A Long Vacation

I haven't posted in ages!! I've had a rough year - especially the last half! I've been sick a good bit - getting old, I guess. Last month my mom fell and broke a bone right above her right wrist and crushed some bones in her hand. She ended up having to have surgery and spent 2 nights in the hospital. This all happened when I was too sick to go see her or help at all. Also, I was having trouble with my car.

Back during the hottest part of the summer, DD and I were driving over to a friend's house and on the way, the car choked down and would not start back up. We had to sit in a hot car for quite a while. We guessed it had overheated. We finally got it started again and made it to a little store down the street before it conked out again. No one could come and get us right away; so, we ended up spending almost 2 hours in the store. A neighbor finally came and picked us up. DD took me back to the car the next day, and it started. I was able to make it home with DD following me. I really couldn't afford to have it fixed right then, and I got sick - so - I just didn't drive and stayed around the house. Luckily, my brother used to be a car mechanic. So, after Mom got out of the hospital, he came over and worked on it 2 days. It turned out to be the thermastat, a hole in a hose, and some expensive control thingy for the radiator. I had to force him to take some money for his labor. I had to pay a good bit for the parts, but he really saved me a lot of money. At a mechanic shop, the labor would have cost me a small fortune. He ended up having to take almost all the motor apart! Then I was on my way to visit mom and had a flat tire on the interstate. At first, I didn't realize it was a tire; I thought the motor had blown or something. Luckily, I was near an exit and was able to stop at a little market and call my brother. He came right over and put the spare on. The next day he took my car and picked up a new tire for me and put it on. I am so glad my brother moved so close to me! Needless to say, I'm driving my car as little as possible!

This is not all the problems I have had, but I'll save the rest and tell about more in my next post.

Now for some less depressing news. We have a new little grandnephew in the family. My nephew and his wife had Elijah, their second son, in July. He was small - only 6 lbs., which is the smallest baby born in our family in a long time! He is precious.

DD is still in college. She's doing much better on her grades. She is working in a daycare with afterschool kids. She loves it and is now thinking about being a teacher! She's really a natural, and she gets it honestly. Two of my mom's sisters were teachers; my mom substituted some; four cousins are teachers; one cousin is a teacher's aide; and I am a retired teacher! She really didn't have a choice. lol

Now - finally- a cross stitch update! I really wish I could post some pictures, but we still haven't gotten a new monitor. DD got a thingy that wirelessly connects her laptop to the printer, but it's not working right now. I got the pieces for the baskets for my mom and niece finished, but ran out of time and didn't get my sister's finished in time. I put the first 2 on the tops of the baskets, and just taped the unfinished piece to my sister's so she could at least open it at the family Christmas party. Hers is an angel. It is really gorgeous. I brought it back home and have almost finished it. I ran out of a color and haven't gotten to the store to get another skein. She had a fit over it and really didn't want to give it back to me! lol I'll get DD to fix the wireless thingy so I can scan it and post a pic later.

Guess I'd better go. Neighbors are shooting fireworks, and the furry babies are going crazy! They want to sit in my lap! HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Too Hot and Dry!

It's another HOT, humid, dry day here in the south! We desperately need some rain! But it does give me an excuse to stay inside and stitch! But, seriously, pray that we get some rain soon!! We had a very dry summer last year, also, and we are losing trees and other plants! I've been staying at home and "hibernating."

I finally had to tell my mom that I needed to stay at home and try to heal emotionally. I really feel better! However, we had another stressful event. Right after my son passed away, my mom was in the hospital with a ruptured artery near her stomach. Luckily, she had gone to the hospital for a stress test and while there realized she was bleeding. They were able to quickly do surgery and repair the artery. But while she was in the hospital, she also had pneumonia. She was so sick! Well, her doctor keeps a close watch on her lungs because she already has ashma. A couple of weeks ago she had a CAT scan of her lungs. Her doctor told her they had found some nodules and that she needed to go to her lung dr. for further tests. It scared us to death; of course, cancer was what we thought. I thought I was taking it real well and wasn't too worried. My sister went with her to the dr. I called her at noon and she had just gotten home, It was not cancer. They told her the nodules were very tiny and at her age it wasn't really reason to worry. When she told me, I went to pieces!! I am so thankful!! But it set me back some.

However, I have been stitching a good bit, when I haven't been asleep. I have never slept so much! But I think it's what my body needs to recover from all the stress I have endured! I have done several small pieces. I did a patriotic piece - a freebie -with Uncle
Sam on it. He is so cute! I also finished the charity piece - the little boy angel sitting on the moon. It was a quick stitch and I enjoyed doing it. I got it in the mail yesterday. I started the ornies for my teacher-friends, but I won't describe them because some of those friends read my blog! I'm working on another patriotic mini - it's by Lizzie Kate. It says, "Liberty" and has some stripes and stars on it. It's very small. I saw a button at the LNS that I want to put on it. It's a heart with the flag on it. I'm going to get it tonight. It's Stitching Club night. I haven't been to it since Mar., but I'm planning to make it tonight!

I did make it to the LNS earlier this week! It was the first time I left the house in 3 weeks and, of course, my first trip out of the house would be to the LNS! lol I had ordered some material and thread and it had finally come in. Of course, I bought other stuff, too. DD went with me. She stitches every once in a while. My fabby is 28 count Summer Sky Jobelin. It's for a piece I want to do. It's in the April 2008 issue of Stoney Creek Cross Stitch Collection. It says, "Prayer changes things." I also got the GlissenGloss thread it calls for. It's Twilight and it's really beautiful. I've never stitched with a silk thread before. I'm really looking forward to starting it, but I have many things to finish first. I did get it kitted, though.

Back to my new stash! We got the pattern "Footprints in the Sand." I've wanted to do this pattern for a long time. But it will be a long time before I get to that! We lucked up and found several patterns we liked that were on sale! Katie picked out one by Forever In My Heart. It's "Here's to Women." It says "Here's to good women. May we know them; may we be them; may we raise them." I really like this, too. I got 2 patterns from Heart in Hand and they both included the buttons to go with them. One is "Winter Medley" and the other is "Spring Medley." I wish she had also had autumn and summer, but she didn't. Maybe I can find them later. All 3 of these patterns and the buttons were 75% off. I got them all for less that $7! I so love to find things on sale!

But I'm very proud of myself! Yesterday I went to Michael's to get a picture stand for the picture I did for Katie to give her dad. And I DIDN'T BUY ANY STASH!! I looked, but resisted buying anything! Amazing for me! lol

Well, that's about it for today! I hope everyone is doing good. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Feeling Better

I've been very busy stitching. I'm working on the piece for my mom's basket. I'm about half finished with it. I've also done several little pieces. I love to do small, quick pieces! A little bird house to make into a scissor fob, a piece that has little houses on it and says "Love begins at home." I've also started a charity square for Love Quilts. I had taken a break from my charity squares, but I'm motivated again! Oh! I almost forgot the piece I did for DD to give her dad for Father's Day! It says, "Dad - some day my prince may come, but you will always be the king of my heart." It has hearts and vines around the words. I didn't stitch one of the little hearts and sewed a little heart charm on it. Now I just have to frame it today. She's going to see her dad tomorrow because she has to work today. I also want to do a piece in memory of my dad. I have it kitted but haven't started it yet. It's from a very old mag and says "Thank God for fathers who not only gave us life but also taught us how to live." It has a couple of deer and trees on it - silhouettes. I wish I could show some pics!

Life has been pretty quiet around here. I finally told my mom that I was going to "hibernate" for a week or so! I have been through so much the last 3 or 4 years! I'm just staying at home and resting! I told her I need to heal emotionally! I do feel better. I have not let myself feel guilty that I wasn't going to see her every day! I have come to realize that I can't help anyone else until I take care of myself!

Things have been better with DD. I watched a Super Nanny show last week and she was making a little boy go to time-out. I had a brain storm and decided to try humor on DD. She had brought in a couple of gift bags from the garage and, of course, left them sitting on the table. I told her to put them back in the garage. She said, "I will - later" - her favorite thing to say and then she never does!! She went to her room. I marched in her room and told her to look me right in the eyes. (I even made the motions with my hands!) Now - remember - she is 19-years-old! I said, "I want you to go put up those bags. If you don't, you will have to sit in the "naughty chair" one minute for each year of your age - 19 minutes." She was about to leave with her best friend, who used to work at a day care. BF says, "That's what we used to say to the kids at the nursery!" Well, DD got mad, but she stomped off and put the bags where they belonged. I told her, "Thank you, Sweetie. Now tell Mommy you are sorry and give me a hug." She did but she was MAD! She then stomped off. But a minute later she came back to where I was sitting and hugged me and said, "I'm sorry, Mom. I love you." I couldn't believe it actually worked! She has been much better since then. You just have to try to use your sense of humor when raising kids, especially teenagers!!

Well, that's about it for me today. I've been trying to catch up on reading blogs. Most of us seem to be slack about posting lately. I guess life gets awfully busy sometimes! Take care! Have a day full of happy moments; and may God bless you!

A Gift Becomes a Present to Me!

Still without a computer of my own! I really miss posting! Things have been pretty quiet around here. My family got together again last week at a seafood place to celebrate my daughter's, my sister's, and my great-niece's birthdays! We had so much fun! I made a little hanging pillow for my sis. She turned 50. It had a very curvy lady in a gold evening dress holding a champagne glass. It said, "Golden oldie? Not me!" It also had the number 50 done in gold braid. I wish I could post a pic of it! I really can't figure out my mom. We all had such a great time, and then the next day, she said it made her too tired and she didn't think we should do it again! I'm wondering if it bothers her because my dad's not there and she misses him so much. I've also wondered if she feels guilty having a good time without him! I told her we were going to do it if it's only the 3 siblings and our kids. I really hate it that the only memories DD has of my family are trips to the hospital! I told my sis that I get the feeling that Mom doesn't want us to get together, and she said she got that same feeling! Mom's very bad to talk about other family members negatively, and we think she's afraid we'll tell each other what she says. You can't stop her. She is a wonderful person, but the last few years she has gotten very negative about everything! But we're going to get together, even if we have to do it without telling her!

I've been pretty busy stitching! I did a neat window scene looking out over a beach with a boat in the distance and a pitcher and glass of orange juice on a table. It was supposed to go on a retirement card for a former colleague, but I got sick and didn't make it to her party and decided I would keep it myself. I'm going to make it into a flatfold. It reminds me of beach trips my family took when I was little! I also did a quick little bird house that I'm going to make into a scissor fob. So after my little foray into quick stitches, I am now working on the big piece for my mom for Christmas. It is a very country piece. I really like stitching with the deep, rich colors! The only problem is I made a working copy of the chart and put the mag away in my HUMONGOUS pile of mags. The pattern has leaves and the chart says to stitch the outline of the leaves in green and the center of the leaves in blue! I can't decide if it's a mistake. I guess I'm going to have to go through those mags and find the original with the picture and see what they did on it. I've got to get my mags better organized.

I'm also going to start a new piece (that will make a hundred and one things I have started and not finished yet! lol). It's a fairly simple piece in memory of my dad. It says, "Thank God for fathers who not only gave us life, but also taught us how to live!

I'm in pretty bad shape today. The last few months have been pretty bad. As most of you know, my 18-year-old son was killed in 2005 in a car accident. Some people might think that it gets easier with time, but it doesn't. It gets worse!! My son's death was so sudden! I think my brain instantly went numb as a way of keeping me from going insane! For a long time I went around feeling like I was in a dream and wasn't part of this world anymore. Nothing seemed real. Now it's like it's becoming too horribly real to me and it's so hard to keep on going. I have flashbacks to the day they came and told me. I can't help it - I start screaming and my throat closes up. I have to take anxiety pills and I'm on a lot of depression meds. Right after he died, we found a stack of letters that we and he had written while he was at different camps through the years. I didn't read them - I just put them in my drawer with the last shirt he wore. Last night I decided to read them. I could HEAR his voice in the letters he had written. He and I were so close! In one of the letters, he wrote, "There's nothing better than writing a letter to your momma." I really cried and cried. I didn't get to bed until 5:00 this morning. I got up at noon and feel like I've been backed over by a truck! The only way I keep going is by constantly praying. I have witnessed so many miracles since my son's passing! I know I couldn't go on if I didn't have the Lord walking with me and holding me up!! Well, that's my little sermon for today!

I'm going to have some lunch and start stitching. I really want to make a hugh dent in the pile of Christmas gifts I have to do! Have a day full of happy moments;and may God bless you!

Long Time, No Post

It's been a long time since my last post! I think my computer screen is gone for good this time!! I can't afford a new one right now, so I'll have to use DD's laptop for a while. But that means I can't show any pictures, and it's very rare that her laptop is free for me to use.



Anyway, I have been doing a lot of cross stitching! I've finished the Birds and Birdhouse. Happy Dance!! It is really pretty. Maybe someday I can show it to everybody! I also made a Mother's Day card for my mom. It was a flower wreath with "Happy Mother's Day" inside it. She really loved it and now wants it framed, after she told me she doesn't want anything else cross stitched to hang!

I've also finished a small freebie called "Summer House." It was in a newsletter I got from somewhere. The name of the site was not on the page with the pattern and that's all I saved. I am so proud of myself. It called for Crescent Color threads, which I don't have; so I choose my own colors. It's the first time I've chosen my own colors for a piece!! I used a couple of WDW threads that I had and DMC threads. I love the result!! I really wish I could show a pic! I'm planning to make it into a tuck pillow. I have so many things that I need to "finish"finish!

