*Sigh*

I confess to be out of words as I just completed my 8-page mid-term - my brain and fingers are exhausted. My other assignments this week were 9 discussion boards, two mid-term exams, a paper on Iago (Othello) and well, I am grateful this week is over! Only four more weeks to go in this sub-term. The Olympics have been great background noise as I type away. Go USA Go!

I am so sad at the state of my blogging these days, but there has not been time to stitch and thus, nothing to show. I have been visiting your blogs but not much commenting from me and I am sorry for that. I also owe quite a few people (Deb and Melissa and Elke) reply emails. I am most grateful for all of you who are still checking in and for leaving comments - you all are the BEST!

Ha, I just remembered I do have something to show - I borrowed the picture from Deb - a FINISH. This is my sweet little La D Da piece that Deb so wonderfully finished and stuffed with crushed walnuts. I can't wait for this to arrive in the mail - she does amazing work. Speaking of which, Lois your ornament is gorgeous!

Well, as PP would say, 'That's All Folks'!

Happy Stitching,

Cari

A Winter Wonderland

More snow, lots more snow. They threatened 24-36" on top of the 15" we received last weekend. I think we wound up with 8-10". The good news is that all the snow resulted in a 3-day weekend - whoohoo! Saturday my phone must have rang 5-6 times before noon, a sledding party was in the making. So with a little maneuvering, I made it out the door. Thankfully the main roads were clear... Our Street

The best place for sledding is 2-3 miles away at a now defunct golf course. It's a beautiful piece of property and has lots of great hills.
There were about 15 families from our church that met and we had an amazing time. Adults and kids were sledding off ramps and going airborne. There were a couple of college kids that crashed our party and provided us with quite a show. The snowboarder below and another guy on skis. The guy on skis would go down the hill off this ramp and do a back flip - it was amazing to watch. I tried to get him on camera but it all happened to quickly. A few brave sledders took the ramp as well.

A couple of my girlfriends trying out an old-fashioned toboggan - this thing flew but was heavy to carry back up the hill. The snow tubes seemed to be the most fun but there was no steering these babies - so everyone knew to watch out when they were barreling down the hill. There's another ramp the kids built off to the right and the inner tube would just sail over it - this particular hill and ramp was also the scene for many wipe outs, collisions, and sled overs (sleds toppling people and then riding over top of them.)

I couldn't resist showing this last picture. This is my friend's youngest daughter, she is 2 1/2 and just the cutest little thing.

I didn't join in the fun for the sake of my knee - I thought I could sled, but I knew my knee was not strong enough to get me back up the hill. I just hung out and socialized with friends and watched all the sledding. More snow is predicted for Wednesday and another storm next weekend - maybe by then I will be able to do some sledding myself.

I'll share some stitching in my next post. Thanks for stopping by to visit me, I just love all the comments.

Enjoy your Sunday and happy stitching!

Cari

My Latest Projects

Here's a picture of Elizabeth Savilles not much change from the last picture. I hope to make some progress on her this week.

The missing fiber finally arrived....
My other big project these days involves these...The other five books are in my desk at my office - for those that are counting, that is ELEVEN books. Three of my classes are only 8 weeks long and the other three are the full 16 weeks. Doesn't leave much time for stitching, or sleeping, or eating.


Well, Virginia was hit with a second snow storm this weekend. It began Friday evening and it snowed thru Saturday, totally 15+ inches. I woke up on Saturday and went out on the porch to survey the vast amount of white stuff and found this cute little trail of footprints spanning the length of our porch


Here's a view off our deck Saturday morning. The snow was so deep, I could only open the door a small fraction.

As if the snow was not enough excitement, I walked out of the kitchen and there were these cool blue lights in the sky. I open the door and this blue 'light' was racing up and down the power lines - it was quite spectacular. Then the lines started shooting sparks, then flames raced down the line and all went black. Yep, it was 16 degrees here and we lost power, 5.5 hours later it was restored. What to do in the dark - then I saw the little blue power light on my laptop and realized it was charged. So, I pulled out all my charts, yep, ALL of them. I created an Excel spreadsheet with a list of all my cross stitch charts, magazines fibers, fabric, . beads, etc. I also made a list of fabrics & fibers I need to kit up a few wonderful charts I found in my stash. I feel so organized.

This picture just doesn't do the light show justice - but you get the idea.

Lastly, I finished my January ornament just in the nick of time. I actually did two of the same. The first is stitched using one thread and the second using two threads.

PS Winter
2006 Christmas Ornaments Magazine

Well, since we are all snowed in and my homework is complete, I am going to spend my afternoon stitching.

Have a great week!


