Since Jymi took last Monday off to be with his dad, he got this Monday off, too. There's a safety rule about having to have one day off out of every seven. So I took the model to the post office, and then went to Michaels to see if I could find a fiber optic tree. All they had were eight foot trees. They were half off, but they started at three hundred dollars! If I'm gonna have a tree that big, it's gonna be real. So I went across the street to Target, and I found one. I mean one. I got the last green one they had. They still had plenty of silver ones.
After lunch, I took the boys to see Santa at the mall. When we got there, though, Santa had just left for his lunch break, so I let them play in the play area. I never thought of my boys as particularly well behaved, but they were compared to most of the other kids there. They'd come up and shove Tobi and Tobi wouldn't do anything back. He wouldn't even say anything mean, and as big as Tobi is, he could've taken any of them if he wanted. I was very proud him. He played nice with all the kids, no matter how they treated him. Darin didn't want to play with the other kids. That's my boy, the loner. They were very excited to see Santa while we were in line, but when they were next, they got shy. Once they got up there, though, Tobi started telling him that he wanted Cars, the video game. They got their picture taken, but the scanner still doesn't work.
In the evening, after dinner, I put on A Muppet Christmas Carol. Jymi was on the computer, and got his current Netflix movie, and was going to watch it in the bedroom. By the time he finished what he was doing on the computer, though, he was "sucked in" to the movie, and he enjoyed it, too. Tuesday, we watched the original How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The boys sat entranced, while Jymi and I discussed the pros and cons of each version. We both like the original better.
Yesterday, Jymi stayed home again, because he didn't feel well. Tobi didn't feel good either. So I went out and finished our Christmas shopping. All we have left is something for Jymi's sister, and she's already getting so much. She just getting a gift card for Best Buy. I had planned to get Jymi a James Bond boxed set, but they were out of my price range. I did find something else for him, but I can't say what. He keeps trying to figure out/find it, and I wouldn't put it past him to check here. I put it in another box, so he couldn't guess from the shape. I also put in plastic bags, so he couldn't shake it. I had gotten Alex a bouncy ball maker for her present at Michaels, and also the last color I need for The Castle. I took the ball kit out and stuffed the bag in the box. When I went to bed, I remembered the thread, which I had left in the bag! Jymi told me to write it on the package, because he'd forget. So we now have a present that says, "To Daddy, Love Tobi and Darin," in one corner, and, "My thread is in this box," on the other.
I had planned to go to the DMV to try to figure out the car stuff, and I stopped at the bookstore, since I finished Son Of A Witch. It was very good as long as you remember that Liir is not Elphaba, and he's also never had any guidance at all. He doesn't know what to do with his life, and is just struggling to survive each horrific event, until he knows what to do. I'd read lots of bad reviews, but I really enjoyed it, maybe because I can relate to Liir's aimlessness, and the way he finds purpose to his life.
At the bookstore, I got Mirror, Mirror, and decided to see if they had No, David!, one of Tobi's favorite books. Lately, they've been more interested in books, but the only one they ever want to read is Alphabet Soup by Scott Gustafson. It's a good book, but every page is like a tongue twister. When I'm really tired, that's not a good choice. When I got to the children's books, they had a big display of Dr. Suess books. They were three for the price of two. So I got The Cat In The Hat and Green Eggs And Ham for Darin, and The Lorax and No, David! for Tobi. I am very eager for Santa to bring these. I can almost recite Alphabet Soup in my sleep.
Darin found a purpose for Jymi's whip. It's Tinkerbell's new favorite toy. She'll keep playing with it for an hour after we've quit. She's such a funny, psychotic, little kitty.
Here's the answer for those of you who couldn't find the happy dance. I finished it Tuesday night. I tried to be crafty yesterday, but it just didn't work out. I got some fabric to finish Jymi's grandmother's butterflies, but then the bobbin on the sewing machine ran out out on the first seam. After an hour of fighting with it, I figured out how to wind a new one. It was exactly how I tried the first time, but it didn't work the first time. So I started hand doing it. I had a small tantrum, and found that then the stupid machine wanted to work. So I ended up having to re-wind the bobbin on the machine. Jymi thought this was hilarious. He's very lucky I didn't throw anything at him. Then I couldn't re-thread the machine (it's borrowed from my mom). After another hour of fighting with the stupid machine to try to get it threaded right, I gave up, and had another tantrum. The boys were in bed, and it was just Jymi, laughing at me, so I started yelling obscenities at it.
I also got the word that my ornament exchange has been received. It's Feliz Navidad, by Monsterbubbles, from the 2006 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue, on 28 ct. Midas Jazlyn from Picture This Plus. I made some changes to suit what I had on hand, but I think it came out well. I found a pretty tin at the grocery store, and filled it with a bag of Ghiradelli special holiday chocolates. They come in peppermint bark, eggnog, and spiced cinnamon with nuts. I bought us a bag of the peppermint ones to keep here. I also sent some floss, and a calender. My grandma gave me some calenders charities have sent her, and I put one in the package, since we don't need eight calenders. I should stop writing about it now though. Thinking about the chocolates is making me hungry. I guess it's close enough to lunch time.

