She's caught the hardanger bug...

Please visit my daughter Amy's blog at http://www.diaperdays3.blogspot.com/. She has been bitten hard by the hardanger bug...and she does such lovely work for a beginner. I'm so proud of her. Thea had given us a couple of Beyond Cross Stitch kits as gifts at the Victoria Sampler Retreat last month, and Amy ooohed and aaahed over them, so I gave them to her to do. She did those two, then one more that I had in my stash...all in about a week's time, even with two little ones underfoot and teaching homeschool... She's gotten more done that I have lately stitching wise.

Thea, she's hooked on your designs now too!!!

It's been a very warm weekend here. Yesterday we went and bought Alana a water toy to help keep her cool and she has been having such a good time playing in the water:

It was so hot here yesterday, about 95 degrees, that I was about ready to crawl into the water with her!!! It's 20 degrees cooler today and now there is a high overcast, so it is actually very pleasant.

Here's a picture of my current stitching. I picked up this pattern while in Victoria, and I love the design, but after looking at the called for threads in the shop, I didn't like the colors much, so I picked up a couple skeins of Gloriana overdyed silk called "Marc's April Mai" to use instead of what the patterns calls for. It is such a wonderful thread and the colors are lucious. I chose DMC threads in colors and hues to complement the Gloriana and so far I am pleased with the result. It's been slow going getting much done as life has been so busy.

I've started studying for the second part of my General Insurance designation, and will probably take the test in August or September depending on how quickly I am able to get through the materials. Much of what I have covered in the first two chapters is a review of Part One that I took last year, so it hasn't been difficult yet. I am trying a little different approach in my studying this time, hopefully it won't be quite so time consuming! I am still going to need the next three months to get through all the material. I passed the first part with a 96% and my personal goal is to do as well next time, tho I think we only need 70% to pass.