Making Plans for October

I saw this posted on another blog here and I thought I need to do something like this myself.  The blogger posted short term plans but I need a few different kind of plans....

Current Plans (today or tomorrow):  do laundry, make pot roast, create a few work lunches for the week, visit mom, call my aunt, and make a quick trip to the store.  Start a diet

Short Term  (this week):  return my 2 library books, review and edit my friend's resume, up date my resume, post my updated resume online, start job hunting again.  Make samples of ornament projects for the library kids & talk over with librarian.  Start thinking of Christmas presents and get into so elf Christmas workshop mode to get them done. 

Medium Term (this month):  Set Weight loss goals.   Organize space at home better.  Net work better and prep for possible job loss the end of November.  Make some cute small  felt pin cushions & make some earring sets for gifts. Finish up a few old small needle point projects.  Make an embroidered bag  for me.

Stay positive and focused on small accomplishments because they add up.

October Reading

I finished A Clash of Kings, the second novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin.  This series is expected to consist of seven volumes, 5 are out.  Like its predecessor, A Game of Thrones, it won the Locus Award (in 1999) for Best Novel and was nominated for the Nebula Award (also in 1999) for best novel.  Boy is was good and meaty. I put am on the waiting list at my library for the 3rd book. These are long books but so well written that you are disappointed when they end.

I also read the Hour Game by David Baldacci.  This is my 3 book by this author and there is one more he has written with the two main characters.  It was about 760 pages and the first 3rd was a little slow.  Once the pace picked up this book spiraled to warp speed with lots of hair pin twists and turns.  I enjoyed it!

I have been crocheting and finished a scarf for myself.  I also started on a second one as a gift.  I picked up some elastic cording because I want to make a ear muff/ head band thing to match.   I saw my sister in law wear one a few times so I thought she might like one to match the scarf.

I've stitched a little here and there but nothing major, still hunting for my stitching mojo.

"Art work" at the Office...

Photos of light bulbs grace the walls of my workplace.  The pictures are blown up and huge.  Around the corner another photo display  has actual mini light bulbs (non working) mounted within photos of the same mini light bulbs.

When I was speaking to a colleague on another floor I told her she had to come visit to see the new "art work" on my floor.  She told me to make sure when I visit her to put a top on my coffee.  Why you ask?  Because someone blew up a picture of a butterfly to 5 feet and it was cut out and mounted so it looks like a 1960's B movie "Attack of the Moth creature."  

Bags in Bloom Book

I found this book in our library and fell in love with all the beautiful bags.  All of a sudden I was battling the instinct of starting a few more projects but sanity won out.  I do not need more projects.  What I need are more hours in each day and vitamins so I live long enough to do more of the many projects I have. 

Now when I look through all of those little bits left over from other projects I think oh this will make a pretty flower center.  Those odd stray buttons too pretty to toss now will see the light of day..... someday.  Ah maybe a few xmas present bags.  I long to re-cycle some old denim and this seems like a great project for it.

Bags in Bloom by Susan Cariello is very inspiring and contains a lot of fun and elegant stitching projects.

"A perfect bag for every occasion, in every season!   Each season has its own palette of floral colors, from vivid poppies to hardy wildflowers, from autumn leaves to winter roses-and now you can have a bag to match every outfit in every season.   In Bags In Bloom , with just 6 simple patterns and 12 easy embroidery stitches, you’ll learn how to make 20 different purse designs. From a clear overview of embroidery, including a primer on fabrics and different fiber elements you can use to great effect, to detailed instructions on sewing and assembly, and even how to get inspired to design your own, accessories designer Susan Cariello takes you step-by-step through making purses that complement each season’s wardrobe perfectly.   A fresh twist on classic embroidery, Bags in Bloom ensures your purse will be as colorful and vibrant as the world aroud you-all year long!" 

Now don't you want to make one too?








 

Ripple Baby blankets

My stitching buddy Amy is rather shy.  I could not get her to look up as I snapped this picture so about all you see are Amy's white whisker and toes.  Our 2 black cat girls are about the same size except Sam's white is limited to her panties.   Little by little Amy is letting my husband pet her but she will chatter away if she doesn't get my attention.  Sam on the other hand will grab your arm, wrap herself around your leg or tap you on the shoulder.  She uses her paws just like hands and is very skilled and that.

This is the 2nd ripple baby blanket I made for a work colleague.  I used yellow Lion's brand homespun which is no longer available and a comparable bulky pink from Red Heart plus a number 10 crochet hook. These blankets were a hit at work.  these first 2 blankets went to guys.  I was actually very nicely surprised at how well the guys liked them.  The 3rd blanket was for a woman who had to leave work early due to complications so I had thought I'd give her the blanket when she returned.  Unfortunately the day she got back they let her go due to cut backs.   Anyway I am still working on the third blanket.  This  seems to be my train and car project. 

This is the 1st baby blanket I did using a finer yarn with size 5 hook.  I really loved the look of this one better but boy did it take a lot longer to do.  I have a 3rd blanket I am doing with the same yarn but I decided to use a 5.5 hook so it is going a little faster.  The 3rd I had put aside during the summer because after doing the 2nd bulky one during the summer heat I wanted no part of working with yarn for a while.  I have pick it up again and I am about a  17 or so inches done.  I like to make them about 40 - 45 inches. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Reading

As summer comes to an end I thought I'd list some of the books I enjoyed over this summer.

By Nora Roberts, The Black Hills , I am a big fan of the suspense books she writes.


I am currently reading....
Hour game  by Baldacci, David. (part of a series of 4 books)  You will see the 2 other I've read below.  His books move and I am surprised I had not read this author before.

A Clash of Kings by Martin, George R. R. (this the 2nd book in a series of 5)  I am totally hooked.  Midevil 

 This is the 2nd one I read by this author as part of a series.  Very good and a quick read. 

This is the first book that I read by this author and it had me looking to see what else he's written.  A page turner that I seriously enjoyed, full of twists and turns.  I passed this one on to a friend and now she is also hooked on this author.

I had not read one by this author in a few years.  This is medical fiction and not for those in search of happily ever after endings.  It is rather graphic but not horror.  I love mysteries but dislike horror.

I discovered this author by watching the HBO special.  The show is very true to the book and I loved both.  There are 5 books in the series and I an reading the 2nd one now.  I am trying to take by time reading it because it is so good and I want it to last.  I came across someone on the train reading the 3rd one.  She gave it a thumbs up as did someone who over heard us discussing it.  I had to wait a long time on my library's list to get the book.  It was worth the wait!

I love Monica Ferris and I read a couple of hers in the beginning of the summer.  I think I am all caught up and I have read all 14 of them.  I discovered that these books are called cozy fiction.  They are who done it's related to a stitchery shop owner.

The one was how I began my summer reading and it was wonderful! 

I love a good book!

Welcome to my New Blog

I have started a new blog.   Why you ask?  I accidentally lost access my old blog, my gmail account, and to all of my goggle groups.  I was trying to set up a you tube account  because I wanted to list a link and did not pay attention when posting my birthday.   I hate providing personal data because accounts get hacked all of the time. 

I entered 01-01-01 which would make me under age so Google froze my accounts and I have been unable to get it fixed.  I am not under age but I would not mind turning back time a little,  sigh.  I have started this new blog because I can't get into the old one or any of my former Google accounts.


I have started a fresh because my efforts to get the old account fixed failed.   So now I have to make all those little decisions again on how I want to do this. 

Mare