Labels: Books, Gift Stitching, Holidays, Jymi, Kids, Ornaments

I finished my model last night! I'll show pictures eventually, but for now, it's top secret! You'll have to settle for a picture of the ornament I finished last night! I've had everything but the buttons done since October, and I got the buttons probably a month ago. I didn't want to put down the model though. So after I finished the model last night, I spent all of five minutes putting the buttons on, and tying a bow. Next up is the Christmyth Wyvern!
Here's this week's SBQ. Do you have any good internet links to tutorials for your favorite finishing techniques that you would like to share? I like having my pieces framed. I don't really finish much in other ways. I finish most of my ornaments as matboard ornaments, just because I love how neat they look, I don't have to drag out the sewing machine, and I don't usually have to buy anything to do it. I didn't learn it from any tutorial. I just kind of picked it up at the shop. One of things I love about it, is it only takes me an hour to do everything.
Jymi got his Christmas present early. He's been begging for a keyboard for a couple months. Since the night of no sleep, the boys have been alot happier to see Jymi when he gets home. Now that he's got the keyboard, too, Darin can't spend enough time with him. It's amazing what one day with a REALLY mean mommy can do.
They had a Secret Santa exchange at Jymi's work. Jymi, being the dorkball he is, pulled his own name though. So he traded names with Latonya, and he's known the whole time who had his name. She wanted to get him a mini whip as a gag gift, but she made sure it was okay with me first. I woke up this morning to find he'd hung it over the TV. I thought it was funny, but Jymi was kind of embarrassed to open it in front of everyone. She also gave him a restaurant gift card, so he had a real present, too. His boss also gave him a coffee cup, with some nice coffee and cinnamon sticks. So he did get something nice.
Next weekend, we're going to get a new Christmas tree. We're planning to get a fiber optic one, because the boys loved my mom's. Plus, it wouldn't have to be weighted down, which is why we always wait so long to put up the one we've got now. Then we'll take the boys to see Santa. All Tobi wants from Santa is the Cars video game. Good thing Santa's bringing it. Darin will just be happy to see Santa, and whatever Santa brings.