Cari

Listened to these past two weeks: Visions in White by Nora Roberts, A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, Three books by Geronimo Stilton (don't laugh they were cute), The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck, The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
Currently listening to: Illusions by Jill Gregory
Recent movies: Avatar, 11:14, The Survivors, I Capture the Castle, You Can't Take It With You

Update on Liz

I've been spending my evenings with Liz and enjoying every stitch. I am still missing one skein - which I ordered and was told that it was in the mail ELEVEN days ago. Now, I know the mail is slow but really 11 days? I have emailed asking for confirmation that it was mailed and 3 emails later, no reply from the store owner - very frustrating! Back to Liz, she is a beautiful sampler and I do understand why some people have been frustrated with her. The chart is very interesting and I would love to understand why there are so many missing pieces. Nonetheless, I prefer symmetry and am fixing the errors as I find them. I am on Page 6 of 12 - it's a fast stitch (especially when you are missing a fiber, but I digress). Forgive the wrinkles - I just didn't want to climb the stairs to the iron.

Smokie and Liz

Elizabeth Savilles
Fingerworks
Vintage Light Examplar
OWS Thread

Speaking of stairs, I had a great report from the doc. My knee is healing wonderfully. The x-rays show just a small space between the bones so I'm not 100%. I begin physical therapy on Monday - 2-3 days a week for SIX weeks. I have started exercising my knee and when I'm at home, I take the brace off. The thought of not having my brace to protect my knee in case it gives out is a bit scary - a thought I shared with my friends. One of which showed up that night with a 'gift' - a cane. Not a cool looking cane but an ugly, old lady industrial silver cane w/a black rubber handle - gotta love of my friends.

It's going to be a quiet weekend - I took 3 tests today and completed a discussion board assignment. I have three additional classes that begin on Monday. So my schedule will really be busy beginning next week. I'm going to spend some more time with Liz and begin my 1st ornament for 2010 and doing some cooking.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of stitching time.

Cari

Listened to this week: Second Chapter by Neil Simon and Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund
Currently Listening to: Vision in White by Nora Roberts
Currently Reading: Second Sight by Amanda Quick

A Finish and Introducing Ms. Savilles

Be Ye To Others is complete! I just love this piece and all the specialty stitches really made this a joy to stitch. If you decided to stitch this, take note that there are a couple of discrepancies between the colors in the picture and the colors charted.

Be Ye To Others
Hillside Samplings
Norway Cream & mixture of DMC & Silk

I struggled with what to start next and made a few false starts before choosing Elizabeth Savilles – this is another lovely sampler. It calls for OWS threads and they are wonderful to stitch with. I am missing one color which Theresa graciously mailed to me this week (thanks T) – I am hoping it will arrive Monday.

Elizabeth Savilles
Finger Work
Vintage Light Examplar
Recommended Threads

The leg brace and I are still one – I return to the doc on Wednesday and am praying that the x-rays will show that my knee has healed and I can begin physical therapy and become more mobile. Let me tell you, five weeks of sitting on my tush is a long time, which can clearly be seen by it’s expansion!

Three of my classes begin on Monday and then additional classes will begin the following Monday – it is going to be a busy semester for me. But, it will all be worth it when I receive my diploma in May.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend is full of stitching.

Cari

Listened to this year: Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn; Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd;
Currently listening to: Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund
Currently reading: Second Sight by Amanda Quick
Movies I have seen this year: Blind Side; Sherlock Homes

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

God bless you,

Cari

I'm Free!

(no, not from jail!) No more work or homework! I am on vacation for 10 whole days AND I completed my 5^th and final class of the semester yesterday, hooray!

My last assignment was a 5,000 word paper, due at midnight on Friday (I turned it in at 11:23 p.m.). So I sat at in front of my computer all Thursday evening and all yesterday, except for a quick break to meet friends for lunch. Around 4:30 I looked up from my computer screen to see the sky and the ground awash in white – what a beautiful sight it was. This morning this is what my neighborhood looks like…

It is a rare thing for us to get this much snow in Virginia and even rarer that it sticks for any length of time. It’s perfect for sledding and we have some awesome hills nearby. I got so excited at the thought that I called a friend and tried to make a sledding date until she quickly reminded me that – DUH, I have a fractured knee – in my frenzy over all the snow, I completely forgot (it’s ok, you can laugh at me – she did).

Here is my progress on my current A&E

Be Ye To Others

Hillside Samplings

40ct Norden Cream

Mixture of DMC & Silks

Awhile ago, someone had asked me to share some more photos of my old house. My living room ‘looked’ so clean this morning that I thought I would snap a few pics.

The two dog pictures are actually paint-by-number that my mother painted as a child. And the little arm peaking up from behind the couch is my stitching lamp.

I can't thank each of you enough for all the wonderful well wishes ~ only 4 more weeks in this brace but, it affords me lots of stitching time.

Enjoy your weekend!

Cari