Missing! and some NEW stuff (etc) - edited

Missing my stitching mojo - despite the best of intentions I seem to have lost it these past 2 weeks!  Where's it gone?  Despite the best of intentions, I seem to be stuck on the angel - yes, the angel with the DMC metallic thread!  There's a nice, silvery effect to it - a bit icy looking!  My thread lengths are little more than 6 inches and yet I can't seem to sew more than a few stitches before the DMC metallic slips off.. Why?

Should I be using a needle with a bigger hole?  I think I have either a 24 or 26 DMC embroidery needle.    Anyway I have promised my Mom I will persevere.  So after this, I am off to read (yet again) some tips on sewing on linen and using metallic thread. Some stitching MUST be done tonight!

And here's the Cosmic Handmade Angel freebie pattern that got done (or semi-done, anyway)  In case you didn't notice, lately the stitching's "all about smalls":

This little baby is heading to my dear SIL - once it's all done, that is.  No wings, and no blonde streaks yet in her hair!  I found a cute little angel in the JCS magazine and I'm making that too - the Prairie Schooler angel!

And of course, that brings me to my latest dearest possession, the 2011 JCS Christmas Ornament magazine - yippee!  My dearest cousin sent it to me! (Note:  I should add that I'm in Asia, so it's not the easiest thing to find.. there's less and less cross stitching magazines available!)   She also sent me a little cookbook "Recipes for a Cure", a special cookbook with some cross stitch patterns, compiled by Attic Needlework (oh, it's a LNS in Arizona!) and proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  Because I'm a survivor too!  Not the same type of c, but c nonetheless.  Why is it when you've had it, they never say "c-free", just "in remission"?  I hope it never comes back!

Anyway, posting some pictures of the goodies:

sorry about the light, I lost no time in covering it with plastic to protect it, so that's the reflection shining off it!  In the cookbook, I especially liked Blue Ribbon Design's "Hope" ornament, so that's on the To-do list too.  There's a lot more I'd like to sew, but those 2 will be first!

The recipes are very do-able and sound really delicious - as in "on your hips" delicious.. however they do use a lot of canned soup,  canned vegetables, etc.. so in making them it would be a good idea to watch the fat and the sodium and get low-fat and low-salt stuff!

Just got off the phone with my dearest nephew - he was excitedly telling me about his graduation party - his first real 'dance' with kids his age... too cute!  I am so happy that he's excited about it and that he had fun!  Next year he goes to high school! Where did the time go? His dad would be so proud.

If you saw the back of the Whimsey and Whit advent alphabet pattern, you would see some crayon drawings - mementos of my dearest nephew!  I can hear awwww in the background!

Anyway, that's it for now..  I hope to post again by Sunday and show some progress on that angel, and some new starts!  Til then, God bless everyone!

Oh, and here's another photo.. hoping it inspires me: