Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Finishes, Flowers, and Firemen

Good morning everyone; it's good to be "back!" Thank you to everyone who emailed me wondering if I was all right...I'm fine; it has just been one crazy-busy three week period since my last post. I've spent a good deal of time up in New York visiting and helping out my parents after my dad's surgery. He came through it nicely, I'm happy to report. Thank you to all who asked about him...

The second thing that has taken up much of my time is trying to get my youngest son's room packed up. You see, he was offered a job in Washington, D.C. which began on August 1st. We're so proud of him--guess all that hard work in college really paid off! Anyway, he is down there and his furniture, books, etc. are up here in Pennsylvania. So guess who gets to sort it all out and prepare it for the movers?? Yep--good old mom! Oh, my--what a lot of "stuff" has accumulated during the 23 years he lived in that small bedroom. I'm about half-way done now and am to the point where I need to get him on the phone and ask him, "Do you want this, do you want that?" It's a good feeling, though, and I'm gaining another closet to put my stuff in! What do you think...should I turn his old bedroom into my craft room?


Finally, I've been working extra hours at the library--taking training classes in all the new electronic reference databases that keep popping up every other week. Honestly, I'm too old for this--my rapidly-aging brain just can't process all these changes very quickly any more. We just learn how to do something one way, and the next week the process has changed. With the explosion of e-readers we are constantly being asked to help patrons through the download process. How many of you have an e-reader? I love, love, love my Kindle! The new gadgets are great, but sometimes I long for the ease of simpler days when there were no cell phones, e-readers, I-pods, etc. I guess I'm just a bit nostalgic for those days when people seemed to spend more time with each other rather than with something electronic...


Through all this craziness, I have managed to squeak in a bit of stitching time and have a couple of new things to show you. First up is the LHN "Silent Night" ornament which I stitched on 32 ct. twilight blue Permin linen. I used all of the suggested colors except I substituted DMC 712 and used it for the snow, stars, and lettering. I also stitched an extra large star in the upper right corner. Was I being creative? No--I counted my star placements incorrectly and was left with a large spot of blue sky so I simply filled it in with a big star...


I finished it with a simple beaded edge using ivory colored Mill Hill beads. Boy, are those beaded edges time consuming--at least for me! But, I love the finished look and think it will be a great addition to my tree this December. This was my ornament for July--I finished the stitching last month, but just now got around to the finishing. Still have to finish my August ornament, but I'm almost there.


If this bunny finish looks familiar, it's because I stitched him once before earlier this year. You can see him right here. The difference is...this one is half the size! Yes, it's stitched "over one" on 28 ct. clay lugana and is from Prairie Schooler's Book No. 13 "A Prairie Year." I used the suggested DMC threads and decided to finish it into a tiny pillow.








This brown-dotted pale pink fabric seemed to be a perfect complement to the colors in the design and I topped it off with a little flower made of a pair of pink and white buttons (my middle son claims it resembles a pig nose--honestly, these guys of mine!!) and some leaves made of sage green ribbon. To make the tiny leaves, I used 1/2 inch ribbon and followed this video tutorial. For my first attempt, I'm really pleased with how they turned out. Unfortunately, I'm saying farewell to this bunny...he is heading to a new home as a "Random Act of Kindness" for one of my regular commenters. Where will he end up...stay tuned!


I think I forgot to tell you where my last RAK for my regular commenters ended up? This tulip pillow was sent to Catherine at Bramblewood Stitches back in May. It ended up just across the state in eastern Pennsylvania, but my latest bunny pillow is taking a longer trip (hint! hint!). I really enjoy surprising you wonderful friends who take the time to say "hello" each time I post, so look for more RAK creations in the future.





Isn't this the most delightful bouquet? My dear husband surprised me with it after I arrived home from visiting my parents. We had been apart almost two weeks--the longest in our 34 years of marriage. I guess he missed me! I told him this was the prettiest bouquet ever--so "me" with the all-white arrangement of hydrangeas, snapdragons, statice, and some other white flower that looks like a cross between a rose and a carnation. Anyone have any idea what the name of those blooms are? I truly love it's old-fashioned charm--it brings to mind a time when life was simpler and less complicated, doesn't it?


Now, I'm sure you're all wondering about the "Firemen" in my post title... Well, let's just say I had a "memorable" experience the last time I visited my parents. I was making breakfast one morning and the thin-sliced bread that I was toasting accidentally burned. Immediately, I ran it under water and put it into the garbage disposal hoping to get that unpleasant odor out of the kitchen. Apparently, I wasn't quick enough. Within minutes, not one, not two, but three smoke alarms in their apartment were blaring away. You all know how piercingly-loud one alarm sounds, right? Well, imagine three screeching away at the same time. I jumped up on a chair to try to find a reset button like we have on our alarms at home--no luck. They just kept wailing on and on.


We let in the harried building managers who were pounding at the door for a crack at silencing the alarms--no luck! They said they would have to call the local fire department to turn them off because their maintenance man was off that day. Oh, no!! My face was as red as the soon to arrive firetrucks--I was so embarrassed! Within 15 minutes, two firetrucks and a half-dozen firemen showed up. Yes, all for two burned pieces of toast... The two firemen who actually came up to the apartment tried to silence the alarms, but you guessed it--no luck! They said because they were hard-wired into the ceiling, they weren't "allowed" to fiddle with them. WHAT?? By this time, the three alarms had been deafening us for close to an hour. There was no solution but to call the maintenance man at home and have him come disconnect the horrid things. Finally, after almost 1 1/2 hours of listening to the shrill sound, the maintenance man arrived, pulled the wires from the ceiling, and silence reigned. You know that old saying, "Silence is golden?" Well, I appreciate it more than ever after that crazy morning! Moral of this story--always, always check the setting on your toaster before you put the bread in...

So, that's the end of another way-too-long post! Thanks so much to all of you who have read this far... I didn't even have time to write about Seville, the last stop on our Europe trip, so I'll save that for next time. Your wonderful comments on my last post made me smile--thank you all for taking the time to visit my little corner of the world. Please come again and I hope you have a week filled with whatever makes you happiest. Bye for now...

74 comments:

Lisa V said...

Love your ornie finish and especially your bunny pillow, too cute!
Had a good old laugh at the firemen story, you poor thing!!
Chuckles & hugs
LISA V

Jackie's Stitches said...

Parts of your burnt toast story are funny but I keep thinking of the shrill sound a fire alarm makes - that could not have been much fun at all.

The flowers you received from your husband are just gorgeous! I love hydrangeas and the "from the garden" look to the bouquet.

Mouse said...

ohhh very nice ornies you have done there and yup beads are time consuming but worth it :) flowers are gorgeous well done to DH and sorry can't help you with what they are called atm ... and am still giggling at the burnt toast .. take care love mouse xxxx

butterfly said...

Oh Carol that was so funny about the toast,things like that only happen to me.!
Love all your beautiful stitching again,love the ornament for your tree , and the beautiful rabbit so pretty.Its all so lovely.
Yes i know what you mean about going back to the old times. Its killing me to keep up with every thing.The young ones are so quick with theses gadgets.I am still trying to find out how our new TV works and we have had it a year ha ha.

Lynn said...

Welcome back! I'm glad things went well with your father's surgery.
I also think that a craft room for you in your son's old room is a wonderful idea.

Love your new finishes! I am so envious of your finishes Carol. You have the knack for finding just the right fabric, ribbons, etc. The bunny is so sweet!

I enjoyed your toast tale! I know just how annoying those alarms can be. We recently had trouble disconnecting a carbon monoxide detector that went off during the night. Turns out it was faulty because none of the other alarms in the house were going off. Still, it made me uneasy going back to sleep in case I didn't wake up!

Barbara said...

Oh dear...1 1/2 hours? You poor thing....but it does make for a funny story. I love your ornie finishes, so pretty. As to the bedroom/craft room...go for it. I did mine as soon as daughter moved out and have no regrets.
Blessings

Michele B. said...

What a great post (love your illustrations along with the stitching pictures)! I am so happy to hear that your father came through the surgery okay - I know how worriesome it was beforehand. Your mother must be so relieved.

Your finishing is so inspiring. I adore the little "pig nose" on the bunny pillow (I hope my ds has a good a sense of humor as yours when he grows up). The extra star on the Silent Night ornament is truly inspired - it could be the Star of Bethlehem.

I know what you mean about the plethora of technology that sometimes takes us away from meaningful communication with each other. It's a treat to get a real letter these days.

Are you even questioning whether you should turn that extra bedroom into a craft room? But of course!

Annie said...

Glad to hear your Dad is still doing well. At least all that packing work will net you more storage. A craft room sounds wonderful, but for me, it would probably just contribute to my hoarding tendencies!

I haven't done the e-reader thing. Still read books the old-fashioned way. For someone who has spent her career in computers, I'm really a Luddite. And all that charging! Seems like that takes up a lot of time too!

Your ornament and pin pillows are just so cute. You are such a sweetie to do those RAKS. I'm sure your giftees will be delighted.

And don't you have the nicest husband! That is a gorgeous bouquet.

You may need a license to drive a toaster from now on! Great story.

And I love all your little clip art illustrations!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

I noticed the star right away in Silent Night and I think it is fabulous! Mistake or not :)

and what lovely little pillows you have created :) Love them both...and the button flower with leaves is exceptional! I have a ribbon trick I'm wanting to try really soon myself...I thought it up after making hairbows for my baby's first day of school :)

The Queen Bee said...

So, if you're only just thinking about turning a room into your craft room, does that mean you didn't do that with either of your other son's rooms? Then, yes, you should be doing that!

Your finishes are lovely. Doing the beaded edge is my favorite finishing method.

Did you ever try to make toast again? I know I'd be afraid after that ordeal.

Pam

Anonymous said...

I love your finishes, most especially Silent Night. A craft room! I am so jealous!

wendy111 said...

Love your stitches and finishing! Lovely. Had a giggle at the toast story!

barbara said...

Oh my goodness!! I'm cringing, just thinking about those smoke alarms. When I was a student in Waltham, MA, our upstairs neighbors were FOREVER setting off the smoke alarms ... used to drive me absolutely bonkers. Ours here goes off every time we make bacon, which we now do with all the windows open and the vents on.

I also wish we were a little less 'plugged in' to everything. I don't own a cell phone, and (except during my last pregnancy) never have. Don't own a Kindle, either, though I have seriously considered buying Niek one for all his globe-trotting travels. It's just so busy all the time, having everything instantly. ;)

Love your stitching and finishing - what a lovely choice of how to finish that ornament! And your flowers from your DH are exquisite!

Sherry said...

Beautiful stitches! How funny about the toast. Our alarm often goes off when I cook bacon and my smarty pants DH and boys will always yell "mom's bacon is done!" when the alarm begins to bellow!

Cindy said...

Love, love, love your posts :D....had a great giggle over your toast story! Your finishes and stitching so inspire me....thank you!

Jennifer said...

Beautiful finishes!!! I love that beaded edging - so pretty. And Yes, I've filled in a little here and there too when I miscounted. I think it makes the piece uniquely your own.

You're always running around and yet you still have time to stitch. I'm guessing that really leaves me with no excuses LOL

I guess if I traveled more, I'd want a kindle instead of taking a whole bunch of books, but we've started getting 99% of our books from the library, and I feel like if I am going to pay for a book, I want a paper copy of it.

And I'm pretty sure those flowers are called ranunculus. They're a very popular flower for weddings.

Gabi said...

LOL...still laughing here. Seems that you don't do half jobs. You should see it as achievement and tell others that no one burns toast like you do. With 2 firetrucks you'll win that hands down.
Lovely flowers. Love that bouquet your husband gave you. It's gorgeous.
I LOVE your finishes. Each of them. The beaded ornament is so pretty. So are your two pillows. Just lovely.
And of course you should make that room your craft room. I did the same after my daughter moved out. Not that I sit there often, but great storage for all crafty things.
Glad your dad is doing well :)

Measi said...

You've been very, very busy lately! (and the toast story is hysterical).

I'm thinking the flower may be a type of peony. I have gorgeous white peonies in my garden, and I get comments about them - some people think they're roses, some think they're a type of carnation. :)

Either way, it's a gorgeous bouquet!

sunny said...

Beautiful flowers from the hubby! I only recently discovered your blog, and learned a lot about you from this post. Lovely stitching.

Margaret said...

Oh my! What a story! I don't know if I could stand 1 1/2 hours of more than one fire alarm wailing away. Ugh!

Good luck to your son in his new job. And to you for having to pack his belongings up! Ugh! And yes, I think you need to convert his room into a sewing room for you -- most definitely!!

I hope all the new technology doesn't drive you too crazy at work. Yes, I love reading ebooks so much! It's wonderful!!

Your finishes are all gorgeous! You do such lovely finishing work too!

Teresa said...

Love all your finishes. Favorite is Silent Night.
Had to clean out son's room when he left for the Air Force. Found lots of surprises.
Sorry about your toast adventure.
Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

Cindy's Stitching said...

Was thinking about you Carol. Glad the surgery went well. All the new gadgets, I agree, I long for the days when everyone wasn't so focused on cell phones, electronic games, etc. The burn toast is so funny. Glad you made it home safe. The stitching is so pretty.

BrendaS said...

Carol --
Good to see a post from you! I'm glad your parents are doing OK.

I think you should definitely turn your son's old bedroom into a craft room! What fun:))

Your finishes are beautiful. You do such gorgeous work and pay attention to every detail. LOVE IT!

Have a great rest of the week.

Hilda said...

Dear Carol!
Beautiful little things you have made - I love them. The "Silent Night"-Ornament I have already stitched too, but not finished yet! I like your finishing with the pearls!!

Your toast-story was again so nice to read and - please excuse that - I really had to smile about it a little!
Have a nice week
Hugs
Hilda

Gillie said...

Now we both have children in DC lol! Not sure what the original electrician was thinking of, not fun at all with that smoke alarm. Lovely stitching as always!

Jane said...

What a lovely post Carol, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading all your news, sorry I had to laugh at the burnt toast story but nice to know that so many men were ready to help! Gorgeous stitching, I love the bunny and the finishing touches, really sweet xxx

Unknown said...

that's quite a lot you've be doing these past 3 weeks, i love all your stitched pieces, and i think you should use your sons old room as a craftroom, i have one myself and are very happy to have all my stuff in one room.

I hope that the firealarm in your parents app. will be replaced with one that they can turn off.

Hugs Yvon.

Kathy said...

I absolutely LOVE your finishes. The LHN ornament is just perfect. And the pillows are darling.

And I have to thank you for this mornings chuckle with the toast and firemen story. Too funny.

Have a great week.

Dani - tkdchick said...

Wow! Congrats to your son you must be so proud. I once did a phone interview for a job at the Canadian Consulate in Washington DC but I wasn't the successful candiate :-( That would of been a cool job, working in their library.

All of your stitching and finishing is just magnificent. I think the beaded edge finish on your ornament is just perfect no matter how long it took you.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

The finishes look great! I had to giggle over the burnt toast. I've done that too and it stinks to high heaven. I can't say that the firemen have ever shown up though.

valerie said...

Ugh, packing! Yuk! Congratulations to your boy though...that is so exciting. I hope things get settled for the move soon. And I am so glad to hear that you dad is doing better.

Cute Silent Night and Bunny finishes too! I love the ribbon hanger you used for the ornie.

The flowers DH got you are gorgeous! I love them!

Don't worry about the firemen. They get called out for all kinds of things. Hard wired fire alarm though...how terrible to hear that waiting for over an hour.

I still haven't jumped on the ereader bandwagon. I still like reading the old fashioned way!

Catherine said...

Carol, I know from our emails that you have been so busy with everything. It's good to see a post from you.
Your finishes are beautiful!! Where ever your bunny is off to, I know you will bring a smile to someone! I adore my gift and admire it on a daily basis!
Oh my!! You all went through so much just for some burnt toast!! I don't know how you could have stood the alarms for that long. I would have gone crazy.
Hugs my friend!

passionfruitprincess said...

Yes! Make a craft room! After all the work you deserve it.
Your finishes are so adorable.
I will copy the little flower on the bunny pillow, can I? I love, love, love it. And you stitched over one again...you are good.
Good to know your Dad is ok. The toaster...that was funny. But what a crazy thing! All the mess to turn the alarm off. You can be happy that your parents are safe at this place.
Hugs,
Ana Paula.

Lee said...

loved reading your post and will be back to read it again when there is more time. why is life such a rush at times.?
Just wanted to let you know your white flowers are lisianthus, sorry I dont know any comman name comes in white pink and mauve a good cut flower that lasts well and popular with florists here. I often use them in arrangements

Theresa said...

Oh my!! What a morning!!!! At least it happened during the day time... I've experience once that the alarm of our whole apartment complex start screaming at 3AM!!!!! It was due to faulty wire, but everyone still had to get out and wait for the fire fighter to clear the place.... Not fun!!!!

Love all your finishes, they are beautiful!!!!!! And the flowers are gorgeous!!!! So nice of your husband to do that~~~

Ellen said...

The flowers are so gorgeous! Love your ornie and pin pillows, beautiful stitching and finishing. I especially love the beaded edge!

Hugs,

Rowyn said...

Hi Carol

Glad to hear your father is recovering well from his surgery.

That was a funny story about the burnt toast (although I am sure it was not funny at the time, lol).

I love all your finishes. The button flower on the rabbit pillow is so pretty! What a cool idea.

Your DH is a keeper. What a gorgeous bunch of flowers. So unusual with the pale greens and whites.

We are starting to thaw out now after our unusual snow storm.

Have a great week!

Mindi said...

OMG! I can't imagine a fire alarm going off for that long I'm sure the embarrassment part wouldn't last too long and would move to the frustrated stage, and then ticked off that no one could stop it.

Your finishes are adorable, I really love the beaded border you did on Silent Night.

Teresa S. said...

Love the ribbon leaves-very cute accessory--but the story of burnt toast just takes the cake, he, he, he...

Melanie said...

Oh goodness! All that over toast. One more reason to quit bread maybe. lol I can't imagine having to listen to that for that long. I would go mad. One of ours popped off a couple times tonight because the battery is dying (or it needs to replaced altogether) and I just about fell out of my chair each time it gave ONE shrill, never mind 90 minutes of it. lol
Lovely lovely stitching!! Your beaded edges are just so neat and fabulous. I want to try it one day but I'm not sure I have the patience for it. I get all fumbly fingers with those beads, you know?

Lois said...

Oh Carol, your fireman story has given me my first chuckle of the day. I can just imagine the whole carry-on!!! You poor thing!!!! I love your LHN finish and your own little personal touches to it! Whoever is the recipient of your sweet bunny pillow is one very lucky person! Such lovely flowers from your DH. Good luck with getting your son's 'stuff' all packed up and sent off - I can well imagine the job that is!!!

Bekca said...

I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts Carol. I'm so glad to hear your father's surgery went well. I'll be doing a bit of moving out come September, although I think the job will be left to me, not my mum! I love your Silent Night finish, I love white and blue colour combinations. The PS bunny is so cute too. I'm so glad your firemen experiance wasn't more serious, it did give me a giggle that it all started over burnt toast. Ah well, we live and learn.
Best wishes and happy stitching to you.

Kay said...

You sure have been busy lately! Glad to hear your father is doing well. Maybe now you can have some time to relax after all you have been doing. I love your finishes, I too did silent night, it was such a fast and cute finish to make!

Pumpkin said...

Well you got my attention with this title although I don't see any half naked picture of handsome firemen...

I figured you've been quite busy with family lately. We have to be where our priorities take us. I hope your DS is settled in. How is your Dad doing?

You with a Kindle???? That surprises me! I thought you would be old fashion. Don't take that the wrong way! I still have not caved to that electronic gadget ;o) I love the feel of books too much.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your latest ornie! The finish is just darling as well :o)

I may have typed too soon because your bunny finish just melted my heart! SO, SO sweet :o) You did an awesome job with the rose bud.

Lovely RAK. I bet Catherine loved it :o)

Awwwww! That was very sweet of your DH!

Sally said...

Your finishes are so sweet Carol. I always love to see them as you finish them so beautifully.

Mary Ann said...

New visitor to your blog, here. I love your finishes and had a good giggle while reading the toast story.

Unknown said...

I really like your Silent Night and I think the big star is a great addition to the design.

Your little bunny is so cute such tiny stitches!

Hope they were able to reset the fire alarms so that they will work in a real emergency - can't imagine dealing with that triple noise for that long - shudder!

Edit said...

I love your finishes! they look so beautiful!

Sure you have been busy lately. I do not envy you having to pack and organize the moving of your son's room. I do not like packing/moving at all.

And to have such a noise for so long. I hope it won't happen again. I also have a story about firemen: we live in front of them and every morning, early of course, they try all the alarms of their cars. It is ok during the week, but they do it on the weekends as well. They take the car, start the engine, start the alarm, go around the block and then come back. All this before 7:30 am in the morning.

Annette said...

I'm so glad your parents are good.
is your father also back home?
So a room empty almost.... hihihi......
Yes in a few years you can have a lot of stuff gathered..
CRAFT ROOM CRAFT ROOM CRAFT ROOM!!!! but when he want too stay the weekend do you have bed for him somewhere else??
I don't have a e-reader, i-pod, blackberry... hihi I'm old-fashion... I do have a mobile phone

Beautifull stitch Silent night, and you finished up so beautifull too:):)
Your Bunny as little pilow also looks so beautifull
Thanks for sharing taht video.. I have a green ribbon, but don't like the color, I would be perfect for this.;)

That Catherine piece is so great..
You blogs friends are so lucky with you!!

The most beautifull bouquet!!! It's white My favo color.

hihihihihi...your story about the bread made me laugh so much... It put a big smile on my face.... hihihi... all of that for two pieces of toast!!!!

Have a great week, without firemens..

Shari said...

LOVE your finishes...woohoo...they are great...
I am right there with you on moving the 'baby' out.......so sad....
love the flowers your hubby got you....so pretty...

Julie said...

Great finishes!

Oh my, all of that for a couple pieces of toast. I'm glad they were finally able to turn them off!

Siobhán said...

LOL at the burnt toast story!! At least the fire alarms work, right?! Jiminy crickets. I remember when my son hit the basketball against the house alarm outside and the alarm wouldn't turn off. 45 minutes of intense shrill--it was horrible.

Your stitching is, as always, beautiful!! Your finishing is perfect, too. The leaves turned out so cute!

Good luck with all the computer stuff at the library. Our library is waaaay behind the times and the librarians are cranky as all get out. It's very frustrating to deal with them, which I do a lot since I don't have an e-reader but love to read.

I hope your son settles in well and that you get his room sorted! We go in and sort my daughter's room each time she moves from college to home or job or whatever. For a child that swears that she is deprived, she sure has a lot of stuff! LOL

Have a great weekend!

Kathy A. said...

Can I stop laughing now???? That was just too funny but only because it wasn't me ROFL!!!
Your stitching is beautiful as always my dear. I love your little bunny.
Your own craft room - absolutely - go for it. I love me and never want to leave it.

Jeanne said...

Great post - love your finishes and the toast story! Whenever our smoke alarm has gone off it's been just awful and makes the dogs really go crazy. Your ornaments are just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your inspiration with us!

Anonymous said...

Carol,
Whew, I cannot imagine having to listen to the fire alarms for that long! How long did your ears ring afterwards? ;)

Congrats to your son on his new job! At least he didn't move too far away... My DH is a Union Electrician out of the D.C. Local. He is currently working at Fort Belvoir, long drive from here...
I say you should absolutely turn his bedroom into a craft room! You deserve it!

I like your Silent Night ornie, it turned out very pretty. That has always been my favorite Christmas carol.

Have a nice weekend! And, I hope your dad is doing well.
Donna in WV
catsandbeetles@hughes.net

Michele said...

Love your finishes! Silent Night is lovely! Hope your trip to see your parents went ok.

Nicky said...

Oh I love the toast story. Any time the smoke alarms go off at work it is such a relief when they are finally shut down. Your stitching as always is amazing! How do you find the time?? Glad to hear your dad's surgery has gone well, it's no doubt a huge relief to you and your family. Take care, Nicky

Anonymous said...

Leave that poor boy's room alone!

Phyllis said...

Great stitching and finishing of those cute ornaments. I love the beading.
Also loved your toast and fireman stories.

♥ Nia said...

hahahahah half-dozen firemen for two burned toasts?!?!? that's a lot of firmen! hahahhaha ;)

I'm not a fan of kindle, Rui has one but I never use it.. I think I have to much tech already in my life heheheh I have to spend many hours on my computer (work) and I'm addicted to my blackberry :p So it's nice to have a real book on my hands, something old-fashion feels good too ;) hehehhe

Congrats on your beautiful finishes :) And also for such a lovely gift from your DH! Lovely! =)

Meari said...

Hi Carol,

I read your blog the other day and then today I thought, "Did I leave a comment?" I scrolled through all the comments to see if my avatar was there. Nope.

So here I am! Lucky you getting to pack up your DS's belongings. Not... I hope he wasn't affected by the earthquake that just happened.

Your stitching is gorgeous. Congrats on your finishes.

Meari said...

Ahhhh, now I know why I didn't leave a comment the other day! I didn't get to read about the firemen, lol

So tell me now... Were the firemen HOT *wink, wink*

Berit said...

What a wild story--sounds like Movie Hijinks!

The beaded trim on your SN ornament looks great. :D

Mavi. said...

Carol, I hope your father is right.
Congratulations on your son's work and achievements.
Glad you to have a room for your hobbies.
I have no digital book is classic book on paper.
The details of your husband with very nice bouquet.
The incident of toast, fun and chaotic.
Your very pretty embroidery.
The vacation photos, beautiful.
Many kisses.

LoriU said...

Hello Carol,
I just found your blog (linked over from Lee (Lake Stitcher)'s blog). Your stitching and finishing are BEAUTIFUL and I am so enjoying reading through your blog entries! I can only hope that someday my blog gets as good as yours!

Lori

Anne said...

I love reading your blog Carol! Especially the burnt toast part!! I've done that many times and have had my alarms go off, but I have never had your experience!! I can't believe there isn't a button to shut it off like we have! Obviously if there really is a fire one wouldn't press the button, but for burnt toast...ya I press it! Love your little pillows as usual you do an amazing job. Silent Night will look perfect at Christmas time :D

Hugs!!

Rhona said...

Had a good old giggle at the toast tale....only because i have done the same thing, but not had the alarms ringing for an hour and a half! Can't imagine how you survived....bet you weren't popular with the neighbours! lol
Love your finishes, the beads look wonderful, worth all the hassle and time!
As for your flowers...what a wonderful hubby!

Jennifer said...

Hi Carol! Thanks so much for the kind comments on my blog . You are so sweet.No one has been here working for two days but we have some electrical and plumbing finished in so I can't complain . It will get done and certainly be worth it all . I love your rabbit and it was nice to see him stitched again . I love reading your posts! Enjoy these last weeks of summer.

Quiltsmiles said...

How truly life-like with your toast experience, ahhh.. treasure these moments.
Glad to hear that your son arrived safely in DC and is being adventurous. Glad too that your Dad's surgery was successful. Keep smiling and stitching,

Jane

PS: Gorgeous finishes!

Anonymous said...

Love your little Christmas ornaments and the bunnies. Love all little needleworks.

Charity C. said...

Hi Carol,

I love your blog. I am a new follower and can't wait to see more. I really like your ornie and your bunny pillow. You fireman story had me cracking up. I can only imagine what your parents would say if they were to come home to see the fire department raiding their house! "Carol, even after all these years we still can't leave you at the house by yourself!!" Anyway, I really enjoyed your post and I hope you can slow down soon and relax. Also I think you DH flowers were beautiful!

Lynn B said...

I love the Silent Night pillow, it is beautifully finished. Your toast story made me laugh!

Anna Zont said...

HI! All your finishes are beautiful! :))
Your blog is very interesting!

Rachel S-H said...

Those are some awesome finishes!