Beth's Blog

"Borrowing" a title of a new song...

2012-01-15T16:46:00.003-05:00

I can't remember if I have said this or not, but I am a big fan of Susan Boyle. This is the lady that blew away Britain's Got Talent and the Youtube three years ago with her marvelous voice, but not so marvelous appearance. Well, last fall, she released her third CD which is called "Someone to Watch Over Me". On the CD is a new song written for her that is titled "This Will Be The Year". For her, it is saying that after all of her dreams and goals that were never quite met, this year they will be. Well, that idea struck a chord with me because I have had so many goals that just never have quite come to reality. Most of them are based on trying to get control of my life. I always seem to have "not enough time" to organize my stash, to declutter my house, to stitch, to take time for me. Well, I am really going to try to have This be my year.

.To that end, I have spent most of my "freetime" winding bobbins of DMC floss. 168 bobbins, to be exact. You see, when there is a sale on DMC, I will go into the store and grab a handful, not knowing which I really need or which I have way too much already. So, I went through my craft room and my various bags and pulled all the floss that wasn't wound and required for an actual work in progress and started winding. Now that the floss is wound, I am going to

incorporate these into my current floss boxes and take inventory as I go along. I have a cross stitch inventory program on my computer, and I realized that I can download those files into excel files which I can download onto my Nook Color and my Itouch. That way, whenever I start a project, I will know if I have all the floss I need in my inventory and I won't go out and buy more needlessly.

Next weekend I will tackle the overdyed floss. I keep them in Flossaway bags in a small four drawer cabinet. But, I have them in bags with projects I want to do "someday" and then I don't have them available for projects I am doing today. Not good. After that, it really gets scary when I start trying to organize and inventory charts which are all over. Wish me luck!!

OH! I did do some stitching on Peaceable Kingdom, but not really enough to show an update picture. Maybe next weekend I can do that.

Thanks for stopping by my little blog, and for leaving such fantastic comments!

Until next time, have a happy, healthy stitchy time!

January peeks back at Christmas and forward to WIPocalypse

2012-01-08T20:22:00.000-05:00

Well, not as much as I thought I was going to tell you about Christmas. Somehow I have lost the pictures of the ornaments I made my two grandkids, so I don't have that to share. However, I do have a picture of what my DIL Becky made me for Christmas. And for us Stitchers, what could be better than a really cool stitching bag??? And of course my favorite color is blue! Boy was I thrilled with this!

For my first WIPocalypse update, I thought I should show you my starting point. This picture was taken just before Christmas, and I didn't stitch on it any during the two holiday weeks - too busy with company, etc. You can also see that I took it in very poor light. Not sure what happened with that. What you can't see with this picture, or for that matter the full updated picture is that it is a coverall, with the "sky" being stitched with one ply very pale blue floss. I have thought many times since I started this project that I shouldn't have put the first stitch in on the sky, and just left it white. What was I thinking??? For those of you who are new to my blog, I should tell you that I am stitching this for my DGD, and I started it sometime in 1999 or 2000. I have put it down many times, but I am determined to get it finished this time, hopefully before March of this year so that I can give it to him on his birthday. Because of that, I am going to be stitching on this exclusively until it is done. Here is a closeup of the area which I have been working on, and you can see that I stitched one of the big leaves on the left, and you may be able to see that I finished stitching the sky around the giraffe, and the right side of the big leaves. I also did just a little backstitching on the giraffe. I am hoping to have some more time for stitching now that the holidays are over, but I am not so sure that will be the case. It appears that I can not get this second updated picture to be where I want it to be, so here it is following its story - LOL!

Well, I want to thank you all for stopping by my blog, and for those wonderful comments you leave. They really do make be give me a lot of motivation to keep on stitching. And I love to "hear" other stitchers because I have not a lot of people around me that stitch.

So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ...Already?

2012-01-01T19:01:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone in blogland is going to have an amazing new year, healthy, happy and stitchy!!

I haven't done any stitching this year yet. I hope that isn't a harbinger of the future. But, the reason was because up until a little while ago I was spending time with my oldest and dearest friends. That really can't be topped!

I have previously posted my list and pix of my WIPocalypse Challenge, and I hope to post a complete list of goals before the week is out. Won't that be exciting?? LOL

Good luck to all those that have set their goals, you are already doing great! And really good luck to all of us who still can hardly believe it is already 2012, much less have plans made!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for those that leave comments, I really do love to read them!! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Just a quick thank you again to Vonna!

2011-12-23T14:48:00.001-05:00

If you have never gone to Vonna's blog (The Twisted Stitcher) you are really missing something special. Not only does she make the most incredible items with the most amazingly creative finishes, she also has some wonderful tutorials. I have used hers lessons to learn how to do a no sew cube and a flat-fold, and this time I followed her instructions on how to make this cute little ornament! I like to give hand made gifts to people I care about, but I am not sure how much they like them. The way this finished up, I am pretty sure my SIL will really like it. And that, is one hundred percent Vonna's doing. She is an incredible teacher. Thanks again, Vonna!

Gotta go do more Christmas things, but I just had to show you my little piece.

Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy Stitchy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-19T22:16:00.002-05:00

This will probably be my last chance to post anything until after Christmas and maybe until after the New Year. So, I wanted to bring a little of our Christmas cheer in the form of our decorating to you all. I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas and we all have happier, healthier, less stressful New Year (with lots of stitching!)

This first picture is of our main Christmas tree. It has ornaments the kids made through the years as well as ornaments we have had since we were married 43 years ago. One of the unusal decorations on the tree is a garland that my ex SIL made for my brothers and myself out of old cosmetic jewelry that my Mom worn. She gave it to us the Chrismas after my Mom died. Maybe if you click on the picture, you might see it as it is the one highest on the tree.

This tree sits in our sitting room next to our bedroom. When the blinds are up it can be seen from the road. When we bought this house, the first Christmas we were in it , we decided that we had to have a tree in this room. We think that it looks very warm and cozy for some reason.

Here is a picture of our mantel. There are only nine stockings hanging there this year because my DS#1 and his family that live in Maine can't come home for Christmas this year. We love it when they do, but they came home earlier this year for DS#2's wedding instead. Before you even ask, no most of those stockings are not hand made by me. The one facing the opposite way I did for DD 29 years ago. Didn't even notice that it went the wrong way until that next Christmas. I told DD that just made her's extra special. The other basically white stocking was stitched by one of my SILs for DS#2. The rest are store bought, but sometime I hope to replace them with ones I have stitched.

This is the bookcase next to the fireplace. The Creche on the middle shelf another of my SIL's hand painted probably 25-26 years ago, and it has a special place every year as I have always loved it. I don't think that I could have ever painted in that detail on that small a piece.

Lastly is my stitched ornament tree that I put up for the first time last year. Almost all of these ornaments have been stitched by other wonderful ladies in my PALS group. When we go to Myrtle Beach in the fall, we have an ornament exchange, and these are some of the ones I received. There are also ones on this tree that some of the lovely ladies have sent to me just because they are very nice ladies. I think next year I am going to have to get a bigger tree for Christmas. I do use this tree all year long for seasonal ornaments that I have stitched which you have seen before if you have visited this site.

So here you have a little impression of what our home is like during the holidays. I have enjoyed seeing pictures on other blogs of the decorations, and I hope that you enjoyed this view.

Again, have a joyous Holiday Season!

WIPOCALYPSE 2012

2011-12-16T21:35:00.001-05:00

Okay. So any of you out there that have been to my blog much before knew that this piece would be on the top of my list of hopeful finishes for 2012. This is Peaceable Kingdom done on 14ct white aida and is a Golden Bee kit. I am stitching this for my grandson, and I have been working on it on and off for 10 years. I am determined to have this piece done in the first quarter on 2012. I believe that I am at least 75% done, so this should be doable.

As you can see, I am really almost not started on this piece, but I did get it kitted up to start earlier this fall, just didn't get around to working on it. It is the 6 Fat Men designed by Lizzie Kate. I am going to be doing it in one piece on 16ct aida with the floss called for. Can't remember the name of the color of fabric. All these pictures look much yellower than the pieces are in real life? This fabric is a very light wedgewood blue looking piece.

I think you will easily see as we go through the year that I am a major

Lizzie*Kate fan and would love to do almost all of her designs. This is the Christmas Spirit Series that I am stitching as one bellpull. I got a good start on it last year, and then put it away for some reason and never got it back out. Who knows why? This fabric is a 14ct Antique White

Besides being a fan of Lizzie*Kate, I am becoming a big fan of JBW. I have stitched several of her ornaments, and I would like to do one of these a month during 2012.

This is a Design Works kit called Welcome Friends which I started probably 10 years ago. I like what it says, and would love to greet people into my home with this pie

This last piece is a BAP that I would be amazed if I ever finished. Don't get me wrong, I would love to finish it, I just am not sure that it is possible. It is the Precious Moments Noah's Ark which has I think a gazillion (maybe 15) pages of charts, and I have never done anything this big. It is on a very pale blue 14ct Aida, and will be huge when it is finished. It came as a kit, and I would love to do this for my most favorite niece.

Well, this concludes my starting WIPocalypse list. I hope to be able to check some of these off during 2012, and I know that I will be adding some onto this list as we go along. Good luck to all of the other participants in this SAL, and thanks Measi for setting it up! I have tried to set up a page just for the WIPocalypse, and have copied this post onto it, but I am not sure that I will continue with that page. Seems like a duplication of effort to me. It probably is just I don't know what I am doing. Go figure - right?

See you next full moon!

Wow! Christmas is coming - QUICKLY!!

2011-12-11T10:55:00.003-05:00

Is anybody out there as mildly panicked as I am about getting everything done before Christmas? For a little while I think I have everything under control, and then I remember a whole other set of things to be done, and off I go into panicdom - if that is a word.

I do have a wonderful thing to show you that the nice mailman brought me Friday - I was in a Secret Santa group with the PALS, and I got my wonderful package from Shelleen of Queen Stitcher. Just look at all the goodies I have to play with now. I told Shelleen that I am going to have to find a glass frog for my growing collection of scissors and fobs. That will be a fun excursion!! I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with the fabric and floss, but I am sure something will come to me - hehehehe!

DH almost threw me into total panic yesterday, but I said it was impossible, and he believed me - whew. You see, after a long time of seeing puppy dog eyes on DH everytime we saw a big screen flat panel tv, I finally told him to figure out which one he wanted for Christmas. After weeks, of research and way too much of my time in "shopping" we finally brought home his new toy. When I asked him where is was going to put if for now, he said that he thought we should unload our whole family room, paint and replace the carpets, and put it all back together by Christmas. After a moment to put my eyes back into my head, I said ain't no way. So, for now, he has figured out what to do with it until after Christmas at which time we will tackle the project. He said he was amazed that I wouldn't jump at the chance to do that, but I think he was kidding. At least, that is what saved him for last night - LOL

Well, I hope everyone is getting along fine with their Christmas, and I hope you all have a bleseed holiday season. Thanks for stopping by my blog, and I do so appreciate all the great comments you leave. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy holiday time!!

Happy December and I have a winner!!!

2011-12-02T23:11:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone out there is more prepared for December than I am, but I guess I will have to live with it. I hope to get some time to figure out my stitching game plan for next year sometime soon, but this little thing called Christmas and all the trappings seems to be keeping me busy, go figure.

Well, since it is almost Saturday and I promised a winner on Friday, I guess I just have to announce a winner. I had my DGD help me picking a winner. While actually picking the winner seemed to be an easy thing for her to do, holding the winner's name steady was a little more difficult! So, you might have to take my word for it, but the winner is Katie!! Katie, I hope you enjoy your goodie box which I will try to send out Monday.

This has to be a short post because it is late and DD Lisa and DGD Lily and I are going to go to Nashville tomorrow afternoon to see the Opryland Hotel. I was there several years ago, and I just thought it was amazing, and made a point to tell Lisa that we needed to go there when Lily got a little older. I think this will be a great time for us as she should be the perfect age!! Next post hopefully will be my WIPocalypse pictures and maybe some pictures of the ornaments I hope to have done.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for leaving such nice messages. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

A belated Happy Thanksgiving and TUSAL

2011-11-26T13:41:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying the long weekend. For the international crowd, I hope you all are enjoying this weekend as well. Been very busy baking for the holidays as you can see by my seasonal shot of my Ort glass. Within those cookie tins and jars behind my ort glass (as well as a couple more tins and jars that didn't make the picture lies 80 dozen cookies. Actually less that since I have handed out several cookie trays this weekend. Baking cookies is probably my favorite holiday tradition. I can remember all of my life my Mom baking for days and how wonderful the house smelled from all the goodies. I have taken on that tradition and use many of her recipes and have added several new ones along the way. It appears that all my family and friends love the tradition as well - LOL!

So, my ort jar looks very much the same as last month's because I haven't given myself much time to stitch. What little has been added is from the Peaceable Kingdom BAP which will be put away this week in order for me to stitch some annual Christmas ornaments . I have two ornaments that HAVE to be done, and several more that I would love to get done - wish me luck!!

I have signed up for the WIPocalypse on Measie's Musings blog. If you have not seen it here is a short summary. Sometime between now and the beginning of next year you make a list of your WIP's and even those items you know you want to stitch, and post a picture of those WIP's. On the full of each month you post a picture of your progress. You can add things along the way, and take those finished things off your list. This is a SAL with a giveaway at the end, not a contest, so there is no real pressure. So all that is to say that sometime after next weekend's giveaway announcement, I will be posting my WIP's. And of course, Peaceable Kingdom will be on top of that list!!

Thank you for visiting my little blog, and don't forget to sign up on my giveaway post if you are interested in winning the prize.

Until next week, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Better late than never...

2011-11-22T21:23:00.005-05:00

I think I said the last time I was here that I was going to have a birthday giveaway that I would post 11/15 and pick a winner on 11/20. Well...since my camera decided to go crazy on me, I have been having some serious issues trying to take pictures with it. That, and I was just running late as usual.

But, on to the fun stuff! Since yesterday was my birthday I am starting today a belated birthday blogger giveaway. I thought about using bonanza, but that really would be putting too much importance on this. My pictures are still not great, but at least they are not as blurry as they had been. Here is a tacky picture of the entire mess. Included are three Christmas ornament kits, a Mill Hill Christmas kit, a little Mary Engelbrite Christmas Wreath kit.

Also, there are a number of charts that I either received in other giveaways or gift packages or goodie bags that I don't see me ever doing. Some are ones that I have done and therefore don't need to do again. There are also two pieces of linen that I won in a giveaway that I can't use since I can't seem to stitch on linen. Tried just didn't work. So, if you are interested in winning this package of goodies all you need to do is leave a comment on this post only, and next Friday, December 2, I will draw a winner and send the goodies off. If you want to post about this giveaway on your blog, please go ahead. And, this time, I will ship this anywhere you are if you win!!

Now I have one more picture to show you, and this is one of the best reasons why I am late with this giveaway. This weekend my DD Lisa and my DGD Lily came down to our house and we started baking Christmas cookies. This is the second year that we have been the "Three Generations of Bakers". And, I can not tell you how much I love this. Nothing is better, not even stitching. OOPS was that blasphemus??? And this year I have lots more hair and Lily is a whole lot taller!!

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I really do appreciate all of your wonderful comments!!

Hope you win, and until next week, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

TUSAL and more exchange piece photos!!

2011-11-06T12:22:00.010-05:00

I am late with my TUSAL because I had left my ort jar in Louisville last weekend, so I couldn't take a picture of it. But now it is here, and I do have to admit that there are a couple of orts not of my creation. LOL Maggie, from Virginia was sitting next to me at MB, and I shared my ort jar with her. So, when you see the sparkly fancy pieces in my ort jar - they are really Maggie's. I hope that doesn't exclude me from the contest!! The rest of the orts are either from my exchange pieces or Peaceable Kingdom. I pictured it with a Halloween cube because that was when it was supposed to have been done - LOL

Now I have a real treat for you, because I can show you my wonderful Halloween exchange pieces that I received. Boy, did I hit the Jackpot! First is an ornament stitched by Diane from Indiana. and it is on tiny fabric and stitched beautifully!! It looks fantastic under my All Year Long Tree! The chart is called BOO by Homespun Elegance. I would never have been able to stitch this on the tiny fabric!!

