Nita's Notes

Crocheting Fun

2010-09-08T23:58:00.000-05:00

Crocheting was my first crafting love. I loved crocheting so much that for a year or so I made my living as a professional crocheter for Estelle Gracer. I truly can't recall how many of these jackets I made (the first style I made, luckily I did get to make other styles), but I averaged 4 jackets per week.
Since I love crocheting, I'm always excited when another crafter gets hooked. Like Heidi. Heidi wants to make a granny-square afghan, and has purchased yarn, but isn't sure she has enough. I pointed her to this Lion Brand Yarn Site
From Heidi's site, I wandered over to Lucy's, and found that she had completed a BIG Granny Afghan in 2009, and she kindly shares her original granny square instructions.

Thinking about my time at Estelle's, I pulled out my original Q hook to show you.
The pen is there to keep the hooks from rolling away. The hook on the left is the original, the one on the right one I purchased a few years ago to make a two sided afghan. (Remind me to share with you how to make one - it's really simple once you get started, requiring only a basic chain and single crochets.)

No, your eyes are not deceiving you - that's a hole in the old hook - worn there by countless crochet stitches (I only saved this one - I think I had to buy a new hook every 2-4 months back then).

And this is one skein of the yarn I bought on sale back during the summer. I hope to either knit or crochet myself a sweater this winter. It's tough to get the color right at night by flash - the color is blue mint, and it's much more vibrant than this photo shows.
I can only work with worsted weight yarns in the winter. As the item grows, my lap gets warmer and warmer - so it's definitely a winter sport for me.

So, do you crochet? Do you want to learn?

Thanks for visiting my blog today - come back anytime!

Dawn's Pincushion and I've been RAKed!

2010-09-07T21:34:00.001-05:00

My friend Dawn wanted a pincushion that she could use when making stickpins. Dawn does the most gorgeous work with mini albums and stickpins. I know she likes mermaids, and she's a kind of whimsical person, so I chose a chart from my stash - the chart appears to be Chinese, and that is definitely the style.

I used some tropical fabric from my stash, and trimmed it with a bit of lace.

I dislike sticking pins in the cross stitched work, so I like to have plenty of fabric - and Dawn wanted to be able to assemble stickpins assembly line fashion, so this is one of the largest pincushions I've made.

It's about 9 inches x 3 inches by 2.5 inches, and stuffed with crushed walnut shells for weight.

I added a little pewter seahorse charm, just for fun.

Dawn actually featured this on her channel - go take a look.

Today, Dawn surprised me with a RAK of her own:

Buttons to add to my stash, and hidden away in the matchbook style cover....

Five Gorgeous Stickpins!
The paper is a heavyweight art paper, with little flecks in it, and the cut edges are burnished so the cut design really shows.

Each stickpin is unique, and uniquely beautiful. Please click on the photo so you can see the awesome detail.

Thank-you so much, Dawn - I love them!

Receiving and Sending Exchanges (Picture Heavy!)

2010-08-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Lots of exchanges going on - and here are pics of gorgeousness received.

From Bonnie at PPTB , this lovely biscornu. It's quite heavy for it's size and I suspect it's filled with crushed walnut shells. Aren't the colors so calm and quietly beautiful?

This exquisite hardanger Biscornu is from Shay. I am in awe of her work - 'specially cause my own hardanger attempts are still so unsatisfactory, so I know what skill it takes to achieve this level of expertise.

Shay was also generous in sending extra prezzies. Thank-you so much, Shay!

This delicate beauty was sent to me by Sheila - and look - my most favoritest motifs - butterflies!

Sheila also included extra prezzies - the Piecemaker needles (also a fav of mine) and the adorable scissors are much appreciated.

Lisa over at the PIF Stitchers sent me this package, and I have to say, I love her presentation: oooh, the mystery and anticipation! Opening it, I found this ornament - absolutely adorable.

I'm pretty sure the last batch (yes, I am shamefully behind - but steadily working to catch back up) of biscorni I mailed out have all been received. PPTB is giving me a great excuse to stitch some of the neat charts I've collected.

To Despina, I sent this Tulip Bouquet biscornu. What a joy to stitch. I did use DMC threads that I had in my stash rather than the recommended specialty fibers. The soft pink buttons were a lucky find.

When I started stitching this for Gillie, I was feeling whimsical. I combined a froggy motif from one of my stitching books with flies from Holy Mud! by Barbara Ana.

For Mayté, I chose a Seaside freebie by Fée Rie. I stitched it with the recommended DMC fibers - and it was ~~hard~~ with pride that I sent it off.

Last, but not least, was this Blue Rose (a freebie I'd had in my stash forever) that I stitched for Sheila.

I stitched it with HDF silks by Vikki Clayton. These gorgeous colors were in a Detritus bag I received with an order - but it doesn't look like Vikki offers that option anymore :-(

That's all for now, dear friends and gentle readers. My thanks to all my fellow exchangers - you each brighten my days!

THe ABCs of Me

2010-04-08T23:19:00.001-05:00

Laurie had this on her blog in March - and I also thought it was cute - so here are mine:

The ABC's of ME................

A. Age: 55 - I'm still not speeding!

B. Bed size: King

C. Chore you hate: I have two: Unloading the dishwasher and putting up groceries

D. Dogs' Names: Annie Bebop and Nellie Grace (black lab mix sisters)

E. Essential food item: chocolate!

F. Favorite color: yellow (except when it is blue, green, or burgundy)

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: All the way from the floor to the top of my head

I. I am: overworked, underpaid and loved by the dearest man in the world

J. Job: Which one?

K. Kids: daughter, son, daughter (and six grands)

L. Living Arrangements: Split level in a suburb in Alabama

M. Mom's Name: Wilma - and today is her birthday - Happy Birthday, Mama!

N. Nickname: Daddy has always called me Pete

O. Overnight hospital stay(s): Three births (see Kids), one broken vertebrae -and one scary stay 11 years ago.

P. Pet peeve: Telephone etiquette (phone rings. Me,"Hello". Caller "Who is this?" Me, "Who were you calling for?"

Q. Quilt Block: Dresden plate - or any nine patch!

R. Right or Left handed: Right sometimes, Left sometimes

S. Siblings: 3 - One older brother, one older sister, one younger brother

T. Time you wake up: When my eyes open (3-5am)

U. Unique thing about your car: What is in the trunk - lol!

V. Vegetable you hate: Tomatos - I think they are pretty and still can't stand them (and yes, I still call myself a Southern girl)

W. Ways you run late: All ways

X. X-rays you've had: Too many to remember

Y. Yummy food you make: Pecan Pie - from a prize-winning recipe that used to be on Yellow Label Syrup

Z. Zoo animal favorite: Butterflies!

And now - will YOU share your ABC's?

Thanks for visiting today!

Humbug!

2010-04-08T01:18:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to say that Jenna (no blog) has received the humbug I angel stitched for her for the TTE, Too Humbug Exchange. Better still - she likes it, she really likes it!
I had a wonderful time taking one motif, and creating companion motifs for this humbug - altho, I had to do a fair amount of frogging (no, that needs to be 2 stitches over and 1 stitch up....) - the placement was tricky, but I was very pleased with the result.

The stitched piece before assembly: It's stitched 2 over 2 on 32 count linen - which wasn't a square weave, and that was it's own set of problems. I used DMC 351 Coral, 807 Peacock Blue and 3765 Very Dark Peacock Blue.

The Center Peacock Motif

One Side Motif - maybe it should have been another stitch closer to the center?

And the matching gift/floss tag (you can see the other side in the 2nd photo up).

I've been busy stitching, and hope to have a WIP finished to share soon - a project for me - hurray!

I've been very busy living as well - lots going on, not the least of which is the US Income Tax deadline looming :-(

Til next time, thanks for visiting today!

TUSALs, Biscornu, Needlebook and SABLE

2010-03-23T00:49:00.001-05:00

Lots and lots of pictures!
Not only am I late with March's TUSAL, I'm shamefully late with the TUSAL for February!

This is February's picture
and this is March's:

I guess I need to explain that I'm using a large empty medicine bottle next to my stitching spot, and transferring the contents to my TUSAL jar when it gets full - which seems to happen roughly monthly.

Michelle received the February biscornu from me for the Please Pass The Biscornu exchange. I used a freebie chart from Louison, a very talented lady! I added clear beads for sparkle where they seemed to want to go.

Michelle's picture is so much more attractive than mine - click on the link above to visit her blog and see it, if you wish.

Remember the other needle book I mentioned angel stitching for Tiny Treasures Exchange, Too?
It has been received, so I can share pictures now.

I evidently forgot to take a picture of the inside :-(. I took the color scheme from the fabric that lines the needle book. Rats! I'll have to check my stash and see if I have a bit of the fabric left to take a photo.

SABLE - Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. Even though I've drastically reduced my SEX (take your mind out of the gutter - that stands for Stash Enhancement Experience!), the kindness of another crafter has increased my stash! A sweet lady I work with was showing me an altered album (beautiful!) she was working on. I remarked that although it was tempting, I refuse to start another hobby, because my various stashes are already overflowing my craft room. A few days later, she brought me box of goodies!

Here, in no particular order, are some of the goodies:

Lots of books!

Some really cool grommets!

Charts

Including this by Mosey and Me

This reminds me of Sloss Furnace, in nearby Birmingham, Alabama

I see a Butterfly Fairy being stitched in the near future. - That's Lavender and Lace # 42 - Fairy Grandmother.
If you've stuck with me to the end congratulations on your endurance!
Thank-you for visiting today!

The Friday 56 - 12 March 2010

2010-03-12T05:35:00.001-06:00

The book closest to me is Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb.

"Admiring you doesn't mean taking the fall for you. He's not quite as dumb as you think...."

I've been reading this series since it's inception, way back in 1995. Fantasy in Death is the 30th book in the series (not counting the 7 In Death novellas).

*Looks like I have access again - at least for now. It makes me nervous that there is not a good explanation for why I have had only intermittent access for over three weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

**Special note for the Chinese commenter - if you will stop including XXX rated links in your comments - I will approve them. Blogger does not allow me to edit the comments - and I choose not to endorse your link.