Labels: Holidays, Jymi, Kids, Models, Ornaments, SBQ

I ended up sleeping most of Thursday away. I went to take a shower at seven, and could barely stand up. I figured it was time to finally go to bed. The boys got up at nine, and they came into my room and watched cartoons until I got up at eleven. They both took naps in the afternoon, and I took another nap at about three, for a couple hours. I then tried to go to bed early, but felt sick, as I always do when I haven't had enough sleep. I ended up staying awake until about midnight, when I felt better.
Friday, we had our annual shopping spree at Steve And Barry's. The boys and I each got a new jacket, since theirs from last year are too small, and I haven't had one in years. I've always just swiped Jymi's or worn a sweatshirt. We always get some new t-shirts there, too, since they have some funny one. The one in the picture is one we got for Tobi. It's actually an adult small, and a little big on him, but they didn't have it in kid's sizes. It's not as big on him as you'd think. We'll be buying him adult size clothes by the time he's seven. Jymi and I each got a shirt with an Irish flag, (since we're both of Irish descent). I found one with a witch silhouetted against the moon, that said, "Wicked Witch," that I had to have (probably influenced by my recent reading). Tobi freaked out that saying I couldn't buy that shirt; it was evil.
We then went to dinner with Latonya and her sons. Tobi loved talking to them, and he even won a game of checkers. We took the scenic route home, to see all the Christmas lights. As soon as we got home, though, I had to go back out to Target. Jymi told me on the way home his dad's family's Christmas was Saturday. Thanks for giving me plenty of notice! This year they were just doing presents for kids, so we had to get something for two of his cousins, and his cousin's baby. The two older ones we just gave cash in a card, because they're teenagers and everything they want is expensive. I bought some Peek-A-Blocks for the baby though, since she's only one. I made an effort to find something cool to her without irritating Jymi's cousin and his girlfriend. Then we get there, and the give my boys a mini pinball table! Next year, I'm buying his daughter a drum!
Darin was very sweet at the party. Tobi played mostly with the big kids, but Darin and the baby played together all afternoon. She wanted to play every one-year-old's favorite game, Throw It On The Floor To See How Many Times They'll Pick It Back Up. Darin picked it up and gave it back to her every single time. When it was time for presents, Darin was handed one of his first, and gave it to Trinity. Her dad was the one handing out presents, and he had to find one for her before Darin would open his. As much as he liked her and playing with her, he got very upset when she wanted to play with the train he got. He always got something else for her to play with, before he took his train back.
Then we went to Toys-R-Us, for some Santa shopping. Evidently there was a huge sale, because everyone in the world was there! I spent more time in line than I did fighting through all the people trying to find what the boys wanted. It was the first time in my life I ever thought to myself that I hate Christmas. It bothered me, because I love Christmas. I hate the crowds, the traffic, and the people who seem to think the only way to show their loved ones they care is by going into debt. I also got pretty mad at the people in the middle of the toy store, with six kids just with them, cussing at every other word. Does it not occur to them that maybe they should be more careful of what they say? I did mange to get the boys what they wanted. I'm gonna take the Christmas money they got from Jymi's grandfather and get them some more figures for their castle, and maybe another set of Star Wars Galactic Heroes for Tobi. He got Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 for his birthday, and I got most of his other favorites yesterday (Chewbacca, Anakin, Obi Wan, and Darth Vader, along with the others who come with those guys, C-3PO and Count Dooku, I think). His last favorite is Yoda. He'd probably like a Han Solo, too, but he's not as important. We were going to take the boys to see Santa, too, but by the time we got out of the toy store, Jymi and I were both out of patience. We did see a Santa and reindeer driving by, playing Christmas carols. Tobi and Darin waved and they waved back. We'll take them to really see Santa next weekend.
I got my ornament exchange Friday, from Vicki! She sent me Dragon Dreams' Not A Creature Was Stirring ornament. I love the finishing. She also sent some overdyed threads, some DMC in black, white, and ecru (colors every stitcher always needs), a card, and a chocolate bar. Can you guess why the candy's not in the picture? For once is not because my obnoxious children stole it! I also got an American flag button, from Canada! I didn't get a chance to mail mine until Saturday, but it should get there next week. When it's there, I'll share a picture!
I'm almost finished with my model. Just a few more days. So I should probably get my lazy butt off the computer and fix lunch, so I can start stitching!

Labels: Gift Stitching, Holidays, Jymi, Kids, Models, Ornaments, Real Life Sucks

My goals for November were to finish my ornament for the exchange and work on my model. Done.
My goals for December are to finish the model, start, finish, and ornamentify the new Dragon Dreams Christmyth ornament, sew Grandmother's (in-law) butterflies into pillows, pick a project to stick with until it's finished (yeah right), and kit up The Castle for the stitch along on New Year's.
Non-stitching goals for this month include getting present for children only. Adults and their wants are not in our budget. Children and their wants are only barely in our budget. I love giving people presents, so this may be hard. Other than that, just survive the month and all it's stresses.
Christmas is always a scramble for us. When everyone else starts shopping in the beginning of November, we start trying to scrape together money for Tobi's birthday (November 27), and only after that's taken care do we remember Christmas is not far behind. Last night I bought the boys a new TV for their room for Christmas. I had priced them at Target, and the cheapest ones all had bad reviews when I checked the brands out online. So I got a name brand. What didn't make any sense to me though, was the smaller TVs cost alot more. I decided to pay less for the bigger one. I got out to the parking lot, only to find it was too big to get in my car. It would have fit if the front passenger door opened, but it doesn't anymore. Yes, my car sucks that bad. So I called my mom (she has a SUV) and she took the TV to hide until we have out Christmas get together. Tonight, Jymi's going to get off work early, and I'm going to try to mail my ornament, otherwise it's going to be late. After that we're going to Toys-R-Us. We'll take the boys through the store to make lists for Santa, and then Jymi will take them to look at video games or something, while I pick out what Santa will bring them, buy it, and load it into the car. Since they're getting a TV, they won't get much else.
I've also gotta find two presents for my niece. Her birthday is four days before Christmas, and she'll be ten. She's decided she's too old for Barbies and princess stuff, which has suddenly made shopping for her insanely difficult. She may end up with a gift certificate to Michael's or the bookstore if I can't find anything. She does like crafts and books very much. I swear she's my mini me. She looked just like me when she was born, and the only way to tell us apart in pictures of us at the same age is to look at how old the other people are. Especially since she got alot of my old baby/toddler dresses my mom made.
I've got two SBQs to catch up on. Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not? I do stitch ornament, of course. This year, I think I've done eighteen or nineteen, and I plan to do at least one more. I stitched one for an exchange, and the rest are for our tree. Yes I am stingy, but please also remember Jymi and I have only been living together for three years. We haven't had time or money to collect ornaments, and the few we have bought, are too heavy for the little fake tree we have, and we don't have room for anything bigger at the moment. So it need some light cross stitch ornaments. When the boys go to school, I plan to stitch and ornament for each of their teachers. My mom always did for my teachers, and they always loved it. I don't stitch ornaments for Jymi's family. I stitch Just Another Button Company's Oh Holy Night for Jymi's grandmother last year, because she collects nativity scenes. She loved it. Jymi's mom (who doesn't like me anyway), however gave me the dirtiest look that said, "How could you be so cheap?" First of all, for as little as it was, it was pretty expensive. Not to mention the four hours I spent fighting to try to finish it (it was my first attempt at that particular method). In my family, handmade gifts means you are very loved, because someone spent alot of time to make something just for you. I guess the same is not true for Jymi's family.
How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically, do you or have you ever used a waste knot? Usually, I use the loop method. If I'm using overdyes, or an odd number of threads, I'll either run it under stitches that are already there or hold a small tail in the back and stitch over it. I have only ever used a waste knot once, on my very first project, and I'm pretty sure I did it wrong. I just tied a knot in my thread and started stitching. If that piece is still around anywhere, that knot is still on the back. After that, my mom taught me the loop method, and then when I did something with a blend, I figured I could start a thread the same way I ended it, and that would hold it enough.
I've taken a picture of one of the projects Jymi's grandmother gave me, but the butterflies need to be scanned to even begin to show their beauty, and I can't for the life of me get it to work. So that will be my next post! Have a nice weekend!

Labels: Goals, Holidays, Ornaments, SBQ

The day after my last post, the computer did finally die. The new one got here that Saturday, and Jymi fought with it most of the evening that Sunday. It was Wednesday before I could really get on and do anything. I've been trying to get all my stuff onto the new computer for the past week. Now that we finally have a halfway decent video card, I can play The Sims 2 again, and I have to admit, that eats up a couple hours of my day. By the end of this weekend though, I'll be sick of it for another month. When everyone's happy and doing what they need to it's not as much fun. I much prefer the chaos of making them have as many kids as possible, while trying to get them to to work, get promotions, and cheat with the maids. It's fun to torment them.
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Our's was pretty good. Jymi called me from work that morning to let me know he'd be getting off at noon, so we could go to his grandparents'. I asked why. It had completely slipped my mind. My mom decided not to do Thanksgiving this year, since she had to work, and didn't feel up to cleaning so everyone could come over. That was fine with us, since it meant we didn't have to rush across town to try to have two dinners. Tobi and Darin were as sweet and well behaved as could be. They've got everyone fooled. Although when we first got there, Tobi announced to everyone that he wanted to play with his little sister. They all looked at me, and I looked horrified, I'm sure.
Jymi's grandparents usually have one long table set up in the den, but this year they had a small table in the kitchen, and one in the den. Tobi and Darin staked out their usual spots (in the den) and ordered "Aunt Kreeky" (Kristi) to sit with them. I also sat with them, since I don't trust them in the nice clean house when they have food, and Jymi sat with me. There was only one seat left, so Jymi's cousin, Kyle sat with us, too. So despite the fact that we were all three adults (Kristi's only 12), we still wound up at the kiddie table.
After dinner, the boys insisted the "Kreeky" play with the toys with them, until dessert was served. Tobi and Darin both decided they like pumpkin pie when Kristi had some, but they had to eat the whipped cream separately. When Jymi's parents left, Tobi and Darin kidnapped Kyle (who is only a year younger than me) to play with the toys. Kyle was more than happy too, though. They played train and Duck, Duck, Goose. Tobi came back into the kitchen to tell everyone that Kyle was his new best friend.
After Jymi's aunt and her family left, Jymi's grandmother told me she had something for me. I couldn't believe it! She brought out two cross stitch pieces she had done years ago. Neither of her daughters stitch, so I guess she thought I'd appreciate it more. I can't explain why but it meant so much to me. Maybe it's cause I'm so stingy with me stitching. I'll have to take pictures when I get a chance. One is a little boy on a tree limb, trying to save a kitten, and it says, "O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust... Psalm 7:1" She said she made it for Jymi when he was little. It's dated 1985, so he was five years old when she finished it. When the next framing special come around, I'm going to have it framed and put it in the boys' room. The other piece is even more beautiful. It's three gorgeous butterflies, done over one on a (I think) 28 ct. patterned fabric. She said she had planned to make it a bell pull, but never got around to it. She suggested cutting them apart and making little pillows with them, which I think is what I'll do. I'm not much of a bell pull person.
Friday afternoon, Latonya called me to see if I wanted to go shopping with her that evening. We ended up going out to dinner, all eight of us (her, her husband, her two sons (my age), Jymi, the boys, and me). She and I spilt a brownie/ice cream dessert, and Darin ate half of mine. We then sent the men home (with Darin on a sugar high, Jymi caught on to my evil plan), and she and I went to K-Mart. She was looking for Cars for Playstation 2 for a nephew, and I was just along for some grown up time. I ended up getting Lego Star Wars 2 for Tobi's birthday, though, and another Doodle Monster for my nephew.
We decided to have Tobi's birthday party Saturday afternoon, because in Jymi's mind, I didn't have enough places to go already. When I got up, I had to order the cake, go to the bank, the bookstore, and post office. I'd finished my ornament for the exchange, and was going to mail it. I got to the post office, and realized I'd forgotten the address. The house is only a mile from the post office, so I go home to get the address out of my email, only to find Jymi's taken the new computer apart in the kitchen! Since the post office closes at noon on Saturdays, and it was already 10:30, I was a little screwed. Then I try to go to the DMV to get the title for the new car in our name. I get the DMVs mixed up though. The one five minutes away isn't the one that's open on Saturdays. No big deal, the one that is open is just another ten minutes up the road. I get there, and it's closed for Thanksgiving.
I went back home and took Tobi to Target to get new shoes with his birthday money from his godparents. We got the shoes, and then went to pick out party stuff. Tobi had asked for a surprise costume party with goody bags and chocolate cake. So we picked out goody bags, and some stuff to go in them. We got Star Wars party plates, Cars goody bags, and Spongebob party hats. It didn't match, but Tobi was happy. Then I decided to look at video game real quick, just to see how much they would be for Christmas presents, since there were about four that Tobi wants. While I was looking, I saw that they had Cars, for Playstation 2, for a GREAT!! price. Since Latonya hadn't been able to find one, I decided to get one for her, and since it was such a great price, I decided to get one for Santa to bring us, too. While the guy was getting them out (both at one time, so Tobi wouldn't notice we weren't only getting one for Miss Latonya), Tobi told him that he wanted Sat Wars Legos, too. Guess I made the right choice.
Tobi had a nice party. We went to Chick-Fil-A, and the kids played in the little play area. Kristi was mad because we had chocolate cake, and she doesn't like chocolate. Tobi had been asking for over a month though, for chocolate cake for his birthday, and I was not about to tell him no. Then she was upset because all the candy in the goody bags was chocolate, but that's what Tobi picked out. She got over it though, and Tobi opened his presents. Jymi's grandparents got Darin two Happy Feet books, too, so he wouldn't get jealous. He's all about Happy Feet and "peng-ins" (pronounced similar to young-uns, gotta love living in the south). We made Tobi open the game last, because the we knew the world would stop once he saw it. He wakes up and wants to play, and the only way to get him to bed is to promise that he can play it in the morning.
I've been working on my model, too, but with everything else that's been going on, I haven't had as much time as I'd like to spend on it.
I finished Wicked. It was wonderful. I expected it to be very much like Politically Correct Fairy Tales; just the funny other side of the story, but it was so much more. It reminded me more of Lord Of The Rings in the beginning, with the history and mythology of Oz, but towards then end it reminded me alot, also, of 1984, with the wizard's oppressive regime. I've started Son Of A Witch (the sequel), but I'm finding it hard to read. Everyone's always so mean to poor Liir, and he's had such a miserable life, all I ever feel when reading about him is heartache. I've heard the author is also working on a book about the Cowardly Lion and the military, but I'm thinking I'm not going to be in the best mindset to read that one anytime soon.
Well, I think that's enough babbling for one day.I'm off to kill a few Sims beofre Jymi comes home and kicks me off the computer!