And, this is the Halloween decoration that I won from Donna from South Carolina!! Is it not amazing?? This is a gorgeous piece of a Haunted House which she framed inside a darling distressed box (which by the way was full of chocolates!), and it is just fantastic!! Lily, my

DGD, couldn't believe her eyes when she saw this - LOL!! Donna is one of Amy's oldest friends and has been at all of the PALS retreats. She is from right there in Myrtle Beach, so she knows where everything is and is a great help besides being an amazing stitcher!!

Quickly, these are the Christmas Ornaments that I took to MB. The first is a Prairie Schooler piece taken from this years ornament leaflet. I stitched it on 16ct ivory aida with the suggested floss. It is backed by the fabric it is laying on, and I used a little red baby rickrack for the hanging piece. The second ornament is a JBW Christmas Tree V chart that Amy sent me last year in my Secret Santa along with the opalescent white aida and the WDW floss to stitch it with. It also came with the petite gold beads to stitch on as ornaments and the Star charm for the top of the tree. I really hated giving this one up, but I am going to stitch it for myself sometime. I used fishing line and gold beads to make the hanging device for this one.

Finally, here are some terrible pictures of my Stitched Piece exchange piece. I don't know what was going on with my camera that day, but I could not get it to take a picture that didn't take several many seconds to do the shutter. I do not stay still for that long, as you can plainly see - LOL. Anyhow this is Lizzie*Kates Live, Laugh, Love Now and Later charts - with this being the Now version. I stitched it on 16ct white aida with the called for floss - except for the Begonnia that was called for - I exchanged it to a DMC color. The Begonia had bled all over this piece the first time I stitched it, so I wasn't taking any chances with the redo. I finished it as a flat fold, and you can sort of see the fabric I used to cover the piece. I was pretty happy with the results of this piece.

On my last Retreat post, I will show you the lovely ornaments that I received as well as my really cool stitched piece. I might even take a picture of the progress in my Peaceable Kingdom piece. I am certain, now, that I won't be able to finish it this year due to all of the other things like baking a gazillion cookies etc I also need to do before Christmas, but I am still committed to getting it finished as soon as possible. Here's hoping that I won't be committed first - LOL!!

Thank you for stopping by my blog, and leaving such lovely messages. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Vacation Part #2 Believe it or not!!

2011-11-03T17:31:00.005-04:00

I am going to have my DGD Lily again this weekend, so I won't have a chance to be on the computer much. So, I am going to show and tell a little about the MB experience in another short post with the hopes that I can have more time next week. I know, promises, promises.

What I can tell you is that Amy of Down Sunshine Lane does an incredible job of organizing and arranging and gathering goodies for all of us crazy ladies that go to MB for the PALS Retreat!! This year was truly no exception! There were 74 of us ladies there and we all have full access to a wonderfully lit conference room where one whole wall was glass looking out at the ocean from 8am to midnight for four full days!! And, most of us spent most of that time in there stitching, eating, talking, laughing, talking, laughing, eating, stitching and generally having a ball!!

As I told you in my first report, Thursday was the Fall and Halloween exchange. I showed you what I brought for my Fall pieces, and so now you get to see how absolutely lucky I was in what I received in my exchange!! This first piece as you can see, is a darling piece stitched by one of our Newbies - Jean from Florida. It is done on tiny, tiny maybe 36 or 40 count linen, and it comes with its own easel!! Is it not the most darling thing you ever saw? And so beautifully stitched!

And, for my Fall ornament, I got this great piece from another Newbie, Laura from Maryland(I believe)! Sorry I am having difficulty remembering every one with so many newbies this year!! Somehow the picture makes it look much bigger than it is, it fits beautifully on my ornament tree, which I will have to take a picture of - maybe this weekend. This stitcher it a woman after my own heart - it is stitched on aida, and it is truly very cute. My DGD wanted to keep it, but I was very firm - she can have it later. Isn't the Scarecrow button darling?

I thought I would quickly show you the Halloween pieces I took for the Halloween exchange. First, my Halloween decoration is this no sew cube I made of the bottom half of Lizzie*Kate's Halloween Sampler which I stitched on a very pale (can't remember the name)purple 16ct opalescent fabric with the floss that was called for on the chart. I backed the cube with the fabric that it is sitting on, and I know it is hard to see, but I put a fuzzy black spider on top - I thought he looked cute there - LOL!

For my Halloween ornament exchange, I stitched this Heart in Hand piece called spider web, on 16ct anti

que white aida with the called for floss. I backed it with the fabric that it is laying on, and just used a simple gold ribbon for the hook.

Well, that is all I can manage tonight, but I will try and get you more pictures and stories early next week. I am not sure that is a promise or a threat - LOL!!

I am going to try to get together a birthday giveaway to post next weekend and to draw the winner on 11/20. Look for that next week. Until then, thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your delightful comments that always make me smile!! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Quick post of thanks

2011-10-30T16:22:00.005-04:00

I just have a little while to sneak on the computer while Granddaddy watches DGD Lily to type up a quick but sincere thank you!!

Just before I left for my vacation, I found out that I won a giveaway from Cindy Mae athttp://stitchingkorner.blogspot.com/. I was so excited even then, but when I got home and opened up the package, I was was thrilled!! Just look at all the charts she sent along with a couple pieces of fabric. Those that know me know that I can't stitch on linen, so these fabrics will be added to my giveaway I hope to do next month for my birthday. My only problem with these great charts is choosing which one I want to stitch after I finish my current project!! Thanks again so much, Cindy Mae!!

Just after I got back from vacation, I got word that I won one of Karen's @http://karenshandiwork.blogspot.com/2011/10/spell-is-cast.html Christmas ornaments. Well, if you all follow Karen's blog you know that she is a master at Christman ornament stitching and amazing at finishing. Look at the cute way she finished this one. Those buttons are fantastic and sets the stitching and fabric off so well! I couldn't believe that I won the ornament, and I was shocked that I already received it!! Thank you soooo much, Karen!

I do have to run now to fix the famioly an early dinner so that I can take Lily back to her Mom's and stay there for the whole week this time. I am sure DD will be thrilled. Right now, though, she does need me to watch Lily so that she can study for her actuarial test in a week and a half - wish her luck!!

Thanks for stopping by, and I always read and love your comments. I hope to spend some time reading blogs this evening after Lily goes to bed. That will be a real treat!!@

Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

I am back from my vacation #1

2011-10-24T14:53:00.006-04:00

I am back!! I have so much to tell you and show you, that this will have to take several posts over several days. Maybe I should have titled my post with a WARNING sign! I thought I would show and tell you a little about my vacation, and show you a couple of pictures of the exchange pieces that I took to MB. (That way it can still be considered a stitching blog).

Our group of friends could not have been luckier in our timing of the trip. It was peak color, as you can hopefully see by my feeble attempt with a cheap digital camera. And not only that, the weather was perfect!! Chilly mornings in the 40's and lovely brisk afternoons in the upper 60's and lower 70's. We spent four nights in this cabin which was just beautifully set up with a great kitchen and decking. You can see what the area was like that we were in, and this lovely brook was running right by the cabin. While there, we toured Asheville and went to see Grove Park Inn and the Biltmore. I don't have any digital pictures of those, but maybe later, I can scan my DH's film shots. One day we rode about 100 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it was one glorious view after another. FANTASTIC!!

Tuesday morning, DH and my friends headed back home, and I continued on to Myrtle Beach. I had a lovely drive through the mountains, and made it to the beach in very good time. Tuesday night, I met up with Amy and some of the ladies that have been coming for a very long time and we went to Sticky Fingers for dinner. It was so great to see my stitching buddies and to do some catching up with their lives. My camera's batteries died while in North Carolina, and I forgot to bring the charger, so I have no pictures of the ocean or my stitching buddies - bummers. There are plenty of pictures on a number of other blogs that you can see.

Wednesday was the official start of the retreat, and we had a huge conference room set up for all of us to stitch and sit and chat from 8 in the morning until midnight! There were over 70 stitching ladies there this year, quite a lot more than when I first started going to the retreat when we had about 30. We had a lot of newbies, and all were a delight to meet and to see all the fantastic projects they were all woriking on. One newbie, Becky, from Williamsburg VA, must have had her turbo boosters on because she must have finished five or six project over the course of the days we were there!!

Thursday night, we had our first two exchanges. The first one was Autumn ornaments or decorative items. We all sat in a circle, and follwed directions in a poem, and ended up with different pieces. Here are the pieces that I took to exchange. This first one is a Heart in Hand ornament surprisingly called Scarecrow. I stitched it on 16 count pale green aida(I know it looks white here, but that is just my camera's issues). The fabric that it is laying on is what the backing is. I just used simple gold ribbon for the hanging strip.

This other one is a Lizzie*Kate called Autumn ABC's, and I stitched it on 16ct antique white aida and made it into a No Sew Cube. The backing fabric and the strip around the cube was made from the fabric that the cube is sitting on. I then put a bow made from autumn leaves wired ribbon that I got at Michaels. I was pretty happy with the piece.

Well, if you have made it this far in my post, thank you for visiting! I plan on having a giveaway in a couple of weeks to celebrate my vacation, and to include you all in the wonderful fun things we received while there. Speaking of receiving, I did win a giveaway just before I left for MB and it was here when I got home. I am going take pictures of the goodies and post them in my next post. am waaaayyy behind on reading posts because we didn't have computer access most of the time I was gone, but I will be reading them as soon as I get myself a little together. Well, maybe not that long.

Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Quick post to say goodbye!

2011-10-13T23:30:00.001-04:00

I leave tomorrow morning for my vacation and PALS retreat. Won't have access for the first few days, and not much time the other days. So, I will try to catch up reading posts when I get back. Also, be prepared for several multi picture posts - will have a lot to show you.

Until then - have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

As promised a couple more SGK Walk pix

2011-10-11T12:46:00.004-04:00

I promised that I would show you the very great group of folks that were with me on the walk, so here goes: This first picture is of me and my boss - a really wonderful man, and a great boss. The second picture is of he and his family of girls - his wife and his three daughters. They were all there either walking or running in the race. I really do feel blessed to have such a wonderful support team!

Susan G Komen Walk

2011-10-08T16:44:00.001-04:00

Today was the Susan G. Komen Walk in Louisville, and some of my friends and family walked with me. It could not have been a more perfectly beautiful day, sunny skies and cool temperatures. This first picture is of my daughter, granddaughter and me. DGD Lily was really enjoying the excitement all around. When we signed up for the walk, it asked if we were survivors or not, so I said that I was. I had no idea that I would get a special shirt, hat, and bag full of goodies. I was actually a little uncomfortable there because they were treating us survivors as heros, and I just think that I am very lucky.

This is a picture of me, DD, DGD, and our good friends Craig and Peggy Sue. They have been always there for me during all of my procedures. Really good friends. Somehow I did not get a picture of me and my boss and co worker who were also there. My boss lost his mom to breast cancer in 2004. He and his wife and three daughters have walked every year since then. My boss has been incredible about my having to take time off. He is really a good man. I will ask him to give me his picture of the two of us and I will post it this week.

I am getting very excited about my upcoming vacation. We leave next Friday with our friends for Asheville NC. Right now, I am a little sad/angry because my DH doesn't think he can come. He was not at the walk today because he had to work, and he thinks he won't be able to take his vacation. I hope he can, but probably not. Anyhow, we(our group of friends) will stay in a cabin up in the mountains near Asheville until the following Tuesday. After that, I go to Myrtle Beach to the PALS Retreat.

I have all of my exchange pieces stitched, but I still have to "finish" one of the pieces. I have taken pictures of the completed ones, and will post them when I get back.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and I really appreciate the comments you leave. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Two posts in as many hours - crazy! TUSAL

2011-09-26T22:10:00.001-04:00

I was reading some other blogs, and they were talking about the TUSAL and I could hardly believe that it was time already. I checked my calendar, as sure enough, it was time. So here is a hurry up picture of my TUSAL. I had decided to show just the floss from my exchange stitching in the TUSAL jar, so I stuffed all the other orts in a jelly jar - and I mean stuffed. My little scene this time lets me know that it this was the Fall TUSAL - Happy Fall Y'all

I actually having something to show you - shock!

2011-09-26T20:56:00.004-04:00

I feel so good that I can actually show you that I have not really been sitting on my fanny doing nothing. Of course, what I have to show you isn't any current stitching, but just current finishing. I spent most of today finishing my projects for MB (except for one which is in the restitch mode), and I thought I would finish off some other things while I was at it. This first picture is a group of Halloween/Fall ornaments that I "borrowed" the idea from Blue Ribbon Designs. I don't have many Fall ornaments yet, so when I saw this posted on her blog, I thought it would be a perfect filler. Actually, hers were much nicer because she used some really cool fabric with a named designer which I can't remember. But they were quick to cut out from some random Halloween fabric at Hancock's and backed with a plain black fabric.

I do, also have two pieces that I had stitched last year, I think when I was at MB, that I had never finished. So, while I had the sewing machine out, I thought I could get these done. I am pretty sure that I posted pictures of the stitched pieces last fall, but now they are finished finished. The first one is a Pine Mountain design that came in a pillow kit that I stitched for someone and gave it away. This is the chart made into an ornament backed by the material it is laying on.

Lastly, a old chart from San Man Originals that I made into a pillow. It did turn out bigger than I would have liked, but I guess it will be okay for this year. I know I will be bringing back two Fall pieces and two Halloween pieces from MB so that will help fill out my Fall decorations.

Besides these few finishes, I did make up one Halloween ornament, one Fall ornament, and two Christmas ornaments. So, I am feeling pretty good about having my stuff together for MB. That is really good, because my schedule is really full for the next three weeks.

I want to thank you all for visiting my blog, and for leaving comments, they really do make me so happy that I am a part of the world cross stitch community. It sure is a wonderful group to belong to. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

More New Stash

2011-09-03T12:58:00.002-04:00

It is amazing - I can go for months without buying any new stash, but once I start, I really have a hard time stopping. That is my story and I am sticking to it. So here is the new batch of stash that came in this week from Amy at Down Sunshine Lane. I just could not resist Lizzie*Kate's new 6 Fat Men series, I am a sucker for a snowman and for Lizzie*Kate. Since I don't stitch on linen, Amy was good enough to order me some 16ct aida in a very similar color for me to stitch the series on. Thanks Amy!!

I have also become a major JBW fan, so I just HAD to have these new leaflets. Some of you may see one of them at MB -maybe.

I am still stitching away on my exchange pieces for MB, so I still don't have anything to show you. I am so far pretty pleased with my progress, and I will have a ton of pictures for you when I get back. I probably will put them in several posts so as not to wear down your picture viewing. I am hoping to have all the stitching done by mid September so that I will have plenty of time for finishing.

I hope all of you are enjoying your long weekend if you get it, and those that don't, I hope you have a great regular weekend. We are going up to Louisville tomorrow to help celebrate DH's Sister's 50th Wedding Anniversary. That will be fun as we will get to see some of our relatives we don't often get to see. And, another plus, my DGD will be there, and I LOVE being with her.

Thank you all for you kind comments on my messy craft room - it is a place I do love to spend time in. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Almost forgot the TUSAL!!

2011-08-29T12:20:00.011-04:00

Thanks, Angela - I would have not posted thinking it was next weekend. My ort jar does not look much different than it did last month, but I really have been stitching. Since I thought that I was going to post next weekend, I left my Louisiville ort jar with many orts still in Louisville. Oh, well, it will just mean next month I will look much more productive.!!

My picture of the jar in front of the computer is to commerate the month that I got my new computer. A very happy time!

Hope everyone made it through Irene okay! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Welcome to a really messy craft room!

2011-08-28T21:34:00.005-04:00

Since I can't show you any of the projects that I am currently working on, I thought I would show you my little piece of very messy heaven. When I decided to take these pictures, I at first thought that I should spend some time straightening up before I took them, but I thought that would take wayyyyy too long -LOL. So here goes a partial tour of my craft room. First, I guess you need to know that this is the "bonus room" over the garage and therefore has mostly dormered walls. The wall closest to the house is the full 10' tall wall, but the others are about 4' tall before they start slanting in.

