More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Ornamentification, Art Deco & More


My holidays are finally here!  No work for two weeks, and this year I feel like I have really earned my time off.  Life has been very busy for me (as usual), this last week even more so.  I'm trying to remember if I even found any time to stitch at all?  This past week I only got home before 9PM twice, and that's a long day when you leave the house at 7AM.  I have a fairly low-key Christmas Break planned and I've been looking forward to focusing on things like blogging a little more, stitching a lot, and focusing on ME!  Eating properly and being active in some form each day.  I've got some trips planned into town so I can get to the gym, but barring that I have a treadmill in the basement.  After Tuesday, Taekwon-Do will be on holiday as well until January 4th, so it'll be up to me to find a way to keep active.  Sigh, life was so much easier when I was content to sit on my behind, stitch, and be over 200 lbs.

Sadly this year I did not get enough ornaments finished up to give them out to all the people I like to gift them to at work.  Only the secretaries got their stockings this year.  Normally I give ornaments to the secretaries, administration and a few of my favourite people at the school.  I decided this morning when I got (too early IMHO) after I went to Weight Watchers and after I ran 3km in my basement, that I needed to put my nose to the grindstone and get ALL my ornaments finished.  So I was in for a serious ornamentification session today!  Sadly they're still not all done and I spent maybe about 5 hours working on it.  Instead of doing each ornament individually from start to finish I did each step for every ornament at once!  So I have more ornaments waiting in my craft room with just cord to put on them.  They can wait for Sunday, but they will get done!

Freebie from the Alchemist's Study blog

Love by R&P

Snow Gazing by Paw Printings -- remind you of someone?

'Tis Red by La-D-Da
I was rushed to get this one done for my WW leader this AM so its not my best finishing

I thought I'd also share where Art Deco stands as of today with you, I'm hoping to finish the Air block while on holidays.  So here's where I'm starting, let's see how far I get in two weeks. 

The Christmas Cards have started to arrive in the mail.  I must admit I feel guilty that I don't send them out anymore!  What's my excuse, I just don't have the time to do them!  Is that really a good excuse, that I don't have the time to write a special message for each of my friends and family.  Not really.  I'll try again next year!  I got a lovely surprise from my good blog-friend-and-met-in-real-life Judy!  She not only sent me a lovely card but these lovely skeins of floss that will get put to good use, and some gourmet hot chocolate!

Speaking of stitchy supplies, the other week I made a run for the border!  Actually I went down to Ogdensburg NY to pick up a parcel I had delivered to the UPS store there.  Well, JoAnne's happens to be right next door!  These wonderful Ginghers came home with me!  At 50% off too!


I hope all of you take a little time to breathe, relax and enjoy this week as we count down the days to Christmas.  I find these last days people tend to get a little crazy, we all need to put life into perspective and realize that we need to find our patience.  That "getting it all done" and being rude and getting aggravated just take the joy out of the season.  Share a smile and be understanding it goes a long way!  If it dosen't get noticed just feel good about yourself, that you are the better person.

22 comments:

Cath said...

Lovely ornies . you could always write your cards this holiday for next year ,lol.

Lesleyanne said...

Lovely pictures. Your ornaments are gorgeous, I particularly like the cat looking out of the window. Beautiful scissors. Have a lovely two weeks holiday.

Erna said...

Hey Dani , cuties your ornaments.Take your time and enjoy your holiday....
Hugs
Erna

Paula said...

Lovely Ornaments. Have great holiday and Happy Christmas.

Christine said...

Great ornaments! I love how you finished my poinsettia design.
Those black and white scissors are beautiful.
Have a great Christmas!

Rebel In Ontario said...

You did better than I did on the ornaments....I have three stitched and none finished. Oh well, next year. And I love Christmas cards but I find I'm the same way with not getting them done and feeling guilty. So this year, instead of guilt for not sending - I feel blessed that I have family and friends that love me and send me a card regardless - so this year I feel blessed instead of guilty!
Looking forward to seeing you for New Years!

Bette said...

Very pretty ornaments. Have a blessed Christmas!

Lynn said...

Gorgeous ornaments Dani! I still think you managed to finish more than I have.
Bob sends out more than a hundred cards each Christmas. Most are to former choir members. This year he decided to send those who have email a greeting in that way. He did up one form letter informing them of life and family. Then he attached a note stating that the money he saved on postage would be donated to charity. Fifty dollars so far for St. Luke's soup kitchen.
It took a lot less time and benefited a worthy cause as well!

Enjoy your holiday! I can't wait until I finally have some time off.

Deborah said...

Great ornaments! Have a Merry Christmas.

Rachel said...

Dani! You must not live too far from me!!! My husband works in Ogdensburg, and we live in Madrid! We should get together sometime :)

~Rachel~

Heather said...

Merry Christmas, Dani. I hope you have a fabulous and restful holiday.

Anonymous said...

All the ornaments look great! Do you make your own cording?

Have a merry Christmas!

Wendy said...

your ornaments look great !
love the christmas decorations in the streets, over here we only have christmas lights as street-decoration.

Sue said...

I can so relate to being so busy since I'm also in education. I have basically just prepared for school stuff the last few weeks, and just started my shopping yesterday for my family. I have so much left to do, but instead of shopping today I am still relaxing as I'm so burned out.

I don't get agitated about not being 'ready'. I am fortunate I guess in being laid back, as in my work so much is open ended and not 'done'.

Your ornaments look wonderful. I need to make more ornaments. I say that every year, but I never make any!

Take care. You continue to inspire me with your weight loss success.

Sue

Clare-Aimetu said...

Lovely ornaments - plenty of time for next year (that's my plan too)

Alice said...

Merry Christmas Dani! What lovely ornaments and great new scissors too! Just think, the stitching time in your life will all even out, because being healthier will buy you more time! I hope you have a ton of relaxation over the holidays.

Olga said...

Pretty ornaments!
Happy holidays!

Karen said...

Good luck on the rest of your finishing! Hope you have a great time off...merry christmas.

Bonnie Brown said...

Your ornaments look great!
Looking forward to seeing you in January... 2 weekends on a row! :)

claudia said...

I hope you have a fabulous time off. Yes, you do deserve every single minute of that time to yourself, to do as you please!
The ornaments turned out great.
Enjoy yourself!!!

Bekca said...

I hope you really enjoy a peaceful and rest filled Christmas break, with lots of stitching of course :) All of your ornaments look fab, my favourite is "Love". Merry Christmas!

Karoline said...

Lovely ornaments, congratulations

Happy Christmas Dani