January musings

Well, this has certainly been one frigid month, hasn't it? I'm hoping that when February arrives the tide will turn and things will begin to warm up... It does make for good stitching weather, but I've found it hard to settle lately. The world seems to be spinning out of control lately and even my stitching doesn't  seem to be helping relieve the stress. So few stitches have been added lately...

The finishes I'm going to share with you today were all stitched and given away as Christmas gifts in December. Thankfully, all arrived safely and in good time. After much thought, I've come to the decision that I won't be exchanging stitched gifts any longer. To be honest--I'm simply getting older and my eyes are as well. I just don't stitch as quickly as I used to and what extras I do stitch, I'd like to be for my family. I truly hope everyone understands--and may even be a bit relieved! I've received so many wonderful gifts over the past 17 years since I began blogging--from all over the world: the U.S. and Canada, of course, but also England, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, The Czech Republic, Austria, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa! Amazing, how a simple hobby like cross stitch can draw us together. We may not speak the same languages, but we speak the language of needle, thread, and fabric--one tiny thread  on a blank canvas that starts out as a single stitch and grows into a beautiful design. I'm so thankful for each of the gifts my fellow stitchers have sent me since I began my blog on January 24, 2009 (17 years ago tomorrow!). But, I'm even more thankful for the friendships!

Many of these designs are ones I've stitched for myself in the past, including this first one. I'll post the details on each finish in the caption underneath the photos...

"Joys of Christmas" by The Drawn Thread stitched on 28 ct. dirty linen. Love the two-colored cording and teeny buttons on the snowman!

 

"Good Tidings to You" by The Sampler Girl (found in the 2011 Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazine). I stitched this one "over one" on 28 ct. tea dyed Monaco with DMC threads (I changed the red to DMC 221).

 

Prairie Schooler's "A Christmas Visit" (Book No. 48). I stitched this sunflower Santa on 40 ct. vintage country mocha with the suggested DMC threads. 

 

This cutie gingerbread boy card is by Crocette a Gogò from the chart called "Christmas Green Chic." I also stitched this one in 2024 and made it into an ornament which you can read about here. 

 

Peace and Noel from Hands on Design's "Oh, Christmas Three" chart made into greeting cards. They're both done "over one" on 25 ct. black Lugana.

 

A trio of charming cardinals, stitched on 40 ct. vintage country mocha are from "Christmas Advent Calendar" by Crocette a Gogò. She also has some wonderful free charts on her website right here.

 

For my 5-year-old grandson, Mister B, I made this cute dinosaur sporting a Santa cap. He is stitched "over one" on 25 ct. black Lugana with the suggested DMC threads. The chart is one I found on Etsy (right here) by MaxStitchesArt and is called "Christmas Velociraptor."

 

And I know you'll recognize this gingerbread boy ornament--I think I must have stitched it at least 10 times now! It is from the JBW Design's chart called "Baby's First Christmas." I changed up the colors a bit and stitched it on 32 ct. black Belfast linen. This was for my youngest grandson and is always my go-to gift for new baby boys.

  

 

Shoulder replacement surgery update... Thank you to all who wished my husband well on his right shoulder replacement surgery which took place on January 5th. The surgery itself was supposed to last 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When the 3rd hour wrapped up, I was beginning to worry that I hadn't heard from the doctor yet! About 15 minutes later, the doctor finally appeared in the waiting room to say everything was fine. She explained that it took longer than normal because "the component was larger than expected." WHAT?! I can just picture them scrambling around to find the "right size component" for my husband's shoulder! Anyway, he's been home recovering for over two weeks now--and, like most men, he is a very "impatient patient." At times I feel like I'm having to tell a toddler "no!" "No, you can't go shovel the driveway," "No, you can't do a spin on the exercise bike," "No, you can't lift that heavy pan!" You get the idea... 

He received some much appreciated and extremely thoughtful gifts during his recovery. For those of you who are looking to do something special for someone who is recovering from surgery, any of these would make fine gifts. It looks like a lot of food, but my youngest son had driven up from D.C. to assist us that first week and he certainly helped gobble everything up very quickly! 

The dried fruit tray on a bamboo cutting board was a gift from his old office and came from 1-800-baskets.com. The wonderful fruit and chocolate tray came from a former coworker from Edible Arrangements. And the containers of chicken noodle soup and yummy rolls and cookies came from my youngest sister and her husband from Spoonful of Comfort. All were just wonderful! 

Another trip around the sun... Yes, I'm a year older! After all that worrying when I turned 70, I'm happy to say I survived my first year in my '70s just fine. My 71st (how can that be?!) birthday on the 16th was very quiet this year since my husband was recovering from his surgery. My middle son came over that evening and picked up pizza on the way so I wouldn't have to cook. I received some wonderful cross stitch charts and linen, gift cards to a restaurant, Etsy, and 123 Stitch, and a box filled with a dozen tasty chocolate-covered strawberries. But, the very best gift of all (in my eyes) was the fact that my dear husband, one-handedly, made cupcakes so I would have a sweet treat. Now, in our nearly 49 years of marriage, I don't think he's ever baked a cupcake--and for him to do so while recovering from shoulder surgery truly touched my heart. They were so good--chocolate (made from scratch!) with peanut butter frosting (I did make the frosting and decorate them for him as he couldn't use the mixer or pipe the frosting with one hand). For me, it's always been the simple gestures like this that have meant the most in our marriage. How about you? 

My 71st birthday and still smiling :) 

The best thing about growing older has been experiencing being a grandmother. The joy that Mister B and Baby N have brought me is almost indescribable. They just love me for me! Even if I appear on FaceTime with rumpled bedhead hair still in my pj's--they still smile and seem excited to see me and my heart just melts. 

Grandma stage--the best stage in life!

Time does pass by way too quickly in our older years, doesn't it? As kids, we were always anxious to get to our next birthday or next milestone, but when you're older, you only wish for time to slow down. I'm still in awe of the many changes a baby goes through in that twelve month period before the first birthday. From helpless blobs to rolling over to sitting to crawling to standing to those first hesitant steps. It's quite a miracle, really. I'm so blessed to still be here to witness these sweet boys growing up!

Baby N turned 8 months old this month

 

Mister B instructing Baby N in the fine art of car racing!

So, what's on my agenda for the last week of January? Would you believe I still have my Christmas tree and outdoor lights up?! That is a new record for me, for sure. I've so enjoyed the light from them this month, but it's time... I'm not going to turn into one of "those" neighbors :) So, after the last bit of Christmas is tucked away, I plan to do some cleaning out of closets and drawers. Who am I kidding that I'll ever wear those clothes from fifteen years ago that no longer fit? I hope you enjoy this final week of what always seems to be a long, dull month. Take care now--especially those of you who are in the path of the ice and snow storm that is forecast here in the U.S. A foot of snow is expected in our region--we'll see how accurate the weather service is this time! Thank you all for stopping by to say "hello!" Bye for now...

Whew! A busy, but fun month!

I really didn't mean to be gone for four weeks! July has been one of the busiest months ever and I'm so ready for a quieter August... Before I show you my stitching or give family updates, I really, really want to thank all of you who commented on my last post. I simply haven't had time to get back to most of you. But, I truly appreciate each and every comment--thank you!

I did manage two simple finishes this month, both of which I've already shared on Instagram. First up is the charming Plum Street Samplers design called "Summer in Nantucket." Who has visited Nantucket? Not me, but it's definitely on my list! I just love the photos I've seen of the most beautiful hydrangeas blooming against the weather-beaten gray background of the seaside houses (although in this scene, the house just happens to be red!). I love the whimsical details--the whale weathervane, the seagull as big as the roof, and who doesn't love a flag-bearing, whale riding mermaid? I did make a few changes to the colors in this piece--mainly to the red and green. For the red, I used Gentle Arts "Weathered Barn" and for the green, I substituted Gentle Arts "Baby Spinach." The fabric is one of my favorites: 40 ct. stormy night Newcastle. It's such a great fabric for summery piece, snowy designs, or even spooky stitching!

"Summer in Nantucket"

Luckily, I had a perfectly sized frame in my stash of thrifted frames (this one was $3.00!). It started out as a gold frame, but I knew that wouldn't do at all. So I gave it three coats of a creamy white paint (FolkArt matte finish acrylic paint in 515E "Vintage White"), distressed it a bit, and had an instant finish!

The shells are ones I've collected on my travels

Another change I made to the design was to add a few little bubbles for the fish--it seemed to give the piece some movement. I'm thrilled to have another true summer-themed piece all ready for display as I have so few. Most of my summer finishes are either patriotic or sunflower/bee themed.

I do love that mermaid sailing through the sea on the white whale!

Having very little time to stitch my monthly Christmas ornament, I had to choose a simple and quick design. As I was looking through my notebook of possible ornament charts, this little cutie popped out at me. With only four DMC colors and a simple to follow snowflake, I had this one stitched and finished in just a couple days. This is called "Bird and Snowflakes: Chickadee" and can be found in the February 2020 issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine. There are two other alternative bird designs included: a red cardinal and a little robin. I love the way the beads were added to the lattic design in the back. Once again, I used 40 ct. stormy night Newcastle for the fabric.