This first picture shows just how messy I can get. This is normally my work bench desk, but right now it is so covered with "stuff", I really couldn't do much on it. This afternoon I was cutting some styrofoam for finishing one of my Autumn projects for MB, and I had to move a number of stacks before I had room to work. Bad girl.

These are two file cabinets which sit next to the work bench. In the small white drawers, I keep my GAST and WDW and Anchor and Six Strands Sweet floss. The blue box contains patterns for plastic canvas and crochet. The purple basket holds my overdyed fabric and the two file cabinets hold my charts by topic.

This is my old computer, and I have an inventory system of my charts on it, and hopefully after the holiday season, I can do some culling of all the junk I have. The little set of drawers underneath contain my tools - floss bags, needles, rulers, etc.

This is the bottom half of a bookcase and this is all of my DMC floss. I try to keep a complete inventory of all the colors, but I currently have a list of about 20 I need to replenish.

This is the top half of that bookcase where I keep my ribbons and several random brands of floss. This has been a great way to keep track of things.

These next two pictures are the large bookcases that stand at the full heigth walls. They contain my Cross Stitch books and magazines. The white binders are filled with my magazines each in vinyl page protectors. It is obvious that I don't need another thing when it comes to my stash, so why is it I can't stop buying???

I have been doing some stitching - I have finished my larger Autumn project, and am working on my "Stitched Piece" project. When I finish that, I will start on the Christmas ornaments, and will stitch on them until time to go - I don't know how many I will get done - we will see. I am taking pictures of them all, so after I get back, I will show them all to you.

I have been thinking about all my east coast Pals, and have hopes that they all suffered little or no damage from Irene. Or for that manner, the earthquake. World is acting a little crazy isn't it?

Thanks for stopping by my blog, and I really do appreciate those comments. Until next time, have a happy healthy, stitchy time!

Another Great Giveaway!!

2011-08-17T12:37:00.001-04:00

I am so bad. I told Sharon at http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/ that I was going to let everyone know about her giveaway, and I forgot. So, go visit Sharon at Daffycat and sign up for a great giveaway!

Progress, but no pictures

2011-08-13T16:14:00.002-04:00

I really am stitching and enjoying myself quite a bit, but I can't show you how much - bummers. Not only can I not show you now, but it will be the end of October before I can show them to you. That is because I am doing my stitching for my PALS retreat in MB which is I think the third week of October. What I can tell you is that I finished stitching my bigger Halloween project, and my little Halloween ornament. I have finished finishing the Halloween decoration, and I am really happy with it. I also have finished stitching my little Autumn ornament, and have just a little while ago started my bigger Autumn decoration. After that, I have a little bit bigger "stitched piece" project to stitch and then start stitching my Christmas ornaments for all of the exchanges. I know it seems a bit early to start stitching things for October, but there are a lot of "occasions" between then and now which will reduce my stitching time.

Next weekend we will be having a gathering at our house of our close group of friends, and some of our second and third generation kids. We know that August in KY is almost always too hot to camp, so we choose to "camp" at our house. There will be our group of seven "old farts", my DD and DGD and my DS#2 and his new wife staying from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. We think the other younger folks will very likely just come down for the day on Saturday. If they choose to stay, we have a large back yard for them to put up their tents. The younger folks don't seem to mind the heat as much as us old farts - LOL. I am really hoping we get a lot of them to come down. I so enjoy watching them with their kids and while we play games to "see" their brains working. I will try to take some pix so that I have something to show you next time.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and getting some stitching time. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

A really cool giveaway!

2011-08-07T10:15:00.002-04:00

Lynn at Happiness is cross stitching! is having a third anniversary giveaway. Here is the really cool things she is giving away.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

New stash AND a NEW COMPUTER!!

2011-08-06T21:06:00.003-04:00

I will shortly show you my new stash, but first I have to wax eloquent about my new computer!! My old computer was so clogged up that it literally took 20 minutes to boot up. And surfing was more like dog paddleing - slloooowwwww. Now, I can't believe how fast this machine moves. And, the package I got came with a 20" flat panel - WOW! It almost scares me with the clarity and vibrance of the screen. I can't tell you how happy I am to have it.

My new stash is making me happy as well. I have a picture of some of it, some has yet to get to me and still more will come as soon as I order them. This is typically the time of year (or at least one of them) I go bonkers and binge on stash!! I use the excuse of the upcoming MB trip, but I get more stuff than what will be done for and at that. But, come on, this really is my only addiction, and everybody has to have one don't they?? Actually, the Just CrossStitch magazine is part of my subscription, so technically, it isn't even a new purchase. Do I hear a little rationalization going on here?? Some of this will be used for my MB exchanges, and some I will stitch while I am at MB. I think that much of my stitching this month I will not be able to show you because they will be part of the exchanges. I can tell you that I have finished stitching my main Halloween piece, and know how I am going to finish it. I think I will do the finishing at my DD's house this Wednesday evening while she studies in her office.

I wanted to tell you all how much I appreciated your concern over my medical issues. I did see the surgeon last Monday, and she wants to keep the staples in for three weeks and hope that will resolve the issue. She is not at all pleased with the idea of my having the other surgery mostly because I obviously don't heal too well, and the other surgery will entail two spots. I am trying to be very good and taking my antibiotics on time and not lifting anything or stretching too much.

We are still suffering from the heat and lack of rain here in Kentucky as I think much of the rest of the country is as well. I hope all of us gets some relief soon! Until next time, have a happy, healthy stitchy time!

Last of July stitching and TUSAL

2011-07-29T22:16:00.007-04:00

I really can hardly believe that this is the end of July already. I know I have said it before, but time is really speeding up. The one way I can recognize that we are in the dog days of summer is by looking at the thermometer - this has been a record breaking hot summer for our area of the country, and it appears in quite a few other places as well. I hope where ever you are reading my blog from that you are able to keep cool however you can. I know that my gardens all look like jungles, but with my COPD, I can't get out there to do anything - bummers. To go along with my complaining about the heat, I chose to take my Second July TUSAL picture in front of the thermometer so that I will remember that this is the July/August shot!

I did get one more little red, white and blue ornament done for my All Year Long Tree. This is a old SanMan Original chart that was probably a freebie from her site. I did it on 16ct white aida with my choice of the DMC red, white and blue. It is backed with the fabric that it is laying on, and once again, I used the cute ribbon.

I had a little excitement this week - not of the good kind. Thursday morning I woke up to find that incision of the surgery I had June 23rd opened up again. So off to the emergency room did my daughter, Lisa, take me. They said that since my skin is old and damaged by the radiation treatments, it is not surprising that this happened. They stapled me up again, and I go see the surgeon that did the work on Monday. The ER doctor thought that I may end up having to have a skin graft to insure that it won't open up again. Bummers.

On to brighter, happier thoughts - I have started planning & stitching for the MB Retreat in October. At the retreat there is an Autumn, a Halloween and a Christmas Ornament exchange. There is also a "stitched piece" exchange as well. I have picked and started stitching my larger Halloween piece and a couple of little Autumn and Halloween ornaments to stitch. I have the new Cross Stitched Christmas book that has a couple of nice ornaments I may stitch as well as some other charts I am trying to decide between. In the exchange, if you bring one piece, you get one piece but if you bring more, you get more. I think I have settled on my stitched piece project, but I am missing a couple of the flosses, so I had better contact Amy at Down Sunshine Lane here real soon. I guess many of you are thinking I am starting this pretty early, but I am a pretty slow stitcher so I need to get going on this.

I sent Debbie of SoCaDebbie out the Traveling Stash box, so if you are interested in joining the fun go to her blog. I am sorry, I don't know how to do links. I think while I am at MB I'll ask some of the other girls how it is done - better put that on my list - LOL!!

Thank you all once again for visiting my blog and especially for leaving comments. It is really fun to read what you all have to say. So until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

And the winner is.....

2011-07-26T19:16:00.002-04:00

The winner of the Traveling Stash is..........

SoCalDebbie

If you are interested in possibly getting it the next time, follow Debbie's posts! Debbie - please email me your snail mail address and I will get this out to you soon!

More Traveling Stash info

2011-07-24T23:39:00.002-04:00

I am sorry that I posted about the Traveling Stash without enough information known by me for you all! I spent some time this evening tracking down thee origination of the Traveling Stash, and I found that it has always appeared to be a U.S. only opportunity. I also didn't post what little rules there are about it. It seems you are to look through the box of stash and find anything that you would like, and keep it. Then you are supposed to add to it at least the same number of things you took away, if not more. I do not know what the original Traveling Stash box contained, but now it is stuffed full of mostly older charts, several different kinds of fabric and floss, and some smaller kits. If anyone wants to take part in this pass forward, please leave a message on my Friday's post.

Since I didn't give you all the full information on Friday night, I am going to wait until Tuesday night to draw a winner. I am sorry that I have to tell so many people that they can't play. I will try later this year to put together another stash box open to everyone!

I have started gathering supplies for projects that I want to do for the PALS MB Retreat in October. It is a wonderful retreat with several different exchanges that are really a lot of fun! I also found a couple apps for my ITouch that maintains a floss inventory for me so that I know what I need at a moments notice when I find myself in a craft store. Cool, huh?

Well it is late and I need my sleepy time - thank you for stopping by and leaving messages. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

The Traveling Stash goes forward!!

2011-07-22T21:07:00.002-04:00

When I got home last night I found the Traveling Stash box from Diane at Nan's Needlework Notions. I spent quite a bit of time playing in the stash, removing a couple of things and am now ready to add some new things and send it on. This isn't much notice, but if you would like to be considered to get the Traveling Stash, please comment on this post, and I will draw a name on Monday night. As soon as I get the name and snail mail address of the winner, it will be off giving one of you a little bit of Stashy joy~!

Thank you Vonna, Twisted Stitcher - show off time!!

2011-07-16T17:06:00.004-04:00

First things first - I have to thank Vonna of Twisted Stitcher for having such wonderful tutorials!! Friday, due to some schedule changes, I found myself with a day off and nothing terrribly pressing to do - that doesn't happen very often!! Anyway, I chose to take the time to do some finishing work, and of course I turned to Vonna's tutorials! Well she is just amazing! I followed her steps in making my first Flatfold, and I think Idid great! What do you think? Sorry the
pictures look a little blurry. It wasn't a very bright day, and my camera takes forever to take a picture when there is not much light. I have a tough time staying still that long. I guess I should say that this is Spring Basket by Lizzie*Kate stitched on 16 ct blue hand dyed aida(can't remember the name or dyer) with the called for GAST threads. I am really thrilled with the way it turned out, and am planning to make some others in the future!!

I also had some time to finish a couple of my red white and blue ornaments for my all year long tree. The first one is Land That I Love an older Erica Michaels chart I got in MB on some scrap 18ct blue aida that I also got in MB. I used DMC floss for it - my choice. The material that it is laying on is the backing with a shiny blue star button and what I think is darling ribbon.

The second is a chart from the Prairie Schooler leaflet Sunny Days. It is stitched on natural 16ct aida with the called for DMC floss. Again, the fabric the ornament is laying on is the backing material with the same cute ribbon.

My DD comes home tomorrow from her cruise, and my DGD and me can't wait to see her!! We both missed her very much. Since I have been the person mostly taking care of DGD I have had very little free time except for this Friday. I am hoping to be back posting and reading blogs!! Oh! and if this post is all messed up it is because I am trying to do it from my DD's laptop. I am a desktop computer person, and I have a tough time typing on this!

I also wanted to thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving comments. It really does make my day! So until next time - have a happy, healthy stitchy time!!

Thank You Thank You

2011-07-01T22:47:00.006-04:00

You all were so right!! When I moved the button over to the middle it just said this is where I belong! See! It really is amazing how terrific the stitchers of blogville are to one another. Since I don't have any stitchy friends near me, you all really are there when I need you. Thanks so much!

Have a wonderful weekend - mine started out much better now - hehehe

July TUSAL & question on Bloom

2011-07-01T12:04:00.006-04:00

First I think I will show you my TUSAL and get the business portion of this post finished. My little July TUSAL scene will remind me of what was going on when my ort jar was this full. The little ornament in progress is from the Prairie Schooler leaflet Sunny Days. I am hoping this is just one of four red, white and blue pieces I get done this month. Oh that sounds like a goal - something I have not been keeping up with lately. Maybe that is a sign of good things in the future. One can hope. The closeup of the the ort jar shows light blue threads from the Lizzie*Kate Spring Basket piece I had been working on. It is finished stitching, but when I went to make it into a pillow, I could not find the fabric I want to use to back it in my craft room. How frustrating is that? I really didn't have a lot of time to look, so maybe this afternoon I will be able to find it - I hope so!!

Now to my questions on Bloom. Here are two pictures of Bloom, I finished it into a little pillow with this really cool backing fabric that I got from Michele at Just Another Stitching Blog in an exchange earlier this year. On the first one I show it without the embellishment of the medium sized flower button. The second one shows it with the embellishment. Which do you like better. And if you like the one with the button, should I put some of the little center buttons across the bottom. I really can't decide at which point it gets over the top. Any input would be much appreciated.

Our group of friends and family are going to spend this coming holiday weekend up in Chicago. One of our friends daughters and her family live there so we are going to visit them and try to see some sites while we are there. There will be a total of 12 people in the group. DH and I and another couple are going to stay in a VRBO apartment, and some of the younger generation are going to sleep on air mattresses and the daughters house. Should be a fun weekend, and I will report back at the beginning of the week.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. If this is a holiday for you, what are your plans? If not, have a wonderful relaxing weekend. Thank you for stopping by my blog and especially for leaving comments! I do really love reading them!! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Sale find and lily bed

2011-06-26T20:38:00.006-04:00

Last Monday I went with DH to a doctor's appointment, and afterwards to Panera for lunch. That was nummy, which is no surprise. Since we had met at the doctor's office, we both had our cars so after lunch DH went back to work, and I thought I might check out the Hancock Fabric store in the same shopping center. I thought I could see big SALE signs, and, you know. Well, they were having a Christmas in June sale, and I could have gone really crazy, but I just bought a couple of quarter yards of some cute Christmas ornament backing fabric, and this:

I have been looking for one of these ornament trees for quite a while, and I got this one for 70% off!!! WHOOO HOOOO. I am really happy with it, but I sure am going to have to get on the ball to stitch up a lot more ornaments. DD and DGD stopped by this morning, and DD really liked it but DGD liked the little sad looking Christmas tree better. At three, she is a little too honest and told me I had too many empty spots on this one - LOL!

This last Thursday I had to make another trip to the OR. There was some significant scar tissue build up left from last year's mastectomies which had to be removed. It was really weird because the surgeon told my DH that I would be in a great deal of pain from this surgery, and that instead of sending me home like planned she was going to keep me overnight to do some pain management. Only thing was, I have had very little pain and some serious pain meds. So, I got to go home on Thursday, and I haven't had to take any pain meds since Saturday morning. Go Figure. I have to go into the surgeon's office on Tuesday to get the drainage tube removed, and I can't wait to talk to her about why there was so much discrepancy.

But, I am going to use the surgery as an excuse for not having any stitchy pix for you today. I am going to try really hard to finish Spring Basket tonight and then try and finish it and Bloom into pillows tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Since I don't have any stitchy pix, I thought I could brighten your day with pictures of my lily bed. It just started exploding with blooms this last week. In the fall I have to do some serious thinning of the bed. It is hard to believe that this bed started out with just one or two plants of the different colors! You can't really see in these pictures, but there are a ton of the yellow stellas in this bed, and I think we are just going to try and take most of them out this fall. That should give the others more space to bloom.

Well, I need to start stitching if I am going to finish Spring Basket tonight. Thank you so much for stopping and visiting my little blog. Your comments really mean a lot to me. I am always so impressed at having people from all over the world visiting me. How cool is that?? So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Gonna bore you with a few more wedding pictures

2011-06-13T21:04:00.004-04:00

Well, I did warn you. So if you are here, you came to see these: Of course, you have to have a pretty picture of the bride and groom, and I think this one is very sweet.

