Do you have any of these? I just love them. I love the weight of them for my scissors...really helpful for keeping the scissors from being lost in my space!

I thought it would be fun to introduce new people I've met on the blogs once a month, so my first new person is:
Doris of A Pause in the Journey http://apauseinthejourney.blogspot.com/ had this list some time ago as a fun sort of "test" to play with. I also thought it would be fun by way of an introduction of Doris who is really a wonderful stitcher and a maniac "And They Sinned" SAL stitcher!! Go see her and tell her I sent you, please.

Anyway, here's the fun questionaire:
Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to: leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyworld
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child - if I were young enough...
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked - as a college student in Germany in the '60's
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Do people not do this?
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping - I know you suspect me of this anyway! :]
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset - both, thank God
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise - Does a "whale watch" count?
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language - I've tried to teach myself French... :+
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing - Well, maybe if you count climbing halfway up a ski mountain in Bierchesgarten (sp?) in Germany .....I'm not a skier, I am a hot chocolate lover; however!
40. seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. sung karaoke- Sad, very sad...
42. seen Old Faithful (geyser) erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater - please don't tell my mom!
55. been in a movie - Yes, when I was in college in Munich, Germany..Roy Black starred...."Unser Doktor"
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business - Yes, two: needlecraft on-line, and interior design
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia

I've visited with Kellan and Jessica today...he wears his poor grammie out! We love the way he laughs and screams when we tickle and toss him on the bed. He loves to try to eat any adult food he sees me or Jessica with ...he says, "Mmmmm" and reaches out his hands. With 6 teeth now, he can chew and loves to hear the sound of crunching on a cracker if we let him bite one! :) He actually sat on the grass today at my house, and wasn't sure he liked that texture...he'd touch the grass, then put his hand back on his lap! LOL

I'm so grateful for friends like you who visit me and leave me happy notes. I'm grateful for my children close and far across the USA. I'm grateful for my 5 little grands, and hope I can see all of them someday soon. And, I'm grateful to have a husband who is loving and kind, crazy and blind to my needlework stash. :]

Love and hugs, Deb

Happy Winner!

Look at this gorgeous piece stitched by Michele of the Striped Rose. It's a CHS chart called "As Life Wears Away." Michele had a drawing giveaway for it, and I won the chart!! I'm so delighted and can't wait to see it. Thanks so much, Michele. I think your stitched piece is fabulous! Look how perfectly she laid her threads for the greatest sheen.

You must know by now that our dear Vonna has suffered a loss in the family. It's so horrible to lose a close relative, especially one who is a brother. I hope we'll all send cards and well-wishes to her in the coming weeks.

Did I tell you about my sweet, youngest son who actually went into a stitching shop over Christmas and bought me some threads? He looked at my blog wish list and saw that I wished for some Belle Soie and went to get me some!! David, I'm now posting the threads, with such pleasure. Thank you for being a real man in going into places dark and unknown to most men for your mom!! :] This shop is in Juls' (Fairy Princess) neck of the woods in Las Vegas.

This is a dark picture of them, but wasn't that darling of him? :)

I'm off to the bookstore! It's a kind of dreary day here today and I have to break out of my rut in the house. Somehow, book shops always make me feel cozy. Hope all of you have found the Paperback Swap.com site by now. It's such a great thing to be part of!

Hugs, Deb

Correction!

Thanks for letting me know, you all, that Tyler's Lion is a Long Dog design instead of an Ink Circles!! Have to keep me honest! :}

Today I'm here blogging in the nude. Don't we sometimes wonder what on earth it looks like around our blogging friends? My computer armoire door is plastered with pictures of my grandchildren and George Clooney toasting with champagne and "saying," " To all the beautiful women of this world, To all of you... Happy new year!" I feel so blessed by all that! LOL The other side of my armoire desk if just full of papers, charts, books, pens, a knitting project and little boxes of supplies...etc. It's a happy little mess with all my needs at hand.

Now, I'm off to the Borders bookshop to meet Jessica and baby Kellan for a book time. Kellan is at the books are to chew or have read to me stage so it's always interesting. He does stay in his stroller, happily, thank God!

Thank you for all the interest in the Birthday Needlerolls. I think I'm going to end the draw by March 1st. If there aren't many asking to be in the draw then I'll just send the rolls to those who've asked first.

