Recycle and Reuse

I'm so glad it's the weekend!

This past week has been so busy at work. I'm on a team that's designing/testing/implementing a new business system for our manufacturing floor. We go live in April, so it's been crazy. Usually, I cross stitch or knit during lunch to help chill out, but I haven't had time for that. They just don't seem to feel that my crafty therapy is a higher priority than Oracle. *sigh*

So, in the absence of astonishing numbers of Xs to share, I thought I would share my new project containers.

The brands of skin care and cosmetics that I use periodically offer those lovely GWPs, and so I wait to buy anything I need until there's an offer. Most of these come with cosmetic bags, and over time, I've accumulated more than I'll ever use for my cosmetics, so I thought I would upgrade my normal project case of a Ziploc bag to one of these nifty (and much prettier) freebie bags.

Way better than Ziplocs!!



And (and I have no affiliation) if you do buy the brands that offer GWPs, I found a fabulous blog that lists which department stores are offering them. It's called My Gift With Purchase.

And a Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2011, Everyone!!

Ready to start a fresh new year? Yes? Good to hear!!

Though it's going to be incredibly hard getting used to being at work, focusing for 8 hours, no Farmville, Farmtown or Frontierville for hours, after over two weeks out of the office. And dressed - no sweats, with makeup and hair somewhat styled.

Oh, shiver.


I sort of, kinda tried to start the blog back up last summer, but it just didn't go, so I'm using the new year as sort of a kick start to get back out there on the blogging circuit. Yay, me. :o)

Anyways, another incentive is that I'm cross stitching more than I was previously, and other than my own blog, there's really not a good place to offer up what I've been working on, and quite honestly, it's even more incentive to keep stitching, because, otherwise, it would make for very boring progress photos.

Here's what I've been working on recently, and since I didn't realize I was going to blog about it, you'll just need to take my word for it that I've actually made progress. It's called Live With the Creatures (you'll need to scroll down a bit on their website) by Carriage House Samplings:




Any of you who may have read my blog previously might remember (because I know you all remember what I've blogged about maybe 3 or so years ago...), DH and I love BBC tv, miniseries, and movies. Since we've been off over the holidays, we've watched a bunch that I've stitched along to:

Lark Rise to Candleford - Yes, I love British period pieces, and this one is probably one of my favorites. I want Dorkas Lane's wardrobe!! And I loved Julia Sawalha as Dorkas (Lydia in A&E Pride & Prejudice). It's uncertain if this series is going to be canceled or not, but we're keeping our fingers crossed for season four.

French & Saunders - It took me a little bit to get into these two, and only after seeing Dawn French in Lark Rise, did I give them a try and I'm glad I did. Dawn French is a little much for me, but Jennifer Saunders is a great balance (and actually my fave of the two), and we've worked our way through this set of DVDs. Hysterical!!! I'm terribly bummed that the BBC said they could no longer work together. Anyone know why??

Cranford - We watched Return to Cranford a couple years ago, but didn't realize there was a second part. It was less happy than the first part, but it has an overall happy ending. There are SO many of our favorite British actors in this one, too many to mention, but it's got one of my all-time faves, Dame Judi Dench.

Sherlock - I must admit, I'm a Jeremy Brett diehard for Sherlock Holmes, but oh. my. gosh., Benedict Cumberbatch is the next best updated version of Sherlock since Mr. Brett left this earth. It's funny, Benedict was in a BBC series we recently watched (no surprise there) called Fortysomething with Hugh Laurie. He was Hugh Laurie's oldest son, so it's funny to have seen him as a college-aged kid to being the next Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, this series debuted in 2010, and there were only three episodes in series one, so we'll have to wait a while 'till we get to see series two. Maybe they'll put it on BBC America. Oh, pretty please......

And, last night, we just finished up series two of Clatterford (AKA Jam and Jerusalem) - This is another French and Saunders series, and they're both in it, and I think Jennifer Saunder wrote them. It's about a group of women in a branch of the Women's Institute (Remember Calendar Girls?), and they're really a bunch of misfits from totally different walks of life, and the only thing some of them really have in common is membership to the ladies' group. It's really grown on us, and we're hoping to get the third series shows up at the library. I heard they may cancel the series before they film series four, which is really a bummer.

Wow, didn't realize we watched so much over the holidays! Oh, well. It's cold outside and what's better than to curl up in a warm family room with DH, a kitty on your lap, watching good BBC tv while cross stitching??


And, I'll leave you with a recent photo status of the kids. They're going to be 15 this year. It's hard to belive they were just little balls of fuzz when we adopted them so long ago. They're doing well, still active, still in good health, but slowing down.