Ok this is my last new start. It is from Cross-Stitch & Needlework July 2008. The pattern did not have a title but I am calling it happy girl. Here is a picture of what it will look like completed and my progress after one week. It is by Joan Elliott. The bright colors attacted me. I am stitching it on 14ct grasshopper green aida. It has light effects floss which is different to work with. They are slippery and knot easily. I started this on 11/22/09.

My daughter was home for Thanksgiving. We spent a quiet Friday watching movies and stitching (I was stitching she was text messaging.) She is back to school now.

This week I will be working on my train picture.

Another new start this week, Abecedaire by Gazette94. I am stitching this on 14ct white aida. I have wanted to do this one for a while but couldn't decide on what colors to use. I loved all of the choices other stitchers had used. I was out buying more floss for a different project and saw the dark color and grabbed it and then the light color was there so I went with it. I ended up with #3685 and #3727. Hopefully my choices will look good when it is all done. This is a large project but it should stitch up quickly. I hope to have this one finished in 2010.

My daughter should be home this week for Thanksgiving. A short visit but it will be good to see her again. My car died Tuesday night. Dead battery. So now I have a new battery and just need to get the oil changed to be ready for winter.

I started another project this week Butterfly Fairies - Day by Lanarte. I stitched 2 whole days and I have this blue blob. I have included a picture of what it will look like when completed. I am stitching it on 28ct antique white Monaco over 2. I don't usually stitch on anything but Aida so this is a change for me. So far no problems.

Today is Sunday and time for me to switch projects again. I have another empty slot in my rotation. So I will be starting another project that I have ready to go.

I have some stitching updates. I made some progress on Freight Train. I never knew there were so many shades of gray/black. This is only the first of 6 train cars. So I have a long way to go on this one.

Next up was pinecones. I am still struggling along with this one. I did manage to stitch 4 pinecones. I didn't stitch the full week on it. I figured some progress was better than none.

Most of my time (when not at work) has been spent raking leaves. Last weekend we helped my sister rake her yard, then we raked my yard. We is my son and I. Then on Monday (no school for son) we raked the grandparents yard. It was a beautiful warm sunny day excellent for raking leaves. This is a picture of my yard this morning. Most of the leaves have now fallen off as we had strong wind and rain for 2 days. I will be spending my afternoon out raking.

This week I am back to stitching cat ornaments. Hope to finish another ornament this week. I did stop into my lns after raking leaves on Monday. I bought alot of beads, kreinik braids and I picked up 2 free pieces of matt board to finish my ornaments. I am still working on kitting up future starts.

I finally finished Gathering Honey on 10/19/09. There was alot of backstitching and french knots. I have moved on to the next project in my rotation, Freight Train. I now have 2 open slots in my rotation and will be adding 2 more starts when they come up.

Saturday I went to Ball State to visit my daughter. Went to the Dean's List ceremony and watched her get an award. Her grandparents also made a surprise visit. Their first time on campus. They seemed to have a good time in spite of being against her going to college.

Then I drove home and attended my neice's 16th birthday party. I had a full day Saturday as I didn't get home from the birthday party until 10:30pm. I had a nice visit with my brother and sister-in-law and their 9 kids.

I hadn't stitched in a week and picked Gathering Honey back up Sunday and finished it up Monday (had the day off). I am still using up vacation time.

I worked on more backstitching on Gathering Honey this past week. I am so close to a finish that I will continue working on it until it is done. I am saving all of the french knots for last. I am in the process of kitting up more new starts. I now have 11 designs in the kitting up stages. I need to find some smaller projects as these will all take awhile and I might not have any finishes for years.

I didn't any stitching done this past week. Tuesday after work I had to drive to Ball State to get my daughter. She was selected for Jury Duty on Wednesday. We drove home in a driving rain storm. She did not get picked for the Jury so after work on Wednesday I drove her back to Ball State. My son rode along to keep me company on the drive back.

Thursday morning I left with my sister to go to Turkey Run State Park and Shades State Park. It rained steady all day Thursday. We went hiking at Shades State Park anyways. We were the only ones hiking. Back in the woods and ravines we were protected from the rain and only got damp.

Friday we went hiking at Turkey Run. There were a few other people hiking even though it did rain off and on during the day. Once again the trees protected us from getting really wet.

Now I need to catch up on all of my housework. I will also be working at the school carnival on Sunday. Hope to get back to my stitching next week.