Angel of Cross Stitch Update (and other stuff)

Stitching Progress
Well, it's hard to see in this picture, but I'm not QUITE done yet.....I still have to fill in the centers of about 16 flowers...the top half or so of the left hand side and three or four along the top on the left hand side. And then, of course, it's the dreaded back stitching! But it will get done! And hopefully this year! LOL

Stitching Challenge
Thanks to this lovely piece, I am still behind on the stitching challenge! Friday evening I stitched for about 2 hours - and I only got 43 stitches done! That was HORRIBLE, but when you never do more than four stitches of one color, it tends to go very ssssllllloooowwwwlllllyyyyyyy. Hopefully the week coming up will be better since my project will be Lizzie Kate's Christmas ABC's and that's an easier stitch.

This week I averaged 55 stitches per day (my goal is 100) and for the whole month so far I have 66 stitches per day. However, I am ahead of the curve on my backstitching goal - this week was an average of 46 minutes (my goal is 30 minutes per day), and for the month so far I'm averaging 46.

Stash Enhancement
We had a birthday party to go to yesterday in the vicinity of my LNS - so what better excuse to stop and see if they had anything I had to have.......I picked up two patterns - Shamrock Row by Bent Creek and the 2009 Prairie Schooler Santa. Most of my family are hockey fans (myself excluded) including a nephew and a brother who both play. So, I thought I could make a couple of Christmas ornaments or something out of it. I also bought a piece of pretty blue fabric that was in the already cut bin. It's a pretty blue that will be nice for something where I want it to look like sky.

Anthony Update
Those of you who have followed my blog for a while will remember my nephew (actually great-nephew, my niece's youngest son) Anthony. Almost two years ago he spent most of his summer in the hospital being treated for kidney cancer (a childhood form). He is doing AWESOME, is considered to be in full remission, although he has to continue to be tested regularly, etc. But the really cool thing is because he is a child who was impacted by a life threatening disease, he was referred to Make A Wish. As part of thier "World Make a Wish" Day, he was granted a wish! He made a wish for an electric scooter (the riding kind, not the wheelchair kind) so that he could ride with his little friend Tyler. He not only got that, but because he had mentioned wanting to meet John Cena (I guess he's a wrestler....I know NOTHING) he got a bunch of autographed goodies from him. It was a great experience for their family, and they are so eternally grateful. My niece said it best - they already had their wish granted - Anthony is healthy!!! He'll start kindergarten this fall....and is just a cutie. Here he is: