Fear Survey...

I am working on a writing project and am trying to do a very informal survey.  If you could copy and paste the questions below to an email and then send them back to me I would be so grateful!  It should only take a few minutes to fill out and really isn’t too hard. 

Please send the responses to my email at: adbum20@yahoo.com

Thanks so much for your help.

1.       What are you afraid of losing?

2.       What are you afraid of failing at?

3.       Who are you most afraid of?

4.       What (object/thing/animal/etc.) are you most afraid of?

5.      What are you afraid of seeing?

6.      Who do you know that is fearless?  (Your perception.)  Why?

7.      At what time of day do you feel most afraid?

8.      How do you define fear?

Thanks again.  I won’t share your answers with anyone, these are just to help me get a better idea of some things for my writing from other people’s perspectives.  As some of you know, I am rather neurotic and my fears and anxieties are very high!  I thought when writing about fear it would be helpful to have some other people’s thoughts to work with my own.  If you don’t feel like answering a question, just skip it and if you don’t want to be too specific, that is fine!

Have a lovely day!  (Oh and this wasn't supposed to be my 300th post, but Blogger hasn't let me upload photos for the last several days.  So, I have my photos edited, the post written and everything is set; I just can't upload the photos into the post.  I have written feedback comments 2 times now with no fix or response.  My frustration grows...)

Calendar

I am so excited!  I just made myself a calendar on Colorful Images.com.  I've wanted to make one using all of my own photos and was thrilled to finally do one.  I used 12 photos from the past about 18 months and also put on some of my own poetry and sayings.  It may not be the best ever, but I am thrilled to have made it.  My own original piece!  I can't wait to get it and hang it up!  I'm going to put it where I can see it the most. 

Below I am posting a collage that I made to use as the cover.  They are the 12 photos that I used in my calendar.  Hope you like it!

Well, I'm not sure when I will post again as my next post needs to be spectacular.  It will be my 300th post!  December 2012 was my biggest month, viewer wise and I don't want to disappoint!  I hope you are all enjoying my photos and I will try, as I get back to walking more and hopefully at the end of January released to go back to work I will take more photos.  I am thinking about doing some big things this year and if I do it will probably mean some major things for the blog/photos!  Here's hoping!  :) 

 HAPPY, HEALTHY, LOVING, JOYOUS NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

First Snow 2012

We had our first major snow this past week.  I've been wanting to go outside and take some photos, but with my foot/ankle still healing it is difficult.  However, yesterday after we got home from lunch out for my little brother's birthday lunch I decided to walk around the house and take a few pictures.  A little bit of exercise is good for me, as long as I don't do too much.  So, I walked around the house and out back by the historical society buildings to get a few pretty snow shots.  I really love them and was just pleased to be out and taking photos.  I really miss having the opportunity to do that.  I have taken some pictures in the past month of family and such; but nature photography is really my favorite thing to do.  I am fervently praying that in the next month I will be released back to work and able to start walking more and get outside.  (Not just for photography, but to go home, lose weight, etc.  It's been 6 months almost!)

Anyway, here are my photos.  I am in love with them, but I think my eye is a little skewed right now just because I was so desperate to post and take some pictures.  I hope you like them!  Enjoy!

Embroidery Projects

Since I've had so much time on my hand one of my main gifts for Christmas this year was making embroidery pieces.  I made 8 in total for 7 different people.  I feel a little strange today not having something to work on, even though I've been dying to finish all of them.  Strange.

Anyway, I thought I would share the photos of my pieces with you now that they have all been gifted.  I am rather proud of them, even if they aren't perfect.  (And Kayla would gladly point out the part of one of my pieces that has a mistake.  I must remember not to tell her things like that.  She has a wicked memory and loves to share those things.)

Hope you like the photos and my attempts at 'creativity.'  I am putting the links for patterns that I was able to get for free so that you can make them too and to give credit where credit is due!  You can also find all of the free patterns on my Pinterest Sew like the wind: Embroidery Board.  My Pinterest is just listed under my name, April Bumgardner.

This one was made for my sister-in-law Angela.  I found the base balloon pattern here.  I then got creative with my own unique patterns for the balloons.

