More Stitching Time

 Hey guess what I'm still making time. I posted Friday morning and then my dad arrived at the campground. I went up to see what was going on. Time to add more cement in the barn. My uncle was there to help. Jeremiah was happily in supervisor role. So I said I'm going to have some me time...

The weather was beautiful. Mom headed home and arrived safe. Izzy (our dog) was happy in the grass resting. So I setup a stitching area on our deck and got an hour and 38 minutes added to the April piece...

A lot of X's in that cloud but it was fun mindless stitching. No time Saturday or Sunday but I had a blast and just was a lazy bum both days haha. Back at it today. I was stressed because we have a lot to do this week. I took a breath and started chipping away at the to do list. One step at a time. Wohoo getting a ton done. I went to hug Jeremiah the other day and his glasses broke. Powerful hug right? Haha So he went this morning to get an eye check. Not too bad for booking 2 months out they said. Just happened to have a cancellation today so we lucked out. Now his taped glasses will be fixed sooner than later. Hair cuts. Mom doc appointment. Laundry. Lots to do this week. We will get it. Plus that cloud needs filled in!!! 

Love yourself. Smile. Find the time for things that are important to you.

Yep....I'm alive

 I feel like you've all heard this way too much from me lately. I'm alive. Let's see. I think one of my worst faults is making time for all the things that are important to me. So when I started the being healthy journey I think I let myself believe I had to do it 24 hours a day. Yeah I heard self care and I knew it was important. I would promise myself to use my stitching for the self care. Yep supposed to have x amount of time a day. Then in my evenings I was so tired that I couldn't focus at all. I'd just sit there. I would push myself for weeks and then desperately put in a few stitches and be tired. 99 isn't finished. I'm slowly SLOWLY making progress. I think I have 6 more bottles maybe...it's at home so I can't remember. I even quit updating my photos. Just didn't have time. Blog updating was not important. Reading blogs....wow I missed you guys. So some time last week I went through and caught up on some of you and had to purge the rest. 

Refocus is happening. Instead of walking/exercising myself to death I'm changing my eating habits. Otherwise I was just gaining my weight I had loss back and that was making me really pissed and wanting to give up. So smarter eating. Plus.....MORE SELF CARE. I'm doing pretty good.....for this second haha. 

Finally got a start on April....yep I'm behind. I love working on this series. It goes quickly and fun to work on. We've been enjoying a lot of cabin time. I'm here now. Yesterday was my 42nd birthday. We watched movies and I stitched. Lovely day. 

So I hope I'll be back....I will sure do my best to be the person I know I can be. I will figure out this time management thing.....somehow. I will stop apologizing though. I'm me. Love me or not I'm me.  I'm the crazy Katie you guys must have come to expect when you stop by my blog. Haha.

Smile. Love yourself. Love each other. Take time for whatever you need to take time for. I will.

Monday Update

 So disappointing....no stitching all week last week. Easter prep was in full force. Wednesday we did the gathering of goodies. Thursday we were doing the making of goodies. Izzy my dog jumped up from a nap and started breathing very heavily then had a series of strokes. It was her 13th birthday as well. So call to the vet. Emergency vet trip. What a roller coaster of emotions. Thankfully they let Fred (hubby) be in there with me as the bad news kept coming. She had a bad infection multiple places...nose...bum...ears. So they did blood work. The blood work showed the infection but then showed she was very anemic so Xrays ordered to find out where and if emergency surgery overnight was required. Fred was brought in. Xrays came back showing new problems. Her liver and heart are very swollen. Not the blood though like we thought but an ultrasound would show official diagnosis on her spleen if it was a slow bleed or not. Very expensive. Spleen's can be removed and they do okay with the surgery but 2/3 of the time it's cancer and a 6 month life span. But very costly again. Plus remember the swollen liver and heart. So all that for not probably. So I asked her what she would do. Treat the symptoms and see. I'm not an idiot I know dogs aren't around forever even though trust me I want her to be. We lost our other dog when he turned 12. So they did an IV and we were given some meds and we came home. She is doing better today. She is tired but doing a lot better being alert and happy. We are loving her dearly as we always have. Maybe a little more attention than normal which I'm sure she loves every second of.

Friday we all loaded up and went down to our cabin. Yep Izzy included. She loves our cabin.

