Diaries of a Haute Mama

It is Time...

2007-05-22T20:05:00.001-07:00

Who else thinks of the Lion King when they hear that?

What is it time for? Lots of things. New directions. New adventures. And, of course, new cocktails. Find my new home here:

Sips & Scraps

Please join me in my new adventure!

In Memory of Miles

2007-04-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have been extremely lucky to be on some amazing scrapping Creative Teams with some amazing scrappers. The inspiration is endless, and it is always so heartwarming to see the community come together for the good of another.

I am currenty on two teams with one of these talented ladies, Kellie. 2 years ago, her little boy was taken from her. As my own little boy sleeps quietly upstairs, I cannot begin to even fathom the pain she must have endured. She asks that anyone able to do something special for someone else, to please do so in his name, and for all other children who were taken too soon. To let her know how special, strong, and inspirational she is, we have come together to create this amazing, huge FREE kit, in memory of her son Miles.

It can be dowloaded at Christina Renee's Blog.

Also, the gals on Lauren Reid's team have created some amazing quick pages using this kit:

They can be downloaded from her blog, Color Your World.

Please share in our celebration of Miles' spirit, and in the precious lives of all children!!

Live. Love. Create!

Spring Break Edit

2007-03-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible Mommy! I completely forgot to upload my favorite photos of my little man. He had his own "unique" way of playing pool and air hockey that I just thought was so cute! And this photo of him with his Papaw is priceless! It's tiredness in true Alex form, complete with scowl and finger in the belly button.

{Recent Layout}

{My Brother's Eyes}

Live. Love. Create!

Spring Break 2007

2007-03-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I love my new camera? I'm still snapping like crazy. I could probably document my life (well, the lives of the people IN my life) with photos by the hour! Who needs a diary? Well, actually, I love the words too. Maybe that's why I love scrapbooking so much? The art of the everyday - photos and journaling all in one!

I finally got to see (and hold!) my brand-new nephew again. I had a little impromptu photo shoot and took a TON of photos of him! I'm hoping to convince my brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law to let me be their "professional" (HUGE exaggeration there!) photographer. These are some of my favorites:

Then we were off to Gatlinburg for a short Spring Break vacation. 3 glorious days and nights in the fresh mountain air. We decided not to go into the city this time so that we could spend all our time together in the luxury cabin, or out hiking among nature's finest creations. Of the hundreds of photos I took, I managed to get quite a few good ones.

Smokies Throughout the Day: Afternoon, Morning, and Evening

Smokey Mountain Waterfalls

Mountaineer Morgan

Hiking Helen

Jaunting Jessica

It was a wonderful trip, with perfect weather. Totally refreshing!

{Recent Layouts}

{Unafraid}

{Shine}

{Finally}

Live. Love. Create!

Learning About RAW

2007-03-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

I'm not a professional photographer, and I don't pretend to be. All I want are wonderful photos of my family. But I am a perfectionist! I want those photos to be the best that I can possibly get them! Shooting in RAW has several advantages, and now that I have acquired a large memory card, I have space for these files on my new camera! But I've never worked with RAW before, and I'm not sure I completely understand the concept. Fortunately, I am a fast learner! So I've been scouring the web, and practicing! I've shot more than 400 photos in 4 days! I don't think this RAW thing is going to be as hard as I thought. I still have lots of technicalities to learn, but I think my photos are already better! Take a look:

Luckily, Alex has been a better model lately. Good thing for me, since he's the only one home with me during the day! Turns out a little bribing helps...

Morgan has no problem stopping to pose when I point the camera at her! Jessie is starting to get a little tired of it, though! I think Helen just runs and hides. I can never find her when I have it in my hands! Even DH is being a good sport ;)

I don't think I will run out of photos to scrap for awhile! Scrapping with good photos is so much more fun!

Puppy Dog Tails

See credits here.

Test Drive

I did this layout because I'm hosting the Sweet Inspiration Challenge at Sweet Shoppe Designs this week. So go play along! Details can be found here.

Live. Love. Create!

Playing Catch-Up

2007-03-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have been a bad, bad, blogger! February was so busy and full of excitement that I just didn't have the time. I spent a weekend in Nashville at the Needlework Market helping out a designer that I do some model stitching for, Cross Eyed Kat, and that was so much fun! I finally got to meet a lot of online gals!

We spent Mardi Gras weekend in New Orleans for an impromtu trip that my brother schemed up. I have been to New Orleans, but never to Mardi Gras, so that was an experience! I loved all the parades, and taking pictures of the sights. We stayed with a friend of my brother's, whose family was soooo nice! His parents made us breakfast every morning, and we got some very nice spare bedrooms. It was like staying at a bed & breakfast! I just wish we could have stayed longer. Two days is not enough to take in that city!

In other news, some of you may have seen my PopWeekly challenge layout at Sweet Shoppe Desings that hinted on a large purchase:

Well, my splurge arrived yesterday!

I am so in love with this camera! It uses the same lenses that My film Canon (EOS3) uses, and shares all its accessories. The pictures this thing takes may even be better! I have had this thing in my hands since it arrived, and have been having a blast! I haven't even had time to learn how to mess with the white balance or anything, and I am so happy with the shots I have been getting! Be warned: there are going to be lots of photos going up here in the next few days (or weeks)! Here are some of my favorites so far (note: These are on the LOWEST quality setting since I don't have a memory card big enough for the high resolution photos yet, and they are completely UNEDITED! Yet I am still thrilled!):

Alex started off so good letting me take his photo:

But it didn't last long:

He won't even let me point it at him anymore! LOL Luckily, I have other more willing subjects:

And I just love this candid one of Jessie and Alex!

We're going to the Smokey Mountains next week for a short Spring Break vacation, and I can't wait to take this baby with me!!

Ok, now for some scrapping updates! I am totally LOVING my SugarBabe gig! I feel like my scrapping is evolving everyday, and I'm having a blast with all the layouts I get to do! I also get to be a guest designer for Dani Mogstad this month!! Here are a few layouts I've done with her kits so far. Check my DST gallery for credits.

If you like to work with templates, Teresa Ferguson is having a special call for a template CT! Apply, gals! Teresa is such a joy to work with!

I just have to end this with my most recent layout. I was quite pleased with how it turned out, even though Alex will never forgive me!

If you've made it all the way to the end of this post, I applaude you!! Thanks for bearing with me, and I will do better at staying updated!

Live. Love. Create!

SWEET!!!

2007-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Today is the grand reopening and one year anniversary of Sweet Shoppe Designs!! I'm sure most of you have been over there and joined in the festivities by now! New look, new forums, a new gallery that everyone can post in, and new challenges! That's not all, either! A new designer, Dani Mogstad, has joined the team! We also have some brand new SugarBabes! I say "we," because I am one of them!!!

We have been working our tooshies off the past week to make this celebration AWESOME, and it has surpassed all our expectations! So come join the fun! And bring your PayPal account - there are so many new goodies you will want, and they're all on SALE!!

Some Valentine Love

2007-01-31T13:10:00.000-08:00

I love Valentine's Day! It's almost February, so it's time to get out all the red, pink, chocolate, and all the HEARTS! Yeah, all the froo-froo stuff that DH hates, but I LOVE! I just feel so blessed this year already. I've been playing around with paper again (shocking, I know), and came up with this little album, just in time for Valentine's Day. It sits next to my desk, to remind me of my favorite people, and the reasons why I get up every morning!

It's made from altered index cards, and has photos of my family, in the order that I met them. I made the journaling pages turn independent from the photo pages. The idea was that each journaling page could go with any of the photos. It closes with a dowl (cut wooden skewer!) through some ribbon loops that connect the front and back covers. You can see close up photos of each page here.

On a little side note, you may notice this little guy in my galleries:

That's right, my first published layout! Look for it in February's Digital Artist Magazine!!

Shopping Therapy

2007-01-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

I was having a bad day last week. Feeling unloved. Being pouty. So what do girls do when they don't feel good? Go shopping! I've been wanting to get my hands on some Amy Butler fabric for the curtains in my office / studio, so I finally caved and ordered some. It came ultra-quick from QuiltHome.com, and it was wrapped up so nicely in tissue with a twine ribbon and everything! I highly recommend them for any fabric needs that can't be fulfilled by your local stores!!

I quickly sewed this gorgeous fabric into some simple drapes, but I can't hang them, because I don't have a rod yet. BooHoo! I think more shopping is in order! Isn't it gorgeous fabric, though?

I'll post another photo as soon as I get the curtains hung!

Did you happen to notice my new blinkie over there? I've been chosen by the talented Jessica Bolton to be on her creative team! She has some amazing kits, and I just love her style. This layout is the first of many to use her designs:

Full credits can be seen here. I'm really digging those ghost letters I made!

That's it for now! I have a feeling this is going to be an incredible year!

Live. Love. Create!

I'm Honored!

2007-01-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

The uber-talented CD Muckosky now has her own Scrapbooker of the Year Blog at Creating Keepsakes. I am a huge fan of her work, and participated in one of her challenges. The layout that resulted has become my favorite layout so far!

Credits can be seen here.

Apparently, CD loved it as well, because she featured it on her blog! Wow!

In other scrappy news, Teresa Ferguson has a new kit out at Sweet Shoppe Designs called "Enjoy the Ride." I absolutely adore Teresa's papers!

It was the perfect kit for some older photos of my Helen. The ghost letters were created by myself:

I'm loving my new computer and tablet! It lets me do things so much better and easier! I've been adding my own little elements and doodles to my layouts. Let's hope that doesn't turn into a designing interest! The last thing I need is another obsission!

Live. Love. Create!

Christmas Recap

2007-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Now that my house has been stripped of its adornments, I suppose it's time to admit that it is no longer the holidays. While most people get depressed when the holidays come, I get depressed when they leave! I just love the atmosphere...the glittering lights, the glowing children, the anticipation, the decorations. I love it all! It's the only reason that I can see for any type of cold weather at all. Now I must endure the remainder of the winter with no twinkly lights. Sigh...

I will hang on just a little while longer, though, while I jot down some memories that I don't want to forget. This was the best Christmas yet in the Hutchinson household! Alex was old enough to realize what was going on, and got excited about his gifts. Everyone got what they wanted (and some got more!). The whole family was together: Ed's parents were here as well as my own, and my brother, his better half, and their brand new baby boy. We all got along, and had a great time, not to mention great food and drink!

To say farewell to the season, and to remember it's glory:

Adventures in Paper Scrapping!

I now understand why I'm a mostly-digi scrapper! Paper scrapping is *SCARY*!! I made some Christmas gifts for family members, and was so glad to get back to my computer afterwards! Once you cut something, it stays cut, and once you glue something down, it's down! And rub-ons are some very fragile things! Not to mention the expense and mess! I do like, however, how dimensional it is. I love it when stuff sticks off the page!

I made my parents and in-laws a 12x12 page of the grandkids:

Remember those month stamps I gave away on my blog not too long ago? This is what I made with them! I made a 2007 calendar for each set of grandparents that has pictures from that month in 2006. Now I just have to print myself one!

I also got cheap plastic frames and altered them. This one for my MIL has a photo of our annual trip to Pensacola in July:

I found this photo on accident when developing some unknown film. It is a photo of my grandparents, before my grandmother died. I knew my mom would cry when she saw it, but I had to share!

This one I did for my brother. His son's very first photo!

I also made a small baby book for baby Dylan:

Next year I'm starting my Christmas gifts in October! It was a lot of fun, though, and I got to combine some of my digital skills with paper.

This year is starting out with a bang already! I've got a few new projects in the works, and I'll share some of those next time.
Live. Love. Create!

Welcome 2007!

2007-01-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

Every day I realize more and more how blessed I truly am. So much of it is undeserved, as I strive to be a better person on a daily basis. I try to make each day count, and better than the last. It is with a touch of sadness and a heap of hope that I say goodbye to 2006 and greet the New Year. These past 12 months have been a whirlwind of fun and experience! I look forward to everything that these next 12 will bring!!

Christmas for me was a digi-scrapper's dream! I have jumped whole-heartedly into this "scrapping thing." I love that I am making art with my memories, and that I am leaving a treasure and a legacy behind. It really has changed my life, although DH would argue that it has taken over my life!! He is unconditionally supportive, though, and his Christmas gifts this year show that, and were completely unexpected!

Everyone who knows me knows how long I have been waiting for a new Mac laptop ever since my old one died (courtesy of Alex and a glass of water). I am completely anti-Windows, and have been suffering with a Dell. But now I am the proud (and cautious!) owner of this!

And to make digital art easier, I also have a new matching tablet!

My parents were co-conspirators and threw this in for good measure:

How luckier could I be? I will miss 2006, but can't wait to get started on 2007!!

New Items at Haute Water Designs

2006-12-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

I know I posted a teaser about my new Bubbles line at Haute Water Designs a few weeks ago, but it still isn't ready for it's reveal. I'm waiting on some supplies before I can finish that up. But in the meantime, I have released another new line! This one is called my "Ball & Chain" line. These are fun to make, and don't take too terribly long, so they are cheaper than most of my pieces. I will be adding lots more styles and colors, along with bracelets and earrings too. Keep your eye out!

There's also a sale going on right now, so go check it out!

Save 25% on all older stock items!

Check out the new line HERE!

My First Freebie!

2006-12-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

I'm cheap. I hate spending money. Contrary to most females, I am not a big shopper. Don't get me wrong, I love new *schtuff*! I just hate paying for it! Even more so now, as I'm saving every extra penney for my new Mac laptop! Can't. Wait.

So, because of this, and in an attempt to save dinero, I tend to make or otherwise create things I think I need. Curtains, art, food, etc. Well, my needful creativity has spilled over into my digital scrapbooking. I was itching to buy some new *schtuff*, but got stressed out during an internal conversation that went something like this:

Me: Oh, that is so cute!
Other Me: You have sooo many digital supplies already.
Me: I know, but I don't have THAT.
Other Me: Remeber your laptop...
Me: I know, but it's only (insert ridiculously low price here)...
Other Me: REMEMBER your laptop...
Me: I know, but...
Other Me: And it's Christmas season. No extra money.
Me: I know, but...
Other Me: Don't do it.
Me: Fine. *pout*

So...I started making my own *schtuff*. And I thought it turned out pretty cute, so I saved it in case I want to use it again some other time.

And in the spirit of Christmas giving, and to support all you other cheapos out there, I'm sharing my new creation! Please leave a comment if you decide to download, or otherwise would like to tell me how much you love or hate it. All CC welcome. Remember, this is my first designing attempt, so don't expect too much! You can download it here for 7 days, or until the download maximun is reached.

Enjoy!

I'm an Aunt!!!!!

2006-11-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

John Dylan is finally here! He was born by C-section Tuesday, Nov 21 at 7:16pm. He weighed in at 7lbs, .08 oz, and 19.5 inches long. After having 4 kids of my own, I finally get a nephew, and a godchild!!

His very first photo:

My brother bringing him out to meet the family (we had the waiting room PACKED!):

Mom, Dad, and baby are doing great:

Welcome Dylan!

Good Things to Come...

2006-11-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

I promised a sneak peek, so here it is! Those of you who actually read my blog will get the preview to my new jewelry line! It will be called my "Bubbles" line, and will combine my love of needlework, scrapbooking, and beading! I wanted to create some wearable scrapbook pages, so here's my brainchild:

It's a teeny tiny scrapbook page encased in acrylic and wrapped in beads. They will be hung from sterling silver and have lots of crystals and pretty dangles. I will have several different sizes - even bracelets and earrings - so they will be for any budget! Remember: this is just a peek, not the whole thing. Just wait until you see the finished necklace!! I'm real excited about these - I hope they do well.

And my layout for today: This was supposed to be a graphic design - simple and clean, but it didn't turn out that way. I guess simple and clean is just not me! I think I'm more "artsy" and too freestyle for that! Oh well, pretty happy with how it turned out anyway. See credits here.

Not Fair

2006-11-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

I did this layout for the Digi Dare challenge this week. It was my first dare, and I really enjoyed it! I've been having trouble getting creative lately, and this really helped!

Credits can be seen here.
I played with circles to emphasize the "boobie" theme, and tried to give it that "Victoria's Secret" lingerie look. Too fun!

In other news, I am getting ready to release a new line at Haute Water Designs (yes, I actually have been doing something other than scrapping!). I'm too excited about it. I'll try to get a sneak peek up soon!

No More Toothless Grins

2006-10-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

My jessie girl was "helping" me scrap the other day, and she picked this photo of her brother. This is what we came up with, using Laura Daecetis' fabulous Sasparilla kit.

Credits are here.

I can't believe it, but I have even more great news! I am now creating for Teresa Ferguson, a brand new talented designer at Sweet Shoppe Designs! I have been so lucky in getting on some really great teams! Just take a peek at some of the great stuff she has:

Yummy! I'm so excited!

Tagged Again!

2006-10-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Oh! Oh! Guess what??? I can finally reveal....

How exciting is that??? Check back soon for lots of layouts using Laura's awesome stuff!

Cindy has tagged me! I love tags!

The rules:
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether or not they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.

Hmmm...only 7?? Let's see...

1.) Far Away by Nickelback
2.) Fallilng in the Ocean by Blue October
3.) This Kind of Love by Sister Hazel (new album! Yay!)
4.) Wild Child by Enya
5.) Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin
6.) I Dare You by Shinedown
7.) Inside of You by Hoobastank

Ok, now to tag other people....

FaithAnn
Yany
Michelle
Melanie
Christine

And I'll leave you with another recent layout (I have to get better about sharing these! I've done quite a few lately!):

This was a desktop that DH requested for his work computer. Couldn't refuse that! This layout won the Sweet Shoppe Designs Blog "See it in Action Saturday" contest that I didn't even know they had! Everything is from SSD.

I paper scrapped!

2006-10-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it's more of a hybrid. My mom and I recently hosted a couple baby shower for my brother and his better half, and I made a scrapbook as a gift. I wanted something that would remind them of the pregnancy, and the anticipation of their first child. Something I would love to have myself. So I bought a chipboard album kit, printed out my digipics, my digital papers and elements, and assembled my gift. I used papers and elements from Mindy Terasawa's Sonoran Sunrise kit. I was very happy with the way it turned out, and I will be making more of these babies!

I put the sonogram picture on the cover...

Page 2 has a picture of Beth's bulging belly (say THAT three times fast!), and a quote that I just love: "These precious nine months we're together as one. Our hearts beat in tandem, mother and son."

Page 3 is a paper scraplift of Megan Leeson's Accepting Yourself layout. The journaling reads "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother, and the most important thing a mother can do for her children is to love their father."

Page 4 is all about my brother! Quote says "A father overheard his son pray, "Dear God, make me the kind of man my Daddy is." Later, the father prayed, "Dear God, make me the kind of man my son wants me to be."

Page 5 is a paper scraplift of Amy Martin's Amazing layout. It's a cute pic I snapped of Beth playing on the swings, and reads "The world is a playground and life is pushing my swing."

Page 6 is a beautiful profile shot of Baby John in utero :)

Page 7...

The final page is a shot of the nursery we all (except Mommy!) spent a weekend painting. I did these in color so you could see the beautiful blue stripes! Believe it or not, that pic of Beth was not posed - I just happened to catch her in a pensive moment!

It was so fun to play with paper, and I think I may do a few more of these for Christmas gifts!

More Exciting News and a Tag...

2006-10-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

Exciting news first...
I'm a Guest CT member for Amy Bleser at Sweet Shoppe Designs this month! I'm so excited - she is one of my favorite designers! My secret desire is to eventually be a SugarBabe! In addition to the wonderful CT's I'm already on, of course! Amy has some awesome designs! These are some that I will be working with this month - perfect for October!

The tag comes from Laura Burger:

5 weird things about me (this should be easy enough!)

1.) I can pick up just about anything with my toes
2.) I like my silverware aligned at the dinner table
3.) I fold in the corners of my napkin around my cocktail glass
4.) I can recite the complete script to Back to the Future (my brother and I were quizzed with it at the dinner table when we were kids)
5.) I don't like raw tomatoes, but I love them cooked!

