Sunday, July 16, 2023

"B" is for...

Hello there! The middle of July has passed and I'm just now posting... July is one "busy" month (just one of the many "B" words you'll read about in this post!) for my family with lots of birthdays, our wedding anniversary, gardening, etc. It's interesting how some families seem to have "clumps" of celebrations in one month or another. Our busiest month is definitely July. We don't have a single birthday in June or August (since my dad passed away anyway). What are your "busy" months? 

"B" is for... Big finish!  I decided earlier this year that I just had to stitch more summer themed pieces. I have a ton of patriotic finishes which I love having out in July, but I wanted more simple summer finishes to decorate with in June or August. The adorable designs in the "Celebrate" series by Madame Chantilly caught my eye when they were released and I purchased every single one. I've stitched snippets of "Celebrate Winter" and "Celebrate 4th of July" as little ornaments, but "Celebrate Summer" is the only design I've stitched in its entirety. There was a lot of stitching in this piece--much more than I anticipated, but I love how it turned out!

"Celebrate Summer" by Madame Chantilly

I stitched this piece on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen using the suggested DMC colors. Stitching with DMC is so relaxing, isn't it? You never have to worry about the actual stitched piece not matching the photo on the chart like you do when using many overdyed threads. The reds, yellows, and blues are such perfect summer shades.

Look at the cute mermaid--she even has tiny blue earrings!

I did make one major change (in addition to leaving off the word "Summer" underneath the tray). I substituted "Hello Summer" for the charted "Hello Beach." We are not near a beach and rarely visit one so I just felt the "Hello Summer" phrase on the chalkboard was much more appropriate for my family. 

Such a happy looking whale!

The little motifs are so charming aren't they? Why just look at that little pig-tailed girl in her old-fashioned bathing costume and parasol--adorable!

So many adorable motifs!

I enjoyed stitching this summer piece so much and I know I'll be doing more of the "Celebrate" series--I think the fall design may be next! Have any of you stitched one of these?

I hope to frame this one soon!

 

"B" is for... Baking! I got the chance to bake when we went to a little get-together with my husband's biking buddies and their wives a couple weeks ago. Since it was a hot, hot day, I went with two very quick and easy desserts that I've made before and shown you on my blog. But, with a number of new readers, I thought you might like the links to these recipes again. Shown below are a very decadent pair: Peanut Butter Pie and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Don't they look scrumptious? Believe me... a little slice of these goes a long way! The Peanut Butter pie recipe can be found right here on the Jif Peanut Butter website.

July baking

The flourless cake looks quite elegant, but it is so simple! Be sure to watch the video and follow the tips suggested for a perfect looking cake. The white powdered sugar design is  made by placing a large doily on top and sprinkling the sugar over it. Lift off the doily carefully and you have a lovely dessert. I used strawberries to decorate the center. If you'd like to surprise your family with a super fudgy  treat, you can find the recipe on the Allrecipes website right here. The glaze I used for it can be found here. I only make a half-recipe of the glaze and it is plenty.  (Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Premium Baking bars were used for both the cake and the glaze just in case you're wondering). Yum!!!

I dare you to eat just one bite!

"B" is for... Blueberries! Two years ago my husband planted six or eight blueberry bushes and this year we had our first edible blueberries. (We had some last year, but you're not supposed to pick them that first year). Oh, my... they were fabulous! Sadly, we only got a few cups due to the birds helping themselves to them, too. We have the bushes under netting, but the birds still found a way to get underneath  and devour them. If anyone has any tips on keeping birds away from blueberries, I'd love to know...

Our first homegrown blueberries!

"B" is for... Blooms! My husband went a bit crazy with the sunflower planting this year (well, actually, I went a bit overboard in buying so many seeds) and they've taken over his garden. I love seeing their big bright heads bobbing around outside our window. Such a happy flower!

This year we planted sunflowers of all heights--from 3 feet tall to over 12 feet!

 
A bouquet of sunshine

"B" is for Babies! No, not human babies--baby deer. They seem to be everywhere right now and I love seeing the tiny white-freckled creatures trotting along after their mothers. This photo was taken from my living room window the other day. Sadly, there used to be two babies, but one was hit by a car and my husband found its little body back in the woods by our pond. 

A new little fawn exploring our yard

My sweet grandson (whom we fondly refer to as the "deer whisperer" because he has this uncanny ability to spot a deer quicker than any of us) is shown below. Look closely and you'll see him pointing at the mother deer with her baby lying right next to the street in their suburban neighborhood. It looks like the baby deer was just born, doesn't it?

Mister B loves animals of all kinds and was so excited to see the baby deer right in front of his house.

"B" is for... Birthday! And finally, I saved the best "B" for last. My little grandson, Mister B, turned three years old! This was the first year he really understood what a birthday was about and his enthusiasm was contagious. For months he had been telling people he was going to be "three in July" and he would be getting "five presents." Well, he ended up with many more than that, trust me! He had a little party in the park down the street from his house with six little friends (all were girls!) and their parents, his uncles and aunts, a few neighbors, and a little pug dog. The highlight of his day was the Hot Wheels piñata--he kept asking over and over when he could "do the piñata!" 

Clockwise from top left: time for birthday cupcakes, piñata time, a walk with Nonna, Mister B with Nonna and Pompa, my oldest son with the birthday boy, my son and daughter-in-law with their newly minted 3-year-old

We tried to keep our gift giving reasonable and got him a new sandbox, some clothes (which he barely glanced at, of course!), some books, the Curious George zippered pouch I had made for him earlier this year, and his favorite toy--this UPS truck! I bought it online from a neighbor  and he absolutely loves it. Do you see all those tiny boxes in the back? I found a file on Etsy for $2.00, downloaded it, and my sweet husband constructed the little UPS "packages" for him. I swear--you can find just about anything on Etsy!

One of his favorite presents--a UPS truck complete with teeny packages. Unfortunately, I don't have the driver for it, but hope to find one. This truck is made by Bruder in Germany--love the quality!

"B" is for... more birthdays! Yes, a trio of birthdays happens within a six-day span in our family in mid-July. My grandson was up first, then a day later my youngest son turned 35, and five days after that, my husband celebrated his 68th (or, as I always like to say: he caught up with me!). We were lucky enough to be together in the DC area again this year so my youngest son's girlfriend has us all over for a delicious birthday brunch and a tasty oreo cake to celebrate. 

Just look at those smiles on the three birthday boys!

"B" is for Brand New Car! If you read my last post, you know that my 2010 Honda CRV was recalled due to a serious rust issue and was deemed too dangerous to drive. It has now been a month since that happened and we still have not heard about the settlement offer from Honda. Very discouraging indeed. But... all is not lost. Two weeks ago a new Subaru Forester was delivered to the dealership, we went and test-drove it, and purchased it that very day. Would you believe I've only driven it once since? That is how little I drive these days, but so far, I love it. I felt comfortable in it immediately, but, have a long way to go to learn all the ins and outs of the technology. Yikes! I'm too old for this! It is a pretty "Silver Ice" color and we feel very lucky to have found it given the low inventory of cars these days. 

Assuming I can learn all of its technology, I think my new Subaru Forester is going to be a great car!

That was a lot of "B" words, wasn't it? Funny how that happens... I hope you enjoyed today's post! It was a fun one to put together. To leave you with a few more "B" thoughts--I hope you have a bright, beautiful, blissful, blessed rest of July. Thank you for those wonderful emails and comments--I so appreciate each and every one. Bye for now!

30 comments:

  1. Celebrate Summer is a great motif, so many pretty details that fit right into summer.
    Oh yummy, I would eat the blueberries all by myself, I love them and yours look so yummy. And with your sunflowers you can bring some sun into your house.
    How lucky you are that you can watch the little fawns.
    A great picture of Mister B's birthday, he's already three years old, you can see from the children how time flies. I'm glad that you can have so much of a share in his life.
    The three boys in the picture are really well taken, a nice memory.
    I wish you a nice July days,
    enjoy the time, Martina

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  2. Hi, congrats to the birthday boys.
    Yummy, yummy, your blueberries. One of my favorite fruits. Yes, sunflowers always bring the sun into the house and your look great in the different heights.
    Stitching is a wonderful as always.
    Have a great week.
    Hugs, Gabi

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  3. What a lovely B post , Happy late Birthday to all.
    Love your new stitch it looks a fun stitch I love her charts .
    Love the gift for your GS , boys love these kinds of gifts .
    Looks like July was a busy month for you, but so much fun.
    We have a new car to and hubby has not drove it yet, looks like getting your into a jet ha, I said I am not getting in with him untill he learns how to drive it.
    Enjoy your Sunday, and new week, hugs June.

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  4. Celebrate Summer is so very pretty.
    Oh Yum! Those desserts look delicious!
    Thanks for the links.
    I love Sunflowers, but I have no luck planting them.
    I tried many times over the years.
    They either don't come up (critters), or they come up & critters eat them!
    But, we have 2 volunteers in a pot of Geraniums on our front porch, not sure who planted those! Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.
    Mr. B looks like he had a great Birthday, he's so cute!
    That UPS truck is awesome.
    I have a Subaru Legacy, & love it, they are great in winter.
    I would love a Forester, yours is o pretty.
    Have fun learning it! You will love it.
    Marilyn

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  5. Such a fun post! We have driven a Subaru Outback for five years. My husband researched and found it was one of the safest cars to drive. Seeing we are the same age as your husband, he felt it was the best way to go for us. Makes me laugh as we are both pretty careful drivers; but at this age, it's probably the way to go.

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  6. What a fun 'B' post to read! Your Celebrate Summer piece is beautiful, Carol. While I haven't stitched any of these designs, I can see why it took you longer than you thought it would. Lots of fill in! Sending happy birthday wishes to the July boys! It looks like it was all wonderful. It think you will enjoy your new car. While I haven't had a Forester, I have had 6 Subarus and currently on my third Outback. The dealership might provide you with a quick (hour or so) "class" on your new wheels. Have a super week!

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  7. August is the month where Brian and two of my brothers have birthdays within two days. :)
    Love that UPS truck!
    Your new car is wonderful!

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  8. The embroidery is lovely with all those summer details, Carol.
    My busy month is from May 10 to June 6 when 5 birthdays are celebrated in my family!!! It's like Christmas!!
    Your grandson is precious.... congratulations on your beautiful family!!
    A hug

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  9. So fun reading your posts. You will love all the technology in your new car. A much safer driving experience.

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  10. What a jam packed "B" post, Carol...so enjoyed it. I love that UPS truck and those packages...awesome!!! I might have to google this for Jax.
    I am on my 4th Subaru and can't praise them enough..they are rated one of the safest cars, which is what sold me on them. I've had 2 Foresters and am now on my 2nd Outback. There is definitely a learning curve where all the new tech stuff is concerned, but you will catch on and just use what you need.
    We have the same issue with our blueberry bushes. My hubby covered with netting but those darn birds!!! Please share if you ever figure out what can fix that
    Have a great week and Happy Birthday to all the birthday boys!

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  11. Hi Carol, what a fun post to read and enjoy...Happy Birthday to all:)
    I absolutely love your Summer Stitch, It brought a smile to my day. And, your blueberries look wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  12. Hi Carol,

    I always love reading your posts, thank you for all that you share. I must say, the baked goods look so yummy and I need to investigate those recipes. It's just my husband and I at home, so I tend to make things like cookies or bars, so I can freeze most of them and then take a few out when an attack of the sweet tooth arises.

    Love the stitched summer piece, it's beautiful. I have heard that they are more intricate and take longer to stitch then just what one would expect from the cover of the chart. It will be a lovely addition to your home.

    Your garden looks wonderful and I love the sunflowers too. I only have smaller ones this year, somehow I never planted taller ones like I usually do. My perennials have really exploded this year, and there aren't many empty spots where I normally throw in seeds. We've had so much rain as well, not to mention hot temps. Bunnies have moved into our neighborhood as well, but we also have a fair amount of predators in all the woods around us, so I'm not sure if that will help keep the population down. We did have to do some fortifying in the vegetable patches.

    The birthday pictures are all wonderful, and the UPS truck and packages is such a great idea for a little boy who obviously loves his cars and trucks. I remember my son lining up cars for days, and I am sure you do to with three sons. Hard to believe your grandson is 3, just amazing how fast time flies. He's a cutie and how fun that you have a trio of July birthdays.

    My husband and I are from very large families, so there are birthdays all the time, but August seems to be the most popular month. I'm a paper crafter and make all the cards I send, so I tend to stockpile them for late July and August when it feels like I send one off every day.

    Good luck with your new car and enjoy the rest of July!

    Kathy

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  13. Sounds like everyone had a very nice birthday and family celebration. Hard to believe it's mid-July!

    Oh why is that doe with the fawn on the road!! So sad one of the babes was killed.

    You must have excellent soil for such good looking berries in two years. When they dug out our soil and filled with very good dirt, the water got as far as the clay beneath and created a pool of mud.

    Deer ate my sunflowers every year, I gave up.

    Enjoy what's left of the season!

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  14. Sounds like you're having the Best time! Hard to believe Mr. B is 3 already!

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  15. Hello Carol,
    Deine Sommer Stickerei sieht Klasse aus. Die Etagere hat so viele schöne kleine Motive. Ich habe diese Vorlage ebenfalls. Ich bin von der Möwe mit den Sonnenblumen ganz begeistert.
    Mr B is aready three years old. He is very cute. It sounds like a great birthday party for him.
    Bluebeeries are very yummy and your baked cakes are looks very yummy and delicous.
    Have a nice time.
    Hugs, Manuela

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  16. I thoroughly enjoyed this post, Carol. Chock ablock as always with delightful items and photos. You did well with the B items! I love your Celebrate Summer piece with its elegant looking stitches. Equally lovely cake and all the birthday boys, such handsome smiling faces. Enjoy the rest of July!

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  17. I could not love your summery stitch more. Just adorable and a Sandy type stitch.
    The sunflowers are so pretty. I know you love having those inside and out.
    Little B is growing up so fast. The UPS truck was a great find and the little boxes...too cute. I know some boys here that would like that. Etsy is amazing. I tend to go there all the time looking for those unique things.

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  18. What a B-eautiful post. I just love that tiered stitching finish. Just beautiful. My mom would have loved the nautical theme of course. I love the tiered trays and this one doesn't take up much storage room at least haha. My mom's family had the month of May like that. So many birthdays. My dad's family everything seems to be spread out okay. Love your flowers. The deer is adorable. We have a lot of wildlife here on the property and we love it! The birthday photos look fantastic. That UPS truck is adorable. I finished little boxes like that for my mom's miniature business. Fun and so cute when done. Have a wonderful rest of July!

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  19. Mais oui nous voici déjà à la mi-juillet... Je n'ai toujours pas repris le chemin de mon blog, un manque de motivation certain..
    les mois les plus chargé sont Janvier, juin et août pour plusieurs anniversaires.
    J'aime beaucoup cette série de Madame Chantilly, ainsi que celui qu'elle a fait dans le même registre sur le point de croix.
    Vos myrtilles sont bien belles et bonnes, les oiseaux le savent !!! Pas de myrtilles chez nous mais des groseilles. Notre poule Dame Lynette s'est régalée et d'autres oiseaux aussi. Malheureusement, notre petite compagne à plume s'en est allée vers les étoiles il y a 2 jours... Elle était très âgée pour une poule. Au moins elle a été heureuse avec nous, libre de picorer où elle voulait et nos chats étaient ses amis.
    Quel bonheur les biches et leurs petits. Dans les champs entourant la maison nous voyons des chevreuils, qui sont plus petits. Malheureusement les voitures font beaucoup de dégâts sur la faune. Je pleure chaque fois que je vois un pauvre animal renversé par un véhicule. C'est bien que Mister B aime les animaux. Ma petite Lara les aime beaucoup et j'espère qu'il en sera de même pour Ella qui vient de fêter ses 15 mois. Elle marche depuis ses 12 mois et maintenant n'a qu'une chose en tête c'est courir, se cacher et faire des acrobaties.
    Je pense que je vais devoir me trouver une autre voiture également. L'autre jour je ne pouvais plus sortir par le côté conducteur, la portière fait des siennes... Une acrobatie plus tard je suis sortie du côté passager. Comme nous n'y connaissons rien, des voisins sont venus pour voir ce qui pouvait se passer. Hélas elle est âgée (2005 presque 20 ans...) les pièces détachées ne sont plus monnaie courante. Ils ont réussi à résoudre le problème mais cela ne tiendra pas indéfiniment. Je vais donc commencer à regarder ce qui est proposé en petite voiture dans les annonces, je n'ai pas un gros budget. Heureusement la voiture de mon mari n'a qu'un an, donc je la prendrai si besoin.
    Amitiés de France,
    Christel

