Goals for the Year of 2014!

My year last year was a crazy combination of all things life...

Work was successful and stressful, with getting my Regulation for Pharmacy Technician in April, and I am now able to take prescriptions verbally, process transfers, and check physical components of medications... I have many new responsibilities, and while sometimes frustrating, I do love my job...

I vacationed in Newfoundland yet again in the summer, spending a week in my hometown and then a week in St. John's... We watched many of movies, went on a boat tour with whale watching, and visited Signal Hill and Cape Spear (Where I went missing for over an hour with no cell phone signal. There were things to see!!!)...

I also spent some time in Ottawa last year, and managed to see my first NHL game live... It was terrifying, and not just because of all the Leaf's fans... Those seats in the upper levels are high and steep!!!

There was shopping in London and in the states to be had...

There were seasons of television to be watched with good friends, Lannisters to cheer and zombies to yell at... I made cookies to eat while enjoying the zombie apocalypse, for 8 weeks in a row...

I had a tooth extracted after I broke it on a bagel... Not the root-canal tooth, a wisdom tooth... I also had an emergency filling in the spring when I couldn't take the pain of a cavity anymore and had been up all night with the hurt... Both dentists were fantastic...

A friend came up to visit for 2 weeks, and I'm sure he had a good time...

New glasses... I love my new glasses...

Debts were paid down massively, and I have almost finished paying off one of my credit cards... It has been a year since I have received a phone call advising me of delinquent status of anything... I think that is my biggest accomplishment of all, and I am very proud of it...

I came out of last year better then I went into it... Things were busy and good...

But I want this year to be better...

1. Blog! Yeah, that's right... Blog! It's been about a year, and I've been horribly remiss... I probably don't have anybody to even blog for anymore, it's been so long... But, forget that, I can blog for me, as a record of the things I've done... Now, to just do it!

2. Do more stuff! I'm a homebody at heart... I love sitting in my comfy chair by my fireplace, reading a good book... That needs to change... I am 31 years old, and I'm feeling like I need to get out more... A lot more! Not that there's anything wrong with what I've been doing, but I have friends, and I need to see them more often then I have been... At the end of the month I will be going to see a National Theatre production of Coriolanus (taped production at the movie theatre, but still, awesome), and at the beginning of March I will be going to see Imagine Dragons live in Toronto... In addition, I am saving up some money to take a trip to Australia to visit a good friend who's been down there for more then 2 years already, if that's this year or next who knows... So, yeah... The year is looking up already...

3. Stitch more! I finished 1 project last year... And it's not the project you think... It was a small Christmas ornament that I made as a thank-you for a co-worker... It took 2 days... The rest of the year was spent not-stitching... So, this year, I want to finish 3 WIP's, and get started on a large project that's sitting in my stash...

I think that's it for the moment... Wish me luck! :D

New Beginnings...

I started a new kit last week... I had actually received it from my boss for Christmas... She is also an avid cross stitcher, so she knows how obsessed I am... Sadly, it is one that I already had in my stash, and that I was going to get to eventually, anyway... However, I've decided to do it now, before I start a larger kit...

I work for a large chain drug store in Canada... Yes, that one... Every year there is a charity drive and we collect thousands of dollars for local woman's charitys... Last year, a co-worker made a crochet quilt, and tickets were sold for raffle, with the entire amount of money collected donated to the cause... Seeing as how it was my boss who gave me this kit, I'm planning on stitching it and donating it to this year's fund-raising...

This is "Morning Lake" from the Dimensions Gold Collection... I've got approximately 1/6th of it stitched, and every stitch has been a joy... Hoping to have it finished by the end of March... I know that's a long time for a small project like this, but I have other things to finish as well... I have recently started my practical training for my job, which involves a lot of homework... Fortunately, I already have an excellent grasp of what the answers are, but everything has to be okay'd by my preceptor (my boss), and then sent on to the professional body that regulates all of us... They also have to review and mark what I've submitted... So, I can't be slack about what I submit...

My Totally Out-of-Reach Goals for 2012... :D

EDIT: December 12th, 2012 - Reached my goal of two of these projects completed this year!! Yay! I actually reached my modest goal!!! Buahahaha!!! :D

EDIT: April 16th, 2012 - Bought "Leopard Cub" today... I was totally surprised to see it at the Mary Maxim... And I had a coupon... Yay! Still working on "Cardinals on Sled"...

EDIT: March 25th, 2012 - Bought "Love Birds"... Quite a while ago, actually... And started "Cardinals on Sled" today... There's a progress picture posted...

EDIT: February 28th, 2012 - **So, I changed the date on this post... It's going to stay at the top of this blog until the end of the year... That way, I can edit this sucker to within an inch of its life, and not forget about these projects that I want to do**...

So, I want to try to get some of these things done this year... I know, I am not the most constant of stitchers... I work, and study, and play, and my life sometimes cannot keep up with my hobby aspirations... But, I do get some projects done from time to time... This year, I want to get at least two of these things done... I have motivations for a couple of them, and others are purely for me... 