A sweet chickadee for my July ornament

I turned it into a simple round ornament, bordered it with a gray and white cording, and added a double layer of gauzy white ribbon to the top. It's so delicate and sweet, isn't it? Seven ornaments down, five to go for 2024!

Sometimes a simple finish is best!

I've turned to stitching a cute bee-themed piece for August along with my latest Christmas ornament so I hope to have those to share with you soon. 

Giveaway winner... There were quite a few entries for the "Americana Sampler" that I offered in my previous post. I really enjoyed reading about where you purchase your cross stitch supplies and have to say I'm envious of those of you who still have local needlework shops. Sadly, there seem to be fewer and fewer of them! The lucky winner's name drawn from the hat is...

GAIL L.

Gail L.--you are the winner of this patriotic chart!

Congratulations, Gail L.! Please send me your mailing address (my email is in the right sidebar--just click on my profile) and I'll get this in the mail to you next week. I hope you enjoy stitching it as much as I did and will pass it on when you're done. And for those of you who didn't win... keep an eye on this space. I'll be offering more giveaways in the near future!

So... which do you want first? The good news or the bad? Let's get the bad out of the way. My dear husband now has Lyme disease. He began having some muscle pain and asked his doctor for a Lyme test and, sure enough, he tested positive. So, he's on doxycycline for two weeks (the same antibiotic I was on a few weeks ago). He's had no other symptoms, so we are hopeful that the medicine will clear it up with no lingering effects. I'm considering getting tested myself as I've been having some unusual symptoms lately. Although my tick report came back positive for Lyme, I was not tested for it and was simply put on the antibiotic. So, I may just have it, too... For those of you living in Pennsylvania, you can send the ticks to the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab for free testing. I would imagine other states have similar programs, but I don't know for sure. Anyway... Lyme disease and ticks are terrible problems in this part of the country and they will certainly spread to more and more states and countries. We are now paying to have our yard sprayed for ticks (many neighbors already do so because they have pets)  and I'm hoping that helps. Stay safe out there and always, always check yourself for ticks after being outside in grassy areas!

Much of my time this month was spent with my grandson which was wonderful! In early July, we drove the four hours to Maryland for his very first overnight stay alone with us. The first night was a bit difficult for him and he cried and cried for his parents at bedtime, but the remaining three days and nights went well and we had such fun! Since we were there over the 4th of July, a parade was, of course, in the mix. The neighborhood Mister B lives in has such wonderful community activities at holiday times. This time they held an event in the park where the kids could decorate their bikes and scooters, get temporary tattoos, and even have their photo taken with Uncle Sam before they participated in a short parade. And, what would the 4th of July be without an ice cream truck?!

Mister B and Uncle Sam on the 4th of July

Our patriotic tattoos (somehow, I put mine on upside down!)

Mister B turns 4! We drove home on Monday, July 8th and then back down on Saturday the 13th for Mister B's 4th birthday party. Like most little boys of that age, he is totally into superheroes so his mom and dad went all out and had a Spider-Man themed party for him. Since they are relatively new to the neighborhood, they also invited many nearby neighbors so there were close to 50 people there.

Spider-Man ruled the day at Mister B's 4th birthday. There was a bouncy house, Spider-Man piñata filled with candy, Spider-Man cake and cupcakes. The birthday boy is posing with his new Spider-Man sunglasses as his dad (my oldest son) looks on.

 

It was such a fun party! Until... about two days later. One by one, we each began to get sick. Yep--the birthday party was a "super-spreader" event! Not Covid, thankfully... "just" colds, sinus issues, headaches, coughs, etc. Almost everyone in our family got sick with it! My worst symptoms were fever, cough, and neck pain. And, unfortunately, the surgery that was scheduled for my oldest son a few days after the party had to be postponed because he was one of the sickest. Sigh... You'd think a summer party would be safer. But, I guess there is some nasty virus going around as I've heard of many folks having similar problems. 

We came home to recuperate and then my oldest son and grandson were here for a four day visit last week (my daughter-in-law was on a girl's trip with a friend). What fun we had--visiting local parks and a community garden, going to a bike event where he was thrilled to go up and down some small ramps on his balance bike, feeding the koi in our pond, exploring his grandpa's garden and relishing all those juicy red tomatoes, and playing with all of the wonderful old toys that I'd saved from the 1980s when my sons were small. He cried when he had to go home on Sunday... It warms my heart to know we're creating such fun memories for him of visits to Nonna and Pompa's house!

I can't believe Mister B is now four years old... Where have the years gone?

We've finally gotten a bit of rain this week--thank goodness! Our lawn is brown and crispy and some of the leaves have already dried up and fallen. It's been one hot, dry summer here and I actually found myself dreaming of cooler, snowy days last week. (WHAT?!? Snap out of it, Carol!). The pictures of the flowers taken here were from early July when everything wasn't as dried out. My husband grows all of these flowers (except for the hydrangeas which we treat with an anti-deer spray) for me within the confines of his fenced in vegetable garden. 

Snapdragons, sunflowers, zinnias, and hydrangeas from our garden--my husband deserves all the credit for growing them!

This is the best year for hydrangeas we've ever had. I read it was due to our mild winter and all the rain we had in the spring.

So, that's a wrap on July... I am truly hoping August will be a bit cooler and a lot less busy. I think all of you know what a homebody I am and I've missed just puttering around the house and sitting quietly with my stitching or a book. Then again, I would never give up those memories spent with my family during our busy July! Hope each of you has a wonderful new month. Bye for now...

Mister B spies a young male deer right outside our basement door. One of my favorite things is watching the awe in his expression as he  enjoys the wonders of nature.

Thankful for life's simple things

Happy Thanksgiving week to all of my friends here in the United States! I'm sure those of you who are hosting the feast on Thursday are busy shopping for ingredients, prepping what you can in advance, cleaning the house, and crossing things off your to-do list. I have to admit that I've relished the extra time I've had this year without any obligations at all for Thanksgiving. I've spent time bringing  Christmas decorations down from the attic, organizing card lists, planning menus, and even buying a few presents. I'm hoping that by the time December rolls around, I'll be able to just sit back and enjoy the beauty of this special season. Without a doubt, this is the earliest I've begun preparing for Christmas. How about you? Are you holding off until after Thanksgiving (as I usually do) or have you begun checking things off your list of holiday tasks? Or are you one of those rare people who have everything already done?

Before I get to my stitching, I just want to take a few moments to thank all of you who left supportive comments or took the time to send an email urging me to keep on blogging. Some of your comments left me a bit teary-eyed and all touched my heart. It wasn't just that one horrid comment that I received that has me thinking about signing off... there are many things that have been bothering me over the past year. January 2024 will mark 15 years of blogging for me--pretty good I'd say, as I've seen many blogs come and go during that time. But, I'm tired of adjusting to the changes to the Blogger format, fed-up with how difficult they've made it to comment on certain blogs (including mine I'm told!), and just kind of worn out. I'm getting older--I begin my last year in my 60's in two months.  For now, I'll keep going, but there will come a time when I'll say adieu and I promise--absolutely promise--that I will let you know and say a proper goodbye. 

I've never been this far behind in my monthly Christmas ornament challenge! But, I'm almost caught up and I thought you'd enjoy seeing my two latest cuties. For September (yes! I'm that far behind!), I stitched "Merry Christmas 2012" by The Victoria Sampler. This is one of the charts that can be found in the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue (on page 71). It is stitched on 28 ct. dove gray Monaco with DMC threads. Although there wasn't a ton of stitching involved, this one was not my favorite to stitch... Do you see all those tiny reindeer and the sled carrying Santa? All are stitched over one. I love the final effect, though, and the sweet snowy town that they are flying over. To make it an oval finish, I added many more snowflakes. I like the blue checked backing fabric--it's nice to have an ornament now and then that doesn't scream red or green, don't you think?

"Merry Christmas 2012" from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue

 

October brought yet another blue ornament and one I've wanted to stitch for many years. Just recently, a friend lent me her chart so I was finally able to check that one off my list. This is an older design by The Trilogy called "Secret Snowdrift." It's stitched on 40ct. woodland brown Newcastle using a variety of overdyed threads and DMC. I just love the six snowmen being blown about by the swirling snow--and check out those two little penguins peeking out! Adorable! This originally came out in kit form and I believe you can still purchase it. There is a lot going on in this piece so I kept the finish simple--the back is a blue flannel material from one of my son's old shirts and the blue cording is tied in a simple bow at the top. I also added a silver snowflake charm for a bit of sparkle. What do you think?

My finish of "Secret Snowdrift" by The Trilogy

Here are my September and October ornaments all ready for my tree... Just two more to go--can I finish by December? Yes... I... Can!

September and October ornaments for 2023

 

Since we aren't hosting Thanksgiving this year, I only put out a portion of my Thanksgiving stitching for a small display. The sideboard next to my kitchen table is perfect as we get to enjoy these pieces while eating our meals. I already posted these next photos on Instagram and some were surprised that this was just a "portion" of my Thanksgiving stitching. Yes, I only put out the easily accessed pieces this year--the ones I keep in an old dresser drawer in one of my guest bedrooms. The others are in boxes piled high in a closet and I was simply to lazy to get them out this month :)

Thanksgiving display for 2023

How about some close-ups? If you have any questions as to what the names of certain designs are, you can go to this post last year where I named all of my Thanksgiving pieces. Links are provided to each finish so you can learn more details. 