I now tag FaithAnn, the only one I know of who faithfully (no pun intended reads my blog, and Taneya, if she happens to see this!

Notice Anything Different?

2006-09-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Look at my sidebar!!

----------------------------->

I've recently applied for, and been accepted to several Creative Teams! I now design layouts for Laura Burger at 3Scrapateers, Jeannie Papai at Digital Freebies, and Debra at goDigitalScrapbooking.com! I am so excited, and I have been having a blast meeting other CT members, and creating layouts for these uber-talented designers!

Here, take a look!

Laura has just released a new kit, called "Secrets." You can buy it here!

I made this layout with this fabulous kit!

First Haircut
My little man is not so little anymore :( This was almost a year ago!

Jeannie Papai has this way-cute "Boy Trouble" kit, available here, and it's on sale!

I did this layout with it:

All Boy
DH gets so nervous when I let him do anything "girlie"! LOL

She also has another kit, apropriately named Sweet and Simple (also on sale!):

With which I created this layout:

Smokey Sunset
I love the way the colors of this kit show off the beautiful sunset in this photo!

I have been having so much fun! All my other poor crafts have been neglected!

Warm Fuzzy Feelings

2006-09-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

I got the best text message from my SIL the other day. It was something to this effect:

"I've always wanted to tell you that...Fill in the blank, reply, then send this to all your friends and learn something about yourself!"

Now, I almost never participate in text forwards, but I thought this one might be fun. So I sent it off to my bestest and closest friends. Almost everyone replied, and all the responses were so nice to read. I sometimes forget how lucky I am to have such good friends, and such a loving family. I am truly blessed, and loved more than I deserve!

So maybe not all text forwards are a bad idea. Try this one - it will make your day!

Speaking of love and family, I made a few more pages. I know I'm late, but I did promise birthday pictures!

Sleepy Superstar

All the birthday festivities wore him out!

Layout details and credits are here.

Life is a SeeSaw

Daddy teaming up with the girls on the playground

Layout details and credits are here

Peek a Boo

The girls peeking out the windows of the playhouse at the park

Layout details and credits are here.

Kids

Not birthday related, but I also did a layout for my desktop. I wanted it to look like somthing that would actually be on my desk, although this is a little neater than real life!

Layout details and credits are here.

My Baby's Two Today!

2006-09-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

My little Alex is not so little anymore. Today he turns two. We had a great birthday picnic party in the park, followed by hiking on the walking trails. There was much swingling, playing, and laughing involved. He's not old enough to understand what birthdays mean just yet, but he was very happy with all his new toy cars all the same. May all your birthday wishes come true, my little man!

Oh yeah, today is my birthday too, but we won't mention that ;) I'll post pics tomorrow!

Making Memories

2006-09-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

As I go through all my pictures to find good ones to scrap, I'm finding more and more great pics that I forgot I had! Ya'll are gonna get sick of me posting all my pages! I did get two more made, so now each of the kids has at least one of their own. I found so many cute ones that I will be scrapping soon!

Pals

Layout details and credits are here

Pink Fairy

Layout details and credits are here

If you are looking for digiscrap supplies, I suggest Sweet Shoppe Designs. They have the cutest kits and the most talented designers! Enjoy!

Feeling Sentimental...

2006-09-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

While putting off housework today, I was playing with Alex and missing my girls (who were in school at the time). All the scrapbooking I've been doing lately has gotten me in the "mommy" mood. Sometimes I don't think I do a good enough job with the kids, and I need to remember to make sure they know how much I love them. The oncoming autumn propels those feelings, too. There's just something about fall...the light changes. Everything is warm and glittery. It's a great "family" season! I just want to grab the kids and go outside.

With this feeling in mind, I made a couple of pages with fall colors, focusing on my solemn love for my kids. As I practice this new craft, and learn more techniques, I feel that I am developing my own style. I really like these pages, much more than my first few "practice" ones.

Your Smile

Layout details and credits are here.

Chocolate Face

Layout details and credits are here.

Two more kids to go!

I Won!

2006-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

I've been stalking scrapping blogs with the discovery of my new craft, and discovering so many talented designers! One of my favorites, Mindy Terasawa, was having a "Name Those Papers" contest with the release of her latest kit, so I sent in my suggestion. Much to my surprise, she picked mine! When I saw the colors, it just whispered "Cosmopolitan" to me. I think it's the perfect name for this kit, and I am so honored that she chose it! As a prize, I got the kit for free :D Now off to create some fabulous pages...

You can see her blog entry here
and purchase her kit here.
Be sure to check out her other gorgeous kits!

Picture Pages

2006-09-06T11:08:00.001-07:00

...picture pages, lots and lots of picture pages. lots of fun with crayons and with pencils..." Can anyone name that tune? LOL

I'm having too much fun learning Photoshop and playing with all these pretties!

Digital Scrapbooking

2006-08-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

What have I done? I have discovered a whole new craft. I knew digital scrapbooking existed, but I didn't realize how cool it was! Anything you can do with conventional scrapbooking papers, scissors, punches, kits, etc, you can do with a computer! And it saves you the clean up. I have been surfing, researching, downloading, and creating for the past two days. I have made my first digital scrapbook, and I will definitely be making more!

My brother and some friends came to visit us this weekend, and we all went to the zoo. I whipped up this scrapbook with the pictures I took. I'm sure I will make lots of changes as I learn more, but for now I am happy with this first attempt.

Click the picture to see the entire album

Morgan's Room, part 1

2006-08-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

My oldest daughter's room is a construction zone! This past weekend brought new wall paint (two coats, including the inside of the closet) and new built-ins. The cabinets still need door fronts and shelves, but the framing is done. We even managed to move a TV cable from one wall to the opposite one so that we can hide the TV in the new cabinetry (once she's allowed to have a TV in her room). We painted the wall behind the bed a dark chocolate brown, and the rest of the walls are cream. She thinks cream is boring, but I think she'll change her mind once we get all the fabrics and art in the room! I still have lots more sewing to do. Curtains, pillows, bedding, and a curtain to enclose the nook. Hopefully we'll have it done before she moves out! :p

Competition Totals

2006-08-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I finished the competition last night with a total of 4256 stitches. I stitched until I was falling asleep at my needle! Nowhere close to the master stitchers on the board, but I'm happy with it anyway.

I haven't had a lot of stitching time this weekend, because we have been redecorating oldest DD's room. We built the house 3 years ago so that every girl could have their own room, but then Alex came along and changed that plan! So the two little ones had to move into the largest room, and Morgan (the oldest) had to take the "blue room." Not too long ago, I realized in horror that Morgan only has 4 years left in the house before college, and she may no longer be living here at home. I want those years to be in a room she can really enjoy, so we started painting, building, and sewing this weekend. She will have a whole sleeping nook with a trundle bed below and bookshelves built in all around. A curtain will hide her away while she reads, sleeps, or listens to her music. Storage will not be a problem, even though she has the smallest room. And it will all be in cool, teenage-friendly colors of brown, pink, and lime green. I can't wait to post the after pictures!

HAED Comp, Thursday

2006-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

The last two days have netted another 988 stitches. Not real impressive. I was hoping for twice that. I forgot to clarify on my last post... in order to make the competition fair, since some people prefer to tent stitch, each leg of the stitch counts as 1 stitch. So, actually, I've only done half that amount in full stitches, but they each count twice. But being sick and real busy with my beadwork (I have two commissions as well as the fobs that I'm working on!), I just haven't had a whole lot of leftover time. Here's hoping today will be better!

Competition Update

2006-08-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

I've finally added up all my stitches! 2,288 stitches so far. That's Monday and Tuesday. I haven't stitched any today yet. As predicted, I did indeed get DD's stomach virus, and have been confined to the sofa. Hopefully that will be a good thing for my stitching today! I have been trying to work the big blocks of color in order to get the most stitches in the smallest amount of time. I'm pleased with my progress so far, I think.

The first of the birthstone series are up! I have January through April on the website so far, with more to come very soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Here's a sneak peek at January's Garnet :)

HAED Competition

2006-08-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

We're having a stitching competition on the HAED board, and I'm participating, although I have no chance of coming in close to the top. I'll be working on Fire, and counting the number of stitches made this week. I did manage a couple hours yesterday, and a few hundred stitches. It's fun just to be a part of it anyway!

Not only do I have four kids to keep me from stitching (and one of those currently has a stomach virus, so I'm sure I'm next), but my scissor fobs have been a hit! I've sold nearly all of them, so I've been working like mad to create more. I'm going to be adding a "Birthstone" series soon. The first few should be on the site tonight (hey, that rhymed!). I will have a little time at night to stitch, after all the kids are in bed. But as my teenager doesn't go to bed until around 10:00, and my toddler is having trouble sleeping (STILL!), that doesn't leave me much time. But I will post what little time I do get!

Scissor Fobs!

2006-08-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

My favorite stitching tool is my scissors. Especially my pewter Ginghers. These babies cut like no scissors I have ever had. Unfortunately, I accidentally left them at my mom's the last time I was down in MS. What's a stitcher to do? I see no solution other than to buy a new pair! Thus, I am the proud owner of a new pair of Gingher stork scissors (what is the story behind the stork anyway?). Since I am a beader, and without my favorite scissors, I thought it might be a good idea to make myself a fob for this new pair, to make it harder to lose them. I've never had a fob before, and I don't enjoy the word "fob" at all. It sounds...I don't know...funny. But that's what they're called. So I made one. Then another. They stitched up quick, and were fun to make. I thought they might be something my stitcher friends would enjoy, so I added them to my website. My own line of custom scissor fobs, with a uniqueness that you don't find everywhere. They would make great secret stitcher gifts too! I have more on the way, and if you want one in colors you don't see, Send me an email!

Click for bigger pics.

Coral

Curent

Urchin

Seashell

Thunderstorm

Waves

Autumn

Summer

Winter

Fire and Water

2006-07-27T10:03:00.000-07:00

Just a small stiching update... I've reached the 1/2 way point with my Fire ACEO! This is the full length of the piece. I have just as much left to do on the right hand side. When I finish her, she will be my most-proud stitching accomplishment to date. Remember, it's stitched over 1, so if it were stitched the traditional way, she would be 4 times as big!!!