对中国的评论者特别注意 - 如果你将停止包括在您的评论第三十额定链接 - 我会核准。 Blogger 不容许我编辑的意见 - 我选择不同意您的链接(Thanks to Google Translate for the translation)

Southern Snow and a Biscornu or Two

2010-02-12T17:04:00.001-06:00

Well, the Southern states are now getting their share of the snow that so many other parts of the country have experienced. Here are some photos I took just a little while ago from my front porch:
The dogwood tree that dominates my tiny front yard :

Some sweet daffodils under the dogwood trying desperately to poke their heads out.

The azalea bushes

And a close-up of the azaleas - doesn't the snow look like cotton balls balanced on the tips of the branches?

Kinda feel like I need to get out the sack to pick dat cotton! And it is still snowing - I do hope it stops before power lines start coming down.

The postman was so nice today - lookit the biscornu I received from Michelle for January for the Please Pass The Biscornu Blog Exchange.

Exquisite - no? and the reverse:

The design is Rhodes Butterfly Biscornu by the Sweetheart Tree.

Last , here are photos of the biscornu I sent to Gillie in the same exchange.

Lately, it seems all the biscornus I stitch are large - lol!

The Design is a freebie - Moonlight Serenade by Papillon Creations that I stitched with 3 colors of DMC Variations.

Thanks for visiting today.

Friday 56 - 5 February 2010

2010-02-05T00:01:00.005-06:00

The book closest to me is The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens.

She screamed, loud and long as she whirled and fled.

Nothing beats a good historical romance for relaxed reading. And Stephanie Laurens is one of the best, IMHO. Each of her books stands alone, but they are interconnected, and part of the fun is spotting characters from previous novels. The Elusive Bride is the second in her latest series, The Black Cobra Quartet.

Thanks for visiting today.

Needle Book received

2010-02-02T22:15:00.000-06:00

Renee let me know that she had received the Needle Book I "angel" stitched for her for the Tiny Treasures Exchange group.

It's stitched over 1 on 28 count natural colored linen and trimmed with some lace I had in my stash. Renee loves red, and I love the traditional red and white on natural linen, so the color choice was easy. It also pays tribute to my love for abcedaires.

The needle pages are also linen, and I satin stitched and fringed the edges. The lining is a cotton white on white that I had in my stash. It ties closed with 1/4 inch white ribbon.

Needle Books are addictive - I've one more that I angel stitched for another TTE member to show you once she receives it.

Thanks for visiting today.

Baking and Another Giveaway

2010-01-31T05:38:00.001-06:00

I took a wild hair (as my Mama always says) and baked some Chocolate Chip Cookies - here they are - fresh from the oven.

I've always wondered how home bakers get their cookies all even and perfectly round - mine always come out many different shapes and sizes - which leads to my DGSs spending much time trying to pick out the largest! However they are shaped - they are mmm-mmmm good! Now I've some bananas that are very over-ripe - that means it's time to make some Banana Bread.

Loretta is having a giveaway over at her blog - and it's a goodie!

She is very generously including the needed DMC floss and the fabric (25 count linen) as well as the chart. You have until 13 February to enter, and she'll be drawing one lucky winner on 14 February.

I plan to change the background tomorrow to match the new month - just have to decide what to use as a new header. I'm sorely tempted by the latest pic of my currently youngest grandchild (got another one due in March!) - because, to me, it's a classic:

Thanks for visiting today.

TTE Scissor Pockets Sent and Received

2010-01-29T06:34:00.000-06:00

Over at Tiny Treasures Exchange, our current exchange is for a Scissor Pocket or Case. We do not send to the same person we receive from - and who we send to is kept a secret until the item is received. Both sides of my exchange are complete, so I can share pictures.

First, the case I received from Lori:

Isn't it adorable? and I love the stork scissors - I have a pair in "silver", so can now add these gold ones to my ever-so-slowly growing collection. Thank-you so much, Lori!

And the case I sent to Andrea:

I had a hard time letting go of the peacock scissors - they are so cute - but Michael's only had one pair - so off they went to Andrea, where I know they will have a good home!

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 for 29 January 2010

2010-01-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

Giveaways

2010-01-26T21:42:00.001-06:00

These are in no particular order:

Sharlotte over at The Happy Needle is giving away this adorable strawberry - just leave a comment to be entered. But hurry - you only have until Sunday, 31 January. BTW, I love Patti's comment that strawberries are called dorsies at her house!

Lots and lots of stash is to be given away over at Calico Prairie. Another one that ends Sunday, 31 January. This is just one picture of about eight (I said it was lots of stash - weren't you listening? lol!)

Julie is giving away four cross stitch magazines - one each to four lucky winners. Only one of the four is pictured. Yet another that ends 31 January.

And for more giveaways than you can shake a stick at - click on the picture to visit One World One Heart - where 579 bloggers (thus far) are participating in a huge international giveaway. Be sure to read the post - it explains the theme - "The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet." - and how wonderful is that?

Thanks for visiting today.

Comment Approval

2010-01-26T05:57:00.000-06:00

I have a question for everyone: Do you feel inconvenienced by having your comments appear only after approval?

I decided from the beginning to require approval for two main reasons - first, to make sure I saw every comment and second, to make sure my blog wouldn't need constant vigilance to remove objectionable material.

So, what are your feelings on comment approval?

Your comments will be visible after blog owner approval - lol!

Thanks for visiting today.

TUSAL 2010-01

2010-01-18T15:45:00.007-06:00

It may be late, but here it is! For the TUSAL, I chose an empty Yankee Candle jar to use this year - and at the rate that I'm generating orts, it may still not be big enough! I can't show most of my stitching (I've been working on exchanges), but I can show you Fa La La by Plum Pudding Needleart:
I stitched this on a mystery 11 count aida, using four threads. It's an oatmeal color, shot thru with gold threads, and I thought the snowman would show up nicely. It didn't really, so I added some back stitching to define it. I wish you could see the sparkliness of the gold threads - it adds a lot of appeal. I may yet go back and add some gold beads to the pine needles. This turned out BIG (about 5" x 5"), so I'm going to keep the finishing simple - backed with some coordinating fabric and probably use cording on the edges, with maybe a couple a tassels at the bottom corners. This little ornie probably accounts for half the orts in my TUSAL jar - stitching with four threads generates a lot of waste!

I've the finishing to do on the Scissor Pocket / Case for TTE, Too, and I want to finish it this evening so I can get it in the mail tomorrow. Then hopefully I will get stitching on a biscornu for Please Pass the Biscornu, and before the end of the month, get started on my first PIF. Whew- lots of stitching to do!

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 – 8 Jan 2010

2010-01-08T04:17:00.004-06:00

Snow? No!

2010-01-07T21:40:00.001-06:00

Despite a weeklong prediction of snow by our local meteorologists and the National Weather Service – this turned out to be a non-event.
Yes, we had some pretty fat fluffy snowflakes, and even a little sleety-looking stuff. But our temperatures remained above freezing, and everything melted as it hit the roads.
So it’s work and school as usual tomorrow, and my secret longings for hours of uninterrupted crafting time will be unfulfilled.
It’s halftime for the BCS Championship game, and I want to go back and see the end. Roll Tide!

Thanks for visiting today.

TTE Too Humbugs Sent and Received

2010-01-06T23:39:00.014-06:00

I received this adorable humbug from Ronel, Isn't that chick cute? I love the beaded red coxcomb and all the blue beadwork on his back and wings. Much more sparkly than the picture shows.
Ronel also included some goodies for me: three packs of Madeira floss (I am sooo looking forward to trying it out since I've never used it), beads, fabric and large stickpins, as well as a postcard and sweet little note.
I sent this teeny humbug to Liz (no blog), and because it simply cried out for it, the teeny tag and teeny bookmark as well. The humbug is only 1.5 inches (~4 cm) and the bookmark is only about 2 inches (5 cm) tall/
I had bought a remnant of this fabric (I think it's Mary Englebreit - but I'm not sure) some time ago intending to make myself a project bag. I decided to use it to make Liz a quilted humbug project bag. (See my house canisters in the background - that's where I got the color scheme for my blue and yellow kitchen - lol!) I still have enough fabric left for a project bag for me, if I ever get around to sewing it!In the second picture you get a glimpse of my craft room in the background. It's still a work in progress - and quite messy as you can see. The wall on the right has three cupboards that I use to store far too many craft supplies. The wall on the left has cabinets that I re-purposed from my old office and has three of my sewing machines set up and ready to go. That's a really recent addition - and the countertop is a new one purchased to go in my craft room. The table in the middle is elevated to a convenient height for me to use as a cutting table, and has roll around drawers tucked under it. Right now my ironing board is sitting on top of it, because I was doing some finishing on Needle Books that I'm angel stitching for TTE Too. I desperately need a counter top ironing board - there's no room for the full size one in my craft room! The desk will have a computer on it - if I ever get it cleaned off!Those windows face South - so I have wonderful light all day long (when the sun is shining, that is!). As I finish sorting out the craft room, I'll take more pictures of it's features.

I may be spending quite a bit of time in my craft room over the next few days - the weatherman is predicting snow tomorrow (schools here are going to be closed in anticipation) and since we are not set up to deal with snow here in the southern USA- we just huddle in and wait for it to go away!

Thanks for visiting today.

A Belated Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T04:58:00.005-06:00

Wishing you and all your dear ones a Bright and Happy New Year.

May you spend lots of time with loved ones.

May you fulfill all your goals.

May you be blessed all year long!

Hugs!

TUSAL, At Last

2009-12-27T21:28:00.015-06:00

Here it is - a week late, but, as you can see, quite full. All those lovely red, green, black and gold orts at the top are because I was inspired by Carol, and her ornament a week self-challenge. So I printed out a couple of dozen of the charts I have been collecting for years, planning to stitch one ornament a week. But once I started stitching - I couldn't stop!

This one is trimmed and the backing fabric cut - but not yet sewn. I had this filed under cross stitch quilt squares, but don't have the author's name.