Labels: Books, Computers, Holidays, Kids, Models, Ornaments

Since I don't have much to say today, here's a fun Blogthing.

You Are a Mermaid

You are a total daydreamer, and people tend to think you're flakier than you actually are. While your head is often in the clouds, you'll always come back to earth to help someone in need. Beyond being a caring person, you are also very intelligent and rational. You understand the connections of the universe better than almost anyone else.

I've not been posting because there's nothing I can show. I have been stitching alot, though. I got to a stopping point on the model, and I'm currently trying to finish my ornament. I got the embellishment pack in yesterday's mail. It's over one, so I can only work on it in short bursts, but I did get four hours in.
Our computer is dying a slow, noisy, painful to me death. Last time it took me half an hour to get it to turn on. Since then I've been afraid to turn it off. We've ordered a new one, but it won't get here until sometime between Friday and Tuesday. Jymi's very good with computers, so he can take all the memory, and drives, and other stuff out of the old one and put it in the new one, and make a Frankenstein computer. It's the motherboard, fan, and video card we've had to replace. Jymi leaves for drill Friday morning though, and won't be back until Sunday. He won't feel like fixing when he gets home from that. The outage has started, so Jymi is currently working twelve hour days, six days a week, so he won't have a day off until next Saturday. I don't know that he'll want to fix it after work one day. Especially since he'll have to call Microsoft to load Windows again. So it'll probably be next week before I do not want to hit the computer with a baseball bat. It's a good thing we don't have one.
I got Jymi to quit smoking. Since he found out he's leaving, he's been whining that he wants an MP3 player. I've been asking for one for a year, but that's a bitch for another day. He had to have it right now, despite the fact that we didn't have the money. I told he could have it if he quit smoking. He threw the cigarettes away in front of Best Buy. It has (so far) cost us $125 in No Bounce fees at the bank, and as much as that bugs me, if it got Jymi to quit smoking before it had even been a week, it was worth it. He will not be getting any new toys for awhile, and he will have to eat Hot Pockets for lunch for the next couple weeks because that's all we'll be able to afford.
This outage is screwing up my system. I've been two days ahead all week, because Jymi went to work on Saturday. So it felt like Monday, and I've been off ever since. Jymi came home and found I'd lost half my mind yesterday, so that's all the signs of the outage. Jymi's always tired, and I'm always crazy. As much as I love my kids, I need a little break from them everyday. That's a little hard during the outage. Yesterday was particularly rough, because Darin was sick. He's fine today, so I guess it was just a bug. He got very mad at me last night when I gave him a peanut butter sandwich for dinner. Since he wasn't feeling well, though, it seemed like a bad idea to give him Cajun chicken and spicy rice. Call me strange.

