Nov 29, 2010

Quaker Snowman

Just got word it arrived!!

Every year, I try to do at least one Christmas ornament exchange. This year, I participated in the HOE swap. This what I sent to Marie in WV.

Quaker Snowman
Designer: Midnight Stitching
Fabric: 32ct Maroon Linen (brand unknown)
Fibers: Six Strand Sweets, DMC
Embellishments: Runched Ribbon


I think she likes it since she said it has a prominent spot on her tree already! It was hard to send off!

Marvelous Monday Update 11/29/10

THANKSGIVING
Since I was still feeling under the weather, I decided to stay home for Thanksgiving. I watched Macy's parade on TV, and finished up my group project for school. I am feeling MUCH better now. The fever and sore throat are gone, and I only have a bit of chest congestion and cough.


SCHOOL
Next week is the last week of the semester! Woo Hoo!! Can you believe registration for the new semester started last week? I had planned on taking Corporate Finance in the semester I'm in now, but since I started J2, I dropped the class because I didn't think I could handle a full courseload -and- work two jobs. So guess what I'm taking this next semester???

Corporate Finance!

The best part is that I bought the textbook last semester so I won't be needing to buy it this semester :)


GIVEAWAY
Elisa at Old Ragged Threads if hosting a giveaway for her 3rd Blogversary. Click on over and wish her a happy 3rd!


STITCHY STUFF
I haven't heard yet if either of the recipients have received their packages, so I still can't show pics. I did do a bit of stitching on TMQ. Not much, but a little:

Nov 24, 2010

ABC's of Me



A - Age: $39.95 + shipping & handling

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom

D - Dog's name: Celeste

E - Essential start your day item(s): Shower

F - Favorite color: All colors, except brown

G - Gold or Silver: Silver

H - Height: 5' 6"

I - Instruments you play: None

J - Job: Accountant

K - Kids: None

L - Living Arrangements: In a House

M - Music you love: Country and Rock

N - Nicknames: Mare

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Yes

P - Pet Peeve: People who don't do what they say.

Q - Quote from a movie: "Smoke 'Em" Fast & Furious.

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: 1 sister, 2 brothers

T - Time you wake up: 5:30AM

U - Underwear: I have some.

V - Vegetable you dislike: I like them all.

W - Workout Style: At home

X - rays you've had: Ankles, Neck, Spine, Mammo

Y - Yummy food you make: Fried Rice

Z - The best place to visit: Anywhere warm, breezy, and sunny



And now you know my ABC's, won't you play along with me?

Nov 23, 2010

Marvelous Monday Update 11/22/10 (on Tues)

For those of you in the U.S., I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!


How many of you watch the Charlie Brown specials during the holidays? I do! My siblings and I watched them every year as children, and I still watch them now. I can still remember us kids getting excited when the commercials started popping up on the TV... and my Dad grumbling about how we'd seen the shows before... and my Mom telling my Dad that we are only kids once. LOL


SCHOOL
We got our midterm results. The instructor listed the grades on the white board:

A's - 3
B's - 6
C's - 4
D's - 0

I said to myself, "Self... at least you didn't get a D" *whew* I really thought I got a C, but was secretly hoping for a B. I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I saw my test. I was one of the 3 people who got an A! (I *must* be a really good guesser!) Talk about a huge relief off my shoulders. Funny thing about one of the questions I got wrong... I rarely change my answers once I put them down, because the first one is usually right. I even debated in my head when I changed it. And guess what? The first answer I put down was right! Doh!


I spent the weekend writing papers for class. The first was a 4-page case study. The second was our group project paper (again, We're doing Ford -- just a different slant). The last few weeks of the semester is going to be hectic... again!




RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
A few weeks ago, Jo from Tuscon RAK'd me with some stitchy goodies. I've been remiss in putting them on my blog.

Thank you, Jo! :)


BLOG GIVEAWAY
A few weeks ago, Katrien of Little Stitches sponsored a blog giveaway in honor of her 30th birthday. Guess who was the winner? Moi! Here's what she sent me:

Thank you, Katrien!


STITCHY STUFF
Let's see. I finished an ornament for an exchange, but can't show pics until it's been received. I finished "Blessed Be", but won't show pics until I make it into something. This will be going to a new home also. Last night, I was able to do some stitching on TMQ. Not much, but a little is better than nothing, right?