I know this was a recent freebie - but at the moment I can't recall the site and my printout doesn't say.
This was actually the second one of this chart that I stitched - altho I started it first - I wasn't paying close enough attention and started stitching the flowers in green instead of the called for red - so I stopped and started again correctly, finished it (and gave it away), and then picked this one up and finished stitching it with the red and green switched - and liked it!
I adore this little penguin - altho I just noticed I didn't stitch his eyebrows (isn't wonderful how you notice these things in photos?). I didn't stitch the white on his belly and his eyes since he is stitched on white - a case of the "lazies".
Just a simple candy cane - but I think it's rather pretty.
An alphabet tree - I've done several of these in the past, altho this is the first time I've stitched this particular chart.
And all I've got done on my little Christmas tortoise is the outside backstitching - something different that I'm trying for the first time that I saw suggested here. He should be called Slow as Christmas, don't you think?

I've stitched all of these on 14 count aida, cause I have lots of it in my stash. WalMart used to carry an inexpensive brand, and I bought lots of it when they were clearancing the cross stitch supplies.

I'm sorry that I can't provide links to the freebie ones above. Some of them are no longer available, some I don't have author info on and on two of them, the websites no longer exist. When I first started saving freebie charts that I found on various sites, I had no idea that 10 or more years later I would have thousands of charts (printed and saved to disk) and that I wouldn't remember where I found one particular chart. Nowadays I make the effort to include the website in the saved chart's name, if the author of the freebie hasn't included it on the chart. And I'm trying to remember to put my info on the freebie charts I design.

Thanks for visiting today.

Christmas Wishes

2009-12-25T00:01:00.003-06:00

Wishing you and all your dear ones a most Happy Christmas!

O Holy Night

2009-12-23T23:30:00.005-06:00

Alyssa Rossi sings O Holy Night - amazing!

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine.

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, To our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

My favorite carol.
Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 – 11 Dec 2009

2009-12-11T20:21:00.004-06:00

Christmas Humor

2009-12-09T23:12:00.014-06:00

First, thanks to Diane and Marsha over on the EMS Cross Stitch Board for The Monks (click on the monk picture for the video).

Then, to share my favorite version of The Twelve Days After Christmas (click on the choir picture for the video)- if you want to see the lyrics, you can find them here.

Still in the humor line - we all have terminology that we use quite casually - and sometimes forget that not everyone will understand what we mean. As a cross stitcher, when I think of floss - I think of embroidery thread - usually DMC or Anchor brands. Ann (in the UK) pictured some floss wallets she had made - and then explained them - which reminded me of when I first became a Floss Mom - my DH listened patiently to me talking about my Floss Kids all over the world - and then, quite seriously, asked, "Don't their dentists give them free samples?".

Thanks for visiting today.

More Ornaments

2009-12-05T12:07:00.016-06:00

Hopefully, I'll get my tree decorated this afternoon during the SEC championship game (Roll Tide!). When (and if) I do, I'll take some photos - the greatest majority of my Christmas ornies are handmade by me over the past 30 something years, and other handmade ornaments have been received as gifts or in exchanges.

In the meantime, here are few more pics of other ornies that are special to me:

Away In a Manger, a freebie from the Chart Shop (a fantastic source of free charts, most card size). It took me forever to figure out the little pink thing in the lower right corner was a pig!

Another ornie framed with a canning jar lid - I thought I remembered him being called Mad Santa - but when I checked the Mad Santa chart is different, so now I'm not sure where I found this chart. I stitched him with four strands on 14 count green aida - I didn't want to chance the green showing through on his white fur or beard.A beautiful Matroishka ornament I received in an exchange from an angel stitcher (from Russia).

A sweet angel stitched for me by Jenny, one of my Floss Kids.

I've seen several versions of this in different places, this one is Microsoft Word - Anna12_Elchweihnacht NEU.doc (despite the name, clicking on this link takes you to a web page, where this title links you to a pdf document!).

While searching to make sure the above was still available as a freebie, I ran across this crocheted pair.Aren't they sweet? I don't read/speak German so the pdf associated with it doesn't help me! Anybody up to do some translating for me?

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of my ornaments.

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 - 4 December 2009

2009-12-04T05:00:00.001-06:00

Speaking of Missing Exchanges

2009-12-03T20:29:00.022-06:00

Have you ever had an exchange go astray?

A few years back, I did on an Holiday Ornament Exchange.

A quick note on the quality of these pics - I did not have a digital camera in 2005 - so these were taken with my flat bed scanner!

This is the ornament I originally stitched:

Front

And back

I don't know about you, but I seldom stitch the same chart twice, so when this ornament didn't arrive Down Under, I stitched this replacement:

Front

And Back

I was rather proud of using a cinnamon stick for the trunk of the tree, and thank goodness, this one arrived safely, although it took three weeks! As far as I know, the original ornament never showed up.

And I'm sorry - I've had a quick browse thru several hundred of the free designs I have saved - but I haven't spotted either of the above, altho my faulty memory says they were both freebies. If anyone recognizes them, would you let me know so I can give proper credit?

Almost complete change of subject -

Do you remember the Kerstballen designs submitted last year to Miriam's blog? Lots and lots of creative ideas (in case you need some - lol!). I submitted several, but had designed a few more that I never got around to sending to Miriam.
Pictures are clickable for a larger printable view. All the usual legal bla-bla-bla applies - but if you stitch one or the other, please do send me a photo.

And here's a pic of the plaid calico cat framed with a canning jar lid. I did submit this design (along with a plaid stitched back chart) to Miriam - have a look at her blog if you'd like to get the chart.
Do you have an exchange gone astray story?
Or a free ornament you designed?

Thanks for visiting today.

PS - I haven't forgotten about my promised giveaways - one will be coming real soon now.

Mitten Ornaments

2009-12-02T21:14:00.011-06:00

Wow - I can't believe it's been a week already since I last posted - time is winging by!
I've been really slow getting out my Christmas decorations. Today was too cold and rainy to decorate the outside, and I just couldn't get motivated to start decorating inside, either. Maybe if I share a few favorite ornaments, I'll get my decorating mojo going.

Pere Noel and the Missus. I charted the Missus after stitching Pere.

Caribou - isn't he silly?

And a set of four to spell out the season.

All of the ornaments are simply backed with felt and have either ribbon or yarn hangers.

Free charts can be found here. Seven pages of creative moufles!

Nope, still not in the mood to decorate. Any suggestions?

Thanks for stopping by today.

In All Things, Give Thanks

2009-11-25T19:48:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow, we in the USA will celebrate Thanksgiving. Twixt the turkey and the pumpkin pie, many of us will stop to reflect on the things we are thankful for.

I am blessed in the many things I am thankful for: my DH of 37 plus years, my family, my friends, hobbies I love (and the time and funds to support them!), my good health ... the list is endless, praise God.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things in our lives. As a Christian, I've spent time on my knees thanking God for so many things. But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. This can be a stumbling block - how do you give thanks for bad things? So I want to share with you this blog entry I found some time ago that helped me to understand the crucial difference between "in" and "for": Provocative Christian Living.

I pray this is a blessing for you as it was for me.

No matter where you are, nor whether tomorrow is a holiday for you, I wish you a Joyous Thanksgiving!

Thanks for visiting today.

2009-11-19T21:12:00.006-06:00

Found in my email this morning. If one or more don’t sound familiar – you weren’t paying attention!

I Owe My Mother

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC .
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTION-ISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home .."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home !"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

And my favorite:

25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you"

And I must add my favorite Bigmama-ism, who taught me WATER SAFETY:
“I don’t want you going near that pool until you learn how to swim!”

What did your mother teach you?

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Whew - I'm Back!

2009-11-18T22:07:00.048-06:00

After a very frustrating time of trying to resolve the issues on my home network - I think it is all finally working!

I haven't forgotten my giveaways - I'll hopefully post about that tomorrow.

First, some overdue acknowledgements:
I was thrilled to win Day 9 of the 13 Days of Halloween Giveaway over on Missy's blog. Her presentation was charming:

And look at all the goodies! Can you see the bat stickpin in the second photo? Mega cute!

Thank-you, Missy. I love it all!

Then, I was lucky enough to win a copy of Simon's Cat from Daffycat. Besides being beautifully wrapped in the ladybug paper you see in the photo, she included a heart charm - I have a project in mind for it! Sharon, thanks a million - I'll let you know what the grands think of the book - I know I'll enjoy it.

Monique received the Needle Book that I stitched for her for the Tiny Treasures Needle Book Exchange, so I can post a picture of that.

The design was a freebie months ago on Danybrod's site - I thought it adorable.

Here's a before photo of the EMS Rose Sampler SAL that I stopped working on last year:

And an update tonight of the progress I've made over the last ten days or so:

I'm stitching this in hand - and so it looks fantastically wrinkled right now! This is one of the projects in the basket by my comfy chair that I want to finish before the end of the year.

And last, but not least - my TUSAL update:

Better late than never! I am having to push down on the orts as I place them in the jar, but I think it will last until the end of the year (I hope!).

I have a gazillion blog posts to catch up with, and mega-dozens of emails, so that will be all for tonight.

Thank-you for visiting my blog today.

ETA: Blogger is driving me crazy with the way it handles photos - and it's a very short trip!

Friday 56 6 Nov 2009 and Giveaway Winners

2009-11-06T20:33:00.010-06:00

Entry 1 for both. The books, because hey, there's no such thing as too many books. And the kit, because that plant looks like something my aunt would like on her walls...

For the kit: Blu said...

Entrys 2 & 3 since I'm a follower!

Please email me your snail mail address so I can get your prizes in the mail!

I'll be posting another giveaway Sunday - so be looking for it as I share some of my blessings with you.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Sweet Dreams finished crochet and other projects

2009-11-04T20:41:00.011-06:00

I originally found this chart here, but when you follow the link to Sweet Dreams, AOL hometown has been shut down, so I have no idea who the original designer was. I suspect it was Priscilla’s Crochet.

