Biscornu and Book Challenge

Good Morning!!

During the summer I joined a swap-bot biscornu group. So far I have made and swapped two biscornus, while my first one did not turn out so great I was very happy with the second and I have a few photos to share. I stitched on hand-dyed 14ct aida from Enchanted Fabrics and floss from Carries Creation Thread.




Book Challenge Update

So far I have read one book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", and I am almost finished with a second. I have also edited my list a bit removing a book that I read before the challenge got started--couldn't help myself-- and added Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" and another by Elaine Viets.

What Else am I Stitching

I am ashamed to say that I have too many stitching projects going at once. I need to get them re-organized and put them in a rotation, then force my self to spend at least one solid hour per week on each or I may never have them finished. I have a Bent Creek Snapper, Gazette 94 SAL, Mausiemom SAL, BRD SAL and one Halloween Biscornu in the works. With the kids in school and hubby at work, I should be able to make this work. Just can't let my card making get in the way.

Speaking of card Making

Here are a few finished that I want to share with all of you. The first is a card I made for one of the CSE moderators birthday. It is a matchbook style card with a pocket inside. I got the idea from another card maker, but I can't remember her name or blog. The image is made with a technique called pulling pastels. You cover a piece of card stock with chalk and them stamp the image using a clear type of ink called Versamark. I put a little sparkle in the center of the flowers which is not showing up in the picture. Inside the card pocket I wrote a note and added some floss.


I used the same technique to make this butterfly card for a swap-bot exchange.

That is enough for today. Time for another cup of tea. Don't forget about my giveaway there is still a few days left to enter my PIF, if you are interested leave me a comment in that post.

See ya!

CJ

PIF--Come on, join me!!!

It's about time I posted about the PIF (Pay It Forward). A few months back Pirjo posted that she had a PIF going and was looking for people to join in. Lucky me, I was one of the three selected to participate. Now it is time for me to offer to PIF some of you. I love these type of exchanges, it is always more fun to give than to receive. If you want to participate please see the instructions below and leave a comment on this post no later than 30 September, I will announce names on 1 October. Be sure to leave an e-mail or link to your blog so I can contact you.

Here are the rules:

1. I'll send no less than 5 stitching related items per person within the next 365 days.
2. Items can be DMC, other threads, stitching needles, straight pins, buttons, scissors, ribbons, etc. - a combination of items such as 3 threads, 1 pack of straight pins and 1 pack of stitching needles or just 5 threads.
3. The items must be new and not used.
4. If you win, you must be willing to post this PIF on your blog and do the same for at least 2 people.

This PIF is very simple and easy to do I hope you will join me.

See ya!!

CJ

It' a Monday Update!!

Hi everyone hope you all are enjoying September. As usual I am running around like a headless chicken as I keep things running smoothly (at least I hope it is "smoothly) around this household. This year we have added soccer to our weekly routine, I am not used to having to keep up with all this after school stuff and this is only for one kid. Don't know what I will do when we all three in sports.

I made it through the second week of school with only one child getting into trouble for hitting, not once but three times--she likes to spread out during the week. I volunteered for Picture day, which kept me at the school until after 1pm on Friday. It was fun I got to meet all the teachers and see the students. I really like my kids new school the principal is just fantastic.

I do have some photos to share with you of cards I made and a great gift I received from Meari for guessing the correct amount she spent on her new stash cabinet. So here goes:

These are six Flower Pot cards I made for an exchange on Card Swap. Each month they have an exchange that requires you make cards in a certain pattern. This was my first time making this type card I really like it and I plan to make more. All you do is pull on the flowers which are attached to blank card for a personal message. Real neat and lots of fun.

This is a simple 3x3 card that I cased from Angie. She is one of Stampin Up's top demonstrators. Her site is full of how-to videos for everything she makes and I try to make all of them. So if you enjoy paper craft and need a little inspiration check out Chic'n Scratch.

This is the great gift I received from Meari. The fabric is hand-dyed by her, I just love it. I am planning to use it on a primitive pattern I have waiting in the wings. The stickers went to my kiddos who are always happy to have stickers and the lovely floss from Carrie's Creation went in my stash.

This week I plan to make more cards and finish a biscornu for a Swap-Bot exchange. Hey if you like to make biscornu's check out this biscornu group, perhaps you will want to join us.

Keep your eyes open for my next update it is a going to be about a PIF that I am very excited about. I just love PIFs.

Happy Labor Day!!

See ya!!

CJ

Hi Everyone--I am still here.

Hello, did you miss me?