My favorite piece is the large Prairie Schooler turkey in the brown frame.

So, tell me... do you have a favorite? Mine is that classic Prairie Schooler turkey surrounded by the fall leaves  the last photo. I just love him! But, that tiny pouch stitched on black is a close second. Do you stitch for Thanksgiving? I try to do a piece or two each year, but, unfortunately, wasn't able to add to my collection this year.

Although we aren't hosting Thanksgiving, my husband and I were both craving pumpkin pie! That is a must-have for the two of us each year--along with pecan pie. But, I'll let you in on a little secret--I hate pie crust! I hate the taste of it and hate making it even more! I've never had a pie crust that I like and often leave most of it on my plate and only eat the inside of a pie. But, I've found a perfect solution--a crustless pumpkin pie! And a delicious one at that... It was so easy and saved so much time (and aggravation!) when compared to rolling out and transferring a tender pie crust into the baking tin. I found the recipe on the site "Cupcakes & Kale Chips" right here. I know this will become my new go-to for holiday desserts; in fact, I plan on making it again for Christmas! Give it a try and let me know what you think...

A yummy crustless pumpkin pie and an older (2005!) fall finish: Bent Creek's "Leaf"

I think you know by now that it's the simple things in life that I treasure... time with my dear family, a good book, the way the sunlight plays in autumn, a piece of music that moves me to tears, the smell of something yummy baking in the oven, the feel of the fabric as my needle and thread weave tiny x's while I sit quietly stitching. When we visited my little grandson earlier this month, I enjoyed another of life's simple things--something I hadn't done in many, many years: jumping in a big pile of freshly raked leaves. I think you can tell from the smiles on our faces how much joy this simple act brought us all. 

One of life's simple pleasures: jumping in the leaves with my sweet grandson

So, look for the simple things in life--they're all around you and bound to bring a smile to your day. I wish each of my U.S. friends a blessed Thanksgiving with friends and family. Through all the discord and disasters and discontent that the world has experienced lately, we still have much to be grateful for right here in our own back yards. And, as always, I'm so very thankful for the friendship of my fellow stitchers over the years. Whether a new reader or one of my oldest friends, I appreciate each of you. Bye for now...

Mister B (that tiny speck in blue in the lower left corner!) flying a kite on a beautiful autumn afternoon in Maryland

Six months down, six to go!

And just like that... the year's half over! Can you believe it? Tomorrow marks the first day of July and the beginning of the second half of 2023. I really can't say much good about the first half of the year so here's hoping the second is better! Anyway, it's been one busy, busy month. As always there has been some good and some bad happenings in my world. Both, have led to very little stitching time, though, and I only have one teeny-tiny finish to share with you today which is my Christmas ornament for July. If it looks familiar--yes, I've stitched it before. But, it was stitched way back in 2011 and given away as a Christmas gift. 

I'd never forgotten that sweet Jeannette Douglas design (from the 2011 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue) and decided this busy month would be the perfect time to stitch it for myself. It measures a mere 2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and will be perfect for hanging near the top of my Christmas tree where I like to place the smallest ornaments. This only took me one day to stitch up and the following day, the purple beads were added and I made it into a little pillow. The fabric wasn't my favorite--a mystery 32 ct. gray linen that was very floppy. I prefer my linen to be stiffer. There was some 'over one' stitching including the word "Noel" and the tiny chickadee in the upper right corner.

"Noel Stamp" ornament finish for June

Here is a closer look at the cute chickadee and some of the purple Mill Hill beads. I finished this one very simply with some purple cording in DMC 3740 and then added a bit of black and white checked ribbon in the left corner. I was going to go with purple ribbon, but decided I liked the way the black and white picked up the colors of the bird.

Look how adorable that tiny chickadee is!

So, there you have it--six months of ornaments down, six to go! Time to look through my ornament charts and pick out my next design. I have an entire folder full of smaller Christmas charts that I'd like to stitch as ornaments one day, so it makes it easy.

What else kept me busy this month? Who knows what this stack is?

I'm going to be busy with framing!

I've been framed!  I finally took the time to measure some of my finishes and order frames for them. I've gotten a bit more confident with my framing through the years and have decided to tackle more of my framing myself. Oh, I'll still send out the most special pieces for professional framing, but many I'll be attempting to do myself. I've ordered this bunch of frames from Franken Frames online and I'm very happy with what I received. Each one was precisely made to my exact measurements (within 1/16th of an inch!) and the whole turn around time took under took two weeks. Franken Frames has some great sales and this one was for 30% off the frames plus half price shipping. They also send out free samples (1-2" lengths) upon request making it easy to decide what frame will do justice to your finished stitching. For these seven custom-made frames I paid just $70 plus $24 shipping. Isn't that great?