Oh, look what I found: the new site for Priscilla's Crochet! Isn’t Google wonderful? And Sweet Dreams is listed under her freebie filet samplers!
And look what else I found for sale when I was googling. Wonder if Priscilla knows about it?

I'm finishing this as a pillow - hope to have a pic for you tomorrow.

I've also finished the little ornaments I was working on - but since they are the subject of the Trivia Question in my on-going giveaway, I can't show you a pic of the finish until Friday.

And last for tonight, I've decided to make some more floss wallets for Christmas Gifts - and there may even be one in my giveaways this month! Hmmmmm - we'll just have to see about that.

100th Post (it's about time)

2009-11-02T04:24:00.018-06:00

Woo-hoo! Here it is: my 100th post.

All Souls Day William-Adolphe_Bouguereau

It also happens too be All Soul's Day (or day 3 of El Día de los Muertos) - so don't forget to say a prayer for your family members who have departed.

You may remember that I'm in the midst of cleaning and sorting my craft room. That is resulting in a stack of craft supplies that I know I'm never going to use. What I didn't share previously is that it's all part of a Grand Scheme - and all parts of our home are undergoing cleaning and sorting. I have stacks of another person's treasure all over my house.

I have so many blessings in my life and I would like to spend the month of November sharing some of my blessings with you. So, to celebrate reaching this milestone, I've decided to have a serial giveaway. What's that? You may well ask. Haven't you enjoyed the giveaways hosted by Missy, Jolene and Cameo? Mine is a variation on the theme:

1. Every few days in November, I will post an item or two for giveaway. Each giveaway will end three days after it starts, and I'll give you the ending date on each post.
2. Comment on that post to be entered into a drawing for that day's item(s).
3. If you are or become a follower on my blog - that will get you another 2 entries. Comment again to tell me so.
4. Post about that day's giveaway - get another 2 entries! To keep me straight, I'll have to ask you to comment again and give me the link.
5. Each giveaway day will have a Trivia Question (the answer given when I announce the winner!). Answer correctly in a comment - 1 more entry.
6. I will send internationally - I already have friends all over the world and I wouldn't mind a few more!
7. Please make sure I can contact you - either through your blog or by including an email address.

Now, that's 6 chances of winning that you can be eligible for. I will be drawing each giveaway's winner the old fashioned way - by having one of my grandchildren draw a name out of the Magic Basket. So, if you qualify, your name will be in there six times!

The Giveaways:

OK, enough blathering. First up today are two hardback books: Shadowmancer and Wormwood, both by G. P. Taylor. Remember that these are from my personal collection and are not new, although they are in very good condition. Both books will be going to one lucky winner.

I also have a Dimensions kit - and yes, I'm not ashamed to say I bought it on clearance! But I am ashamed that I bought it - it's not my style at all! This is a complete kit with 14 ct beige aida and thread.

You can enter for either the books, or the kit, or both!

Trivia:
I've got a current WIP that I scanned just because I thought it looked funny at this particular stage.You can blame this on my clean-up efforts - I found a scrap of aida from another project that was the perfect size for these ornaments. The one on the left is an adaptation by me, but the one on the right will be an accurate reflection of the designer's chart. Your mission - identify the designer! Hint - I pulled the chart from my huge collection of online freebies, and I saved it on 15 November 2003.

Entries will be closed at midnight, CST on Thursday, 5 November 2009.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today - and Good Luck!

The Friday 56 - 30 October 2009

2009-10-30T04:49:00.010-05:00

Craft Room Clean-up

2009-10-29T02:30:00.012-05:00

For the past year or so, what with family in the hospital (everyone is home and well at the moment, Praise the Lord), my craft room has suffered badly from neglect. That doesn't mean I stopped crafting - oh no, never that! - but it does mean that I wasn't faithful to put supplies back in the proper spot, or even to put away new purchases. And it seemed that everytime we needed to quickly straighten the house - odd bits got tossed into Mama's Craft Room to be put away properly later. My stash diet has meant that there are no recent purchases to be sorted, but the clean-up is taking a while. Here's a pic of what goes out for the garbage pick-up today: The blinds aren't going - they are just down to be cleaned. I didn't take a "before" picture of the craft room - it was too depressing - lol! and the room is not yet ready for an "after" picture, which is another story....

I signed up for SALsuffit mostly to encourage myself to finish off projects that have been hidden away (mostly by the mess - lol!) - but first I needed to find them! One thing I had been wanting was a largish container to sit near my stitching chair to keep WIPs in - so they would be near to hand when the stitching bug bit! I found this basket at the local thrift store, and I think it's perfect! That's five WIPs/UFOs (that I selected from among too many!) in the basket, and Ive set a goal of finishing all five before the end of the year. Wish me luck!

If, like me, you have a surfeit of WIPs/UFOs, join me in a finishing challenge: Five by 2010! If you'd like to participate - add a comment below. At the beginning of January 2010 - we'll look around and see how many of us met the goal - and I'll devise a little crafty prize to award by drawing from all names. On your honor, now - don't include newly started projects - only current WIPs/UFOs allowed.

I'll continue posting finishing ideas here if you need some inspiration - lol!

Thanks for visiting today!

ps - this is post #98

Long and Filled with Pictures - You Have Been Warned!

2009-10-27T22:29:00.028-05:00

Over the past several months, I've won several giveaways - and have been remiss in acknowledging them here. So that's first:

Belinda sent me a mini heart shaped yo-yo maker. I'm currently working on a project featuring it - hope to have pictures of the project soon!

Bonnie had a wonderful giveaway - and to my amazement - I won! Look at all the goodies: Two kits (my children are trying to take possesion of the wizard - but I'm holding tight!), an Omnibook of Flying charts, a beautiful biscornu chart, and a set of Kreinik silk floss in Christmas colors!

And last, but not least, Cameo hosted a serial giveaway (I'm not sure how many days it ran!) with daily winners - and I won two charts: Thank Heavens for Little Boys (with four DGS - it's perfect for me) and a Janlynn Anniversary chart, that I hope to have stitched by next June for our 38th wedding anniversary!

Something New: I spotted this button on Tanya's blog and I think you should check it out too (the image should be clickable - I hope!).

New Giveaways (at least new to me - lol!)

Daffycat's 2nd Blogoversary - she's giving away a copy Simon's Cat by Simon Tofield to two lucky readers

Kathy is having a One Year Blogging Anniversary giveaway - and she's being very generous! She's giving two prizes - and I would love to have either one!

Geta is a quilter extraordinaire! Go and see the shadow trapunto tabletopper quilt she is giving away.

And finally (for tonight, at least!), Sherry is giving away not one, but two Quaker charts by the Workbasket.

I'll be posting links for all of these over on the right, so you could also click there.

Exchanges:

Monday, the mailman was very good to me! He brought this beautiful Needle Book from Pokua in Western Australia. We're currently exchanging Needle Books and Humbugs at TTE, Too.

And, not to be outdone, Sheila (no blog?) sent me this absolutely stunning ornament for the EMS 6th Annual Holiday Ornament Exchange.

Whew! If you've stuck with me this long, I thank-you! And I want to remind you about the 13 Days of Halloween giveaway - today is Day 9!

I hope I've remembered everything I wanted to say today - if not, tomorrow is another day - right?

Thanks for visiting today!
ps: this is post #97

Two More Giveaways

2009-10-24T21:33:00.016-05:00

To be perfectly honest - I thought about not posting this - I'd love to win both - and the fewer entries the better my chances - right?
But here I am, letting you know I found these so you can have a chance too. The soul of generosity, that's me - lol!

First up is Craftymoo (Sarah) who accidentally purchased two lots - her mistake is some lucky stitcher's gain! And she's even including fabric! How sweet is that?

And then there is April (whom I know thru TTE, Too) - she's been inspired by all the other giveaways in blogland to have her own generous giveaway. It's a MYSTERY, but she lists an incredible number of things she's including, not the least of which is something stitched by her very own self. Good for you April!

I did the finishing for my Holiday Ornament Exchange over at the EMS Board, so it's ready to go in the mail Monday. Next on the stitching schedule is the Humbug for TTE, Too.

I've been trying to decide how to finish I'm Wicked - I stitched this on a scrap of dark blue aida - and only today when I hauled out some orange fabric did I realize that would give it the wrong team colors (you have to be an Alabama Football fan - Roll Tide! - to understand).

I've also been sorting out my craft room - a daunting task - and looking for the old, old piece I want to finish before the end of the month for SALsuffit.

I'm putting a few stitches in the EMS Rose Sampler SAL from 2008 tonight. I had to put it down last year when my eyesight deteriorated (all fixed now - yea!), and only recently got it back out so I can (hopefully) finish it before the end of this year. This is the last progress picture from last year - and it literally had not been touched in a year - I'm so ashamed, because I love this piece. Do you have something languishing in your stash that you want to get out and stitch?

My stash diet was truly broken last night - temptation won! I ordered two charts from The Sampler Girl (they were on sale!): Jane Austen on the Weather (which I fell in love with the first time I saw it) and The Witch School Sampler 1821 (ditto!). I will probably tell DH, "Look what you got me for Christmas!" - lol! Please tell me I'm not the only one to break my diet. You've done it too, haven't you?

Thanks for visiting today!

ps: post #96

Enablers of the First Order

2009-10-23T05:38:00.017-05:00

Tanya has nearly broken my stash diet - and there are still about 18 hours left of her sale Here. I don't think I'm going to be able to resist the temptation. Get thee behind me, temptation - and don't push! lol!

Jolene continues her weekly giveaways. This week is So Much to Be Thankful For and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling her three things you are thankful for. Sounds easy, right? But how do I decide which three things to list? I have so much in my life that I'm thankful for!

Flo has a link to this giveaway - what a cute lapinette! Virg is offering to dress her to suit the winner. I always love visiting Flo's blog - so inspiring!

Svetta is having a SAL over on her blog (Thank-you, Google Translate!) If I understand correctly, she plans to finish this in a week! Svetta is an online friend I met over at TTE, Too.