I'm working on a couple of new things. DD's birthday is this week and I'm doing a birthday piece for her. It's a freebie I got from Rainbow Gallery. It's a birthday cake. My LNS doesn't carry the Rainbow threads, so I also chose my own threads for this piece. DD's favorite color is purple; so I'm making it with purple, white, and brown colors - some WDW and some DMC. It's really fun to choose your own colors! I'm also working on a card for my sis. Her birthday is 2 days after DD's. I have a sister piece that I'm going to frame for her, also. I also have been invited to a retirement party for a dear teacher friend later in the month, and I'm going to do a card for her, also. I don't have time to stitch something big for her, so I'll buy her a gift.

Last month my family started a new family tradition. Well, really I started it! We don't get together often. I finally figured out why we don't. When my dad was alive, either he or Mom was in the hospital every few months! Of course the whole family would gather at the hospital and be there the whole time - so those hospital stays became our get-togethers! We really saw a lot of each other!! Anyway- back to our new tradition. We are getting together on each family member's birthday! Last month was the first one - my brother's birthday. We met at a restaurant. We had a great time! However, my brother wasn't there! He has been very sick, but we decided we would get together whether the birthday person could be there or not! lol
So we're getting together for DD's, my sister's, and my great-niece's birthday next week. Dear great niece's bday is in the first of June.

I just got a big box in the mail while I was sitting here writing this! I ordered several cross stitch books from that Bargain Books site. I won't let myself open it until I finish this! lol Guess I'd better close because I just can't wait to see my new books (which are my Mother's Day present to myself!!) I'm going to read some of your blogs as soon as I can! Please forgive me for being so lax about that, but DD doesn't let me use her laptop often. I think about my cyberfriends very often, though, and hope all of you are doing great!! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!!

Lots of Work

It has really been a while since my last post. Our computer died. I had to wipe out everything on the hard drive and reload everything! I'm so glad we learned how to do that! The picture above is my progress on the birds and birdhouse piece. I really love this piece and can't wait to finish it. I've been working on it exclusively the last few days. I want to get it finished! I had someone else to ask about the designer. It is from an old mag and they didn't tell the designer's name!

The next 3 pictures are my last 3 finishes! Happy dances!!!

The picture above is my latest charity square. I'm going to get it in the mail very soon! This piece just called to me! I love the different styles in it - the flowers are kind of abstract and the leaves are very realistic. The different textures are neat, too. Plus I love anything that has some checkerboard in it! I really enjoyed doing this!

I finished the 4th part of the Rose Sampler (above). I just printed out the 5th part, so I'll start on it soon! I really like this and it is going to be huge!

The piece above is a freebie and my first time using WDW threads. I'm looking for a little cross charm to put on the heart. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it yet! The colors in this really spoke to me! There's usually something about a piece that really touches me and makes me want to stitch it! When I choose a piece because it "spoke" to me, I usually really enjoy doing it.

Well, I want to go watch "Criminal Minds" on television and work some more on the birds. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Happy Dance

This is my latest charity square for Love Quilts. I got a little bogged down in the blues of the gown; so I am very glad to finish it! I really like it, though.

The start above is my next charity square. This is "Mayfair Basket" from the June 2007 issue of The Cross Stitcher (US). I'm doing this one for a particular child - Kayla. I am going to do it again for a little girl named Emmie. And it looks like I'll be doing it again for my DD. She saw it and wants one, too. lol I'm missing some threads. This is all I can do until I get the threads. You do the rest of the flowers with pink variegated threads. I was excited when I saw it, because I really enjoyed stitching with the variegated thread on the piece in memory of my son. I did this much in 2 days. I can really get a lot done when it's something that I'm enjoying doing!

I subbed on Wed. at a great school and had a great day. The classes were extra help for students who had failed the state achievement test; so they were small. Plus half of the grade had gone on an all day field trip. The largest class I had all day had 8 kids in it. She left a lot of sudoku puzzles for them to work on. I just sat at a table and cross stitched all day. It was in a portable so I knew no one would come out to bother me! And I made $145.00 for just sitting there and cross stitching - my kind of job!!! But that's not the way it usually is! Usually I just get to stitch during the planning periods.

Margaret wanted to know who the designer of Birds and Birdhouse was. They did not tell the designer's name, but it was in the June/July 1991 issue of Cross Stitch Quick and Easy, although this piece is definitely not quick!! But I'm really enjoying it!

That's about all that's going on around here. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Resurrected Computer

Well, the computer decided to work again. But it still goes blank quite often! The piece above is my latest start and finish. I did it in about 3 days. It is the freebie I found at Cyberstitchers. I really enjoyed using the variegated thread. My mom really likes this and wants me to do one for her for Mother's Day. She wants hers to be red and blue. I want to get 2 heart charms to put on each side of "a treasure." It will fit perfectly in a 5"x7" frame.

Above is my progress on the Birds and Birdhouse. I finished the bird and part of the left side border and vines. I really enjoy working on this, but I have so many I have to finish that I only work on this a little each week. My mom also saw this one and said she wants one, too. She wants one of everything I do!! Yet she keeps telling me she has enough cross stitch hanging in her new apartment. And, by the way, she is finally all settled in and really loves her new apartment! I think she has finally realized that we are not going to move her again and that she'd better be content where she is!

I'm doing the piece above for my DB for his birthday, which is on Apr. 28th. It's on 22 count cream hardanger. It will fit perfectly in an 8"x10" frame. It's called "Brothers" and was in the Jan/Feb 1993 issue of Simply Cross Stitch Magazine.

This piece is my latest square for charity. I actually finished this since I started this post. I'll show a pic of the finished piece later. I'm still trying to do about 1 square a month for charity.

I haven't subbed in ages, but I've got to do some. If I just didn't need money!! lol! I really love staying at home and stitching!

DD's best friend is living with us again. She stayed with us about 4 months the first of last year. This time, she is paying a little rent! She is going to college part time and working part time. But I really can't afford to let her stay for nothing. Jerry is going to move out. He has a mobile home and now that he is back on his feet, we both agreed that it was time. I really look forward to the time that I am the only one living here!! I LOVE my DD with all my heart, but I love her enough to want her to some day have her own place and life.

Well, the computer is warning me that it is about to cut out! So I'd better post this! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Computer Death

My computer has died!! I can't afford to get another computer right now. I can post some on my daughter's laptop, but I can't post pictures! Boo! I've been doing a good bit of stitching the last few days. I finished a new piece that is a freebie on Cyberstitchers. It says, "When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure." And it has a border around it. I did it in memory of my son. I've never stitched with DMC variegated threads, so I did the words with a white, purple, and light blue variegated thread. I did the border with a purple and blue that matched the v. threads. I really liked using the v. thread.

I have done a good bit more on the birds piece. I'm also trying to finish up my next charity square. It's an angel. I really wish I could show pictures of my progress.

My stitching club meets tonight, but I've got a migraine and can't go! I tried to get to feeling better, but to no avail! I really enjoy the club!

DD's best friend has moved in with us again. She and DD are sharing a bedroom. But I told her she has to give me some rent each month. She was practically living with us anyway, but I really can't afford to feed her and pay for the water she uses, etc. I really don't want to sub. With this little bit coming in from her, I won't have to sub much!