It was a wonderful Easter with chosen family and friends. Perfect. Dad loved our official opening weekend. Sunday morning Jeremiah got to joking about hurrying back down to the cabin. So some planning and we are heading back down Wednesday night. I will take my stitching with me this time too. Please let me find time to actually work on it.

Easter Blog Hop

Hopefully you are hoping along collecting letters. If not head over to Jo's blog to start at the top of the list.

If you are collecting letters. Let's get to the point right...

N is your Letter

The next blog is - http://sewingafterseven.blogspot.com/

I'm stealing last year's photo since yep....no time still.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Easter!

Another Catch Up Post

 Yep still behind. I'm doing great. Just busy moving and making myself healthy. I had a lot more time when I was fat and lazy haha. 

First Up March Smalls was the last Friday of the month. Head over here to the check in post to see what others have stitched up this month. Remember the purpose of this SAL is to finish up something small each month. I've joined in a few years and I pick a monthly piece to stitch all year.

I finished up March for the Year of Celebrations project...

March WIPocalypse was the last Sunday of the month. Head over here to the check in post for this SAL. The idea of this SAL is to stitch all our WIPs before the end of the world. Can we do it? Not if we continue starting new pieces haha. I like to look back and see what I've accomplished during the time and how many days on each piece.

I've had a horrible stitching month. I've added 4 days since the last time. Here it was last time...

I finished off those last two bottles...

Then I was able to get a tiny bit added to the last shelf...

I only worked on one another piece and that was the 3 days on the March piece above. I've had a whopping 19 non stitching days already. 

We did have a fantastic weekend away this past weekend. We went down to our cabin Friday. The drove up to a big casino we have enjoyed visiting. We met up with several friends and had a fantastic night Saturday. Jeremiah and I came home ahead. Fred said we evened out with his losses haha. It was a wonderful weekend away but of course didn't help with the no stitching going on. We are going down to our cabin this coming weekend for Easter and who knows if I'll find time down there during that. Oh well. I still love my stitching and love my blog friends. Just need to find more time for everything I am doing. 

I'm so far behind on blog reading too. I really hope to catch up soon. See ya later this week for an Easter blog hop.

Monday Update After IHSW

Hey look it's Monday and I'm posting. I get extra points right? Haha. So far this week has been a lot better than last week haha. Of course that was pretty easy to achieve. 

IHSW was over the weekend. I finally split my time good. Still hit my goals for exercise and yet got a lot of stitching time in too. 

Started the March Year of Celebrations piece Friday. 3 hours and 32 minutes...

Saturday we chopped up a tree that fell down in our front yard. But stayed up late so I got 3 hours anyway...

Sunday I finished it up in 1 hour and 32 minutes...

(5) March 21st

March from A Year of Celebrations

From Hands on Design

Stitched on 32ct Lambswool Evenweave

Threads are Suggested DMC

Started Mar 19th. Took 3 Days.

Total Time 8 Hours 4 Minutes

 

Have a great week. Lots of smiles. Love yourself.

March FFG / Gifted Gorgeousness / Monday Update

 No surprise guess what.....I'm really far behind. From Sunday on this week has been one thing after a million others. I'm stressed to the max but I'll be okay. I'm breathing and trying hard trust me. Anyway let's get this over with. 

Rachel I had no finishes. I was going to spend a day last week to get out my sewing machine and stuff. Then I also knew I hadn't stitch in a week that day. So I knew I could say first time that 7 days I finally got to stitch and you all would understand. So no finishing. Will be back at it soon hopefully. 

Stop over to Rachel's blog to see how others did better than me hopefully.

Gifted Gorgeousness. Link up here. Still working on 99 Bottles for my hubby. It looks finished but there is another shelf. The last shelf! Wohoo...

 I was able to stitch on it..... Tuesday and Thursday. Yep that's it. My poor time is just POOF gone. Then Saturday I got stitching time. I went to pick up 99 and was just SICK of it haha. So Beer Dragon came out to play again. This will be for my hubby as well. Can you tell he loves beer haha. I finished the column I was working on. Love this one...

That's it. Sunday I lost my mind. So hubby and me went for a nice walk. It didn't help. Still lost my mind...missed my Monday update. Tuesday....wait I had Tuesday. Yep here it is Thursday. But it's IHSW. I will stitch this weekend!!! I need to get my 10k steps in tomorrow and then I'm on strike. Well mostly. But I really hope to STITCH. Not on 99 haha. I want to start the March Year of Celebrations piece. 