Hugs to all and thanks for your comments that keep me going!
Deb

New From Market

I'm bonkers for the Quakers coming out of market. This is from Primitive Traditions and is called Abigail Colbys Workbasket Top. Oh, I just love it and all the pieces that follow below!
These are the Abigail Colby Workbasket Acessories. Yummy. I also love the new Quaker Seasons of Friends (I think that's what it's called) that Karen V. has on her blog. When will I get enough of the Quakers!!?? Then, Ink Circles does it again and I'm hooked for another season! I think this one may be my all-time favorite of theirs. It has a gentleness to it that the other designs don't have. Isn't the little nightingale on the lower left darling?

I ordered these pieces and a couple more charts from Stitching Bits and Bobs. If you are looking to get something within a reasonable time, this is not the shop for you. It always takes several weeks, and then I have to email her and push her to send my things. But, she does have the newest merchandise and I appreciate that.

Has anyone seen where to buy the new Kelmscott acorn needleminder? Bobbie of St. Bits & Bobs had it on her site one day, then it disappeared! It was so interesting and just perfect for the Abigail Colby accessories. Please let me know if you find it any place else. Note: I just found the acorn needleminder on ABC Stitch Therapy under New Items. They also have a darling acorn thread holder in the shell/mother of pearl!

One more thing, I'm weeding out my stash this week. I have all of the Victoria Sampler "Birthday Needlerolls," charts that have never been opened. I will do a drawing for those of you who want some and who want specific months. They are charted by months.

Here is an example of the needleroll...February.

Hugs and many thanks for my friends and their comments. Love ya! Deb

A No-Go on "Tom"

Nope. No catching PT last night. DH was home and in his study which faces right out front of the house, and he had his blinds up and his lights on. So, I'm sure PT wasn't going to take a chance in that case. We'll have to wait until DH is away working...

More sleuthing this week found this out: My BF, Elaine (who I mentioned in earlier entries has and is in remission from lung cancer...Yay!) told me there was a man during the day who walked in back of her house near her LR/great room side of the house. I asked her if she recognized him. "No," she said. I asked her why she thought the man was walking there. She had no idea except she thought he might be taking a "short cut to a neighbors house down the way." I reminded her there was no short cut. It's the same distance to walk down our sidewalks. Elaine said she leaves her blinds all open at night, too. And, there's very little grass to walk on because Elaine's house backs up to our pond!

So, now I'm wondering since we've caught on to him on this side of the street, if he's decided to go across the street! Elaine lives across the street and about 8 houses down from me. I warned her to close her blinds..particularly her bedroom ones because she is in the bed watching tv at night until late.

The story continues.....maybe I've just read too many Nancy Drews and murder mysteries in my life, but I'm determined to solve this mystery!!

It was good to hear how you all do your stitching! I know Nicole once told me she listens to books on tape and also stitches in the car when she's picking her boys up from school while she's waiting.

Speaking of books, here is what I'm nearly finished reading for this week. I'm just stuck on Patricia Cornwell for a binge reading time! I've read several of her books in the past, but I think she's gotten to be a better writer these days. I highly recommend this one. My next one is her new one, "Scarpetta." Then, I'm probably going back to my classics with some new award winners in between.

Did I tell you about this very unusual one? I was fascinated with it. It did win an award which one I can't remember at the moment. And, I don't want to fetch it while I'm blogging. But, it was a wonderful psychological and coming of age book. I really loved this one, though the title isn't the best seller, I think.

BTW, it's fun seeing several of you on Facebook! And, thanks to Juls for that darling little monster hug!! LOL Come and join us those of you who haven't already!

Off to check Facebook.... Hugs, Deb

5 Addictions Tag

Some time ago, Patti (Tapestry of Dreams), I call her "Queenie," tagged me to tell what my 5 addictions are and then to tag 5 other people. Here are mine not necesseserily in this order:

1. Needlework (Cross Stitch and Needlepoint)

2. My precious children and grands

3. Books of every genre

4. Jewelrymaking

5. Quilts and quilting

Here are my tagged stitching buddies:

1. Deb (Cattails)

2. Juls

3. Nicole

4. Martha

5. Glenna

I hope this doesn't bother them!

Today was a blog-visiting day. It really takes a whole day, doesn't it?! I still didn't make it all the way through, so I have more to visit tomorrow or Monday. I love to do that, but, as you know, I've been out of touch lately.

Hope to stitch up a storm tonight!! I've tevoed/saved several tv programs and movies so I'll be watching them and stitching until early into the morning, I guess. I like to stay up very late so I can read and stitch. I'm lucky that I can sleep in until 10-11AM, though, so I can catch up! Don't like to stitch during the day for some reason.

Are you a day or night stitcher? Where do you stitch? When you stitch, how long do you usually stitch at one sitting? Do you watch tv, listen to music or listen to books on tape...or sit quietly? Just wondering....

I stitch in my recliner with my Dazor magnifer light in the evening. I usually stitch 2 hrs. or more at a time. Then, I have a snack break and start stitching again for about another 1/2 an hour or an hour. I watch/listen to tv. Or, in recent time, I'll be trying to capture a peeping tom! The wretch...

Have a good Sunday! Hugs, Deb

Thank Yous

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement about the Peeper! Jessica and I met at Barnes & Noble bookstore the other night and closed it down about 10:00PM. By the time I got home it was about 10:30, so I decided to take a drive around our little community to see if I could see anyone walking and smoking..... No luck.

However, I did notice that another of my girl friends, Nancy, who is alone (widowed), and is 3 houses down from me had her blinds/shutters opened and her lights on, too! You could see right through her house. It really gave me a good idea of how exposed I had been!! I called Nancy and gave her the news about the Peeping JTom and she is now on the same page with closing up at night. She had been leaving her lanai doors/windows uncovered at night just like I was in the habit of doing. And, of course, we couldn't see a thing outside in the dark from our perspective!

Tomorrow is Saturday night...the night he likes to be scary.... We'll see what happens.... In answer to a question: it is a gated community, so we think it's somebody who lives in the community, or is new to the community who is doing this. We've been safe for years until now.

I think Anthony has to work again, but maybe I can set a trap by pretending to go to bed at 10PM and peeking out my bedroom blinds in the dark. BTW, the police told me anyone could cut the wires to our phones, so I should keep my cell phone battery up and the phone near me at all times at night.

I've decided the best place to hide is my closed because it's full of stash and clothes and nobody could find me in there! I'll be back later.... Deb

The Peeping Tom

First of all let me thank all of you dear friends who left comments on my last entry. I was so happy to read all you said. You make me feel wonderful! :)

Now for the Tom story: About 5 weeks ago, I was in my bed sleeping soundly with my little Yorkie, Clara, snug in her bed underneath our bed. I'm a light sleeper, and Clara is too. I was awakened by something, then heard a man's voice...angry...saying, "Shit!" This was outside my window just by my head...fortunately my blinds were drawn. Clara started barking and I didn't hear anything else. I was afraid to look outside. The clock said about 10:30 PM. My DH was not home...he was working. I went back to sleep because I'd taken a sleeping pill.

Then, a week ago, Clara started barking at the front door. I was lying on the sofa watching tv. Again, my DH wasn't home...he was working late. I heard the door rattle and then 2 knocks on the glass of the door. All of my blinds were up and my lights were on. I called my DH's name...no answer. Then, about a minute later, there were 2 taps on the window just behind my head.

I didn't look around, naturally. But, I knew there was someone there because the taps had been the same 2 counts. About 4 minutes later, my DH pulled up in the drive and came in.

I told him what had happened and he went immediately outside, but saw nothing, of course. He called the police who came and said that this guy was now uping the situation by getting closer to me. And, that it was a dangerous situation. Each time it's been 10:30-11:00 PM and on a Sat. or Sun. night.

The police told us to keep all the draperies and blinds closed at night, and to get lights that come on if anyone or anything walks near them. We've done that. They are going to patrol my neighborhood more now.

We have a gated community which has been so safe and there has been no trouble like this in all the 4 years I've been here. So, it's a bit scary. I told my next door neighbor on Sunday after the taps and she asked me if my handyman smoked. I told her I didn't have a handyman.... She said she smelled smoke outside of her tv room the night before and found a cigarette butt outside the window!! They also leave their blinds open, and she was watching tv alone about 10:30 PM, with the window open! We bagged the cigarette for the police.

The police told me they will catch him even if they have to dress in camoflage and hide out for him. But, meanwhile, I'm closed in at night like a tomb!! Especially on Sat. and Sunday nights when DH works!!

Will let you know if anything further develops.... PS: Clara needs to go to her groomer, I know!!! :p But, doesn't she look scary??

Hugs, Deb