Ends and New Beginnings

Happy New Year to all my friends and family!

I'm looking to at 2010 with lots of optimism, I think there is a good year ahead of me, but then a year can only be as good as we make it. I intend to have a great year! I've already got a few things lined up that I'm looking forward to this year. First is my trip to the Dominican Republic at the beginning of March. I won't be staying at a resort, but going with students from work, where we'll be participating in the Dominican Experience, billeted with families and seeing the 3rd world country side of the D.R. About a week after my return from the D.R. is the March Timberhouse retreat. Followed by the Billy Talent concert near the end of March and Nicleback in April. Much to look forward to already!

I've started off the New Year the same way as many other years... here was the ort jar at the end of 2009....

Here it is at the start of 2010... the ceremonial emptying of the ort jar!

I'd like to do a quick review of my highlights of 2009, from this standpoint I know I had a good year.

- Right Foot is now pain free

- Saw Claire 3 times

- Saw my first Space Shuttle launch

- Stitching Get Togehters and Retreats

- Great Concerts

- Lifetime at Weight Watchers achieved

- Raised over $900 for Breast Cancer Research

- Completed Run For The Cure 5K in under 30min.

- Ran 10K

- Helicopter ride

- Received 3rd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-Do

My favourite stitched project of 2009 was Blackstone Fantasy Garden by Ink Circles

My last project for 2009 was not Lettres A Mon Chat as I had hoped, but an ornament instead.

Pointsettia Freebie

c2009 Alchemy Stitchcraft

Stitched on : 32ct Natural linen

Stitched with : GAST and Mill Hill Beads

My first finish for 2010 is Lettres A Mon Chat

Lettres A Mon Chat (clickable)

c2006 Isabelle Vauthier

Stitched on : 28ct Vintage Red Linen

Stitched with : DMC & Silk n' Colors

My second (yes you read it right!) finish and first ornament for 2010 is

Celtic Ice (kit)

c2008 Ink Circles

Stitched on : 28ct Windowpane Linen

Stithced with : Carrie's Threads

You could almost count the above project as my new start for 2010, I started it this morning before Todd and I left Rebbecca's after I finished Lettres a Mon Chat. We rung in the New Year the same way for the last three years, with a visit to Rebbecca and her family's home. Its a low key New Year, with a great meal, stitching, and movies! This year we were having such an enjoyable time we stayed two days!

This year instead of starting a new big project on New Year's Day, I have decided to finish what I've got on the go in my stitching basket (but I reserve the right to change my mind and start a new project at any time). I've even taken pictures... admitting to everything that's lurking in there! I dare you to admit to your started and yet not finished projects!

Tour Des Marques by The Silver Lining

Art Deco Spirits by Mirabilia

Celestial Dragon by Teresa Wentzler

The Accolade by Gitta's

Various class pieces from past Creativ Festivals and odd small projects

Something I'm going to try this year which appealed to me is to take a photo a day. Heidi mentioned this on her blog and the idea sounds cool. I don't know if I'm going to actually be able to do this but I'd like to. Above is my photo for January 1st, Rebecca's boys being silly (a little young for gang signs don't you think) for the camera. My picture for January 2nd could be any of the above stitching pictures or my ort jar!

In my mind I had originally planned a deeper and more eloquent New Year post, but its late and I wanted to get something up here before another day went by, so this will have to do!

New Year's Eve

I hope everyone is looking ahead and forward to the New Year, if you're setting resolutions let them be realistic and obtainable! I'll talk about 2009 and beyond in my New Year's Day post (already mentally putting it together). I've got another day/evening of stitching ahead of me and looking forward to it.

I don't know, a happy dance on this one is looking like a long shot.

Here's another Photo Hunt, not as entertaining as the last this theme is "Lock"

I came across this barn door on one of my walks in the Brighton area. I just love the green paint, and if you look off to the left there's a nice rusty lock from Canadian Tire.