As you can tell I'm still trying to figure out how to split my time. Just can't get a handle on it. But I've talked to a lot of friends that this week was just out of control. The earth must have tilted or something. We got our winter decorations half put away too. So that took a lot of time. I swear I don't know which way is up any more. 

Have a great weekend. If you join in IHSW I hope you find a lot of time. I'll talk the boys into a gaming marathon so I can stay up late haha. See ya Monday....Hopefully!!

Monday Update

I know it's the start of a new week. I know it's Monday but this update is going to suck. I literally got one day of stitching last week. Wow. 31 minutes added to 99 Bottles. Not even enough to brag about.

I was busy working out. Then we went to the cabin for the weekend for hubby's birthday. It was a very needed relaxing weekend. I miss stitching though. I really need to figure out my time better. I'm trying. Last week just was a bad example. 

Have a great week. Love yourself. I hope I have a lot more stitching chances. Believe me I'll try.

The People's Choice -- Spring

 The first Saturday or as soon as you can after we have a fun blog event. It's a themed post from the lovely Jo. Stop over to her check in post here to see what others have posted about. We are given a theme and we are to make a post about whatever we feel fits the theme. March's theme is Spring. So let's look at my finished projects...

2012 I finished this beauty from Cricket Collection. My framer made the frame so that I switch out the seasons into the same frame. I love them. 

2015 I finished this adorable seasonal piece from Ursula Michael. It's in my box of shame hiding. I really need to finish them. So I can display them like they deserve.

I have one in WIP status...

I've been working on this beauty from Stoney Creek forever. I'm on the N block. Just don't seem to move along very fast with it. A lot of color changes.

I have several in my stash I'm looking forward to. Erica Michael's has several gorgeous ones that I own. Plus this one from Puntini Puntini...

Just need more time. I really love stitching on seasonal pieces. See ya next time for the theme Blue.

February WIPocalypse

The last Sunday of the month *cough* or as soon you can it's time a fun blog event. WIPocalypse. What is that? An excuse to stitch all our WIPs before the End of the World. We can do it right? Not if like me we keep starting new things haha. Oh well. We will keep the world from ending right? Yes we will!!

Head here to the check in post to see what others have posted about.

I like to use this SAL as an excuse to keep track of my time spent. I will share my projects I've worked on since the last update. Fun way to recap my stitching.

So what have I worked on since January 31st?

Bloody Mary Dragon -- 3 Days. I had just a little bit of the first page to finish off...

99 Bottles -- 28 Days for the LovetoStitch challenge. I had 74 Bottles and now I'm on 87 and 88.

So close to finished with the 8th shelf and then on to my last shelf!!

Beer Dragon -- Got a little bit added in 1 Day. Just finished up the section of 200 I was working on...

February Year of Celebrations -- 5 Days to Finish this one off...

 

We also get fun questions we can answer if we would like to. Question of the Month: What stitch-a-longs (SALs) are you participating in this year? The ones I participate are listed on my right hand side bar. The Fully Finished Gallery -- to push me to finish my older pieces. IHSW -- 3rd full weekend each month. Nice excuse to ignore everything and stitch! WIPocalypse -- Um that's why you're here haha. Smalls SAL -- My last post. Gifted Gorgeousness -- Share things we have received as a gift or are making for a gift. People's Choice -- Make a post about a theme we get assigned. That's it. I think haha. See ya next check in. Hopefully on time.

February Smalls

 The last Friday of everything month....or yeah as soon as you remember and time allows we in the blogging world are to post a fun blog post. The idea of this SAL is to stitch something small each month. I joined several years ago and use it as an excuse to stitch up a fun monthly piece each month. 

This year I'm stitching the Year of Celebrations from Hands on Design...

Hoping to finish them in the month we are in. So far so good. Here is February...

Head over to the check in post here to see what others have posted. Pretty soon I'll get to stitch up the March cutie.

Monday Update

 Boy it's been a busy day. But I'm here for a Monday Update. I will be back tomorrow for a Smalls SAL and a WIPocalypse update hopefully. I need more time haha. 

So last week was the last week of February. Wow! I still working on 99 Bottles every day. I successfully fit it in every day of February. I made it from bottle 74 to bottle 87. Not bad at all! Here is my last day check in post working on the last two bottles for the 8th shelf...