This one was made for my cousin Charlene.  It was the first one I finished and was a new type of embroidery for me that it was on a VERY heavily patterned fabric.  I found the dress pattern here.

This was made for my Aunt Eileen.  This was also a major experiment for me.  I stitched this onto scrapbook paper.  It was a bit harder than I thought, but the overall effect came out so neat I ended up doing 2 other projects on scrapbook paper.  (One was made for my niece for her birthday.)  I found the pattern for this design here.

Kayla, my niece, helped me pick this pattern out for her mom, my sister-in-law Megan.  The M can be either Megan or Mom.  The original pattern did not have all of the vines, but I felt it was a little lacking and added to it.  The base pattern was found here.

My cousin Michelle loves irises.  So, when I saw this pattern I knew I had to make it.  I really like the way this came out, even if all the satin stitching was a bit painful.  It was so worth the effect!  I found this pattern here.

This was another major experiment.  I made this design on scrapbook paper and added real buttons to the piece.  My Mom is obsessed with button crafts lately, so I thought it was perfect.  I really love the way this came out.  I think it is my favorite.  I found the pattern on this site.

This last design was for my Dad.  It is the only pattern of these that I actually purchased.  I just loved it though and thought it was perfect for him.  I purchased it from Urban Threads along with several other patterns that I will be working on for myself and others in the near future.

I have to say in closing how appreciative I am of all the wonderful people who post great free patterns.  I have no drawing ability and people who make these patterns and post them for use are wonderful.  Thanks so much for making my gift giving easy and affordable!

Elf-on-the-Shelf: Wrapping

I am understanding a little more now why Max is an Elf-in-Training to be an Elf-on-the-Shelf instead of, say, a wrapping elf.  We went out for a little bit tonight as I haven't been out of the house since Monday and wanted to get something at the store.  When we got home I found the scene below:

Evidently Max was feeling a little remorse over the past couple of days when he got into some mischief.  I appreciate his effort to help.  However, he really isn't good at wrapping; he had himself all taped up; and I had to undo everything.  But, as they say, it is the thought that counts.  Thanks Max!

I hope you're enjoying our adventures together and my photos!  Merry Christmas!

Elf-on-the-Shelf: Popcorn and White Christmas

Max, Max, Max, Max, Max!  This Elf is being ornery!  Yesterday I should have learned my lesson.  I didn't and neither did he!  I changed the password on my cell phone, but didn't think to change the password on my laptop.  Since they were both the same, Max got on my laptop.

Tonight my nephews came over to be with us.  While we were upstairs toward the end of the evening Max really went all out.  We must have been making a lot of noise because I didn't hear a thing.  He popped a bag of popcorn, moved the baby's swing, set up the laptop on the recliner, and started a movie on Netflix!  When I came downstairs he was gently swinging in the swing, on a blanket, with a bowl of popcorn, watching 'White Christmas.'  Now I need to change the password on my laptop too!

I wrote a quick email to Santa to let him know what Max has been up to.  I don't mind too much but, I don't want him to go any further and if he is going to be going to some child's house next year, he needs to shape up a bit.  Oh Max! 

Well, he is in bed; early again and I am going to try to work on some Christmas presents!  I have included a couple of pictures of the 'brat' in action!  Don't laugh; he's in trouble!  Merry Christmas!

Elf-on-the-Shelf: Pinning

Evidently Max is familiar with technology.  I would not have expected it but I found it to be true.  And he must have been watching me while I was on my phone because somehow he figured out my password...

This afternoon, I went upstairs for a little bit and when I came back down I found Max sitting on the couch with my phone open, on the mobile Pinterest site.  Guess what he was looking at?  Candy canes.  Pins about candy canes.  There were a lot and they were interesting, but I am not comfortable with this little Elf playing with my phone.  Who knows what he could have done!  Heaven forbid he get on my mobile Amazon site.  He could have gone crazy with one-click purchasing!

So, now I have put Max to bed early with a firm talking to and am going to change the password on my phone.  This Elf thing is turning out to be more challenging than I thought...

Enjoy the picture of Max anyway (even if he is getting into trouble) and Merry Christmas!