Feeling Thankful

It's Thanksgiving week here in the U.S.! Have you started thawing those turkeys, baking those pies, chopping those vegetables? This year seems a bit different for us as our three sons will all be at their significant others' families--the oldest in Texas, the youngest in Puerto Rico, and the middle son will be going to his girlfriend's family's big Thanksgiving lunch which is a bit more local. We were invited to go with them, but I've been sick off and on all month so I don't want to take a chance on: 1) me getting sick again or 2) infecting anyone else. So, we'll be staying here and having a simple dinner on our own. 

The beginning of November started off so nicely--we drove down to visit our grandsons in Maryland for a few days. The boys are growing by leaps and bounds and were so much fun to be around. Except for one thing, that is--they "nicely" shared their colds with us. Well, not us--just me! My husband remained healthy. But, oh, I was so sick--terrible headache, fever of 101.5, severe body aches, congestion, etc. I think it may actually have been the flu. And just when I'd been feeling better for about a week or so, a different ailment descended upon me--this time it is definitely a cold. Ugh! I'm not often sick and I'd forgotten how awful it is... Luckily, I was still able to stitch and I got a couple of cute autumn themed pieces stitched (and framed!). 

Just in time for Thanksgiving comes this oldie, but goodie, called "Be Thankful" by Country Cottage Needleworks. I've had it in my stash forever and thought it would stitch up quickly--boy, was I wrong! There are a lot of white stitches in this piece. Love how well they show up, though, on the 40 ct. woodland brown Newcastle that I used (unfortunately, the color has been discontinued here in the U.S.). I used all of the suggested overdyed and DMC threads except for on the crows and dark lines which I changed to DMC 3371.

An older Country Cottage Needleworks chart (from 2012) finally stitched

 

Now, I hadn't planned on framing this piece right away, but then I spotted this white frame (ordered from Franken Frames online) which I had purchased for another piece. When I held it up to "Be Thankful" (just intending to check the color of it against the fabric), what do you know--it was a perfect fit! What luck!

Love the row of white pumpkins!

I'm very pleased with the final look and will be so happy to have yet another Thanksgiving piece on display when we host Thanksgiving next year!

 

Another fall design that recently caught my eye was this cute "Chubby Squirrel" chart by Jeannette Douglas. Isn't he adorable? He's stitched on 40 ct. vintage country mocha with some of the suggested threads and some of my own substitutions. I debated whether or not to change him one into of the gray squirrels that we see more commonly here in Pennsylvania, but, in the end, I decided the cinnamon color offered more of a fall look. We do have red squirrels here, but they are usually skinny things who are very naughty and mischievous. I ended up using WDW Pecan, CC Straw Hat, and WDW Havana for the squirrel's body. I'm really happy with how the little fellow turned out!

"Chubby Squirrel" by Jeannette Douglas Designs

I had originally planned on finishing this one into a round hanging ornament, but when I found this perfectly colored frame in my stash, I reversed course! I attached a brass acorn charm and bordered the round shape with some cording made from DMC 434. Love how it looks in the frame with the piece of fall-colored flannel in the background. It's a very simple finish, but the frame makes it seem a bit more impressive, don't you think? 

A thrifted Goodwill frame worked perfectly for this finish

 

Here is "Chubby Squirrel" on my kitchen sideboard with my grandmother's carved squirrels in the foreground. I just love those wooden squirrels and so did my grandson. When Mister B last visited, he had the best time making them dance to the sounds of "Hakuna Matata" from the Lion King musical. The squirrel couple may be a bit more chipped after his visit, but that's okay--I treasure memories like that!  

I treasure this carved wooden squirrel couple that once belonged to my maternal grandmother.

 

So, it's on to my last two ornaments for 2025. I have them stitched, but not finished, so I'll share those with you next time. Who else is stitching for Christmas? I still have some gifts to stitch and my ornament for Baby N. But, because we aren't hosting Thanksgiving--I have already made a start on my Christmas decorating in my kitchen and family room and it feels great! Hope to get my tree up and the outdoor porch decorations done next weekend. And then, I get to just relax and stitch (famous last words!). 

A few of you asked if I would share some of the Halloween photos from October so I thought you'd enjoy seeing little Woodstock, Snoopy, and the Doghouse (aka Snoopy's mom!). I didn't have a good photo of my son as Charlie Brown so he's not pictured. 

Six-month-old Baby N made such a cute Woodstock!

 

Snoopy salutes as he sits on his doghouse (otherwise known as "mom")!

I asked about Mister B saluting like he was in the above photo and they told me he was trying to imitate Snoopy as the Flying Ace battling the Red Baron. If you're at all familiar with the comic strip or television shows, you'll know exactly what I mean. 

Snoopy and his army of tiny Woodstocks :) 

So, that's it for this post... I want to wish all of my U.S. friends a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. One of the things I'm most thankful for is my stitching (honestly, I can't imagine life without it--can you?) and the special stitching friends I've made through this little blog of mine. Thank you for taking the time to read my posts, leave comments, send emails, etc. I know many of us have precious little free time so I truly appreciate each of you and your friendship! Enjoy this last week of November! Bye for now... 

2024 Parade of Ornaments!

Can you believe it's time for yet another Parade of Ornaments here at Stitching Dreams? It seems like the 2023 parade just marched past, doesn't it? This marks the 15th annual parade on my blog--amazing! It's a gloomy, rainy day here in western Pennsylvania, but I'm hoping the sight of the colorful ornaments that I've stitched over the past year will brighten my day (and yours!). The Grand Marshall (that would be me :) is, unfortunately, a bit "under the weather." For two weeks now, I've been battling a very persistent cold/flu type of illness and just when I think it's gone, it returns. I guess it's about time that I make an appointment with my doctor. But, I'll at least push through and get this posted before settling into my stitching chair  for some quiet time. 

I hope you'll enjoy the 2024 parade... sit back, relax, and make a note of your favorite ornament as each one marches by. I always enjoy hearing about which one you liked best. So, without further ado... cue the music and let's get started!

The 2024 "Parade of Ornaments"

What's that you say? The ornaments are a bit too small to see clearly? How about if I zoom in for you...

January ~ March 2024

April ~ June 2024

July ~ September 2024

October ~ December 2024

 

Once again, my love for all Prairie Schooler designs is clear--five of the twelve ornaments are PS! They are just such classics... A bit like old friends--so comfortable and easy with those reliable DMC colors that always look like the cover photos. Honestly, I'm tired of purchasing overdyed threads and seeing that, when they arrive, they look nothing like the colors on the actual charts. I have no local needlework shop so I have to order everything online and I feel like I've spent a lot of money on overdyeds that I end up not using because of the color differences. How about you? Give me a good old Prairie Schooler DMC charted piece any day!

If you'd like more information on any of my monthly finishes, just click on the title of it below the photo and the link will take you to my post with information about fabrics and threads for each one. 

 JANUARY

"Christmas Card" by Crocette a Gogò

 FEBRUARY

"Christmas Green Chic" by Crocette a Gogò

MARCH

"First Snow" by Annie Beez Folk Art

APRIL

"Avery's Cycling Santa" by Homespun Elegance

MAY

2024 Prairie Schooler Annual Santa

JUNE

"Santa Please Bring Me" by Homespun Elegance

JULY

"Birds and Snowflakes: Chickadee" from Just Cross Stitch Magazine (February 2020 issue)

AUGUST

"Gathering Holly" by Annie Beez Folk Art

SEPTEMBER

1995 Prairie Schooler Annual Santa

 

OCTOBER

"Songs of the Season: Deck the Halls" by Prairie Schooler

NOVEMBER

"A Merry Mini Surprise" by Prairie Schooler

DECEMBER

"A Merry Mini Surprise" by Prairie Schooler

So, did you choose a favorite (or two)? Mine is February's gingerbread boy--I just love his sweet expression and the rusty jingle bells at the bottom. That Merry Christmas ornament from January is right up near the top, though. I really do love ornaments stitched on black! I always have people telling me they look forward to this post and to my Christmas tree (which I don't even have decorated yet!) and I'm happy that my little monthly ornaments can provide some inspiration. This was the fourth year that I've led the monthly ornament stitch along on Instagram and it's been such fun meeting many new stitchers from around the world. Perhaps you'd like to give it a try and join us in 2025? Just use the #12in25ornamentstitchalong to tag your ornament finishes on Instagram so we can all enjoy them--hope to see you there!

