Pokemon Gyarados update #6

I finished my Christmas ornament today.  It is for the Cross Stitch Exchange at my LNS (Dec 16th). I stitched on Gyarados today.

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Inquiring minds wants to know?

I thought I would share with everyone, how to get gum out of your dryer.  My oldest son Jaspar likes to chew gum.  Borrowed a photo of the type of gum he likes (it is called 5).

He just happen to have a pack of purple gum in his pants pocket when I did laundry last week ... yes, I'm a nice mom and do both my son's laundry.  I stopped checking their pockets before throwing them in the washer.   I didn't notice the gum until I took the pants out of the dryer.  The gum was in balls still in the foil wrappers, but the gum had been rolling around in the hot dryer making dark marks on the sides and back of the dryer.

So before starting my laundry today, I had to clean my dryer.  I'm lucky that I have my washer and dryer on pedestals, so they raise them up higher (not as much bending when doing laundry).  I sat a chair in front of the dryer and used a "magic eraser" with a bowl of water and lots of elbow grease scrubbing the sides and back inside my dryer.  It looks brand new again.

Ice Skate update #1

I finished the blade of the ice skate ornament from the finishing class I attended last night.  Here  is a progress photo.

Cross Stitch Finishing Class

I made it to the class tonight at Stitcher's Place (LNS).  I started stitching my ornament.  I chose the JBW Designs A Winter Collection.  The patterns we got to choose from are not my style, but one of our regular Tuesday night stitcher's Deborah said she liked the skate ornament.   So I'm stitching it for her.  Sorry Deborah but I decided that even though the sparkly fabric we chose would look fabulous I have had such a stressful week at work (and last night with my car) I don't want my love of stitching to be without stress, no sparkly fabric.

As you can see not much progress, I was learning the stuff I missed from last night.  Wilma taught us how to make a tassle from DMC floss, and a ribbon bow.  We also played with the Kreinik corder. I bought one from Wilma earlier this year.  Here is what the Kreinik corder looks like.  I made the cording for my one of my projects in the spring.

Wilma also taught us how to make a cube that stands up (forgot to take a photo of this).  Here is a photo of Leigh's ornament (red fabric is on the back) without the cording and finishing touches (hanger, bow, etc).

Cross Stitch Finishing class

I was looking forward to stitching tonight ... but I don't think I was meant to take this class.  I was supposed to be attending a finishing class at Stitcher's Place (my LNS).  I think Wilma originally planned it for the summer but no one seemed interested so she rescheduled it for the fall.  It was cancelled last week due to the snow storm we had in our area.

I was on my way to the class, listening to music on my iPad.  I was unaware of the accident on Hwy 401 but I noticed traffic had come to a dead stop, so I decided to pull a "U" turn, that's when I hit the curb.  My car started pulling to the right as I'm driving.  I pull over in the Costco parking lot and then realize I have a flat tire.   

I never did show you a photo of my new 2014 Toyota Yaris Hatchback when I bought it in March.

I have roadside assistance, but with traffic being busy (and it isn't cold out tonight) I figure it would be faster if I can try to change the tire myself.  I helped my husband a few months ago change another tire on my new car.  I know where to find the jack, the locking nut for the tire, the spare tire, etc.

It took me at least 15 minutes to remove the jack from under the driver's seat (stupid place to store it in the Toyota Yaris).  Then I fought with the jack to elevate the car.  I was using the locking nut, but for some reason it wouldn't unlock the tires.  By now I'm very frustrated.  I was dialing roadside assistance when a man stops to ask if I need help.  I gladly accepted his help.  I will be calling the company where he works tomorrow to tell them how nice and helpful he was.

I was at Toyota about an hour.  They have to order a new tire, so I will have to go back tomorrow night and get it replaced.  Of course this all happens a week before I get new winter tires put on my car.

This is an image from the Yaris manual showing where they store the jack (under the driver's seat).

I love my new car (I waited 4 years to buy it) but I think it has an invisible target painted on it.  Someone at work was throwing out my old desk during renovations and it hit the front of my car.  I had to have the hood replaced (it was only 2 months old), and now this is my 2nd flat tire (the car is only 8 months old). 

Pokemon Gyarados update #5

It is Tuesday night so I went to the Stitcher's Club at my LNS (Stitcher's Place).  I stitched on my Pokemon project which needs to be completed for Christmas.  It might go faster if I stop talking or watching TV while I'm trying to count.  I have pulled out so many stitches.  It is hard to stitch on black at night.

