It's been a heck of a week. I've had more of the ups, but the downs were pretty freaking low. Tuesday, we got a letter about a meeting to discuss the "imminent deployment." At drill this past weekend, they were told they'd probably be leaving around the middle of May. This first they've mentioned it in awhile. I was really getting my hopes up that he wouldn't have to go. I'm taking it better than I thought I would, but I don't think it's really hit me yet. I'm not really talking about it much. The class/lecture/informational session is going to be so much fun, what with me not wanting to talk about it.
Darin's been sick. He's had a cough, and one day a fever. He's better now, but Tobi's got it. I think they've just got what I had last week. It caused Jymi to worry I was pregnant again. I was tired and nauseous, and I had to put nacho cheese on everything. So now Darin doesn't have any more symptoms, but he's still very whiny. It's understandable, though.
There's good news, too, though. I finished my exchange piece and started my new model. I haven't worked on it much, though.
Someone knocked on our door, and offered Jymi $60 for the wrecked Nissan. Then Jymi sold his Xbox 360 to a friend from work. I had already paid all the bills, so we decided to get tattoos. Jymi has been wanting another one, and I've wanted one since I was ten. So I spent most of Thursday looking online for ideas. Friday we went, but we didn't find anything we liked there. We had found a few things online, but you have to pay to download them, and we figured what we wanted was so common, they'd have something similar there. So we decided to pay for the ones we'd already found and come back next week. I don't want to settle on something that's going to be on my body forever. So I spent most of Saturday online, looking at designs, and reading about the process. I guess knowledge really is power, because I'm not afraid anymore. Still anxious and nervous, but the big nasty ball of fear that was in my stomach is gone. So I'm glad we didn't get them Friday. I've found three I love. I've picked one to get Friday, and another one to get Friday, depending on how much the first one costs. The other one I'll get some other time. So all that was three days of stitching lost (two days on research and one at the tattoo parlor.) Kathy's already agreed to babysit next Friday, so we're all set. I''m really excited, and it's helping to take my mind off of everything else.

Labels: Gift Stitching, Jymi, Models, Real Life Sucks

I did finish stitching the drawers on Tuesday. It took me all day, as bad as I was feeling, though. That night, I went to bed at eight, and told Jymi I wasn't getting out of bed until I felt better. I got up at 10:30 Wednesday morning, and I did feel much better. I got out of bed just in time for my sister to call, with the exact same symptoms.
I started my Dragon Dreams exchange piece that day. Sorry, no pictures, yet. I don't like the fabric, so it took awhile to get into it. Especially since half my stitching time the first day was spent frogging. It's going better now, though. Another day or two, and it'll be finished.
My mom's going to help me finish it, but she had her gall bladder out last week, so I'm not gonna ask her about it for awhile. I've got plenty of time. She's doing well, just very tired.
We had a little extra money this weekend, so I was finally able to finish paying off my last frame. Sorry about the photo; it was the best I could get. You can see Darin's fingerprints, where he wanted to help me hang it up. I wanted it framed in the same fashion as my other fences, but it was kinda hard. With Spooky and Nautical, I knew what would look good, and when I picked the mats, they "popped". Nothing really popped with this one, but these came close. I can take home Nautical Fence anytime I feel like going down there and asking for it.
Here's this week's SBQ. If you had $500 to spend on stitching-related items, what would you buy? As many quarter yards of Picture This Plus Cashel linens as possible. That was easy. That's it for now.

Labels: Fabric Ramblings, Family, Framing, Gift Stitching, New Starts, SBQ, Tobi's Stocking