We went to Florida this month to visit family and the beach. We stayed in a little place right on the beach on Anna Maria Island. It was the most magical place I've ever been! My soul is truly meant to be near sand and water. It is tortured now, to be so far from it. My life's goal is to someday be close enough to it to see it whenever I choose. Until then, I'll remain always wistful.

Weekend Warriors, Part 3

2006-05-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a whole year since we did any major work on our yard renovation, so we thought it was finally time to make some progress.

To refresh your memory, this is what it looked like before:

We put in a pond and waterfall, which empties into the riverbed. The pond is completely done, sans plants.

The water spills from the pond, then runs into the stream and under the bridge.

We ran out of large rocks, so we were unable to line the whole riverbed, but it does have its base layer of rock. The shape is much more defined now, and the water looks so soothing, now that it's flowing.

All in all, I am very pleased! I am extremely happy about how the pond turned out. The rock that the water spills off is one we took from the mountains on our last vacation, so it adds a personal touch. I can't wait to get some aquatic plants and ring the pond with plants!

Rejoicing and Grieving

2006-05-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

On May 6th, my middle daughter Helen completed her sacramental right of passage by receiving her first Holy Communion. The liturgy was beautiful, but not as beautiful as Helen. My miniature bride was composed and proud, dressed in lacy white and a wide smile. I made her a pearl and crystal necklace for the occasion, one that I hope she will also wear for her wedding.

Three days later, on May 9th, I learned that Vera Lewis had died from a sudden heart attack. We were shocked and saddened. I will miss you dearly, Grandma.

Stitching Updates

2006-03-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

I have been doing quite a bit of stitching lately, even though I haven't mentioned it much. As soon as I found out a friend was pregnant, I decided to stitch Arms of an Angel for her. I wanted to give her something special that no one else would have gotten. Some of my stitchy friends may notice that I've left off part of the gown. Shh! Don't tell! Baby came early! :o

I've also started a new HAED, Fire ACEO (artwork by Sara Butcher). I think she has quickly moved to the top of my "favorite artsits" list. I just love her faces, and sense of whimsy. The colors and hair in this piece are amazing. I'm stitching it over one on a 25ct Silkweaver Solo. Check out Heaven and Earth Designs to see the whole design.

Lastly, I've been trying to limit my new starts (all evidence to the contrary by above paragraph) until I knock out some older WIPs. So I will work on one HAED design (probably Fire until she's done) and one other until that WIP moves to the finished status. I started with Feather Fairy, hoping to get her done this month. No such luck. Fire is a true temptress! Maybe next month. Keep your fingers crossed!

I've updated the thumbnail pics in my sidebar, so clicking on the pictures will give additional information to those who may be interested. Off to stitch!

I'm going to be an aunt!

2006-03-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

I recently found out that my brother and his better half are going to have a baby! Woo hoo! I had just about given up on the idea of being an aunt, as he is only 15 months younger than me and had not yet had any inclination to have children. I'm so excited that I will finally have someone to spoil without suffering the consequences! Plus, I finally have someone to give all my baby stuff to. But the thought of my brother procreating is rather frightening ;)

Congrats John!

Spring Break in the Smokies

2006-03-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Last week was the kids' Spring Break, and we took a family vacation to the Smokey Mountains. I'm not much of a mountain girl, as I enjoy city life or the beach, but I really enjoyed the trip! I haven't been since I was in high school, and I had forgotten how truly gorgeous the mountains are. We had a fabulous 4 bedroom cabin with incredible views and a wonderful hot tub. It had a full kitchen, and we cooked dinner every night so that we could stay in and save some money. We managed a relatively small hike to Laurel Falls, and spent half a day at the Gatlinburg Aquarium. Although the mountain roads made me quite queasy, I would have loved another few days!

Incredible Views

DH and girls at Laurel Falls

Alex trying to catch a horseshoe crab at the Aquarium

Charity Ball Report

2006-02-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

I recently donated a necklace for the silent auction at the Junior Auxiliary Charity Ball in my hometown. As thanks, I received two tickets to the ball. I don't like to pass up a chance to get all dolled up, so we didn't have to be talked into going. We had a great time, and saw lots of people we haven't seen in a long time (hi Amy, if you're reading!). And the best part: My auctioned necklace sold for a whopping $170.00!!

I had to make a jewelry ensemble to go with my ultra-fabulous dress, naturally. For those curious readers, clicking on the necklace will give you bigger pictures.

Speaking of jewelry, I'm also getting ready to add a new line of pendants to my website, for the more frugal customers.

See a sneak peak HERE

Now I have to find another excuse to wear that dress!!

Lament for Laura

2006-02-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

I discovered in shock and horror that the stitching community has lost a good friend, Laura Watkiss, suddenly last Friday night. I did not know her in person, but she was one of the first people I "met" on the stitching boards. I followed her life through her posts, and her blog. Her gorgeous, stitched Kiss inspired me to fall in love with and stitch the piece. I have chatted with her a few times. It's hard to believe that she's gone. She was younger than I am.

My thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Neil, and her family. Laura, you will be missed.

Shed Some Light

2006-02-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

Today's song exerpt is for J, a friend of old.

Is it so bad that it can't be fixed? No one can truly love me in all my flaws like you could, and did once. I need our friendship. Let's repair the broken path.

Shed Some Light

I'm falling apart again
And I can't find a way to make amends
And I'm looking in both directions
But it's make believe, it's all pretend

It's innocence within the maze
But I have chosen the wrong way
I'm still getting over who I was
There's no sense of trust, there's no definition of love

So...
Shed some light on me
And hold me up in disbelief
And shed some light on me
And tell me something that I'll believe in

....Shinedown

Welcome Hallie!

2006-01-31T12:55:00.000-08:00

After months of an agonizing pregnancy, one of my friends has given birth to a beautiful baby girl! While I promised I wouldn't post her picture all over the Internet, I didn't say the same of her baby!

Congrats Mom and Dad!

Vindicated

2006-01-25T10:56:00.000-08:00

Vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong
I am right
I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along
And I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now
The things you swore you saw yourself

My hope dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption

...Dashboard Confessional

A part of a song that seems to describe me at this moment in life. The me who is getting closer to becoming the person I could and should be. The person I yearn to be.

Alex is Walking!!!

2006-01-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

After 16 months, we had seriously begun to wonder if Alex would ever take his first steps! With three sisters to spoil you, not to mention doting parents and grandparents, who needs to walk? Just pick me up and I'll point where I want to go.

He's been toddling back and forth between chairs and tables since New Year's Eve, but yesterday, he finally turned into a full-fledged walker! He started by going across the whole living room. Impressive, but still only in one straight line. Then he figured out if he fell, he could stand up and keep going without holding onto anything. Well, if he could do that, surely he could go in one direction, turn around, and go the other way without falling. He's got it down, and now he walks everywhere! Of course, I took tons of pictures:

I'm so proud!

Breathing Again

2006-01-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

The holiday rush is over, my chores for now are done, so I can come up for air!! With the start of my new business, I have been busier than I have ever been before! But it's a good kind of busy, that I enjoy, and I wouldn't change it! The holidays were fabulous, both personally and business-wise. I'm still not making a whole lot of sales, but the word is gradually spreading, so that's a plus. It's really just a part-time business anyway, since my kiddos will always be #1 priority. I hope to take a year to work on inventory and get some experience, then start doing shows.

I've added a lot of pieces to the website.
All the details are here!

For my stitching friends, I have been reading the boards and keeping up, even though I don't have much time to post. Please don't forget me! I actually have had a little free time to do some stitching. I just finished a model for Cross Eyed Kat Designs, so those of you going to Nashville in Feb. can look for that!

Family life is forever changing. I guess that's the hazard with growing children. My oldest DD traded her glasses for contacts yesterday, so now she really looks 17, instead of 12. Her acting career is taking off. She just signed with an agent in Nashville. Here's a few pictures from her cards that she has to have for auditions:

She's growing up so fast! They all are. Alex got his first "big boy" haircut and is no longer a generic baby.

Life goes by so fast the older you get! I remember a summer lasting a lifetime when I was a kid myself. But now, when I finally know how to enjoy life, it goes so quickly. Sometimes I think God may have gotten that wrong.

Bead All That You Can Bead

2005-11-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

It seems I am a woman obsessed these days. I have chosen my profession well; I can think of nothing else. I enjoy making my creations immensely, and the designing is almost as fun as the creating. Unfortunately, it has yet to give me the promise of profit. But good things come to those who wait, and dream, and reach for the stars. Or so say I.

I made these for myself, because I have not been able to keep much of my designs lately. And because I need wearable advertising. "Oh? You like these? I made them. Yes, I did! I am a jewelry designer. Here, take my card..."

Wave Earrings

They are made with sterling silver wire, which I wrapped myself. I used grey fire-poished beads, black diamond Swarovski crystals, and glass iridescent black pearls. I chose the colors so that they would match most anything. They are long, and dangly, and oh-so-fun to wear.

While I'm at it, I'll give a brief glimpse to my latest necklace design. Click for more info.

As Promised...

2005-11-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

The party was a blast! There were many creative and most excellent costumes. Well, as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words..."

King and Queen of Gondor

My Chemical Romance's Helena

My Two Fairies

Halloween Preparations

2005-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

From this day forward, I am no longer allowed to complain about having an overwhleming schedule, or not being able to complete my daily duties in a timely fashion. I beg for abuse! I cordially invite torture! I bring it on myself and welcome it into my life. My latest project only proves it.

My brother has sent out invitations for a Halloween costume bash in my hometown. After much deliberation, I have, at the last minute, decided to go. As soon as the plans were confirmed, I jumped on the internet to find an appropriate costume. I will be going as Arwen (naturally!) from the coronation scene at the end of the movie. Unfortunately, the outfit contained a crown that was less-than worthy for the elven princess. So I set out to see if my jewelry skills would allow me to fashion one of my own.

