Monday, December 22, 2014

December TUSAL and Ripping and Audio Books

I love my ORT jar..even if it does have two cracks in it that make me worry that someday it will just crack and break at any moment...might have to cut it down for 2015 but I might be too lazy to do that.

Threads from Vinnie, the ornament and......errrrrr, uhm...

.......some ripping that had to be done on Skeleton Crew.

I started stitching up the mainsail on Saturday and made it to the middle of the second ghost when I realized I was one down and one to far to the left.....so I went to bed.

I woke up at 4am on Sunday THINKING ABOUT IT!  Can you believe that?  It bothered me so much I woke myself up.  So I got up and played around for a bit, chatted with the girls, and then ripped.  By 8 am I was tired and the ripping was done so I went back to bed for an early morning nap.

My beautiful ORT jar was gracious enough to not snicker at the amount of DMC 3865 I had placed in it, but now that I've done my TUSAL, I can empty the jar and remove that hideousness from my sight.

When I got back up at noon (so NOT like me to nap early in the morning) I began carefully stitching correctly, made a small mistake, had to rip again, and then stitched in an even more careful, and very focused manner.  No more mistakes!  Well, so far.  I'm still going to try for that big finish by New Year's Eve, so cross your eyes this will happen!  It's kind of exciting, even with the ripping, adds a little tension to the project AND because the fabric is entirely too perfect for this project...well, I cannot help but be excited.


One of our lovely gals on SFS made a fun badge of honor for everyone to slather all over their blogs, so here is my share for this wonderful gift. 


Survive I did!  Considering I started out the year embarrassed that I went INSANE with the spending, it did calm down and I learned lesson after lesson about my spending habits.  I even went on a pattern "fast" for several months that was really wonderful....until I purchased a pattern...it only took one and I was back doing it again.

I am signed up for 2015 and hope to continue to curb my horrid hoarding and buying...but for now I'm free from "rules" until January 1st.  



There have been audio books listened to while I've stitched.  I keep forgetting to share these as they are pretty darn good to have going on while I stitch away.  It brings an entirely new meaning to "in the zone" and it is always surprising when a book finishes and I sit back to see the progress I've made.



While stitching Queen Bee I listened to the Divergent Series plus the Four extra books.  I put the last stitch in Queen Bee when the very last book ended.

Yes, I cried, but I really get involved.


Leonore then blogged about Amazonia, and I have to say I really enjoyed that one.  It was a bit brutal, but in the Amazon no one has an easy life, do they?


So what happened next?  My friend Nicole (also fantastic car pool buddy) tells me about Wicked Girls, so I get that one too and have a listen, and the end...ohhh the end...NO, I did not cry this time, but I was amazed at how life can be just like that story sometimes.  The only real complaint I have about this audio book was the narrator wasn't very good with male voices, but she was VERY good with accents so she redeemed herself. 


The girls and I were chatting about books, and our chats are always inundated with wonderful pictures...this particular day were pictures of "Mom's Library", which, of course, is not complete without discussion about Anne Rice.  So, like the literary predator I am I went hunting for some audible books and realized I have all of the vampire books...I might listen to those sometime, but I found her new series The Wolf Gift book one and two and grabbed those. I'm about halfway through book 1 and am enjoying the easy way the story is unfolding while I stitch and rip Skeleton Crew. 



AND THEN...on the way to work today, Nicole is sharing an audio book called The Martian.....I had a credit with audible and grabbed that one up today while I was at work and just downloaded it...it is GOOD, but I will finish The Wolf Gift books first.  


I LOVE to read, so by listening and stitching at the same time I really do get to do my two most beloved things and be so incredibly happy it's almost gross.

As far as actual reading goes...I still do quite a bit of that and now that I have my new Kindle Paperwhite (oh how I love thee) I can read in bed again with the lights off and fall asleep dreaming about my story.

As you can see, the genre is wildly varied and I have no problem picking up books to listen to or read because someone says, "I just read...."  Don't be shy about sharing your reads with me...I'm also on Goodreads (and sadly the link I provided does not work, so just type in my name and hope for the best) in case you are too and want to show me your list or note me and I will "friend" you!

Now I must empty my ORT Jar and continue with The Wolf Gift...I was at the part where Laura is yelling to Reuben about not coming home...don't come home! And the bad guy is there getting ready to do terrible things....

Wish me luck that I can finish Skeleton Crew by New Year's Eve for that grande finale finish!

Until next time my holiday makers.....



13 comments:

  1. Oh wow. Did the frogs ever take advantage of you. Hope you have them hogties and in their pond.
    Love audible website!

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    1. It was a little horrifying, but I was actually okay with it since I caught it before I did an entire section down to the deck...that would not have been a happy day! Yes, frogs are now hogtied, but no pond, just the toilet bowl so if the get loose they know what "could" happen, tee hee!

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  2. Merry Christmas Carla! Tough luck about the frogs. I'm off to check out your goodreads page. ;-)

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    1. Well since I don't have your secret password. Here's my page to check me out. https://www.goodreads.com/Jan1228

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    2. I was wondering if I had done that wrong! Thank you for correcting me there :D I will happily wander through your list and seek out goodies! THANK YOU!

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  3. You got it all sorted out, that's the main thing and progressed. That's quite the assortment of books - I tend to just have music playing, but it all adds in getting those stitches in.

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    1. I like music as well...Pandora! But, most of the time it is my sweet, sweet audio books! I try and watch shows or movies but end up watching and not stitching...so audio books are still number 1. I forgot to mention the freebie audio books anyone can get at their local library if anyone wanted to try. Downloadable and you check them out like you would if you went in person :D

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  4. Best of luck with the evil frogs and getting back on track with Skeleton Crew!

    I <3 books as well (my reading has been down this year with my studying for certification).. Oh, and I *adore* audiobooks as well. I think most of the books I've reviewed for the past 6 months have all been audio!
    And ack! I can't pass your challenge question on Goodreads.

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    1. dang it, sorry, let me get a better link up for everyone :D

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  5. Boo on the ripping, but yay on getting through it and making progress and most of all, surviving SFS 2014! Also, some very nice books you have there, I will have to look into a few of them :)

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    1. You did a great job yourself...much better than I did! And PLEASE do check out my books...just added a bunch more that I have read to Goodreads yesterday and the day before and since you and I are "friends" there as well you can see everything!

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  6. Tell the frog to get back on my leg where it belongs. Wishing you luck for a New Year's finish

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    1. The frog is all yours!! and thank you, I'm going to try REALLY hard to get it done!

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