Labels: Fun Stuff, Jymi, Kids, Models, Ornaments, Real Life Sucks

I'm stitching again. I got the kitchen clean, and that took care of most of the flies. I'm still working on cleaning, but right now, it's laundry. Once I get all that done, I'll finish super cleaning, but in the meantime, I'm stitching between loads. I knew I had a model on the way, so I didn't want to get back into Tobi's stocking with only a few days to work on it, so I pulled out my Persian Iris Garden. I got part two finished! I've got a model now, though, so it's put away.
I signed up for the Christmas Ornament Exchange on the Needle And Thread Bulletin Board. This will be my first exchange. I think I'll set aside an hour a day to work on it, and spend the rest on the model.
While doing laundry, Darin found a pair of Jymi's socks and decided to wear them. My little kleptomaniac.
Jymi bought me The End, the last book in A Series Of Unfortunate Events. I'm gonna have to get the others and reread them. I forget things, waiting for one of the two copies of each one at the library.
So much for doing better with our money problems. We have to send my dad money because there's still something wrong with our car. On top of that, our computer is on it's last legs. Jymi can get new parts and fix it for relatively cheap, but it's still more money than we have. Jymi and I also discussed getting me a laptop. It's still a big if, but since I mainly want one to write and play games on, I don't need lots of extras. Jymi found one that was about the same price and the new parts for the old computer, with what I need on it. Maybe after we pay back my mom, and get the insurance and tags for the new car. We've decided Christmas is only for the kids this year. We'll get the boys a new tv for their room, and some clothes, and something for Jymi's sister, and my sister's kids, and that's it. That's going to be all we can afford. Thank goodness the outage is coming up.
Here's this week's SBQ. If you were to come across a sampler chart that caught your eye and appealed to you, would you or would you not stitch it if it had a morbid or “creepy” saying on it? If not, why? I don't really like samplers, so it's not a big issue. Halloween stuff, like Raise The Roof's Sleepy Hollow Sampler, I love! The verse on The Houses Of Hawk Hollow Run ("When I am dead and in my grave, and all my bones are rotten, remember me when this you see list I should be forgotten. Remember me as you pass by, as you are now so once was I, as I am now so must you be, prepare for death and follow me.") really turns me off. Yes we are all going to die one day, but I don't really want to be reminded everyday. What would my kids think reading that? It would scare the hell out of them! As it is, my makes me sick, picture rotting bones in a coffin. Eww.

Labels: Books, Kids, Ornaments, Persian Iris Garden, Real Life Sucks, SBQ

Jymi got paid both his regular check, plus two of his five days away. He made more in those two days then his regular four day week! I was able to pay all the bills, give my mom some of the money we owed her, order Tobi's costume, get groceries, and we still had enough money to buy Jymi a DVD he wanted, Garfield: A Tale Of Two Kitties for the boys, and I got my fabric of the month from Shakespeare's Peddler!
It helped get me back in the mood to stitch, too! I haven't wanted to because of all the other stress, but I feel sooo much better now!
I finished all the stitching on my ornament; all that's left is to attatch the buttons. I ordered them with my fabric, and they should be here today or tomorrow. I decided to go ahead and finish finishing my Snowfight ornaments, and when I finished those, I forgot why I was waiting to finish Arm And A Leg until I had sewn it together. Because of the way it's done, I think I can still do it. Darin like them; he keeps wearing them as bracelets. The picture shows the backs, too.
Saturday, I was going to sew the trick-ot-treat bags together, until I had a good look at my sewing machine. I knew Darin had taken all the extra bobbins and feet out of the storage compartment, but he also broke a couple important parts off. I'll borrow my mom's later this week, but that ruined anymore stitching Saturday.
I worked on Tobi's stocking Sunday. Both Jymi and I weren't feeling well, so we spent most of the day taking turns taking naps. About seven though, Jymi was sleeping, and Darin had gone to bed/time out, and Tobi wanted to watch a movie. He wanted to watch Garfield: A Tale Of Two Kitties AGAIN, but I vetoed that idea. I had recorded Hocus Pocus off of Disney channel, and convinced Tobi we should watch the witch movie. This Garfield was better than the first, but I can't watch it everyday. So we watched Hocus Pocus, and since I've seen it a hundred times (my favorite Halloween movie since it came out in 1993), I could devote the mojority of my attention to my stitching. I feel like I got a good bit done for only about two hours. Here's the picture of the shelves before last night. Tobi liked the movie, too, but I had to explain most of it to him. "Where'd the boy go?" "The cat can talk?" "Is the little girl dead?" "The zombie's a good guy?" It was hard to explain the ending. Normally when two caracters walk off into the sunset (or sunrise in this case), you can say, "They lived happily ever after," but when they're dead, it doesn't seem quite right. He enjoyed it though. Right after the movie he went to bed and Jymi woke up. We spent some nice alone time together. Jymi went back to bed around midnight, and when I went to bed at two, he still couldn't sleep. Poor thing. Anyway. I'm going to get something to eat, and then back to the stocking!
One more thing. I have figured out how to leave comments again.

