Holidays

I hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday season, I know that I am. Christmas break has started and has allowed me to catch up with some pics and exchanges. I sent an exchange to Heidi from my ILCS group. I have a few pics of what I sent. I sent a prairie schooler santa, a large piece of 36 count linen, and a dmc light effects floss, and a pair of Christmas socks.

I received my exchange today from Wanda in Canada. She sent me a Jeanette Douglas biscornu pattern, a pair of doctor scholls socks, and a lovely card. Thank you Wanda!

Today, I mailed out the bookmark that I made for my daughter, Brianna. Boy did this bookmark become a chore. I had the bright idea that I would use all metallic threads on it, wow was that a toughie. It was the first time working with the metallics and I am not sure I want to work with them again! My daughter's middle name is Starleen, just like mine, and she wanted some stars on her bookmark. I made two cross stitch stars and then I added buttons. I liked the effect and I think that it turned out pretty good and I hope that she likes it.

I have received my Christmas present from my husband and I am LOVING IT! He bought me a Kindle! I have downloaded about two dozen free books. I finished one mystery, entitled, "Invisible" that was really good. It is a modern book, just one in their book specials. I am now reading "Initals Only" by Anna Katharine Green. Ms. Green was a precursor to Agatha Christie and was Dame Agatha's inspiration in writing. I am about half way through the book and it is really very good. It may have been written in 1912 but it is a classic mystery. What a great movie it would make.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday and a great new year. By the way, when I reach 50 followers, I will do another giveaway. Merry Christmas everyone!

And the winner is .... Gretchen!

Mr. Aiden pulled a name out of a pail and the winner of the giveaway is GRETCHEN! Congratulations Gretchen. Please email me at angelparker63@aol.com with your address so that I can send your prize out. Thank you to everyone that participated. This was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again when I reach 50 followers.

Giveaway reminder and an update.

I will be conducting the giveaway for the Christmas stocking on November 17. Everyone that is a follower will be entered. If you are reading this and not a follower, come join in on the fun. There is also a giveaway going on at http://http//shelleysartsyfartsylife.blogspot.com.

I did get "Joyful and caring" back from the framers. It turned out beautiful. It is now hanging in the family room next to "strong and beautiful." I need to get "gentle and kind" finished and take it to the framers too.

I have started "Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow". I have not gotten much done. Between work and Mr. Aiden, I am lucky to have two hours a week to stitch.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and leave such nice comments. It is very much appreciated.

Giveaway

It has been a month since I posted and I apologize. I have been very, very busy with work. I have been able to get a little bit of stitching in though. I have finished a good portion of Aiden's birth sampler. Now I need to add the bit at the bottom with his name and birthdate plus a little backstitching.

I ordered CHS's Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow and have started it. I will post a pic when I have a little bit more done. This will be a long term project. I am still working on "gentle and kind" by LHN and making bookmarks for my daughters, with Brianna receiving the first.

My little monkey, better known as Aiden, had his first "boy" haircut yesterday. I have a few before and after pics. This was a very traumatic event for grandma. Aiden doesn't look like a baby anymore, now he looks like he is going to be 3 in January. Aiden looks very serious in the pic!

I see that I have 17 followers now! Thank you! I appreciate you reading my blog and leaving comments. I am going to have a giveaway for my followers. If you are a follower or become a follower, I am going to enter your name on a drawing for a cross stitch Christmas stocking. It is a lovely kit. I will have Aiden pull out a name on November 17. That will allow me to mail the stocking to the winner and they may be able to work on it for this Christmas. Good luck to all of you.

Fall is here

I have been reading other people's blogs and enjoying their stitching pieces that represent fall. I love fall but fall in Florida is not like the fall's I experienced in Kentucky. I can remember driving to Fallsburg Elementary in October and passing some of the most beautifully colored trees. One was the most vivid scarlet and the other was gold. They were so gorgeous and after a rain their bark was almost black and a beautiful contrast for the bright colors. I don't have those gorgeous colors here in the Tampa area but you can still tell that it is fall. I got up this morning and it was actually 59 degrees! That little bit of a nip in the air put a spring in my step. I have been enjoying the migrating birds too. We have had a lot of small warblers visiting in our yard for the past few days.

I haven't had a chance to post a pic of my bookmark from Evalina in the Yukon. She had my name for the ILCS bookmark exchange.Evalina sent a beautiful card that she had made, the bookmark, and several packets of tea.Evalina has a really interesting blog that you should check out. She has already had snow and has some pics up.