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  20. Such a wonderful "B" post. July certainly is a busy month for you. Happy Birthday to all of the birthday boys especially Little Mr. B. It is hard to believe he is 3 already. It sounds like July has been a wonderful month filled with blessings. Enjoy the last couple weeks of the month. Hugs.

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  21. What a cute summer piece Carol! Love all the different motifs they have there. Do you think you will go back and stitch the others in their entirety? Your desserts look yummy and I am not a big sweet eater at all! I'll be keeping th PB recipe since my daughter and son love PB and your's looks so good!! The sunflowers look great! When we lived in Illinois we had them planted on the side of the house. Here it is almost impossible to grow anything with the heat and the ground is is rock hard from the lack of rain. Love how Mr. B can see animals in both his house and your house. I can not believe he is three already! Love the new car and don't worry you will get the hang of it... eventually! I only learned the basics in mine (LOL) I can safely go somewhere and come back home with no problem! I know how to use a few things but I have no need for the rest and if I do I ask Tia or Jacob for help!

    Have a beautiful week and stay cool.

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  22. You have sooooo nice men around you.
    Our birthdays are in March ☺
    My own is only in August ☺
    Hugs Eva H.

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  23. Hi Carol: Love the B post, Happy Birthday to all three guys.
    Love your sunflowers and the berries look yummy.
    Thank-you for the link to the flourless cake recipe.

    Catherine

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  24. Your grandson, Mister B, is three years old — already!! He is so very cute! Advise him to keep that UPS truck handy, just in case the company goes on strike soon! He may be called into service!!

    Your new car is very pretty. I understand how one can feel intimidated by all the technology that comes with it.

    As for blueberries, I do enjoy them so much — most especially in pancakes. All of your food pictures look delectable, and the stitching, I love it all!

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  25. Quante cose in questo mese! Quanti compleanni!Bellissimo il ricamo di Madame Chantilly e complimenti per l'auto nuova, ha un colore meraviglioso

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  26. “B” is for a beautiful summer cross stitch project! It’s charming. Homegrown blueberries are the best. My previous vehicle was a silver SUV. It’s more visible at night than a dark coor vehicle. Enjoy the rest of July!

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  27. Oh, and again such a varied and interesting blog post, dear Carol, B is for baking and of course also for Mr. B, such beautiful photos of the cake and birthday, the three men too!!!! I really like your new summer embroidery, thank you very much for the great photos.
    Hugs, Jutta

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  28. What a busy month you've had! We are the same - lots of birthdays and other celebrations this month. I'm looking forward to things calming down a bit again!
    Your stitching is lovely. I hadn't seen this series before, but am looking forward to seeing you stitch up more of them. Glad you got to enjoy some time with your family as well, and those deer are so cute! I saw a wild bunny today on my way to work - another b-word!

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  29. What a Busy time! But so much fun too. The three year old looks like he really enjoyed his Birthday and that truck is just perfect for him.
    Love the Summer Celebration, I don’t have so many summer designs either, other than my Just Nan seasonal pieces so I just have floral designs up from Spring all the way through Summer!
    Our busy Birthday months are September and October but really most are spread from February until November, we have hardly any in December or January which is just as well with Christmas!

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  30. So many fun B’s in your post today Carol! Love the big finish - I don’t have any of those charts but love seeing others stitch them up. Love your sunflowers - my mom has several and she loves to watch the finches come for the seeds once the flowers bloom. Congrats on the new car - we rented a Forester on a trip in the spring and I really liked it, hope yours is great for you. And love the birthday pictures, how fun to celebrate your boys young and old!

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Hello! So glad you dropped in and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I truly appreciate each and every one...I'm happy to try to answer any questions you may have, but please make sure to include your email address so I can get back to you...

Hope you have a wonderful day!
Carol