What began as an experiment soon turned into a full-blown architectural project. I studied pictures of the actual crown and used wire to make mine as close as possible. DH actually helped by doing the back wirework for me. I then added beaded wires like the original, and the many (16!) beaded strands hanging from it. I can't wait to wear it! It will be such fun!

Please excuse the horrid pictures. I didn't have the time for proper exposure.

This is the front of the crown. The wings of the butterfly lie right at my hairline.

This is the side and back view of the crown. All the beads were my favorite part!

Now, I must go add the beads and finishing touches to my lovely gown. Yes, I will take pictures when I am in full dress. I even have the ears!

For comparison:

Haute Water Designs

2005-10-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

It's official! My website is live and active! I'm a for-real businesswoman now; my future is in the hands of fate. I still have lots to learn, and I'm scared to death of disappointment. I want this so badly to be a success! So please help me out! Sign up for my newsletter and pass the url along to anyone you think might even be remotely interested.

Now, for the excitement of the weekend: My oldest DD auditioned for, and was accepted to, iPOP, the Internatonal Presentation of Performers! She was one of 40 out of over 500 selected to go to LA in January. She is a very talented, aspiring young actor who will be exposed to over 80 agencies and directors in Hollywood over the course of 4 days!

More iPOP info

Unfortunately, the cost of the trip will be more than we can afford alone. We will be undertaking many major fundraising events to try to raise the money to send her (I will be tagging along, of course - can't miss a chance to see the Pacific Ocean again!). Haute Water Designs will be raffling off several pieces, so look for that soon! We will also be petitioning local (and not-so-local) businesses for sponsors. Anyone donating $100 or more gets free advertising in the iPOP program. We will also be having several events such as carwashes, bake sales, etc.

Anyone with other ideas, or who would like to be a sponsor, please email me! We only have 3 months to raise enough money to go. Any help is appreciated!

Sneak Peek

2005-09-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Just to get the curiosity juices flowing.... :)

More information will be available when my website finally launches!

HAED Over Heels

2005-09-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

My new business venture has been keeping me ultra-busy, but I have been doing a bit of stitching here and there. Lately I have been concentrating on my HAED, because I can't seem to put her down (I knew that rotation thing wouldn't work out)!

This is Ian Daniels' Ariel. I just think she's the lovliest thing I've ever seen. There are a lot of color changes, so it's not moving real fast, but I love to watch the details come to life. There's something interesting in every 10x10 block!

Oh, and Aragog came back!!!

Stay Tuned...

2005-09-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm taking my life in a new direction. I've decided to combine all my talents and knowledge, and go into business. I will be combining my love of needle and thread, biology, and beads. I will be offering something beautiful and unique to the world, and enjoying myself in the process! Only time will tell if it will also be profitable.

Check back often for my grand opening...

Hazel Nut

2005-08-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

I have been a big fan of Sister Hazel the last few years, against my better judgement. While my music preferences lie more in the rock/alternative category, there's just something about this band that I adore. Perhaps it's their knack to write true-to-life songs that are easy to apply to my own existence. Perhaps it's my kinship with their city of origin, Gainseville, as it is also my place of birth. As poor an excuse as that is, I keep trying to rationalize my attraction, rather than come right out and admit that I just love the music for what it is: the pure sound, the acoustic guitar, but most of all, the harmony.

Even though they recorded their latest album here in Memphis, and they've visited on several occasions, I have missed them for one reason or another. However, a couple weeks ago, I saw an announcement at our local Beale Street theatre that they would be giving another concert this month. I decided I wouldn't miss this one, and purchased tickets right away.

I enjoyed myself to the fullest extent possible. They didn't play a single song that I didn't know, and they seemed to really enjoy themselves on the stage. I am still uplifted from that performance!

I also made a personal discovery: I do not enjoy simply being an observer! I have to be active, fully involved in the things I enjoy, not a mere bystander. I sang, I danced, and I jumped with the rhythm of each song (although I don't attest that I did it well). Even then, I would have loved to meet the band, get their autographs, have a chat. We snuck over to the Peabody Hotel in the hopes of seeing them after the show, but abandoned the attempt after a small wait. Completely exhausted, completely satisfied, I returned home thinking how lucky I was to have had a chance to see the show.

Ode to Aragog :(

2005-08-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, we have had a resident spider living right outside our back door. She was an enormous spider, with a fat body and long, red-striped legs. She would curl up in the corner of the door moulding during the day, staying cool out of the sun. Then, as soon as the sun had completely set, she would venture out and begin weaving her web. She started by anchoring it with one long thread to the bottom of the door, then she would construct the spokes radiating from the center. She handled the silken threads with her many legs, wrapping them, and placing them exactly where she wanted them to go. Reminiscent of a knitter, round and round she would go, until her spiral filled the top half of the door. Then she would lie in wait in the center of her trap.

It was fascinating to watch her. She would tease the smaller bugs who were unlucky enough to be attracted by the porch light, only to fall into her weaving. I watched her tap on the strings, making her prey bounce, daring them to escape. If larger bugs, usually moths, ventured close enough, she would race out and attempt a catch. If sucessful, her legs worked furiously, wrapping the invader in a matter of seconds. With a few flicks of her legs, the parcel would be detached, and taken back to the center of her wheel, where she would begin her meal.

I dubbed her Aragog, to the argument of my eldest daughter, who seemed intent to call her Ernie. I thought she was far too interesting and mysterious to be called "Ernie." So, for me at least, she took the name of the giant spider with whom Harry Potter was aquainted. She provided me hours of evening entertainment over several weeks, when I would study her amazing habits. The children feared her at first, and wanted her to be disposed of, until I pointed out how "cool" she was. They eventually adopted her as their pet. I didn't mind her close living quarters, since she chose the one french door that never gets opened, and since she cleaned up after herself every night. By morning, she had taken her web down, and assumed her corner spot until the sun sank again.

A few days ago, a suiter came to visit. He seemed to be the same type of spider, although I am no expert, and he was much smaller. He wooed her for two days, then he was gone. Two days after that, Aragog had disappeared as well. Whether she packed up to follow her love, or whether something tragic had befallen her, I will never know. But her antics no longer fill my door. I still hold on to some, perhaps unreasonable, hope that either she or her offspring will return. We shall see.

The joke's on me

2005-08-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

My dictionary widget was teasing me today. For fun (and by suggestion of DH), I put in "blogger," and it spat this back at me:

blogger:
noun
Americans with at least an unhealthy interest in computers

Harry Potter - no spoilers

2005-07-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I've been depressed for the last 3 days, ever since I finished the latest Harry Potter book. I don't know whether i'm more depressed over the contents, or the fact that I finished it. No more Harry Potter to read until the next, and final, installment. It was wonderfully written. It was wonderfully suspenseful. It was wonderfully surprising. It was wonderfully depressing. It was a wonderful experience.

Accountability

2005-07-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything stitching-related, so it's time to come clean. I've been too embarrassed to admit to my bad behavior. I hang my head in shame! But as I take stock of my stitching career, I noticed that I have only had ONE finish this year, despite my best intentions. Instead of sticking to my rotation, and finishing one of my many languishing WIPs, I have started two new ones! One was accidental, as you Mira BBers already know, the other I blame on the HAED SAL... No! This post is about accountability! No more excuses! I have only myself to blame.

So here's my (now revised) rotation calendar. I have a new spot for my new HAED start, which should only be a one-weekend-a-month thing, if I can keep from stitching it (wait till you see....she's gorgeous). Then I'm gonna finish Fairy Roses, then knock out The Kiss, before it becomes a UFO. Maybe. We'll see!

A Nature Walk

2005-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

The new Google satellite maps are amazing! I recently pulled up my own address and saw an aerial photo (well, space photo, I suppose) of my entire neighborhood. My house backs up to a small wooded area (trees are rare in these new subdivisions). Turns out there's a pond back there! Just a few steps from my backyard! We've been here for a year and a half, and never knew it was there. So we don our hiking boots and go in search of it. See that triangular black spot? That's it - the red marker is my house.

Practically undisturbed, the large pond is full of wildlife. Apparently deer don't need satellites to find bodies of water. Oldest DD has dubbed it "Dragonfly Pond" because they were buzzing everywhere.

On the far side, a fallen tree was acting as a nurse log for all kinds of growing plants, including these very cool shelf fungi (sorry, I'm a botanist, remember).

The weekend also showed me the most gorgeous, vibrant rainbow I've ever seen, against a sky filled with the colors of summer.

Weekend Warriors, Part 2

2005-05-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry, folks, lots of pics this time! I'm just so excited - my plan is taking shape. I'll tell a visual story :)

We've begun pouring concrete. Well, when I say "we," I really mean DH and his lovely, lovely dad (who is a carpenter and knows how to do all this stuff!). We now have a patio in front of the front door. The door is no longer invisible from the street! There is a fountain and a large patio to draw the eye. Here it is while the bricks were being mortared (that's my mother-in-law mowing the yard).

The bricks are now completely mortared, and the patio is complete!

I've put out a couple chairs for now. I plan to get some beautiful iron benches. but until then, this will have to do. For those horticulturally interested, the shade garden here contains hostas, coleus, and lamb's ears, with future spots for hydrangeas and impatiens. The hanging container holds my prized fuscia, and a pedestal behind the chairs holds a miniture rose.

The yard comes right up to the patio, with more flowerbeds outlining its curving shape. They will soon hold colorful annuals.

The butterfly garden is made up of a beautiful ballerina rose, "autumn joy" sedum, salvia, lantana, verbena, a few foxgloves, and lavender. The future sidewalk will cross the future streambed here.

I'll update again with more photos when we get some more done. Oh yeah, and I've updated my stitching pics on the left sidebar for those of you who came here to see what I've been stitching :) LOL

Last Toothless Grin

2005-04-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Toddlerhood is fast approaching. I have a little less than 5 months left of Alex's remaining baby antics. Soon he will be walking, and talking, and eating big-boy foods. I admit that those are all good things, but it's still depressing. As if I need reminding of this sad fact, this weekend showed his first tooth poking through. It took me by surprise, because I had no clue that he was teething. I would blame my surprise on the fact that he is an overall fussy baby, except that he has been less fussy than usual lately. He won't eat baby food, and he won't take a bottle, but he's happy most of the time. He plays by himself much more often, and his laughter warms up the house. He's even started sleeping through the night! Not every night, but there were more nights last week that he slept through than those that he didn't. Wonderful progress! I have high hopes that sleepful nights lay in my not-so-distant future.

