Friends, Gifts and Stitching Updates!

I have been very lucky this week!  I've got to spend some time with some of the very important people in my life!  Besides my family... which is always a given over the holidays.  On Tuesday I went to the gym with Christin before we joined Kathy at our favourite restaurant (Lone Star) for dinner.  Despite the restaurant being busy, our waiter got the drift and just left us alone to talk after eating.  There's nothing I hate more than being pushed out of my table before I'm ready to leave.  Sadly I forgot to get a picture of the three of us together!  It was great to get caught up with Kathy, I won't be seeing her again until March when I fly down to Arizona over the March Break!

Then on Wednesday I got to spend the afternoon and evening with my best friend Claire (and her hubby Patrick who I adore as well)!  She and I have been the best of friends since grade 10 and no matter where life has taken us (her) we've always somehow managed to keep in touch.  I think I'll be looking at a flight down to Jacksonville Florida this summer to spend a good couple of days with her!

When Christin and I met up on Tuesday it wasn't only to spend time with Kathy but we finally exchanged Christmas gifts.  I was finally able to give her the gorgeous flower frog I've been holding onto for months to her (for her scissors of course)!  Of course did I think to get a picture of it?  Nope!  Christin got me these cool racks (2 of them) for my ever growing ribbon collection!  Now I have room for more!  I've put them together but I'm now waiting for Todd to put them up on the wall for me... but I may have to take things into my own hands and attempt to mount them on the wall myself!

I have been stitching this week, more than I have in a very long time which has been nice.  I'm actually seeing progress on The Accolade!  Working on a 10x10 block every day before I pick up my main project has really been working for me.

Fingers crossed, I may get the Air Spirit finished on Art Deco Spirits, before the year is out!!!  We'll see as there are just hours left to the year.

Late Wednesday night I was stitching and I had Cuddles at my feet, and Hunter on the back of my chair!  Super cute!!!

Boxing Week Deals!

Todd, my niece Emma and I from Christmas Eve

Todd and I had talked about going shopping on Boxing Day but I was cranky and didn't feel like being nice to rude people so we didn't go.  So we went out shopping yesterday instead, there's always all kinds of deals and sales the week after Christmas, even tough Boxing Day is the big shopping day.  We spent all day shopping!

So what did I come out with?  Did I get some bargains.  We hit the all mighty Wal-Mart as we got a gift card for household stuff.  I got a new bath mat, bath towels, hand towels and tea towels, all that needed replacing they were looking very old.  We also got a few DVD's, and some reduced Christmas Tree decorations.

From there we hit my favourite clothing store, Reitmans... despite needing new tops I found 2 pairs of pants for work on sale!

I hit Michael's again and got more ribbons and trims on sale!  This time I got my ribbons at 85% off!  LOL!  I don't think I need to buy any more for a VERY long time... unless I need a very specific colour.

We then went to the store Todd really wanted to go to Sail a new outdoors store.  I happened to get a new winter coat on sale!  My Mum had given me money to get a shelving unit I wanted from Costco for Christmas.  Todd happened to get it for me for Christmas so the money went to this coat instead.  Last year I had bought a cheap winter coat that wasn't very fashionable as I had a whole winter wardrobe to replace.  This year I got something much nicer and lighter, my other coat was a little more bulky than I like.

Another stop on Todd's list was Mark's Work Warehouse, where I found a pair of winter boots on clearance!  They were on my shopping list as well as my current boots are over 5 years old and starting to really look like it!

One stop on my list since we were in the East end of town where we don't go so often was to hit the Lindt Outlet... I bought myself some very yummy chocolates!  Also I went to the Bulk Barn and got myself a whole 81 cents worth of Jujubes.  I love Jujubes!  I've been craving Jujubes!

I'm looking forward to this afternoon/evening!  Christin and I are going to be good girls, meet up at the gym before we head (back) to the East end of town and have dinner with Kathy!

December 11 Photo Hunt

The theme to this PhotoHunt is "Funny"  I got myself a new point and shoot camera a little while ago and my neice and I were playing with some of the settings on it and it does this great effect... turned out quite Funny!  I'm sure my 10 year old neice will be mortified to see this online!!!

Fish-eyed effect

December 4 PhotoHunt "Hard-To-Find"

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are still enjoying what is left of their holidays.  Todd and I had a lovely Christmas Eve with my family, and Christmas Day with his.

I am working away where I can on The Accolade and Art Deco Spirits.  But nothing exciting to share yet.

With this PhotoHunt theme I thought at first I would have a hard time finding just the right photo.  Well then as usual Hunter obliged me with his cuteness!

One afternoon I couldn't find Hunter, he had hidden himself between the blankets on the bed!

Honestly I Just Went In For Some White Floss

Well, ready or not, Christmas is coming.  I did the last of my shopping today for both gifts and food.  Boy what a full day it was!  I was up and running for about 10 hours today!  Now mind you there was a trip to the Chiropractor and the gym in there, a nice sit down lunch, and I counted in the time I spent making a huge double batch of chili for my family's annual Christmas Eve dinner.

