Happy New Years!

After Christmas

Christmas has come and gone.... I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We met with both mine and hubby's families. Had a great time. The time spent with the grandchildren was the best. It always is when you see Christmas through their eyes. There was so much excitement in their voices.
I have not stitched much. I have a project from Michelle that I need to get finished and mailed to her. I will work on that this weekend. I tired stitching some on it last week, but if you read my blog, you know that was a no go... I am doing much better.. I still get a little nausea at night. It is not bad, I can live with it. That first week was bad. I have increased the dose as I should each week and I am doing so much better. Thanks for all the comments and well wishes. 
I am aiming for Christmas Decoration Removal starting tomorrow morning. You notice I said aiming... Plans change in a second around here.. I am going for the organized repacking of the decorations.. We will also see how that goes.. Last year I didn't even put the ornaments back in their boxes. I just wrapped them and put in totes.. I have a tub full of empty ornament boxes.. I may have to do a tub buying run tomorrow. I need to check out my storage options.  Can you tell I am trying hard to organize these decorations to the best of my ability?  lol  I have big plans and dreams that always go astray.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and looking forward to the New Year of 2013!  
I am planning on being more organized in 2013.. I will try.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

 

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family

Hope that you have a wonderful day



Gifts !

Just wanted to thank everyone for the get better wishes.  I think sometimes the treatment is worse than the problem. I am better today, not much... Had someone tells me the stomach flu was going around!  I am thinking I might have that.. surely side effects can not be this bad.
On to Great News!!  I received some mail this week! It just maked my day.  I didn't have any pictures before I opened them.. Why?  I just like to unwrap in a hurry!!  lol
This is my goodies from great stitching friends,

 My go shopping for cross stitch buddy, Pam. I love the JOY ornament it is on my tree!  She had everything wrapped so beautiful!  and I just forgot to get a picture in my excitement!!  lol
Those are beautiful scissors!  I will treasure them always!  That little tree with the buttons on the spool... Well, it is already beside my stitching chair! The card fit Pam, she is a dog lover.. That card is to cute!!!  Made me smile so big like the card!  lol

Next up is from my Stitching Friend Bonnie!  She makes these ornaments by taking pictures of her work and then mounting them. They are so cute!!!  Of course, they are already on the stitching tree too!  I just love her card to!  I love snow and snowman... and this from a gal that lives in the south! I hope for some big snow this winter!!
Thank you Pam and Bonnie! You have made me feel a lot better.
Now to rest some.. I did some light picking up and laundry and so far it has made me tired..

VICTOZA .......

That is all I can say. I have been in the bed since Tuesday. The doctor put me on a shot called Victora. I take it as part of my diabetic medicine. Doctor said that it will help lower my blood sugars, and will help me lose weight.
I get home Tuesday, they gave me a neat little zipper package will all kinds of info. A letter from Paula Deen on the front. She takes this medicine and has lost weight.. I take the shot..
I wake up around 11:00 pm that night. Nausea big time... I get my little package out read that Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea and Headaches are the side effects. DUH.. These are wrote in the small print at the back of that booklet with Paula's picture on it.
Skip forward to today. I am still taking the shots, I am still in bed, I have nausea like you wouldn't believe, plus I have been vomiting. All I can say is, If Paula Deen went through this to lose weight,and get her diabetes under control, God Bless her Heart! No wonder you lose weight!  You are sick for a week!
I called doctor today. Told them I have all the side effects!  They said that it will go away. When?  She says in about 7 days!  7 Days!!  I have 4 more days to go!!
Upside, I have lost 5 pounds since Tuesday.  Downside, I am to sick to care! All I have had in 2 days is some Cheerios no milk yesterday and plain oatmeal this morning, It says in this booklet, to drink lots of water so you don't dehydrate, because that can lead to Kidney Failure!
 So they know you will get sick with this shot. Has any of my blogger friends take this shot? and if so, were you this sick?
Thanks for an input....

After 30 years.....

I am sad today.. I heard that Just Cross Stitch and Sampler & Antique Needlework has been acquired by Annie's Publishing.
If my blog friends did not know, I worked for Hoffman Media for 12 years as a model stitcher in the late 80's and 90's. I stitched many projects in both magazines along with kits and leaflets. I hope that they will continue the Christmas and Halloween issues. I know that Phyllis' son Eric is EVP and here is a quote from him.

"This transaction accomplishes some strategic initiatives we began working on a couple of years ago," said Eric Hoffman, EVP and COO of Hoffman Media.

"Hoffman Media will be more focused than ever, and will continue to build our business around cooking, entertaining and women's lifestyle special interest categories.

"We believe Annie's is the perfect company to take the cross-stitching brands to the next level and truly wish them the best in their continued success."

Here is the link about this bit of news. 
http://www.drgnetwork.com/drg_news/newsrelease_detail.html?release_id=1271

I am sad about this because, I am wondering if this is sign that the cross stitching industry is being downsized like everything else. Hoffman Media was located in Alabama and our state used to have a lot of cross stitch shops. JCS even had a shop located in Birmingham.  Birmingham alone, had about 4 shops. We now maybe, have 4 shops listed in the whole state of Alabama. I am beginning to think that cross stitch is not as popular in Alabama as it used to be. People are more into sewing kids cute clothes and making crafts with burlap. There seems to be a lot of specialty fabric shops popping up in my area.
The shops that are open in some states have to sell through the Internet to keep their doors open and pay overhead cost. I will confess.. I have to buy off the Internet. Why, because it is a two hour drive to the nearest shop..  Two hours there and two hours back plus gas prices.. I can order from my chair and pay a small shipping charge. I would rather drive to the shop and see all the charts, floss, fabric and doodads in person. I will buy more when I go in a shop.. I also try to find shops when we are vacationing.
I also wonder if cross stitch, is going to become something of a lost art?... Look at crewel work, or embroidery. It has all but disappeared. I can say my daughter knows how to cross stitch. She is not into it, but I did my duty of teaching her! lol  Cross stitch has great designers with great ideas. I hope they never stop designing.  I live to stitch!
It seems that  Hoffman Media is staying with Southern Lady, Tea Time, Paula Deen, Phyllis Celebrate and Victoria. I guess that cooking and entertaining is their money makers. If you read those magazines, I do.. They are full of big color advertising pages. A lot of advertising and more advertising....  Mostly Advertising... As a cross stitcher, why do I feel betrayed?  It is like a divorce... lol
I just hope that Annie's keep the Christmas and Halloween issue...
I will wait and see how it turns out. I just bought my November and December issue today.. and came home to this news...
Going to open my magazine and read it. Till Later......


 

Beside The Stitching Chair

This is what is going on beside my stitching chair.  I have just finished the Stacy Nash on the right in the purple hoop. It makes a bell shaped ornament with a bell on the bottom. 
I am stitching The Trilogy - Bucky the Snowman on sparkle fabric. It is pictured in the square Qsnap. It is a fast stitch too. I also have pulled out a Pineberry ornament to start. I have 3 ornaments stitched and waiting on the table to make into something.. I am averaging about one a day stitched.. Woo Hoo! 
I am also stitching on the Pineberry Pet Memorial sampler.. My end table is over flowing with projects.  I will post some pictures of the other ornaments this week. So, stay tuned.....