Thursday, December 25, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Been Quiet Around Here!
The second half of November was busy - had a couple of things, stitching-wise, I wanted to get completed. Managed them but only just!
My November ornament:
Tipsy Tree by Charland Designs - Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament Issue
Stitched on 28 count natural linen with GAST threads
My Thanksgiving ornament for the Seasonal Ornament SAL blog:
Turkey Ornament from Lizzie*Kate's Fall Crazy leaflet
Stitched on mystery hand-dye remnant with DMC threads
I also completed a needlecase (my first ever) for the Monthly Finishing Challenge blog but I'm less than impressed with the finishing so didn't bother taking a pic and will probably ditch it.
I've been doing a LOT of reading over the last few weeks which means very little stitching so far this month! I have got myself hooked on the "In Death" series of books by J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) in a big way (just check out my Goodreads widget in the sidebar!!)! No sooner have I finished one then I start on the next one even when I should be doing something else!! Not sure what it is about them that gets me in. I guess they have all the elements I enjoy reading - crime, action, humour and in-between-the-sheets action (although not necessarily always in-between-the-sheets!!) which takes me out of my reality for a while :)
I need it because the next few weeks are going to be crazy busy, next week is bad enough!!
My parents are coming for a visit in a week's time so I need to finish getting the guest room ready. The beds are made but I still need to move my craft stuff out of the wardrobe so they have room for their clothing, etc. They are staying for nearly six weeks so I won't have easy access to the room.
DH and I decided to revamp the upstairs activity area for the kids for Christmas. A new bigger tv, wall unit, new couch, get rid of the computer desks, give them more space, trend it up. Since the bigger tv is downstairs they (and their friends) have made the loungeroom their second home which means DH and I have to fight for the remote to watch what we want when we want or even just the chance or space to stretch out on the couch and chill. Another reason I haven't been stitching as much. They do clear out when we tell them too but they wouldn't need to if they had their own decent fun space :)
Anyway, because of that brilliant idea, I've been waiting for goods to be delivered - the wall unit came yesterday but one of the side pieces was damaged so it is still in pieces until they can bring a replacement one on Monday. Because of that I had to re-schedule the delivery and installation of the tv which has put things back a few more days. There is stuff everywhere, which will eventually go into the wall unit, but it is starting to drive me just a little bit batty.
I also decided, in a moment of insanity, that the kids' bedroom closets needed a thorough de-cluttering and re-organising - a process which is still ongoing and which probably would have been done by now if the kids were at school. They've been off since the beginning of December for the UAE National Day and Eid holidays. DD goes back to school on Sunday but only till Thursday when they break up again for the winter holiday until January 4th. Due to some program the high school has on next week, which has cause for the majority of teachers and students to be absent, DS is off till January 4th. Apparently there will only be six teachers and the remaining students will be split into groups and doing some sort of "fun" program instead of their regularly scheduled classes. I've given him the option of going to school or staying home and helping me out with the shopping and various other errands and the sorting out of things around the house. He opted for staying at home and helping me only because he doesn't think I'm serious about him helping. Boy, is he in for a surprise!!
Somewhere, somehow in the next few days I need to finish the Christmas shopping! It would be so much easier if I knew what to buy - the kids are easy and are pretty much done - but DH and the parents - bah!! DH, DD and I did a little today and I got a couple of ideas for DH so I'll hit one of the nearby malls one day next week and try to get him sorted out. Of course, it doesn't help that his birthday is three days before Christmas! I do have something in mind for that though, thank goodness! The parents I'm thinking I'll take Christmas shopping when they get here! I also need to figure out what we'll be having for Christmas lunch and start buying the food for that, although that could probably wait until mum and dad get here too. Mum, at least, would probably enjoy the chance to come along and help. I plan to do a quick grocery shop on Sunday for the regular stuff which DS will be thrilled about, no doubt - muwahahaha!!
Somewhere in between things being delivered and the shopping next week, I need to squeeze in a doctor's appointment, take the dog to the vet for her annual check-up and vaccinations, helping out with DD's class Christmas party (for which a date hasn't been set) and get my bicycle to the repair shop. The back tyre has a puncture courtesy of a massive bougainevillea thorn.
I will get it all done but I don't usually leave things like this to the last minute - my usual spark just isn't there this year. DH has travelled for work quite a bit over the last 12 months (and is off again tomorrow!) and I guess I'm just plum tuckered out :)
Well, this has turned out to be longer than I anticipated - if you've made it this far through my ramblings, congratulations and thank you :) I'll say goodnight now and go bury myself in a book!
