Updates from a neglectful blogger!

Well, its been a month since my last post.  I have no excuse other than that life keeps getting in my way of pursuing what I enjoy.  Ah well, I suppose that is simply how it works.

I recently went to a seminar for a direct selling company that I am part of.  I have been feeling rather down on this sales approach - I don't like to be sold to and so I find that I have difficulty trying to sell to others.  However, I do love the product and I really do believe in what I'm selling.  I went to the seminar hoping to find a refreshed sense of enjoyment.  I attended last year and found that I was inspired, but this year all I kept thinking was "Wow!  This is all sounding so sales-y!"  I did arrive home with lots of goodies and information on a new addition to the product line that will debut in March.  So, I am still up in the air about selling.

I drove 85 miles to and from this seminar.  I brought along an audiobook to listen to while I drove to and fro.  The best thing is that I snapped a picture of my ride home.

It was such a pretty sunset.  I encountered a TON of rain (not a nice mist, but a full-on torrential rain) both on the way there and on the way home, but by the time I had driven almost home I got to enjoy this view.  I know, I shouldn't have grabbed my phone and snapped a picture while driving, but I didn't want to miss it!

On the stitching front, I've set aside my Hydrangea Wreath project.  I did 2 little projects in the past couple of weeks.  I started and finished this little one with my desk at work in mind.

However, while I was stitching this at lunch one day, a co-worker saw it and said "Oh, You have to stitch me one, too!"  So, I've decided that I'll frame this one and present it to her to post in her cubicle.

I also finished this one...

 And it's all mine!  I loved this one and it went so quickly.  I started it on SuperBowl Sunday (I have no interest in football, so I always do other things while my husband watches games) and I finished it about two weeks later.  I'm still looking for the perfect frame for it, but I'll post a finished picture when I find it.  I really liked the wavy frame surrounded the picture and my favorite thing to stitch was the little butterflies and bee "motions".  The back-stitching on these elements give it such a feeling of movement and I'd like to stitch more projects that include this element.

Valentine's day just past by, and while I received the prettiest bunch of flowers (I don't like the traditional roses), the best gift of flowers I received arrived at the beginning of February.  My husband arrived at my work with a small packet of flowers for me - just because.  It was such a nice moment!  I came home and put them in the vase I have.  The next morning I came into the kitchen to find my cat, Princess, sitting on the kitchen counter admiring them.

In my house, cats are NOT welcome to sit on the kitchen counters, let alone on my cutting board, but I had to take a picture to share.  These flowers were so pretty, smelled really nice and lasted until Valentine's day.  I was amazed at their staying power.  I've never had any flowers that lasted almost two weeks.

So that's what I've been up to in between working every day.  I find that I am dreaming of vacation.  We have a mini-vacaton planned for July, but I want to schedule another vacation before then.  I am torn between going to Seattle, to visit my husband's mom, and going somewhere a little more tropical.  I've never been to Hawaii and after a conversation with my husband's boss, I got a commitment from husband that he'd agree to get on a plane and go there.  I don't know if we could afford to go without digging into our savings account to finance it, but it's definitely on my mind!

First Finish of 2012!

Well I haven't got any progress to show on my Hydrangea Wreath.  I haven't added a stitch in the past week, but I've finished and photographed the cosmetic case that I was stitching as a cover for my Kindle.  I love it!  It was more difficult than I anticipated, but I am quite pleased with my handiwork.  I can definitely see where I could have done better, but it turned out pretty good for a first attempt at needlepoint.  I'll certainly try this again.  In fact, I think I have another needlepoint project somewhere around my house that also uses DMC floss and not yarn.  I don't really like the feel of yarn between my fingers, but I am perfectly comfortable with floss.

One the television front, I've been watching a lot of "Bones" on Netflix.  Other than the fairly real-looking decomposing bodies (say it with me - eeew!), it's a great show.  My hubby and I have watched it before, but we both enjoy re-visiting shows that we enjoy.  Not that they'll give me a discount for plugging them, but I love the commercial-free viewing of shows on Netflix.  It allows me to watch shows that I can't possibly stay up late enough to watch while they are on regular television.

This last week, I also watched a series called Kingdom.  It starred Stephen Fry and was a really short-run but very enjoyable series from BBC, I think.  In it, Fry is a lawyer and each show centered on a legal case or two and each one was settled with a healthy dose of good will towards one's fellow man.  It reminded me of a cross between "Murder, She Wrote" and "Matlock" in a beautiful looking village.  I really like Stephen Fry.  He's quite an enjoyable person to watch and listen to!  Unfortunately, I finished the 18 episodes available on Netflix and now need to find another show to watch.  I'm leaning towards "How It's Made".  It's fast paced, shows the making of some household-y thing or another, and still gives me some tidbit of knowledge that I don't need, but will certainly fascinate me and will possibly come in use at some point in the future, even if just for trivia games!  Plus it has an available 100 episodes and I certainly like the longer-run shows so I don't have to keep searching for something new to watch all the time.  I know it seems like I watch a lot of tv, but really I don't watch that much.  During the winter months, I watch more because it's so darn cold that I only want to sit under a blanket and stay warm!  Once summer rolls around, I am lucky to watch 1 show a day!

Starting today, I am again working on my Hydrangea Wreath.  I needed a break and the cosmetic cover provided that break quite nicely!  I also plan on beginning the Monopoly Game Board this weekend.  I had to find a way to stretch this 28 inch square piece of material.  I found scroll bars in a 30 inch length and they should arrive via Fedex tomorrow afternoon.  I wanted something light-weight enough to hold, but I still needed to keep the tension and I HATE hoops.  They leave the worst wrinkles on fabric and no matter how hard I try, they always distort the finished portions as I move the the hoop around.  I only ever use scroll bars now.  Anyway, I'll post pictures of that project as it progresses, too.

Time is slipping away...

I can't believe it.  Christmas Eve is only 10 days away.  I haven't spent any time on my favorite things besides the cross stitch project for my niece.  I've even been taking it with me to work so I can work on it during lunch.  I think I'll finish, but it'll be close.  I keep feeling like I really should have started it sooner.

When I'm finished, I'll be able to go back to a slower pace.  I already have 6 projects lined up for next year.  I really hope that I can finish them all during the next year.  I plan on starting (and hopefully finishing) the following projects:

This one, above, is for my mom.  Not only does she love cats, but when she goes out she gets a similar attitude upon returning home!

These two, above and below, are for me!  I love the one below as it involves no half stitches nor any back stitch.  Plus, I love the colors!

Who wouldn't have a great time playing Monopoly on this?

Just another pretty picture of flowers that would be great in my guest room!

This last one is for my Mother-In-Law.  She loves San Francisco and when I saw it, I just knew she'd love it!