & disliked regarding ornaments. My answer? I wanted everyone in the group to stitch something that represented them. According to the card, Angela said:

This is my favorite Lizzie Kate Snowman, it is very "me"

L*K Tiny Tidings IX
32ct Bone Lugana - Floss as charted

Thank you Angela, I love it!

Receiving that in the mail got my week off to a good start...although, if weeks start on Sunday then it was already off to a good start because Sunday afternoon I met up with Valerie and Brandy at Needle in a Haystack. We shopped a little, stitched a little and chatted...much :) It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. But now I am ready to kick myself...for yesterday I was gathering my stitching things in preparation for my upcoming trip to Minnesota for hockey tournament. I was kitting up Family Sampler by LHN and couldn't find any fabric that was the correct size. Ugh, and I was just at NiaH! Well, maybe while I am in Minnesota, I will make a trip out to Stitchville USA.

Well, it is time to put a close to this post, so stay well and be happy and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Holiday = Stitching and, of course, Hockey

Phew...I am so glad that we took advantage of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! What I mean is, those are the only two days during the boys' holiday break that we didn't have to do anything or go anywhere...those were the two days that we literally stayed in our pjs and hung out at the house. For since Saturday, when DH and Robert (older son) left for Seattle for Robert's hockey tournament, we have been going...going...going. And it looks like we will be on the move for the rest of the break (boys go back to school, and I to work, on Jan. 4th).

A Trip to the LNS...Needle in a Haystack
Last Saturday, I took DH and Robert to the airport in the afternoon, which was great timing to go to my "not so" LNS where I met up with Valerie. Valerie and I are doing a mini SAL with MW. She got there before I did, which was good as she needed to spend sometime looking for some fabric for some projects she is getting ready to start. As soon as the fabric decisions were made, she joined Matthew (younger son; who was playing on the computer...nice to have wireless abilities at NiaH, keeps kid busy). We got an opportunity to "Show and Tell" about each of our MW for we each brought ours to show. It is always fun to see fellow stitchers' projects in person to look at their fabric and colors of threads - while pictures are nice to see, in person gives you a better look at the vividness of the colors. And, according to Matthew, "it is interesting to see how different our projects looked"...even though we are stitching the same pattern, he thought it was "pretty cool" that we could use different colored fabric and thread...doing the same thing; but not. It is fun when my sons pick up on these things and take an interest in my needlework hobby.  Anyway...Valerie and I had a nice time visiting and doing a little stitching.

I will get a photo of my MW posted tomorrow to show you my status.

Hockey...
As I mentioned, Robert's team is in Seattle playing in a tournament there. They finished up the round robin portion yesterday, winning all three games and putting them into first place in their divison. During the second game, played Monday afternoon, Robert scored a goal (2nd of the season) and played so well, the coaches chose him as the MVP of that game. Yahoo! Didn't take long for the proud papa to call me and let me know!

Today they start the elimination rounds, beginning with the sweet sixteen. Robert's team will play at 2pm today. Keep your fingers crossed!

While they are up there in Seattle, Matthew and I are at home...but not vegging out for he is participating in a wonderful clinic. It is called "Hands and Feet" - they work on a lot of puck handling skills and some skating. They start out the day at 8:30am on the ice for an hour and fifteen minutes, followed by 1hour of off-ice training with the trainer (which sounds intense, but due to the number of kids and the age group - 6-11 year olds -  it isn't too difficult...more waiting around between turns then actual activity; oh well it is a clinic during the holidays), and then they have another ice session from 11:30-12:45pm.

What do I do during this time? Well, aside from helping him tie/untie his skate in between each activity - I have access to the rinks fitness room where I can go workout if I didn't get in my workout prior to leaving home and I can stitch! Today I was able to get this ol' body out of bed, so I will probably be doing some sitting and stitching...and visiting with other hockey moms!

New Year's

What are your New Year's plans? Ours...well...DH and Robert get back probably Wednesday night so we all will be together during the last holiday of 2009/first holiday of 2010. However, it is Matthew's turn to participate in a tournament, which luckily is here in town.

However, I remember as a kid one of the best New Year's parties my parents threw. I cannot remember what year it was, but I must have been in high school at the time. My parents had a tradition of celebrating this holiday with 3 other families (just the adults though). Prior to New Year's eve, my mother went out and got each of the families matching flannel pjs (both men & women)...they wore them all night, through appetizers and the potluck dinner. At midnight, after the toast, they had a big midnight breakfast. I remember the fluffy omelette that one of the other father's made. Unfortunately, while I was allowed to stay up until midnight, I didn't feel much like eating so I did end up going to bed right after the ball dropped. But I know that, to this day, that party is still talked about in my parents' circle of friends.