Seven new custom-made frames just waiting for my cross stitch.

You can tell I really liked this particular style as I ordered three frames in various sizes. It is such a pretty moulding and I think some of the fall Prairie Schooler pieces that I've stitched will look perfect in them. No, I'm not being compensated by Franken Frames in the least--I just think a good company deserves recognition and I love that they're made right here in the U.S.A. Their communications and customer service were both excellent. I will definitely be ordering again... Check them out if you need any new frames!

Won't these be lovely filled with autumn-themed stitching?

And do you see the silvery frame on the right front corner in the picture of all seven frames? It's already been matched with a piece of stitching from last year. I stitched "All American" by Primrose Cottage Stitchers last summer with the best of intentions of framing it and giving it to my oldest son and his family for the Fourth of July 2022. But... you know how that goes! So, I was thrilled when I noticed that this frame fit that piece of stitching perfectly. You see, I had actually ordered that particular frame for another piece, but it was just too heavy looking for the delicate stitching in that one. Thankfully, this worked out just fine and I can't wait to give it to my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson next week! If you'd like to read about the details of this patriotic piece, please check out my post from July 2, 2022 because I did make a few changes.

I framed "All American" yesterday and it will be going to its new home next week.

When I stitch framed pieces and give them as gifts, I like to cover the back of the frame with a pretty scrapbook paper. I then add little tags that I've created online to the back to make the gift even more special. (This one has July 2022 as the date because that is when I actually stitched it).

The little label that I made for the back of "All American"

Giveaway winner... my last bit of stitching news is to announce the winner of the Patriotic Angel chart which I offered last time. Thank you to all who entered and answered the "Getting To Know You" question--it was fun reading about your favorite foods (and I applaud many of you who seem to be much healthier eaters than I)! The winner's name pulled from the hat this time is...

Catherine

Congratulations to Catherine--you are the winner of "Patriotic Angel"

Congratulations, Catherine! You are the winner of this beautiful angel chart--can't wait to see her all stitched up. Please send me your mailing address (my email is in my sidebar under "View My Complete Profile") and I'll pop the chart in the mail to you early next week! 

 

RIP dear Honda CRV--you served me well for 13 years.

So, I mentioned some bad happenings in my life this month and the worst is that my 2010 Honda CRV is gone. It was recalled by Honda for rust underneath the chassis so we took it into the repair shop two weeks ago. Little did I know that that was the final time I would be driving that car. When the repair shop examined it, they deemed it unfixable--apparently I'd been driving around in a death trap for who knows how long! The suspension could have just completely broken or fallen out at any time the rust was so bad! We were very upset as the car (in our eyes) was in excellent shape. It had never been in an accident, the interior and (what we could see of) the exterior was perfect. I drive so little these days that we had planned on keeping it as long as possible because it was doing just fine. Or so we thought... Honda said they will be "buying back" the car from us, but we've received (after a full two weeks!) absolutely no information as to how much they'll be giving us. The whole process is very frustrating to say the least.

Whatever the amount, it won't be enough money to compensate for losing a car that we had expected to keep for several more years. All those memories... a car that had safely carried me through 11 years of 600-mile round-trip travels to visit my mom and dad in New York as their health was declining, a car that had seen us make many trips to the beach and to visit colleges with our sons, a car that I was truly comfortable with and didn't want to lose. I am one of those folks who hates change and to have to purchase a new car at this point in my life is upsetting. Whatever we end up with, it will, most likely, be my last car as we tend to keep our cars for years and years. I'll keep you posted... And for all of you Honda CRV owners (years 2007 to 2011 models), please be aware of this recall. For more information, you can read this article.

Cough, cough... We've been dealing with terrible smoky air from the Canadian wildfires again this week; in fact Pittsburgh was one of the worst cities in the world for air quality over the past two days. The entire state was issued a "Code Red" warning and yesterday morning the reading from the Environmental Protection Agency was 247--even worse than the Code Red warning! 

The main thing I noticed over the past few days was the smell... Not a smoky smell, but a distinct odor of chemicals in the air. The retired librarian in me kicked in and I did a bit of research... Apparently, the smoke from the wildfires includes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that interact with UV radiation. When this interaction occurs benzene and formaldehyde compounds are created in the atmosphere, toxic air pollutants that can be very hazardous to human and animal health. And the smell that is created when this happens is one of chemicals and plastic. Very sad to think that this might be a problem we'll be dealing with for a while... They say the Canadian wildfires will be burning all summer. Needless to say, I've stayed inside with the windows closed. I did venture out to check on the garden and had to come inside after a mere 5 minutes as my eyes started to burn.