This is my daughter, Lisa, doing her Maid of Honor thing. I was worried when they first said what color the gowns would be because a ligher lavender would not have been good on her - this was good.

Here is my son and grandson. I have no idea what their Aunt Sally (the photographer) said to Harrison that made him look so shocked, but I thought it was a cute picture.

Last, but defintely not least, is my DGD, Lily doing her flower girl thing. We were really worried that she would balk and not even go down the aisle, but she did great. Our good friend, who she calls Poppy, seems to approve from behind.

Okay, no more wedding pictures, I promise. But I did say that if I saw any great ones I would share. My SIL, Sally really did take a ton of great pictures. Gotta do something nice for her sometime....

Thanks for stopping by, and really thanks for all your nice comments about the first batch of pictures I subjected you to. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

A bit of wedding and a bit of stitching

2011-06-12T22:30:00.008-04:00

Good evening! I can almost say that I had a pretty relaxing day today! Did a little shopping and a little stitching and some paperwork, but not much.

Well, I promised some pictures of the wedding, and while I don't have many, here are a few to prove there actually was one - LOL The first picture is of my DS#2 and his groomsmen. To his left, with the goatee kinda thing is my DS#1. The young man on the far right is my DGS!! Of course, I am not proud of any of them - MUCH. And yes, my DS#2 is VERY tall and skinny - LOL.

This next picture is of my new DDIL and her bridesmaides. To the brides right is my DD, and this picture is missing my DGD for whatever reason?

This last picture from left to right is my DD, my DGD, my DDIL, DS#2 and his best friend the Best Man. I am hoping that when we get some more pictures that there will be better ones of my two grandkids, they looked so cute that day! Of course, they had to do a little negotiating to get the DGS to pose for the pictures - typical 12 yo - LOL. If I get any great ones, I will be sure to share them with you.

Stitching wise, I don't believe that I ever showed you the June ornaments I finished for my All Year Long tree. They are from the Prairie Schooler leaflet Sunny Days. I did them on 18ct natural aida with the called for DMC floss. I backed the ornaments with the fabric that they are laying on. There is a flag ornament in this leaflet that I want to stitch for July along with several other ones from my stash. I never did get Bloom finished into a pillow, but I am stitching Lizzie Kate's Spring Basket again, this time for myself, and when it is done, I will make both pillows. I think they will look fine out for the entire summer.

I hope next week I will have my head together enough to make some real goals for the rest of June and July. So many things I want to stitch, so little time - LOL.

Thank you all for stopping and visiting my blog. And, as always, I really appreciate it when you take time to comment. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

I don't know why there are so many wides spaces in this post, I just can't seem to get rid of them - sorry.

A Surprise, and a late TUSAL

2011-06-10T20:30:00.005-04:00

As most of you know, last weekend was my DS#2's wedding. Even though we were the parents of the groom, we seem to have had a lot to do, and many people flowing through our home for days. Sometimes it was pretty much chaos, but it was mostly good chaos. So, Friday morning found me sitting in my living room, folding laundry, wondering how we were all going to get through the weekend, when my DGD, Lily, came running into the house from going on an errand with my DH, Bill saying, "Grammy, you got a surprise!!". Here she came, carrying a small package I had no idea where it came from - it definetly was a surprise. In the package I found this:

Karen, http://karenshandiwork.blogspot.com/, had sent me this darling little pincushion with some of her very own pins. In it was a sweet note saying how she knew that weekend was going to be hectic and that she was thinking of me. That little package could not have come at a better time. It just took all my stress away as I thought about how lucky I was to have found such a great group of stitchy friends!!

I will update you all on my minimal stitching progress and more stories of the wedding with possibly a few pictures later this weekend. For now I just wanted to say thank you to Karen, and to post my tardy yet again TUSAL. As you can see, there has not been much progress in filling my ort glass. The picture of it with the flowers is to remind me that this was taken during our son's wedding celebration. We had the wedding party and some friends and family at our house the night before the wedding, and this was one of the flower arrangements that were decorating the house.

I am going to try to spend some time relaxing and stitching and trying to catch up with all of your blogs this weekend - it looks like you have been busy while I have been away. Can't wait to see what you all have been up to doing!

Just a quick note..

2011-05-16T10:38:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to let you know that I have not given up writing or reading blogs, but I have to take some time away from it right now. We seem to have been finding more and more things that we want to get accomplished this month before my DS's wedding June 4th, and it is seriously messing with my stitching and blogging time - LOL. I am doing a very little bit of stitching, and I will take pictures, but I really have too much on my plate right now.

So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

HAPPY OAKS DAY!! and a late TUSAL

2011-05-06T15:37:00.007-04:00

You all probably wonder what I am talking about, but you must remember that I am from Kentucky. Tomorrow is the famous Kentucky Derby in Louisville, and today is the Kentucky Oaks. This is the biggest race for female horses. Churchill Downs is as packed for this day as they will be tomorrow. My bright colors of my blog are the types of colors that you will see all over Louisville tomorrow, even on those folks that are not lucky enough to get to go to the track, like me.

My May TUSAL is also in tune with the Kentucky Derby. My ort jar is sitting next to a Mint Julep glass from a former Derby. There are folks that collect these glasses even if they don't like Mint Juleps, like me. This picture is looking out our back deck. Isn't everything beautifully green? And, the most important thing is that the sun is shining! We have had way too much rain, and our rivers are all flooding. This isn't as bad as the folks in Alabama though, because the folks here that live near the rivers are used to being flooded. I sure do feel so bad for those tornado victims. I saw where Faye (Carolina Stitcher) was cleaning her closets to send some of her clothes to help out - I am planning to do the same. Good idea, Faye.

On the stitching front, I have a stitching finish to show you, but I have yet to actually finish making it into a pillow yet. This is Bloom from Cherrywood Designs which was in the May issue of Cross-stitch and Needlework magazine. I did change the colors to ones that I had on hand, but I think it turned out okay. The little pillow it will become will rest on my mantle for the summer, as I really love flowers. I hope to make at least one more pillow before June, but we will see. In regards to hopes and goals, I know I need to update what I got accomplished in April and name what I hope to do in May, but this post will be long enough without that. Maybe I will be able to post again at the beginning of the week.

One more quickie - I promised a picture of my latest stash enhancement from Amy, and so a promise is a promise. The top row are JBW Designs and the bottom row are Lizzie*Kate designs. I think that I have to do the Lizzie*Kate Summer one really soon - it is yelling my name - LOL!

I hope you all have a wonderful Derby weekend, wherever you are. And, if you are so inclined, I hope you pick the winner!! Thanks for stopping by my little blog and leaving such wonderful messages. They really do mean alot to me. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

43 (GULP) years ago yesterday...

2011-04-28T08:17:00.004-04:00

Yes, yesterday my DH, Bill, and I celebrated our 43 anniversary. Wow, that is a loooonnng time!

And, since many of you are posting then and now pictures, I thought I would as well. Actually, though, these are pretty scary - so be careful. LOL

04/27/68 - These youngsters are kinda cute aren't they? Yes, those are daisies around the base of the wedding cake. Daisies were my favorite flowers because I think they are so cheerful. Nowadays, though, I like many different flowers. And, just look, both those kids have hair with color - go figure!

10/09 Now, I do have to admit that my "now" picture was actually taken awhile ago. I am not really cheating, I just don't have a current picture of the two of us. Bill looks pretty much the same, but I sure don't. Oh well, we are both still here and very happy about that! You can also see that we both take up much more of the picture than we used too - OOPS!

I really don't have much stitching news, except I was a very bad girl and visited Amy's sale or trade list. And, let's just say she doesn't have nearly the list she used to. Maybe next week I will have the guts to take a picture of all my new stash. (I will have to do it when DH isn't around - LOL) I am working on Bloom, and hope to have it done by the first part of next week. Camping this weekend may slow that down though.

I hope everyone there out in blogland has stayed safe from all these terrible storms! Tuesday night the weather reports had a tornado aiming right at our house. Thankfully it undeveloped before it got there. So many have not been so lucky, and my heart goes out to each of them.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and until next time - have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Happy Easter! With pix and plans...

2011-04-24T10:17:00.011-04:00

Happy Easter

I hope you all are having a happy holiday! We are lucky enough to have our DD, Lisa and our DGD, Lily here with us for the Easter celebration. And, yes, the Easter bunny was aware that Lily and Lisa were not at home, but at our house, so you needn't worry for them. I don't know if you can see it or not, but in the middle of the table is a very tall, very dark red lily. (DGD Lily gets a lily every Easter) I had never seen one like this before, but when I did, I made sure the Easter Bunny brought me one too - LOL!

Stitching wise, I decided to stitch two little flower ornaments for my All Year Long tree. I thought I could keep them on for most of the summer. After I stitched them, I spent some time finishing the four ornaments. I really fell in love with the backing on my bunny and chick ornaments. I have the ornaments laying on the fabric that I used. Can you see the cute little jelly bean ribbon I used for the hangers. I just loved it! I just noticed that the picture is really dark - sorry I don's know why.

Well, I hope you can see that I used a different backing on the flower ornaments because I wanted them to be more flexible season wise. I did like the ribbon I found to use as their hangers as well. These flowers came from a larger Bloom Chart that was in the Cross Stitch and Needlework May magazine. It was charted to be done with only half a cross stitch and using Pearl Cotton #5, but I thought they would look cute done in regular cross stitch. I was pleased to learn that the color numbering was the same or at least very similar in both fibers. So, with the four ornaments in place, this is what my April / Easter tree looks like.

I have been doing some thinking, and I have decided to put Peaceable Kingdom and my Christmas Spirit series away until after my DS#2, Matt's wedding. I really have a lot I need to get done before the big event, and not a lot of time available. Somehow, we have not one but two camping trips scheduled between now and then, and Derby / Mother's Day weekend as well. I can carry some little projects with me on the camping trips, but I don't want to haul the big ones with me. So, I am going to try to stitch up a couple of pillowes or cube type projects to have as decoration in my house. Those would be easier to carry around. That way, when it calms down around here again, I can leisurely get the two biggies back out. I don't think this is rationalization, I think it is proactive thinking. Or, I am I just kidding myself?????

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and a great week. Thank you all for stopping by and leaving comments - I really do enjoy them so much! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Progress Report

2011-04-17T21:57:00.006-04:00

Gosh, it is hard to believe that it is already more than halfway through the month of April. Time is perpetually spinning faster and faster!

This weekend we spent in Louisville because Saturday was Thunder Over Louisville! This is the opening event in a two/three week Festival celebrating the Kentucky Derby which is held the first Saturday in May. Thunder is an Air Show that starts about 2 in the afternoon, and goes until 9 at night. Then comes the largest annual fireworks display in the country. It is really a wonderful event, and one I look forward to every year. This year, however, the weather was pretty miserable, and much of the Air Show could not be done because of a really low ceiling. But, we were there, freezing our tails off, and enjoying what was performed. And, this was the biggest of the Fireworks displays, and it was awesome. Where we watch it, you can FEEL the impacts of the fireworks exploding. Such a charge! Then, today, was a bridal shower for my son and his fiance. So, this weekend wasn't too stitchy productive.

But , I won't let you off with just that statement. If you are good enough to stay with me, I will show you how far I am with my goals. First, I have stitched two little ornaments for my All Year Long tree. The little chick and bunny come from the same leaflet that I found the Leprechaun Hat in for March. You will be seeing more from this leaflet as the year progresses. I find they are the perfect size for my little tree. I don't think I told you last month that the leaflet is a 1993 leaflet named Holiday Cuffs. And the designer is Jorja Hernandez. I stitched the chick on white aida, and the bunny on pale blue using DMC floss.

I should also give you and update on my Peaceable Kingdom project. I am sorry for the darkness of the photo, it is fairly late at night here. As you can see, I have made pretty good progress on the giraffe, and have done some of the backstitching on the little boy in the green outfit. This week, I hope to get the giraffe finished and more of the backstitching done. Next weekend being Easter, probably won't have much stitching time then so I am hoping to get some good evening stitching time.

I just had some really exciting news. A cousin from Sweden, who just made the familiar connection about two years ago. is coming to America in the fall, and is going to come to Louisville! It will be so much fun meeting him in person and showing him our area of the country.

Well, not a lot of stitchy news, but I thought I ought to try this posting of pictures through Blogger rather than Picasa. I hope this works! Thanks for your patience with me on these "issues". Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Don't know for how long, but

2011-04-14T22:28:00.001-04:00

if you are still interested, the pictures are there for the moment. Thank you for being so patient with me. I really don't know what happened, but for now, I guess it is okay! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I am sorry!

2011-04-12T10:35:00.002-04:00

I do not know what happened to my pictures, they were there last night. I won't be able to repost them until the weekend because I won't be at the computer that has them until then. What a mess! I guess I won't upload them from Picaso anymore. Boy, that ticks me off!!

She liked it! And, I loved it!! AGAIN

2011-04-11T14:33:00.004-04:00

EDIT: I hope this time when I upload them without Picasa they will show up and stay up - wish me luck!

Well, I hope this works this time. I don't know what happened last night, but when I finished typing my post, the whole thing just disappeared. I can tell you that as tired as I was, this was very frustrating - LOL. Now that I am over it, I will try this once again with a calm disposition. (If any of you know me, I know that you are laughing because I am NEVER calm!)

The exciting things I had to tell you were that my first blogger exchange is over, and I believe that it was a wonderful success! I heard from Michele at Just Another Stitching Blog, that she received my package, and she liked it! I was very happy to hear this. I was pretty happy with the way my piece turned out, you be the judge.

This is an old Lizzie*Kate chart called Spring Basket. I stitched it on some hand dyed fabric which I believe was called Polar Ice. (I hate it when CRS hits - LOL) I did stitch it with the called for overdyed floss. Then the scary part, I finished it into a little pillow. I did send some goodies with it, but I forgot to take a picture of them before I sent it - DUH. You can check on her blog for pictures of what I sent. She didn't forget - LOL.

Then, this weekend, I got Michele's package, and I was blown away! I loved everything that she sent me - and boy did she send me everything! Look at all that great stuff! The darling Easter towel, the little Easter egg candle holder, and the very springy photo album! She also sent me a lovely spring fat quarter that I am going to use for an ornament this month. I will probably use it for another ornament next month - Whoo Hooo! I don't know it you can see in the middle of all the goodies the cutest little SanMan button. It really cracked me up, and I can't wait to find a place to put it.

But now, you must see a close up of the darling pillow she stitched for me! I am really loving it. It is going to reside under my All Year Long tree for this month. It will work just perfectly there! And, that was not the only thing that she made for me Look at this darling scissor fob with the scissor and hand made heart charms. Isn't is just the cutest? What was cool was she sent me some WDW floss that matched the colors of the beads of the scissor fob. They certainly will come in handy soon.

Lastly, she sent me some of the coolest looking candy ever. I had never seen either of these before, and I am almost sorry to eat them. (Not so sorry as to not eat them, mind you.) It was really great because they are milk chocolate, and that it my favorite!

So, as you can see, this exchange was just wonderful. I am thinking that I will want to do another one sometime after my DS#2's wedding the first part of June.

As far as my stitching goes, I am not getting much time to stitch. We spent all of this last weekend out in the yard. And I mean two twelve hour days out there. We got most of the flower beds cleaned, planted and mulched, so we are pleased with our efforts. We still have to finish the beds that go around the house. My family is going to be coming to stay with us for my son's wedding, and I really want it to look good for them. And, besides, it is the time of year to do this anyhow. I have almost finished stitching the giraffe in Peaceable Kingdom, and also one of the Spring/Easter ornaments. I hope to have pictures of them to show you next week.

For those of you that have made it this far in this long post - congratulations! I really am so grateful for all of you who visit my blog and take time to comment. The comments go a long way in motivating my stitching mojo! So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

She liked it! And, I loved it!!

2011-04-10T22:05:00.003-04:00

RATS MICE BEATTLES AND BUGS - the post I just spent a long time writing is gone - what a bummers. I guess I will have to do it all over again, but not tonight - I am exhausted.