Well, thank you for visiting. I am sorry that I didn't have any photos to show - but I promise to take a photo of my MW and show you the status tomorrow. Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often! Lisa

Trick or Treat - update

Trick or Treat

Smell my feet

Give me something good to eat

I am sorry...not a pleasant way to start Sunday morning. I thought I would post a photo of the status of "TorT". Doing one letter at a time, including the back stitching, really makes the project go quickly. After taking the photo last night before I went to bed, I got a little of the E (in trEat) started. This continues to be a really fun stitch - with bring colors and a whimisical feel. The glow in the dark Krenik is really cool too! Last night, I let is sit in the light for a few minutes and then took in my sons' rooms (when I went to tell them good-night) and when I turned off the light, anywhere the GitD thread was used, it actually glowed. "That's cool, mom!" Matthew (youngest) yelled.

Here is a close up of "K" and Witchy Poo (do you remember H.R. Pufinstuf and Jimmie & his magical flute named Freddy? - I know, this dates me).The letter "K" contains some of the confetti Krienk #8 braid. I am also finding this fun to us and if I manipulate it as I stitch, sometime flecks of blue stick out and sometime it is the yellow that stands out.

And here is a close up of the "A" and the "T". The pattern in the magazine does have an error...on the top of the "A" there were a few symbols for the electric blue color - but I just followed my gut feeling, as well as the color picture that accompanied the pattern. A little electric blue would have not looked correct on the candy corn "A" (I love candy corns...did you know that they now make them in chocolate flavors?)! I am not totally happy with the witch's cat - his eyes look droopy. The glow-in-the-dark Krenik didn't cross perfectly on the right eye, but I assume since he is stuck being a witch's cat, he might not be too happy. For I have heard that some witch's cats are not treated very well...so maybe he is somewhat sad. The squares in the "T" are satin stitched instead of crossed - and I like the way it turned out adding a little "extra-special-something" for that letter. I almost wish that I would have satin stitched the white squares in the "I"...oh, well.

I believe that I will be done with this very soon. Today I will be taking Matthew (younger son) to his hockey practice this morning...which just happens to be located somewhat near my LNS...Needle in a Haystack. So, I might just have to run over there after practice and after lunch. I really don't need anything (do we really ever need anything?) but it is hard to be that close and not go (for NiaH is about 35 miles or so from where I live). 

As far as the "little procedure" I had on Friday morning...it went well and I seem to be recoving pretty well. Thank you very much for the very kind comments left on Fridays entry. It means a lot to me. As I have said manytimes, I am still very overwhelmed how close we all seem to get by just blogging. I have found myself reaching out to many of you more so than some of my close friends...interesting, huh?

Well...I will leave you now and hope you have a wonderful Sunday! 

Remember to Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

 

Weekend Recap and Hockey Chatter

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I had one that I call a "me" weekend. Saturday I went to a gathering of the "stitcher's by the bay" yahoo group at my "not so" LNS. It was SOoooo fun! First, I got to meet Valerie (from whom I actually found out about the group), which was nice as I have been reading and commenting on her blog for several months. Second, I got to go shopping - I have decided to start the Mary Wigham sampler so I wanted to get some fabric and thread (which I have decided to use GAST and I will note the conversions I use when I receive the fabric I put on order). Third, I got to meet some of the other members who were able to make it to the gathering. I really enjoyed talking with all the women, getting to know a little about them and their needlework history...and I got to look at some of their work. Wow! It is one thing seeing peoples work on their blogs, but when seeing them in person there is such a WOW factor. I really had a fun afternoon!

I am so glad that I did this - not only because of the reasons listed above, but because I did something for myself. Many times these opportunities come my way but my "stinking thinking" starts up in my head. Thoughts such as "I can't go anywhere on the weekend because the family is home," "I need to be here to make sure that my sons eat and my husband has time to rest over the weekend from his work week," "I can't go because I need to make sure that the hockey stuff is washed and ready for hockey on Sunday"...and it goes on and on. So, when this opportunity came up, I talked to DH and said that I really wanted to go - and he was so supportive! In fact, when I came home and talked non-stop about the wonderful women I met and how much fun I had stitching & visiting with them, he looked at me and said, "I am so glad that you went and took the time to finally did something for yourself." Wow.

Sunday, the boys had hockey in the morning and then again in the evening, which DH took them to and I stayed home - got in a little more exercising, stitching and the house ready for the week. It was a nice day too.

Over the weekend I have been stitching a model for one of CindyMae's designs. She is a new up and coming designer and has some nice things coming out. I am just about done stitching it, but I will let her post it when she receives it. So, stay tuned!