 "Cardinals on Sled" is a kit I currently have twice... This one is on comission from a co-worker... It has to be done by August or September so she has time to get it framed for her mother for Christmas...
EDIT: Started March 25th, 2012... Progress picture posted...
EDIT: Still working on this as of April 16th, 2012... Will post another progress picture soon! 
EDIT: December 12th, 2012 - Finished...

"Chickadees and Lilacs" is what I have come to believe is the prettiest of kits I own... I really want to start on it this year...  

"Faith Ornament" is already started, but I probably won't be working on it anytime soon...

EDIT: February 25th, 2012 - Finished...

"Leopard Cub" is adorable... I don't own this kit, yet... It just came out, and I haven't had a chance to buy it... I know I have a ton of things in my stash already, but I really can't resist... I just have this thing for big-cat kittens...
EDIT: Purchased April 16th, 2012... It's so freakin' cute!!!

"Love Birds" is a beauty... I don't own this one either... I am hoping to get it soon, and then stitch it for my parent's anniversary in May...
EDIT: Purchased back in February... Shortly after I originally posted this entry...

"Sled Dogs" just looks like fun... :D

So there's my list... I have no real hopes of getting all these done... I have exams in March that I'm somewhat furiously studying for, and that takes up all my spare time... In the meantime I am working and trying to etch out a small life of fun times... And take care of two cats... And not neglect my friends or family... Balancing acts are my specialty, you know...

And has anybody else noticed my complete love affair with Dimensions Cross-Stitch Kits yet? Sheesh... I stitch almost exclusively from them... I just think they're awesome...

"Cardinals on Sled" Finish!!!

"Cardinals on Sled"

From Dimensions

Designed by Donna Race

Finished December 12th, 2012

Finally... I feel like I've run a marathon... This took me so long to finish, and now that I'm done I'm kinda stitched out, but raring to start something new... For me, this time though... :D

I Think I've Been On Vacation, Or Something...

Well, that's what it feels like, anyway... I have been horribly negligent in posting pretty much anything, so, here's a small catch-up post to throw your way...

And apparently, I can't upload pictures at the moment... Boo-urns!!!

So, vacation to Newfoundland... Fun times... Visited and hung out with a lot of people I have missed dearly... It's hard sometimes when the people you consider your best friends are thousands of miles away... But, I think I made the most of the time I had with them... No regrets on how time was spent there... We drove back to Ontario, which was funner then I thought it was going to be... That highway through New Brunswick is a thing of beauty, and I would totally drive on it again... Spent a day in Ottawa, ate a Beaver Tail, hung out with family, rode on a ferry boat across a gulf, was on the watch for moose... It was good times...

My brother got married a couple of weeks ago... To a fantastic lady, who is just perfect for him... I'm so happy for him... So happy, in fact, that the day before he got married, I wrecked his car... Never say that I am one to not bring the drama... I'm fine... Still somewhat bruised... But the car is probably never going to be driven again... At his reception, he made jokes all night long about woman drivers... *sigh*... Never gonna live it down, I suppose...

I have been stitching... I swear I have!!! I just have no pictures to show... There was the small wedding sampler I made, then a tiny embroidary piece, and a pillow I patched... I am currently working on "Cardinals on Sled" for my co-worker... I am so far behind, but I'm aiming for November... If I work at the pace I've been stitching for the past few days, I will easily make the deadline... Then there's my own Christmas stitching I'm thinking of doing... Then again, maybe not... I might be stitched out by then... Ugh...

Vacation Time!!!

I arrived in Deer Lake, Newfoundland two days ago... And since then it's been shinanigans... I'll post pictures when I'm back in civilization... :D

Post-Op...

My root canal took part over two visits... The first, he started it, and then I was in discomfort/pain for a couple of days... I understand why... He was filing the canals of the tooth... Which, really means he's going to town with destroying my tooth/the gum around the tooth... So, yes, pain... It sucked... But it was mostly better after a couple of nights... (I worked the next day... if I have to do this again, I will know better)... The next appointment, he finished separating the roots from the tooth, and then cauterized the nerves... It's the oddest thing when you see wisps of smoke coming from your mouth...

Didn't feel a thing...

And the best part was that afterwards, there was no pain unless I bit down on that tooth... Now, a week later, I can chew normally again... No pain at all...

I wouldn't say I would do it again if I didn't have to, but it's nowhere near as scary or horrible as people say it is... Kudos to my dentist for making it somewhat easy on me...

Now, let's hope my insurance also makes it easy on me by paying 80% of the costs, eh? ;D

Will try to get back into the stitching... I am soooo far behind on my projects it's scary... And I only have 19 days until I go on my vacay road-trip with my bestie across half the country... And I'm working full-time until I leave too, so not a lot of time off...

I just want to stitch again... These past few months have been bad for my concentration...