Wish granted...

I was lucky enough to have another great weekend like last time. This time the weather was perfect! Cold, rainy and cloudy. I love the rain and am convinced I live in the wrong climate. I am not a desert woman. We got our Christmas tree up and decorated.

It looks great, and the kids had fun hanging ornaments. This is wothout the lights on. We stayed home except last night for dinner. Had Chinese at our favorite Chinese restaurant. 

I did get a little crafting in but because of something going on with my hand now, I was limited to what I could do without it hurting. I finally went to the doctor last week for it. It has slowly been getting worse. I believe it started last Christmas or thereabouts, but it would come and go, now it's steadily getting worse. There seems to be a lump in my wrist which doesn't appear on the X-rays taken but you can see it on the outside. At first they thought ganglion cyst but the mass is hard. The pain moves around my wrist and into my hand and fingers. Sometimes cramping while trying to do something simple like using a pencil or peeling a potato, to the point I can't hold onto to whatever it is. Very annoying. Only lately it is interfering with my crafts such as crocheting, so I decided to get it checked. The X-ray came back normal and he recommends an ultra sound if further examination is needed. I hope they don't just blow it off because it isn't bone. I am also hoping it is something easily fixed with rest or splinting. Unfortunately I am right handed, it's the right hand causing issues and my job revolves around the use of the ten key pad and typing which is practically impossible to do with one hand, let alone my left. Oh well, nothing to worry about now until I know more. It's more of a nuisance I guess. What's a bit of pain, huh? If it's not one thing it's another with me. Poor husband, i don't think he  realized the vows would have such an emphasis on "in sickness" when we got married. Thank God he has stuck it through.

As to what I was able to do, it's cross stitching, everything else is to awkward one handed or impossible left handed so I pulled out a cross stitch sampler I have had stockpiled away, put it on a lap frame and started it this weekend. Not to shabby, if I do say so myself. This is just half of the top border.

Just an awesome weekend

The weekend started early for me. Friday I had my final follow up appointment with my orthopedic surgeon and had to take the day off to go. Everything is the same as last time. He doesn't see any regrowing of the tumor so I no longer need to keep making trips. The pain I have he thinks is due to  subconsciously walking crooked, maybe compensating for something in my foot. Only recommendation for that is to see a specialist for making a shoe insert, but as it isn't something I can't handle I won't be making that appointment unless it's a lot more painful than it is now.

 The trip is close to three hours and my dad went with me. It was absolutely wonderful. I love spending one on one time with him and it rarely happens. Honestly it only happens when I have a doctor's appointment out of town. We stopped at Hobby Lobby where I got the fabric for Elora's quilt and my dad found some nutcrackers for my mom as a surprise. He also bought me a present, Egg Money Quilts 1930's vintage samplers book. Amazing book! I loved it. Not only does it give you a little history with each designs and tidbits about the authors ancestors during the 1930's and includes a handful of recipes, there are premade templates in the back for the patterns throughout. After that we had lunch at Ihop and headed home. It was great being with him and talking.

The kids had an extended sleep over at their grandparents house. They decorated the tree, watched Christmas movies and did a little Christmas crafting. They had a blast! 

I was able to work some on the quilt block at my parents and am almost finished with the second one. When I got home I finished my husband's afgahn, and the  door and surround to Elora's Barbie house. It was a very successful weekend and everyone is off to sleep on a happy note. Here's to hoping for such a great time next weekend.

Quilting mania

I have been reading up on quilting, watching videos and planning. I have so many projects going right now and ones that I need to do that I really shouldn't be looking into starting a new hobby, but there you go. All of these blogs and videos out there are way to inspiring for me to resist. I plan to use my daughter's twin bunk bed as my first attempt. It may not be considered true quilting or not but it's my plan. I have 18" quilt blocks that get embroidered, which i started last year but stopped after one block, and I want to alternate those with regular pieced blocks. I found a block I like on a video. I couldn't find the pattern used, only that they said it was a version of an Ohio Star block. It's super pretty and I think it will be relatively easy to do. I sketched up the pattern to work for an 18" block and am excited to finish all the embroidered blocks so I can start the pieced ones. Following this obssession I started reading a new series called the Elm Creek Quilters. I just finished the first one and I really enjoyed it. Started the second book last night.

As to those projects waiting to be finished here is a list of those:

11 stocking fronts for family to be stitched including the one I am working on now, 3 stockings to be lined and backed

2 spools of cotton yarn to make dishcloths for our house.

1 crocheted bearded beanie for my nephew, 1 hat/scarf for my niece. 2 crochet hats for a lady at work.

4 crochet blankets, (1 has 4inches more to go and the others I need to finish they are barely started.)

My dollhouse and HAED design need some work but as those are long term projects for myself they get put on the back burner.

Elora's quilt, here's a picture of he block I am working on. I have one finished already. 

Finally, a plastic canvas Barbie dream house. I finished the living room a few years ago as well as the foundation. Unfortunately the foundation was crushed in the move so now I have to make a new one. This past weekend I picked  it up again as Elora is now of the age to really love playing with it. I am almost done stitching the pieces to hallway and then I just need to construct it. That just leaves the foundation, kitchen, upper hall, bathroom, bedroom and attic. : / 

Getting my projects finished is my goal and early new year's resolution. No more new projects till at least half of these are done. Problem with these is after I have been crocheting awhile my hand cramps and needs a break so I stitch for awhile then those muscles start hurting so I go to a different type I project. It's a big circle but eventually I finish. It just takes forever. I need to focus though. I'm just unsure which project needs to take priority over another. They are all important to me. Too bad I couldn't spend all day crafting instead of working LOL. Life would be so much more fun that way.

1.5 legs?

Another progress update on the Santa and Frosty stocking. This weekend I finished stitching the snowman's body, scarf and 1.5 of the legs on Santa. This is a very adorable kit and I love working on it. It is going together fairly quickly. I just realized that I took this photo before the legs were started. I live the snowman's face, so sweet.

On a different topic I am considering teaching myself to quilt. Sewing machines intimidate me so I want to try hand piecing and quilting. I have found some wonderful tutorials online and videos to watch so I am drinking in as much knowledge as I can. I mentioned it to my husband and he seemed to like the idea. He even told me if I want to make a quilt set for our bed he would like to request one that matches these lanterns we found at the World Market. The little doors open for tea lights to set inside and they are beautiful when lit. It may be awhile enforce I attempt a queen size quilt with matching shams though. I was thinking of a Christmas wall hanging quilt first. So I will be browsing the magazine section next trip to the store I see if there is one that looks interesting. It's not like I need another hobby but at least this one I can say has a purpose.