Well, this week I will find myself sitting and stitching at the hockey rink, as the boys are enrolled in another hockey clinic that goes from 5-8. It makes for a busy week (between their summer camp, my work & prepping for the hockey clinic, and then running them down to the clinic in the evening) - but that is [my] life and in a weird sense I do enjoy it! Friday, Robert starts his tryouts for the next season - which always brings stress into the family. He is trying out for Bantam AAA (Bantam is the name for the age group, which is 13-14 year olds...and AAA, well I am sure that the more As you have the better the calibur of kids). This might be a stretch for him, to make the AAA team that is. But as the saying goes...tryout for the highest opportunity and if that doesn't work out, then tryout for AA and so on. So there are other options if he doesn't make it. But youth sports has a lot of politics and crazy parents out there...and this is where all the stress comes in. A "AAA" team might not contain all the best kids because, as the rumor mill has it, many kids are waiting until the next week to try out for AA (and many of those kids are some of the better ones).

Anyway...I will not bore you with any more of this hockey chatter...but just want to tell you that in our house hold our thought is, to have Robert tryout out this weekend and see what happens. If he makes it "great" and if he doesn't "great...he can tryout for AA next weekend". Ya know, it is just best to "go with the flow" because things have a way of working out.

Have a great Monday and a super week.
Remember to Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often! Lisa

Summary of completed projects from the weekend

The weekend was a very nice and productive weekend! On the "year-end-projects" for school side of things: "light at the end of the tunnel" is shinning bright for Robert (older son, 7th grade). Over the weekend he completed 3 projects, which only live one on his "to do" list - which doesn't look like it will involve DH or my assistance (YAHOO!).

On the "stitching" side of things (my favorite part): as posted on Saturday, I finished my PS exchange. I downloaded the photos I took of it, which I will save & post after I hear that the recipient received it. Saturday, I made it to the UPS Store in order to get it in the "airmail" so that it will cross the ocean safely in hopes to be there 7-10 business days (so hopefully around June 12 or 15 the PS exchange will arrive at its new home). Being that this was my first exchange and my first finish using my new sewing machine, I am very happy with the way it turned out. And, as a requirement of all exchanges...yes, it would be something that I would be very happy to display and to have - so, I hope that my exchange partner likes it, too.
Another "happy dance" that I can report is a finished heart on Diana's Friendship Sampler RR. She included floss in the colors of her choice and had marked each with their coordinating symbol (i.e. converted the DMC chart with her color selection). The heart I chose used an overydye of a lavendar/pink combination with more pink showing. In her instructions, she requested we "do not stitch more than 5 stitches in a row...making a block design in the heart". While the color changes in the floss I used was very subtle, I could see the blocks. This design stood out more in the hearts which used an overdye with color changes that were more drastic. I enjoyed stitching on her Friendship Sampler and very happy with the way my heart turned out. In fact, Diana's sampler is really growing with hearts and love from all the hands that touched it! (You can see how her sampler is coming along and a photo of the heart I stitched...the pink is really not showing through very well as the heart has taken on a more purple tone...that is the camera's fault).




















Saturday, after the stop at the mail store, Matthew (younger son) and I drove to Hockey X which is the best and largest hockey store in the Bay Area...located in Oakland. Post season, usually means time to get new equiptment and the earlier in the spring/summer we get it the more broken in it will be before tryouts for the next season (which is mid-July to early August). The goal of this visit to the hockey store was to get Matthew a new pair of hockey skates. We hit the store on a good day because we got wonderful service, which is important when getting hockey skates because you want them to fit right. Not only do they measure your feet and then try them one (having the child walk around on their padded floor) - they "bake" the skates for 5-10 minutes in a skate oven and then put them back on the child, tying them tight so that it takes the form of the foot (especially where the ankle area is located). Since I can hear everyone gasping horror..."OMG, that child's feet are going in a hot skate" - let me put your fears to rest. The boot of the skate is warm, but it doesn't burn the child's foot. In fact, my boys enjoy this because typically they have cold feet. Without boring you any further, Matthew walked out of their with our newest investment for his hockey passion.

And...since we were already in Oakland, we drove a little further into the East bay area to my "not-so" LNS (which is more of a LNS when at the hockey store...lol). I had a list with me of the fabric and thread I needed - restart my Friendship Sampler RR (new fabric) and start a couple of L*K exchanges (the thread) - so I didn't expect to be there very long, which was good news to Matthew's ears. Needle in a Haystack does have a little corner of toys and videos for kids to entertain themselves, but I knew that he really didn't want to be there. By having a list of the colors I needed I was able to put him to work finding them (kind of like a treasure hunt for his mother). With fabric and thread in hand, we checked out and walked down the main street through the farmers market and purchased some french bread to nibble on while we drove home. It was a nice early afternoon for Matthew & I...it also gave DH and Robert a chance to get some of their work completed before we got back home.

Sunday, was the day I got Diana's RR done...also had a quiet house from 7am-2pm when all the boys were at hockey practice. Even took the opportunity to get the bathrooms cleaned. So, it is now Monday - and I start a new week as well as a new month. But I will stop here, thanking you for your visit and your patience of this long summary of my weekend accomplishments! I hope that you have a great start to your week and remember....
Live, Love, Laugh and stitch often!
Lisa