I read someone's comment (somewhere?) that this seems to be the season for giveaways. I don't know if it's the upcoming holidays, or a reaction to uncertain economic times, but it goes to prove that we have a huge community of wonderful people in Blogland.

So, what's going on in your neck of the woods?

Thanks for visiting today!

ps: Post # 95!

Unfortunately....

2009-10-22T18:46:00.007-05:00

Annie had this on her blog – it looked like fun, so I tried.

The idea is to type unfortunately followed by your first name into Google or your favorite search engine, and see what you get.

Here are the first ten for me:
1. Nita was unable to provide for herself financially.
2. Nita ***** folded like a cheap camera and relinquished her own quest for the Senate to allow Her Highness to take that position.
3. Nita was on holiday during out stay but Mike looked after us very well!
4. Nita said her goodbyes at this campout because she's leaving next month to accept a new job and oversee the constructing of their new home.
5. Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association (NITA)
6. Nita stayed with the Follies for a long while, gradually becoming one of their leading attractions.
7. Nita ****** is a nice grandma with a sweet ride: a seafrost Jaguar!
8. The NITA Foundation is pleased to award a scholarship …
9. Nita **** dunked me on her first ball tossed
10. Unfortunately this caused Nita to break off her engagement to him; she can't bring herself to love a clown.

If you decide to play, be sure to leave a comment so I can visit your blog and see your results.

Don’t forget Missy’s 13 Days of Halloween Giveaway – today is Day 4.

I received the charts I won in Cameo’s recent giveaway – no pics yet, but I can’t wait to stitch them both. {But they will have to wait until after Christmas – I just can’t eke out any more stitching time :-( }

No stitchy pictures today - I'm still working on exchanges!

ps - if you're wondering, this is post #94!

Thanks for visiting today.

edited to add: if you are a woman of a certain age, visit Jennifer's blog today for a much needed ROTFLMAOASTC!

Great Giveaway!

2009-10-20T01:00:00.012-05:00

Brenda over at Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe is having a fantastic fat quarter giveaway. I drooled all over my keyboard!



Just click on her logo above to go and visit and find out how to
sign up.  Entries close at midnite EST on Halloween.

In other happenings - I was finishing the Needle Book for the
TTE Too Needle Book Exchange this evening.
It seemed the further I got into the finishing the less I liked it.
So I de-finished it (you know what I mean - lol!), and started the
finishing over again.
Much happier now - but it won't go in the mail tomorrow as I had
hoped.
Sigh.

Thanks for visiting today.

Missy's 13 Days of Halloween starts Today

2009-10-19T15:48:00.006-05:00

Missy's 13 Days of Halloween starts Today!

Here's a teaser from today's post:

It does look like it will be spooktastic!

Thanks for visiting today.

TUSAL October

2009-10-18T20:29:00.017-05:00

It's the new moon - and that means it's time for a TUSAL update. As you can see, my jar is getting pretty full. Let's see, the purpley-blue is from - no, can't tell you about that one - it's for an exchange. How about the pink - nope, that's for an exchange too. The green and dark shell pinks - oops, another exchange. Seems that all I've done in the past month has been exchange stitching!

Wait, I have one I can share. I had a hard time sleeping the other night, and wanted to do a little cross stitching - but not something that would keep me from heading to bed when I got sleepy. This filled the bill: I'm Wicked - a freebie from Stitches 'N Stones Cross Stitch. It's stitched on 14 count dark blue aida with DMC Color Variations floss, and I plan to finish it as a little door knocker. It would have taken no time at all to stitch, but I ended up frogging the W twice!
It was nowhere on my stitching schedule (every moment is scheduled between now and Christmas - how about you?), but since it wasn't scheduled stitching time (insomnia doesn't count!), I don't feel even a twinge of guilt.

I'm really proud that I've been sticking to my stash diet - everything I've been stitching has come straight out of my stash. But I am going have to break down and buy a few skeins of floss - I'm running low on some I'll need for Christmas stitching. And, since this is Post # 91 - I'm looking at de-stashing some things for my 100th post give-away, but I may need to purchase a few things to round out my prizes.

Last weekend was my 2nd DGS's birthday. Like all 9-year-olds, he's Transformers mad. I thought the cake was u-g-g-l-y, but he loved the whatch-ma-callit Transformer on the top (sorry - I can't remember this one's name).
I don't know why all kids like to make hand signs for pics - it's a kid thing!

That's my warm and cuddly pink fleece robe thrown over the chair in the TUSAL picture - we have the first freeze warning of the season for tonight, so I'm keeping snuggly things handy!

That's 'bout all the news this time around.

Thanks for visiting today!

The Friday 56 - 16 October 2009

2009-10-16T23:36:00.011-05:00

Hearty Craft by Zinaida

2009-10-13T23:14:00.007-05:00

Whilst blog hopping this evening, I happened upon Hearty Craft, an absolutely beautiful stitching blog by Zinaida in Siberia, Russia and simply had to share. Please go visit and see for yourself.

Of special interest to TTE members, look at this Humbug Freebie by Zinaida - it's absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks for visiting today.

My Little Monsters

2009-10-09T23:28:00.007-05:00

The Friday 56 - 9 Oct 2009

2009-10-09T22:10:00.006-05:00

2009-10-09T11:31:00.006-05:00

Don't forget to visit the Online Needlework Show! Now thru Midnight on Monday, 12 October.
And don't forget your napkin to wipe all the drool off your keyboard - too much loverly stuff, ya just can't help yourself!

And a Funeral

2009-10-08T22:23:00.006-05:00

This past weekend, elder DD and I drove a total of 1400 miles to attend my aunt's funeral.
It's impossible to describe how wonderful she was - I can tell you that she was always happy and made everyone around her feel happier, but that barely scratches the surface.
The service was at her church. She had attended it for years, and was much beloved. I asked her one time - why Episcopalian? (most of the family attends Baptist churches) She told me she loved the liturgy and the music. I was greatly comforted to find that the funeral service was an Easter Service, and the homily celebrated her life.
We shared an interest in family and especially family relationships. I'll miss discussing with her that Uncle B was actually my third cousin, once removed. We also shared a love of making music - our family reunions always feature singing, especially our old favorite hymns.
Aunt R had a knack of summing things up. One of her favorite sayings - mentioned in the homily - was "If you can live with it - I can live beside it."
I'll miss her always - but my life has been and will be infinitely richer for having her in it.
Bye for now, Aunt R - I'll see you in the sweet by and by.

The Friday 56 - 2 Oct 2009

2009-10-02T04:55:00.007-05:00

The Wedding

2009-09-29T21:31:00.006-05:00

Happy is the bride the sun shines on.

Sunday was a beautiful day - such a relief after some of the nasty weather we had been having! Here's one quick snap of the couple at the reception: Aren't they gorgeous?

I was too busy to get many pictures - luckily, lots of the family (on both sides) were taking pics - and have promised to share.

The Friday 56 25 Sept 2009 ..... and a Wedding!

2009-09-25T22:23:00.008-05:00

TUSAL and a Near Finish

2009-09-18T21:40:00.004-05:00

Hmm - I seem to have used quite a bit of white this month. You can just barely see the greens, pinks and lavenders that I know I also used in the past month.
I've been working on getting some projects finished this evening - and almost forgot about TUSAL! Here are the Quaker Snowman ornaments that are nearly finished: They are intended to be Christmas presents for some co-workers. I think they need something more and I'm trying to decide - beads or cording or what?
Other projects can be spied if you look closely - and my secret is out - I'm a messy finisher - lots of scraps and everything scattered everywhere around me as I work!

Thanks for coming by today, and if you have a suggestion on the finish - please let me know.

The Friday 56 - 18 Sept 2009

2009-09-18T05:28:00.010-05:00

10 Book Reading Challenge

2009-09-15T20:16:00.006-05:00

Vickie over at Reading and Stitching has issued a 10 Book Challenge. The Challenge is pretty simple - read 10 books by the end of the year. The gauntlet has been thrown! My initial list is simply some of the books I have on my wish list on Amazon to be pre-ordered- but you can change the list if something more interesting comes along.

Because today is the last day to sign up for the challenge - I'm going to issue my own challenge!
Sign up here to read 10 books before the end of the year by leaving a comment on this post by 30 September 2009. Add a list of the books you plan to read to your sidebar and mark them off as you read them.
Read at least the 10 books by 31 December 2009. On 1 January 2010, I'll post so that you can leave a comment that you have completed the challenge. I'll have a random drawing for a $10.00 gift certificate from Amazon from amongst all those who tell me that they have completed the challenge on 30 January 2010!

Elisa is having a Give-Away!

2009-09-12T06:47:00.005-05:00

Elisa is celebrating her 200th post by having a give-away! As you can see, she has a lovely selection of gifts for the lucky winner. You have just over a week to hop over and check out her blog, Old Ragged Threads.
Good luck to all who enter, and thank-you, Elisa, for your generosity!

The Friday 56 - 11 Sept 2009

2009-09-11T19:28:00.007-05:00

11 September 2001

The Sisterhood is Ready to Travel Again

2009-09-07T00:50:00.009-05:00

Jill has finished stitching the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pattern (aka My Needle and My Floss by Waxing Moon Designs). It all started with Harmien and now the Sisterhood has been traveling the globe, enriching the lives of stitchers everywhere. Daffycat has recorded the travels as of 8 August 2009, and Lizzy has recorded the history of how it all began: "once I finish it (I'll stitch it immediately as soon as I get it) and then I'll offer it up again to other commentors on my blog. And boy will this chart be going on a world tour... :)"If you would like to have a chance for the Sisterhood to come to visit you, visit Jill and leave a comment on her post. But hurry - Jill will be drawing the lucky recipient's name next Sunday, the 13th.

Thanks for stopping by today.

The Friday 56 – 4 Sept 2009

2009-09-04T04:28:00.012-05:00

The Friday 56 – 28 Aug 2009

2009-08-28T14:24:00.006-05:00

The Friday 56 – 28 Aug 2009

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I’ve been re-reading my Laura Kinsale books, so the book closest to me is:

For My Lady’s Heart by Laura Kinsale

“Nameless, yea, my lady. A nobody. He gives homage and claims our service, but brings no men beyond that malformed squire.”

