I Love Yarn Day!

 Did you know that last Friday, October 14th, was "I Love Yarn Day!" well I didn't know it then, but I happened to celebrate anyway by stocking up on yarn and knitting needles. (These supplies are some of the few that have been missing from my well stocked craft room.)

My Mom is an amazing knitter and I know she has tried to teach me before but it just never clicked. Anyway with my recent milestone birthday behind me I felt like giving it a go again. So armed with my new supplies and a good how-to book, I shut myself in my room and started. And do you know what, it worked! I was actually knitting. Well, that first piece wasn't much to look at, but the second one is coming along quite nicely. (Mom you would be proud.)

Fabulous Fall

I was just talking to Michelle and we decided that Fall is our favorite season and since it is September 1st, we can put up Fall decorations. So I guess that means today is a good time to show you my latest cross stitch chart that celebrates this fabulous season. This is a fun, quick to stitch chart. I stitched it in silks, and the pattern includes conversions for Dinky Dyes Silks, Thread Gatherer Silk 'N Colors, and Weeks Dye Works hand dyed cotton floss.  It will be available to order next week from my distributor.

Look at what I got ~

It was a great mail call today. Totally worth the walk to the mailbox. I got the new release colors of the Belle Soie Silks from Crescent Colours. And they are wonderful. Ilove to stitch with silk threads so this is a very good thing.

 There were also the new release cotton threads from Crescent Colours too. Aren't they yummy colors?

 And as if that wasn't enough, my order of Dinky Dyes Hand-dyed Australian Silks came too.  I am one happy stitcher.

I'm on the list ~

Just wanted to share a link to the
Hoffman New Book List ~

I have a new chart available for sale to Cross Stitch Shops and Cross Stitchers too. Scroll down to From the Heart to see it.

Here is the link to the complete list of my available charts.

From the Heart ~

Coming Soon ~

I just took a little picture to show you what I've been working on.  This new design should be ready to release in a couple of weeks. I love the stitching with all one color of overdyed floss. Watch for the full photo and release date coming soon.

Vacation Time ~

We took a vacation! Yes, a real vacation, one where you come home feeling refueled, refreshed and ready to go again. We went out to the Oregon Coast and spent a week with some of my sisters at the Haws family beach house. I think Kristine had my camera with her the whole time, so I have plenty of photos to document the whole wonderful week. So here you go, a peek at our fun filled, relaxing week at the beach.

Introducing bcharmed ~

It is finally time to share something new. There is a new jewelry company getting ready to open its doors. Here is the link to their web site.

 bcharmed

I will have more information and flyers in about a week, but until then you can look around their web site and get an idea of what they are all about. If you are interested in joining up as a Stylist, let me know and I'll pass along that information too.

Anniversary/Birthday/Recital ~

There were so many fun things to celebrate yesterday and we were able to fit it all in. Rod and I celebrated our 28th Anniversary. We had so much fun spending the day together, going to lunch and even a few home repairs, (The water heater needed a new heating element which really couldn't be put off. Those cold showers are no fun.). We are planning a little getaway in a week or so, but there were too many things to celebrate this weekend so we stayed home. After lunch and a quick trip to pick up Dora party supplies I made a pasta salad. That is a sure sign that Spring is here and with the snow on the ground we needed any sign of spring we could find, or make. After Kristine got home from school, her and I headed out to see the little girls. Rod and Brad were close behind. We had to take both cars so there was room for Kymber's birthday surprise. After a little birthday dinner and presents we all headed over to the dance recital. Kymber did a great job, and loved having so many family members there cheering for her. She might have been a little distracted but she was so cute. Here she is a showing off her card from Great-Grandma and sitting on her big birthday surprise box. We got Kymber and Sydni a new swing set now that they have a yard to play in. I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as my sisters and I enjoyed the swing set we got from our grandparents many years ago. After the recital we all went back to their house for Dora cupcakes and more birthday party fun. So here are a few random shots from the evening. Can't think of a better way to celebrate than spending time with family.

New Pattern Release ~

I just returned from the post office this morning after mailing out my newest cross stitch charts to my Distributor and Suppliers. So to celebrate I want to give you a peek at the new designs. 

Spring Break ~

It came and went way too fast, but we enjoyed every little warm minute of it. 

Rod, Kristine and I got away for a few days last week to try and find the sun. We started off with a visit to Shepherd's Bush in Ogden.  Well, I stopped in to shop and they both stayed in the car. It was so much fun to see things in real life and not just pictures on a website. I did do a little shopping too, and added to my list of things to stitch. Next was a stop at the Gateway Mall in SLC. We stopped for lunch first and were surprised to see Kristine's friend and her family walking by outside the restaurant. It is either a small world, or everyone else is trying to find the sun this week too. Then Kristine and I headed off shopping while Rod went to find the nearest bookstore. Luckily there is a Barnes & Noble there. We found the Lucky Brand store, Anthropologie, the Boheme Boutique, PacSun, Build a Bear and then we found Rod at the bookstore. Here is Kristine with proof that we found all of the stores.

Then we drove on down to Fairview to visit Rod's Mom. It was fun to spend the night and get to visit with her. We watched the Young Women's Broadcast with Kristine too. It's fun to have a young woman in our family and fun to share this with her.

 

Jenene had this picture of her and Max, which I loved and had to get a copy of.  Rod's Dad passed away in November 2009 so we are all missing him.

 The next morning of our Spring Break we woke up to snow. Which is typical for spring trips to Fairview, About an hour down the road, the snow was gone and we got to see the sun. We stopped in Cedar City and took a little tour of old homes, and schools and showed Kristine just how far I used to have to walk to school. It was kind of fun to stop and eat at the Burger King that was built where our old house used to be. That afternoon we found St. George, Utah, and capri's and sandals that we haven't seen in months.

 

The next morning we took the bike and headed to find the Mountain Bike Trails. This is what we found. Evidently this spot is popular with the Biggest Loser Resort hikers too.

Rod takes my iPhone on the trails because I have this neat trail app, so he was taking pictures with it and Kristine and I had my new camera to take pictures while we hiked. 

The trail we found the next day was one of Rod's favorites, but I don't have pictures, because it was a drop him off and try and find the trailhead at the end of the trail. Remember that he takes my iPhone and its neat app so I am doing this without my GPS. I did have a good navigator and we found it just fine. The last part of this trail was like a roller coaster for bikes, so Rod had to go ride the last part again. He had a blast, but it sounds a little scary for me who is lucky to make it around the block on a bike.

Now it wouldn't be spring break without pool pictures. And we have plenty of those.

 

We lounged, read, took pictures, stitched and texted but mostly we enjoyed being warm. If you were wondering about Gus, he got to spend the week in the kennel with the nice people at the Sunnyside Vet people.