Research and Creating

Well for months, more like half a yr, I've been waiting to get the Microsoft Office for a seriously reduced price through the military. The kids are creating their own Animal Studies research book for school. But all the pre-made teacher worksheets for elementary really suck. Some have some info you expect to see, others barely any, and even more have things who cares anything about. And most of them are 4 or more pages. I really disliked them. So today not that we finally have the Microsoft Office, Cecil put it on my comp last night, I printed all teacher Animal Report/Study worksheets and wrote down what I like about them and created my own. I'm pretty proud of them. Its 1 page front and back and all the information a kid needs. The back includes books read, webpages explored, fieldtrips, pictures. You know the fun stuff. :) And now they each have their Books(folders) to keep their information of their studies in. This way they can build on it throughout the school year and many yrs to come.

I know when I was going to school I would have liked to have had my research projects  and papers saved. Lmao some of the ones I did in High School I saved and I got to use them for College! Ok so they needed a little revising but it saved a lot of time. I still have a few even though I am out of College because you do so much work and its nice to be able to go back and look at what you've learned and done. 

Anyway, I'm Proud of them but if someone thinks of some thing I missed just speak up. :) After all there is always room for improvements.

And here is the back

Animal Study

Books Read

Websites Visited

Videos/Other Media Explored

Field Trips Taken

Pictures

Created my own Animal Studies worksheet for the kids

This is the front. I don't think I left anything off…

 

Animal Study

Name				Who Named It
Scientific Name
What it means
Colors		Height		Weight
Wing/fin/flipper/..span			Other
Habitat
Diet			How it eats
Enemies
Protection
Lifespan		When it lived		Endangered
Hibernation	Migration
Classification
Interesting facts

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Katie Reus is having a contest

http://katiereus.com/contests-events/

A finish and a Update

Ok so I finished it in Nov but havn't had a chance to post. I have been knitting lately. Well my sister let me barrow a knitting loom set she had bought to figure out how to use it to show her and because she knew I have been wanting to try them. So I have a few other things I did. I did 3 scarves and a pair of leg warmers for my daughter to wear to her dance class. And atm I am working on figuring out how to make letters in a scarf for my son that reads OU in the teams colors. my daughter who just turned 7 wanted to model the scarves. I'm being to lazy to go take a pic of the leg warmers I made her atm. The top pic is of her funny face! The 3 hotpads I made in a coffee/chocolate color. The pic comes no where near in doing the color justice.

This I forget the name but it was in the 2011 Halloween mag. I did the fabric myself. I only wish I could make several the same way because its AWESOME! I can't believe I did it and am proud of it.


I am also almost finished with my kitty I am stitching as well. She'll go with the reindeer with the gingerbread man on its back as a card holder when I get a few others done for it.

the ones that got ruined.

These are the ones that got dmg'd from the biggest earthquake we've ever had in OK.In a startle when it hit DH's glass of wine got spilt on them while I was in the process of switching between them.  I didnt have a whole lot done on either of them (maybe a 1/4th on each) and I was going to try to use the parts that weren't stitched on or dmg'd for some small pats. He took them to the dry cleaners we use for his uniforms and my big jacket but no luck. Then he accidentally forgot them on his desk at work last night and the guy that works the late shift threw them out. I get it in his defense they were stained. I'll rebuy the fab for the 1,000 winds after xmas and the other after my SIL's wedding and my sons 9th bday late Feb.  I can't afford to do it until then. 

A realization

Well I realize that the projects I have off to the side I've only managed to finish 2 so far this yr. They were the ones I wanted to make the most progress. Hopefully, by the end of the night I will have another Finish but it also is not on my list. Now I have some that are older WIPS the I am a thousand winds is one of them that will have to be restarted. The Mandala I forget the name that is in the new JCS Halloween book/mag will also have to be restarted. Silly earthquakes. I think when I am done with the one I am almost done with I will start on the Winter Silhouette and work on the Stars and Stripes and try to get that finished up b4 xmas. I also need to work on my xmas card holder and get that put together. The reindeer I have stitched up will be its top and I wanted to stitch a few smaller designs to put on the alligator clips themselves. I have to find the clips I bought when I finished the piece. I was waiting for the xmas ribbons to be put back on the shelves. 

I also would like to learn how to make hair bow clips. I will try to see when I have the time to find some free tutorials online. But if anyone already knows a good site I'd be glad to have it. And I need to finish hand sewing my sons Dino quilt hopefully b4 the yr is out as well. I need more hrs in a day.

Really :(

Well first we have not 1 but 2 quakes. 2 pieces of fabric I was switching between at the time of the 2nd completely ruined that where on PTP fabric. Then thunder storms and even tornados this evening. Top end the night another quake. So we've had a 4.7, 5.6, & another 4.7. USGS says to expect quakes from anywhere to a few wks to a few months. A quake when the ice storm hits the house will buckle. It's almost buckled once from the weight of ice. Caused several cracks everywhere. Ice n a quake combined we'll be out of a home. Yup I wanna grab a blanket n hide in my bed. It's been that kind of wkend. But no was watching Terra Nova with the kids and DH and now the kids r in bed and watching Castle and stitching on a diff Halloween piece I had in the works. I still have a few from the new Halloween mag I want to do.

Yay now hail. Going back to stitching.

I so want my own Mat Cutter-Xmas Gift Hint for loved ones too.

So I've been talking to the few ladies that I know specialize in custom framing. All 4 work at different places specialized in framing cross stitch pieces.

Framing all my stitched pieces is so expensive I have so many done and just sitting here waiting to be framed. With my own mat cutter I can by frames for most of them. But the professional mat cutters are so out of my price range. Talking thousands.

Out of all the models they separately recommended to me I quickly noticed the same 3 models on my list recommended by all 4 ladies. I've met them mostly through cross stitch shops or groups.

The

Logan 450-1 Artist Elite 40" Mat Cutter

Which works for most of my projects.

The

Logan 201 Oval & Circle Cutter - Trimmer

For obvious reasons. I have so many small pieces that are wonderful but the standard size oval pre cut mats in the stores are always just to small or to big. -,-

And then for my BAPS(big ass projects for my non stitchy friends and fam) this one was recommended.

Logan 760-1 Simplex Elite Mat Cutter 60"

Now while these are not the best money can buy I've been told by all 4 ladies that they will do what I want. Which is a professional look without the cost to get my pieces matted and on the wall or given as gifts..

I'll save my personal spending money from now until after Xmas the best I can. Which should end up being enough for the 450 if I don't end up needing it for the kids. The last few months I've been spending it all on the kids. I got to stop doing that and start using it for what it was meant to be for. And If I don't get one for Xmas. My love I hope your paying attention.... then I guess I will just have to buy the first 2 for myself. Now IF I get for Xmas then I can use my money to start framing my finished pieces.

I realize that some of my stitching friends might have other recommendations or comments on personal mat cutters. Feel free to leave them because I WILL wait until just after Xmas.

Yay a finish and a pic of Tarot Town

You can kinda see the cloud in the corner forming










Be Thankful by Diane Arthurs is finally finished. Ok so I stitched the whole thing only while playing Modern Warfare 2 on the ps3 with DH. I'd stitch during the mini intermissions which are normally less then a minute long and the matches last like 10-15 mins depending on which you play. I actually got alot of stitching done that way. I only started it like a month and a half ago.

Close up of the little bee's and the basket. I can't wait to get framed and hung in my kitchen. But it will have to wait until we have the $ or I can buy a mat cutter. Shops cost so much for what I can do for myself but I have no way to cut the mats. The rest is actually easy.