I always try to end my posts on a positive note, though... We so enjoyed our grandson's visits this month--Mister B was here for a total of 10 days over two visits. On this last visit we took him to a local farmer's market (twice!) where the photo below was taken. He absolutely adores animals and he  loved feeding the baby goat and seeing the gigantic black and white pig that reside there. What you can't see in the photo below is that, with his other hand, he is holding his nose--he may have loved the goats and pigs, but he sure didn't enjoy their odor! It was so funny!

Mister B feeding the baby goat at a local farm market

I hope all of my U.S. friends have a relaxing and fun Fourth of July on Tuesday. We are going to be getting a lot of rain over the next four days so I hope to find more time to stitch. Thank you for stopping by today and for saying "hello" in your emails and comments! I really appreciate hearing from each one of you.  Hope July is a good month for all!  Bye for now...

Back from the brink

I'm still here--I hope you haven't given up on me! Hello, my stitching friends... so good to be back and a sincere thank you to all who emailed me regarding my absence from the blogging world. Much of my month was spent anxiously worrying about and caring for my mom. Although she didn't contract COVID-19 per se, she was almost certainly a victim of the effects of it in a different way. The isolation  and lack of hope (while living in her locked-down senior living facility) wore her down to almost nothing. In fact, things were so dire, that my siblings and I drove to New York State on May 2nd to say, what we honestly thought, was to be our final goodbye. Oh, it was simply heartbreaking because we weren't allowed into her facility and had to wear masks and keep our distance while out on the patio. Still, we all broke protocol and gave her hugs as we tearfully said our farewells that Saturday. 

BUT--and it's a HUGE BUT... the director of the senior living facility, sensing that her life was in serious jeopardy, gave permission for me and my siblings to move in with mom (one at a time) to care for her. And you know what? With the one on one care, magic of the human touch, and unmasked smiles and encouragement from her kids, mom has come back from the brink... My sister (who lives closest to mom) took the first 10 day shift and she and I have alternated since. Each day mom is eating better, drinking more water, taking her medications, and responding to the love of her family. We are all so relieved! Thank goodness compassion was chosen over rule-following in this case or I know mom would no longer be with us.  Anyway, I'm leaving the month of  May in a much better state of mind than when it began...

On May 14th, Mom celebrated her 93rd birthday and I was the lucky child who was staying with her during that period. I had stitched a special gift for her and, with her health the way it was, had become increasingly worried that she would not be alive to receive it. But, thankfully, that sunny May morning I was able to give her a gift bag containing her favorite Stonewall Wild Maine Blueberry  Jam, two boxes of Walker Shortbread, and this darling stitched bird perched on a floral wreath.

Mom's 93rd birthday gift

This design is from the April 2018 issue of "Just Cross Stitch Magazine" and is created by Lucie Heaton. Since there are no local stores open to shop for frames right now, I turned to my stash of Goodwill thrifted frames and found this square brown one that fit the bill perfectly. The piece is stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle with the suggested colors. As most of you know, I am a blue girl and so is mom and the shades of blue in this are just delightful ranging from the palest baby blues, to turquoise to a dark indigo. And, who can resist that sweet little bird?

Luckily, I had this pretty frame in my stash of Goodwill finds!

I had picked the bouquet of lily-of-the-valley, periwinkle, pink columbine, and grape hyacinths before I left to be with my mom in New York on May 11th. Lily-of-the-valley always remind me of her because they bloom in mid-May and I used to decorate her birthday cakes (as a child) each year with the delicate white flowers and purple violets... Such happy memories.  

Just look at those shades of blue!

After pinning and framing the stitching, I like to cover the back of my framed piece with scrapbook paper and add a little tag if it is a gift.  This is the tag that I designed and added to the back--it's just printed on heavy paper and cut out with fancy scissors. It simply makes the gift a bit more special and personal, don't you think?

The back of my gift for mom

Mom was very touched by my gift and I was so relieved to be able to give it to her in person. Below is one of my favorite photos of us taken about this time of year back in 2016. We both look "just a bit" older now--ha ha! I remember this photo so well because my husband was taking our picture and neither mom or I could stop giggling for some reason. I love you so very much, mom! Happy 93rd Birthday!

