Just a Wee Bit Behind

Ok, so I should've posted over a week ago. Life got in my way and every time I *really* wanted to post something better came along that grabbed my attention. Since I last posted say what's it been...12 days ago I:

1. Had a birthday

2. Went to my parents house for Thanksgiving in WV

3. Went Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving and at least 4-5 other times before and after.

4. Finished stitching a couple of Christmas gifts

5. Painted a large portion of the rooms downstairs...by myself, yay me!

So for my birthday I did pretty much nothing but entertain myself Christmas shopping most of the day. I was going to go to Mount Vernon...you know...George's house. I've not been there yet and mostly wanted to go to the gift shops to go Christmas shopping. I also wanted to stop by In Stitches if I went but I nixed the road trip all together for 2 reasons:

1. I decided I didn't feel like going by myself and all of my friends here work.

2. This is the good one....My BFF from Texas, Nealy and her 2 kiddos are coming for a visit next week! Yipppppppppppeeeeeeee!!! So I'm saving my money for our excursions. I could spend a small fortune at both Mount Vernon and In Stitches, you see.

I'm just too too excited about that!! They're flying in to Baltimore on Tuesday and I'm going to go pick them up. I'm taking the kids out of school on Thursday and Friday so we can go pal around D.C. They've never been and I'm just way to excited that I get to be their tour guide! Yippeeee!! I don't think I need to remind you how much I love going to Washington. The National Museum of American History just reopened and that Star Spangled Banner is just waiting for me to see it! And her too LOL!

I'm in a birthday exchange in one of my groups and got a really great box of b-day goodies from Cheryl! Look what she stitched for me! Isn't it pretty?!

I also got another stitched gift from my friend Lavon. She made this really cute Christmas bag for me and that cute little Santa. Isn't he cute? Her birthday is on the same day as mine. I stitched this little ornament for her.

Rachel, another friend of mine made this really great bracelet with matching earrings for me. I love the little crab in the center of the bracelet! Cassie does too and has already tried to talk me out of it..lol. The pic didn't come out very well. They're very pretty in person!

That does it for handmade gifts. I got lots of other gifties from other people too :).

And here's a Prairie Schooler Santa that I stitched and made in to an ornament for Mo for an exchange.



For some reason every year either right before or right after Christmas I get bitten by a decorating bug or something. The very first house we bought, I got new carpet right before Christmas. The second house we bought I got new furniture right before. When we moved here last year we got new carpet downstairs right after Christmas. This year I decided I need to paint which is really not like me because I don't like to paint. When we moved in to this house the walls downstairs were black. We were desperate to get rid of that so Mike painted them white. He painted every room except for this small room right off the rec room and by the laundry room. It's very small and has a door that goes outside. 2 of the dogs sleep in this room at night. I decided the other day that I'm making this my little room and I plan to get a little table and chair to put in there along with my sewing machine and some of my other crafting things. I'm going to make it in to a little primitive looking room. I bought a really great wallpaper border for it and a can of paint in a nice shade called camel. I spent last night painting my little room and love the camel so much that I've spent the entire day today painting most of the rest of the downstairs minus our bedroom. Of course it may end up being camel too. In fact, the kitchen might end up in camel. I've always had a hard time choosing paint colors but I do believe I've found the perfect one this time. It's amazing what paint can do for a place. I might kick everyone out and make the whole downstairs mine. Wouldn't that be nice?! I really don't like white walls. If I would've known how much better the place would look in camel I would've painted a long time ago. It's getting late though so I've cleaned my roller and brushes and have put everything away. Now my needle is calling my name. Nightie night.

LOTS & LOTS of Girly Fun!

