Received a Lovely Giveaway!

Last month I won the giveaway at Mylene's blog, she sent me this GORGEOUS floss tag (my first). Its got a lovely black cat on it, reminds me of Hunter! As you can see from this picture I've already put the floss tag to good use!

Can you believe, I've finished two more monograms (yup getting a little tired of these)? These are for the ladies at work this Christmas.

Red Threads Letter "C"

c2002 Rosewood Manor

Stitched on : 28ct Ivory Jasmine

Stitched with : Six Strand Sweets Wintergreen

Red Threads Letter "S"

c2002 Rosewood Manor

Stitched on : 28ct Ivory Jasmine

Stitched with : Six Strand Sweets Mint Julep

I finally got my hands on a copy of the JCS Ornament Issue. Is it just me? I have to say I'm very disappointed with the selection this year. There's not one ornament in there that I had to drop everything and stitch. Almost every year there's been something I just HAVE to stitch, not this year. Its not only the JCS Ornament Issue that isn't jumping out at me most of the new designs out there don't either. Am I jaded? Do I have too much stash? Or is it just the current trends that don't do it for me? Who knows. I can assure you I'm saving a fortune not having to run out and buy the latest charts.

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me! I'm hoping to squeeze in some time to stitch, and some time to study.

Dustin' Off The Devil's Horns!

My luck showed up yesterday afternoon, and some last minute tickets were released for last night's Metallica concert! When tickets first went on sale, Todd wasn't interested in going (we first saw them back in the late 90's) but then he heard Lamb of God was one of the opening act and he changed his mind! Of course by that time the show was sold out. This turned out to be a little bit of a early Christmas present for Todd. We had a great time at the show ... except we were wayyyyyy up high! I'm becoming quite the concert snob, I love being in the lower level seats or on the floor. There's just so much more energy the closer you get to the stage!

The opening acts were Volbeat and Lamb of God, here's Lamb of God in action... see the HUGE stage???

Of course with Metallica there has to be lasers...

Rockin' tunes... with heart rumbling base!

... and Pyro!

None of the opening acts were able to fill that huge stage the way Metallica did. Despite the big stage, and 8 microphones... not once did it seem like a big empty space!

I have been trying to stitch when I can... I've finished up two of three ornaments I need for my various exchanges for the Christmas season. I've got one more to do, but I haven't had the time to pick out the pattern, let alone pull supplies out of my stash!

Good news, I dropped 1.5lbs yesterday! The trick for this week will be to keep them off, its only Wednesday and its already been a challenge to eat proper meals. Last night due to time constraints Todd treated me to McDonald's, delicious, salty, goodness LOL! I just need to keep making smart choices the rest of the week, and be active!

A Big Change!

This is me last weekend... (with Judie)

This is me this weekend... (not the best picture but you get the point) As usual Todd doesn't like it... he has something against short hair.

The Mongram Project!

Tuesday I decided to take the evening off from all my extra activities... no Weight Watchers, no Taekwon-Do, no Cardio TaeBox. I stayed home, took a nap, and worked on putting cord on all those little Monograms I had sewn together. I couldn't get them all done in one evening, but I manged to wrap everything up on Wednesday. So without further ado.... here's all 18 of my monograms of the "monogram project". There are a few I've done that aren't here in the picture those are for the girls at work for Christmas ( have a few more to do for that).

My next little project I won't be able to share with you, I've got an ornament to stitch up for an exchange that we'll be doing at the Timberhouse Retreat in a few short weeks!

Life had just been insane lately and you know what that means??? That I've not been doing well on the weight front. I've decided its harder to maintain than loose. So in the past two weeks I've managed to put on three pounds. Boy do I need to turn that around! I've made a start by trying to cook proper dinners again... instead of a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit, etc. Also I need to turn around the candy dish addiction I've developed at work! It doesn't help that there's a lot of those tasty, tasty little chocolate bars around for Halloween. They are my downfall!!!!!

I'm off to Taekwon-Do shortly!

A Long Awaited Stitchy Weekend

I've been very lucky this year, I've managed to get together with my stitchy friends from along the 401 corridor once a month since May! This weekend was another one of them! This time it was hosted by Rebecca in the Kingston area. Our furthest east stitcher was Lynn from the Chesterville area and the furthest east was Bonnie from the Coburg area with folk from in between!

I only took a few pictures this weekend, I stitched instead of playing the shutterbug! Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of Trista... well I did but it was out of focus! Sorry Trista. Ann and Beth couldn't join us as they both had the flu. On Sunday we were joined by Rebecca's lovely Mother and Law for a few hours too!

Rebecca, our hostess!

Beatrice

Bonnie

Christin

Judy...and Tasha by her feet, Tasha was a well behaved and constant companion for us all weekend long!

Lynn (foreground) and Barb (background)

Boy did I need this weekend! I needed an opportunity to step away from all the stuff I've got going on at work and at TKD and just enjoy my friends company and stitch! I didn't get pictures of everyone, but those I did get, you can see everyone is enjoying themselves and stitching!

Oh boy did I stitch too! I worked on Tour Des Marques from Friday night-Late Sunday afternoon. I got so much done!

Tonight when I got home I pulled out yet another monogram that I had on the go and finished it up too... there seemed to be a little speculating over my monograms going around the room this weekend. Judy has threatened my life if one of those J's doesn't end up in her hot little hands!

Red Threads Letter "P"

c2002 Rosewood Manor

Stitched on : 28ct Ivory Jasmine

Stitched with : Olde Willow Stitchery Rebekkah Green

Fingers crossed this week will be a little more in control than last and I'll get some good TKD studying in!!!

Blogiversary Winner! And More Monograms!!!

I've been missing for almost a week now, sorry folks. In all honesty I was not feeling well most of the week. Either I had a migraine and when my head wasn't hurting, my stomach hurt. Between not feeling well, or being at work, I was at the dojang. On Tuesday I was give the all clear to test for my 3rd Degree Black Belt on the last Sunday in November! So I'm working hard and studying!

Let's get down to the business at hand... who won my belated Blogiversary draw??? The lucky winner is...............

Chiloe

I have to admit that I didn't stitch much all week long, I spent all of my down time... wasting time on the evil Facebook! Argh! I am a Bejewelled Blitz addict! So I made up for my lack of stitching time by staying away from the computer for most of the weekend. I had a very productive stitching weekend! I did a whole bunch of Monograms! I can see the light at the tunnel now!

Letters : A, B, D, J, S, Red Threads

c2002 Rosewood Manor

Stitched on : 28ct Opalescent Lugana

Stitched with : Crescent Colours Pink Champagne

Stitched with : GAST Bittersweet

Stitched with : Crescent Colours Bing Cherry

Stitched with : Crescent Colours Cupid

Stitched with : Crescent Colours Sassy Brass

Stitched with : Crescent Colours Spinach

Stitched with : GAST Butternut Squash

Stitched with : Cresceent Colours Rainy Day

Photo Hunt "Purple"

Here's the PhotoHunt from April 18th, the theme is Pruple.

This is Kathy she is a very special person in my life! Back in September she was going through a tough time, and as a bonding activity with her granddaughter they went and got purple bangs!

I think I must be a little tired of my monogram project because I've avoided stitching most of the day today. I've finished one more since my last post, and I'm almost done another. I just couldn't face my stitching today. I stitched a little, went for a 3K run, napped, and went to my Mum's for the best roast chicken ever!

Its back to the grindstone tomorrow!