Christmas Gifts

Every year my husband and I post a list on the fridge door of things we would like Santa to bring us for Christmas. Some times I put really expensive things such as a car, and sometimes I put really inexpensive things such as alcohol inks. I would rather get something I really wanted that costs .05¢ rather than something I didn’t want that costs $500.00. Here is my Christmas list this year:

1. Tripod
2. American Girl Molly Skating Outfit, skates and muffs
3. Molly sweater and skirt
4. MAC brushes 217 or 242 or 226 or 214 or 231
5. MAC Painterly Paint Pot
6. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion-purple bottle
7. Joann Fabrics gift card
8. Pilates lessons
9. MAC Pro Palette Eye Shadow x 15
10. MAC Pro Palette Blush x 4

As you can see I'm really into make-up this year. LOL

I also have a list of books and Santa usually brings me three or four of them:

The Perfect Pajama by Kristina Nilsson and Jennifer Pirtle
Makeup Makeovers: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations by Robert Jones
Simply Amazing Quilted Photography by Tammie Bowser
Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron
Mary Frances Knitting and Crocheting Book: Or Adventures Among the Knitting People by Jane Eayre Fryer
Chakra Clearing (Book & CD) by Doreen Virtue
Knitting on the Edge: Ribs, Ruffles, Lace, Fringes, Floral, Points & Picots: The Essential Collection of 350 Decorative Borders by Nicky Epstein
Crocheting on the Edge: Ribs & Bobbles*Ruffles*Flora*Fringes*Points & Scallops by Nicky Epstein
Story-book Crochet by Sally Ann Gronsand
Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay: 30 Techniques & Projects That Imitate Stones, Metals, Wood & More by Irene Semanchuk Dean
Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks by Scott Fullam
Saturday Night Hat: Quick, Easy Hatmaking for the Downtown Girl by Eugenia Kim

What's on YOUR Christmas Wish List?

TGIF!

I am so glad it's Friday. I don't have to go to class today and am taking another day to just read and knit. I'm hoping to finish reading Duma Key and knitting the Dream Swatch Head-wrap/Scarf Thingie. If I am able to get it completed, I'm going to start on the Crochet Soft Wave Throw, from Knit and Crochet Today, Season Two, Show 219. And the book I'll be finishing up is The Triumph of Individual Style. I'm hoping to get a couple more books from my summer reading list done by the end of the year.

Shopping!!!

I went shopping this morning. I LOVE shopping! I had to get some electrodes for my TENS unit. Got an ink cartridge for my Dell printer and went to Barnes & Noble. I couldn't find the book I was looking for so I went to Borders where I did find the book. Organic Body Care Recipes. We studied aroma therapy earlier week in class. I was already familiar with it, but this class helped expand my knowledge. We are also required to make three items and display them in a basket for a project. I started making mental notes as to the colors, scents, and items I wanted to put in my basket. One of the scents I want to use is lemon. It smells so fresh. I am thinking I will use the colors purple and white. I want to make a small purple eye pillow. Among the other things I'm considering is an eye cream, bath salts, bath bombs, and soap. I may change my mind after I read through the book I got today and my text book, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.

I went to Weight Watchers today, I'm down half a pound. I'm not disappointed with the small loss, any loss at all is better than staying the same or gaining.

I have two sewing WIP (works in progress). They have been lingering on my sewing table for over a year. I love sewing, but just don't do it as much as I used to. I love doing other things too. I read other sewist's blogs and admire all the projects they sew. I'm ok with the fact that I'm not a prolific sewist. There is a cardi-wrap sew-a-long on Pattern Review. I've had a McCall's cardi-wrap on my WIP list for several months. I have the material and the pattern, but haven't actually cut it out. I'm going to see if I have enough material to make Simplicity 2603 instead.

The Biggest Loser starts the new season on Tuesday. The previews are showing one of the "losers" from last season coming back. He was one of my favorites and I was disappointed when he was voted off the ranch. He was working so hard to lose the weight and get healthy. I'm so glad he's getting a second chance.

My week

I went for the interview on Monday morning. The attorney came out promptly at 9:30. We introduced ourselves. "Follow me." she said. We went behind the desk where "Jerry" (not his real name) was sitting. She then said, "This is where you will be working. Take your jacket off so you will be confortable." What??? this is it?! I was anxious the whole weekend. I guess I need to try not to think about things, the way that I do. Certainly, all she could have done was to say, I don't think this will work. But, I am now doing my externship for a very nice attorney!

I have had to go clothes shopping several times this week. I purchased a few nice tops and a couple of pairs of slacks/trousers. I just couldn't see myself spending time and effort to tweak patterns to make clothes when I would just have to do it all over again in a few months. Better, I think to continue to amass a coordinating fabric stash, so when I do start to sew it will all work together.

And speaking of amassing a stash......The fabric I ordered from Ann at Gorgeous Things arrived on Wednesday. It is a luscious knit. The colors coordinate with a few other pieces I already have.

I have signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge for 2007. Some of the books I didn't read last summer will be on the list, some won't. I'm taking Cell off the list. I am still reading it, but it is one I keep in the truck. It may be months before I get it read. I have six from last summer, a couple are in progress and I'm going to add six more. I would like to read some light novels, but I probably won't have much time for that. I do like to read "text-book" type books. Books where I can learn something. Dummies types books, Idiot type books. So.....what to put on the list.......So many books, so little time!!!

Oh, and if you scroll waaaayyyyy down, you will see the button for the reading list. I think the top and skirt the girl is wearing is sooo cute! Would be fab for a summer's evening here in FLA!

Everyone

who knows me, knows that I LOVE animals, all animals, but especially dogs and elephants. I only had one small dog when I was growing up. My Mom was "afraid" of dogs. I think it was more that she thought she would be the one taking care of it. So, imagine my surprise when in 1993 my Dad said, this is going to be my dog and she will be an "indoor" dog. My son named her Mica. Mica stayed with my Dad until early 1998 when she went to live with another family ( the little girl adored Mica), when it took all Dad's time to take care of Mom. My Mom passed on May 4, 1998. A month or so later the little girl suddenly developed an "allergy" to Mica and returned her to my Dad. Mica continued to live with my Dad until her death last year.

I didn't have another dog until I moved to Florida and married Walt. He had a tri-color Bassett Hound named Sebastian Benson Oglethorpe. Since then we've had several dogs. Some of them can be seen here.







Now, I have these guys. This is Buddy's nose and "Pea-Bee" with the "go-rilla". I don't have a good picture of Bear, Walt's black Lab. You can see other pics on the side bar.



I have several collections, shot glasses, thimbles and....elephants! I have glass elephants, wooden elephants, ceramic elephants, old elephants, and new elephants. I think they are so beautiful!
I have most of my collections packed away now. I don't have enough room to display them properly. I barely have enough room for the six book cases filled with books. And my wish list is over 700 books long. I love books. I love to read. Most of my reading these days is related to studying for the paralegal class. I will get back to reading for pleasure once I take the CLA exam given by Nation Association of Legal Assistants in December.

What fun!

Ever the one to get distracted when reading email, I managed to find a blog where someone was challenging others to read 1-2 books a week. Each person will make a list of the books he/she is planning to read. Now, at the beginning of the year, I vowed to read one book a week. I haven't kept up with the reading. I believe that making myself accountable to others may make it easier to get all my reading done. Some have also suggested books to read, such as books by the same author, or books of poetry, books with the same theme, books on the same library shelf etc...I will try to complete the books I have already started. I've only started two that are on my list. I have a LOT that I want to read.

I buy, on the average 5-6 books a month. I have books on a variety of subjects. The "Dummies" books are some of my favorites. But I think most of them might be too long to read in a week. I don't particularly like to read novels. Maybe that should be my challenge, to just read novels. I do have a few of them.

One of my other challenges for this year was to take a knitting class. I learned to knit when I was 11-12. I wasn't very good at it and soon other things occupied my time. The local Joann's has classes and it would be fun to socialize with others who are learning also. The person that suggested the reading challenge is a knitter. I hope we don't have to be a knitter to join!

I'm continuing to work on my SWAP storyboard. Just when I think I've got a working one, I see where it could be improved on. I've also ordered more fabric. A lovely pink, gray and white striped lightweight stretch poplin for a shirt. I'm waiting for a sale at Joann's to get patterns. Simplicity patterns will be on sale next week. I keep a list of the ones I want on my PDA.

Well, off to do some work on my story board!

Ramblings

Work was a bear this past weekend. All the paper work has to be changed over for the beginning of the month. In a 12 hour shift I barely had time for a 15 minute break to eat something. I was so tired when I got home I just fell into bed. And on top of that I contracted a respiratory infection.

Yesterday I went for the admissions interview for the paralegal course. Today I have to take my paperwork for a Sallie Mae loan. I'd rather just sleep all day. Classes start June 6th and run until August 1, 2007. They are night classes. I wish they were during the day. The class wouldn't last as long and I could get out of nursing sooner.

On the bright side, I have a stash!! I have acquired several lovely onionskins from Emma Onesock. A couple of cottons from Candlelight Fabrics and a nice lycra piece from Fabric.com. I also got some swatches of fabrics that I like a lot and will order some next week.

I've been thinking about the storyboard for my SWAP. It's taking a lot longer to get together than I thought it would. Due to the fact that I have to order fabrics and wait for them to arrive to see if they really coordinate. I haven't really found anything I like at Joann's.

I order books from Amazon about twice a month. I've been reading a lot about altered books and journals. So, this last order included Altered Book Collage and The Decorated Journal. I have tons of ideas for altered books and the like. I'm starting to collect items such as paints, tissue papers, charms etc for these.