Last night Cassie and her best friend had their makeover party at Club Libby Lu for Cassie's birthday. They had SO much fun! I had just as much fun watching them. They had a super deal going on when we got there so they got to do all of the packages for the same price that I was going to pay for the one package we picked out, which was way too cool! They got to do so many fun things and at first they looked a little overwhelmed at the choices they had to make. First they each had to pick a hairstyle. They got their hair fixed and all glittered up. We opted to leave off the makeup part of the makeover but they did get lip gloss. They also got their fingernails painted. The got to go over to the accessory wall and pick out 1 item. They both chose sparkly heart necklaces. After that they went over to the pooch parlor where they each got to pick a dog. After they picked one out they also got to pick out a collar, shirt, and bag for it. After they finished that they got to create their own bracelets. Cassie chose a pink band and her friend chose a black one. They each got to pick 5 things from the case to slide on to the bracelet. They each chose to put their initials and a couple of hearts on them. Very blingy little bracelets! After they made their bracelets they were given a backpack and got to pick out 5 items from the goodie bar. So many choices! I wish you could have seen their faces! They had the best time! And I had so much fun watching them! I'll be cleaning glitter out of the car and off the floor for quite some time I'm sure, but it was so worth watching how much fun they had. After we left they pranced around the mall for a bit so they could show off their new "do's". We had to stop by the grocery store to pick up some icing so they could decorate a cookie cake I made for them and they loved prancing around there too. They got lots of comments from a lot of people and were loving every second of it. After we got home they decorated their cookie and then spent the rest of the night playing with their new goodies. I'm glad we got to do this because I just found out that all of the Club Libby Lu shops are closing :(.

Birthday Girls

Cassie turned 11 today! We've been celebrating for a couple of days and I think she's had a really good time. Mike had to go on a last minute business trip to Chicago that was unavoidable at dark thirty this morning so she didn't get to see him. He pretended like yesterday was her birthday. We had cupcakes waiting for her when she got home from school along with our present and the things that I had been saving for her that came in the mail. She made out like a bandit! We got her a really nice bright pink digital camera. She loves taking pictures....almost as much as her mama. We also got her the cutest Hannah Montana studded camera bag. It looks like a little purse, so cute! From grandparents she got money, a subscription to American Girl magazine which thrilled her, the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert DVD, earrings, a stuffed crab (she loves crabs...collects them even...living and not), and she has a couple of other gifts on the way that are supposed to be here on Saturday. I know she loves what she's already gotten...especially that camera. Today I took the goods up to her class so they could make ice cream sundaes. I was supposed to take her shopping after to school to spend her birthday money but about a half hour before I was supposed to do that, the nurse called and told me that Joshua had a fever and couldn't go back to class. She told me I could bring him some medicine, go do the ice cream thing with Cassie's class, and then come back for him. Alas, no birthday shopping after school today. She and her BFF have a reservation for a birthday Libby Du makeover at Club Libby Lu and they're really excited about that. It's planned for Friday night but the BFF has been recovering from pneumonia so we might be rescheduling for the next Friday. If that happens I told her I'd take her to see High School Musical 3 this Friday. She's gonna have fun Friday one way or another...

MY BFF in Texas is having a birthday tomorrow. I sent a b-day package and she got it today. One of the things I sent was this cute pillow I made. It's simple but I really like it. I love that purple fabric. I used it for another pillow I sent in an exchange a few months back. Happy b-day, BFF! I miss you SO much!

I brought the little guy downstairs to sleep. Poor little thing still has a fever.

Catching Leaves

I caught the kids on the deck this afternoon trying to catch the leaves that were falling and thought you might enjoy the show. The trees in our forest are starting to look quite naked. I don't think it'll be too much longer before they're all bare.

Fun Day!

Laura and I spent the day out together today and had the BEST time! First we started off at Homespun Elegance for Sandra's Holiday Gathering. This is the first time Laura has been to the shop so I was happy to introduce her to my friends, as well as my friends to her. We had a great time chatting and browsing through the shop and both left with some goodies. After we left the shop we headed over to downtown Fredericksburg to go gandering through all the shops. Our first stop was Everything Cross Stitch. We both left with another bag of goodies. Mine was filled with supplies for a couple of Christmas gifts. After that we crossed the street to have lunch at a little place called Soup & Taco where neither of us got either of those things lol. She had a yummy burrito lunch and I had chicken enchiladas. After lunch we went in to a few more shops and ended up landing at the Fudge Factory where we scored so really yummy coconut bon bons YUM! After we left the Fudge Factory we headed out of downtown to a place I've been to several times before Called Dottie's Den. It a really neat shop in a big 2 story house. Today was a Christmas open house and they put away all of their regular primitive wares that they usually have out and had the place filled with Christmas things. Tons and tons of beautiful decorated Christmas trees. We had a really nice time browsing. After that we headed back downtown to a part that I haven't gandered through before. We went to some shops that were new to me so that was really fun. Our last stop was at a really neat antique shop. To my complete horror they had samplers in that shop that were stitched in the 1800's that weren't properly being cared for. They were in direct sunlight and the glass was touching the stitching. The price tag on the first one I saw was $395.00. There were some others for nearly $300.00. And one that really made me sad to look at was one that was incomplete that was stitched in the 1800's. It was $185.00 and was not in a frame. In fact, it was sitting on the floor. Yes, you heard me right. A sampler that was stitched in the 1800's sitting on the floor for anyone to touch, step on, whatever. I told Laura that I was certain that whoever stitched those would want me to have them. I even suggested I snatch them and she drive the getaway car...lol. I really am saddened that these pieces are in that shop and not in a museum..or my house...lol. I told Laura that if I run in to a lot of money some day I would buy them. She requested that I put her in my will LOL! The weather was perfect today and we had the best time! I had a little present for her when I picked her up. I made this cute little snowman box ornament for her. He's a little freebie from the Prairie Schooler. He came out so cute! I'm gonna stitch a twinkie for me. Isn't he cute?!