I haven't had a lot of time to stitch but I have made a little progress on LHN's Little Women of Virtue, "Gentle and Kind." Saturday I pulled out Aiden's birth sampler and worked on it. I finished the giraffe! It really is a cute sampler and I think it will look nice when it is finished. I am suppose to pick up my framed, "Joyful and Caring" in a few weeks.

Thank you to everyone that has stopped by and taken a look and thank you to those of you that leave comments and those that have become followers. I really appreciate you taking the time to peruse my blog. Happy Stitching to everyone and enjoy your Fall.

A New Start, A New Finish, and Newly Framed

I ordered LHN's Women of Virtue, "Gentle and Kind" and have started it. I am going to label this one with my stepdaughter Jessica's name. She is a gentle and kind person and it is very fitting for her.

I finished LHN's Women of Virtue, "Joyful and Caring" and have labeled it with my daughter Brianna's name. I plan on taking it to the framer next week.

Speaking of the framer, I picked up my two framed pieces last week. They look fantastic. The nativity scene that I had made for Leanndra's birth year cleaned up so nicely. My LHN piece labeled with Leanndra's name looks very nice in its frame and I have it hanging in the family room. I am going to put Brianna's piece to the left of it, and Jessica's to the right.

I, also , wanted to upload a pic of the bookmark that I sent to Viv in England as part of a bookmark exchange in my ILCS group. I, also, sent her several packets of drink mix, a prairie schooler santa pattern , and a post card of KY. I sent the postcard because the bookmark was actually finished while I was visiting family in KY in August.

I appreciate all the comments that are left and I thank you for them. I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend. I know that I will. We are heading to the beach this evening for a few hours. Nothing like the beauty of the ocean. Happy Stitching, Angel

Current Wip and Mr. Aiden

I have a few pics of my current wip, which is "joyful and caring" from Little Women of Virtue from LHN. I am going to label this one with my daughter, Brianna's name. I hope to have it finished by this weekend. I am going to the framers to pick up two finished pieces and I would like to be able to give her this piece to frame. Then I will order the next one to work for my stepdaughter, Jessica. I also have some pics of mr. cool with his shades on. He is such a ham! Thanks for reading and I really appreciate your comments!

First Day of School Year no. 14.

Today was the first day of school for the students. It was hectic and chaotic but exciting. This is my 14th year of teaching and each year is still exciting. I see teaching not as a job or even a career, it is my vocation. I feel that some people are called to teach the same way that some people are called to preach. Being a teacher is just who and what I am. I took a couple pic of my class before the madness began!

End of summer and back to work.

I had a wonderful trip to Ky visiting with my family. Sometimes being so far away from them can be tough but of course, they are only a phone call away.

Tomorrow I go back to school and I am very excited about the new school year. I truly love being a teacher.

I have managed to get some stitching in while traveling. I finished my "red house in winter" ornie and my bookmark for the ILCS exchange. I won't publish a pic of my bookmark until my partner receives it. The "red house in winter" was my first time stitching on linen. I did make a few mistakes but I am pleased with it. I left off the border on the bottom of the ornament because I just felt like it didn't go with the ornie.

I started my next "little women of virtue" piece. It is the joyful and caring pic. I am going to label this one with my daughter, Brianna's name. My stitching time will be curtailed with my back to work routine but I will try to continue stitching in the evenings after Aiden is asleep. Thanks for reading my blog and all comments are appreciated. Happy Stitching!

A finish and Adventures with Aiden

I finished "Strong and Beautiful" last night! It is really much prettier than the picture. The colors are more vibrant. I started my first ornament for the LHN sal. I am doing the red house in winter first. I am going to have to go to the store and pick up a few dmc threads. I have most that I need for the ornaments but there are a few I don't have. I am doing the ornament on linen. Working with linen is a new experience. It seems to be going okay, but, I don't want to jinx myself!

My little Aiden has had a rough two days, mainly because he doesn't listen! He was outside with his papaw and stuck his hands in a fire ant hill! Even though papaw told him not to. Tim grabbed him quickly but he still got five or six bites on each hand. Today I took Aiden to the park and naturally he got very dirty and got me very dirty too. I brought him home and showered him. Set him on a rug and told him not to move because he was wet while I got a towel, and bam! He slipped on the tiles on the bathroom and busted his lip. My poor little monkey. I sure hope he learns to listen or mamaw is going to be completely gray in a few years!
Thanks again to those of you that leave comments and those of you that are followers. Happy Stitching to all!

The fishing pole.

