Fabby RAK

I received a most generous package of aida and a cute little card in the mail today. Deb in FL sent me a HUGE piece of Fiddlers Cloth aida, several other fairly large pieces, plus some 4" banding. There was even a few skeins of floss! I bet you can guess that the wheels in my head are turning... trying to figure out which charts I'm going to stitch on what!! Thank you Deb. It made my Monday brighter.

Monday Update 4/16/07

Six a.m. The alarm sounds. Time to get up... already? Half asleep, I stumble to the bathroom and start the shower. Yes indeed. Today, I need the water splashing in my face to wake me up. Smacking my lips together, my mouth feels like I’d been sucking on the blanket all night. What’s up with that?! After the shower, I feel MUCH better.

I’m still feeling the effects of working like a fiend on my homework and class project yesterday. My neck and shoulders are stiff from sitting hunched over the desk and computer for 9 hours. You cannot know the thrill I was feeling when I finished my class project – a power point presentation on the climatic conditions of 1930’s Dust Bowl! I am really proud of my project. Sixteen slides chock full of information, animation, and photographs depicting not only climatic conditions, but the human element that also had a hand in what happened in the decade of the 30’s. The best part? I got it done a week ahead of schedule and because I uploaded it to the class website, I get the benefit of the instructor’s review and ability to make any suggested changes before the actual due date. How great is that?? Two more weeks and class is done and I’ll be happy dancin’ my way to graduation!!! I’m holding close to an A. And I do mean close! As in less than 1% away. It would be great if I could pull off an A, but I’ll be happy with a B.

Geesh, it just dawned on me that I haven’t stitched in over a week. Ack. Maybe if I get ahead on my homework this week, I can get started on two projects that need to be completed for the retreat I’m going to in June.

Last week was the final screening for the Get Fit Challenge sponsored by the local hospital. Each year, my firm pays for a team to participate in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Compared to my initial screening, cholesterol went UP 4pts, weight went UP 2/10th of a lb., and my body fat percentage went DOWN 3.1%. Does that make sense? All I can figure is that I’ve been exercising more in the past 3 weeks and perhaps I burned off fat and gained muscle. Dunno.

Stashy Thursday!

I about fell over when the postal clerk handed me a BIG box, a little box, and an envelope. The envelope contained two charts I bought off Ebay: Images of the East and Orient Expressions. In the small box was kit (also from Ebay) by Kreinik called "My Heart is True. Isn't it pretty? It's stitched with Kreinik Silk Mori Milkpaints.


The large box was from Roxanne, who was my Spring Kit in Container partner. She went above and beyond, totally overwhelmed me with what she sent! The "container" was a clear heart-shaped totebag trimmed in pink and filled with a garland small pink silk roses. The "kit" was a Floral Wreath Nantucket Basket by Lorri Birmingham, one of my favorite designers.


That wasn't all that was in the box, though! The rest of the box was filled with various charts and kits. It was more like a RAK than a simple exchange!!


1. Hugs & Kisses Gift Pocket Kit
2. Best Wishes Gift Pocket Kit
3. R is for Reading Bookmark Kit
4. Wings Butterfly Chart
5. Brother Wolf Chart



6. Treasures in Needlework by Better Homes & Gardens
7. Towels & More Leaflet
8. Tiny Yuletides Leaflet
9. Unicorn Sampler Chart


10. Innocent Maiden Kit
11. Seashell in Aqua Kit
12. Night Before Christmas Holiday Ornament Kit
13. Santa Stocking Kit
14. Santa Banner Kit
15. Worry Dolls Kit
16. Winters Children Kit

ILCS Spring Kit in a Container Exchange

Object: Create a container and fill it with a cross stitch kit.

What I Did: I bought a plain wooden container with handles at Michaels. I painted it seafoam green, embellished it with spring "foamies" and added a pretty pink bow. Taking into consideration my partner's preferences and interests, inside I put the chart "Dragon of Hope" by Dragon Dreams, along with a needle, 11ct aida and all the floss necessary to stitch it up. I hope Roxanne in CT likes it.

The final result looked like this:

April Showers

I woke up at midnight and it was pouring down rain. Here's what I woke up to this morning:


This gives new meaning to the phrase "April showers..." I woke up at 6:30am and the ground was covered in white. Snow! You can't really tell, but it was actually snowing in the photo above. The forecasters are calling for 2-4" of snow for my area, but we are right on the line between MAJOR snow and rain showers so we could really get hit hard. What is this??? It's almost the middle of April. I want Spring!! I want green grass and pretty flowers!