Progress, Purse and PhotoHunt

I had a great afternoon and evening yesterday just hanging out here at the house with Claire and Patrick... and it was FREEZING out yesterday so who would want to go anywhere? We watched movies and us girls stitched! I feel sorry for Claire, she's got this 101 Dalmatians project and you can just imagine how much white on white there is! She's a trooper though she stuck with it for longer than I thought she would!

Here's yesterday's progress on Lettres A Mon Chat, those cats take quite awhile to stitch up! I am now at the half way point with this project with only two days to work on it... will I make it?? Its pretty cold out again today and since I don't have to... I won't be going out!

Hunter was kind enough to model my new purse for us! I quite like it! I haven't had a chance to "try it out" yet but it does have all my stuff in it. Not a lot of room for extras though.

Today's PhotoHunt "Advertisement"

I saw this sign back in the summer of 2008 driving around Ottawa. Thought hmmmm am I the only one who immediately thinks of potty humour when reading this?

Lettres Progress

Yesterday Todd and I went out and did a little shopping, I got my new purse (thanks Todd!) a nice leather one from Danier like I had hoped. I'll save a picture of that for another post. We also picked up a tonne of DVD's. The collection was getting a little stale, I had put a whole bunch on my wish list and I didn't get one single DVD for Christmas! So we fixed that problem yesterday.





So while we watched DVD's in the afternoon and evening I stitched! I didn't make as much progress as I would of liked because a late afternoon nap became necessary. Then in the evening I did my run.

Today Claire (my BF from Florida) and her husband Patrick are in the area visiting family and are coming to spend the afternoon/evening with us!

Latest Project and PhotoHunt

I was going to pull out Tour Des Marques and work on that but when I saw I only need one more HD to hit 55 for 2009 I pulled out Lettres A Mon Chat by Isabelle Vauthier instead. I figure this is fastest stitch I have on the go. If I think I'm not going to finish it by New Year, I'll have a little ornament kitted up ready to go instead!

Today was certainly a day to stay indoors! We had hoped to go out shopping and hit some of the Boxing Day sales (need a new purse), but the freezing rain kept us in. We did loose power for about 2 hours, and as it was getting dark some of our trees came down. I'll try to get some pictures of the damage tomorrow when its light.

This PhotoHunt theme is : Book(s)

Students reading in my library. I love seeing the kids like this!

A Beautiful Weekend

It was a gorgeous weekend here in Eastern Ontario! Finally (well up until today), summer had found us! We've had two weeks of sun, and temperatures in the mid 20's. Why didn't we have this weather months ago???

Saturday turned into a busy Taekwon-Do filled day! I did something I rarely do, go to a Saturday morning class. I like being able to start at least one day a week in a leisurely manner. However we had a bit of an open house, and I was asked to be there. The open house was followed by a meeting for instructors at the school.

Here's the superstars at the school, Paige and Jason Showing off.

This is Paige and I... she may be half my age, but we have just too much fun together!

After most of the day being dedicated to TKD business I finally joined Todd out at his family's cottage (which funny enough is barely 15 minutes from our home, so its not a long trip!). I got to spend time stitching on the deck over looking the lake in the sun, my favourite activity. I took Monty, Todd's Mom's dog for walks. And well I took pictures!

Saturday evening we were treated to this beautiful sunset. I heard it was even more spectacular on Friday night.

On one of my long walks with Monty we came across this falling down barn.

The barn I spotted from the road, but first we had to walk across this field.

Here's Monty, it was hard to get him to sit still. Would you believe he's not even a year old???

I did break down and start a new project this week, Isabelle Vautier's Lettres A Mon Chat. Of course I have to be different, instead of doing it red on white I'm doing it white on red

Also I worked on Tour Des Marques... next on the chopping block! I hope!

Last week I felt very lost, not going to my Weight Watchers meeting (being lifetime I only have to go once a month). So tonight, though I didn't need to I went to my meeting. I'm proud to say I'm still maintaining (despite there being cupcakes everywhere lately!). I think its going to take me awhile to wean myself off of my security blanket!