Jymi and I went out with his friend, Jason, and his fiancee, to dinner and a movie. We went to see The Number 23. I thought it was pretty good. Jymi didn't think he'd like, because it's a serious movie starring Jim Carrey. He was wonderful though. He was still funny in the beginning, but in the beginning, he's just a normal, goofy, everyday guy. I've seen too many comedians in dramatic movies that try so hard to be serious, that there are no jokes at all. Most of the time, those movies aren't any good. It is easy to find the number in real life. The year I was born (1985) adds up. My address is three numbers, and they add up to twenty. We went to be that night at 12:19. Jymi was 23 when Darin was born. We started dating on June 9. 6/9. 69/3=23. This weekend, I participated in 2/3 SALs. No, I haven't lost my mind. It's just fun, and it bugs Jymi.
Saturday, I really meant to work on The Castle. I had to finish a thread on Tobi's stocking, though, and that was it. Once I picked it up, I couldn't switch. I'm going to finish the drawers today, and then I'm going to start my Dragon Dreams exchange piece. It should only take a few days, but I'm expecting a new model soon. The exchange mail date isn't until May, so I've got plenty of time. I want to get it done soon, though, so I have plenty of time for the finishing. My mom's going to help me, but she's also having her gall bladder taken out. I don't want to bother her right after she has surgery.
Sunday I worked on Jymi's stocking. It doesn't look like much, but I finished the star on the right, and did all of his name, over one. Next time, I can actually start the picture! I haven't decided where to start next, but probably the tree.
Sunday night, I started to feel bad. I took something to make me feel better, but it made me very sleepy. Jymi, who's been doing lead all weekend, got up at nine for work, and didn't wake me until he left at ten. I was still pretty dopey though, and I went back to sleep at eleven and didn't get up until two. I had to get groceries, because there was noting in the house to eat. I felt better after I ate, when we got back. After that, I did finally work on The Castle. Still stitching rocks. I always feel like I've made progress, but it never looks like much. I'm still feeling sick and sleepy. Jymi left this morning at nine, and I didn't hear him at all. Not only did he leave without my noticing, but another guy came over, in, and left again (Jymi was giving him a ride to the plant)! I'm awake now though. Not moving fast, but I'm alive. I hope veryone else is feeling better today!

Labels: Jymi, Jymi's Stocking, Models, Movies, Real Life Sucks, The Castle, Tobi's Stocking

Almost two years after I first started those shelves, I have finished! At least the cross stitch! It's not much, but I've barely worked on it since I started, so any achievement seems huge! I keep getting distarcted. Now on to the drawers!
Here's this week's SBQ. Do you use your needle, a seam ripper, or something else when you have to frog stitches? Why do you use the method that you do? I usually just use my needle. Working at the shop, I saw too many people buying whole new pieces of fabric because they'd cut holes in their fabric with scissors or seam rippers. I'll use my scissors if there's ALOT to cut out, but I go very slowly.
I also sewed a button on Jymi's pants last night. It's not really that big a deal, but he was so funny. He got so excited when I told him I could fix his pants. The biggest reason I fixed them was so I wouldn't have to do laundry.
Tobi has been doing lots of chores lately. He found out there were Star Wars Galactic Heroes he didn't have yet, so he asked if he could have more guys for his "Star Wars Collection". I told him we didn't have the money right now, so he picked up all the change he could find, and brought it to me. He said, "Mommy, I've got money now." He was actually only a dollar short. So now he's been helping me clean the kitchen and the living room, picking up the trash, ect., and I've been paying him. I'm sure by now he has enough money, but I'm not taking six dollars in change to Target, so when I have money in the account, I'll take him and let him pick out a new set. By then though, he may have enough money for two. I'm proud of him, learning to earn money. Anyway. I think I'm done rambling now! Have a nice weekend!

Labels: Jymi, Kids, SBQ, Tobi's Stocking

I only managed about an hour on The Castle yesterday. We had a busy day.
I reorganized my charts last week, and went through them all. I listed all the ones I really want to stitch, and had over 150. So I've decided to put myself on the fifty project challenge. I'm restricting it to charts and kits, though, because for most of them, I'll still need threads and embellishments. I do have fabric for at least fifty, but I also get my fabric of the month from Shakespeare's Peddler, and I'm not cancelling it. That will probably be the only fabric I get, though. Of course, being broke has also influenced my decision. So it's all for the best. That's all for today!