Laura Kinsale wrote a book a year between 1985 and 1994. Rumors abound about why she abruptly stopped writing, and there was a ten-year gap until Shadowheart in 2004. I’m happy to say she has another book due out in February 2010: Lessons in French.
She writes historical romances about heroes and heroines with flaws – sometimes physical (as in Flowers from the Storm) and sometimes psychological (as in Shadowheart, which won the 2005 Rita Award for Best Novel). These are definitely not cotton-candy romances.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Patti is having a Giveaway!

2009-08-27T03:20:00.007-05:00

Patti is having a giveaway! No, silly, that's a picture of her new grandbaby! But the giveaway is in his honor.

Hop on over and enter to win this complete kit of Lauren Sauer's Sunflower. The kit is complete and unused and has everything in it that you need to make this beautiful bag.

Thanks, Patti!

Thanks for stopping by!

Are You A Teresa Wentzler Fan?

2009-08-27T02:13:00.008-05:00

If you are - have I got a treat for you!
Purple Kitty Yarns has page after page of free patterns for knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch and many other fiber arts.
For Teresa Wentzler fans - 15 small charts, or if you prefer, you may also get them from Teresa's site.

Either way, it's a bonanza for TW fans!

New Designer Giveaway!

2009-08-26T00:13:00.004-05:00

Belfonte Notes is the blog for new designer Jan. She's celebrating her first release, Rare Treasures, by offering the chart as a giveaway!I want to win this one - how about you?

TUSAL Update 23 August 2009

2009-08-23T05:38:00.007-05:00

Not a lot added this month. Mama was back in the hospital (her third admission this year - please keep her in your prayers) and altho I did get a lot of stitching done, many of my orts didn't make it home.
It does look like I will have to start pushing things down soon if I want to keep the same container. So far, it has naturally settled enough, but I have lots of Christmas stitching I want to do.
How is your TUSAL coming along?

Edited to add - yes, I changed the settings for my blog - what do you think?

The Friday 56 – 21 Aug 2009

2009-08-21T22:13:00.004-05:00

Arrrgh - Computers

2009-08-19T22:55:00.004-05:00

My computer is misbehaving and it's driving me nuts (short trip). So I'm taking a break from troubleshooting and updating my blog - so there!

Mama's been back in the hospital, (third admission this year), and it's not so good - please keep her in your prayers.

My newest grandson is growing and thriving, and DD and DGD are starting to get used to his presence.

I've been stitching up a storm, but not finishing anything - I need to have a "Flurry of Finishing" (won't that be a great title for a future blog post?).

I did finish crocheting a filet pillow top I started several years ago - it's my "hospital" project, because I didn't need a pattern for most of it, and it kept my hands busy as I sat around and waited and waited and waited. Hopefully I can find a few minutes to sit down at the sewing machine and make the pillow to go under the top. And because filet transfers so well to monchrome cross stitch - I've been cross-stitching a miniature pillow top to match. We'll see how that turns out.

I'm still getting used to having to wear reading glasses - and still mad that I have to. But it is a joy to be able to see to work on smaller projects again!

Do check out the Blogging Without Obligation button at the lower left - a philosophy I can happily embrace! I saw it on LaGattaC and shamelessly adopted it.

Bunch of bla-bla-bla this time - thanks for coming by and visiting today.

The Friday 56 – 14 Aug 2009

2009-08-14T03:24:00.006-05:00

The Friday 56 - 31 July 2009

2009-07-31T21:30:00.008-05:00

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Tailspin by Catherine Coulter

“…He needs traffic to get lost in, and he’s not going to find it on this road.”

This is the latest of Catherine Coulter’s FBI thrillers out in paperback. I saw it last week and snatched it up – I’ve liked all of them so far.

Other news – I’ve stitched two of three identical ornaments. This was a little freebie some time ago – I believe by Midnight Stitching. I love the lime green on the dark blue aida – how about you?
It's amazing to me that I can tell that I stitched one in horizontal rows and the other in vertical rows - hopefully pressing and finishing will fix that.
These will be Christmas presents for my co-workers – I haven’t quite decided how I’ll finish them yet.

We bought 50 pounds of new potatoes at the Farmer’s Market, so I’ve been busy canning them. No pic – I didn’t think of it while they were sitting out on the counter cooling, and I’m too stinkin’ lazy to go dig them out of the cupboard right now. I don’t peel the potatoes – just wash and scrub well, cut out any bad looking areas, and cube them (about 1-inch cubes). Besides the fact that I’ve trained my family to like potato with the peel, most of the nutrients are in or just under the skin. Because the canning process cooks them, I devised a variation on twice-baked potatoes that my family loves:

Twice Baked Canned Potatoes

1 quart canned potatoes (or four cups cubed potatoes, cooked)
¼ cup butter (margarine isn’t as good, tho you may use it to save calories)
½ cup sour cream (I do use reduced fat sour cream – hey, save a calorie where you can, right?)
Ground pepper to taste
1 – ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (again, reduced fat – I use 2% cheese)
9 x 13-inch baking dish

Melt the butter in the baking dish. Add the sour cream and stir well. Drain potatoes and toss in dish with the butter/sour cream mixture. Pepper to taste (generously for my family). Salt is used in the canning process, so no need to add more. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (should be bubbly). Top with shredded cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes.

This serves 3 adults and 2 growing boys, with a few pieces left over to treat the puppies.

Not something we eat every day – too calorie dense – but boy, are they good! And a side tossed salad rounds out the meal nicely.

Thanks for visiting today.

Late TUSAL - With an Excellent Excuse

2009-07-29T05:24:00.006-05:00

OK, I know I'm a week late with my TUSAL update - but I have a really excellent excuse: July 22, when it was due - I was at the birth of my fifth grandchild! He is my fourth grandson and weighed in at 7 lbs 14 oz and was 21 inches long. Can anyone say gorgeous grandbaby? Don't you just love how babies sleep in the "I surrender" position? I could just eat him up!

Mom, babe and big sister (my only granddaughter!) are all doing well.

OK, without further ado, here is my TUSAL update:I had to do a fair amount of frogging on my little Snowman Love, which was very frustrating because it's my own creation!

Sharon asked "Are you a skimpy stitcher, using every scrap and bit. Or are you a floozy and spread wasted inches far and wide?" I'm a floozy, beyond doubt. As if you couldn't tell from the state of my orts!

I've officially started my Christmas stitching - maybe I can actually get at least a third of what I want to stitch done this year. I'm planning lots of homemade gifts this year - how about you?

Friday 56 24 July 2009

2009-07-24T23:48:00.002-05:00

The Friday 56 17 July 2009

2009-07-17T03:29:00.007-05:00

Since I can't sleep, I decided to go ahead and get this out of the way (oh my, that makes it sound like a *chore*, when what I mean is so that I won't forget later - lol!)

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

As it happens, the book closest to me is Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson.

Still others include census reports, research reports, industry studies and more.

Pretty dry stuff, eh?

Oh, that reminds me of a story:
On a pond near our house this last fall, I saw a gaggle of visiting geese as well as the swans that live there all the time. When I came home, I told my family about the flock of Canadian Geese I had seen on the pond.
"How did you know they were Canadian Geese?"
"Because they were saying, 'Eh, eh, eh....' "

Thanks for visiting today.

Quaker Hedgehog Pyn Pillow

2009-07-16T18:33:00.011-05:00

I know you've seen the free chart for a Hedgehog Quaker on The Workbasket. When I first saw it, I immediately conceived the idea for this Pyn Pyllow:

I stitched it with some beautiful floss I received from Iza with the floss tag she stitched for me for the Tiny Treasures Floss Tag Exchange. I've emailed both Candy and Mary at The Workbasket to ask their permission to post the directions for finishing this little treasure on my other blog, but I haven't heard from either one yet. Keep your fingers crossed!

Fun Giveaways

2009-07-11T11:45:00.004-05:00

Clare is having a fun giveaway in honor of her 100th post - hop on over and take a look.

But hurry - she plans to draw 3 names Sunday, 11 July!

She has a First, Second and Third prize - what fun!

Patti is also having a great BIG giveaway celebrating 2000 visitors to her blog! What a fantastic statistic. Congrats Patti! Hurry on this one too - it ends 14 July 2009
Bye for now!

The Friday 56 10 July 2009

2009-07-11T05:14:00.004-05:00

I saw where Tonya posted a day early, and here I am a day late. Is that some kind of harmonic synchronicity?

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

It seems I’m always waiting for a new book to arrive from Amazon, and while I wait, I re-read books in my library.

Almost Adam by Petru Popescu

They took reality apart, with a precision that was developed in an earlier habitat, far darker and more confusing.

Whatcher reading?

Canning

2009-07-06T05:23:00.006-05:00

While it's lots of work, we do enjoy our home-canned vegetables, Here are the fruits of our weekend of work:

Speckled butterbeans ready to go in the pressure canner.

Nineteen pints of butterbeans and 25 pints of purple hull peas:

All of these we purchased at the Farmers Market Friday morning and shelled on Friday and Saturday. I only had one pint of peas that failed to seal, so guess what we are having for dinner tonight?

The Friday 56 3 July 2009

2009-07-05T02:24:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know it’s actually the wee hours of Sunday morning – I’ve been busy – more about that later.

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Something a little different this week – the book closest to me is the one I was reading a few minutes ago – and it happens to be on the hard drive of my computer.

WITH THE LIGHTNINGS by David Drake

Adele nodded curt assent. She was angry and frustrated, but it would be wrong to take it out on the aide. To prod the woman verbally would be pointless cruelty—safe enough because the aide was a flunky and unable to respond, just as a big carnivore behind bars can be teased. The aide was as much a victim of Markos, and of life, as Adele herself was.

It’s one of several I downloaded this past week from the Baen Free Library. This is a fantastic resource, and one I highly recommend. Take a moment to read Eric Flint’s introduction to the library. It explains the concept far more entertainingly than I ever could.

