PS Exchange received and life in general

I received my PS Exchange on Tuesday. It cam all the way from Georgia (USA). This is the first exchange I have received from the US. Not that it matters...just an interesting thing that my sons and I have made note of. Anyway, thank you Roberta for this lovely biscornu. It is my first biscornu. I have read about these on other blogs; read instructions to construct on and even seen the patterns for them...but never have done one. Now I have one for my very own and it is sitting on my night stand. I love it!

This week has just been very, very busy. Actually it started last weekend. Robert (older son) already had homework and was trying to get it all done on Saturday because he knew that we would be at the hockey rink all day on Sunday - which was a little 3 on 3 tournament that I sign the boys up to do with many of their hockey friends, from all different teams around the Bay Area. It is a great event, not only for the kids but for DH and I, as we get to visit (and hear the latest hockey gossip) all day. We left the house at 7:15am and didn't get back until 5pm. It was a long day. 

The rest of this week has been the "normal" juggling of school, work and the boys' hockey practices with back-to-school night thrown in (Robert's middle school was last night and tonight is Matthew's elementary school).It is fun going to hear the teachers talk about what their goals and expectations are for the kids. I am excited for Robert this year - it looks like he will be exposed to many different things in 8th grade. He has a full load with 2 advanced courses (English and Math) and a History teacher who is going to use high school methods for teachers (whatever that meant...assuming more projects, lots of writing and quick pace).

In addition,as I might have wrote - I have accepted the Team Manager position for Robert's team again this year. So I have been busy trying to get all the team information organized and all the important paperwork to the different tournaments coming up. Between now and the holidays, we will be going to:

1. Blaine, Minnesota for the NAHL Prospects Tournament 
2. "King of the Rockies" in Denver Colorado (October) 
3. Nike Bauer tournament in Chicago, ILL (November).

And this weekend, the team will have their first hockey tournament - but thank goodness it is here in town. It makes for an exciting, but busy time for the family. I am grateful that Matthew's team will not be traveling as much, making use of the local tournaments for Thanksgiving and the holidays. 

And, to top those life projects, at work I have been getting ready for a couple of tradeshows and revising data sheets and brochures. So, over all it has been a busy week.

However...tomorrow...NO SCHOOL AND NO WORK!That deserves a happy dance doesn't it? The boys will be able to sleep in and rest and I can....mmmm....there are so many things that I need to do, but thinking I might just do what I want to do! Hopefully get some stitching in as the needle and thread have been calling my name. I am in the middle of some model stitching for CindyMae designs - maybe I will work on those!

Well, anyway. It is time to wrap this up and pick up the boys from school. Hope all of you are doing well!

Take care and remember...live, love, laugh and stitch often! LIsa

It is Friday...end of the week joy and an unveiling of my received PS Exchange

Yahoo! It is Friday afternoon...the first week of the school/work routine accomplished and pretty successfully. The boys are using this afternoon to catch up on some computer playing that they haven't been able to do (don't cha feel sorry for them....not!). Robert (oldest) does have homework (some studying and a project) to accomplish before Monday - hopefully he will organize his time well over the weekend, putting in some study time tonight and tomorrow morning/early afternoon. He does have hockey practice tomorrow evening and then both boys are in a little 3-on-3 tournament Sunday - this little tournament is a "fun" event and one that typically lasts all day. So homework will have to be done before then!

Well, enough rambling - it is now time for show and tell! I found out that Pascale received the Prairie Schooler Exchange I made for her.
The design I stitched was from Book No. 114 "The Needle's Eye". I stitched it on a 32ct Belfast Linen (stitching 2 over 2) using the DMC colors that the design called for, except I kind of changed the location of some of the colors. I finished this design off as a needle book - I felt that the words in this design just called out for it to be finished as a needle book. I just loved the way that it came out...and I almost kept it (just kidding).

This is a picture of the back of the needlebook and the front (which I am sure that you are able to figure that out). Because the design gave a quilt like appearance, I wanted to give the finished product a quilt like appearance.







This is a photo of the inside of the needlebook. I covered a puffy-pillow like thing with the brown-leaf fabric and then hot glued a couple of those needle holders on to it (those are the needle holders you find in the package of needles). The closure is a button and a piece of leather. I am glad that it arrived safe and sound...and that Pascale liked it.



Hope everyone had a good week - and I wish you a wonderful weekend!
Remember to...Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often! Lisa

Trying Tuesday

I am up and going early this morning. Good practice for next week, when the boys' school schedule starts up for the new school year...which also means I will start back to my early work hours. Today, though, I will be going into work most of the day because my boss is in town from the UK for some quarterly meetings. While I will not be able to attend those meetings (which are Wednesday & Thursday), I am going in to meet with her and some of the other people who are in town this week. I am looking forward to it.

Yesterday I got my PS Exchange in the mail to my secret exchange partner - postal shop said that it would take about 10-14 days to get there, which would make arrive about the first week in September. Not bad, the mailing date was August 31 so I am well ahead of the deadline. It was a fun design to stitch...and I am very pleased with with finish. I hope that my partner likes it too. As soon as I get word of it's arrival I will photo the photos.

I have picked up a UFO - L*K "It's Expensive to be Me" - a design from the Girl Thing booklet. I am putting the finishing touches on it and then will probably set it aside while I determine how to finish it. I am thinking that this would make a good holiday gift for a family member :)

I have also started stitching another model for CindyMae Designs. She has figured out how to convert her graphs to pdf's and now is offering a downloaded version for a smaller price - and quicker gratification. So you might want to check out the redesign of her website.

Well, just stopped by to post a "hi"...off to get my blog reading and commenting done. Maybe I will be visiting you this morning :)

Remember - Live, Love, Laugh and stitch often! Lisa