I took this picture today. It may very well be his last toothless grin.

Extreme Weekend Warriors

2005-04-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted in a long while, but we have been so busy working in the yard. Actually, DH (and his dad) does most of the hard labor, as Alex makes it difficult for me to help much. I act more in the role of designer / supervisor :) It is wonderful to see my plan starting to take shape! The curves are beginning to define the areas between planting beds, stream bed, sidewalk, and patio. Our fountain turned out beautifully, and I love the sound!

We will soon have the showhouse of the neighborhood! All the other houses in the subdivision have cookie cutter yards with a teeny sidewalk leading from the driveway to the front door, a few shrubs and trees scattered here and there. I will have a wide, curving, wandering sidewalk with a bridge crossing a stream. It will be a path through a garden, ending at a cool water fountain. I can't wait!

I forgot to take a before picture, but I do have some in-progress pics. We hope to pour concrete for the sidewalks this weekend.

This is the view of the front of the house from the right side. It's hard to see the curving shape of the soon-to-be sidewalk because the lawn slopes a bit. You can barely see the urn fountain that will be set in the middle of the patio by the front door.

This is from the left side of the front lawn. The sidewalk will end at the street here. It will be bordered on one side by flowerbeds, and a dry riverbed on the other side.

My first scarlet rose of the season! For those interested, it is a floribunda. It sets the stage for the red and purple color sheme I hope to achieve.

I want to plant a butterfly/hummingbird garden when the flowerbeds are ready. I don't think we will have a problem attracting them, since we have caterpillars all over the place!

I'm so glad it's finally spring! I will post further updates as we move forward.

Rotation, rotation, rotation!

2005-03-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

I know I've said it before, but I am serious this time. I am going to stick with it. I have too many projects that I want to finish, and they will never see me again if I don't get strict about my stitching. So I've taken my top 5 WIPs and assigned them a monthly spot. I've even typed it all out on my computer calendar, so I can't forget what I am to be working on, and when. I have a slot for these WIPs:

*Mirabilia (Feather Fairy, although I should finish The Kiss) gets week one, including the first weekend of the month for the SAL.
*Helene Tran (Beautiful Hats) get 5 days of the next week
*Elrond (Dracolair's Dawn Awakening) gets the second weekend of the month for the SAL
*HAED (Holiday Splendor) gets the next week or two, if it is a long month (this is my focus piece)
*L&L (World Peace Angel) gets the last week

This changes a little depending on the month, but my calendar keeps track of everything and makes sure everything gets their turn. Hopefully I will finish up some of those that are in danger of becoming a UFO!

Sadly, I must put Holiday Splendor away until April. She's looking so great, and it's hard to part with her for two weeks! Here is my progress for March (click for details):

The good thing about putting her away is that I get to start a new project! Stay tuned for updates :)

Garden Fever

2005-03-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

We moved into the house that we painstakingly constructed ourselves a year and 3 months ago. We chose and analyzed a house plan, chose and hired contractors, chose and installed tile, lighting, fixtures, cabinets, etc. The one part we neglected was the yard. We installed a lawn and a few small trees, but that was about the extent of it. Being a botanist, I love plants. Trees, shrubs, flowers - especially flowers. I want a beautiful yard full of flowers! Finally, this spring, I will get my wish. I have had the landscape design drawn up on a piece of scrap paper for months. I have been researching and choosing plants. We will have a dry creekbed for drainage, complete with a small bridge that will cross our new sidewalk, an element that we have so far been missing. A fountain will grace the front door, which has up until now, been practiacally invisible. Visitors always enter through the garage because there is no entry. Well, no more! My yard will be the envy of the neighborhood. I am only waiting on the weather to warm up just enough so that we can tolerate being out there. Will it ever be warm again??

Wishing for Warmth

2005-03-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

I have been sick this week. Not with a cold, or anything similar. I have a stomach issue that is yet undiagnosed by modern medicine. Unfortunately, the pain has rendered me to the sofa for the past few days. Caring for Alex this week has been challenging to say the least, but for now, the sun is shining outside, my girls are at school, and my son is asleep. I am all alone for the moment.

Strangely enough, I have felt alone all week. I suppose it's because I haven't been able to get up and do my usual domestic duties, play with the kids, go to the grocery store. But instead of being the one who cannot spend the time that I want with my family, I have felt like they are the ones avoiding me. I understand that they want to give me space to get well, but...

This is silly. I have no reason to feel neglected, as I am blessed with the best family in the world. I am very lucky to be part of something so wonderful!

I long for warmer weather. As I mentioned before, the sun is shining, but it is still very cold. I am one of those people who needs the sun's warmth on their skin. I am happiest when I am outside, enveloped in the rays of the sun, like a blanket wrapped around me. I am destined to be barefoot, with sunscreen and sunglasses as my ever-present accessories. The beach is calling me.

Uplifting moments

2005-02-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

It's so easy to complain about those little things in our lives that may be causing us stress at the time, and let slip the small positive occurences. A shame, really. Giving the negative the attention it doesn't deserve, but wants badly, only amplifies its discomfort. It feels us with dread, making it harder to ignore. For some reason, happy thoughts are much easier to banish. They get squashed and seep out through the cracks that the negative thoughts leave.

So today I focus on the good.

I will not dwell on my lack of sleep, but instead be uplifted by the extra hour that my son slept last night. By the way he woke up, then went back to sleep all on his own. He still may not sleep all night, but he is sleeping longer.

I will not dwell on the tightness of my size 6 jeans, but instead be uplifted by the stunning fact that I can wear them at all. By the 5.2 pounds I seem to have misplaced over the last 3 weeks. I may not yet be where I want to be, or weigh what I want to weigh, but I am thinner than I was before I was pregnant. 9 weeks are still left to send the remaining pounds into exile.

I will not dwell on the slowness of my postal worker, who refuses to bring me my new stash, but instead be uplifted by the progress I am making on my current project. I may not yet have my new project, but I will not permit myself to start it until the old project is finished anyway.

I will not dwell on the current tension in the stitching community, but be uplifted by the boards that allow me to share my passion with other passionate stitchers. I may not be as "in the know" as I would like, or post as often as I would like, but I still consider these people my friends.

Lastly, I will not dwell on the slow dissolution of a very dear friendship, but be uplifted by the years of memories I still retain. By my family who give me all the love I need. By my few friends that still remain. I will resign myself to the fact that she wants and needs nothing more from me than an occasional email. I will move on.

Ferberizing and Routines

2005-02-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a full night's sleep in 5 months. Whether it was due to experience or good genetics, each of our babies were better-behaved than the last. Until Alex. Apparently a boy is different in EVERYthing! He is a true Mama's Boy. He would be attached to me permanently if he could. I love him to pieces, and this makes me feel very special, but I want my sleep! He has absolutely no problem going to sleep. He has an extreme problem *staying* asleep. 2 hours max. Then he wants to play. This doesn't work for me after midnight. So I have gotten him on a strict schedule. Starting at 8:00, we bathe (he loves the water), get pj's on, get his last meal, and read a story. Then it's off to bed. No problem. He will even put himself to sleep. Only to wake up an hour later.

Hence the Ferberizing. He has to learn how to calm himself and put himslef back to sleep. Let him cry for a few minutes. Go in and pat him, talk to him. Walk out. Let him cry. Go in and pat him. Don't pick him up, don't pick him up, don't pick him up. This is so hard! I stuck it out for 45 minutes. Then I worry that he might still be hungry. I finally cave and get him up to eat. Oh, he's so happy! He's jumping, laughing, playing, but NOT eating. All that time ruined because I caved! I should have stuck it out. Oh well. We'll try it again tonight. I know he won't get it the first day, or even the first few days. But if he started sleeping on his own, it would be sooooo worth it! Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

In stitching news, month two of the Dracolair SAL is over. Click for details. Back to Lilly!

Heart Beeps

2005-02-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

I was finishing up the dishes yesterday when my youngest daughter, age 5, came in to keep me company. I told her I was about to go out to the garage to do my workout. She told me "I wanna come work out too, cause I need to make my heart beep." Always tickled pink when my children say something cute, I encouraged her to continue. "Oh yeah? Why?" She answered very convincingly, "Because when your heart beeps, it means you love somebody. If it stops beeping, your heart is broken, and nobody loves you." I assured her that she had nothing to worry about, as she has the strongest heart of anyone I know. I was rewarded with a tight hug.

Speaking of hearts, I finished my Valentine happy I stitched up for fun. It's called Angle of Love by Cross Eyed Kat Designs, and I stitched it with Krenik silks, and an overdyed Dinky Dyes silk (#47 - Cowrie Shell). It's done on a Silkweaver solo. I love the mix of Science and the Arts, since I am a stitcher with a Biology degree ;)

Bikini Bod

2005-01-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's my goal. I want to look good, no, *great*, in a bikini by the end of April. The weight is steadily coming off, as I am being very diligent about my workouts and diet. I'm eating clean, and working my muscles every day. Yesterday, I finally got an elliptical, so now I can do cardio no matter the weather. I'm only 5 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight right now, and that's without any cardio. I'm going to "ellipticize" 4-5 times a week, so that should help. I will start measuring next week, and take pictures every four weeks for a 12-week period. I'm excited and motivated!

I don't understand all these low-carb diets. I am all for eating more protein, but only in the presence of a good, healthy carb. How else can the protein reach the muscles? Carbs are the energy that fuel your workouts, and lead the protein to build strong muscles. I don't deny that a person can lose a lot of weight on a low-carb diet. But it's not healthy. It won't re-shape your body! If you are a large pear at the beginning of a low-carb diet, you will just be a smaller pear at the end of it! I wish I could explain this to the dieting world. If you want to look fit and healthy and *lean*, you have to eat a low-fat, healthy diet of protein AND carbs!

I'm in total agreement with the rice-cake ad lady...what? bacon and fried chicken is ok, but stay away from broccoli?