Christmas is coming way too fast

I worked on my Christmas Exchange project (no photos until Dec 16th).  Even though it has been cold, and we had some snow, I am still finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit.  Dave & I have done 60-70% of the gift shopping. It is hard to believe in exactly one month it will be Christmas Eve.  Stitching wise I'm not ready.  I will leave you with a few Christmas items I have bought this year.  This is my new holiday mug for work.

And this adorable snowman tin can from the Dollar Store.

 

Door frames

No stitching again today, busy doing grocery shopping.  Then decided to add the trim in our basement patio door.  We started our walkout basement renovations 2 years ago.  The basement has the laundry room, and L shaped family room.  We didn't put in a bathroom because we used the space for an indoor turtle pond for our family pet.  We have a female Red-Eared Slider turtle named Frodo.

The framing, electical, spray insulation, drywall, and painting was all done the first year.  Last year we did the dricore (subfloor tiles on concrete basement walkout and a floating tile floor on top).  We never got around to doing the door frames and baseboards.  Those were supposed to get done this year, of course it is now the middle of November and we are racing to finish everything before the end of the year.   Here is a photo showing the moulding I selected to go around the door frames in the laundry room and the outside patio door.  I take some photos tomorrow of Frodo's area, and the door frames in the daylight.

Christmas

Is anyone else thinking about Christmas?  It is hard not to think about it with all the snow that we have had in the last few days.  I just drove my oldest son Jaspar to work for 11pm.  The roads are still a little messy.  I was able to see the road now that it has stopped snowing.   Here is a photo looking outside my front livingroom window.   It looks so peaceful.

Tonight I continued to stitch on my Christmas Exchange project.  The deadline is December 16th, so I won't be able to show any photos until then.  I hope to finish all the stitching by the end of the weekend.

Pokemon Gyarados update #4

I didn't go to the Tuesday Night Stitchers Club, because I left work late and the roads were not very nice driving home and it was -10 outside, so I didn't feel like going out after supper.  I did stitch at home.  I worked on the Pokemon Gyarados project for my youngest son Jordyn's girlfriend.  It will be one of her Christmas presents.  Here is what it looked like before and after I frogged the white and blue sections at the top.  It is hard to see, but I did fill in all the black areas in between the body at the bottom right.

Pokemon Gyarados update #3

I worked on the Pokemon Christmas project.  Here is the little progress I did tonight.  I also noticed tonight that I made a huge mistake.  I will be ripping out the huge white section.  I started it in the wrong spot.

Blackwork Happy Dance

At the end of October I took a Liz Almond Blackwork class at my LNS Stitcher's Place.  I just finished my class piece.  I will probably make it into a scissor fob.  Here is a photo of my finished blackwork project.

Pokemon Gyarados update #2

Tonight at the Stitcher's Club I worked on Gyarados.  Here is my progress for the night.

Pokemon Gyarados update #1

I worked a little bit on the Pokemon Gyarados project.  This is a Christmas present for my son's girlfriend Sarah.  Sorry the lighting is bad at night for photographing on black.

Happy Dance

I  finally finished the stitching on Hagatha's Hat cone and brim.  I will try and assemble it sometime soon.

Baking night

I didn't have time to stitch tonight.  I baked 2 dozen banana muffins, a banana square cake, and a round banana cinnamon cake.   This is all using my banana bread recipe but I added some cinnamon.

No Stitching tonight

I didn't get to the Tuesday Night Stitcher's Club and I didn't get any stitching time at home tonight either.  Dave & I had to take our youngest son Jordyn to Costco to order his new perscription for his contact lenses.  They won't let you order the prescription without trying them first.  They gave him a sample of each lens to put on and walk around the store for 10 minutes or so.  We decided to do some shopping at the same time.

  

Hagatha's Hat update #6

I  worked on Hagatha's Hat on Saturday.  I'm now back stitching the border around the cone shape of the hat.   Progress photo.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today was my birthday ... nothing exciting.  I sat and watched TV shows and cross stitched all day.

We celebrated yesterday with Mandarin (takeout) and a Mint Chocolate ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (my favourite ice cream).

I worked on my son's girlfriend's Christmas gift a cross stitch of a Pokemon named Gyarados.  Here is my progress so far.  It is a surprise for Christmas, so I can only stitch when she is not visiting.

Goals

November Goals

Blog everyday in November - NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month)

Finish Just Nan's Hagatha's Hat

Plan Christmas Ornament Project

Work on Christmas cross stitch gifts for family & friends

October Review

Finish Sue Hillis' Yes, I Can Drive a Stick - YES

Start & Finish Just Nan's Hagatha's Hat - NO, but getting closer

Plan Christmas Ornament Exchange project - NO