Well, I have missed you!! It has been a busy summer as you can tell by my lack of posts. Things are starting to slow down, but only a little bit. The kids are back in school as of the 24th--hurray!! I won't bother getting into the fiasco I had with the District to get my three kids into the same school. It was nerve wracking, but now they are going to the elementary school on Sheppard AFB which happens to be where DH works.

We have had fun but they needed to get back to school, okay I needed them to get back to school. The two oldest attended local day camps for 4-weeks and the baby(she is 6, but in my eyes still a baby) went to Granny "camp" for 2-weeks. I must say I was impressed with the day camps provided by the city. Camp hours were 9-3, with snacks for a two-week period for only $50 per child. I thought that was a bargain . Other than going to my MIL's we have not taken any trips this summer because my husband retired from active duty in February and has no accumulated leave with his new job yet. We do have big plans for next year, we are going to Knoxville, Iowa for the 50th Anniversary of the World of Outlaws Race. Should be lots of fun.


What have I been doing?

Well, I have been busy stitching for swaps and making cards but I lost my camera the weekend of my nephews wedding so no pictures. That has me seriously bummed. I hate taking pictures with hubby's camera, so after weeks and I mean weeks of searching the net I finally bought a new camera. I purchased a Pentax Optio M40 from Overstock.com for a terrific price. After reading all the reviews I felt this one was too good to pass up. It is only 8 mega pixels, but who cares, I am taking picture for fun. It arrived yesterday so in the next few days I should have some pictures to share with you.

One other thing I have done this summer is collect lots (and I mean lots) of floss this summer. For some reason Mark Martin (NASCAR) has been winning. He one of the oldest racers on the track and he is acting like a twenty year old in that #5 car. I can tell you that practically everyone--including me is surprised by him. I mean I have been a fan of his for years, but I was not expecting all these wins. But he deserves it, he has to be one of the nicest guys in NASCAR and I am proud to be a fan.


Finally made my first biscornu which was far from perfect for a Swap-Bot.com swap. I've signed up for two more so surely the second will be much better than the first. The one I received came from a lady in the UK and it is just fabulous. Ahhh!! My second one will be much better for certain since I have taken the time to review several "How to" blogs. Thanks to all the girls that have taken the time to post great pictures and instruction for visual learners like me.

Pirjo selected me to receive one of her PIF's. My next post will be about the PIF and hopefully I can do something nice for one of you. I love these PIFs when they come up and I am so tickled to participate in a second. I am also looking for someone to start another stitch around the world project, if one does not come up soon I may do it myself.

I received a wonderful surprise from Meari for guessing the correct amount she paid for a piece of furniture that is now her well organized Stash Cabinet. I have been waiting for my camera to arrive to open the package, take a picture and post a proper "Thanks" to her for being so generous.

Anyhow, I am here, I am busy, and I am so ready to pick back up on this blogging thing now that the kiddos are back in school and I have new camera.


See ya!!





CJ

It's A Friday Update

Boy, where has this month gone. Whew, February has just flown by us like a whirlwind. This has been a busy month for me and my family with PTA functions, subbing and then there was illness. Yes, everyone in my family was sick this month including me -- I had the dreaded Pink Eye, yuk!!! But that is all behind us now we are just suffering with allergies in North Texas since the trees have started to flower, hurrah, now pass the tissues.

Stitching

Yes, I did a little stitching this month. I made my first flatfold, actually made six of them. I started my Blue Ribbon SAL, really need to get cracking on that one. Completed a Snowman for a Prairie Schooler exchange and I finished the scissor pocket for my MIL's birthday, she loved it.

Hummingbird Scissor Pocket, pattern from Cross Stitch Happy, stitched on 14ct Pink Aida with DMC Floss, green beads were used for leaves. This was my first scissor pocket and I am pretty pleased with the outcome. My MIL loves birds so I thought this design was perfect for her.

Speaking of stitching let me tell you about my PIF; well, I will update you on my PIF. Some of you will remember way back in July I decided to run a PIF and asked folks that were interested in the PIF to comment and I would pick three to send something I stitched. Well I only had four people sign up so I decided to include all of them. So now I am ready to mail my packages and I can only contact two of the four, Meari and Angela. So Diane and Lynda I need you to contact me at texdelch@sbcglobal.net with your snail mail so I can send this to you. I have worked really hard to make these PIFs special so please contact me.

I ordered some fabric from Enchanted Fabrics for the Gazette 94 SAL. I just did not have anything in my vast inventory that suited this particular project. Speaking of fabric, be on the lookout for a fabric give away in the near future. I really need to thin out my fabric stash.

What Else Have I Gotten Myself Into

Hum, lets see. A week or so ago someone posted about Swap-Bot exchanges. I had never heard of this before and being the curious person I am I just had to check it out. Now I am signed up for two Swap-Bot exchanges, one for tea and the other for note cards. I just couldn't help myself. Decided against joining the stitching exchange since my "stitching plate" is full right now.

A Little About Cooking

If you enjoy cooking with your Crockpot then check out this blog, A Year of CrockPotting. I heard about it on a post around the holidays and I have been following along. Her year long adventure has got her a book deal and appearances on Rachel Ray and Good Morning America. Now you can't beat that for cooking with the Crockpot for an entire year.
I plan to try the Indian and Thai Curry recipes she got from Rachel Ray. Today I am cooking Pork and Kraut in my CrockPot. Yummy!!!


See ya!!

CJ

It's Thursday!!

Happy Thursday, what a week it has been for our great nation. I was truly impressed with the inauguration events and happy to see President Obama get right to work yesterday regarding ethics and lobbyist. Now we just have to see how it all works out. I am keeping my thoughts on the positive side. Having grown up in Delaware, I was very proud to see Joe Biden become VP, he is a good man and he was good for Delaware.

Stitching Update
This week I have been finishing up the last of the CSE RR, can't wait to start the next one. I have almost completed the stitching for my PIF's and I joined a The Needles Content "A Year of Primitive Floss Tags group. Below are a few finishes that I wanted to share with you. I also plan to make an bookmark for the Nordic Needle 2009 Bookmark Challenge, check out Meari's blog for more details. What a great way to do a little something to promote literacy.

This my first finish for 2009. It will also be posted in the Christmas SAL and Ornie SAL groups. The pattern is from Gazette 94 blog, stitched on a scrap of gold, 14ct Aida using Carrie's Creation thread "Holly Days". This will be finished as an ornament for my Christmas tree. I really like how it turned out. I have already started my ornament for February.



This is a little Prairie Schooler ornament I made in December for an exchange on the Prairie Schooelr Fans Group. The colors look much better in person. Like all PS patterns it was an easy stitch, a pleasure to make. It was stitched on 16ct hand dyed aida from Enchanted Fabrics, color Royality using DMC floss.

Cards/Paper crafts
I have made several cards in the last few months for floss exchanges and birthdays. This is something that I really enjoy doing, I think is makes the packages a little extra special. I have added some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

This is a card for my very BFF, Nora in Indiana. Her birthday was inauguration day. She is an avid card maker and she is the one who inspired me to make cards. This is made with Stampin Up papers, Image Maker flowers, white ribbon and a Paper Studio Rub-On. Trust me that this is not an original design, I adapted it from CK Media Card Creations Vol 2. It is rare when I come up with an original design.

These cards, so nicely displayed on my dining table, were made in November. I used them for birthday and thank-you cards. Again I used Stampin Up papers, I really like them. If you are interested in Stampin Up suggest you check out the Rebel Inkers blog. She'll inspire you.

This is Hershey bars, wrapped in Stampin Up Chocolate Chip paper--my favorite. I sent these along with different exchanges last fall.

Lastly, these are pocket cards made form 4 cirles and two squares of paper. You can use plain paper inside for a message or pattern paper then insert a surprise. I did the later and filled the pocket with floss for a floss birthday exchange along with a a little birthday note. This is also Chocolate Chip from Stampin Up.


Hope you are having a great day and staying warm--especially those of you up north. It will be in the 70's here today. But never fear a cold front is moving in for Saturday.

See ya~!!

CJ

What have I been doing lately?

Good morning!! So what have I been up to since my last post. Hummm, let's see. I have finished one ornament (pic to be posted later) and started another, joined Blue Ribbon Design SAL, worked on the stitching for my PIF's, started Snowman for PS exchange and decided to start a BAP from My Big Toe.

There are a few things I need to finish up in the next few weeks. I have my MIL's scissor pocket and a RR to complete, these are at the top of my list. I have also been making Birthday Cards for friends and fellow stitchers.

When I am not stitching I have been cleaning, updating files for 2009--yes we have files, lots of them, you would think this were a business if you saw them. OMG, the laundry I truly believe that dirty clothes are just falling from the sky into my basket it never ends. Tomorrow I am going to sub, it will be the first day I have worked this month.

I hope all of you, especially those living up North are keeping warm and safe. We are going to have a few days of severely cold weather in North Texas, then it is back to the 60's by Monday. Honestly, I would rather have a few months of steady cold rather than these "yo-yo" temps we've been having here.


See ya!!

CJ