By the way, I thought this was fun. I'm not as much of a loser as I thought! What about you?

Shuffling Through My Notes

2005-01-18T15:53:00.000-08:00

I've been playing around with my blog again today. I wanted a separate site to keep detailed notes about my cross-stitching. So I've started one here. After searching for a template, I settled on this one because...well...read my last post! I don't actually have an ipod Shuffle (yet!), but any member of the ipod family is welcome in my house!

I love my Mac!

2005-01-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

I may get flamed for this, but I simply HATE PC's! I have a Mac Powerbook that follows me through the house wherever I go. Before Christmas, the power adapter broke, and I was forced to use DH's Windoze Laptop. Blech. I don't understand why these computers are so prominent, when Macs are SOOO much easier to use! Well, now my Mac is back, with a brand new power adapter and a RAM upgrade, courtesy of Christmas and my Dad (also a fellow Mac-addict).

Apple is also the proud maker of my iPod, which I don't know how I ever lived without. Not only does it faithfully play commercial-free hours of my favorite songs, but I can also listen to books faster than I could ever read them. That means I can "read" and stitch at the same time! My two favorite hobbies combined. Right now I'm "reading" State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Ahhh....Life is good.

Dawn Awakening

2005-01-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

I'm joining in a Dracolair SAL (Stich-a-Long, for you non-stitchers) with two other gals. We're each stitching one of the Dracolair "Days of Dragons." I've chosen Dawn Awakening. After our first weekend, my dragon has a head, but nothing else. This piece has more blends and fractional stitches than any other piece I've tackeled. Don't ask to look at the back! LOL Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the challenge, and I love love love how the colors blend so well! I'm doing it on SMF Sund Dappled Glade. Now I'm putting him away till next month, and going back to Lilly, who is coming along much faster.

Year Reflections

2004-12-28T12:33:00.000-08:00

This year has flown by, and I want to take a little time to reflect on how great it has been and how much I have grown. I don't expect to ever have a year like this again. My close friends and DH will know why. I feel that this year was the beginning of a new life for me.

I have new priorities, and new responsibilities. I have reached out to old friends. I have strengthened bonds with the people in my life. I know how important family and friendship is. I am concentrating on my family's happiness rather than my own. Ironically, I have found that this makes me happier than I've ever been! I put them first above everything. Their lives are my life, and if we are all together, then everything is right in the world.

For most of this year, I have been the host to our new family addition. I have had to adjust to being pregnant, then again to being a mother of a newborn. I haven't done this in 5 years ;) We were finally blessed with a baby boy. Since Alex is the last baby we will have, I try to enjoy every second of his babyhood. I want to remember exactly how it feels to hold him, rock him to sleep, look at his smile. They grow up so fast. He is already bigger now than he was a few short weeks ago. I don't want to forget how little he is now. That his foot can fit inside his daddy's hand. That his hand is barely big enough to grasp his daddy's finger. These little moments are my heaven. They don't last long enough.

I have also grown in my stitching. Since I joined the Mirabilia Bulletin Board, I have developed a new level of addiction. My online stitching buddies will understand this! I have discovered hand dyed fabrics, and aquired more stash this year than all other years combined. While I used to be a one-project-a-year gal, I have completed a total of 4 large projects this year for myself, and one as a gift! In addition, I became a model stitcher, and have completed 7 models so far. One of those has been published with my name on it! (see Butterfly Garden, by Cross Eyed Kat Designs) I have met so many accomplished stitchers, and got to know them, not only by their stitching, but by reading posts and blogs. It's so nice to know that there are others out there who share the same passions I do.

All in all, this year has been the greatest of my life so far, and I excpect January 1, 2005 to bring a year of even greater joys and triumphs. Thank you to all who share in my life by reading my blog and sharing in my stitching!

It's Snowing!

2004-12-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

I had to run and get the kids to look out the window, while it lasts. We usually only have one or two days of snow here, and it hardly ever sticks. It doesn't usually happen until after Christmas. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a white Christmas? I hate being cold, and I'm not fond of snow, but I don't mind a day or two of it. It's so pretty!

I'm almost ready for the holidays. I have a little more wrapping to do, but my shopping is done. Cleaning is useless until the last minute, or the kids will just mess everything up again! And I have lots of cooking to do - but I'm looking forward to that. I love cooking, especially when someone keeps me company in the kitchen. And we have lots of company coming in soon!

I hope everyone has a very merry holiday!!

Getting Ready for a Busy Weekend

2004-10-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Helen is my odd child. Not odd as in weird (although weirdness does run in the family, and I encourage that!), but she is my only child who does not have her birthday on the 16th. I still consider her the "middle" child, even though technically, there is no longer a middle. She's a Halloween baby, being born on the 29th. That means that not only do I have to buy candy, have enough creativity for four Haloween costumes, and carve at least 3 pumpkins (they each have to have their own), but I have to plan a birthday party as well! Cleaning the house is another necessity, since we will have out-of-town family come to join in the festivities. Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

My sore muscles don't offer any condolences, either. That's right - I am STILL sore, not from the first workout, but from subsequent ones. In two weeks, I have not missed a single workout, and I have eaten clean. My waist is 1.25 inches smaller because of it! WooHoo! I haven't taken official measurements yet, since it hasn't been quite 2 weeks, but I just had to take a quick peek. It was a very encouraging peek :)

In stitching news, I put The Kiss aside for now, even though I'm about 1/2 way done. I was itching for a new start, but felt guilty about it. In the end, I decided to work on the latest free Mira cherub. It will be a Christmas present for Jessie's kindergarden teacher, who was also Helen's teacher last year. She's been so great, and I want to do something special for her. So hopefully I'll have new WIP pics soon. This is assuming, of course, that Alex will let me get some stitching done before Christmas! He really is such a good baby, though. He's finally smiling on purpose! He doesn't do it often, and he makes me really work for it, but it is so worth the effort! Don't you think?

Diaries of a Haute Mama

2004-10-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Since very few of my entries lately have anything to do with stitching, I am officially changing the name of my blog. Alex has considerably cut down on my stitching time right now, anyway. It just seems unfair to call it a "stitching blog" when the entries are not all about stitching. Besides, this title is much more creative.

I am back on the BFL (Body for Life) wagon! I'm eating healthy, and I had my first post-birth workout yesterday. Alex slept long enough to allow me to hit the weights in our home gym. And I am sore today!!! I forgot how much I missed that. It reminds me that I am doing something healthy for myself. I just hope 12 weeks will be enough to get back into my pre-pregnancy jeans! I want to be a size 6 again, even if my boobs will be bigger than normal for a little while! But I will suffer that for the sake of my baby :) Hopefully posting here will help keep me honest, knowing that you all are reading and waiting for progress reports! (right?)

Reunion News

2004-10-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Surprise of all surprises...I actually had a blast at my reunion! Despite my biggest fear, I remembered everybody! I only had to glance at name tags a couple times. And all those people who ignored me in high school were actually quite nice. Amazing what becoming an adult will do. We had fun catching up with everyone, and I got to dance for the first time in a long time! Now, the old high school me would have just sat on the sidelines, considering that no one was on the floor dancing. But the "now" me jumped at the chance to get out there on an empty dance floor when an old friend whose wife had stayed home asked me to dance. Of course, once we started, the dance floor seemed to fill up. I was never a trend-setter in high school, but I guess it's never too late to start!! We all danced for the rest of the night, and I hope everyone was saying, "Is that AMY out there???" LOL Oh, and btw, I DID have the best-looking husband!

Ack! I'm Old!

2004-10-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

For those Back to the Future fans, picture Jennifer in the present coming face to face with the Jennifer of the future. Young Jennifer screeches, "I'm old!" as the old Jennifer simultaneously ejects, "I'm young!" This paradox describes me right now. At this very moment (well, maybe not this EXACT one), I am getting ready to go to my 10-year high school reunion. I get to spend the weekend with people I barely remember, not to mention barely liked (I hope none of them are reading this!). I'm tempted not to go, but it's one of those things I won't be able to do later. If I don't go, I'll never have another chance. So I'm going to go, if for no other reason than just to make sure I don't regret not going later. Besides, I want to see who has gotten fat :)

But the whole idea of a 10-year reunion has made me realize how much time has passed since I was a kid. I guess I will finally have to admit that I'm an adult now. I do have four children, after all. I am the head of a household, after all. I have my own home in a city where my parents don't live, after all. But grown up? Me? I don't FEEL grown up. I don't have a job (a paying one, anyway). I still play with Barbies (with my children, of course!), and I get to watch cartoons on Saturdays. But somehow, it happened without my knowledge or permission. Sigh....maybe one day I'll actually LOOK old enough to buy liquor without a driver's license!

The reunion is two hours away, in my hometown and the town where my and DH's parents still live. Which means that this will be Alex's first real trip. So far, he has been a very good baby. He wakes up 2-3 times at night, but he (almost) always goes right back to sleep. Sleep for me has been interrupted, but not overly lacking. We are excited to show him off, but I'm not so thrilled at the idea of leaving him for a night. He is only three weeks old today.

Well, off to get my hair done so I look as fabulous as possible, which will be really hard, considering I have all this leftover baby weight - not the best time for a reunion, when you're supposed to be a knockout so you can wow all your x-boyfriends. Oh well. I'll have the best-looking husband!

Alex is here!

2004-09-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten what hard work labor is! Yeah, yeah, I know...they don't call it labor for nothing. Well, they also say that they're supposed to be easier the more you have! Let me tell you - not true! Compared to my last birth, I had to really work for this one. Not that it was too terribly bad. I was in labor for about 6 hours, and only 1 of that was really bad ( I didn't have an epidural - I went natural). And after 4 pushing sessions (again, that could have been a lot worse), I had a new baby boy! Alex Cole is perfect, and exactly how I imagined he would be. Well, that's not true. He's much much more! So here are the stats that everyone always wants:

Alex Cole Hutchinson (he shares my initials)
Born September 16th, at 1:51 p.m. (on my birthday)
7 pounds, 10 ounces
21 inches long

Here he is just minutes old

This is in the hospital, after finally calming down

Just before leaving the hospital

At home, 3 days old

Last HD Before Baby!

