Welcome to my pity party

I'm no stranger to back pain but usually it's in my lower back, left side.  I can deal with that...usually.  This week I'm having some muscle spasms in the thoracic area of my back, right side....pain is more intense than usual.  It's not too bad during the day (except when I get a sudden owie if I move the wrong way) but at night it's keeping me from sleeping.

I don't know what I did to cause it but whatever I did.....I really DID it.  :-(

Whine, whine, whine!!!!!

On the stitching front.....I'm working on a new CCN model (top secret!) and finished a beverage themed block for an exchange.

The block is from a freebie by Kincavel Krosses.

I'd like to say I'm also working on the sal of the LK Fat Guys and Snow Belles....but after stitching most of one of the blocks (and probably feeling too full of myself), I discovered that the whole block is off by one stitch.  I'll be frogging....way more than I want to (although there's no amount of frogging I like to do).

Whine, whine, whine!!!

Soon to be frogged.......

I'm off for some more meds and a hot pack on my back.  Maybe I should have some wine.  ;-)

Happy stitching!

Rita

Enjoyable weekend

Not much stitching to report since I did more frogging than stitching.  Note to self......don't try to get back to stitching after an absence when you're watching something interesting on TV.  I'm working on a SAL of the Lizzie Kate Fat Men and Snow Belles but soon will add some other things to a loose rotation....a yet-to-decided-upon beverage themed block for an exchange, a sampler (probably Three Things), and a soon-to-arrive model which will take priority once it arrives.

We enjoyed this rare cool and relaxing weekend.  Friday night we felt like quite the social animals;  we went to a double (2 young men) Eagle Court of Honor where we were served dinner then went to some friends' house to watch the rest of the Cotton Bowl with a group of Aggies.  We're not Aggies but had a great time.

I ran around doing errands Friday during the day with my goal of not leaving the house on Sat.  It worked!  Again we enjoyed the cool weather by experimenting in the kitchen.  For breakfast DH made this:

Raspberry Lemon Ricotta Waffles

For dinner I made a meal I saw Ina Garten make on TV:

Ribollita

and....

Pear, Apple, and Cranberry Crisp

Here are pictures of our results:

All I can say is that it was a wonderful experiment.  I highly recommend trying one or all of these recipes.

Yesterday afternoon we went to see Les Miserables (loved it!) and then I settled in last night to watch Downton Abbey (loved it too!).

All in all, a great weekend!

I hope to have some stitching to report next week.

Happy stitching!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and wish everyone a happy new year.

We just returned late last night from spending Christmas with all 4 of our kids (and DD's BF) at DS's in Atlanta.  For a couple of those days we drove to TN for some hiking and camping (some in tents and DH and I in a motel room) in the Smoky Mountains.

We had a great time and enjoyed being together, eating out, everyone contributing at least some to the cooking, some walking around Atlanta, the Georgia Tech campus, going to a museum at Emory, etc.  DS took us for a tour or his lab.  (He's working toward his PhD in Physics.)  I wish I could understand more of what he was telling us about his work (I just shook my head and said, "Uh huh" a lot.)  He just lights up when he talks about it;  it's so good to see him excited about what he's doing.

No stitching while I was gone but I did get to check out a LNS in Marietta, GA.  (Since I don't have a LNS here, I try to visit one when I travel.)  I mentioned going to Dixie Darling when we were in TN but it just didn't work out this trip.

One thing I really enjoyed about this trip was the cold weather.  It had been about 80 here before we left.  It got down to the high 20's while we were in the mountains.  Ahhhhhh!!!  When we hiked it was a little warmer and we were all bundled up.  (Ironically, right after we left Texas, it got cold here too.  lol!)

Since we got home so late last night, I spent some time in the kitchen today.  I made some sides, fruit salad, and an apple pie for tonight's dinner and DS (the undergrad student one) is making the main dish (some kind of pork chops).  DH is making some roasted potatoes to add to the meal.  It should be a feast!

I'll leave you with a few pictures.

Happy stitching!

Rita

Christmas dinner with most of us.  DD's BF is from Scotland and he had crackers for all of us to open.  The crowns were in the crackers.  The guy in the red shirt is a friend of DS's.

Homemade pizza night.

Hiking at Smoky Mountains

Abrams Falls in Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains

Santa's finished in the "Nick" of time

Ta da!!  Here he is!  I'm really enjoying stitching the PS Woodland Santas and probably will try to stitch the remaining 2 from that leaflet in 2013.  I saw 2 of these stitched and hanging on a friend's wall and that's all it took.  I know you fellow stitchers can identify.  Sorry it's not the greatest of pictures.

Now I'm turning to working on a sal I'm in of the LK 6 Fat Guys and the Snow Belles.  I'm a bit behind on this one but hopefully can catch up.  A wonderful thing about sal's is that they keep me going so I can be "accountable".

I hope to start on a gorgeous sampler, Three Things, in January.

I hope all of you who celebrated Christmas has a wonderful and blessed Christmas and for everyone to have a happy new year.

Happy stitching!

Rita

It's Snowing!

Well, not really snowing here in SE Texas, but I'm stitching the snow in my PS Woodland Santa wip.  I've never "met" a PS Santa that I haven't liked.

I also FINALLY started my LK Fat Guys and Snow Belles sal.  Not much done but at least it's started.

I received the cutest ornament in the mail this week from a small ornament exchange. (Remember what I just wrote about PS Santas.)  Thank you, Julie!  I love it!

I hope everyone is doing well and not too frazzled getting ready for the Big Day.  Have a great week!

Progress and a couple of finishes

We've been having warmer than normal weather down here in SE TX...sometimes in the low 80's.  This girl from OH does NOT like this and wants it to cool down.  Harrumph!

I've made a bit of progress on the PS (Woodland) Santa.  I love how this piece is turning out. I've never met a Prairie Schooler Santa I didn't like.

I also, despite not feeling confident about it, "finished" 2 pieces.  The first is a Lizzie Kate for my DD who enjoys long distance bicycling.  She doesn't have much space in her city apartment so I thought this could be used hanging from a doorknob or cabinet pull.  I was trying to simulate handlebar streamers with the ribbons hanging from the bottom.  DD wore her hair long (and often in pony tails) when she was young so this reminded me of her.

I also participated in a small ornament exchange and since it was received yesterday, I can show it.

The pic I took:

....and on her tree:

I also finally cut my fabric for the LK Snow Friends sal.  Everyone else started stitching last month.  Hopefully I can get caught up.

I have some Christmas errands to catch up on today.  Hopefully I can get a lot done.

Everyone have a great week!!

Happy stitching!

December already!

Happy December!

I finally have some stitching I can show.

Nikki at Country Cottage Needleworks released one of her designs that I model stitched, Silent Night.
I could tell just looking at the graph that this one was going to be a beautiful one and I enjoyed every minute of stitching it.  Good thing because I want to stitch another one for myself.    Here's her picture of it:

...and here's her website:

Country Cottage Needleworks

I've also been working on an ornament for an exchange but can't show that just yet.

I love stitching seasonal things during the appropriate season so have been working on one of the PS Woodland Santas:

I stitched another from this leaflet earlier this year:

I'd like to stitch at all of them and hang them in a grouping during the Christmas season......eventually.  (I wonder how long that will take me with my "stitcher's ADD".)

Gotta go.....I have several things on my "to do" list today so I'd better get started.

Happy stitching!