tagged... and accomplishing....

Happy Friday!!!!!!   On Tuesday it never seemed like we'd get here, but here we are.  Tomorrow I get a weekend.   Whew.

No tremendous weekend plans here  -- a little working at the shop.  I hear through the grapevine that not only is Grandma Rose's rose back, but Beatrix has returned as well.   I have to admit I'm really annoyed at the Beatrix framer still.  When my friend called to tell me I had something in she was struggling with the words for what was in -- I had just started to get excited thinking maybe my little NYC cube was in (because I'm dying to see if the new finisher can actually make it square).  Then she indicated it was Beatrix, and I felt an immediate let down.  I was so exited about it before The Great Framing Battle of 2012.  Sigh.  Of course, there will be a full report next week.  I would appreciate crossed fingers in the meantime.

Anyway, a little catching up before the weekend.  Remember I was working on a swirly lollipop a while back?   Well, my sister has received her birthday box so now I can properly share (I don't think she comes to the blog, but you never know.).  For the record it's double-sided and the new finisher did AWESOME in my humble opinion.

Look how cool she did the hanger with gromets.  I love it and so does the sister.
I have to tell you a little back story on this sucker.  I did this as part of a long-standing joke she and I have going about how I was the little sister and always in trouble while she was the fair-haired older, more rational child.  I was always muddy and sticky.  She was always looking freshly scrubbed.   Anyway, we've had this whole series of laughs about things I was not allowed to do have ---- cotton candy, pomegranates, and giant candy suckers, for example.  So I explain this to my sister and say that I figured when she went to the fair that she was allowed to have a giant sucker.  WELL -- she relies while trying to control gales of smug laughter, "Umm actually, I got them at the fair, but also every week when I went shopping at the drug store with grandpa I got to choose anything I wanted from the candy aisle -- giant lollipops, candy necklaces..."   I cut her off there and let her know I had not only never been allowed a giant lollipop (even at the fair) but I had NEVER even been allowed to contemplate a candy necklace.  Oh the bitter inequity of it all!!!!!!

The sister also got a little gingerbread girl ornie for her birthday --

Now I have a question for you -- can you tell it's a gingerbread girl?  My sister apparently couldn't.
I was, for the record, allowed gingerbread.

Now for the tagging ---


My long-time Pals buddy, Shelleen, from http://shelleensmusing.blogspot.com/2012/06/i-was-tagged.html tagged me in getting to know you game.  The rules are you answer the eleven questions asked you and then you tag eleven more bloggers and ask them eleven questions.  I am not going to tag folks specifically -- I leave it to you to tag yourself if my questions peak your interest.  Of course I want to know all about you all.....   curiosity features in one of my answers to Shelleen, but I will leave participating up to you.   Just leave me a comment if you decide to be tagged so I can go find out the secrets of your world .   

My answers to Shelleen:

1.       1.      Coffee or tea? 

Tea.  Definitely tea.  Ya’ll can keep your coffee.

2.      How old were you when you learned to cross stitch? 

I had stitched before, but I didn’t seriously pick it up and keep it up until college when my then best friend had it as her only personal time indulgence (she was pre-med so time “wasting” was a distinct luxury).

3.      Who do you work for and what do you do? 

I work for a giant, multi-national conglomerate that does everything from architecture to black ops.  Technically I manage the library for the economics section of the firm.  In reality I do research on economics, real estate, various industries, the environment, hydrology, etc.  Recently I’m helped a state plan how to expand its share of the U.S. tourist market, I helped plan the redevelopment of 2 zoos, and  I researched the industry-specific market factors for a city in Asia, a city in Europe, and 3 islands in the Caribbean.  Oh, and I am part of a team that manages my division’s ISO compliance for the corporation – if you don’t know what that means, you are a very lucky person.

4.      Do you have an apartment or a house? 

Hovel… errr apartment.

5.      What kind of car do you drive?

Drive?  Who drives?  I do love Top Gear (the BBC version) and Barrett-Jackson (but you know that already).   This is something that my friends find absolutely hysterical.  

6.      If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’d really like to hop around overseas for a while.

7.       Are you a games person?  Videos, board games, or card games?

Kinda.  I used to be both board and card games, but not I’m mostly obsessed with Bejeweled online.

8.      If you could see anyone in concert, who would it be?

George Strait

9.      Do you like to read and if so do you have a favorite author or genre?

lol  Do I really need to say?  Yes to reading.  Genre:  Science Fiction.  Author:  Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Rex Stout (ok, so he’s a mystery writer—sue me for being diverse), Simon R. Green, Sharon Shinn, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, James White, and many, many, many more.

10.  If you aren’t married what characteristics do you look for in a spouse?

Loyalty, intelligence, humor, and curiosity.  Oh and patience.

11.  Can you sing or play an instrument? 

Since you didn’t say “well” then, yes.  I play piano and I sing (the singing happens when no one is around or when I’m in church (I love a good, old-fashioned hymn)).        

My questions for you if you choose to self-tag:

1.      Does all of your family understand your stitching obsession?

2.      Do you own an e-book reader (Kindle, Nook, etc)?  If you do, do you think it makes you read less or more, and do you think it will make a significant dent in your physical book purchasing?

3.      Do you have a theme song—or a pet song?  One that you always catch yourself humming?

4.      What’s your favorite trip you’ve ever been on and why?  Would you want to go back, or is the experience in one way, shape, or form non-repeatable?

5.      What stitching piece of yours are you most proud of and why?

6.      What piece of your stitching do you sometimes wish you had never started?  Or did you/do you love them all?

7.      You have an entire weekend free and clear to stitch – do you want your stitching time to be enlivened by:  a TV show marathon on (if so, what show), a movie (or series of movies) (which movie/s), a new music release (what music?), or a new audio book (which one)?

8.      What’s the goofiest thing you have ever done because of your stitching?

9.      Can you cook without recipes?  Or do you only like cooking with precise guides?

10.  Iron  Chef America or Iron Chef Japan?

11.  Do you have antique stitching passed down through your family?   Have you ever bought antique stitching?