TUSAL Report for April

2011-04-03T18:01:00.004-04:00

What a beautiful April day we are having here in Kentucky. Got to spend most of this weekend outside working in the yard. Finished cleaning up and transplanting and mulching two of our flower beds - show pictures when they bloom in late May early June.

My TUSAL jar looks a little fuller. With all the work on Peaceable Kingdom, my March ornaments and my exchange piece, there was some serious orting going on! See for yourself, Byron the bunny wanted to show you how it looked. Probably not the best picture, but I wanted to get a feel for the season so when I look back at the updates, I can see where I was at different seasons.

Only problem with beautiful spring days, they are usually followed by very tired spring evenings. LOL

I am getting ready to grill a steak, and then after dinner, I hope to do some stitching. I don't think I would be much good for anything else.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend, and thanks for stopping by and leaving such great comments.

March update and April goals

2011-04-01T19:33:00.007-04:00

Well, here are my March goals and what happened with them. As you can see, I fell a little short this month. I have realized that I just can't get as much done in the spring as I can in the winter. Go figure. Oh well, I know to reduce my goals for this next month.

8. Stitch and finish another LITTLE March ornament. DONE

7. Stitch and finish a LITTLE March ornament. DONE

6. Stitch Santa from the L*K Christman Spirit series. NOPE

5. Finish my first exchange piece. DONE

4. Stitch my first exchange piece. DONE

3. Stitch the giraffe. Nope - Got his head stitched, but not his neck.

2. Stitch the boy with the blue and white shirt.DONE

1. Finish stitching blonde little girl in front of the boy with the red shirt. DONE

And, I did stitch and finish one other little March ornament, so that was good - right? Here is an updated picture of my Peaceable Kingdom, looks kinda funny with a giraffe's head floating in the air - LOL! You may have noticed that I finished my exchange piece as well, but I can't show it to you yet. It is to be mailed out on Monday, so it should not be too long before I can show it to you. I feel pretty good about how it turned out, I hope Michele likes it! I had a whole lot of fun putting it together.

Now for my April goals - gulp!

1) Finish stitching the giraffe's neck.

2) Backstitch the two little people in front.

3) Stitch Santa in the Christmas Spirit series.

4) Make and finish an Easter/spring ornament.

5) Make and finish an Easter/ spring ornament.

This is going to be a bit of a busy month with Derby festival events and wedding showers for my son and his fiance, along with some camping thrown in for good measure. I will just have to make better use of my weekday evenings, that's all.

Once again, thank you for visiting my blog, and especially for taking time to leave a comment. They really do make my day, or night - LOL! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

PK update and a surprise!

2011-03-26T12:48:00.007-04:00

Happy weekend everyone! Our weather here isn't very happy - cold, and they even said the "s" word in the forecast. I sure hope not - I would like spring to stay around. Oh well, it is what it is. To update you on my progress on Peaceable Kingdom, I have finished the little boy in the blue and white shirt. Not much of him really shows up because there are other little people standing in front of him. I wanted to finish him up though, so I could easily see where to start the giraffe. Which, incidentaly is what the little yellow blob is above the kids heads. Who knew giraffe's had beards? I surely didn't, but this designer thought they did, so I went with it. I am hoping that I can get the giraffe done this week, but I am afraid that I won't get my Christmas Spirit chart done. Guess I did ask too much of myself this month. I think I forgot about what an affect good weather would have on my time - yard work ? What's that? I will try to remember that when I post my April goals next weekend. Now for some fun stuff!! When I came home from Louisville Thursday night, I had a surprise package waiting for me! When my DH first said I got a package I got paniced! Oh NO!! I thought I had screwed up and was supposed to have already sent out my exchange piece! But, the package wasn't from Washington, it was from Indiana! Diane, from Nan's Needlework Notions, sent me a surprise Easter present. When I opened it, I found the cutest little tulip pincushion you have ever seen! The perfect little spring piece to sit by my stitchy spot! Isn't it just darling? You will get to see it next week when I post my TUSAL. I think it deserves a place on honor in that picture! Thank you so much, Diane, I really do love it! Thank you all, too, for stopping by my blog and taking time to leave a comment. I thank you all for your comments on my All Year Long tree, but that was not my idea originally. I stole, no I mean copied, the idea from Faye at Carolina Stitcher. She has been showing hers for at least most of last year, and I thought it was a fantastic idea. And, I have loved doing it. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Spring, stitching and stuff

2011-03-21T21:20:00.004-04:00

Well for a couple of days we have had spring, but it appears the temps are going to go back down by the end of the week. Bummers. I was able to spend some time out in two of the flower beds this weekend though. This first picture is a very blurry pix of some of the daffodils blooming and I think you can see some tulips and irises just now coming up. We had used this particular bed last year for a burn pile mainly because I had not been able to spend any time working outside last year. We were happily surprised to see that the bulbs survived the burn. I guess that is what they talk about when they do "planned burns" in the forests out west. This other picture is my day lily bed. It needs to have the clumps divided, and I plan to move some of those into the previous bed now that we have it cleaned out. I will try to remember to take a picture of this bed when it is in bloom - it is probably my favorite. Now I just have three more flower beds and my rose garden to clean up. But it looks like next weekend is going to rain so I may just have to use it as a stitching weekend. Wouldn't that be awful - LOL!

Speaking of stitching, I have a little to show you. Here is my All Year Long tree decked out for March. The fabric that it is sitting on is the backing on the three shamrock ornament in the center of the tree. I am actually going to take the ornaments down and stuff them and finish them while I am at DD's house this week. This morning my DH had a routine procedure at the hospital, and then this afternoon I had my periodic checkup with my Internist. So, that meant that I had a lot of extra waiting room stitching time today. So, I was able to finish stitching the blonde little girl and much of the boy in the blue shirt on my Peaceable Kingdom piece. Please excuse the half finished row of stitches, the doctor had to interupt my stitching time to check me out. How dare he - LOL! And, for what it is worth, I checked out pretty good for an old woman with my medical history. I think that Wii Fit is doing me a lot of good. I know that I have advanced in many of the different exercises and am doing some of the things I couldn't do when I started - whoo hooo!!

Today is my DGS's 12th birthday. We so enjoyed having him and his parents here over Christmas. I sure do wish we lived closer though, Maine is a LONG ways away.

Many thanks again for stopping by my blog and taking time to leave comments. It is so amazing to have people all over the world with the same love of cross stitch "chatting" with each other. I wish I could convince some of my friends how great this is. Maybe someday. Again, thanks for stopping by - you comments mean a lot to me. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Somethings accomplished and some great gifts!

2011-03-14T22:57:00.008-04:00

I have accomplished some of what I set out to do, but not as much as I would have liked. I have finished stitching my exchange piece which I really do like. I even think I am going to stitch another one for me -LOL! Of course, I can't let you see it until next month, but as soon as Michele gets it, I will produce a picture. I also was able to finish stitching three little March ornaments. I had hoped to get the finishing work done on them this weekend, but it just didn't happen. The fabric they are laying on will back the two ornaments on the right side, but I have a different fabric for the third piece. I am really going to try to get these done this Friday when I am at home. I am hoping to do the finishing work on the exchange piece as well that day.

But now I must show you my special wonderful mail I received this last week. Shelleen, over at Queen Stitcher, sent me a lovely package with two pieces of her beautiful work. The Friends framed piece is now hanging in my craft room where I can see it from my desk. The towel is hanging on the stove with explicit rules NOT TO USE!! Aren't they both just beautiful?

This weekend our group of friends went to a Retreat House in Southern Indiana called Wooded Glen. It really was lovely - you sign up for a room, and get three very good homemade meals to go along with it. The rooms look just like a normal hotel/motel room, but in each section of rooms there is a huge gathering room which has a full kitchen, fireplace, two big screen tvs (one for the Wii) and several games including cornhole and a little putting game thing. There is also a sun room with tables and chairs and a patio outside the gathering room. You also have a little patio or balcony outside your bedrooms. The personnel there could not have been more friendly and helpful, and eveything was just wonderful. We all thought that this would be a fantastic place to have either a company meeting/conference or even a family reunion. I think a stitching retreat would be fabululous there!! And no, I am not getting a reduced rate for babbling on about the place - LOL!!

Thank you again for visiting my blog and for leaving such kind comments. I really do appreciate each and every one of them! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitching time!

TUSAL PIX and Updates

2011-03-04T20:08:00.006-05:00

Well, my TUSAL glass doesn't look all that much fuller to me, but I know that I have done a lot of stitching in this month. Guess I just was real good at using all the strand that I had pulled. That is a good thing, right? Most of the threads are from PK with a few Cookies and the new exchange piece mixed in. I apologize for the darkness of the picture, but it is night time here. I knew I wouldn't have an opportunity to do this tomorrow because we are having our 3 yo DGD spending the weekend with us. We are loving it, but it does keep us BUSY! I thought I would try and "Spring" my TUSAL up a little with a bouquet of Lilies bought by Grand Daddy to celebrate DGD Lily's visit. Obviously, I am not a photographer, but luckily enough, my DS#2 is marrying one in June. Maybe after that, my blog will start looking better - LOL!!

I can't show you any update pictures of my stitching this week, but I am almost finished stitching my exchange piece. I am really loving it, and am going to have to stitch it again sometime. I got a little extra stitching in this week because my coworker twisted her natural knee (she had the other one replaced last March), and I had to get her to the orthopedic doctor and wait while she was seen. The doctor gave her a cortizone (sp) shot, and some pain pills and sent her on her way. She said that she will be having to have this knee replaced sometime in the not too distant future. She really bounced back quick from that last surgery, so I am sure she won't wait as long to get this one fixed.

Well, since we have our little guest this weekend, I am sure my stitching will suffer a little, but I am still going to try to meet my goals. Next weekend DH and I will be spending at a retreat house with our good friends. Supposed to be a 36 hour relax-a-thon - that would sure be good for all of us.

Thank you all so much for coming and visiting my blog and for taking the time to leave a comment. I really do appreciate it very much!! So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time.

PK final Feb update, March goals

2011-02-28T16:21:00.007-05:00

I can hardly believe that this is the last day of February. Time is just flying, I must be having a ball - LOL. And, I guess I am - this is a much better year than last year.

Rather than bore you with a copy of February's goals, just know that they are listed to the right of this post, and I FINISHED ALL OF THEM!! WHOO HOO!!

To set the stage for my March goals, I thought I ought to show you a picture of what Peaceable Kingdom is supposed to look like when it is finished. Remember this cover picture has been carted around for 10 years, so it is showing its wear. But, I think you can get the idea of what it is supposed to look like anyhow. Now, here is what PK looks like on the last day of February. There is still a good ways to go, but I can see progress, which is a wonderful thing. So, now, I can more easily explain my March goals.

March Goals:

1. Finish stitching the little blonde girl in front of the boy with the red shirt.
2. Stitch the boy with the blue and white shirt.
3. Stitch the giraffe. (hopefully)
4. Stitch my first exchange piece (goody, goody)
5. Finish my first exchange piece (gulp)
6. Stitch Santa in the L*K Christmas Spirit series.
7. Stitch and finish a LITTLE March ornament for my all year long tree.
8. Stitch and finish another LITTLE March ornament for my all year long tree.

I know that this is a pretty ambitious set of goals. Some of the goals are firm, the exchange needs to be sent out on April 9, so I have to finish that, and some are pretty soft, finishing the giraffe will be a major accomplishment. But, might as well try, right?

I guess I ought to tell you that since I have started on the Wii with DD Lisa, I have done at least a half an hour everyday but one either at Lisa's or at my house. I am really pleased with that, and I already feel better and have more stamina. That is a good thing.

You all continue to make me feel so blessed to have you all come and visit my blog and take time to leave me such kind comments. I really do appreciate it very much. So, until the next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Another Feb Goal completed and a sweet addition to my stitching spot.

2011-02-19T22:25:00.004-05:00

I just now put in the last stitchs on the background sky for the section I was working on for Peaceable Kingdom. I also have all the backstitching done that I hoped to in February, so I am really proud of myself for that accomplishment. I am not sure how to set the goal on PK for March because it isn't like I could get another whole section done. So, I will think about it and come up with something by this weekend when I need to post my goals. By the way, that is when I will post an updated picture of PK since I am in Louisville for the week and my camera and ability to put on my computer are both at home.

Now, for my sweet little additional to my stitching spot. Last Saturday DH Bill and I were up here in Louisville to celebrate one of his BIL's birthday. All the siblings and spouses went out to lunch and then afterwards we all went to a Peddlar's Mall to look around. Well, we saw this little cutie, and just could not pass it up. So now I have a little sewing stand sitting next to my recliner. As you can see in the second picture, it holds both my TUSAL glass and my Scissors Bed along with a notebook and what you can't see is a pouch with all the little tools I carry around in case I need them like more needles, needle threaders, safety pins, and My Favorite Dololly! I think I am going to enjoy having it there because once I am done for the stitching time, I can just close it up and it becomes invisible!!

I wanted to thank you all for your comments on my new Wii Fit Plus, I do hope I can continue to work out on it regularly. I am convinced that it really makes a difference in my stamina and really in my ability to breath. So, here's hoping I keep it up!! I also wanted to thank you for all of your visits and comments, they really mean a lot to me. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Heart and Flowers

2011-02-18T22:46:00.002-05:00

Well I finished the heart this evening. This is a JBW Design, Amour, of which I stitched all but the word Amour. It is stitched on 18ct white aida, and with Victorian Motto floss called Pals Cherry Chill. This is the third piece that I have stitched with this floss, and I love it more with each piece. I think it looks so striking against the white of the fabric. I am not sure that I am going to get it finished this weekend, seems I have less and less spare time these days. But, stitching in those spare moments has been wonderful.

I have a picture of the flowers that my husband gave me for Valentine's Day that I should have shown you on Monday or Tuesday night. Keep in mind I took this picture this afternoon, five days after I got the beautiful flowers. I think they are holding up wonderfully. Also know that daisies are my most favorite flower, and were what I carried down the aisle almost 43 years ago. Also, we have a rose bed in our back yard, so we have roses in the house all summer long. Those two reasons are why I didn't get roses. I got what I really would love. Sometimes, Bill really does the right thing - LOL!!

With what little time I have left to stitch this month, I am going to work on finishing the bit of blue background on Peaceable Kingdom, and work on a new project. Yes, I am starting another new project. This one really excites me because it is for my very first exchange arranged over the blogs. I have done exchanges at the Pals convention, but never one on one like this. I am really thrilled that Michele (Just Another Stitching Blog) has agreed to do a Spring/Easter exchange with me. Whoooo Hooooo! So, there will be less pictures in March, but I still have some other things I want to get done. I will post my March goals next weekend.

Thank you all so much for visiting my blog and taking time to leave comments. It is quite a thrill to see comments from all over the world. What a great group of people us stitchers are!! Until next time have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Happy Valentines with Cookies but no Heart...

2011-02-14T21:02:00.003-05:00

I hope you all are having a wonderful Valentine's Day. I made DH his favorite meal, and he brought me a lovely bouquet of flowers. After 45 years together, I think that is pretty good - LOL! Actually, I also got the two of us a Valentine's present in the form of a Wii Fit Plus to go with our Wii. I have been using one at DD Lisa's house, and I really think it would be good for both of us to use it regularly. I will let you know how that goes..

I ended up not stitching the JBW Heart this weekend, I really didn't have much stitching time available, so I just finished Cookies, the third of the Lizzie*Kate Christmas Spirit charts. This is another of my February goals finished, and that is a good thing. I think I will still try to stitch the heart this week, but I know I won't have any time tomorrow night as Bill and I have GREAT tickets to the Univ. of KY basketball game - whoooo hoooo!

I did want to let you know that Lynn of Happiness is Cross Stitching blog is having a Valentine's giveaway of some of her handmade pieces. She does so many creative things, they are quite wonderful!! Sorry, I don't know h0w to make a link, but I hope you can find it!

Again, I have been thrilled by you all visiting and taking time to comment on my blog. Thank you so much!! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Great mail day..er week...