My November ornament:
Stitched on 28 count natural linen with GAST threads
My Thanksgiving ornament for the Seasonal Ornament SAL blog:
Stitched on mystery hand-dye remnant with DMC threads
I also completed a needlecase (my first ever) for the Monthly Finishing Challenge blog but I'm less than impressed with the finishing so didn't bother taking a pic and will probably ditch it.
I've been doing a LOT of reading over the last few weeks which means very little stitching so far this month! I have got myself hooked on the "In Death" series of books by J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) in a big way (just check out my Goodreads widget in the sidebar!!)! No sooner have I finished one then I start on the next one even when I should be doing something else!! Not sure what it is about them that gets me in. I guess they have all the elements I enjoy reading - crime, action, humour and in-between-the-sheets action (although not necessarily always in-between-the-sheets!!) which takes me out of my reality for a while :)
I need it because the next few weeks are going to be crazy busy, next week is bad enough!!
My parents are coming for a visit in a week's time so I need to finish getting the guest room ready. The beds are made but I still need to move my craft stuff out of the wardrobe so they have room for their clothing, etc. They are staying for nearly six weeks so I won't have easy access to the room.
DH and I decided to revamp the upstairs activity area for the kids for Christmas. A new bigger tv, wall unit, new couch, get rid of the computer desks, give them more space, trend it up. Since the bigger tv is downstairs they (and their friends) have made the loungeroom their second home which means DH and I have to fight for the remote to watch what we want when we want or even just the chance or space to stretch out on the couch and chill. Another reason I haven't been stitching as much. They do clear out when we tell them too but they wouldn't need to if they had their own decent fun space :)
Anyway, because of that brilliant idea, I've been waiting for goods to be delivered - the wall unit came yesterday but one of the side pieces was damaged so it is still in pieces until they can bring a replacement one on Monday. Because of that I had to re-schedule the delivery and installation of the tv which has put things back a few more days. There is stuff everywhere, which will eventually go into the wall unit, but it is starting to drive me just a little bit batty.
I also decided, in a moment of insanity, that the kids' bedroom closets needed a thorough de-cluttering and re-organising - a process which is still ongoing and which probably would have been done by now if the kids were at school. They've been off since the beginning of December for the UAE National Day and Eid holidays. DD goes back to school on Sunday but only till Thursday when they break up again for the winter holiday until January 4th. Due to some program the high school has on next week, which has cause for the majority of teachers and students to be absent, DS is off till January 4th. Apparently there will only be six teachers and the remaining students will be split into groups and doing some sort of "fun" program instead of their regularly scheduled classes. I've given him the option of going to school or staying home and helping me out with the shopping and various other errands and the sorting out of things around the house. He opted for staying at home and helping me only because he doesn't think I'm serious about him helping. Boy, is he in for a surprise!!
Somewhere, somehow in the next few days I need to finish the Christmas shopping! It would be so much easier if I knew what to buy - the kids are easy and are pretty much done - but DH and the parents - bah!! DH, DD and I did a little today and I got a couple of ideas for DH so I'll hit one of the nearby malls one day next week and try to get him sorted out. Of course, it doesn't help that his birthday is three days before Christmas! I do have something in mind for that though, thank goodness! The parents I'm thinking I'll take Christmas shopping when they get here! I also need to figure out what we'll be having for Christmas lunch and start buying the food for that, although that could probably wait until mum and dad get here too. Mum, at least, would probably enjoy the chance to come along and help. I plan to do a quick grocery shop on Sunday for the regular stuff which DS will be thrilled about, no doubt - muwahahaha!!
Somewhere in between things being delivered and the shopping next week, I need to squeeze in a doctor's appointment, take the dog to the vet for her annual check-up and vaccinations, helping out with DD's class Christmas party (for which a date hasn't been set) and get my bicycle to the repair shop. The back tyre has a puncture courtesy of a massive bougainevillea thorn.
I will get it all done but I don't usually leave things like this to the last minute - my usual spark just isn't there this year. DH has travelled for work quite a bit over the last 12 months (and is off again tomorrow!) and I guess I'm just plum tuckered out :)
Well, this has turned out to be longer than I anticipated - if you've made it this far through my ramblings, congratulations and thank you :) I'll say goodnight now and go bury myself in a book!
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