Coffee and Cross Stitch

Irish Blessing | Cross Stitch

I normally don't do this, but it's been so long since I've done a stitch post (or really any post for that matter....where does the time go??) that I wanted to share this with you.

In the past, when I've stitched a gift, I wait until it's framed and given to the recipient to show pics of it so that it remains a surprise.  This time, though, I'm sharing the final stitched piece, but it's not totally done - it still needs to be framed.

A couple years ago, one of my friends had her first baby, and I offered to stitch her something to mark the occasion.  I offered to stitch a graph I already had, unless there was something specific she wanted me to do.  She sent me an Irish blessing that she loved, and asked if I could stitch that for her. I searched high and low for a pattern with this blessing, but to no avail.  So, I had to graph it myself and then stitch it.  I found a Celtic alphabet and went to work.

Fast forward to this past year when my sister was going to have her first baby.  Of course, I offered to stitch her something for the baby, and asked her if there was something specific she wanted.  She came to me one day at work (we used to work together before I moved) and asked if I could stitch the same Irish blessing that I did for Erin.  The only difference is that she didn't want the baby's name on it (I had personalized the one for Erin's daughter), but just wanted the blessing so she could hang it in the nursery all the time. 

This weekend I'll be taking it to the framer, so I'll do a future post of it completed.

I hope you love this as much as I do :-)

 

Planner Obsessed.

Back in college and grad school, I was obsessed with my planner.  There was a Franklin Planner store in the King of Prussia mall (oh, KoP, how i miss you so...), and I would go every summer to get my refills, and then get out all my colored pens and marking up my planner for the upcoming school year.  You better believe everything was color coded.  Certain recurring things had its particular color, and any overlaps I just randomly chose what color to use.  

In case it wasn't already obvious....my OCD tendencies love paper planners.  Love them.

Then, I graduated from grad school, and didn't really feel the need for a paper planner anymore, so I slowly stopped using one. 

Last year, however, while wandering through Paper Source after Christmas, I decided to pick one up half off.  I did not realize how much I miss using a paper planner!!!  So, again this year, I picked up a planner, and have been stamping and planning to my heart's content.   I carry it everywhere with me, and am so glad I got back on this train. 

Three of my favorite things: my planner, my nook, and coffee. Always coffee.

For next year, I will be going back to the binder style like my old Franklin Covey planner (vice the spiral bound, like my current planner), and have already been checking out the latest and greatest on the block, gearing up for my purchase for the new year.  I'm also debating on when to start my new planner - July or January.  I kinda love the July start, since it semi-coincides with the work fiscal year, so I might do that...but I'm still up in the air about it.  Something about starting a new planner before the actual new calendar year gives me something to look forward to twice a year - new fun paper in the summer, and a brand new year five months later.

Are you planner obsessed like me?  What is your favorite brand?  Do you stamp and embellish your planner to make it fun and pretty, or do you keep it simple?  Leave a comment and tell me all about your planner style!