Happy Halloween Blog Hop!

Happy Halloween everyone!  This post is part of the blog hop sponsored by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  If you want to participate head over there and go to each blog to spell out the mystery phrase.  Then email it to Jo for a chance to be in the drawing.

I've made some more progress on Halloween Banner Green:

And your letter is in the pic above ;).  Hint: it's on the stitching. If you can't figure it out I'll post it at the bottom as well.

Your next stop is Fireflies Cats in the Garden

So head on over there and say hi to Noni.

I hung up my other banners finally and got them finished finished :). I did them as bell pulls.  I cut the dowels and painted them an oil rubbed bronze color. Then I added some twine as the hanging mechanism.  I love how they turned out.

I carved my pumpkin Thursday night and love how it came out:

Carving pumpkins is my favorite part of Halloween.

If you didn't see the letter don't worry.  It's: U

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a happy Halloween!

October SFS and a Page Finish!

I've been a stitching machine!  I have a page finish.  Well 2 actually since the last post.  But first up is SFS.  It's hosted by Mel at Epic Stitching and is a way for us to keep track of our stitching spending so we actually stitch from our stash.

Carryover: $59

Allotment: $25

Spent: $9

Total: $75

I had to buy a couple of colors for paradise because I'm running low finally.  I had to get more 444 and 972.  I would have needed more 742 but I had already bought some on accident several months ago.  I also bought some new fabric for a RAK I received but I'm thinking of returning it and buying it from haed instead.  The fabric is a thin 32ct linen which is actually what I'm stitching paradise on now but I prefer 28ct and haed has good prices.  We'll see though.  Want to see my RAK?  (Lol that sounded dirty)

Isn't she gorgeous?  :D. It's my first ever RAK of a chart and I was so happy to get it!  I won a joke contest in the Facebook haed page.  

And speaking of paradise I have gotten a lot done!

Last time I was almost to the bottom:

And now I've finished that page and the next page:

Since I'm stitching 2 pages at a time I'll go down with one color completely before starting the next so I'm actually about a page and a half done.  The needle marks the end of the page and the next set of pages takes us to the sun and also to the beginning of the bottom line of words.  I didn't plan it that way but I like it :). My last post for this piece was on the 15th so I've completed a page and a half in 2 weeks.  Nuts!  But a good nuts :)

As far as my private life is going I just got an email to set up the final interview at a school district.  I had to take a test and then have an initial interview first.  I also had an interview for a temporary position but haven't heard anything yet.  Both of the interviews were on Friday.  The test had around 40 people in it and they invited the top 10 to do the initial interview.  I don't know how many are getting the final interview but I'm hoping it's 5 or less :). Or even better that it's just me and they want to make sure I fit in LOL.  I'm hoping I get this one as it pays really well and I'd get holidays off.  Cross your fingers for me and I'll see you next time with hopefully a job and another page finish :). Well my next next post since my next post will be on Halloween for Jo's Halloween blog hop

Wow!

Thanks Shelly!  I was the lucky winner of a giveaway over at Arizona Stitcher and I received it last night.  It was far beyond my expectations and I love it all!  

Some close ups:

I got a cool kitchen towel, ghost and witch decorations, a candle, some Halloween tissues, skull earrings, some cool skull stickers which I might make into needleminders, a cool Halloween biteand some stitchy stuff including a kit for a pin keep which I is great since I don't have one yet, a needleminders of the Raven which is one of my favorite Edgar Allen Poe story, some Halloween colors of DMC and a great card to round it all out!

On another note I have 2 job interviews set up on Friday so I'm crossing my fingers and toes!  The first one is the one I would love because it's at the superintendents office as a clerical worker and it pays well.  I already did the intake exam which narrowed the field from around 40 candidates to 10.  I think there are 2 interviews for that position.  The second interview is at a school as a student advisor.  It's temporary but might turn into permanent.  I have no idea how long the position is for though.  But I'd be thrilled with either of them!  I'm really excited but really nervous too.  At least I know the candidate pool of the first one.  I've made good progress on Paradise too but I'll save that for a little later.  Wish me luck and thanks a ton Shelly!

October GG

It's the 15th again which means it's time again for Gifted Gorgeousness hosted by Jo from Serendipitous Stitching.  I'm stitching a present for my cousins wedding which was actually this past weekend.  Needless to say I'm not even close.  I showed her my most recent pic though so she knows what she's getting.

Last month I was here:

Now I'm here:

So close to the bottom!

I didn't get a ton of pics from the wedding but here are a few:

Sorry they're from my computer and I'm posting from my phone.  It was a ton of fun!  When I get the official photos I'll post a few more.  Thanks for stopping by I'll see you all next week!

It Came It Came!!!

I kind've stalked the mailman a bit because my calendar and coloring book came today!

They're gorgeous and Brigid was even sweet enough to sign the coloring book.  

The coloring book has 50 Celtic mandalas including all of the designs from the calendar.

I've also reached page finishes (sort of) on 2 projects.  

Of course we have Paradise:

Which is a true page finish and I've reached the bottom of the page on the half I've been working on in the black on Halloween Banner Green:

I kind of like having multiple projects with page finishes!

Thanks for stopping in.  I won't have much more progress on paradise for a while because I leave the day after tomorrow for the wedding and I'm leaving it at home so the bride doesn't see.  I'll take banner on the plane.  I have to let out my bridesmaid dress which I may do by hand because I gained more weight from having to eat out for 6 weeks during the move.  I hope I don't mess it up.  Wish me luck!  On the other hand I started working out today finally after finding some good workout dance videos.  It's time to get this PCOS under control.  It should help me lose weight too.