Cross Stitch WIPs Update-as promised

Can you believe I'm actually here again updating my blog??

I promised the other day to put some updated pics of my cross stitch here. I am working on about a million things right now (check my list of xstitch commitments on my blog) but some seem to turn into UFOs. I'm trying not to start anything new that I haven't committed to until I finish that list. :op I will have more time to stitch now because as of today, I'm out of a job. Emma's daddy got laid off indefinately. They told them yesterday morning. There have been some rumors but the supervisors just kept telling them it wasn't true. I feel really bad for them. Emma's mommy is getting laid off for 1 week every month for the rest of the year and they are going to a 4 day work week but only working 9 hours a day so they are still losing 5 hours a week on the 3 weeks they are working. Mike was supposed to get his braces on next month but dad's insurance was paying $2000 of it. Now he won't be able to get them. They are just really worried because Tracey doesn't make enough to pay all the bills and they don't qualify for anyting to help them out like food stamps. It's almost impossible to find a decent job around here right now. General Motors is the big employer and they are closing the whole plant before 2010. They make the huge Suburbans (sp?). It will leave TONS of people out of work. That's not counting all the other places that have laid off around here. It's all a result of the ridiculous gas prices. I hate that it happened to someone so close to me. :o(

Here are my recent wips. Remember, you can click on the pictures to make the bigger. :o)

Garfield is part of a round robin in one of my yahoo groups. It belongs to Cherie and this is the last piece I need to stitch on. This is the first time I have stitched on 11 count aida. I'm not used to stitching on such a big count. It takes 3 strands of floss to cover. As you can see, I still need to finish the tree and the garland. The backstitching should really bring this one to life. :o) I was a huge Garfield fan when I was a teenager but this is the first time I've stitched him.


This heart piece is for a small finished exchange. August is Mare's month to receive. Her themes are either Black Cats or Hearts. I will probably make this into a pillow but I'm not sure yet. This one is really relaxing to work on. I think it's the colors. :o)


I am making a name piece for Emma & Louie with LK's A-B-Crazy chart. I haven't started Louie's yet because I need to find the right flosses. Most look to 'girly'. Here is Emma's so far. It's stitched on a piece of DMC fabric that is printed with little pink hearts.


Last week Emma lost a tooth (to Louie's dismay since he's a year older and has yet to lose one) so Tracey asked me to make Emma a tooth fairy pillow. She just wanted something 'girly' and Emma's favorite color is purple. Even though she's only 5, I wanted to find something she wouldn't grow out of. I found the fabric and cording and then decided I need something for the front near the hanger. I went to Wal-mart and found the perfect button! It has a pocket on the front to hold the tooth and then her money from the tooth fairy. :o)


I think I totally forgot to post a picture of the ring bearer's pillow that I made for Amber & Nate's wedding. The design was a freebie I found somewhere but the flowers were pink and the ribbon was blue. I changed it to match their flowers better. I like the way it turned out and I think they did too. I hope so anyway. :op


And last but not least, here is a mug shot of one of our critters. I saw him earlier today. He tried to pretend he belonged there but I know for a fact we didn't put any chipmonk statues in front of the drain pipe! Hard to believe this little innocent looking guy (or lady) is responsible for an underground city in our backyard. Oh, and a friend mentioned putting cayenne pepper on the garden plants. If the rabbits get in again, I will try that. bwwwwaaa ha ha! I'm turning evil in my old age. :op