Look what I made!

I've not been stitching, no sir-ree. That's because I've been doing some finishing like a mad woman! I have to admit that I've been feeling a little guilty lately stitching new things when I have a box of things waiting to be made in to something. I pulled them out along with all of my finishing supplies and got cracking a few days ago. First I finished a few things that I stitched recently that are gifts. I can't post pics until they get them but I will soon. One thing in particular, Mike and Cassie both really like and were pretty much disturbed when I told them it was for a friend. I told them I'd make another one. Good thing I have more of the fabric , cording, and ribbon I used. I'll admit, I love it too. You know what I really love though?! THIS! And it's mine! All mine!

How cool is that?! At first I planned to make 3 individual ornaments but then got to things, why do that when I can make this really cool 3 sided ornie! This is the first 3 sided ornie I've ever made and I think it turned out great! I still want to add something to the top. I'm not a good bow maker but I know a couple of people who are so I might beg them to make one for me...I'm not sure yet. I do have the perfect ribbon. It looks complicated doesn't it? It's not. It was A LOT easier than I thought it would be. The Santas come from the Prairie Schooler's Old World Santas chart. I love Santas and always have. Mike likes the shape of the ornie a lot but he doesn't care for the Santas. He actually doesn't like Santa at all. I have no idea why. I mean, who doesn't like Santa? That's like not liking the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, ect...He must've had a bad Santa experience at some time. Or maybe he had a no Santa experience....hmmm...

I took a few pictures a couple of days ago of some of our trees and some of our neighbor's trees. Aren't they beautiful? I've noticed they've changed a lot more since I took the pics on Tuesday.

Tomorrow Laura's coming up from Richmond and we're spending the day together. First we're starting off at Homespun Elegance. Laura' has not been there before and tomorrow and Saturday Sandra is having a Holiday Gathering we've been looking forward to. After that we're heading down town to Everything Cross Stitch and we're also planning to gander around in some of the other little shops down there. I'm really looking forward to it and I think the weather is supposed to be really nice. I've not seen the trees down there in about a week and am looking forward to seeing how much they've changed since I saw them last. I was far too busy last year to watch them turn and have really been enjoying the show this year. This is the first time I've ever been able to enjoy the colors of autumn. It's so pretty!

Halloween

We had the best time last night! We all went over to my friend, Juli's house for dinner and then we all headed out for a great night of trick-or-treating. Her little guy is only 16 months old so this was her first time out with him. We went over there last Halloween too and really love her neighborhood. People go all out decorating there and a lot of the houses were all fixed up like real life haunted houses. Cassie went as a gangster girl this year and Joshua went as a hot dog. His costume was a huge hit. He got tons of comments on it. I think he's just about the cutest hot dog I've ever seen lol.

Not too much going on today. Cassie and I went out for a bit to do a little shopping today. I think everyone started their Christmas shopping today because those parking lots were full! We picked up a couple of Christmas gifts too. I'm holding out to do some of my shopping the day after Thanksgiving with my mom :).

As for stitching I've been busy trying to finish some gifts. A couple of birthday gifts and a few Christmas gifts too. I've got several ornaments done like I had planned. I just need to devote a good few days to doing the finishing on them. Probably not this next week. Maybe the one after.