Labels: Project Challenge, Stash, The Castle

Saturday was The Castle SAL. I stitched more rocks. I never get very many done, but I always feel like I've made great progress. Today's the Teresa Wentzler SAL, so I'll work on it again today, after lunch.
Sunday was the Black Swan SAL, and I worked on Jymi's stocking. For the second week in a row, I did nothing but Kreinik. I finished the band, though, and next time I can put his name on it. He's going to be James, though. I know he's not going to spell it "Jymi" forever, especially since he doesn't really like being Jymi/Jimmy. At some point, he going to start asking to be James.
In non stitching news, Tobi is registered for school. He's going to go to the same school I did. I remember it being alot bigger. They still have the same art teacher. I saw her in the office. I even managed not to cry. I wanted to, once I got back in my car, but I didn't. They told me I could bring him during the summer to walk around to see the school, when there's no other kids around. There will also be an open house where he can meet his teacher. Jymi and I decided we're going to drive him back and forth. In our neighborhood, all the bus riders wait at the corner, and I don't want to let him do that by himself when he's still so little. Now to make it through his first day.

Labels: Jymi's Stocking, Kids, The Castle

Today, after Jymi gets home, I am going to register Tobi for school. It's a bittersweet thing. I know I'll have so much more time in my day when I don't have to stop the boys from beating each other, but I'm having a hard time with the idea of trusting a stranger with my baby for six and a half hours a day. I don't trust my husband alone with them that long! Nobody knows him like I do. I'll get over it, though. The way things are going right now, Jymi may still be here to hold my hand on Tobi's first day. That will help. Tobi goes back and forth about whether or not he wants to go. He's a little nervous about not being with me all day, too.
I'm still working on Tobi's stocking. Half the colors are in my bag with The Castle stuff, so I'll get them out tomorrow. Maybe I will get it finished this year.
Here's this week's SBQ. Do you find yourself stitching faster when you are getting to the end of a design? I wouldn't say faster. I'm more motivated, and so I stitch more, but it's at the same speed. My stitching speed depends on what I'm watching on tv and/or what my children/husband/animals are doing. Watching 24 in the afternoon, when the boys are running around, and Jymi's asking me question, it can take me an hour to put in ten stitches. At night, after they've all gone to bed though, if I put on a movie or something I've seen a hundred times, I can get quite a bit done. It's usually mixed though. Most of the time, I watch old sitcoms on Liftime during the day with the boys running around, and after they go to bed I watch Lost or 24 or something I actually have to pay attention to. So it works out evenly, I guess.

Labels: Kids, SBQ, Tobi's Stocking

I finally got my Halloween Hob Nobbs back from the framers. Money's very tight at the moment, so I haven't been paying on my frames. You can see it in the picture, but you can see the wood grain in the frame. That little bit of variation goes so well with overdyed border.
I've been working on Tobi's stocking. I'm going to try to finish the shelves this week. It's starting to feel like Darin's did. It took forever to get through the piano, and it was as boring as could be, but once I got through it, everything else went so much faster. Once I finsh the shelves and drawers, there's not that much to it. So I'm gonna stick with this for awhile, and resist starting something new. Yes, I hear you all booing.
I got my payment for Snowfight: Violet yesterday. I got a copy of each new Cross Eyed Kat designs from Nashville (Triangularity, Easter Ellipse, Mayan Mystery, Snowfight: Violet, and X Marks The Spot, a freebie). I also got the Waterlilies for Mayan Mystery, one of the Dinky Dyes for White Nights In St. Petersburg, Trail Creek Farm's Winter, and fabric to finsh my own Snowfight: Violet.
I have just noticed I never set my goals for Feburary. Well, I finished A Wee Bit Irish and In Every Nest. I started and finished Irish Coffee. I worked on part four of Persian Iris Garden, but got fed up with it. I partcipated in some of the Black Swan and Teresa Wentzler SALs, but I was always busy, or sick, or something on Saturdays for The Castle.
My goals for March are: participate in The Castle, Black Swan, and Teresa Wentzler SALs, continue with Tobi's stocking (finsh at least the shelves, maybe the drawers), and maybe start something small (must resist Merlin And Arthur).

Labels: Framing, Goals, Models, Stash, Tobi's Stocking