Updating My Goals

I have been back home for 10 days. I haven't stitched a thing. Not a thing! Nothing! Part of it is that I am feeling tired still, and I figure I would probably just make mistakes. The other part is that I didn't get to do any school planning for my two DD's in June. So the last few days, I have been planning and organizing our school stuff. In two more days we leave for our original trip home. So now I am in full packing mode.

However, today I did look over my current WIPs. I think I am going to be adjusting my 2009 goals as well.

2009 Goals- Modifidied May 2009

* 1. FINISHED! Leisure Arts Heirloom Nativity Angel
* 2. FINISHED! Leisure Arts Heirloom Nativity Shepherd #2
* 3. FINISHED! 1 page of Masquerade
* 4. FINISHED! Surprise miniblock #1
* 5. FINISHED! Surprise Miniblock #2
* 6. Leisure Arts Heirloom Nativity Wise Man#1
* 7. American Soldier Memorial
* 8. Eagle Sampler
* 9. Christmas present #1
* 10. Christmas present #2
* 11. Gift #1
* 12. Christmas present #3
* 13. L&L Angel of Spring 1 page

The surprise gift isn't going to happen now. I am disappointed about that one too. I am only planning on two Christmas gifts now. Plus I am reconsidering the L&L Angel of Spring. I am balking at stitching it over 1. I think I will need to get some new fabric for the whole set, and use my other fabric for something different. That will change my goals for the rest of the year.

I have reduced my WIP rotation to include four other projects besides my current unfinished goals.

1. Home of A Needleworker



2. Star Sampler, by Blackbird Designs using Cranberry Bog material by R & R Reproductions and ST Banker's Grey floss



3. Home Sweet Home on the Welcome Friends by Karen Hyslop, The Cross-Eyed Cricket, on 32- count Belfast linen in driftwood, and DMC floss 221 and 413.



4. Uncle SnowSam, by The Stitchworks. Sorry don't know the fabric count, using DMC blanc, 311, 321, 433, and 783.

Summary Sunday

This week, after we managed to get everyone healthy again, I got some stitching time in. I did a little bit of work on the patriotic flag pillow.


Here is my start with Angel of Spring.



Here is my American Soldier Memorial piece. I am very pleased with how it is turning out.



A close-up shot of the star on the ribbon. I decided to back-stitch the star to emphasize it a bit more.

Starting the Angel Of Spring

Well, my water proof marker pen arrived and I decided to get started on my Lavender & Lace pattern, the Angel of Spring. I don't remember when I got this pattern. I liked the angels so much, I got all four of them. Then it was mentioned that I should purchase the material for all at the same time, so they all look the same. Good idea, I thought.

The Angel of Spring is 270 x 230 stitches. It is supposed to be on 32 count over 2, which makes the finished project 16.8 inches wide by 14.4 inches tall. I didn't want a piece that big, so I decided to get a different thread count. Beyond that, I didn't pay much attention to it.

So I got the Twilight Blue fabric by Wichelt. This weekend, I decided it is time to grid the angel to get going on it. On Sunday after church, the kids were playing outside with friends, and Hubby was on the phone talking to the cell phone company about getting a new phone. I have my fabric calculator out, and am trying to figure out where to start gridding. "Let's see, it's 26 count fabric, with a stitch count of 270,,,,,", I am mumbling to myself as Hubby is on the phone. To make a long story even longer, apparently I bought 26 count, but the piece of fabric is only big enough to stitch over one!!!!!!

I am talking to my mom, and we are trying to figure out sizes, and I realize that I have to stitch the pattern over 1 to make it fit. "Well," my mom says, "I would just get a new piece of fabric and stitch over 2." But then the piece is huge! So alright, everyone,. here I go....I am going to stitch this pattern over 1. Yes, I am insane, I guess.

If you haven't checked out my homeschooling blog, then you probably don't know about our bird, Melemele. (It means yellow in Hawaiian.) He is a pretty shy bird, and it has taken him quite a while to warm up to us. But yesterday he came out of his cage and was walking around under our piano bench. He found a nice perch on our television cable.

On a personal note, I had to take both the girls in to see the doctor today. My younger one, BearLover, has pink eye. The older one, Miss TwinkleToes, got her ears pierced last month and one got infected. Turns out a piece of hair got twisted around the post and ended up getting infected. So now we have to take the earring out and get her on antibiotics. And she was only 2 weeks away from being able to take them out! I am going to put the earring in the hole a few times a day for the next few days to try to keep the hole open. Dr said that once it looks like the infection is going down, we can put the earring back in. Hopefully it doesn't close!