My name is Alison.  I am in my forties, a wife, mother of two, crafter, stitcher, quilter, and a proud Texan.  And that is not necessarily in order of importance.  My true love is cross stitch, but I have been known to quilt, crochet, hardanger, punchneedle, and just be “crafty.”

I first learned to cross stitch when I was about 11 or 12.  I did a few small projects and then got distracted with life as kids that age tend to do.  I picked it up again when I went through a tragic event in 2003, and it had an awesome meditative quality and was a great stress reliever.  I have loved it ever since.  My work/family schedule doesn’t allow me to stitch as much as I would like, but I try to get in some stitching at least a few days a week.  I tend to prefer large projects, samplers, and some primitive designs, but have been trying to branch out into other areas.  I would eventually like to design my own patterns.

I took up quilting in 2006.  Although I think I have made great strides in that area, I am not as good as I’d like to be.  I think I need more patience.  (Don’t we all.)

I love cross stitch, any shade of the color blue, complaining, fondling my stash of quilt fabric, chocolate, air conditioning, The Walking Dead, turtles, sleeping, books, Johnny Cash, anything fried, Monster Trucks, organizing, taking naps, the smell of cut grass, Dr. Pepper, the ocean, watching scary movies, pasta, and anything to do with Texas.

I hate cold weather, idiot drivers, shopping for clothes, crowds, football, surprises, bugs and being outside in general, that kids are being raised without manners or respect for others, Houston traffic, and my grey hairs.

Oh, and I’m totally addicted to Pinterest. And naps.  Naps are The Best!