Ta-da! This is Tobi's stocking, as of the twelfth. I've done even more since then! Now I've just got to keep it up. It's going to be close trying to get it done by this Christmas.
Now for some old SBQs. Is there anything you would like to see more of in the world of cross stitching? Is there anything you would like to see less of? This can be patterns, flosses, fabrics, etc etc. More dragons! I haven't seen many new dragons out lately. I think there are plenty of hand dyed fabrics and flosses out. It seems like so many people have started their own lines on hand dyed fabrics. Sometimes it seems like too many. I guess that mean you can always find just the right color though, I guess.
What are your favorite online stitching supply sources? If I buy something online, it's usually through Shakespeare's Peddler. They have or can order everything I ever want. I get a Picture This Plus automatic, so I usually can just have extras sent with that. They also have frequent buyer cards. Every $200 spent gets you $10 off. That's the only online shop I've used lately.
What for you means to achieve mastery as a stitcher? To me, it's an impossibility. There will always be something else you can learn.
What proportion of your stitching is for your own personal use versus gifts? I'd say 80% is for me. 15% is gifts that will stay in my house (for Jymi or boys). That leaves 5% for gifts for other people. I just don't have alot of people in my life who would appreciate it, so I don't bother much with gift stitching.
Do you railroad? Sometimes, but not usually. I always picked projects with lots of confetti when I started, so I couldn't really railroad.
If you were a cross stitch designer, what would your design style be? Fantasy stuff, probably. That's what I always loved. It'll never happen though. I can't even draw stick figures. Not to mention it's alot of work, and I'm just too lazy. I'm happy just following other people's charts.
When you have to frog out stitches, do you reuse that thread or do you start over with a new strand? I use to reuse it, but I don't anymore. Now I get too frustrated too quick, and cut thread as I'm frogging to keep it out of the way. I still use it if it's only a few stitches though.
That's all. I'll post another pic of Tobi's stocking after the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Labels: SBQ, Tobi's Stocking

Pictures! First, the boys in their Ren Fest stuff. I think they're very cute but I may be biased!
Next, Halloween pics. Tobi is Harry Potter and Darin is Diego. Also in the picture, my niece (grim reaper), my nephew (a phantom), and one of their friends (Spiderman).
I though this one was cute. I was carrying Darin since he was tired, and the other boy asked his mom to carry him, too. So I let him carry Darin, and told him it would be about the same as his mom carrying him. The way he held him though, it looked like Spiderman saving a child. It may just be that I'm goofy, but it struck me as funny.
This is Tobi on his school field trip. They went to the local apple orchard. This picture is form the hayride. Tobi's class had three chaperones cancel at the last minute, but we still had seven parents there. The other kindergarten classes from his school only had four, at most. I got to be in charge of taking the kids to the potty. You want a challenge, try taking 21 kindergartners for four porta-potties on a field trip.
I've been doing alot of volunteer work at the school lately. I've been helping pass out fundraiser stuff, and next week I'm working at the book fair.
I love Tobi's school. Public schools weren't as nice when I was little. Everything is so clean and beautiful. All the teachers are so nice. The kids have painted the ceiling tiles in art. There are amazing murals on the walls. There is even a garden where teachers can have outdoor classes. The garden is unreal. It looks like the kind of chaotic yet organized place where you might find a fairy. They also teach all the children French. Even the kindergartners know the pledge of allegiance in French. Why you would ever need to know the pledge of allegiance to the American flag in French, I haven't figured out, but it's kinda neat to watch these little kids say it. They don't even realize what they're saying when it's in English!
he school has the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. To graduate with and IB diploma, you had to do so much community service, and they're teaching them that at Tobi's school. The kindergarten classes collected over thirty pounds of goodies to send to Jymi and his friends. The fifth graders have been selling T-shirts to help save the rain forests. Every ten shirts they sell saves an acre of rain forest in the school's name. I bought one for each of us, since that has always been a cause close to my heart, and mentioned it to my dad a couple days later. He asked me to get him one, too. So our family has saved half an acre rain forest. The third graders were also raising money, for charity, by selling donuts. I don't eat donuts though, so I didn't help out with that one.
I have been working on Tobi's stocking. I even have a picture, but Blogger won't let me put it up right now. I'll try again tomorrow. I may still get it done by Christmas. I've been taking it with me to stitch on while I wait for Tobi to get out of school. It is getting there. Pictures tomorrow!

Labels: Holidays, Kids, Real Life, Tobi's Stocking

Life is still hectic, but getting a little better. I have been stitching more than before, but still not much. I am going to try to put up a picture of my pitiful progress on Tobi's stocking. I guess pitiful progress is still progress though.
My October goal was to work on Tobi's stocking for an hour everyday. Not even close. I did maybe an hour a week.
My November goal is to finish all the cross stitch on Tobi's stocking. I have to. I have to get this done by Christmas. It is getting there, slowly, but surely.
Speaking of Christmas, for the first time ever, I've gotten my shopping done early! I have gotten almost all of the boys' presents. I still want to get Darin a droppable toddler's digital camera. Maybe then, he'll stop stealing mine. I also want to get them Ratatouille and the DVD of Pixar shorts. They both come out Tuesday.
The boys had a good Halloween. Tobi was a very cute Harry Potter, and Darin was Diego. Pictures will come when I have more energy. We went trick-or-treating with my sister and her family. I ended up carrying Darin about half the way. My arms and back are still very sore. They got more candy than I know what to do with. So not what I need to lose weight.
I have lost a total of three pounds in a month. Not bad, but not great. I am going to the YMCA at least five times a week. I am doing aerobics on the weekend. I have done at least twenty minutes of cardio every day since the fourteenth. Even when I don't lose weight, my measurements get smaller.
My wedding ring doesn't fit anymore. It's really starting to slip off easily now. I may start wearing it on a chain instead. I'm not sure about getting it sized. We bought it off eBay. I've never had a ring sized, but I'm just not sure it's worth it. I don't know how much it costs, and I'm afraid it will cost more to size the ring than we paid for it. It's a mystic topaz set in sterling silver. It's not worth much, but it's all we could afford. It's very pretty and special to me.
Tomorrow is Tobi's first school field trip. I get to chaperone! The teacher said they'd had lots of volunteers, but most of them had not had their background checks done. I passed mine, and I'm very excited. They're going to an apple orchard, and I remember going there in first grade. Tobi's very excited, too.
Darin is spending tonight at my mom's, and tomorrow while we're gone. Every eight weeks or so, dealing with my difficult son, worrying about my husband, and PMS all catch up with me. I think Darin is the biggest factor in this. It's not really his fault though. It's just that we're together, all day, every day, and we both grate on each other's nerves. He's a stubborn child, at a difficult age, going through a stressful, confusing (to a four-year-old) situation. The doctor said it was normal. I just need a break sometimes. Of course, that makes me feel like a bad mom, along with several other things I just can't seem to teach Darin. Today I cried in the locker room after a child care worker had to come get me because Darin had an accident. It wouldn't be so bad if it really was an accident, but he does it because he's mad at me. Oh well. At least I know they gave me the right baby. He's just like I was at that age.
Anyway. I think that's all for now. I gotta get some sleep if I'm gonna help look after a buttload of kindergartners tomorrow. Have a nice weekend.

Labels: Goals, Holidays, Kids, Real Life, Tobi's Stocking, Weight Loss