2011-02-11T21:06:00.004-05:00

I just got home from my week in Louisville working, and I had two lovely packages awaiting me. My DH says that the first one arrived on Wednesday, which didn't surprise me because it was an order from Amy at Down Sunshine Lane. I had a little fun at her Super Bowl sale, and that quickly I got my order. Just amazing customer service and pride in their business. Love to order from Amy! I think you can see that I HAD to order the new Lizzie*Kate "One Hundred Years". I want to stitch this for my daughter - hopefully for this year's Christmas. And I also got the new Prairie Schooler leaflet "Sunny Days". I thought I could stitch one or two of these for my summer All Year Long Tree. And lastly, I gave away to my new obsession over the JBW French Country designs. I am going to try to stitch up and finish the heart this weekend for my tree. Wish me luck.

And then on Thursday (my DH tells me), I received a package from a new Stitchy friend that I met at MB last year. Besides being a beautiful stitcher, Kathy (no blog) is a ceramics artist. And she sent me this cutest little "Snip-it" jar. She had said something about it at MB, but when I didn't get it , I just thought that she forgot. But, apparently, she lost the folder with our names and addresses in it, and had been looking all over for it. Finally, she just posted on the bulletin board that she needed our addresses. That, too, was this weekend, and I really didn't expect to see this package so soon. Pretty special lady, I would say. (You also might want to notice the scissor bed sitting next to the jar. Look how well they go together. That scissor bed was made by Charlene who has the blog Needle in Hand, and I got it in the Finished Piece exchange at MB last year.)

Stitching wise, I have almost nothing to report. Because I missed work on Tuesday I went into work today and didn't get off until after 7pm. So, my normal spending some time stitching on Friday was shot. Tomorrow DH and I are going back up to Louisville. He will be watching our 3 yo DGD while DD and I go to a "Sprinkle" Apparently that is the name of a Baby Shower for the second child in a family. Sounded cute to me. But, after that, I may be able to start my weekend - LOL.

Thank you all for all the kind comments on my Valentines ornaments, they really were fun to do. Blogging with such wonderful people sure does make stitching that much more fun. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Some LITTLE Happy Dances!

2011-02-08T18:10:00.005-05:00

Well, this should be interesting, because of the answers I got yesterday about having your comments sent to your email address, I went searching for how to do that. Somewhere in that hour and a half it took me to find that answer, I changed editors? So this is my first time trying to post, and things are really different! I couldn't take it - I switched back to the old editor until I have time to figure the new one out. Like that will ever happen!

Oh well, back to my happy dances. I did have some time yesterday afternoon to do a little finishing work, and so I have somethings to show you. I have to admit one of the things that had been holding me back from finishing these pieces was that I had purchased some fabric to use, and I couldn't find it. Does that tell you what my craft room looks like today? But, miracles happened, and I found the fabric so I got these three done. This first one looks in terrible shape, but what happened was when I was pressing the other two, I was using a damp cloth, and I didn't realize until I took this picture that I must have put the cloth on this ornament, and didn't iron it dry - oops! I is dry now. Sorry this picture is so big, don't know why.

Wow this has been one tough post, I am still not quite sure what is going on - whine, whine. Anyhow, this next picture is the little piece I stitched over the weekend, and the fabric that it is laying on is the backing of the ornament.

This last ornament is a piece I stitched and signed back in 2005, and just found a couple of weeks ago, so I got it made up with the fabric it is laying on as its backing.

Lastly, here is a picture of my year long tree with the ornaments on it. I did order the JBW French Country Heart chart from Amy at Down Sunshine Lane during her Super Bowl sale, and my DH tells me it came in the mail today - whoo hoo. I am going to try to stitch and finish it over the weekend so that it can go on the tree this year as well. Wish me luck.

Thanks for the help about the emailing situation. I think that will be a great way to work. I will hope to try it this time. And, I do appreciate all your visits and comments!

Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Delusions of grandeur...

2011-02-07T22:04:00.005-05:00

Last night I was stitching away while watching the Super Bowl. Granted I spent more time watching than I expected, but nevertheless, I almost finished my little Valentine ornament. The whole while I was thinking, I will finish it in the morning, and do the finishing on it and the other projects this afternoon. I had intended to show you a picture of my all year long tree all decked out for Valentines. Well, it was a nice thought, but - didn't happen. I could say it was the fault of the doctor, as I called him this morning and he had me come into his office. He also sent me to have a chest x-ray to make sure what I had wasn't pneumonia, which I have not received official word, but I am pretty sure I don't. I could blame him or the great drugs he gave me to make me feel better, but it probably wasn't that. I think it was just I didn't have the mojo for doing the finishing today - maybe tomorrow since I am not supposed to go to work then either. Good news is, I did finish stitching the ornament, which is a 1998 Charland Design freebie. I chose my own DMC floss as I didn't have either of the fibers they called for, but I think it turned out okay. Again, it is a dark picture, and I am sorry.

I know you all are tired of the snow, but I just had to try to show you what was happening in our backyard this afternoon. The flakes that were coming down were HUGE. I am old, and I never remember (maybe that's it) anyhow, I never remember flakes this big. And, we had probably three inches of snow on the grassy surfaces, but none on the streets. Perfect snow, as far as I am concerned. Now, of course, things have changed. It is gotten colder and the streets are full of slush and they are predicting very cold temps tonight. Not a pretty scenario for the morning drive. Guess I am glad I won't be putting in my 50 miles to work tomorrow!

I am overwhelmed by all the lovely comments and positive reinforcements I received on my Peaceable Kingdom. Thank you all so much. I am going to stitch the Lizzie*Kate Cookies the rest of the week and then get back to PK. Until then, or maybe IF I get my finishing work done and have a picture to show for it, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Oh! I meant to ask a blogger question. Quite often, if I have made a comment on a blog, the blogger will email me an answer or a thank you. Is this the proper blogger etiquette? If so, how do you get the commenters email address? I have clicked on the name, and it comes up with the blogger's profile, but doesn't have an address that I can see. Any help on this would be very appreciated.

A couple of goals met and progress pics

2011-02-06T17:50:00.002-05:00

Good Sunday evening! I hope everyone is feeling fine, I, on the other hand, am not. Unfortunately I have caught the crud that has been going around in this area. Head full and chest tight with coughing and sneezing. Bummers. I was hoping to go into the office an extra day tomorrow and finish moving 2010 files out of my office and settting up 2011 files. But that is not to be. I am hoping to go in on Friday and do a little extra then.

But now to stitchy news. I have been working on Peaceable Kingdom, and I have found out why this continues to be a WIP/UFO. Mostly, it is the background stitching that drives me crazy. It is done with a very light pale blue single strand on white fabric. I can barely see it and it takes me forever to stitch. Also, this piece must have the most backstitching on any project known to man. Am I whining, I am sorry. So here is the picture I made when I was setting up my goals, all wrinkley and messy. I really should have pressed it before I snapped the picture.

Here is where I stand with it today. I have finished the two little birdies and backstitched them, and I finished backstitching the elephant, and all of the leaves in this section of the piece. And I got some done on the background, but I did not complete this section. Since the stitching bugs me so much, I usually stitch one strand of the blue and then I go to some other part of the piece and work on it. So, I needed to move my piece so that I had some other things to stitch. I am sorry that the picture is so dark, it is a cloudy gloomy day here.

Tomorrow I am going to stitch on a Valentine piece and maybe do some finishing. That is, if I feel a lot better. The one good thing about being under the weather is that I couldn't go to a Souper Bowl party this evening, and maybe I can get some more stitching and resting done.

Thank you all for visiting my blog, and your messages are so wonderful. I really do enjoy reading them all. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

TUSAL and a bad report card

2011-02-03T23:15:00.005-05:00

My little snowlady wanted to be apart of showing my TUSAL, so there she is just pointing out my pile of orts. Since most of the country is under a pile of snow, I thought this apporpriate. But, come to think of it, you probably have seen enough - sorry.

About my bad report card - I was a bad girl this week and did almost no stitching. We were away for the weekend, and then I worked late every night this week and had no energy to stitch by the time I had settled down for the evening. Hopefully this weekend and next week will be a little better. I will try to post an updated picture of PK (Peaceable Kingdom) at the end of this weekend.

Thank you all for stopping by, and for all your wonderful comments. Until next time, have a happy healthy and stitchy time!

I know it is really not February, but...

2011-01-31T20:12:00.004-05:00

I will be working all day tomorrow, and I won't be able to play on my blog.

As I promised yesterday my first order of business is to check my January goals. I cut and pasted the original goals which did change a little only in the numbering of them. Here they are and the results - WHOOO HOOOOO

January stitching goals are:
1) Start Christmas Spirit banner. Stitch the L*K chart Holly as a start.
DONE, plus I stitched Stocking as well.

2) Finish Santa Clothes by Raise the Roof. SUPER DONE
3) Stitch one of my JBW Christmas Tree ornaments.
Well, I stitched two ornaments, but not the JBW Christmas Tree. I
think that is okay!

Now for the February Goals:

1) Finish the two aforementioned ornaments, plus a Valentine ornament stitched years ago but never finished.

Work on Peaceable Kingdom:
2) Back stitch rest of elephant and all the leaves.
3) Finish stitching the two little birds and back stitch them
4) Fill in all of the background blue sky for that whole section.

5) Stitch Cookies of the Christmas Spirit series.
6) Stitch and finish one more Valentine ornament.

This is a little more than what I strived for in January, but I got more done than I hoped for. Only problem is that looking at my calendar, I have at least one thing outside the home to attend every weekend in February. That could put a bit of a crimp in my style. I guess we will just have to wait and see. Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving all your comments - they are much appreciated! Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

The final finish for January - #5

2011-01-30T23:23:00.003-05:00

Well, I do realize that the border on the left side is not quite complete, but I will be fixing that when I start Cookies this week. Because of the difference in fabric color for my piece, I am having to make some adjustments in the floss colors. First, I have changed the border colors mostly because I like these better. Also, with the lighter fabric, the white just does not show up. Therefore I stitched a bit of red around the top of the stocking to highlight it. The garnet chain at the bottom was supposed to be white, but that just would not have shown up.

Tomorrow, I plan to post my January goal results (they were good), and post February's goals. Too late tonight for me to think how to word them.

Thank you all for stopping by and visiting my blog, your comments are so enjoyable to read. So, until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

My rememberer is broke

2011-01-28T10:54:00.002-05:00

I got this poem in an email this morning, and it screams my current life story. Is there anyone else out there in blogland with me?

Forgetter Be Forgotten?

My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm 'here' I'm wondering
If I really should be 'there'
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!

Oft times I walk into a room,
Say 'what am I here for?'
I wrack my brain,
but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
Where it is safe,
but, Gee!The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone
,Say 'Hi' and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, 'who the hell was that?

Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.

My Snowman Ornament is done!

2011-01-24T18:34:00.002-05:00

I have reached my last goal for January, and I am very happy about that. I just finished putting the bead on this little guy. I thought he spoke to not only the winter/ snowman scene, but he has a little Valentine in him too. I think he will be able to stay on my tree all the way thru February. I tried putting the stats on him on his picture, have to see whether I like that or not. Dunno.

Well, I think I am going to get an early start on my February L*K Christmas Spirit piece, "Stocking". I will post my February Goals next weekend. I won't be getting much stitching done then because we will be spending much of Saturday and Sunday at some friends house for our "Planning Weekend". At the start of each year there are three of us couples that get together and plan a weekend a month to do something. Whether it be camping or going to a cabin or sometimes just staying at one of our houses for the weekend, we try to set it up so that we don't run out of dates before we get to see each other. After we set these weekends up, we send the dates to our kids, and surprisingly many times they and their friends join us. I think that is just the cooolest thing!

Thanks for all your great comments! It is really exciting to see new ones each time I get on this site! Until next time, stay healthy, happy and stitchy!

My third 2011 finish!

2011-01-21T13:08:00.002-05:00

There are few designs that I know I want to do more than once, and this one is surely one of those. This is JBW's French Country V Reindeer done on 18 ct white aida with Victorian Motto Sampler Thread Pals Cherry Chill. I really liked working with this floss, and you get so much in each hank, you feel like you can do tons of things with it. I know I only used a tiny portion of the hank for this whole project! This is for a friend, so I am going to have to make another one of these for myself. I am not sure yet how I am going to finish this, but I am leaning towards a pinkeep or a mini-cube.

I am getting ready to kit up my snowman ornament that I was supposed to be doing instead of this reindeer, but I still have hope that I can finish the snowman this month. Wish me luck.

Thank you all so much for the positive comments you left about my Santa Clothes oops. They really made me feel much better about it. Until next time, have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!!

Thanks friends for your suggestions!

2011-01-16T14:42:00.004-05:00

Thank you so much for your suggestions to add some stitches!! I did as you said, and it did cover up much of the bleeding. There is still some showing, but I didn't think I could add any more stitches. I would never have thought to do this without your help, so you all win the best buddies award!! See, it does look some better!!

Happy & Sorta Sad Dance

2011-01-15T09:34:00.005-05:00

The really good news is that I have finished Santa Clothes!! And I did it in the month I had a goal to do it in - whooo hoooo!! Now for the sorta sad news... When I finished stitching this late last night, I was really tired, but I couldn't wait to press it and sew the buttons on. So, in my half asleep way, I went to press the piece. I didn't even think about the fact that the iron was set on steam. Well, you guessed it - one of the over dyed flosses ran. I am not sure you will be able to see it because I took this picture this morning and there wasn't much light. The part the ran the worst was Santa's bag, and there is a button that covers some of the run, but not all of it. So, I am just going to think about it as it is a laundry piece after all, and maybe Santa's bag would run after all its abuse. You buying it? Nope not me either, but I am still going to hang it up during Christmas season.

I am going to pull some thread and fabric tonight and stitch something new which should not take long. I will show you what it is when I am finished.

I was really thrilled at all of the wonderful comments I got on my last blog even after it was so loooonnnng! Thank you all so much! So, until next time have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

As promised, a stitchy update

2011-01-08T22:30:00.011-05:00

Well, I promised you that I would list my WIP's which mostly should be called UFO's. Some could be called antiques by the less generous, but I prefer to call them the Undone. Before I show you the pictures of the Undone, I wanted to show you something more positive. This is a picture of the first chart in the Lizzie*Kate Christmas Spirit series. I did already change some colors. The chart called for the outer border to be white, and the inner border to be Emerald (WDW), but I changed it to outer border - Garnet(WDW) and the inner border Holly(WDW). So, this is the first of my January goals accomplished - Whoooo Hoooooo.

Next, and I apologize for the wrinkles, is Raise the Roof's Santa Clothes. which I started just after I finished Raise the Roof's Witchy Washy. It is signed 2006, so I will have to go with that year as a starting date for Santa Clothes. It is still my goal to have this one finished this month. Since it is only the 9th, I can still have hope.

This is the next Undone that I really want to get done this year. That sounds like I am giving it a lot of time, but it is a cover all and is huge in my way of thinking. I believe that I am a little more than halfway finished with the piece. This is a Dimensions Kit called Peaceable Kingdom. I started this for my Grandson when he was just a couple of months old. That was in the middle of 1999. I am sure he would still love it, as he really appreciates my annual ornament, but I don't know how much longer that will last. Better get it done soon. (Please forgive these wrinkles, just pulled it out of Q snaps, and didn't try to press it first.)

I have three more Undones, but this next one is the only one that I think I could possibly hope to finish this year. This is a Design Works kit that I fell in love with the sentiment of and wanted it to hang in the entrance way to my new home. That was in 2001, and now we are looking to downsize in the next couple of years. Would like this to hang in this house for a little while anyhow. It doesn't worry me too much though, because the sentiment will travel with us. The title of the kit is Welcome Friends. I also really like the colors in this kit, and they are ones that will go with our things wherever we live.

There are only two more CROSS STITCH Undone's in my collection, and we won't discuss the Needlepoint Undone's since my goals were Cross stitch goals. At least that is the way I am rationalizing it. This next one I can consider a slim possibility of ever finishing, but I am not sure at all when... This is also my oldest Undone, and I am just guessing at a starting date of somewhere in the early 1990's - let's just say for the record 1992. It is a Janlyn Kit called Yuletide Bell Pull. I really like the way the designs pop out from the black fabric, but I really don't like stitching on black fabric. I have learned some techniques to make that easier, and I hope that will make the difference. Time will tell.

