Thursday, August 25, 2016

August round-up and a special gift from Kim!

Good morning, my blogging friends! I decided I'd better squeeze at least one post in before the end of August... For what I thought would be a quiet month,  August turned out to be busier than expected--I guess that's just summer for you! Is anyone else looking forward to the slowed-down (and cooler) pace of autumn? August has been one hot, humid, rainy mess here in western Pennsylvania, but I'm so thankful that we seem to be escaping all of those natural disasters like the flooding in the south and the wildfires out west. We may not be the most exciting part of the U.S. to live in, but, luckily, we rarely experience the natural weather disasters that so much of the United States seem to deal with on a regular basis.

Stitching update... Part of the reason I put off posting is that I was waiting for a birthday gift to arrive. This little piece was sent to my long-time blogging friend, Lois, in Northern Ireland who celebrated a big birthday in mid-August. Many of you will recognize this finish as a With Thy Needle and Thread design called "Dames of the Needle." I used 40 ct. Country Mocha Newcastle with a variety of overdyed threads. I tried to stick to what was suggested, but made some substitutions when I didn't have the designer's suggested threads in my stash. I truly love the colors in this piece--all those beautiful shades of blues and browns work so nicely together...

With Thy Needle & Thread "Dames Of the Needle"

Now, this design was supposed to be made into a sewing roll, but given my limited abilities with a sewing machine, I simply made it into a little pin pillow! Adding some cording and the cute little spools of thread finished it off very sweetly with the fabric shown used as the backing. Lois loves it and I'm happy to have added to her collection of little stitchy pillows... I know I'll be stitching this one again--perhaps for myself?!

Birthday gift sent to Lois

Some of you have already seen my next finish on Instagram... It is "K Is For Kitty," part of the Prairie Schooler alphabet series. I decided to leave off the wording at the bottom and simply make a pillow. I would love to stitch the entire alphabet on one giant piece of fabric some day, but that may have to wait until I retire (and get up my nerve to tackle such a gigantic project!).  Don't you love the expression on the calico kitty's face? He looks quite bewildered by what to do with the two birds on either side of him--play with them, make a meal of them? Cats will be cats after all!!

Prairie Schooler "K Is For Kitty"

This is stitched on 40 ct. flax Newcastle with the suggested DMC threads. I've noticed that I rarely change threads when I'm stitching Prairie Schooler charts--I think that's one reason I love them so much... I'm so happy with how my kitty finish came out! I had the perfect mix of scrap fabrics in my stash along with some ric-rak that matched his fur.

"K Is For Kitty" all finished up

Birthday RAK from Kim over at Wisdom With Needle and Thread!  As many of you know Kim is celebrating her 60th birthday this year by sending out 60 (yes, 60!!!) RAKs to blogging friends around the world. I was one of the lucky friends and was so pleased to see the gifts that came my way. Kim paints lovely Limoges boxes and the one she sent me is so special as it has a tiny book painted inside. Now how perfect is that for a librarian? I can't imagine how she paints anything so tiny and legible as that miniature Frog and Princess book page... Mr Frog himself is painted with 24 KT gold and there are three sparkly jewels aligned on the frog's back. So pretty!! 

Handpainted frog box from dear Kim
 
She also included a cute Halloween chart and some pretty fabric and threads.Click on the collage below and you can see the perfectly painted interior better... Thank you so very much, Kim--I will treasure your frog box and think of you each time I open it up and see that sweet Frog and Princess book you so patiently painted for me!

Interior of box and other RAK goodies from Kim

Outer Banks 2016... My busy August month included our annual trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I didn't take many photos this year, but my youngest son inspired me to get up early to catch at least one sunrise. He woke up for every single one this year--really have to admire him for that! This was the 32nd year that my husband's whole family has gathered for a week of laughter and memory-making in the sun and sand. Of those 32 years, I've only missed three trips: when my youngest son was a mere month old baby, when my oldest son's school started earlier than normal, and a few years ago when my dad was so very ill. We've made such great memories and I have to say the highlight of this year was watching seven grown men gathered around the kitchen island singing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody!" Too funny (and yes, there was just "a bit" of beer involved)...

Another beautiful sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

Needless to say, I do not enjoy the 10 hour drive to and from the beach. Driving around the Washington, DC area is especially crazy and this year we were all dumbfounded to look over and see some idiot playing his trumpet while driving his car. Honestly, people--what are you thinking? And, most likely, he was probably recording himself  to post on Facebook or YouTube later on. Have you seen any driver craziness lately?

Summer Reading... Do you read more than one book at a time? Most times I have two books going--one that I read on my Kindle at night before bedtime and another audio book that I listen to in the car or inside while I stitch. Somehow, last week I found myself with four books going at once!  Luckily, the plots and topics were all so varied that I didn't have any trouble keeping them straight. I really enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry--I think anyone with a love for books and bookstores would feel right at home with this one. I was disappointed with Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty. Although I've been fond of her previous titles, this one was just too long and very, very slow. It was one of those books where you kept waiting for something big to happen, but in the end felt let down.

A portion of my summer reading material


I'm still listening to When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi about a neurosurgeon diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer at age 36. It is a beautifully written memoir, touching, and thought-provoking. I know how it ends so I know there will be tears. And the best of the bunch: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly--a first novel that is so gripping it was hard to put down. But, it was also hard to read as it dealt with the horrors of the Ravensbrück concentration camp during World War II and the experiments done on women by the Nazis. Two of the three characters in this book are based on real women and I highly recommend reading the author's notes at the end of the book for the background story on them before you start the book. This is not for everyone--there are graphic descriptions of what went on in the concentration camps, but they are events that really happened. I still shake my head in disbelief at the horrors and suffering so many millions faced during WWII...


Baked goodies! Well, on to more pleasant subjects! I baked one of my favorites, Banana-Carrot muffins, this week and took some in for my coworkers at the library on Monday. These are actually quite healthy as they are made with carrots, bananas, and pecans. I am always asked for the recipe, so I thought you might like a copy, too. These are great for freezing and make a perfect afternoon snack. Hope you enjoy them!

Banana-Carrot Muffins--one of our favorites!


Summer garden... In spite of our hot humid summer, we've had some pretty flowers this summer (well, the ones left for us by the deer, that is!).  A new-to-me flower this year are the yellow and white striped petunias in the lower left; aren't they the cutest?!

Floral sunshine!

And here are the pinks for all you pink-lovers...

Perfectly pink!


Baby birds... Remember the bird's nest on my front-door wreath that I showed you last time? Well, I'm happy to report that all four birds hatched and have flown the nest... We came home from our beach trip to an empty nest (and a huge mess on our door which my dear husband so nicely cleaned up for us!). It amazes me how quickly they grow up and fly away--what a difference from human babies!

Four new baby robins just before they flew the nest

Instagram update... I'm really enjoying Instagram--surprise, surprise! Facebook is still not for me, but Instagram isn't filled with the drama that FB seems to be submerged in all much of the time.  I would love to have you follow me on Instagram (user name is caroling55 and I've also added a button in my sidebar to click on). And, I would be so happy if those of you who don't have blogs would consider joining IG, too--it is fast and easy and I would get to see your creations just like you get to see mine... I'm being a bit selfish, I suppose, but I've always felt bad that I don't get a chance to compliment my non-blogging friends on their stitching like you take the time to do when you leave comments on my blog posts...

Well, I guess I'll see you in September--time to pull out my fall stitching and perhaps stitch a few new things. I do love my fall stitching! Thank you all for visiting today and for taking the time to leave a comment--I truly appreciate each and every one...  As always, if you have a question, please include your email in your comment so I can reply. Otherwise, I have no way of tracking you down... Enjoy your day, my friends!  Bye for now...

59 comments:

Lynda Harrison said...

Hello Carol, my dear friend - your stitching is wonderful! I always say this, I know, but especially so this time because every one of your lovely finishes are on my to do list!! Seriously!! I love them all, and the PS cat is brilliant!
It has been so good to sit for a while and 'catch up'. With all that has been happening with you over the last few weeks. I've been looking for an interesting read, too, so I will try your recommendations!
And another tempting recipe to try - just lovely for the coming weekend!
I hope you are all ok and doing well - I'm actually looking forward to a -hopefully! - cooler Autumn after all the sticky heat we have had here!
Take care and have a lovely weekend!
Much love,
Lynda.

Irene said...

Carol, che bel post!! Anch'io amo il blu e il marrone insieme, hai fatto un ricamo splendido e anche il gatto, mi piace molto come l'hai cucito, sei proprio brava

Arlene G said...

Carol, thank you for the sweet compliment on my Prairie Schooler Fall Finish. I am very amateur compared to you and your beautiful finishes but I am going to keep going and perfect my method!! I loved all your pieces...and how did I miss you on Instagram. I just followed you. As for the books, I have read AJ Fikry and I loved it. When Breath becomes air is a hard book to read but a reminder that none of us have any guarantees in this life. I am sad to heard that Liane's later book is lacking. Like you, I loved her other books. And a friend of mine just read Lilac Girls and says I HAVE to read it. Looks like you did have a busy month. I alway enjoy seeing your stitching. I just found Floss Tube on you tube and I thought I was a stitching nut...well apparently I am not alone.:)

Robin in Virginia said...

Good morning, Carol! I thoroughly enjoyed your newest post. What a super way to get the day going! Your finishes are lovely as is the RAK from Kim. I always enjoy the glimpses into your life through the lens of your camera and through your words. Enjoy the weekend!

Vickie said...

What a great gift for Lois. The colors are so wonderful. That kitty is so cute. And the finishing is just superb Carol. I rarely read two books at a time. I do enjoy audio books. Your gift from Kim is so very, very special!!

Melissa said...

By the length of your post I think it has been a very busy August. Of course I love your stitching and the finishing. I still love that astonished look on the kitty!

I've read The storied life...and When breath becomes air. Both wonderful for their own reasons. I have a stack of "fresh" books from the library but, you know, I am finding it hard to find the time to read them! Crazy I know.

I am so glad to see you on IG but it does not express a fraction of your posts!

PS Gorgeous present from Kim!

diamondc said...

Carol: Love the floral photos and the Sun is beautiful.
The pin Pillow is lovely.
The expression on the cats face is priceless, love it, I am like you I usually stick to the color code but have been known to change a few colors every now and then.
Kim is such a generous Lady, I have been lucky to have received a Random Act Of Kindness from Kim.
We to have had a Robins nest on our front porch in my artificial flowers, she has been nesting here every summer for four years now I am sure she will be back next summer.

Blessings
Catherine

Mary said...

Your stitching and finishing are so beautiful. You have had a very busy and fun filled August. I use to live about 45 mins from the Outer Banks and it is lovely there.

Manuela said...

Hello Carol,
a wonderful post.
Beautiful gifts for your friend. The little cat is very cute.
I like your flower photos.
Best wishes, Manuela

Beth said...

Sounds like a most perfect vacation. I love hearing about extended families who get together and enjoy each other's company. So rare nowadays. Love your PS stitch -0 I have it all kitted up as a memorial to the two tiger cats I lost last year.

LoriU said...

Hi Carol!
Beautiful finishes! And I love your sunrise photo. You should frame that and have it on your desk at work!

Thanks for the muffin recipe...look real yummy!

Glad you are on Instagram! i love how quick it is to see peoples photos!

butterfly said...


Always love your posts Carol and this one is wonderful too.
Always love your stitching and finishing just beautiful.
And your flowers are beautiful , and so pretty.
Thank you for the recipe I will try this one soon .
Have a good weekend.

Ann at Beadlework. said...

What a lovely varied post Carol, a pleasure to read about all the things you've been up to. I stitched kitty many years ago and I've never tired of looking at him. I've not made it to Instagram yet - one of these days!!

Purple Pixie Dust said...

That is a lovely blog today, love all your stitching. I love your kitty. Thanks for the recipe have to try it soon. love the sunset or sunrise it was pretty. Kim makes such lovely gifts. hugs

marly said...

You know I'm a sampler and santa stitcher but that cat is too darn cute! I think the fabrics you chose to finish this piece bring it to life. But I must question your statement - "limited abilities with a sewing machine"! No way! Your finishing is perfection. Enjoyed the other photos and will have to try those muffins. I know we've been hot and humid, but we don't have to shovel it. Can't believe it's over.

Kate said...

Delightful post Carol! Thanks for sharing so much with us. Love the flowers, the sunrise photo, and appreciate the muffin recipe. Enjoy September. k

Von said...

What a nice, long, newsy post, Carol! I hope September is just as full with maybe even more stitching! :)

Tricia B said...

Love your blog but am so glad you've joined instagram, too! Fun to see you regularly there. (preb409 😊)

Shelly said...

"Limited abilities with a sewing machine"! Yeah, right Carol!! One just has to look at the finished K is for Kitty to know you have abilities! Kitty looks great. Nice gift you received, love the large frog. I don't trust myself with baked goods but I may have to make those muffins. Maybe if I froze the whole bunch and took out one to defrost, I'd be alright. I have sand and seashells from NC beaches that my daughter collected on her two trips to Raleigh and I treasure them being landlocked here in AZ. I have them in little jars. I will check out your Instagram for sure. You're so nice for thinking of your fans who don't do some of the other types of social media! Enjoy your weekend.

Jackie's Stitches said...

I wish I could have seen your guys singing Bohemian Rhapsody! Such a fun song. I love your family tradition of vacationing together.

Your PS piece is gorgeous! Where did you get the mini spools? I'm sure Lois loved the Dames of the Needle!



Preeti said...

The cat stitching is so lovely !! :) You made lovely gift for your friend and Kim has send a beautiful one. Nice to know that your family meets every year. I don't like travelling and our native place is far off. It is not easy to plan as most of the kids have different school vacation time.
Your flowers are looking great and thanks for sharing the recipe! I am not good at baking but I need to get comfortable with that someday.

Gabi said...

What to say? Your stitching is so wonderful. It's always a pleasure to visit your blog to see your beautiful stitching and read about your adventures. Lovely present from Kim.
Wish I could have heard your boys sing. May be new stars are born.
Thank you for the receipe, I will bake them!!! They look yummy!
Have a wonderful September.
Greetings from Germany

Marilyn said...

Great gifts, given and received.
Love the PS Kitty.
What a beautiful sunrise, and very pretty flowers.
Thanks for the muffin recipe, love muffins!
Marilyn

Christine said...

What a wonderful post, I hardly know where to start.
Your stitching and finishing are gorgeous; the PS Kitty is just adorable; and the RAK from Kim is beautiful.
I like the sound of those muffins, I may have to give them a try when we've worked through our post-show cake mountain

twinpeakprimitives said...

It is always pleasure to read your posts! Adorable stitchery and finishes, as well as lovely images from your daily routine ♥♥

Big hugs♥♥

Cindy said...

I really enjoy reading your posts and getting updates on what you are doing. Love seeing your finishes - that cat is so cute! Thank you for the recipe. I will be trying it out soon. I don't usually wish away summer, but I am wanting some cooler temps to work in the yard and change up our menus a little:) Have a great weekend and see you on IG!

Mii Stitch said...

Another delightful post to read :)
Great stitching and finishing as always!
Yummy looking little cakes too.

Katie said...

Love your gift you made for Lois. The pillow finish is just perfect. I just LOVE your K for Kitty pillow. I want to try my hand at that type of finishing but I'm so scared of the sewing machine. I have so many pieces I want to finish this that though! Love your RAK. Kim sure did send out so many beautiful things!

Oh I love OBX. We go in October and we always look forward to it! So glad you enjoyed your time there. Yes the sun rises are just amazing! I used to love reading but never make time for it now. I need to try an audio book but I'm addicted to TV so making time for that even is hard. In Jeremiah's school work we are reading a book about WWII about letters from the soldiers that were mailed home. We started it yesterday. The introduction was talking about personal accounts from the Pearl Harbor attack. Both of us were overwhelmed with the details and just shook our head. So sad.

Glad your baby birds moved on. They sure are ugly haha. Your flowers are beautiful. I've stopped posting on Instagram and I need to start back up again. I agree I enjoy it too.

The Queen Bee said...

Oh, everything is just lovely.

I've read The Storied Life and phooey....I just started Truly Madly Guilty yesterday! Drat.

My book club just read Our Souls at Night by Kent ??? drat...I've forgotten. I've loaned the book. A sweet story but without the ending you'd hope for. You can read it in an evening or two.

Fall....we are so desperate for some cooler weather. I'd love to think it will arrive early.

Pam

Unknown said...

A lovely round up from your August activities Carol. August has also been a busy month for me and it seems to have flown by, I have been really bad about replying to blogs so am now trying to make up for it. I too like the Autumn season, I am not good in the heat but on the other hand I don't want August to go as September means back to school! It has been great to see you on Instagram. xx

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

A lovely post Carol.It is great to follow you on Instagram,but I do like your monthly posts which are always beautifully presented.
I love your baby robins photo,they certainly look healthy.
I could have done with one of your muffins to go with my cup of tea while reading and enjoying your pictures:)

Karen said...

Wonderful post, Carol! I always enjoy your stitching finishes. Your flowers are so pretty. I agree, the traffic in the Washington DC area is terrible. And I live here.

Margaret said...

Once again, a fabulous post! The funny thing is, though, that your posts are so long, it's hard to comment on everything! lol! I'll comment on the things that jumped out at me. 32 years of reunions? Wow! To have grown men now instead of little kids. How amazing. My sister and her family and ours have gotten together in Maine for many years too -- since DS was like 4, I think, or maybe 5. Again, grown men there now. Albeit young grown men. :D The baby birds -- I thought of you immediately when I settled on the lovely porch on our rented house in Maine this year. Guess what? There were baby birds in one of the hanging flower pots on the porch!!!! OMG, it was so wonderful, watching the mother swoop in to feed the babies or to test the waters and fly away once in a while. I first noticed the babies on Monday, I think, and by Wednesday they had already fledged and flown the nest. Like you said, amazing how fast that happens. I'm glad you like instagram! I love it too! It's fun, right? Even with the non-chronological stuff, it's still great! Anyway, I enjoyed your post as always. Lovely stitching, lovely baking, lovely post!

C Reeder PhxAz said...

I can't wait to try the muffin recipe this weekend. So glad to get caught up with you. Thanks for posting.

Cathy H. said...

I do love to stop by your blog and see what you've been up to! YES, I am ready for fall and cooler temperatures. I'm ready to get back outside and explore, to hike, and take pictures. As always your stitching is lovely. I especially like the little spools hanging from the cording; such a cute idea! Thank you for the muffin recipe. I'll be trying those for sure. Hopefully, but the time you post again, it will much cooler!

Cindy's Stitching said...

kitty is so cute. Lois will love the pillow. glad you enjoyed your beach trip. driving these days on a long trip kinda scary these days. People are always texting, talking and not paying attention to the road. Really pretty flowers. How adorable the birds are. We are heading into September soon, I am looking forward to the change. Enjoy your weekend Carol.

Sally said...

I have missed visiting blogs and seeing what all my blogging friends have been up to. Your finishes are gorgeous as always. I have been doing some finishing at long last but need to sew them up yet and add trim.

I am ready for some cooler days too. We've had some pretty hot ( for us! ) days and it has been too much! I know we shouldn't complain!

Those muffins look delicious!

Angela said...

Hello ! I've finally figured out how to "comment" on your page! YEA ! I've been following you via-email updates
for over a year ! I adore all your finishes and photos, and stories etc. I 'm so excited to have found how to respond I can't remember all what I've wanted to say. I'm not sure where my e-mail will show up , if it even does - but here it is angela.mendel@comcast.net. I had to make a google one to type this message, but I don't use google on a regular basis. All these computer logins get to me and my memory ! Keep up the wonderful Blog.

Lillie said...

Another lovely gift finished and a awesome gift from Kim. Calico Kitty is adorable. Sounds like a great reunion and you caught a beautiful sunrise. The muffin looks yummy, thanks for sharing the recipe. The little birdies are adorable and look so contented.

Wishing you a good week and happy reading !

Mary - Lecoeurceltique said...

What a varied blog post, I enjoyed it. Your stitching is lovely and the handpainted frog box you received from Kim is lovely.
I must try your muffin recipe as they sound very tasty.

Will a stitch said...

Hi Carol, A Lovely post. Your perfect stitching and finishing is always a pleasure to see. I have the WTNT chart to do. What a lovely tradition for your family to vacation. I can see why your son got up each morning for the sunrise. Thanks for the muffin recipe, I will give them a try! It has been quite hot and humid here also. I must admit I am looking forward to fall. See you in September.

Judy Heartland stitcher

Brigitte said...

So much to see and to read about in this post, Carol.
Two great stitched little pillows that you finished here.That gift for Lois looks so good and there is no doubt that she will love it. And that little kitty is so sweet. I think these designs by PS are so versatile, you can stitch a part of them as you were doing here, or you can change the words underneath very easily. This alphabet has always tempted me, too. Maybe you will be able to make a good start on it once you are retired.

Such a great gift that you received from Kim. She is such a generous person.

Great to read about your family get-together. I would have liked to be a little mouse and watching and listening to the highlight scene. I'm sure that will always stay in your memory, lol.

I will certainly try your banana-carrot muffins, they look delicious. I like muffins because they are so easily and quickly made. And wonderful pictures from your garden. I particularly love the pink and white flower, it looks very special.

We also have a nest on one of our roof beams. Last year the magpies came and killed the little baby birds of a redstart family. But this year a sparrow family was very successful and all but one little sparrow could leave the nest unharmed. And then a mother (or the same?) bird family laid eggs a second time and also these little birds could leave the nest and fly away after a couple of weeks. The nest is still there and we hope that it will be used again next year.

Barb said...

What a delightful post! All things I love, pretty flowers, lovely stitching, family news, baby birds and a yummy recipe. I am almost finished with Lilac Girls. I agree with everything you said. I wish I had read your post first, I have not read the information at the end but I will be sure to do so. Whenever I read about WW2, I am totally blown away with the cruelty of the Nazis. I just wonder how Hitler collected so many truly evil people! The world must never forget what happened!

Mini said...

Carol, I always look forward to your posts . I love how you involve us in your life and I feel I'm listening to a story. That's one of the reasons I haven't started following you on Instagram..haha . I love the personal touch blogging adds to all the craft we do. You are right though about Instagram being a good medium for people who don't have a blog.
Love love the finish for Lois. The expression om Kitty's is funny and scary at the same time.
Nope, i don't read two books at a time. Infact reading is on back seat since I started cross stitching again in 2014.
Its good to know that your family still meets once a year even though everyone claims to be too busy these days.

Annie said...

Love the kitty finish. Those fabrics were just the perfect choice to use.

Your gift for Lois is perfect. Those spools are just too cute.

What a treasure from Kim! That painted book is was really a clever idea.