And since a Kindle is one of the things on my wish list, I’m pleased to note that all the free books are available in that format, as well.

BTW, I finished all four books by John Scalzi that I ordered from Amazon last week - good reads all, and I'll be looking for more by this author. (Old Man's War, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony and Zoe's Tale)

And how, you may ask, have I been so busy that I’m two days late with this posting? One trip to the Farmers Market of Alabama, three huge bags of vegetables and two days of shelling beans and getting ready to can same, that’s how. I will snap some pics of the finished product later this afternoon and share them later. Right now, it’s time to get some sleep so, Good Night!

Happy Fourth of July

2009-07-04T12:18:00.001-05:00

Wishing you a Safe and Happy Independence Day!

This image is from Peachy Profiles

I Won!

2009-07-02T20:18:00.002-05:00

I never win contests. That is an axiom.
Which is now proven untrue.
I WON!
Belinda drew my name, and I won!
Wow!
What will I do with a heart shaped yo-yo maker? Make heart shaped yo-yos, of course. But what to do with a heart shaped yo-yo? I'm open to suggestions. Anyone?

Tiny Treasures Received and Sent

2009-06-26T22:43:00.011-05:00

For the Floss Tag Exchange on Tiny Treasures, I received a lovely package from Iza in Poland. A beautiful floss tag as well as some gorgeous overdyed floss and a postcard from Lublin. I've already used the floss on the left (New Vision by Carrie's Creation) in a special project that I hope to publish soon on my other blog. Here's a close-up of the butterfly so you can see Iza's meticulous stitching and the color variations in the floss.
I sent to Amanda in Italy, and she's posted that she received my package, so I can post a pic. Sorry for the blurry picture - I didn't preview it before I mailed my package out.
I totally love these floss bags, so I designed my floss tag to be used with them (and included a pack of bags with the floss tag). I also included a fat quarter of the fabric I used to back the tag:Aren't the cats fun?

I can't wait for the next exchange - I love making new friends all over the world!

The Friday 56 26 June 2009

2009-06-26T22:10:00.013-05:00

Once again I'm on time - will wonders never cease?!

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

In general, the book closest to me will be what I am currently reading, and that is true this week. The book closest to me is Yankee Pasha The Adventures of Jason Starbuck by Edison Marshall.

"And that blood will tell!"
"Then it's a wonder you came."
"It was the last straw to make me come. No, I'd decided to already, if you were foolish enough to ask me."

One of my passions is collecting antique books. For my collection, I consider anything over 50 years old as an antique. This edition of Yankee Pasha was published in 1948. In 1954, Jeff Chandler and Rhonda Fleming starred in the movie adaptation, also titled Yankee Pasha. Altho current reviews of the book classify it as a romance/action-adventure, it is told in 1st person by the hero, Jason Starbuck. That's certainly not a modern conception of a romance, is it?

TUSAL and WIP

2009-06-21T22:47:00.007-05:00

Hey, I actually remembered to take a photo of my ort jar for the TUSAL! I began collecting on 1 January of this year, but with one thing and another, did not take monthly pictures (until now!).
I've made no attempt to push the contents down, altho I expect I will have to before the year is out.
All the white orts on top are from my current WIP, Papillons enchanteurs, which was offered as a freebie on 16 February on Club Point de Croix. Gosh, I have collected so many wonderful freebies from them. You do have to join the site, but membership is free, and a new graph is posted each day and remains free for five days! Do check them out. BTW, here is a pic of my WIP on Papillons enchanteurs: Two of my favorite motifs: butterflies and roses. How could I resist? Sorry the picture is so dark - I snapped the photo just a few minutes ago.
I'm stitching it in DMC B5200 on 28 count natural linen. Just a few more stitches and I'll have to figure out how to frame it. I haven't measured it yet, but I suspect it will need an oddball size frame, which might just require going out to the shop and firing up my compound miter saw to make a custom frame (I haven't done any woodworking in months, because of my eye problems and surgeries, so this should be fun!).
Let's see, what else is going on?
I finished reading Death Angel by Linda Howard, and also finished Dead Heat by Dick Francis and Felix Francis. Both were very quick reads. I don't have anything else new in the house to read until my order arrives from Amazon, which I think is due on the 24th.
Oh yes, I bought a bread machine. I've never used one before, so this should be interesting. I decided to get one and try it, 'cause I love homemade bread, but the last two loaves I made a couple of weeks ago crippled me for several days with the arthritis/bursitis (whatever) in my shoulder. Anyone have any experience with a bread machine? I could certainly use the advice.
It's getting late, so I must say
Good Night.

The Friday 56 19 June 2009

2009-06-19T21:40:00.006-05:00

Hey - It's actually Friday and here I am. Things are looking up!

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is Corruption of Blood by Robert K Tanenbaum.

Let me just grab my reading glasses.......

What really happened in the first half hour or so after the first shots. George is connected to the people who run Dallas, and to the extent that the investigation might affect them, especially in a negative way, George has got to be on top of it. Does that make sense?

This was in a lot of books that someone gave me. I'd never read Tanenbaum before, and finished this in the wee hours this morning. Turns out there are several books he's written, all with the same main characters. I haven't quite decided if I liked this one enough to seek out more of his books.

I picked up a Linda Howard yesterday (Death Angel), and will begin reading it tonight. I also placed an order with Amazon for 4 books by John Scalzi - another author new to me. Has anyone read anything by him, and what did you think?

Mourning Doves

2009-06-19T03:27:00.009-05:00

On our front porch, we have three hanging planters. The first year, I planted peonies in them, and when the plants died back at the end of summer, I put in some silk flowers, so the baskets wouldn't be bare. The next spring, when I started to remove the silk flowers, I was surprised to find a pair of mourning doves nesting in the basket. We have had at least one pair nesting every spring and early summer since then. The chosen basket varies from year to year, and I don't know that it's the same pair, but I like to think so. The parents pull out flowers from the middle of the basket, allowing the unwanted stems to fall to the ground. So I leave the poor bedraggled silk flowers, not wanting to ruin what the doves obviously think is a fine home.
We so enjoy their quiet cooing drifting through our open windows, and the whirring sound they make as they take flight. This year, I was able to take a few pictures of one of the parents and a nestling, shortly before the fledglings left the nest. These were taken through the glass storm door, using the telephoto option on my camera.
We had the pleasure of watching the parents caring for the nestlings, and witnessed their first flight. The nest is deserted at the moment, but the pair may be back to hatch another family, so I'll be leaving the baskets alone for the moment.

The Friday 56 12 June 2009

2009-06-13T03:29:00.006-05:00

Yes, I know it’s actually Saturday – that’s the story of my life. But here it goes, anyway.

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs.

Primrose clicked to the age column and asked the program to sort by that criterion.
Air TransSouth 228 had carried only six passengers over the age of fifty.

I began reading Kathy Reichs a few months ago. If you are wondering, yes, I picked up one of her books because of the connection to Bones, one of the few TV shows I watch nowadays. So far, I’ve read only two: Death du Jour and Break no Bones. I’ve barely started reading Fatal Voyage, and I may have to make the effort to find all the books in the series so that I can read them in order. I am not finding her writing as compelling as other authors, such as Jodi Picoult or Diana Gabaldon, and I’m wondering if I’ve missed too much of the back story by not reading them in order. I certainly found that true with the JD Robb In Death series and the David Weber Honor Harrington series– I enjoyed them so much more when I went back and read the entire series from the beginning.

Thoughts, anyone?

Addicted to Cross Stitch

2009-06-03T17:21:00.003-05:00

At Last! It feels like I've been waiting forever for this freebie - although it's actually only a few weeks. Hop on over to Better Cross Stitch Patterns and check it out!
So much stitching - so little time. (heavy sigh)

And how did you spend your weekend?

2009-06-01T22:44:00.015-05:00

I spent mine reupholstering six dining chairs.

I inherited my grandmother's 1940's Duncan Phyfe dining table. While it was used (and abused), it's still a very pretty piece of furniture - and it's on my list for a badly needed renovation. We use it in our sunny yellow sun room as a breakfast table.

The chairs did not survive her ten children - so I only have the table. Luckily, I found a set of Duncan Phyfe style chairs at a price I could afford - and since they were upholstered in a white on white fabric, I knew when I bought them I would be recovering them. I found fabric I liked about six months ago - and grabbed it and put it away in my craft room until I would have time to re-upholster the chairs.

This past weekend - the time had arrived. I couldn't stand it anymore. Doesn't look too bad at first glance, does it? Look a little closer: Grandkids and puppy dogs and goodness knows what have all taken their toll.
The seats were held on to the frames with four L brackets and screws - easy enough to remove. But then the staples! My Berry Staple Remover and pliers got quite a workout. I lost count of the hours I spent removing staples. DH pitched in a couple of times - but I did the majority of it my little ole self.

In contrast, recovering the chairs only took a couple of hours. CDB helped by ironing the fabric pieces (a bit wrinkled from being stored). I admit that it would have taken longer if I didn't have an air powered stapler. I have (in my foolish youth - lol!) re-upholstered a lo-o-ong sofa and two chairs with a manual stapler - and my hands were sore for months. Now, I wouldn't even attempt it without at least an electric staple gun - but I am lucky - and have a compressor and multiple tools to go along with it, including the stapler!
The end results are, I think, well worth the effort: You can see a bit of the table to the left of the chair. I promise to take before and after pics of the table renovation - it's surface is really very sad at the moment.

My dear DH spent the weekend refurbishing our sun deck - and on a brief foray in for ice water, brought me these lovely roses from our garden. They are from one of our few surviving rose bushes - the naughty furbabies (aka Annie and Nellie, the Gruesome Twosome) chewed the rest of the rose bushes to the ground - thorns and all!
So, what did you do over the weekend?

Grab Bag Giveaway

2009-04-30T17:35:00.008-05:00

Simone is having a Grab Bag Giveaway to celebrate her second Blogoversary - isn't that a mahvelous idea?
Of course I entered (and sincerely hope to win!), but you can enter , too. Click on Simone and follow her instructions. But hurry - her Blogoversary is 9 May!
Good Luck!