Mom and me in 2016

I haven't felt like stitching my Christmas ornaments since this pandemic shut everything down, so I had to force myself to catch up a bit with my creations for March and April. Of course, I turned to my favorite comfort stitching designer--Prairie Schooler. For March, I stitched the 1991 annual Prairie Schooler Santa. This is a perfect example of how my tastes have changed through the years. When this design was released in 1991, I had no interest in it at all! But, fast forward to almost 30 (gasp!!) years later and I can see the beauty in it. Just look at all of those details... the pattern in his robe, the fruit in the bowl and the bag on Santa's back, and the piece of fruit sticking out of his pocket. Really, such a wonderful design.

1991 annual Prairie Schooler Santa finish

I finished this one the same way that I've finished other recent annual PS Santas... a checked red backing fabric, DMC 221 cording, and a little bow at the top. Love it! Most of the suggested DMC colors were used on 40 ct. Vintage Country Mocha Newcastle linen. I did substitute DMC 520 for the suggested green and darkened the lines in the pineapple a bit using DMC 869.

Such beautiful details in this one!

I forgot to take a "before" photo of  my April ornament, but I know you'll all recognize this as yet another Prairie Schooler Santa finished in an oval shape. This Santa, with the dove of peace perched on his shoulder, is stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen (can you tell I love Newcastle linen??!!). It can be found in the "Kris Kringle" leaflet (book no. 62). I had stitched this one before, but gave it away for a Christmas gift so this one will be staying right here with me.

Prairie Schooler Santa from the "Kris Kringle" booklet

Two more Santas will adorn my Christmas tree this year.

GIVEAWAY WINNER... I'm so sorry to be late with the winner of the giveaway for this pretty red house sampler. I just haven't been home enough to post or to comment on blogs, but I hope to start doing so soon. Anyway, the winner of the chart is...

JACKIE from "Jackie's Stitches"

Jackie--you are the winner!

Congratulations, Jackie! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get this out to you as soon as possible! Stay tuned for another giveaway in my next post--and thank you so much to all who commented and entered.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU... I've so enjoyed reading your responses to this fairly new section of my blog and I feel like your responses are helping me know my readers a bit more! So, here is today's question:  

1) What one thing would you change about yourself if you could? Well, in addition to wanting to be taller (I loved being short in high school, but hate it now!), the main thing I'd love to change is to be less shy. I've been shy since childhood and I know it has held me back in life by being too scared to speak up or being afraid to try new things. Starting this blog back in 2009 was a huge, huge leap of faith for me. In fact, people who know me well are very surprised that I blog. I'm so glad I did, though--I've "met" so many delightful people both in person and online. So, now it's your turn: what one thing would you change about yourself if you could?

Spring was cold and damp here in western Pennsylvania... But, because of that, the flowering trees and shrubs were simply lovely and the blooms lasted much longer than normal. Below, you can see some of the signs of spring in my yard and a very upset deer glaring at me through the window wondering why "his" bird seed has been all eaten up! The photo of the newborn deer in my blog header was taken by me way back in 2007. The sweet fawn was born in some tall grass next to our pond and I remember being so worried that the mother had abandoned it. But, no... I've since learned that mother deer leave their fawns for a while to protect them. Babies don't have a scent and the mothers do, so she purposely walks away for a while to lure potential predators from the newborns.

A western Pennsylvania spring: 2020

Two of our resident deer--the one in front is unusually light in color.

I had to laugh when I looked out and saw the fancy pattern the lawn guy left in the grass when he mowed our backyard! I guess he must have been bored or something!

I've been craving comfort foods--especially breads--during the pandemic lockdown so I tried a new recipe. I was very skeptical about how cinnamon-raisin bagels with no yeast would taste, but they were surprisingly good--and very easy to make! You can find the recipe for them right here. I'll definitely be making them again!

Very easy no yeast, no boil Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

I'll leave you with one last photo that is sure to make you smile. This is my "grandcat," Spike, exploring my middle son's new card catalog. To say I was jealous of my son's find is a bit of an understatement... (I mean I am a librarian after all!). This whole thing (missing one drawer) was only $70 and is made of heavy, good quality maple. Oh, how I would love to have something like that to store my floss in--wouldn't that be great? I'm not sure my son even knows what he's going to put in all of those little drawers, but I'm sure he'll come up with something. He's going to try to match the wood and create a false drawer front for the missing drawer in the lower left corner and it will be as good as new.  I know Spike is most appreciative of his new "toy!"

You've run out of "steps," Spike, you silly kitty!

Please forgive me for not answering emails or commenting on your blogs during this extremely stressful month. I really do hope things return to normal soon. I'm leaving for my next ten day visit with mom next week so I may be out of touch again. Please know how very much your sweet comments, support, and friendships mean to me--they truly do. Thank you all so very much! Bye for now...