Well, I'm having trouble typing this post with my headache; so I'd better go and put the cold cloth back on my head. Have a day full of happy moments; and may God bless you!

New Oldest UFO

I'm working on the 4th part of the Rose Sampler above. I took this over to my mom's and worked on it, and she really liked it. It's a good piece to work on when I visit her. We talk and talk; so this piece doesn't take a lot of thought and I don't make as many mistakes.

Since I finished my oldest UFO, the piece above is now my oldest UFO. I've been working on it, too. I did the bird - a house finch. I'm really enjoying this piece. I plan to hang it in my bedroom. I did start the Jesus Loves Me piece with the WDW threads, but I've put it someplace and can't find it. I am missing one of the threads - the LNS was out of it - so I've done all I can do on it! I love stitching with the WDW threads!! I'll show a pic later.

Mon. I didn't feel like going to my teacher friends' get together; I ended up in bed all day. That afternoon, my DB called to tell me that my mom and sister had been in a wreck. They were on their way to my mom's eye dr. Mother was driving and she was turning left and pulled in front of an oncoming car. She thought she had time to get across, but she didn't. The other car was going very fast. She hit mom's car on the passenger side right behind the front door. Luckily they both had their seat belts on! The car was spun around and ended up pointed in the opposite direction from which they were driving. My sister's face hit the door window. She has a black eye and loose teeth and bruises down the side of her face. She also has bad bruises on both her knees. My mom was mostly injured by the airbag. She's very short and has to sit very close to the steering wheel. Her whole chest is black and she bruised some ribs and her left arm very badly! They were so lucky!!! Mother's car was totaled. The back axle was broken in half! Luckily, the driver of the other car was not injured! A third car was damaged by flying debris. We are so thankful to the Lord for protecting them! The paramedics said they were extremely lucky that they survived! So I have spent the last 3 days at my mom's. I almost collapsed yesterday, so I stayed home today.

Every time I feel like life may settle down and let me recover from all the stress I have been through, some new tragedy occurs!! Take care when you're out driving!! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!!

Oldest UFO Finished!!

Happy Dance! I have finished my oldest UFO! At one point, I didn't think I was going to be able to finish it. I kept making mistakes in the bottom left corner. I ended up stitching it 3 times!! But I really like this. I'm going to have it framed. Since I've finished 3 UFOs and 2 WIPs, I going to allow myself to start a new piece. It's a small freebie that says "Jesus Loves Me" except the "love" is a heart. I'm doing it with WDW threads. I can't wait to start!

Angela at Pattern Nuts Place wanted to know where the Lady's Pincushion in the previous post came from. It was in an old mag - Cross Stitch and Country Crafts, the July/Aug., 1991 issue. I have so many old mags!

Well, I was hoping I would feel better today, but I had a virus today - bad stomachache and "other problems." (I won't go into details.) lol As long as I was sitting, my stomach didn't hurt too bad, but when I stood up, I would double over with pain. I looked back at my old posts from this same time last year, and I was having almost the same problems! Go figure! I hope I feel better by Mon. I'm supposed to go out to lunch with my "teacher friends." We get together once a month. After lunch I want to visit my mom. I haven't been to her new apartment since 2 weeks ago.

Better go. I want to start that new piece before I have to go to bed! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Some Finishes

I haven't felt much better this week. In addition to the unending head cold, I have had migraines 3 days this week. But I still managed to do some stitching. I decided I wanted to finish some old UFOs and get them off my mind. I started the piece above over a year ago. I was dreading doing the backstitching and daisy stitches. But after I got started on it again, I really enjoyed it. I'm thinking about making a little pillow out of it.

I started the piece above about a year ago. I was going to do it for my sister's birthday last May. I didn't get it finished in time and then got side-tracked by other pieces. My sis turns 50 this year, and I'm planning on having a surprise family party for her. This is about the first thing I started on everweave instead of Aida. I thought it was extremely hard back then, but since I've had more experience with evenweave since then, I really enjoyed finishing it. However, this really isn't evenweave; it's linen. Now I really like stitching on evenweave and linen better than Aida! I'm going to make this into a pillow, too.

This is a piece that I did for my brother. His birthday is in April, and I wanted to do this for him to hang in his woodworking shop behind his house. I really like the way it turned out. I'm going to frame it.

Now the piece above is my oldest UFO. I started this in Jan. of 2005. It was the first thing I started when I picked up cross stitching again after not stitching for over 6 years. I had to relearn stitching. This seemed so hard back then, but now it's not hard at all. I have to do a little more backstitching. Then it has a border and says "Snow People warm the heart - - - in any season." This is from a very old magazine. I plan to frame it and hang it in my house.

DD and her best friend spent the last 3 days at Mrytle Beach. They stayed at a Days Inn. I was worried to death that something would happen to them, but they made it back safely at 3:00 this afternoon. They really had a great time. She had to rush off to work, so I'm waiting for her to come home and tell me all about it! Wish I could have gone with them, but they wouldn't let me! Said I would cramp their style or something like that! lol They used their tax returns to pay for it.

Better go - I want to finish up the snowman piece. I went to the LNS and got fabby and WDW threads to do a little freebie I found on the net. I'll show that when I get started on it. I can't wait. I have never used WDW threads before. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

An Easter Miracle

We have had an Easter miracle!! My computer at home has not let us get the internet since the end of Feb. DD had done something to it when she got her laptop. Today I was playing a game on it and a pop-up from the internet appeared. I was surprised and clicked to go to the internet and it worked!! I have been checking it at least twice a week and it wouldn't work! I am so excited! Finally I can post again and catch up on all your blogs! I have really missed my net friends!

I have a lot of pictures to show! The pic above it the 2nd and 3rd part of the Rose Sampler SAL that I'm working on. I can't show the whole top on the scanner. I really need a digital camera! I really like working on this piece; it's very relaxing!


The pic above is of the huck towel I finally finished! Happy Dance! It only needed the gold border. I don't know if you can tell from the pic, but the border has gold blending filament combined with the gold DMC thread. I really like how it turned out!



I wanted to do the little piece above to make into a scissor fob that I could take to the stitching retreat. I got it stitched in time, but didn't get it put together in time, and as you can see, I still haven't put it together!! But I can't wait to do it. I got a new pair of stork scissors with the gift card my sister gave me for my birthday. I'm going to put this scissor fob on those scissors.



The piece above is my charity square for any child quilt at Love Quilts. It is an angel. I got a little tired of it and haven't worked on it in quite a while.


I love the piece above. I'm doing it to put on the top of a lidded basket for my mom for Christmas. The material is 28 count evenweave fiddler's cloth. The bottom half is a country scene and the top half is a shelf with country things on it. I have a hard time putting it down; it's so much fun to stitch!


The pic above is the piece I'm going for DD. It's Midsummer Night's Fairy by Nora Corbett at Mirabillia. And below is my progress so far!

I'm doing it on 28 count blueberry hand-dyed jobelan. This is one of the pieces of material DD gave me for Christmas. I was a little scared to start it; I thought it would be real hard. But it isn't. I'm really enjoying it!

I have had that head cold that started last Sat. all week and I'm still not well. We have eaten a lot of take-out and delivery!! It seems no one around here can cook but me!! lol Plus we have had some major problems this last week. I have lived in my house 15 years, so I guess it was time for things to start tearing up! First the toilet in my room tore up. We didn't fix it since we could all use the main bathroom. On Fri., that toilet tore up, too. While Jerry was looking at it and trying to figure out how to fix it, the hotwater heater broke down! I went to the freezer to get something and when I opened the door to the garage, water was spewing out of the heater and running everywhere! We had to replace the hotwater heater! Thank goodness, Jerry was able to fix the toilet!! I hope nothing else breaks down for a while!!

Well, better go. I hope everyone had a great Easter. Since I've been so sick, we didn't have a big dinner. However, I did make ham biscuits and potato salad! It was great! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Disappointing Retreat

I've been pretty busy lately. We got my mom moved into her apartment last weekend. Then after 1 week, she decides she would rather move back to where she was before. I had a long talk with her and tried to remind her of all the reasons she wanted to move in the first place. After sleeping on it and doing a good bit of praying, she has decided to stay where she is. She has trouble being content! She has always been that way. She made poor Dad return almost everything she ever bought. She asked me hadn't I ever been unhappy with my house or any other place I've lived. I told her no. I'm an optimist, and I've just always been content where ever I was! Once I've made a decision, I'm usually pretty happy with it!

I went to the stitching retreat last Fri. and Sat. I had a great time being with the other ladies and talking and laughing, but I was rather disappointed in the projects and goodies that we received. We got a photo box with little scissors, a folding ruler, a little piece of fleece to put beads on, some freebie patterns, a tiny little writing pad and ink pen (also tiny), one #24 and one #26 needle. The first project was a discontinued pattern that she got permission to reproduce (so it was a freebie). It is a tiny Rainbow Row to put on an Altoid can. The can was not included. We got a small piece of fabric to stitch it on and only enough thread for the project. The next project was a little kit from The Sweetheart Tree: Just for Fun #1 - Fiesta Flowers. We got a small piece of purple fabric to stitch it on. It does include a button and some beads. The price was on the little plastic box the pattern came in: $5.00. (I have never seen any pattern or kit in her shop that costs less than that.) Again just a few pieces of thread. The last project was another freebie. It was really cute - it looks just like a can of Campbell's soup and says "Cross Stitch" instead of "Campbell's Soup". It is cream of ort soup. Ort is the pile of tiny pieces of thread you compile while stitching. After you finish the stitching, you put it on an empty can of soup and use it as a mini-trashcan for your ort. We did get a can of soup with that project. My door prize was a $10 gift certificate for the shop, which I liked better than any of the other prizes. The meal Fri. night was homemade soup that the owner had made and lunch Sat. was pizza. The retreat cost $90 and I figured it up - we got less than $25 worth of stuff. With 14 women attending, she really made a lot of money!! I would rather have bought $90 worth of x stitch stuff!! I did end up spending $42, because I bought the threads for the Lizzie Kate double flipits. I used the gift certificate to help pay for that. I've seen projects that they have gotten at other retreats, and they were great! I really was shocked when I saw what we got!! She has 2 retreats during the year, but I don't know if I'll do another one.

As soon as I got home from the retreat, my nose started running and my throat started hurting. Today I have a full-blown head cold. I have slept most of the day and feel horrible! I hope I get over this quickly - I need to sub some! Better go to bed. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Lots of News

Hi, Everyone! DD didn't know that I wasn't finished with that last post when she published it! But I guess that's okay. We still can't get the internet on our home computer. I really have a hard time typing things on her laptop. I keep hitting the wrong keys and wiping out what I've done! lol These newfangled things are so hard for us "OLD FOLKS" to learn to use! lol

I have been stitching a lot the last few days! I have finished the 2nd part of the rose sampler. DD is going to make me a copy of the 3rd part, so I can stay caught up. I wish I could post some pictures! I'm also working on a new piece for my mom for Christmas next year. It's going to go on a basket lid. I'm really enjoying stitching it. It's a country piece and I love the colors! I did some Valentine pieces and made the draon piece for DD into a bookmark. She really liked it!

I'm going to start the Mirabilla fairy for her as soon as I can find the material she gave me for Christmas. I have again put it somewhere safe and now can't find it! I got all the threads and the metallic threads, too. I'm going to get the beads later. If I got them now, I'd probably put them somewhere "safe" and forget where! lol

I am really excited! My LNS is having a stitching retreat Mar. 14th and 15th. She had told us about it at the Christmas party, but I couldn't remember the dates. I haven't felt like going over to the store since right after Christmas. But last Thurs. I really felt led to go to the shop and pick up the next LizzieKate double flipits. While I was there, I overheard her talking to another customer about the retreat. I asked when was it and she said the 14th and 15th. I asked her when was the last day to sign up and it was that day! It costs $90 and I really didn't have the money, but I decided I would cut back on something else - I really need to do something for myself every once in a while. So I signed up and paid. If I had not gone to the shop that day, I would have missed the retreat! It's that Fri. evening until 9:00 at the shop and then 9:oo am until 6:oo pm on Sat. - also at the shop. The theme is a surprise. We're going to do at least 3 projects (get them started). Everybody gets a goodie bag of stuff and everything you need for the projects. She also gives out door prizes, and everybody gets one. We get dinner Fri. night and lunch Sat. It was limited to 16 people and I was number 14! I really can't wait!

Guess I'd better go! I want to read some of your blogs. I'm afraid I can't post a comment on DD's laptop if you have to type in those letters and numbers - it won't show them. But know that I am reading them! Pray that DD finds the time to fix my computer soon! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Internet and DD Problems

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted! It's been busy around here, but that's not why I've been gone so long. DD got a lap top and decided to use a router or whatever it's called to hook up our old computer and her laptop to the net. She did something wrong and now we can't get the internet on our old computer. I am so upset with her! I'm on her lap top right now. She doesn't seem to be able to find the time to fix my computer! I
'm going

I'm Back!

To begin with - Pattern Nut sent be the "You make my day!" Award. Thank you, Angela! That was so sweet of you! You "made" my day!! I need to list people that I want to send it to. I'll work on that and do it in a day or 2. Please forgive me!


I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long! January is always difficult for me! I have depression, and it gets worse during the short days of winter. Also, I really miss my son after Christmas more than during Christmas. I've also been sick - 2 bad migraines, a stomach virus that lasted a week, and a cold complete with sore throat and earache! I haven't really done a lot of stitching. The little piece above is for my son. I'm going to hang it on his crypt. I do that very often! It's made on vinyl weave. The pattern is in the new book I got with the gift card my sister gave me for my birthday. It's 80+ Cross-Stitch Kind Thoughts produced by Kooler Design Studio. I also got the book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs also by Kooler Design Studio with the gift card DD's best friend gave me for Christmas. I haven't done anything in it yet. I've got a lot of things marked to stitch later!

I finally finished organizing my stash. I went through all of my mags. and put labeled post-it notes on charts I might do someday. I made copies of charts I definitely want to do some day and put those in a notebook. I put each WIP and UFO in an individual ziploc bag with the thread needed and a working copy of the chart. I put all of them in a plastic box with a lid. Now I can get out what I want to work on and just put it back when I want to do something else

I've abandoned the idea of a rotation. I just don't work well on a schedule. As a teacher, I was always having to do things according to a schedule! My whole work day was scheduled! Since I've retired, I don't want to have a schedule! I just want to stitch whatever hits my fancy each day, and sometimes it's more than 1 thing a day! However - even with all my organizing - I have finished a couple of small pieces and now I can't find them! lol I'm going to have to get another plastic box in which to keep finished pieces that aren't finished finished.


The piece above is the Valentine piece for DD. This is the first dragon I've ever stitched. I really enjoyed doing it! This was a freebie here. He's very thin so I'm thinking about making him into a bookmark for her to use in a textbook. What do you think? I'm also working on a little piece to put on a card for DD's best friend. I made her and DD little pillows last year for VD.

I subbed 3 days last week. That's the first I've subbed since before Christmas! I spent Thurs. and Fri. at the elementary school I was teaching at when I retired. I'm going to be there on Mon., also. I was able to retire in Mar. after my son died. The kids I had that last year in 2nd grade are now in 5th grade, and I subbed half a day Fri. in 5th. They all came running over to me in the cafeteria and were hugging me and telling me how much they missed me! It was so neat to see them; they're taller and bigger but their faces really hadn't changed that much! They were really sweet students!

My DB came over and brought us breakfast this morning. He hasn't been to my house in years, because he lived in Florida and always stayed at Mom and Dad's when he visited. He came to tell me that my mom has decided to sell her mobile home and move into an apartment. I really didn't want her to because she has lived in apartments before and was not happy with the noise, etc. Also, it has always fallen to me to help them move and get settled and listen to her complain when she didn't like it. As I have said before, my mom can't be content anywhere. But DB assured me that he would take care of everything and would listen to her complain! lol I can't handle anything like that right now; I can barely handle my own life! I realize that the mobile home holds so many memories of her and my dad. I know it's hard for her to live there alone. I hope that she can make friends at the apartment complex and will have more to do.

Well, better go and get ready for bed. I'm going to spend the day tomorrow with my mom and we can talk about the new apartment and all! She already has the apartment and is moving in the end of Mar. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Happy Dance?

Can you do a happy dance when you've finished a section on a SAL? lol I have finished the first section of Rose Sampler (above)! I really like doing this piece! I can't wait until the next section comes out!


I've also worked on this piece that I'm doing in memory of my son. I started it in 2005. It's My Child designed by Gayle Nelson from Bucilla. I have done about half of it. Yesterday I did the letters N, O, and P. It's hard for me to work on it, but I'm going to try to do some of it each week. I bought this kit many years ago at Big Lots when they were still selling cross stitch stuff. I only paid $6.99 for it. I didn't stitch it until my son died and then it was the perfect piece to do in memory of him. God certainly works in mysterious ways!! I changed it from present tense to past tense. I already have a place I want to hang it waiting for it! I'm also planning to do it in present tense for DD someday!

I forgot to tell that I got the kit Frederick the Literate! I got it right after Christmas. Walmart had it on sell for $7.oo!! Walmart is selling out all their cross stitch stuff. I was so excited - I have really wanted this kit because everyone seems to be stitching it! Then yesterday I got a mag in the mail (Ladies Home Journal) and what should I see but a purse with Frederick the Literate on the front of it! Have you seen this purse!? I didn't realise Frederick was so famous! I also got 2 of Lizzie Kate's Double Flip-its. It's the newest one with the words Love, Live, etc. Donna at my LNS has the fabric on order, but it hasn't come in yet.

I was going through some more stuff the other day and found a big box of cs mags that I haven't looked at in years! I have had the most fun looking through them and marking what I might do some day! It was like getting them all new again - I didn't remember any of the patterns! Now I'm kind of stuck because I can't figure out what to do next! lol I didn't stitch much yesterday. There's about 20 pieces I would love to do next!! I'm going to try to work on some of my UFOs.
And maybe start something for my sister for Christmas next year!

I lost 2 more lbs last week! I'm back in the groove! lol I grilled hamburgers on my new grill/griddle, and I love it. They turned out wonderful!! We're going to have grilled hamburgers very often! Better go and work on My Child. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Snow!

The rotation didn't last long! lol But I'm going to do it starting now. When I started working on this charity square, I decided I really wanted to get this finished and in the mail. I really enjoyed doing it, although it does have a lot of backstitching! This is going to Love Quilts for an any child quilt. I've also decided to change something in my rotation. I'm not going to start the Victorian Christmas Eve piece yet. I'm going to pull out one of my UFOs to put in its place. I've decided to finish some of the pieces I have started before starting something new. (I will start a new charity square.)

It snowed yesterday! School was canceled, and we had a relaxing day at home. The dogs loved the snow, especially Bebe. She tried to chase all the flakes as they fell! It was the first time she saw snow. All of the snow is gone today, but the weatherman says we may get some more tomorrow. I love snow - because when I was a teacher, any time it snowed it was an excuse to do nothing - no housework - nothing! So I always loved snowdays. I still use it as an excuse to not do housework! lol I do cross stitch, though!

My birthday was on Wed. This was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. On Tues., Jerry took DD and me to Cracker Barrel (my favorite restaurant - because I love their breakfasts!).
He gave me a candle that crackles and pops like a real fire. I LOVE candles. Then on Wed., Katie took me out to lunch at Monterrey's. She gave me an Emeril Reversible Grill/ Griddle. I wanted one of these so bad! I have been looking and my mom looked. She was going to give me one for Christmas, but she got too sick to shop. DD found it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It goes on the stovetop over 2 eyes. It is cast iron! So far Katie has used it twice! I haven't felt like using it yet. Everyone is making sure I stay on my diet by giving me cooking things! lol Mom gave me a gift card for Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I guess she wants me to get something for cooking, too.

I had some kind of stomach virus yesterday! I wasn't able to stitch much, just enough to finish the square. I feel some better today! Better go and fix lunch. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Rotation Started

I started my rotation yesterday. I worked on my SAL, Rose Sampler, yesterday and last Fri. at my stitchers' club. I didn't get much done at the stitchers' club, because we talk too much! lol I really like and enjoy doing this piece. It's very relaxing, because you don't have to worry so much about the colors. There is a little gray in it, too. I am almost finished with the first section. Today I'm going to work on the baseball piece for charity. I'll post a pic of that later.

