Giving Wordpress a try

I'm trying a new blog site: http://nkuelbs.wordpress.com/

I've been able to import all my posts and comments from here to there, just have to figure out the picture posting thing, and the blogroll. So, come visit me there, leave a comment if you wish, and spend some time stitching with me.

It's been awhile!

I must be one of the most inconsistent blogger around! Yes, Jill, you are right, I need to post at least weekly! I love reading everyone's blogs, and am constantly finding new ones to bookmark.

It's the middle of March already - where did that time go? My current stitching projects are quite numerous:

Finishing up a Quaker RR (one more mailing round to go)
Just mailed out the first round of an Ornament RR
Will be mailing my new DT RR out tomorrow

There are several exchanges on the horizon. I love sending packages out and receiving them! It's great to see what others stitch and how they interpret the given theme. I keep all my exchanges in areas around my stitching spot, serving as a wonderful visual symbol of my love for this needleart. Now, if I could just get some of my finished pieces framed!

Here is a picture of my part in my DT RR (not complete, I still have a house to finish and an owl to add):

I am so looking forward to my Quaker RR coming home - one more stitcher and it will be mine to treasure. I chose a monochromatic theme using Vikki Clayton's Wenge. No pictures to share at this time, I'll make sure to post one when it makes it back to me. I think my next Quaker will be either red or green - there's always room for more Quakers!

I got the chance to meet with some special stitching friends yesterday, and to meet Dani from Ottawa (http://tkdchick.blogspot.com/) who has been down visiting these southwestern states! Our international community amazes me. What a blessing the internet has been bringing us in touch with so many wonderful people!

My next post will show all my recent exchanges I've received and sent, as I've been very remiss in acknowledging these in picture.

A break in the routine

I realized it's been way too long since I posted, so I am here to remedy that!

This week is a school break for my kids, and as a result it's one for me, too, as I work for the school district. I'm looking forward to getting things done this time around, as dh is also off. There are plenty of projects needing attention, and this week will hopefully see the successful stripping and prepping for stain a cedar chest my neighbor passed on to me. Dh also picked up 12 bare root rose bushes, and we plan to set them in our side bank for color - roses are the one plant that I find hard to kill as gardener I am not LOL! I hope to get at least one sewing project started and completed, and have two exchanges to that will be mailed this week, one of which I am working on the stitching, the other waiting just for finishing. Pictures to follow on those, once mailed and received.

Here is a picture of a recent exchange I sent, it was for a Needlework Smalls exchange. It is a free design from Needle Maid Designs, and I finished it into a needlebook using a previous exchange I received as inspiration (thank you Linda N!):
This is the exchange I received, a most lovely pinkeep from Su - we had each other's names for this exchange! She stitched PS carnations - and I love them! Notice the chocolate in the foreground, a most important stitching accessory!
I lead the Quaker Quarterly exchange on the Legacy Embroiderers Guild, and we are completely our 12th exchange (I've only lead since the 10th exchange, but have participated since the beginning). This is the exchange I sent to my partner - it is the CHS ornament in the 2006 JCS ornament issue, and I finished it into a pendibule. Our theme was 'New' to celebrate the new year, and this finish was a new one for me. I also used the new DMC variegated floss for this, which was a first time also. I thought I had a picture of the Quaker I received waiting to go, but it is still in my camera, so I will add that tonight! Carolyn sent me the most wonderful Quaker pinkeep, and I want to share it. Check back later!
And I wanted to share the stitchery that began this cross stitch passion for me. It was stitched for dh and I for our wedding by my sil, and it inspired me to try cross stitch, from which I've never looked back!
Well, light is failing, and I must get my walk in before the sun is completely gone. I'll be back with more pictures!

I would like more hours in my day, please!

It seems like each day ends quicker than the day before, and I just can't get done what I want to finish! For the first 15 years of my oldest daughters life, I was a stay at home mom, and I ventured into the work force in fall of 2004 at our local elementary school as a yard duty. It was perfect, as I was always off work when my kids were off school, and it wasn't a large number of hours. Since that time, I've been searching for my true calling in life (yard dog it is not!), and believe I've found it in the form of personal fitness training. But in the process of getting that off the ground, I've still been working through the school district, elevating my status to lunch lady! All this is great, but I haven't been able to figure out how to incorporate stitching into any of these activities LOL! My dream is probably one shared by many stitchers, to have my own needlework shop, but I know the hours for that are long, and it's not all rosy as it seems in my imagination. So, I'll keep on with the kids, and hopefully get to help others attain their fitness goals - hopefully mom's like myself, faced with ever decreasing personal time to take some time for themselves.

