Dial Up Sucks!!!!!

I have been putting off posting because I was determined to post pictures. My blog is looking a little bland because of the lack. But as you can see, no pictures!! I pulled out my trusty notebook computer last night, connected the necessary cables to connect to the internet, and expected the process to be long, it is dial up after all. What I did not expect that because said connection was so slow last night, that I was unable to upload my pictures. Or even email them to myself here at work where I could quickly post during break or lunch. So, unfortunately still no pictures. Needless to say, I will be hunting down a hotspot this weekend to load my pictures.
In the meantime, I expect my order from ABC Stitch Therapy to be waiting for me when I get home for work. This means I will be able to re-start Taj Mahal Mandala Garden and I am of course ansty for the workday to end!!
I have been busy working away on my 3 Graces, an HAED design by Josephine Wall. I love the colours and it is turning out so beautifully!! But no word of a lie, in some of those 10 x 10 blocks, I swear there is almost 100 colour changes!!! No wonder it's taken me almost 2 years and I've only completed 7 full pages. I am almost done page 8 so Taj may just have to wait until I have a mini happy dance. And I'm trying to figure out a rotation that will fit all my crafts. A day for Taj, and day for the ladies, and maybe one other cross-stitch project. Then a day for knitting, and one for crocheting. We'll see how it progresses, but it's the only way I can see me finishing anything at this point. I'm turning into a serial starter!!!

New Year Happy Dance and Heartbreak

I hope all had a wonderful New Years!!! Mine was a mix as the title of this post states. I had a happy dance that was also a heartbreak!! I was happily stitching away on Taj Mahal New Years day when I looked closely at the fabric, and how large the stitching area was starting to take up. I had finished the center medallion and was starting to work on the first Taj Mahals, when something did not look right. Out came my measuring tape and sure enough, the fabric was not large enough. Now in all the years that I have been stitching, this is the absolute first time that I did not calculate correctly, or so I thought. With the measuring tape, I found that the evenweave that I had purchased at a Micheals store, was not the size that was indiciated on the packaging. I am throught disgusted that said fabric was actually almost a 2 full inches smaller then the 20 x 27 inches I thought I was purchasing. It would have been tight on the sides, but should have been large enough to complete the project. After a little bit of frogging, I have a very pretty center medallion completed. And with further disgust, I got online and order replacement crystals, beads and threads. I also purchased a piece of fabric that is well oversized for the project so that this horror does not occur again.
So for my New Year's resolution? I will only purchase my needed cross-stitch supplies from online sources. Micheals and other local craft store will only be used for emergency supplies, and DMC when on sale!!
Unfortunately, because of the heartache, and anger over the failed attempt at Taj, I do not have any pictures. It was even a few days before I could pick up any cross-stitch.

For now, I will post my Stitching Goals for 2009

* finish Tah Mahal Mandala
* finish TW Fantasy Sampler
* finish HAED Forest Light QS
* finish at least 2 UFOs
* work on HAED Unicorn and Foal, 3 Graces and Earth QS
* start stash for Egypt Garden Mandala
* start Firefly Faires
* start Bluebeard's Mermaid
* organize all charts, fabrics and fibers in stash
* finish 2 cross-stitch sweatshirts for Christmas presents

Of course with all other lists people make of this nature, I'm sure new items will be added!!
Tomorrow, my goals for January, and hopefully some pictures!!