Grab an umbrella

because I may be a little storm cloud!! It won't be a lot of rain but there may be a little!! On my last post - way at the bottom I mentioned that I was going to start school January 12th. What an eye-opening experience that has been!! I am in school from 8-430 on Monday and Wednesday. There are huge gaps in between classes which I need to learn to use to my advantage because I ended up doing homework Tuesday and Thursday from about 8-530. Most of my problem is the online portion of the school. Each teacher sets their stuff up a little differently and figuring out can take most of my homework time. This week I only have one day of classes but I still have a little homework every day. I know I will get the hang of it and it will get a little easier. The nursing program is very competitive so I have to get straight A's in my prerequisite classes. Which brings me to my second problem - I used to think I was a pretty smart cookie - not so much. The placement tests and the homework assignments make me realize that I am not so smart. I can do this!!!! I am going full time - I quit my job on the 9th. Scott will be under more pressure because he is bringing in the only income. Bless his heart for being so supportive, plus he likes that he doesn't have to do the grocery shopping any more - who can blame him -that is one craptastic chore! He leaves for Vegas soon - I will join him at the end of the week for a few days - that will be fun!!
For Christmas I got a suet feeder which is bringing around a lot of woodpeckers - fun!! There is one I have been trying to get a picture of - a Pileated woodpecker - it doesn't come around too often and when it does I am always shocked at how big it is!! A cardinal is 9 inches tall and the Pileated is 17 inches tall!! They are pretty shy so every time I try to get a picture it flys off

I have a finish!! This pattern called for some specialty stitches but a rice stitch with two strands of thread on 32 count is just a blob so I skipped some of the stitches. I really love the way my tea dye turned out!

It seems odd that there are only 3 bands. There is suppose to be a crazy zigzagy thing at the bottom but I didn't like it. I think it's funny looking but Scott says it looks fine. I am now working on another WIP (proud of me right?) Teresa Wentzler's fruit bell pull

I have been working on it since Friday and I have to say blended needle popcorn stitching still sucks. You can't see it but the whole border is done.Send good vibes my way so the popcorn stitches don't make me run into traffic!!
My last storm cloud is this.... I really want two patterns from L'Atelier Perdu but she closes sales of her patterns. Someone sweet talked her into selling me one of the ones that was closed but she wanted $60 for this simple series of three patterns. Really? I didn't have it at the time so I have been trying to buy it elsewhere but it is not available very often. I had the chance on ebay but was outbid. When did cross stitch become so outrageously expensive? $60 for three simple small patterns - no thread or fabric. I had just purchased the mouse house from Just Nan for $50 but it was all the fabric and embellishments. I guess it's mostly the stuff from overseas. I love Renato Parolin, L'Atelier Perdu, and the other designers from over the pond but I think that I won't be buying any more of their stuff. Especially now that we only have one income. I remember when $20 would buy a piece of fabric, skeins of thread and a pattern. Good thing I have collected so many patterns - that will keep me busy for a few years at least!!
See, those storm clouds weren't so bad.... You probably didn't even get much on you.

moo cup from Cost Plus World Market

 He's so handsome in his crushed velvet paisley jacke !!

cold morning!!

I hope you are all staying warm!! Thanks for stopping by!