I had a very busy weekend! Sat. I spent the day with my DB. He doesn't have a car yet. I took him to a tool shop. I have never seen so many tools!! He builds furniture. He is really an artist at it! He has been working at this new shop for 6 months and has already gotten 2 raises. After the tool shop, we went to Home Depot and walked all over the whole store! He is a shopaholic like me. I know - it's hard to find male shopaholics, but he's one! I didn't buy anything and I told him at the end of the day that I had gotten my shopping "fix" by just watching him buy all that stuff! He has his own woodworking shop in his backyard and that's why he's buying all the tools! After HD, we picked up lunch for us and our mom and went and visited her. He got up all of her leaves (I blew off her patio). We had a nice visit with her. She's a lot better, but not back up to 100% yet. To keep herself busy, she colors those fuzzy pictures. She got out all that she has done and showed them to us. She used to cross stitch, but can't see well enough now to do it! She keeps wanting to do a piece, but then has to give me what she's started because she just can't do it anymore. After Mom's, I took him to the grocery store and it took a good while to get all his groceries. After helping him get in his groceries and having my first look at his woodworking shop, I went home and passed out! I was asleep before 8 pm! But I had a great time!!

Yesterday, I did a good bit of housework - very rare for me! lol And then spent the rest of the day cross stitching! I never told what I got for Christmas. DB gave me a Crockpot, and DM gave me a food processor! Since I did Mom's shopping for her, I picked out what I wanted! lol I have wanted both of these appliances for years! We got another type of slow cooker for a wedding present, but after 22 years it finally died! I made spaghetti in my new Crockpot yesterday and it was great! DB even gave me a Crockpot cookbook, and this recipe even fit my Weight Watchers' diet! Oh, AND I am back on my diet - thank you for all your prayers! Last week I lost the 4 lbs. I had gained over Christmas! Now I'm back on the straight and narrow again!

I'm still working on getting my stash organized, but I seem to be making a bigger mess! I don't have a very big house and there's just not a lot of storage space! I really need a stitching room! I'll just dream about that until DD gets her own place. She's doing much better in her classes so far. She has stopped going anywhere during the week when she has classes! She has studied everyday. She has also asked them at work to only give her weekends. I am very proud of her. One of my dear "internet friends" gave me some very good advice. She said that sometimes it takes a person a while to figure out what she wants to do and that I should be patient with her! So I'm trusting her and relaxing as much as I can!

We found out there's going to be a new great-grandchild in the family! My nephew and his wife are expecting their 2nd child! This one was a surprise - their first son will be 18-months-old when this one gets here! They had a hard time getting pregnant the first time, but not this time! I can't wait to stitch baby things! I hope this one is a girl, but a boy would be fine, too!

The furbaby, Bebe, has learned how to climb! The other day we caught her climbing up the piano! She got in Jerry's recliner, which is beside the piano, got up on the arm of the chair, and was on the keys of the piano when we grabbed her and got her down! I don't know what she wanted from up there!! She is the first dog I've ever had that loves to make her squeaky toys squeak! She knows just where to bite each toy to make it squeak! So we hear "squeak, squeak" all day long!

Well, better go! I want to read some of your blogs before I start my stitching! I have a hard time finding enough time to do all I want to do! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Firetruck Happy Dance

I am so happy to finish this! It is past due and did I say that DD's purse diva pillow was the piece from hell? Well, it isn't! This is! It looks very simple, doesn't it?! Well, looks can certainly be deceiving! Maybe it was because I really didn't want to do this piece right now! I had to frog almost everything in this piece and some places more than once!! I know this isn't a very good picture, but it was too big to fit on the scanner. The border gave me the most trouble.I redid it twice. Learn from me - don't do separate parts of a border. When I tried to connect the parts, they didn't meet right! I was almost finished and had to take the whole border out! It is still 1 square too far to the right, but don't tell anyone! lol It is going in the mail today!! I'm not going to do anymore squares with a deadline. My life is more complicated than it was this time last year. I don't have as much time to stitch as I did back then. I'm going to do squares for any child. These don't have a due date; you just send them in when you finish them. Oh, and this square is going to be in a quilt and sent to a fire department in Charleston, SC, in memory of the firemen who died in that Charleston fire last year. I was really honored that they asked me to do a square - there's 9 squares - one for each firemen who gave his life trying to save others!



Someone wanted to know where I got the Rose Sampler. It's at this site. I can't wait to get back to it. I'm going to my stitcher's club tonight, and I'm going to take it to work on!



I took a break from the firetruck one day and started organizing my stash. I have thousands of mags and booklets. (This might be an exaggeration, but not much!! lol) I have been getting mags since 1980 (at one time I was getting 4 or 5 every other month.) This was pre-marriage and pre-children! lol Anyway, I am going through them and putting post-it notes on charts I would like to do some day and labeling them. I am also setting up 2 notebooks - one with copies of WIPs and UFOs and one with copies of charts I want to do in the near future. It's lots of fun looking at all of these charts!

Have to go and get ready for stitchers' club! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

A New Start

I just couldn't wait!! I took a short break from the firetruck, and started the Rose Sampler. This is the progress I made last night. This is going to be HUGE! The material is 19" X 25". Someone was "fussing" at me for doing it on Aida, but I couldn't have afforded a piece of fancier material that large! lol I have never stitched anything monotone, but I am really enjoying this!! Even DD said she might do it, too. She's working on a snowmen kit "Santa" gave her. I'll show her piece soon. I'm going to put this aside (sigh) and finish the charity square! I hope Mr. Frog doesn't show up again!

I've been thinking about a rotation:

• Sunday - Rose Sampler (RS)
• Monday - Charity pieces
• Tuesday - The piece for my son - My Child
• Wednesday - Future Christmas presents
• Thursday - Victorian Christmas Eve (VCE)
• Friday - RS
• Saturday - VCE

How does that sound! I'll try it a few weeks, but I really like working on one thing at a time! I'm afraid I won't ever get anything finished! We'll see!

That's about all for today! Got to finish that charity square before I can start my rotation! Better get started! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Charity Square and Christmas Present

I finally got started on the square for the quilt to honor the firemen who lost their lives in the Charleston, SC, fire. I failed to notice that the instruction sheet said the due date was Jan. 1st. I am furiously working on it! And. of course, Mr. Frog has made an appearance several times! You can see where I had to take out some red. I hope it doesn't show after I stitch it again! After I finish the firetruck, there's only the border and my name and a leaf to do.

Above are the 2 pieces of fabric that DD gave me for Christmas. They're both 28 count hand-dyed jobelan. The piece at the top of the picture is blueberry and the bottom one is raspberry lite. Aren't they beautiful?! I had told everyone that I wanted money to buy fabric, but she was the only one listening. She went to the LNS and picked these out! She wants me to do her something on the blueberry piece. I haven't found anything for it yet. I bought a Mirabillia fairy pattern to do for her and hid it somewhere, and, of course, now I can't remember where I hid it! She might look good on this fabric, but I'm not sure because she is wearing a purple dress. I'm going to have to find her to see if the colors will show up. It was so much fun getting fabby! I never have before!

And this is one of the pieces I want to stitch in 2008! It's called "Victorian Christmas Eve." This is in the Jan., 2008, issue of Cross-Stitch and Needlework. She's by Nora Corbett - and I just bought 2 of her patterns! I already have some 28 count linen (Waterlily) that I'm going to do her on. I'm about to kit up the Rose Sampler that I'm doing as a SAL. I wanted to do it on 32 count linen, but they didn't have any at A. C. Moore or Michael's; and I wanted to use my gift cards. I got 16 count antique white Aida instead. It's okay with me; I still enjoy stitching on Aida!

DD got signed up for her new college classes. She didn't do as well as she should have last semester! She's going to drive me crazy! She just won't apply herself and doesn't believe me when I tell her she has to study!! She doesn't believe anything I say! I know - that's how teenagers are - but still - I do know a few things!! She says she will get serious this semester. She's very intellegent! She was always in advanced classes. She just doesn't put forth much effort! This is so stressful for me! I told her she had to think seriously about whether she wants to go to college or not. If she doesn't, I told her, she could take classes to learn a trade or something. I told her that unless she's going to take her classes seriously, she should just drop out and get a good full-time job! But she said she wants to get a college degree. We'll see what happens this semester!

I have finally done it - my freezer is full!! I have been watching the sales and stocking up on a lot of things and I have filled the freezer! But I don't seem to want to cook! lol I have to get back on my diet. I gained 4 lbs. over the holidays! I know that's not as bad as it could have been, but I've got to get my will power back! Pray for me!!

Well, better go. I need to get to work on that charity square! I'm anxious to start the Victorian Christmas Eve piece and the Rose Sampler! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Lost and Found

I panicked and thought I had lost the ornament above, but I found it this morning! I was trying to get this finished for my DB for Christmas, but couldn't get it finished. I finished it a few days ago. He and my DBIL collect anything with deer on it. I was really excited when I saw this and another deer ornament in one of the bargain books I bought! It's in Donna Kooler's 555 Christmas Cross-Stitch Designs. There is a whole section on Nature Christmas. Although I finished it in 2007, I dated it 2008 because I'm going to give them to the guys next Christmas. I have started the one for DBIL. I'm going to finish it next. They were really excited when they opened their pictures of the deer heads on Christmas. I had a really hard time framing them. The wood of the frames was very hard and I couldn't get the nails to go in to hold the pictures in. I finally taped them in - I hope they stay put! lol I put brown paper on the back so it didn't show. I also lost the little hangers for them. Stupid me - I put them in a ziploc bag and put the bag in a "safe" place. Of course, when it came time to put the hangers on, I couldn't remember where I had put them! lol As my DB was leaving that night, he said, "Vicki, thanks for giving me the head." My sister and mom (who have dirty minds) got a giggle out of that! lol

And the piece above is one that worked up very quickly yesterday. It's a freebie at Cyberstitchers site. I changed all of the colors except the white. It also said to backstitch the snowflakes in dark blue, but I wanted my snowflakes to be white. I bought some little Christmas buttons last month and was glad I could use one on this! This is only the 2nd piece that I have put a button on. I really like this. I'm going to make it into a little pillow that I can hang on my perpetual calendar.

I haven't told everyone what happened at my mom's house on Christmas with DD's boyfriend. DD finally agreed not to ask him to come, but she was there and we had a great time! I went with her to Jerry's family get-together. I have always declined going to it although his family asks me to go every year. Well, this year his sister-in-law (whose house the gathering was at) called and begged me to come; so I went. I had a great time and they all treated me like the prodigal daughter returning home! I plan to go from now on.

DD has broken up with her boyfriend! Hallelujah!! She finally realized that he was a deadbeat and was using her! She finally saw that she deserves better! I hope she can meet a nice guy with a JOB!!! lol

I'm going out in a few minutes - I got 2 gift cards for Christmas - 1 for A C Moore and 1 for Michael's. I want to buy some new material! I got a 50% off coupon for Michael's out of the paper; so I should be able to get something really nice for nothing!

Better go! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Last and First

This is my last finish for 2007. I did it yesterday. It didn't take but a couple of hours. This came from the book Cross Stitch Celebrations Month by Month by Sue Cook. This is one of the books I got from the Bargain Books site I mentioned in an earlier post. There are so many things in this book that I want to stitch!

And this is my first finish of 2008! It's in the book Christmas Ornaments produced by Kooler Design Studio. I started it last night and finished it today! I collect cows, and like to do cow ornaments. Pattern Nut wanted to know where the ornaments in my last post came from. They're in the Dec. 2007 issue of Just Cross Stitch.

This is a huck towel that I was trying to get finished for my XMIL. I couldn't get it finished in time. I decided I wanted it myself! It's not quite finished. I have to stitch the border. It's gold with blending filaments.

And this is the piece I did for DD. I didn't get it finished in time for Christmas either. I finished it day before yesterday. I thought it was going to be my last finish of 2007, but I decided to do the little ornament. I'm going to get some black and white material and make a pillow with this piece. DD really likes it! It's very appropriate for her; she got 2 new purses for Christmas! (Now she has at least 2 or 3 dozen purses!) I have 2 purses - 1 for the summer and 1 for the winter! lol I can't find the book this came out of right now. I'll look for it and name it in a later post!

I am going to set up a rotation this year. I haven't quite figured it out yet. I have so many things I want to do. I want to set aside one night for charity stitching, one night for future Christmas presents, etc. I'm going to do a SAL - my first! It's on the EMS website. It is a large freebie and they will post a new part of it each month. It is a roses sampler. So I'll need one night for working on that. There's also a Christmas Lady in the latest issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework that I want to do. It's by Nora Corbett. I also want to do the Mirabilia piece that I bought to do for DD for next Christmas! I also have at least a dozen WIPs and UFOs that I need to finish! There is just not enough time to stitch all I want to stitch!!!

I didn't have any problems with my depression during Christmas - I guess because I was so busy. However, the last week I have been thinking about my DS all the time! I really miss him! One thing that has set me back is that 2 of DD's friends were killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve. They were 2 guys - both 18-years-old. The one driving was speeding and lost control of the car and hit a tree right in the other boy's front yard! I can't get their parents off of my mind. I know what they're going through! This makes 3 young men we've known that have been killed in car accidents since my son's death. I worry so about my DD. She's a good driver, but I don't know what I would do if something happened to her!

Also last week I got a notice that I have been called up for jury duty. I was called about 2 months ago! I had to have my dr. send another note to the clerk of court telling them to excuse me because of my depression and anxiety attacks! It looks like they could flag my name or something so I wouldn't get called up again!

But I am feeling some better today - the depression is just something I go through after Christmas every year since my DS's death! I am looking forward to a great, new year!

Well, I'd better go and figure out that rotation! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!