I'm hoping to work on it at least 30 minutes a day until it's finished. Friday I finally got some extra time to work on Bloody Mary Dragon again. I really wanted to finish the first page. Almost. Took some time on Saturday and then it was finally finished...

If you look very close there are a few colors but nothing special. The dragon will finally make a start to appear at the end of the 2nd page I think. Love working on it though. After finishing this page I heard a scream from Beer Dragon. Poor guy has been ignored. I only got 1 hour though and it wasn't a tiny bit of progress. So I'll wait to share that with you guys. Trust me. It's little haha. I was too hooked on Dexter. I finished the series and the last one I was watching too closely to even stitch. I heard they are bringing it back for 10 episodes this fall and ohhhh I can't wait now.

Have a great week! Love yourself. Love each other. Find a reason to smile.

Monday Update

 Another Monday. Boy as always this year is already flying by. Already 22 days into February. I worked on 99 Bottles every day last week for the Love2Stitch challenge...

I'm on Bottle 85 now. Moving along. Slowly but progress is being made. Last Monday I was on Bottle 82. 

Over the weekend it was IHSW. I worked on February from Year of Celebrations...

(4) February 21st

February from A Year of Celebrations

From Hands on Design

Stitched on 32ct Lambswool Evenweave

Threads are Suggested DMC

Started Feb 5th. Took 5 Days.

Total Time 9 Hours 38 Minutes

Just like January I really enjoyed the stitch. It went pretty quickly too. So that's nice. Have a great week. Love yourself. Hope we all find time to stitch. I'll be working on 99 and who knows what else haha.

Follow up Secret Stitching Sweetheart

I've been so busy this week I still haven't been able to hop along the Valentine blog hop. But I wanted to do a follow up post. 

The beautiful piece I was lucky enough to share was Tiff's...

Her Comment: Yay! You got mine. This is stitched for my DD on perforated paper and was a free design from the Durene Jones Facebook page. It was a fun and enjoyable stitch. Happy Valentine's Day! 

My piece was found here...

 

I used last year's Lili of the Valley Feb Fairy girl. She was just perfect for this love theme don't you think?

I've been working away on 99 Bottles. I doubt I will finish it up in February and that's fine. I think I will continue the half hour a day till it's finished. This weekend is IHSW (International Hermit Stitch Weekend) and we are staying home. Well we have to run out and get groceries Saturday but we'll do it fast haha. So I'm hoping for a lot of stitching time. I need to finish up the February Year of Celebrations piece. Have a great weekend!

Monday Update / February Gifted Gorgeousness

 Well it's Monday and it's the 15th. So I'll do my Monday update mixed in with the Gifted Gorgeousness Update. The lovely Jo has setup this wonderful blog SAL for us to share anything with the theme of gift. A gift for someone or from someone. Head over to the link up to see what others have shared this month. This last week all I've worked on is a gift for my hubby. 99 Bottles from Ink Circles. I'm working on it for the LovetoStitch2021 challenge so got at least 30 minutes every day. Sunday I got a little over an hour in on it. I'm on the 82nd bottle now! Here is yesterday's photo...

Slowly but surely. This is all I've worked on in February that counted for the gift theme. In January after the 15th. I finished up Winter Time which was a gift from Janet from Janet's Jabber...

Then I've also made some progress on Bloody Mary Dragon which was a gift from my husband for Christmas this past year. Oh I can't wait to get back to this one too...

So close to finishing up that first page.

Other than my stitching I have an interesting thing to share for my Monday update. Thursday I was exercising and kicked my husband's couch...

I think I broke my pinky toe on my left foot. Jeremiah was sitting near me and we heard the loud crack when it hit the leg of the couch. Poor little toe turned beautiful shades of purple and black. It got so swollen. It's doing better today. Still hurts but not as sore. I joked with everyone about when I was just sitting around day I didn't do this kind of things. Getting healthy is trying to kill me haha. What a dork. My depth perception has always been horrible. Main reason I don't drive. If I can't keep myself from hitting things with my own body can you imagine me in a vehicle? 

We had a very nice weekend at the cabin just relaxing and watching movies. Now we are getting snow and snow. It's sure beautiful. I'm very thankful I don't have to go out. I'll just stay in and try to stay away from couches and other hard things haha.

Have a great week. Love yourself. Love each other. Stay safe. Smile.