Lastly, this Undone is probably more accurately termed a Pipe dream. It is a huge piece that I would dearly love to do for my favorite niece. This young lady and her wonderful husband have been unable to have children of their own, so they have adopted five children and have fostered many more. Their average child count on any given month ranges from 6 to 10, and they are the best parents to them all. Wonderful people. So anyhow, this is Precious Moments Noah's Ark. and it will be something like 36 inches wide and 24 inches tall upon completion. Now you see why I have so little hope for it. But it will remain a goal until I can no longer stitch or I finish it, whichever comes first.

I also started doing the TUSAL http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/ with Daffycat . Here is the first picture, taken on Saturday, January 8th, 2011.

If anyone has stuck with me through this huge post - boy do you have a lot of patience!! And, I really appreciate your efforts. Just to sumarize, I DO want to finish both Santa Clothes and Peaceable Kingdom this year while stitching the L*K Christmas Spirit series and hopefully at least one ornament a month. I will probably also start Raise the Roof's Sam's Socks, Shorts and Such as well as some random other smaller projects. So, I think that I shouldn't worry about running out of stitching projects this year at least - LOL.

I really have appreciated you all for stopping by and reading my posts, and I particularly appreciate the wonderful comments you have left. It really is a terrific "warm fuzzy" to see people have taken time to write.

So, until next week, may you be happy, healthy and spend much time stitching.

A B C's of Me!!

2011-01-08T20:52:00.005-05:00

I saw this on Lisa's Blog and Valerie's Blog, so thought I would play along.

ABC's of me..
A - Age: 63 - somedays feel it, somedays feel 100
B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: just about anything that has to do with cleaning the house; but I do enjoy laundry for some odd reason.(Scary, this is what Lisa wrote, but it applies perfectly to me)
D - Dog's name: None - allergies throughout the family
E - Essential start of the day item: a few moments of peace before everyone else wakes up.
F - Favorite color: blue
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5'9"
I - Instruments you play: None, but I wish I did.
J - Job: Accountant
K - Kids: Two young men, and a young woman. One Grandson, and one Granddaughter
L - Living arrangements: house with DH for four days a week, daughter and DGD's house three days a week.
M - Music you love: Almost everything.
N - Nicknames: Beth which I will answer to far faster than Elizabeth
O - Overnight hospital stay at hospital: Many
P - Pet Peeve: Folks who don't offer to help do the dishes after being fed a meal.
Q - Quote from a movie: "Phone Home"
R - Right handed or left: Right
S - Siblings: Three older brothers (one has past)
T - Time you wake up: Weekdays 5:30 Weekends 7:30
U - Underwear: yes
V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussel Sprouts
W - Workout Style: Cardio- Pulmonary two days a week. Daughter's Wii Fit three days a week.
X - X-rays you've had: Too many to count
Y - Yummy food you make: The thing that is most requested is Pumpkin
Bread.
Z - The best place to visit: A friend's home.

Now you know more about me. To play along comment on this post so that I can come and see your ABC's

Stitching update will be posted tomorrow once I take some pictures. Put down the big tree today.

Hope everyone is enjoying a great weekend.

A couple of glances back, and a look forward

2011-01-02T21:41:00.003-05:00

I never have had the opportunity to show you the fantastic Secret Santa goodies I got from Amy. I know I told you about it, but at the time a couldn't find my camera. So, here it is (minus a couple of pieces of candy)- isn't it wonderful? To refresh your memory and because my photography is so poor, let me tell you all that was in it. There are two SanMan charts with embellishments and one with a tuck ornament, Everything I need including fabric, floss, chart and beads to do stitch both JBW Christmas Tree ornaments on the chart. A darling little snowman stocking which held it all along with two pieces of finishing fabric that is gorgeous. There is a Antique looking Santa pin and some nummy candy canes. But the best of all is a Snowman embroidered ornament that Amy made!! I am loving it! Thanks again, Amy, for a wonderful Santa package.

One more thing from last year that was pretty wonderful was that my DS#2 graduated from the University of Kentucky on December 17th. He had stopped going to school some years ago, and started back up without telling us what he was doing. It was quite a surprise when he told us that he was going to graduate. I wanted to let him know how proud I was of him and his efforts, so I stitched this UK Wildcat Logo as a remembrance. Sorry for the reflection, I am no good at taking pictures. (The piece is not really framed yet. I just stuck it in the frame to show him what it will look like when it is framed.) I am having trouble finding mounting boards to frame it with.

One quick little look forward. This is the start of the Christmas Spirit series that Lizzie*Kate put out in 2008. I am going to do this as a banner just like I did the Boo series by Lizzie* Kate. So, I have partially met my first goal for January and I am thinking about changing which ornament I stitch this month. I am thinking about doing one or two snowmen ornaments to put on my ornament tree for the winter season. I will let you know what I finally decide when I do.

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such lovely comments. I really do appreciate them. So, until next time, have a happy and healthy and stitchy week!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

2010-12-31T23:29:00.006-05:00

I want to wish everyone here in Blogland a very Happy and healthy New Year! As I don't believe in resolutions, I am going to make a list of goals I wish to attain this coming year. Mostly in the area of taking back control of at least parts of my life from the totally out of control 2010.

As I write this, it has been weeks since I have taken time to blog - either write my blog or read youralls blogs. That is something that I have missed, and have a goal to change. I would like to spend sometime at least four times a week reading and commenting on your blogs, and hopefully write on mine at least once a week. I would also like to spend some time learning how to do a better job with my blog - tweaking it to look the way a I want it to will be quite a learning experience. Wish me luck.

Stitching this past year has been sporadic at best. Some of the time not stitching was due to my cancer, but now that I am cancer free, that no longer applies. I know that I want to start some fairly large projects and finish some of my WIP's as well as stitch at least one ornament a month. I haven't written down my specific list, but intend to do that today. I haven't stitched in a couple of weeks due to the holiday, but want to start back at a casual pace this week. I am going to try and post stitching goals for each month, and update my progress weekly. I am hoping this will be more motivation. So, towards that goal, my January stitching goals are:

1) Start Christmas Spirit banner. Stitch the L*K chart Holly as a start.

2) Finish Santa Clothes by Raise the Roof.

3) Stitch one of my JBW Christmas Tree ornaments.

I have some pictures taken of my last finishes of 2010, and I will try to post them sometime later this weekend.

For now, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year.

I am caught up!!

2010-11-27T19:20:00.003-05:00

But only with reading blogs - LOL!! I didn't even take time to comment on any of them because I was so far behind. I will really try to do better in the future. Of course, in this holiday season, it is really hard to find time to do anything. Speaking of finding, I can't find my camera right now and I really wanted to take a picture of my fantastic Secret Santa package I got from Amy last week!! It really is wonderful and I hope to show you all the goodies just as soon as I find my camera.

Just before Thanksgiving I took pictures of my latest finishes, and I would like to share them with you. I had made these for some familly members, but the opportunity never came up to give them to my family. So, I will give them to other members of my family for Christmas. The first one is my favorite. It is "Windows of Faith, Hope and Peace" by Primrose Needleworks from this year's Just CrossStitch Christmas ornament Issue. I chose not to do the border design or put the beads on it. I stitched this on 16ct white aida using Ebb Tide floss by Needle Necessitys. I finished it into a no sew cube and you can't really see, but the cube is sitting on the fabric I used to put on the back. I think I might just save this one for myself - my favorite colors and sentiment!!

The second one is "French Country Star" by JBW Designs, also in this year's Christmas Issue. I chose not to put the work Star on it, and I stitched this on 16ct white aida and used a variegated DMC floss. I finished it into an ornament which backing material is what the ornament is sitting on.

Lastly, this ornament is " 'Tis Red" by La-D-Da also in this year's Christmas Issue. I decided to take out the leaves and make it into a diamond shaped piece. I stitched this on 16ct Natural aida and used WDW Pine floss. I finished this with the backing that is showing under the ornament. I really liked the simplicity of this piece this way,.

It is amazing what Cross Stitch Pals has done to my attitude about designs. Before I started reading that board, I would never have even changed a color, much less changed the design. What freedom!! I love it!! My friends always tease me about being a obsessive rules follower - they wouldn't even know me when it comes to stitching - LOL!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Mine is busy baking cookies. I am up to about 55 dozen cookies, but I need to at least double that total before Christmas gets here. The kids are coming down tomorrow and we will put up the decorations and two of the trees. Not sure if we will put up the other one. I did much of my Christmas shopping online this year. I just didn't think I had the time or energy to actually shop. Of course, DH and I will go out and shop for the grandkids because that is just too much fun to miss - LOL!!

Well, if you all have taken the time to make it this far in my post, thank you very much. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and for all your wonderful comments!! Until next time, be happy and healthy and try to get some stitching in during this holiday season!!

Start of holiday season, thanks and finishes!

2010-11-22T15:32:00.005-05:00

Last weekend was the start of the baking season at the Pearce household, and it couldn't have started off better. This year we had three generations of cookie bakers working together. Lily had a great time pouring the ingredients into the mixer for Grammy. Luckily I have a Kitchen Aid mixer that has a shute to use for that purpose. It worked really well for Lily. Maybe Mom Lisa helped a little in directing the pouring, but Lily did a really good job. With her help we baked 24 dozen cookies on Saturday. I have since then baked another 16 dozen cookies and will be baking pumpkin bread and applesauce cake today. It seems that Christmas has come much earlier this year, I can't understand where all the time I had to do everything went???

I have to show you the wonderful surprise I got in the mail the week before last!! Faye (Carolina Stitcher) sent me this beautiful pillow with a pocket in the back full of floss!! It was a wonderful surprise and one I will cherish. I have a slipper chair that sits next to my bed that is the perfect place and color for this pillow - and there it shall sit!! Thank you so much Faye!!

I also have a finish to show you. I finished Halloween, the last of the Lizzie Kate Boo Series last week. I tried to take a picture of the entire series, but that didn't work out too well. After the first of the year I plan to have it finished into a bellpull, and I will then take a picture to show you the completed job!! For the rest of the year I will be working on Christmas ornaments for presents and some other presents that need to be done. Again, time has gotten away from me and I just hope I can get everything done. I would cross my fingers, but it would slow down the progress LOL.

I have one more picture to show you because it is so unusual. When my DH came home for lunch yesterday he went out to the backyard and picked this beautiful rose from our rose garden. Now, I live in Kentucky and this is November - you are not supposed to have roses in your garden at this time of year!! The picture shows the rose in the foreground, the fresh baked cookies in the middlem and a couple of my collection of snowman cookie jars in the background. It just doesn't seem right, but it is what it is. That is a saying we have been saying all year long in this household, and I am glad that this year is almost over!!

Thank you all for coming to visit my blog and for leaving comments. They really mean a lot ot me and I really enjoy reading them. Until next time, have a happy and healthy holiday season and keep on stitching!!

Halloween and October finishes

2010-11-01T22:07:00.003-04:00

One quick picture of my two best girls. Daughter Lisa and Granddaughter Lily checking out her Halloween treats. I think they are both pretty cute, but I could be accused of being a little less than objective. I spent the evening with them so that I could pass out candy while Lisa took Lily Trick or Treating. She was actually nice enough to invite Lily's Dad and Grandma to go Treating with them. I believe that she is much nicer than I ever would have been. Had one cute family go through the neighborhood where approx 2 yo was dressed as Buzz Lightyear, older brother was dressed as Woody, older sister was dressed as Jessie, and the parents were dressed as Mr & Mrs Potatohead!! They could not have been cuter. I was really mad that I didn't get a picture of them.

I thought I would show you my final October finishes. The first is Ghost number #11 of 12 in the Lizzie*Kate Boo series. I had to change the colors because of the change in fabric, so the ghost is grey instead of white. He just wouldn't show up in white. Also the borders are different because of the same thing - they were charted to be black and white, so I changed it to black and yellow. However yellow was supposed to be the inner border so I changed it to the orange color - I think it works okay.

And lastly, this is an ornament I stitched for my DGS Harrison. It is a Lizzie*Kate chart that really shows the reindeer holding up a sign saying NO PEEKING, but I just wanted to do his face. I changed the floss in this piece because the hat band was charted for oatmeal and that was the exact color of the fabric. So I used one strand of white DMC and one strand of Whisper Thread in White. I think it looks pretty good and fairly three dimensional.

I thought I would end with a list of goals for November. It is not going to be too lengthy as I am already in the busy holiday prep and holiday time. But here goes:
1) Finish the Boo Series and possibly send it out to be finished.
2) Do the finishing work on Harrison's ornament.
3) Stitch and finish the ornament for Lily
4) Stitch and finish an ornament for Cousin Linda
5) Work on Santa Clothes

Wish me luck!!

I do have one personal thing to tell you about because it is very thrilling to me. This morning I had my last radiation treatment for my breast cancer and so now I am done with all treatments and just have to take one pill a day. I will see the oncologist in two weeks and see what kind of walking papers he gives me. And one more thing. I have the sweetest boss ever. When I got to work today he had gone out and gotten my favorite doughtnuts to celebrate the occasion. Can't beat that!!

G0tta go now , but until I "see" you again know I appreciate your visits and comments and I hope that you have a happy, healthy, stitchy time!

Some stitched pieces to show...

2010-10-27T22:58:00.005-04:00

As promised, here are the pieces that I stitched while at Myrtle Beach. The first is Monster the tenth of twelve charts of Lizzie*Kate's Boo series. I did make a mistake on this one, so with the help of my fellow stitchers I used a "creative license" to adjust the pattern a little. It is still a little off sides, but not enough for me to rip it all out.

The second one is another SanMan Autumn chart that I had in my stack. I am going to finish this one off as an ornament to put on my ornament tree next fall. I will post the actual finish once that happens. I am not sure when that will happen because this is the beginning of a very busy time for me. We have several birthdays and some planning meetings and shopping trips scheduled all before Thanksgiving. And of course then we will be in the holiday madness.

Lastly, this is Boo to You by Pine Mountain. This came as a pillow kit which I stitched years ago and gave away. I decided to use DMC floss that I thought would go with this piece of aida. I have several yards of aida that I bought from the fabric lady that used to come to the Pals Fall Fling. I don't know the name of the color of any of the fabric I got there. I am planning to finish this one off as an ornament as well.

I finished stitching an ornament for my grandson, Harrison this evening. I will post a picture another day. I am going to start the one for my granddaughter, Lily tomorrow. I also want to finish my Boo series this week. I know that it is too late for this Halloween, but I am going to have it finished for next year. This piece I will send out to have finished because I am not comfortable with my ability to finish it, and it is too big a piece to take a risk on.

Thank you all for visiting my blog and your lovely comments. It really means so much to me!

Until next time, keep happy and healthy and get lots of stitching done!

Final Fling Report!

2010-10-26T22:30:00.007-04:00

Friday and Saturday were both beautiful sunny days although a might chilly in the morning. I was glad I had my jacket with me to stroll on the beach. Both days were times to stitch and talk and laugh and talk and stitch and laugh. One of the other really big and wonderful things about the Fling is how relaxed you get. I guess you can't be stressed and be laughing at the same time.

Friday night was the grab bag exchange where everyone brings a container full of fun and stitchy stuff. The exchange is played like a White Elephant where you can "steal" someone else's container. I was really foolish and didn't take a picture of either the goody bag I made up or the one I received. All I can say was they were both appreciated. After the grab bag exchange we did the Christmas ornament exchange, and here again there was a ton of gorgeous ornaments to choose from. I was lucky enough to get an ornament stitched by KarenSC which I just love. It is so cute, and it will look terrific on our Christmas tree until I get my ornament tree. Maybe I will have it by Christmas, and I can keep this ornament for it.

Saturday night we had our final exchange which was the finished piece exchange. There were 30 of us in this exchange, and the creativity that was presented was awesome. There were very few duplicate ways of finishing, and in the actual stitched piece itself. This was another activity where it was pure luck as to which one you would end up with. And, again, I was very lucky!! My piece was stitched by Charlene and it couldn't have fit me better. It is a fantastic saying on a beautiful scissor bed with the most beautiful blue floral fabric. Did I mention that my favorite color is blue? There is no way I could have stitched this piece as it is in high count fabric and way too small for me to see. I have yet to determine where this will lie in my home as I have been carting it around to show off to everybody on what a beautiful piece I received.