2004-09-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Finally! I made myself get that spool of #4 braid to finish up my Emerald Mermaid, and spent about a week beading. But she's done! And three days before Alex gets here. I don't know how much time I'm gonna have for stitching after he's born, but I'm guessing not much. So I'm glad I was able to squeeze in one more finish.

Here she is! She is stitched on 32 ct Aphrodite linen from Sugar Maple. I substituted 015 #4 braid for the second lightest color in the seaweed, to give it that mossy sparkle. I also had to cut a little off the sides, because it was getting really close to the edge of my fabric (I was cheap and went with a small cut). See a close-up of her here.

7 Days and Counting...

2004-09-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still here, and still VERY pregnant. I'm tired of sharing! I no longer want to be a hostess! But the good news is that I only have 7 days to go. I will be induced on the 16th, if nothing happens before then. And I know it won't. All my babies had to have their water broken before the fireworks would start. But it's only a week, right? I've made it this long, I can do 7 more lousy days, can't I? I've been doing a lot of research on relaxation techniques and self-hypnosis. I'm determined to have this baby with absolutely no medication! I've never had an epidural, but I usually have at least one dose of Demerol. Not this time. I can do this!

I haven't been posting much lately, because I have been carrying my oldest DD around town for the last week. We had a slight scare - she lost the vision in her right eye for a half day. The doctors couldn't figure it out. All they could find were that her optic nerves looked swollen. So she had an MRI, and she was pronounced completely normal (whatever that means for her age)! Relief!

Well, off to do more preparations for the baby. Gotta get hospital bags packed and the nursery straightened up, etc. Sigh....this will end eventually!

Rotation Disfunction

2004-08-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've discovered I'm not so great at this rotation thing! I started The Kiss, intending to work on it for a week, then go back to Emerald Mermaid. Well, I enjoyed working on it so much that I stitched on it for two weeks instead of one. I finally got the willpower to return to Emmy, when my new stash arrived in the mail! I tried to resist, honestly I did. But resistance was futile. I put Emmy aside (again!) with the excuse that I haven't gotten any more #4 braid for her anyway. So this week I'm working on Beautiful Hats, a Helene Tran design put out by DMC (see WIPs sidebar for pic). I will do my best to go back and finish my mermaid next week. In the meantime, I just have to show off my progress on the Kiss!

Technology is so cool!

2004-08-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Today I had my appointment for my 3D ultrasound. I had talked to the technician on the phone, and we decided to book the appointment, then talk about whether or not we should go through with it. I was really too far along to get good pics, but they haven't had it available until now, so doing it earlier was not an option.

When we got there, she said that if it looked like we weren't going to be able to get any good pictures, all we had to pay was a $50 sitting fee, so we decided to take the chance. At first it looked like it wasn't going to work. His face was down, and he had his arms in front of it. But he eventually did move, and we were able to get some really good pictures of his face! It was amazing....we could look at him and see what he looked like, even count his fingers and toes, and he hasn't even been born yet!

Wanna see? Of course you do! Here he is today, at 36 weeks, 2 days.

I'm All Alone :(

2004-08-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

My littlest girl started Kindergarden today. That leaves me in the house during the day with.....well, with me. It's only for a little over 4 weeks, then I will have my hands full with the new baby. It's actually good timing. It will be nice to spend the days with just the baby. I can give him the attention he will need, and the girls won't feel left out. But in the meantime, I'm awefully lonely. I can't believe my little girl is in school now! Why is that so depressing?

Stitchers' Spotlight

2004-08-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

I have been chosen to be the first spotlightee on the new Mirabilia BB Stitchers' Spotlight! How cool is that? I've always read the Spotlight on the TWBB, but never thought I'd be in one! Now all my fellow stitchers can get to know me! I like being the center of attention ;)

In other news, I had my bi-weekly doctor's appointment today. Turns out they can't get me scheduled for a 3-D sonogram until the 25th, more than two weeks away. By then, it may be too late in my pregnancy to get a good facial picture. This will be my last pregnancy, and this type of sonogram wasn't developed during my other ones, so I really wanted to do it this time. I went ahead and booked it, but I'm going to think hard about it. I don't want to pay $250 (not covered by insurance) for a not-so-great picture. I will talk it over with my doctor and see what she thinks before I decide whether or not I will do it. I'm very disappointed.

But, hey - excited about the Stitchers' Spotlight!

Emmy Tragedy

2004-08-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

As if I weren't dreading the seaweed enough....

I had decided to substitute a light green metallic braid for the lightest shade of green in the seaweed of my Emerald Mermaid. I thought it made it look wet, mossy, and sparkly, and I was loving the effect! It made stitching the seaweed, which is full of color changes, so much more pleasant. Sigh.....

My spool fell off my stitching chair and rolled under my bed without my knowledge ("on top of spaghetti....all covered with cheese..."). Unfortunately, my dog found it first :'( What I could salvage is completely unusable. So, get another spool, right? Well, not so easy. That particular spool was leftover from another project, and the sticker with the color number had fallen off, so I have no idea what color it was! And I was so close to being done!

Below, you can see a pic of my substitution, along with my current progress. I am so frustrated right now, I put her aside and started on The Kiss! LOL

Little Boy Found

2004-08-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

David has been found and returned to his mother! After two days of wandering around, he was found a little dehydrated, but otherwise ok. Stacey is extatic and exhausted. I'm so so glad this has turned out well for her!

On a side note, I finally had a dream where I got to hold my baby boy! I can hardly wait the 5 more weeks until I can do that in real life :)

David, please come home!

2004-08-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

The 4-year old son of Stacey, whithout whom we would not have the wonderful Mirabilia Bulletin Board, has been missing for about 2 days now. As a mother of 3, I can't even begin to imagine the panic that this family is feeling. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. My heart goes out to Stacey, and to little David, who is too young to be out in the world all alone.

Please visit Stacey's Blog to read her plea for help and see a picture of David. I feel so helpless here in Memphis. Stay positive, Stacey!

Strange Dreams

2004-08-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know that pregnancy has a *ton* of side effects (and if one exists, I have it!), but the vivid dream symptom has got to be the weirdest! I've been having lots of dreams where the baby has been born, but in these dreams I never actually get to see or hold him. Wonder what that means?

Well, last night I dreamed about my stitching. I don't quite remember all of it, but I remember someone being in my house, and I was taking him/her through all the rooms, and showing off my framed pieces. That can only be a sign that my addiction (as DH calls it) has gone too far! Or, rather, I need another fix :)

Comfort is a Thing of the Past

2004-07-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

I think from here on out, comfort will be a luxury unbeknownst to me. If I stand for longer than 10 minutes, my back hurts. If I walk for longer than 10 minutes, my feet hurt. A good night's sleep is unattainable, as finding a comfortable position even in the most comfortable of beds is impossible. Sigh...the things we do for our children! And I haven't even met this one yet! But I do have a photo of the creature who is tormenting me:

Funny how much you can love someone you've never even met.

As for stitching, I seem to have plenty of time for that these days, since I spend most of them sitting on the sofa with my swollen feet propped up. I am almost done with Emerald Mermaid. The mermaid herself is completely done. I have only to add seaweed and all the sparkly beads! I was hoping to have her done by the end of this weekend, so I can start The Kiss next week. We'll see...

Nesting Instinct

2004-07-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Being pregnant is taking its toll on me in many ways. I think the nesting instinct is starting to kick in. I've gone on a decorating spree. It started with the nursery, naturally, but has moved to the master bedroom. I'm gonna want a beautiful retreat to escape to pretty soon, so I'm going with the flow. Painting, sewing new curtains, rearranging furniture, the works. I've also been keeping the house cleaner than usual, which is saying a LOT :)

I think said instinct is also affecting my stitching. I've gotten more stitching done so far this year than I have ever accomplished in a single year. But I have been enjoying it more than ever, too. All the boards I visit are full of valuable information, and I have learned so much!

2004-07-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a fellow stitcher's blog, The Faery Glade, I found a link to the Disney Villain Personality Quiz. Yes, of course I had to find out which villain I am! The results?

I took the most accurate villain personality test
created by: The Arch Villainess Gracie

I think it's dead on! :)

2004-07-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

I've decided to take a break from fairies for a little while and start on a mermaid instead! Here's the first view of Mirabilia's Emerald Mermaid on Sugar Maple's Aphrodite (32ct belfast). I have a few models I have to work on, but when they are done, I plan to add The Kiss into rotation. I have too many projects! Argh! I love it!

2004-07-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Finally done with Woodland Fairy! Now my Middy has a companion, and I can go get matching frames for them both. I added beads along her ribbons, the hems of her dress, and her wings so she would better match Middy. I'm very pleased with how she turned out!

2004-06-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished with the stitching on Woodland Fairy. A few more hours on the hem of her dress, then I will be ready to begin beading! This one is taking longer than Middy, because I have had several models to work into the rotation. I can't wait to finish her, though, so I can start Emerald Mermaid!

2004-05-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted, because I have been focusing on a few models. I have gotten my fabric for The Kiss, and I hope to start that soon. I also have Mirabilia's new Emerald Mermaid on order, and it will be hard to wait on that start! In the meantime, I have been doing a little stitching on Woodland Fairy. I need to get her done soon so I can get a frame for her and my lonely Middy! :)

2004-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

After going through my stash again and again, I've decided my next new project will be Mirabilia's Woodland Fairy, which mirrors Middy. I think they will be nice framed together. I had started The Kiss on 28 ct fabric, but did not like the coverage. So I ordered some 32 ct linen, and am waiting on that to come in before I do any more work on that. I've seen a lot of others' work on 28ct, and it looked fine. I'm wondering if the store sent me the wrong count? Oh well! On to Woodland Fairy in the meantime. Here's a pic after two days of stitching. I'm doing her on 32 ct "Impressionism" from Sugar Maple Fabrics. Enjoy!

2004-05-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Yay! She's done! I think the beading took longer than the stitching! :) But she's done, and in about a month. My quickest finish ever. She is now my favorite completed piece (at least until I finish my next one!)