We have a new kitten in the house - actually he joined our family last August. He is the cutest thing, named Earl Grey (we are a family of tea drinkers). He has some quirks, though! He's finicky about the state of his litter box, preferring several very soft and well loved items of my kids to use as his elimination box (luckily only the liquid kind, no solids thank you!). He is fascinated by bubbles in the sink, constantly hopping up on the counter (where cats are not allowed in my house), and he LOVES toilet paper (maybe that is tied to the first item LOL). We are constantly finding shredded rolls around the house, or on the paper holder in the bathrooms. He's a lap cat, happy to find a warm lap to curl up on, and he's very quick to get comfortable. He has tried to grab at the back of my stitching, but is quickly learning that is a no-no. He is helping in the fitness regime of our other two cats, ages 11 and 8, both fairly solid creatures. They have rediscovered the playful sides of their personalities with the help of Earl. He also loves to try to trap anything coming out of the printer, reaching up far into the workings of the paper tray. Meet Earl:

This is my Ming, age 8. Not your typical Siamese, she has no voice (I think someone probably had them cut, we got her as a stray from the Humane Society), she's got a stubby tail, very round body, despite any diet we put her on. But very lovable. She has adopted my middle daughter as her sleeping buddy.

And finally, Desi, age 11. Very vocal, especially when the food bowl is empty, or in the middle of the night when he can't find anyone in the family room, and he starts calling to them! He sleeps in the middle of my chest, even though he really is my daughter's cat.

I want to share my next (hopeful) quilting project. Right after finish painting my middle daughter's bedroom a lovely shade of lavendar (mind you, this took over two years to accomplish, as we started right before our remodel, and then didn't finish it up until this summer), she decided she loves the colors of blue and green, and mom, could we please paint my room those colors? She will need to wait at least until this summer, but in the meantime, I've decided to sew up a few things in these colors. I made the pillow case, and the remaining fabric will go for a quilt. I even have the pattern in mind, something easy and quick. Here are the fabrics:

Well, I'm off for a quick walk before work. Thanks for sharing a little bit of my day!

First finish for 2007

I'm happy to report my first finish for 2007:

1989 Prairie Schooler Annual Santa

I have four different catagories that this finish falls into: first finish of 2007, first UFO finish for the year, a Prairie Schooler Santa finish, and an ornament finish. The last two are two groups I've joined along with for this year. I hope to stitch all of the PS Annual Santa's this year, and hope to stitch at least one ornament a month. Now to finish it into a display item - I'm think either a cube-it or framing it. I think I'll celebrate by starting my Quaker exchange!

Stitching goals 2007

I'm keeping my goals simple this year:

1. Stitch through my basket of UFO's, to stitch as many as I can by year's end. I hope to take pictures of them all at this point, so I can see my progress at the end of 2007. I'll post those pictures here as I get them taken.
2. Stitch ornaments for my tree. I have so many ornaments marked off in the JCS Ornament issues, and I have ordered all three of my kid's names from M Designs. I want to stop wishing to have them stitched, and actually do them.
3. Find ways to display as many of my finished stitchings as possible - framing, cube-it's, banners, pinkeeps, stitching smalls, ornaments, and any other ways I can find.
4. Finish the two RR's I'm in, one is in the middle and one is just starting, and the one starting up helps to fulfill goal #2!

That's it - I like the fact that stitching ornaments helps to fulfill that start-itis that hits regularly, and I really like all of my UFO's, so having them finished and displayed will strengthen my sense of accomplishment and love I have for this art.

New Year's morning

The new year dawned bright, sunny and cool here. It's funny how it's really just another day, but it feels so full of possibilities. I would love to live each day that way. A fresh place to start, every morning, putting behind regrets from the day before. Knowing that I am the person I am at that very moment, someone to be proud of, and that I'm where I'm supposed to be. Take account of all my accomplishments, don't dwell on those things that have not been realized. This is how I would like to look at this year. There are many days where I'm looking forward to what the future will bring, overlooking what is happening in the now. God is working miracles each day, little ones, bit ones - I would love to recognize them.

I want to love my life as it is at this very moment. These are what I would like to promise to myself.