Saturday was especially touching because Toni gifted me a special stitched piece which is not only a darling chart, well stitched, designed by one of my most favorite designers, the proceeds from the sale of this chart goes to the American Cancer Society research. Isn't this Lizzie*Kate design the cutest piece ever? I was really surprised and touched by Toni's generosity.

I have been saying that I was able to sit and stitch and laugh for these three and a half days, but I haven't shown you that I accomplished anything with all that time. My next post will have pictures of what I got done during the stitch in. Probably not as much as you would expect given all that time, but you have to remember to take into consideration all the talking and laughing part of this retreat.

Until next time, thank you for visiting and commenting. They really do mean a lot of me. Have a happy and healthy week, and get lots of stitching done!

Wednesday and Thursday at the Fling!!

2010-10-25T20:02:00.010-04:00

The new home for our Fall Fling is really nice. I believe that every room in the resort has a view of the ocean, and our conference room had a beautiful one too. Wednesday of the Fling was really just a gathering day and a time to see old friends and meet new ones. This year there was over 60 women there, well up from the usual 40 - 45 that had been the norm. That meant getting to meet a lot of new folks. And they kept proving that cross stitchers are generally very nice people. The ladies at this gathering came from all over, we even have one that comes from Scotland every year!!

Thursday morning I was able to get these shots from the
balcony of my room. The first being the sunrise over the
Atlantic, and the second a shot of a lazy river pool in the
courtyard below. I never saw anyone in the pool as the weather, while beautiful was in the mid 70's most of the days. A little cool for swimming when there was a consistant ocean breeze.

Thursday there was plenty of time to stitch and chat. There was a room set up every afternoon called the show and sell. There, two designers were selling there charts and some cute accessories. Amy had some floss and other goodies to sell. That night, there was a class, but all the classes were for items stitched on high count fabric that I just can't stitch with, so I passed on the classes.

After the class Thursday night, we had our Fall and Halloween exchanges. I was really frustrated that I did not have my camera with me to take pictures of all the beautiful stitching and finishing. The biggest problem of the evening was choosing which one to take when your number was called. I was the lucky one on the Fall exchange to get my number picked first, and this was the reward. This was stitched and finished by Diane (Nansneedlework), a newbie to the Fling, but one I believe will be back!! Isn't it just beautiful?? It is sitting in "Grammy's room" (my room) at my DD's house since I am there more than I am at home.

After everyone got to choose their Fall exchange, we got to do the same thing for the Halloween exchange. Another group of fantastic pieces were involved in this exchange. I was lucky enough to get this darling ornament stitched by Toni Morgan. Since I have plans to steal Faye's
(Carolina Stitcher)
idea of having a year long ornament tree, this piece will be great for my Fall/Halloween season. It was a wonderful night of seeing everyone so happy with which piece they got.

Well, this takes us through Thursday. I will try to post either later tonight or tomorrow's lunch the pictures I have for Friday and Saturday.

For now, thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving such nice comments. I hope that I can find time to get all of the blogs read that I missed while I was gone - you all were really busy!!

Hope you have a healthy and happy day and get lots of stitching done.

Now that I am home, I can show you the stitched pieces I took to MB

2010-10-24T20:11:00.007-04:00

I have so many pictures and stories to tell you
about the Pals Fall Fling, that I will have to do it in multiple parts. I have been telling you for a long time that I have had some stitched pieces that I could not share with you because they were going to be exchanges at the Fall Fling. So I thought I would start with showing you those finishes and then later telling you about my super vacation.

The first piece is the one that I put in the Halloween exchange on Thursday night of the Fling. It is a San Man Original called Did Someone Say Pie? This is the second time I have stitched this piece and given it away. I think I am going to have to stitch it again sometime, because it makes me smile. This is also may first pinkeep that I have ever made, and it would not have been possible without Vonna's tutorials. I also used as an example a pinkeep that Michele sent me earlier this year.

This next piece is also a SanMan Original, and it is called Autumn 1. I stitched it for the Fall exchange on Thursday night of the Fling. This was also my first no sew cube finish. I really liked this because I thought the fabric went really well with the design. Again, I have Vonna's tutorials to thank for showing me how to do this finish. I am going to do more of them in the future.

This is my Christmas ornament, also designed by SanMan Originals called Noel. We had our ornament exchange on Friday night after the grab bag exchange. Gosh, it seems like I only do SanMan, but that isn't really the case. I have a different designer to show you in a minute. I did this piece on gold luminescent 16ct aida, that I thought looked very Christmasy.

Lastly, I have my Finished Stitched exchange piece that I have been talking about having to do three times before I got it right. We did that exchange last night, and it was really a lot of fun. My piece is a Lizzie*Kate design called Gather Love. I stitched it on 16ct Natural aida that I have really fallen in love with, and will use many more times. I am not sure that you can tell it from this picture, but I finished this as a pillow.

Tonight I am really tired because we didn't break up the party last night until almost midnight, and I had to catch a cab to the airport at 5:45 this morning. So, I will tell you more Fall Fling tales and show you more pictures tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving messages!! Until tomorrow, have a happy and healthy day!!

Fall Flowers and a partial finish,

2010-10-17T21:26:00.005-04:00

Saturday was my DGD's third birthday celebration which really was very enjoyable. Bunch of kids having fun with lots of parents paying attention and chatting with each other. We had some great taco soup, and a very tasty birthday cake.

On the way to the party, DH and I stopped by a botanical garden hoping to see some fall color. While the trees really aren't too pretty because of the drought we're in, we did run across this beautiful berm of color. I really loved it because it is my FAVORITE color!!

Since I was finished with my Fall Fling stitching, I did have a little while to stitch on my Boo Series. Here is Brew finished, except for the border which I am saving to stitch on the flight to Myrtle Beach since it won't take a lot of concentration.

I am really getting excited about my trip (as if I wasn't already). Some of the people are already getting there today, but I will be there before noon on Wednesday. I won't be back until Sunday afternoon, so I may not be able to do much blog reading or posting until the weekend after next. I will have wifi at the hotel, so I may be able to do a little blog reading from my Itouch, if I have some downtime. If not, I will check you all next week.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving messages, they really do mean alot to me!!

Until next time, have a happy and healthy week and get lots of stitching done.

I actually have a "finish" I can show you!

2010-10-10T16:43:00.005-04:00

I am really excited that I can actually show you a "finish" that I have done. I would never have been able to do this without Vonna's tutorial at http://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com. She is really amazing at explaining step by step what you are supposed to do in a finishing. She also has great pictures to illustrate what she means. So here is my little guy all decked out as a no sew cube. I am really pleased with how he turned out. This is certainly going to be the start of a whole new venture for me - and that means more different kinds of stash - whoo hoo!! I also "finished" my Finished Piece Exchange piece (not as a no sew) this weekend. Picture will be shown when I return from MB. I will say that I used Vonna's tutorials for it as well.

I had a little extra waiting room time this week as I saw both my radiologist and my oncologist. That allowed me to finally get Fright done. That is number 8 out of 12 charts of the Lizzie*Kate Boo series. I will start working on Brew tomorrow while waiting to be nuked.
I plan to take this series with me to MB as it is quite easy to see and I should be able to do this on the planes and airports.

I did spend some time in my craft room kitting up several other fall/Halloween projects to take with me as well. I won't have a lot of time next weekend to get anything done as it will be Lily's 3rd birthday celebration weekend. Her birthday isn't until Wednesday, the 20th, (the day I fly out) but thankfully Lisa is having her birthday next Saturday.

I wanted to say how much I appreciated all you for visiting my blog and leaving comments. They really do make me feel great!

I hope you all have a wonderful healthy and happy week. Get lots of stitching done!!

I finished my exchange piece for MB!!!

2010-10-03T21:37:00.004-04:00

I finally finished stitching my Finished Piece exchange piece. I did decide how I was going to finish it, and picked out the materials I would need, but I did not have time to do the actual finishing. I will do that next weekend. I had better, since I only have two weekends left before I go! I will take a picture of it and post the picture after I get back along with the other exchange pieces I have done.

One of the reasons why I did not have time to do the finishing work was because Lisa and Lily and I spent some of Saturday at the St James Art Fair in downtown Louisville. It is one of the largest art shows in the region, and is located on a court surrounded by huge old Victorian homes. The centerpiece of the court is a huge fountain. Here is a picture of Lisa and Lily in front of the fountain. It was a beautiful day with alot to see and enjoy!

Another reason why I didn't get to the finishing work was because Friday after I finished stitching the exchange piece I decided to stitch a fun pumpkin piece that I could use for Beckysc's Great Pumpkin Challenge. It was a quick stitch, at least for me. I haven't decided whether to finish it as a pillow ornament, or a no sew cube. I will try to finish it next weekend as well. Sorry, this picture seems to be pretty dark - dunno why.

I have a couple more little pumpkin pieces kitted up as well as another Christmas ornament to stitch on this week while in Louisville. Not sure which one will strike my fancy, so I will take them all with me.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and for taking time to comment. Hope everyone has a happy and healthy week and gets lots of stitching done!

Progress report and a giveaway to tell you about!

2010-09-20T19:49:00.002-04:00

First the giveaway - http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/ Edgar is having a Hobbit Birthday giveaway and wants everyone to know!! This is probably not the best way to post this, but I don't know the correct way.

Progress report with unfortunately no pictures. I did get the "right stuff" (for me) to stitch my Finished Piece exchange for MB. I really like the way the floss colors look on it, except I did make one change, and I like that too!! I am already further on it than I was on start one or start two. That really tells me this is the right thing for me to do!

DH and I spent Saturday in a small town near us that has a lot of Bourbon distilleries, and they were having a "Bourbon Festival". We thought that it would have lots of arts and craft booths, but really it did not have many, and they really stretched the "crafts" term. There was one lady that had some amazing necklaces that she had made out of teeny tiny beads - they were beautiful.

I am working on the Boo Series while I wait for the radiation treatment, but I don't get very far because they are QUICK!! That really is good for me and my work, but not so good for getting Boo done . I guess I can't have it both ways.

I guess I had better get going - thank you all for visiting and posting comments. Have a happy and healthy week, and get lots of stitching done!

A happy update and a comical epiphany!

2010-09-14T20:07:00.005-04:00

The positive update stitching wise is that I did start the Christmas ornament on the 16ct aida, and I really like the way it is working up. It is much easier for me to see (with my cheaters), and I really like the way the color looks with the flosses. I am for certain going to get more of this fabric to work on other projects.

The other positive update is that the radiation started, it is really no trouble, no discomfort, and really quick. My appointment this morning was at 8, and I was at the office by 8:30. That will make the daily visits quite manageable.

The comical epiphany is about the Finished Piece exchange for the MB. I had told you in an earlier post that I was trying some other fabric that I had never worked on before and that I had to start all over with a new piece over the weekend. Well, last night, on my way out of the office, someone accidentally bumped into me and knocked a full glass of Pepsi out of my hand. Half of it poured into my tote bag which was full of my medicines and my stitching!! The ONLY thing that was not in an additional plastic ziploc bag was the piece that I had started a second time. Right then and there I realized that someone upstairs was trying to tell me that I was an aida stitcher, and I should not try to stitch on anything else! I really was so grateful that nothing else was damaged, I couldn't be unhappy about the piece which I really had not gotten much done on anyhow. I have decided that I am going to yet again start that piece this weekend once I get home to my stash, but this time on 16ct aida. What do you wanna bet that it will go just great. That is what I have my money on - LOL!!! Actually, I am already much less stressed - Whoo Hoo!!

Well, it seems everybody had a busy weekend, and I still haven't gotten caught up on reading the blogs, so I had better go. Thank you so much for visiting my blog, and for leaving comments.

Hope you all have a happy and healthy week and get lots of stitching done!!

Frustrations, restarts and a small finish

2010-09-12T12:27:00.006-04:00

There seemed to be a theme this week in my life which was not so good. I was supposed to start radiation treatment, but they decided that they had not "mapped" me quite right, so I had to go back in to have it remapped. Treatments are supposed to start tomorrow, so that will begin the progress. I was doing my own form of "remapping" myself. I had started a Lizzie*Kate ornament on a 16ct hunter green aida that I thought would look really cute. It didn't. So, I thought I would try it again this time on this random linen, burlap kinda fabric I got last year at MB. It started out looking good, but when I switched to one of the other main colors, it matched exactly the color of the fabric, and disappeared. Bummers. So, now I am going to try it on some 16ct natural aida. I have done a floss toss, and it seems the only issue will be with the white, and I am just going to change from the called for oatmeal to a true bright white.

This weekend we were supposed to go camping, but Mother Nature had other ideas and decided to give us the much needed rain on Friday and Saturday. In the old days, we camped in the rain and thought us such adventurers. Nowadays, we know we are just old and don't want to deal with it - LOL. So we have had a weekend at home to do some catch up and clean up which is good, but not what we were planning.

Yesterday, I was working on this piece I am doing for the Finished Piece exchange for the Fall Fling. I was gazing lovingly at how pretty the colors were working up on the fabric when my brain finally kicked in. I had totally misread the chart, and had completely messed up the biggest portion of what I had stitched. GAD ZOOKS - how could I be so blind?? I dunno, I just was. There was no way that I could frog all of what I had done wrong both because it is hard for me to see to stitch this in the first place and also would have taken me forever if I tried. So another piece of fabric bites the dust. Luckily, I had enough more of the fabric to start over. And that is what I did.

I did need something positive in my stitching life this weekend, so I picked up my Lizzie*Kate Boo Series and stitched Pumpkin. I was even able to do this on my nightly wake ups due to some medicine I am taking which usually last an hour or so. So here she is = Pumpkin. She will look alot better with the buttons, but I am waiting to put all of the buttons on once I have finished so they don't get broken in the scroll frame. I also was able to finish my first Christmas ornament for the exchange at MB. So at least I won't be going there empty handed. Whoo HOO

I also went to the eye doctor on Friday, and I really needed a new prescription, so the new glasses are on order. I am hoping that will allow me to extend my stitching time.

Thank you all for visiting my blog and for leaving comments. It is really neat to "meet" people from all over this way. Until next time, have a happy and healthy week and get lots of stitching done!!

Gone Fishing...

2010-09-07T08:21:00.003-04:00

What a glorious weekend we just had! The weather could not have been prettier. We have had such a horribly hot and humid summer, that this dry 80º weather was a thrill. Saturday we had intended to go out on the lake fishing, but had forgotten about a instate collegiate rivalry football game that we just "had" to watch, so we put off fishing until Sunday. It ended up being a good thing because I really wasn't feeling all that great on Saturday. I thought I uploaded a picture of one of the spots we love to fish in at the lake pretty near our home, but it does not look like it is going to show up. Oh well, it is on my computer at home, so I guess you will just have to think about a pretty lake scene = LOL.

I did do some stitching over the weekend, and something fairly outside my comfort level. I went to Vonna's (I don't know how to make this a link) blog and followed her tutorials on a couple of finishes for MB, and they worked out very well - I think. I am even going to do them again sometime. So now I have my Fall Exchange piece and my Halloween piece done stitching and finishing. I also worked on finishing an Ornament for the exchange, but did not quite get it finished. One of the problems is that my hands kept cramping up on me all weekend. Bummers. I am not sure if that was caused by a delayed reaction to the chemo, or just that I used my hands quite a bit in different ways during the weekend, or both. I also started another piece for MB, and it is not on Aida!! If you knew me, that would be a really big surprise. I am not exactly sure what kind of fabric this is because I got it last year at MB, but I am enjoying stitching on it. I am taking longer to stitch on it mainly because it is differemt. I think that I can see me do several things on it though.

I spent some of my "off" time surfing more blogs and am just blown away by all the talent that is out there. There were beautiful things that I would never attemp to make, and some things that gave me motivation to make. It really is fun to see folks from all over the world enjoying the same kinds of things I do in little ole E'town KY!!

Thanks for stopping by my little blog and for leaving messages.

Until later, keep stitching and keep healthy!!