Labels: Ornaments, Tobi's Stocking

I love my children. I really do. There are days, though, when I just want to lock myself in the bathroom and cry.
Understandably, Darin is jealous of all the extra attention Tobi's getting form potty training. He spends most of the day glued to my hip, but it's gotten worse. He keeps dumping out the cat's water, spilling his drinks, and putting his toys in the sink. (That's Doc Oct and Chicken Little in the pot I made mac and cheese in for lunch.) A week ago, he dipped a car in his milk and dripped it all over the house. I knew he had gotten it on the top of one of my cross stitch carts, and I cleaned it up. Yesterday, as we're running out the door, I notice all these bugs in the top drawer of this specific cart. So I open it to try to figure out why. Evidently, the day Darin got milk on top of my cart, the top drawer was open and he got it inside, too. The entire bottom of the drawer was nasty!
Luckily, all my threads (this is my DMC drawer) are in ziplock bags, which are also in ziplock bags. So I threw away the big bags because they had milk on them, but the little bags were fine. I then took the drawer outside and sprayed it down with window cleaner, and put in in the tub. I washed it out, and it still smelled funky. Then it occured to me to use dishwashing soap. It gets milk out of cups, why not drawers. So I filled it up and let it soak in the tub. Tinkerbell was not at all pleased. She also follows me everywhere (she and Darin are me entourage, I guess), including the bathroom. She always jumps in the tub, first thing. She was not happy when she almost landed in the drawer full of water. It's all clean now, and smells fine. I'm going to organize and put all my threads back tonight, after I get home. I babysit my neice every Tuesday so she doens't have to go to boy scouts with her brother.

I frogged and restitched my ornament last night. I got a good bit more of it done, too. It's on sprakly fabric, but you can't see it in the picture. I'd say I could finish it today, but Jymi's coming home. He spent the weekend working at a different plant, which will be some nice extra money. He worked nights though, so he's not going to be in a good mood when he gets home. He's going to want my attention when he gets home, and I'll want his, and then with babysitting this evening I don't know how much stitching I'll get in today. I could get my lazy butt off the computer and stitch now, though, I guess.

Labels: Kids, Ornaments

I also made cranberries and cinnamon sticks. I finished the top this morning! It's gone slow. I can't explain it, but the rest I think will go faster.
I'm going to take a short break from this to finish my "potty project." I started And Arm And A Leg from the ornament issue last week, when I was still spending the majority of the day sitting in the tub, waiting for Tobi to go potty. That was the day the switch flipped in Tobi's head, and he doesn't need me in there anymore. When he has to go, he tells me, goes, washes his hands, and that's the end of it. YAY!!!!!!!!!!
I got twenty-two stitches in my ornament (two rows of eleven), and then I realized I had the fabric going the wrong way. If I keep stitching the way it is, I won't have enough fabric to stretch it when it's through.
Last Friday, Tobi and I took his Garfield to be framed. I also got some boards to finish my Snowfight ornaments, and to finish off An Arm And A Leg, once I get it stitched. All I need now is the money to buy the DMC Light Effects packs, and use a couple to make cording. Of course I want them all anyway, and all I need is the excuse. I've got the excuse now to get a pack or two at least.
I heard that Hoffman is sold out of the Halloween Fairy kit. I've already thanked Jymi for telling me to go ahead and get it when he did. This makes me feel like I have to get the other two now, though. There's the challenge though, and the fact that I don't have any money. If I finish my ornament, count sewing together the three off them, and the trick-or-treat bags, that will finish off the challenge for me! Then I just have my mom pay me instead of putting the money towards rent, and I can have them. Oh well. I will get them eventually.
Anyway, now I'm trying hard to fight the urge to start my fairy. I was planning to do them all on the fabric they come with, but I may switch it out after all. I've got an extra piece of Highland, which I think would look good with Christmas Elf Fairy, a very light piece of Glory for Easter Fairy, and a piece of Carnival on the way which Halloween Fairy may look good on. I'll have to wait until I have them all to decide, with the threads to do a floss toss, though.
One last note. I've sitched to beta blogger, so if I don't leave comments on your blog anymore, please don't take it personally. I'm still reading, but it won't let me leave comments.

Labels: Fabric Ramblings, Ornaments, Tobi's Stocking