You Must See This!

2009-04-27T22:17:00.003-05:00

Antwerp Station - The Sound of Music
Enjoy!

A Big Biscornu

2009-04-19T04:57:00.007-05:00

Jean received this biscornu I sent her for the Tiny Treasures Exchange, so now I can share a picture: It's leaning up against a six-inch pot, so that will give you an idea of the size.
The design is A Spring Garden by Jodi Larson, which was a freebie on thegoldenhoop.com (Now closed, but checkout Jodi's blog). Jean has a better close-up picture on her blog.

In other news, Mama is now in rehab (praise God!), and doing well. We have hopes she'll be able to go home in a few days.

It's actually time to get up, so I'll just say Good Morning!

Tiny Treasures Exchange Received and Snow!

2009-04-05T21:39:00.025-05:00

I received a lovely package from Audrone in the Tiny Treasures Biscornu Exchange - look at the goodies! Audrone designed and stitched the butterfly biscornu just for me - it's so pretty and delicate! The mag is a Lithuanian Cross Stitching magazine - Audrone tells me it's the first in Lithuania.

Back on March 1st, we had snow! It's a rarity in Alabama, and therefore, we get all excited when we do have some. Lookit the pretty pictures:

That's the dogwood and ring of azaleas in front of my house. And my van, with it's blanket of snow.

The DGs had a great time - making snowballs and trying to build a snowman. We made them come inside every 15-20 minutes to warm up, much to their disgust.

Mama is doing much better - she's off the vent, and has had her trach capped for the past day. Because of my sinus infection / cold, I haven't been able to see her this past week - too much danger of her catching something from me - so I've had to depend on my sister and Daddy for updates.

I did manage to get my next eye surgery scheduled for mid-May. I'm so looking forward to getting my right eye fixed too. Oh, that was purely pun-intentional - lol! BTW, mine are/were PSC cataracts.

It's quite late (as always!), so I'll say Good Night!

Scattergories

2009-04-02T23:37:00.006-05:00

Found this at Annie Beez Folk Art

"Scattergories
If you play leave a link in the comments so I can go and look at your answers!

Rules:
IT'S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS!
USE THE 1ST LETTER OF YOUR NAME TO ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
THEY HAVE TO BE REAL PLACES, NAMES, OR THINGS--NOTHING MADE UP!
TRY TO USE DIFFERENT ANSWERS IF THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU HAD THE SAME 1ST INITIAL.
YOU CAN'T USE YOUR NAME FOR THE BOY/GIRL NAME QUESTION.

Have Fun!!"

1. What is your name: Nita
2. A 4 Letter Word: Neat
3. A Boys Name: Neil
4. A Girls Name: Nora
5. An Occupation: Novelist
6. A Color: Neutral
7. Something you wear: Necklace
8. A Beverage: Nectar
9. A Food: Nachos
10. Something found in the bathroom: Night Cream
11. A place: Narthex
12. A Reason for being late: Nyctalopia
13. Something you shout: Noooo!!

Won't you play?

Serendipity and Other Sagacities

2009-03-23T22:48:00.007-05:00

While looking at Clarelis' site (love those butterflies!), I followed a link to blog de valy and thereby discovered The Butterfly Project. I am totally commited to completing some butterflies for this project, and am sending info to my DGS's teachers about the project and learning opportunities there. Deadline for the museum to receive the butterfly projects is 30 June, 2011. I'll be sure to post some pictures here.

You know that I love reading - right? I was checking out the blogs of other participants in le-marquoir-de-sophie, and saw a name I recognized from the Tiny Treasures - YoYo of Dragon my Needle. Of course I had to hop over and check out her blog - some loverly stuff there. And while I can't quite recall how I started from there and ended up at Tonya's blog (I spend way too much time cruising - lol!). I'm glad I did. Look this Friday for my post on:

There's a neat giveaway over at Ginny's Quilts that I ran across this evening - of course I'm entering for the giveaway!

Health issues continue to occupy most of my time. Mama is now in her 5th week in the ICU. Tomorrow there are plans for a couple of procedures that will hopefully improve matters - say a little prayer for her and all of us, please.

The frog has been visiting me regularly, and I was fairly confused about why - until I realized that four to five hours of sleep per night is leaving me chronically sleep-deprived. Automatic stitching is the result. So I'm going to close this and get into bed with a final reminder to myself and anyone who happens to read this that healthy living relies on four major factors:
Healthy Air (breathing)
Healthy Water
Healthy Food and
Healthy Sleep.
Good Night!

Another Freebie Site Found!

2009-03-18T22:07:00.004-05:00

I was actually googling for cross stitch lap stands when I ran across Better Cross Stitch Patterns . com. Well worth your time to check it out. Be sure to read the About Us page - Katherine and Allen appear to be very sweet people.
Enjoy!

New Craft Creations Magazine Download Available

2009-03-17T22:27:00.006-05:00

A real quick post to let you know there's a new issue of Craft Creations Magazine available for downloading: Issue 48
And wait until you see the Easter Surprise! It is too cute!

Mama Update: Please continue to pray for her - we're now in the fourth week in the ICU, and she's having problems weaning from the ventilator.

CDB Update: She continues recovering from her hospitalization last December / January - but has contracted mycoplasma pneumonia (which is responding well to treatment) - a very big warning that her health is still very fragile!

My meditation for today is on Psalm 18:32-36.
"It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect..."

Keep Looking Up!

les Pyrénées

2009-02-28T20:40:00.005-06:00

I was browsing through some blogs this evening and happened upon le blog de fanou and in particular the article les Pyrénées - some absolutely stunning pics there! Very nice blog, Fanou!
But I have to confess the silliest question occurred to me - wonder what made the builder of the home in the fourth photo choose that particular spot? It appears to be a random choice, but wouldn't you like to know why?

Mama is still in intensive care, and we still don't know why she's ill - it's so frustrating. The good news is that various tests show she doesn't have a host of diseases (including uterine cancer!) . The bad news is she seems a little worse every day - she's very difficult to rouse, and she does not interact very much at all. The doctors tell us she is getting a little better every day, based on blood counts and such. Please continue to hold her in your prayers.

I must share a funny little story. Saturday was my eldest grandson's birthday, and in the interest of ease of serving, the beverage we offered was Capri Sun (a juice drink in a disposable pouch, in case you didn't know). They come with a small straw attached, and you have to pierce the pouch with the straw. My 5-year-old grandson was having difficulties with the operation, so I offered to help.
"My teacher can do that," volunteered the little angelic DGS.
"Well, I'm having a bit of a problem with it," says I.
"My teacher isn't old."
splert!

And life goes on....

My Mom and Pics to Share

2009-02-25T22:13:00.014-06:00

My life - it's a soap opera - and a very badly written one at that!

Last week, my mom was admitted to the hospital - she's stable for the moment, but still in intensive care - please remember her in your prayers. I've been spending every available moment at the hospital with her and Daddy - and trying to follow the admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

I do want to share some pics of the Christmas present I received from my younger DD This is her first attempt at satin stitch - don't you think she did a wonderful job?
Must share her story behind making this: Several months before Christmas, she mentioned to me that she to do a pattern that called for satin stitch, and she wasn't sure how to do it. "That's OK - just bring it here, and I'll show you", says I. Consternation! - lol! Obviously, she managed to figure it out.
After Christmas, she told me she worked on this while watching the Alabama (ROLL TIDE!) games each Saturday . How she managed to concentrate during the games is beyond me - Alabama football last year was intense!

On other fronts - CDB continues to recover and is trying to move on with her life. The DGS are settling in to their new school, and making new friends. DH has been ill for several days, but appears to be on the road to recovery. And I just keep on keeping on.

PIF

2009-01-25T06:35:00.006-06:00

I've published a PIF (Pay It Forward) on my other blog Finishing Ideas for Handcrafts, and I invite you to come and join the fun!

CDB is Home!

2009-01-25T06:33:00.000-06:00

My elder DD, whom I’ve always called CDB, was admitted to the hospital on 4 December 2008 with critical and life-threatening illnesses. CDB is the mother of our two grandsons. We prayed and solicited prayers from our friends and family for her recovery. Folks all over the world prayed for our precious CDB (our most sincere gratitude to all whom prayed with us for her healing!) Through the healing grace of God, she is recovering, and we brought her home on 9 January 2009. We brought her to our house so that I could continue to give her care while she completed recovery and regained her strength. We rejoice!

I solicit your prayers again – for strength for CDB and us all. Her marriage has been troubled for a while, and on 12 January, her husband brought their two sons to our house and left them, telling CDB he wanted a divorce. He did not bring any of the boys’ personal belongings. Over the next week, we managed to recover most of their belongings, and transfer the boys to a school near us (they lived almost an hour away and transportation to their school would have been very difficult, if not impossible). CDB has been far more gracious to her husband than I would be, allowing him to see the boys on Sundays. He has a long history of not keeping a job, and has not worked at all since sometime in December (and prior to December, had not worked for many weeks), so he tells CDB he has no money he can give her. DH and I are taking care of our daughter and grandsons, but it grates on CDB’s sensibilities that right now, she can’t contribute anything to their support. So please pray for CDB’s emotional health, for our dear grandsons and for us, as we manuever through this difficult time.

Happy Birthday DGS

2008-10-20T14:27:00.008-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated my DGS's 8th birthday. He's Star Wars mad - so deciding on a gift was easy - found this costume online and ordered it from http://www.buystarwarscostumes.com/ (not affiliated in any way - just a happy customer). Here is DGS in his costume:

He also had a special request for his cake and called me a few weeks ago:

"Grandmama, can we make a Buzz Droid cake for my birthday"

"Sweetie, I don't know what a Buzz Droid looks like,"

"I can draw you a picture!"

So he did:

And here's my interpretation:

DGS: "It's pretty good - but you got the colors wrong."

Memo to self - figure out how to convince my dear grandchildren that "Grandmama can do anything!" is not a true statement.

BTW, the cake tasted delish and was enjoyed by all - even though it was the wrong colors!