Good Week For Me

Hello everyone!

I am happy today!

As you may know, I have been losing weight since May of 2009. I started losing, not because I wanted to, really, but because my stomach started constantly hurting. In the summer of 2009 we discovered I had a flare up of IBS that just wasn't going away. Anyway, in October I started going to the YMCA because I figured as long as I was losing weight, I might as well try not to have lots of loose skin. My weight loss has continued. I can afford to lose a great deal of weight, so I am not really worried. I am keeping my doctor informed about the weight loss. Today when I weighed, my loss had reached 100 pounds! The last time I was this weight was when I was in college. I could stand to lose quite a bit more. I am not really trying, though when my stomach does allow me to eat, I eat sensibly.

On the stitching front, I finished the baby bib for my friend's grandchild due in April. The mom had an ultrasound this week and the baby finally revealed that it was a girl. Her first name is Isabella. No middle name has been decided. Tina, the Nana to be, tells me Isabella's parents will love it. I sure hope so! I am thinking about making a couple of other things for the baby, but have not really decided yet. Instead, I may stitch something for my own grandchildren.

I have also stitched on my IS 40:31 project quite a bit this week. I feel like I have made good progress on it. This is the first time I have worked on anything other than adia. It is nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be. You may be able to tell, but what this is so far is the right wing of the eagle and the eagle's body as well as a small part of the left wing. The eagle is flying with trees and mountains behind him. The phrase will be in front and underneath. Jack thinks it is very good looking. I had a couple of different patterns of this project. He liked this pattern the best.

I went to a class a little over a week ago as a refresher course to be an election judge in Illinois' upcoming February election. I received my assignment earlier this week as far as which polling place I will work. I have been a roaming election judge for years for my county. I do live in the city, but I am needed as a judge in the county. I don't expect our election to be anywhere close to as exciting as the Massachusettes election earlier this week. I will bring a stitching project, to give me something to do between voters. I must be at the polling place from 5:00 AM to about 8:00 PM. The polls will open at 6:00 and close at 7:00, but that gives us time to set up and tear town the polling place. I have worked elections that I couldn't even think of pulling out the stitching and then other elections when we went hours between voters. I suspect this one will allow me to stitch.

I am debating myself. Do I spend my election judge earnings: 1) on new clothes for me since I lost weight 2) stash away for Christmas 2010 gifts since Christmas is always tight or 3) buy something very necessary around the house? Any opinions?

This morning I scheduled the appointment for Rachel with the eye doctor who will direct us to where to get her prism glasses made. She sees this doctor in laste February. He will then get us the appointment with the prism doctor. If this prism works, she will no longer see double. We are hopeful.

I need to be sigbning off for now. Hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Stitching Accomplishment

I was able to get some things done in the past couple of days, stitching wise! I worked on the baby bib for my friend's son's baby. I was able to finish everything of it except a portion of the purple flower in the middle. The flower itself is in DMC 209 and DMC 211. It is then back stitched in DMC 208. I had plenty of 211. I also have enough 208 but I discovered that I am out of 209.

Jack and I went to 123 Stitch and ordered DMC 209. I am not sure how long it will take for them to get the thread to me, but from what I understand from everyone who has ordered online, from the time a customer orders to the time received is short. I also ordered the two threads I need to do IS 40:31.

I have been wanting to start IS 40:31 for awhile now, but I had wanted to get the hot pad for my son done. If you missed the finished picture of the winery hot pad, you can either go back one blog or go to: http://community.webshots.com/user/lynnalett if you wantedtake a peek.

Yesterday I did a lot with my stitching. Both by finishing the bib to the point I did and then figuring out what threads I had extra around here. I also looked around for some material to do IS 40:31 on. I discovered I didn't have the right size of Adia, which is what I have always worked on. I was thinking I would have to order some material and then decided to look through my Evenweave type of material. I did have a cream color material that would work. I know that it is said to give yourself a minimum of 2 to 3" on each side after the project is done for framing. The material I had was 2 1/3 inches bigger in one direction and 4" bigger in the other, so I decided to use it. This is the first time I am stitching on anything other than Adia, but it isn't as difficult as I was imagining. I took this picture this morning. It is of the progress I made last night. I plan on stitching more today, but thought I should show you what it looks like thus far. I am ecited about this project. I don't think it is going to take me too terribly long. Unlike Sassy, I do not have to fill in absolutely every square and a big part of the area has the verse written out, so even though the picture is 12" x 9", I don't think it will seem that big, if that makes sense.

Well, my family is waking up, so I need to be signing off. I will be around though, I promise.

Winery Hot Pad is Done!

Hello All! Hope this finds everyone well.

I wanted to let everyone know that my Winery Hot Pad for my Son and Daughter-in-Law is done! I finished it a couple of nights ago, but because my 15 year old is such a computer hog, have been unable to post much of anything, much less spend time blogging! I still need to put the material in the hot pad parts, but it doesn't look too terribly hard. I also need to wash it before I put it together.

I have also been stitching on a baby bib for a new baby on the way of a friend. Her son is expecting his first baby in April. The bib will have four baby chicks on it. I have two done so far and was plugging away on number three, when discovered an oops on number three so now I need to frog. Grrrr! I was going to scan the bib this morning to show you, but decided against it because of the oops. Also, I am getting things ready to stitch IS 40:31. Jack has wanted me to stitch this for three years now, and I am finally going to fill that request!!

I have been oohing and aawing over things on patternsonline.com for quite awhile and earlier this week I finally opened an account there and established a wish list and even bought a pattern! The pattern I bought is of a cat plaubf in the toilet paper and it says, "My name is Stop It, whats yours?" We have had cats play in toilet paper so when I saw it I knew it would be perfect for our house.

Our snow is going away right now, it almost felt warm outside when I let the dogs out to do their business. But, with it being the middle of January, I am sure we will have more here. And soon!

Rachel brought her report card home and had straight A's. She was very happy and we are very proud of her. On her first report card this year she had two B's, but got the grades up in those classes. Sarah had one A, four B's and one C. For high school we don't think that is too bad. We are proud of her as well. That is a B average.

As far as my Aunt passing, I e-mailed my cousin a memory of her and it was read at her service. From what I understand, her service was very nice.

I am needing to go for now, Rachel needs me!