The "Fam"

Everybody now - into the LAZYBOY! Nothing says lovin' like post-Thanksgiving feast cuddle-up in the blue chair. Mommy's girl or Daddy's girl? You decide.

I love a parade!

As much as I love Christmas, I can honestly say Thanksgiving might just run a dead heat. As I wake slowly (without an alarm clock) and to daylight, I can't wait to jump out of bed, turn on the peacock channel (bing bing bing), put on the tea, grab the 12 pounds of newspaper and cuddle up on the sofa. And yes, as the 9:00 hour creeps closer, I get more and more excited for the parade to start! I loved Willard Scott and now Al Roker, Matt Lauer, Meredith and before her Katie, the Rockettes, the balloons, bands, cheerleaders, the stars, the half frozen half naked smiley faced people just oozing with pride and happiness. Am I the only half baked sentimental that gets teary eyed when it all starts? And again when Santa comes rolling through?

What a wonderful reminder that no matter the state of things, the world is still spinning, we'll all eat turkey and watch football, and that some things will never change.

Happy Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Much better

LOVE how these tasseled cords turned out. Glad I made myself make the switch. Now it's really Really REALLY ready to go to it's new home. Bye bye black bag, have you any wine? I'll never tell.

Tick tock tick tock

Today is Sunday, Nov 23, which means there are 7 days left in November. In December, there are 23 days til Christmas Eve, which is the beginning of the celebrations in my family. SO! The OFFICIAL 30 day countdown to Christmas is on kiddies!

Get out your Christmas cards, update those mailing lists, round up the gift wrap, make your lists and check them twice. The Fat Man in the red suit is warming up the reindeer as we speak!

A finish!

What vacation can be deemed a success without a finish to show for it? I admit to adding the bells and whistles after returning home, but I'm happy to have this little darling in the bag, Christmas gift bag that is, for my best motorcycle riding tattoo sporting Aunt* (BMRTSA). Yeah, she's the fun Aunt (think Weekend Road Warrior, not Hell's Angels) and this little design was just perfect for her because the design actual matches her tattoo!

I know, what are the odds???!!!!

As sentimental stories and tattoos seem to go together like motorcyles and well, tattoos, hers is in my opinion very special. She was born with three brothers, one of which died when he was only 20, on her birthday. She and her brothers are the four leaves of the shamrock. Her first grandson, in the summer between high school and college was killed in a auto accident, at age 18, and buried on her birthday. The five spots on her ladybug represent her five grandchildren and her ladybug sits atop a shamrock, combining two of the "luckiest" symbols we recognize. I added the red tassel to heap one more measure of luck (Chinese) on our little ornament. I know she'll love it and give it a prize place amoung her other good luck charms.

All Barbara Ana Designs are just too cute for their shoes. Be sure to check her out for the cutest biscornu patterns you've ever seen.

Jamaican beauty

Wish I knew what to call this beauty other than Stunning.

Shot at Dunn's River Falls, Jamaica.

And this little piggie ran home...

Ahoy maties! Much to my amazement, after a week of cruising the Carribean, I was able to squeeze my overstuffed self out of the cabin doors and find my way home, without having to buy myself two airline tickets for "overages".

I'll try to be brief, to avoid boring anyone, but here are some highlights of my cruise:

• Untouched tropical beauty of Jamaica
• Uninterrupted stitching time
• Unbelieveable sunrises/sunsets
• Never ending gourmet dining
• Perfect weather for 6 glorious days
• Red Stripe Light
• Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (oh yea, it really is $38/lb. good)

Some of the lowlights:

• 3000 random yawho's sharing my ship
• abject poverty just beyond the tourist borders ashore
• 20 hours of rough seas and all that comes (and goes) with that
  

All in all, a good time was had by all. SIL and BIL celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in style, over lobster and filet mignon. Hubby and I enjoyed some much needed R&R. I would like to go back some day and spend a little more time exploring the natural beauty of Jamaica, the Caymans and Cozumel, but according to my travel compass, ITALY is next!

Ta Daaaa!!!!

Happy dance happy dance. A wiggle and a shake. Words words something something. Look what I can make!

I said I was a stitcher; not Maya Angelou.

Between the noisy hubby and restless dog last night, I got up between 3 and 4, or as Coni would say "O'dark hundred", and decided the best thing for my boiling blood pressure was to stitch a little. (If mama ain't sleeping, mama ain't happy!) I didn't stop stitching til 7 this morning! That is the most uninterrupted quiet time I've had since, well, since I can remember (but I am a little fuzzy tonight, considering the zero sleep factor).

I will probably switch out the ribbon with some tasseled cord before gifting this baby, but I could not resist getting it's pretty little face out there tonight. Turned out nicely, huh? The wine bottle fits perfectly inside. I do hope the receiver will like it as much as I do. Fingers crossed.

My WIP list is now updated and I feel like Paris Hilton with a new pair of shoes! My hope is to be able to mark a couple more WIPs off that list when I returned from vacation. (that's spelled W.I.P. not w.h.i.p, Paris, don't get excited).

Now I wonder where I hid that Finishing with Flair GCC from myself...