Tim bought Aiden a toy story fishing pole this evening and it has a rubber fish on the end of it, so that you can practice casting. Aiden has played and played with it. He loves it! His favorite thing is having me cast and laughing when I hit things all over the living room and get it stuck.
I posted a couple of pics of my wip, "Strong and Beautiful." It has been so easy to stitch, I love it! I am really enjoying working on it.
Tomorrow, I am headed to Anna Maria Island for three nights on the beach. Can't wait. I hope the weather cooperates and we have beautiful sunsets. Aiden can't wait to get there to dig in the sand. Thanks again for all the lovely comments. Happy stitching all!

LHN

I have fallen in love with Little House Needleworks. I ordered "Strong and Beautiful" from the women of virtue series. As soon as I saw this piece, I knew that I needed to put my youngest daughter's name on it. She is strong and beautiful. I would like to do the whole series and make one for my oldest daughter and stepdaughter, too. "Strong and Beautiful" is the first time that I have worked with silk thread. I didn't use linen for my piece. I ordered antique white linen aida 14 count. I think that it suits the piece. I got the kit in the mail on Saturday and I am at least a fourth of the way done. I will take a pic and post soon. My Little House mania has caused me to go off the deepend and order the current 8 monthly ornaments and join a SAL to stitch these. The patterns should be here by the end of the week. Then I may get some linen for these. I have stitched for years on aida, so we will see how the linen work goes. I have also signed up for a bookmark exchange on my ILCS group. That should be a lot of fun. I think exchanging items with cross stitchers around the country and around the globe will be exciting. Happy Stitching everyone and thank you for the comments that you leave. I really appreciate them!

Summer

I have really been enjoying my summer. We have been doing a lot of traveling and are getting ready to spend three nights on Anna Maria Island, Fl next week. I have been getting some stitching done and am updating my two wip's with new pics.
Yesterday my stepdaughter surprised me with a beautiful card and three pink long stem roses. She said it was a thank you for all that I do for her! She is a great kid, excuse me, she is 18 now, so I meant to say young lady!

Needlework Shop

I have lived in the Tampa area for six years and I have never been able to find a local needlework shop. I was searching the net looking for one that would be close by and I found one in Lakeland, which is about twenty minutes away from me! I was so excited. I called the shop, Carolyn's Frame Up, and headed to Lakeland. I just returned and I had a marvelous visit with Carolyn. She used to be a teacher, so we talked school and stitching. I took in my "Leanndra" piece and I am having her frame it for me. I will be picking it up in a few weeks and I will definitely be putting up a new pic of it! I am still so excited that I am practically bouncing in my chair!

Key Largo

We have been enjoying ourselves in Key Largo. Tim and Chris have spent a lot of time fishing while Aiden and I have been hanging at the condo enjoying the pool and other amenities. Yesterday morning, Aiden and I saw a mom and baby manatee at the dock. Even though I have seen lots of them at the Manatee Viewing Center at Apollo Beach, I still thought this was pretty cool.
Today we spent the morning at John Pennekamp state park. Aiden had a great time playing on the slides and throwing sand around in the sandbox.
We have ate out quite a bit and had some really great food. Tim had some seafood pasta in a scampi sauce last night that was to die for.
Tomorrow is our last day here. On Saturday, we head back home. The Keys are so enjoyable that I always hate to leave.

Ready for vacation.

The bags are packed and the car is partially loaded. We are headed to Key Largo tomorrow for our family vacation. We are staying at a new place this time and I hope it is as nice as the last.Our condo is on the Gulf side of the key.
Yesterday was the ILCS virtual stitch in. I managed to get three stitches in before Aiden woke from his nap! That was my total accomplishment for the stitch in. I did manage to stitch for an hour today. I am working on Monticello. I would like to get it finished before school starts. I have decided that I am doing a red, white, and blue theme for my class decor and that we will study our first six presidents this school year. I have materials I have collected from my anniversary trip to use in my classroom. One is called "Travelling T.J." "Travelling T. J." is a paper cutout of Thomas Jefferson and you take pictures of him going on field trips with your class and at your school and post them to the website for Monticello. One of the guides I met at Monticello was a retired school teacher and she gave me enough T.J.'s for each of my students. I am looking forward to starting this project with my class. I'll post pics of T.J.'s travels here on my blog when school starts.

Land of Sunshine?

Our weather has not been great the last few days. There have been thunderstorms in the evenings. My land of sunshine has become "the land of gloom." I hope the weather clears up before we leave for Key Largo on Monday.

More pics

I have added some pics. These are just a few of the things that I have created through the years. I wish I had pictures of all of the items but, those were the days before digital cameras!

I am trying to learn all of the blogging ins and outs and hope to have some pics of my needlework, travels, and family on soon.