Other WIP pics can be found HERE.



JUST CUZ...
I wanted to share what sits on my fireplace mantle.


I appreciate each and every kindnesses my online friends have shown me over the past year. Thank you very much!

Nov 15, 2010

Life for me....



... drags on day-by-day. Sounds melodramatic, doesn't it? I just feel bogged down by everything. :(

WORK
Work is well... still as frustrating as ever. It doesn't matter what level of employee you talk to, all of them say the same thing. The merger is overwhelming, and no one is seeing the benefits that the partners (our bosses) claimed was going to happen. Several coworkers are talking about retiring... One of them pointed out that they were glad they have that option. They also pointed out that I have an option, too. Once I get my degree... *sigh*


GIVEAWAY
Shelley at Shelley's Artsy Fartsy Life is hosting a giveaway in honor of her hubby's 41st birthday. Go on over and wish him a happy birthday and see what she's up to.


SCHOOL
Midterms were last week. I might as well not even have studied. I do *not* think it went well at all. I swear the instructor created questions that he pulled as sentences out of the textbook. How can one be expected to memorize 200+ pages of text. Yes, I read the chapters. Yes, I took notes on the chapters. Yes, I paid attention during lectures. Yes, I studied for the midterm. And Yes, I more than likely did NOT do well.

On the upside, I did get 24 out of 25 on my first written paper. The one bright spot of the night! One thing I do know I am good at, and that's writing papers. *big grin* What struck me as odd is the instructors comments regarding how well the class did on the written assignment. He gave us the impression he didn't expect the students to do well. *hmmm* We have another of these babies due in a couple weeks, in addition to our written group project paper.


STITCHY STUFF
I hardly did any stitching last week, but I did finish Quaker Snowman. Now, I just have to get it made into an ornament by the end of the month.

Since things have been so rough for me lately, I needed some retail therapy. :) I got this for a great price on eBay. It's been on my wishlist for quite a while now.

The Japanese Garden
a kit by Maia Embroidery


IT'S A SMALL, SMALL WORLD
Some of my long time readers may remember back in 2008 when I stitched LK's "Peace Love & a Cure" for a lady I met on my local freecycle group. If you'd like to read about it, there's a post HERE, HERE, and HERE. We've kept in touch via emails, cards, and such.

More recently, I stitched another LK piece called "C is for Cure" (HERE) for a client of mine who was diagnosed with breast cancer. This past week she sent me another update via email. I recognized a name in her "Sent To" list. It was the lady I knew from freecycle!


To make a long story short. Freecycle lady is my client's cousin!! I found it extremely weird and very cool that I stitched cancer pieces for these ladies, neither knowing I knew the other, and me not knowing they knew each other, let alone be related!

Nov 8, 2010

Marvelous Monday Update 11/8/10

Hard to believe by the end of this week, the month will be half over. Where does the time go?

WORK
Had my last annual review at J1 performed by the "old" company which is no longer in existence. My review went OK (i.e. I still have my job, lol). Everyone seems to think I'm in a good place seeing as I am finishing my degree, and the service line I am in is supposed to be having some "good" changes in the upcoming year that they're hoping will affect me in a good way. J2 is the same, and I plan on staying until I can find something else.


SCHOOL
Had a seminar last week in Chicago for J1, which resulted in a 12 1/2 hour day by the time we all arrived back at the office. Then I rushed off to class because I mistakenly thought the instructor was going to do a review for the midterm exam. Instead, he told us how many of each type of question was on the test. :( I was REALLY tired by the time we got to work on our group project. I just wanted to discuss what we had to, and go home. By the end of class I was going on 18 hours and draggin' butt!

Wish me luck on the exam!


CHARLEY
I think I may have mentioned that Charley loves to sit on the keyboard of my laptop. I nudge her off, she walks around the back and comes around the other side to get back on. LOL She must think she's helping me.

"Hmmm... What's going on here?"

"I think I'll get a closer look!"


STITCHY STUFF
Last night was the first time I've stitched in over a week. Progress on a couple of smalls.

Blessed Be

Quaker Snowman

Remember Froggie? He decided to make a visit and stay awhile. I have frogged more on this project than any I can remember recently. I think it's the fabric. I'm not liking it at all!

I'm almost 3/4 done with this one despite the frogging. I just haven't had a chance to take an updated photo.