Happy Thanksgiving

In another hour and a half it will be Thanksgiving.  This is a different one for me since it's not been that long since I lost my borther.  Still I have a lot to be thankful for.  I am totally thankful that I live in such a great country.  I am also thankful that I have a job.  Not everybody has one and while I might complain  about not having enough money, I have more than some others.  I am also very thankful for all the followers who encourage me.

I hope everybody takes time out of their busy schedules to give thanks. You don't have to make a list or even tell anybody what you are thankful for.  You'll know and that is what is important.

It's a Wonderful Time of the Year!

Why yes it indeed a wonderful time of the year.  With the holidays soon to be here and our snow on the ground, how can I NOT like this time of year?  I'm afraid that I'm not into the buying from the stores much.  Grew up with making presents or giving I.O.U.s/gift certificates for things like home cooked food or cleaning for those who couldn't.  Perhaps that is why I love this time of year.

Some of you might know that Illinois (and other states) got some snow this weekend.  Some, in my case, was around 12 inches.  It sounds like a lot but it really wasn't since there wasn't any snow on the ground first so it took a bit to accumulate.    Here is the picture outside my window after the plows had gone through.

The plows had gone through the first time before I left for gaming so I managed to get in my gaming this Saturday.  It was Battletech and turned out pretty good.  Anyway,  I also managed to scrape my hand a little bit (aren't I talented?) but not enough to really bother me.

I also say it's a wonderful time of the year because that is the name of one of my cross stitch projects I'm working on.

I just started it but am making good progress I think.

Of course I wouldn't be able to do any of this if it wasn't for my magnifiers.  For Sue, and others who wonder what I use, here it is.

The flip up when I need to.

The glasses are actually pink but this shows them just sitting on the glasses.

But then they can flip up so I can see things at a distance.  :)

I also got an early Christmas present.  My friend Connie bought me a replacement walking foot.  I haven't tried it yet but hope to this week.  I am off work on Thursday and Friday, but Thursday I will be at my sister in laws for Thanksgiving.  I'll keep you updated.

Everybody have a blessed and great day/evening.

What was I thinking!!!!

Hi everybody!

Don't have much to show you.  I have been going through a period of not being able to decide on what to work on.  That was when I started back with the cross stitch.  I've made progress on the NOEL project.

Then I was thinking of some quilting projects that I wanted to get done.  I fused on an Angel for a block I'm working on.  I'll show you when I get it done more.  I have two to do.  You'd think that I could knock out those two this weekend wouldn't you?  No.  I got lazy.  Here is the colors for one of the blocks.  I'm meeting Connie tomorrow to work on crafts at lunch time.  I think I'll take my embroidery floss and choose which colors I'll use to for my buttonhole.

Anyway then I felt guilty for not doing more quilting stuff so I thought on what to do.  The Quilt Pattern Magazine came to my rescue.  I found a pattern that I signed up to test.  Of course you don't get to see that yet.  That you can't see until the Summer I believe.  I will have to get going on that.  I am hoping that the deadline for that will give me that push to keep going.  

What else is new?  This is.

My friend Connie gave me this.  Talk about comfy to wear!  They are flexible and notice that they have room for your nails to go through.  It is to help pull your need when it is stubborn.  Of course once I got them my needle decided to behave.  Perhaps Connie should have given it to me years ago.  :)

That's about it tonight.  I hope you all find your inspiration and keep crafting!  

Cross Stitch project day

Today I worked on my Noel cross stitch.  It's starting to come together.  It takes awhile to make any progress but that's ok.  I'm not in a hurry.

Another project which I liked but haven't done yet is this:

I might keep this in mind when I retire (ie, not the immediately future but perhaps in 5 years).  I think that it shows a lot of possibility.

After doing almost nothing all day except sit on my duff and cross stitch, obviously made me tired and hungry.  Doesn't it for everybody?  So what did I make?  I made the first dish that I learned to make on my own.  I can't even remember what cookbook it came out of.  It might have been Betty Crocker for Kids or something like that.  It's varied a bit over the years but tonight it is:

Thin pork steak (original recipe called for pork chops)
tomato based sauce which has sauteed green peppers and onions in it as well as various spices.

What are you having for dinner?