Nice to hear that the beach time was so pleasant. I'm sorry to see summer coming to an end. I read a lot of novels all year round, but actually more in the winter since I'm more likely to want to stay inside.

Hilda said...

Hello my dear friend,
your "Dame of the Needle" is such a beauty. I love this design and I have already stitched it once and gave it away. But the way you finished it is just perfekt. Love the little spools you added.
I am sure, Lois was delighted!
And your TPS - amazing. Whenever I see such a typical TPS-design I get a little sad, because I know that there won't be further more.

So happy to read, that you enjoyed your days at the beach (although the long journey really must be exhausting. It sounds so nice to spend one week every year with the extended family.

Enjoy the last days of August, my dear friend!

Hugs
Hilda

Cricket-bug Corner said...

Love the pillows!! I listen to books when I stitch!

Just Another Old Geezer said...

Awesome projects - love the look on the cat's face!!!
http://allcrossstitchpatterns.yolasite.com/Alphabet-Cross-Stitch-Patterns.php

Unknown said...

Good morning from Omaha, Carol! Your blog post lifted my spirits on this humid, rainy day! I love the Dames of the Needle piece you did. The lady's tiny spoon is just adorable. And you've done a great finish as always - Lois is a lucky lady to have you for a friend! Your stitched kitty is so sweet. And the picture you took of the Outer Banks sunrise is just stunning! I would get that printed and framed! Thank you for sharing your recipe for the muffins - I am definitely going to give them a try this weekend! I always like seeing your posts on Instagram - I am one of those people who does not have a blog (yet) so I am glad we can also connect on Instagram. Sending good thoughts your way! Emily (emma_r0ll on instagram!)

Jennifer said...

What a busy August for you! We had a taste of fall last week and I can't wait for it to come back - it is my favorite season of the year. Lovely stitching and finishing as always! Where do you get all your embellishments? They always go so well and add such a nice touch to your stitching! Hope you have a few quiet evenings soon so you can continue with the reading and stitching- I am impressed that you can keep straight 4 books at once - I read one at a time - two at the most, but they have to be completely different! I am working my way through the Outlander series now...wonderful, but very long books!

Maggee said...

Hello there! Another wonderful post! Enjoyed it all! I love the two finishes... you have such a knack for finding the perfect fabrics to compliment your stitching! I appreciate you sharing the books... I have been looking for some good books lately! I will check out Instagram...for you! I joined, but... neglected it... Hugs!

Justine said...

What a lovely post Carol. You have been busy again! Your reunion sounds like lots of fun. What a wonderful tradition. These are memories your children and their children will remember forever.
I love your finish for Lois, perfect as always. And your gift from Kim was so beautiful. Let's hope he keeps the frogs away.
I love the changing seasons, in the UK as in many parts of the world I think we are so lucky to have such distinct seasons. Autumn and the new school year always seems like the perfect time for new starts!

priscilla said...

Love the kitty Carol! Finished perfectly as always! :) Gorgeous flowers and I am so happy you are on IG ..it is the best!

Lynn said...

Hi Carol,

All those years of reunions, how wonderful, the family will have such fond memories in the future.
Love your finishing as always, they are so beautiful.

Lynn

Patty C. said...

Love Dames of the Needle & I copied that recipe .. Sounds delish!

Patty C. said...

Love Dames of the Needle & I copied that recipe .. Sounds delish!

Patty C. said...

Love Dames of the Needle & I copied that recipe .. Sounds delish!

Patty C. said...

Love Dames of the Needle & I copied that recipe .. Sounds delish!

Kaisievic said...

Great post, Carol, so lovely to catch up on all of your news. It sounds like you have been having a wonderful time. Lovely finish for Lori - you are so elegant in how you finish your pieces and I love your calico cat. I am already a follower of yours on Instagram, I am quite getting into it, too. Lovely gifts from Kim, and just so thoughtful as they are so perfect for you. hugs, Kaye xxx