Though I've been off of work this week, its been far from lazy stitchy days for this girl!  I vowed to spend these next two weeks taking care of myself.  I've been eating properly, and making the best choices the 3 times I've eaten out this week.  I have exercised every day even if I didn't want too.  All to try and keep away the extra couple of pounds we all put on at this time of year.  Let's just say I 'm trying to darnedest to break even this season.

I even finally put my tree up (yesterday)!  I'm very pleased with how all came together this year!  I also did everything all by myself, no getting Todd to move furniture (did that myself) or getting everything up from the basement.  As usual though I did have help of the 4-footed variety.

I have found time to stitch here and there.  I've actually been working on two projects this week.

Art Deco Spirits has of course been my main focus, I don't think I'll be able to finish this block as I had hoped this month.  For some reason the focus/drive isn't there for this project.  I don't know if its because I'm either stitching in white, or some shade of grey, or it could be the lack of complexity.  I always seem happiest when I'm working on something HARD!

The Accolade before I picked it back up this week

The Accolade as of this blog entry

The other project that has been getting some of my attention is The Accolade, this one is a BAP for sure!  Its about 12 pages and I'm not even 1/2 way through the first page.  I've changed my plan of attack on this piece, I've been focusing on grids of 10x10 stitches and its working really well.  I've been sitting down and getting my 10x10 section done before picking Art Deco Spirits up for the day/evening.

So the white floss thing, what's that all about you're wondering?  Well as part of today's gallivanting about the city Christin and I stopped in to check out the brand new Michale's in our end of town!  Yes I got my floss, but then I saw all this Christmas ribbon, braids and trims already marked down 60%.  We hadn't gone into the store with a hand basket but I made Christin go find one!  Boy did I load up!  Then I got a great surprise at the cash... an additional 20% off my entire purchase!  So these wonderful goodies were essentially 80% off!  What a bargain!  I'll have lots to choose from when onramentifying next year!  I now realize one of my spools of ribbon is missing in the above picture, it has cute Christmas Trees on it!

Oh yes, on the weekend, Hunter (of course) was being super cute!  We found him curled up between a quit and the comforter on the bed.  Poor guy must of been cold!

The Last of the Ornaments

This morning I woke up, and before even having breakfast I got down to finishing the last of my ornaments.  This last batch just needed cord to be attached.

Prarie Schooler Freebie for 2010

Freebie

R&P Joy

Freebie

Freebie

For some reason today I found it hard to settle down and stitch.  It took me until about 8PM where I was able to finally sit and focus on Art Deco Spirits.  The up side, I'm done stitching with all the white floss on this block!  I sware that's why I couldn't get focused on this block, all that white!

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.

December Stitching Goals

Gosh we're almost two weeks into December and I still haven't shared my stitching goals with you for the month!

November Goal Review

Stitch Blogiversary Gift - Done

JBW Stockings (as ornaments) - All 6 Done!
Work on Art Deco Spirits  - Yes a little

December Goal Review

Finish Air on Art Deco Spirits
Stitch One Ornament
Work on The Accolade

It finally took me until this evening to settle down and work on Art Deco Spirits for the first time this weekend.  For some reason I've just been too distracted to stitch the last few days.

Creeping Home behind two snowploughs

This morning we had our annual Taekwon-Do Christmas Breakfast, its a fun event we had 113 in attendance today.  Despite the bad weather I think everyone made it in safely!  I of course was armed with my camera.  Here's some shots from the morning.

Me with Senior Master Lu and his wife Mrs Seeley, I started TKD under these wonderful instructors!

My head instructor Sabum Marin singing Christmas Songs with the children

Santa came to visit with gifts for the boys and girls

Me and my good classmate Paige

All the Black Belts left in attendance at the end of the breakfast (some left early due to bad road conditions)

The roads were not great, and I cancelled some afternoon plans after going out this morning as we've been plagued with freezing rain!  It makes the roads dangerous, but its so pretty!!!

Ice encrusted trees

One of the "dead weeds" on my property sure makes for a pretty picture!



And The Stockings Were Hung With Care

Wow, Christmas is coming much sooner than I'm ready.  Well at least ready for Christmas, on the other hand I'm ready to be on holidays!  Which I start at 3:30 PM on Friday!  I soooo can't wait!  I've got nothing too big or too exciting going on for my holidays so I'm hoping to get in a lot of stitching.  Of course lately I'm finding it a challenge to settle down and stitch, I hope its not a problem when I'm off!

Today I buckled down and did the last of the finishing on my JBW stockings, I plan on giving them to their new owners on Friday and I've got a busy week ahead.  So I had to get cord made and sewn to each of them today!

They're each filled with crushed walnut shells that give them a nice weight.

Off to work on Art Deco Spirits!