For even more inspiration, you may want to click on the following years for past ornament parades: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010. Whew! That adds up to a lot of ornaments over the past 15 years, doesn't it? And during my very first year of blogging, I was actually stitching an ornament a week (although not all Christmas ornaments--just ornament-sized things). You may want to go back and look at that year, too, by clicking here: 2009. 

Such a soft, pretty glow in our hallway at night

A final look at the 2024 dozen

I will soon be moving my monthly ornaments on my stairway garland to my Christmas tree and replacing them with ornaments that I've received over the years from stitching friends. For you long-time parade watchers, you probably noticed a big change in the background of my photos above... no more red dining room! Yes, after a decade of "talking" about painting it, we finally got it done in March (well, when I say "we," I mean my sweet husband). Now, to be honest, I do miss it--but only at Christmas time. I absolutely love the soft blue-gray color (called "Zero Gravity" by Behr) that we chose--we also painted our guest room that same color.  It really lightened up the dining room and makes it feel so much bigger! I still need some sort of window treatment and art work, but I like to take my time in choosing those things.  Here is a glimpse into the dining room from the front hall.

A peek into my newly painted dining room...

And here is a photo of it that I took in March right after we painted it the soft blue/gray color...

Nothing like a freshly painted room to lift your spirits!

The old dining room color was great for Christmas, but I only liked it that one time of the year. It was just always so dark in there! This is what it used to look like...

Before: pretty, but very dark! The older I get, the more I need light colors in my life.

How about you? Do you have any big painting/remodeling/decorating projects lined up for 2025? We'd like to paint over all the yellow walls (that you see in the hallway and up the stairs) with a soft beige color. Painting up the stairs will be something we'll have to hire someone to tackle--no way do I want my husband attempting something like that! 

Our Thanksgiving was fine, but since I was sick, I pretty much just pushed through and couldn't really relax and enjoy the holiday. We had 14 guests and by the time the day was over I had totally lost my voice! In fact, it didn't return for three full days! Poor little Mister B just didn't understand why his Nonna couldn't talk to him... It's still not quite back to normal so I guess I'd better give in and go to the doctor.

Since we had fewer people than normal, we had Thanksgiving in the kitchen this year rather than moving everything out of the sunroom like we have in years past. It was a bit crowded, but much easier on our old bones since we didn't have to move all that heavy furniture.

These pretty fall flowers were a gift from my oldest son and daughter-in-law

Yum... Just some of our Thanksgiving meal: turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrot  soufflé , green bean casserole, corn casserole, pumpkin cranberry bread, applesauce mini-muffins, fruit salad, and strawberry pretzel salad. For dessert I made a selection of cookies and a pumpkin and pecan pie, but forgot to photograph them.

The one thing about being sick is that my appetite isn't the greatest--no weight gain for me over the holidays this year! At least so far :)  I hope you are all staying healthy during this busy, busy time of year. I still haven't sent a single card, decorated my tree, or baked a batch of cookies. And not a single present has been purchased except for my grandson... But, that's okay--I'll just do what I can and leave it at that. Wishing you all an enjoyable countdown to Christmas. And thank you, as always for your very kind comments and emails. Take care, my friends! Bye for now...

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

♫ It's Beginning to Look a (tiny) Bit Like Christmas ♫

After a busy, busy end of November, I feel like I finally have some time to get started on Christmas preparations... Yes, I said "get started!" I know many of you are already done and can sit back and relax and enjoy the beauty of this season. But, when it's my turn to host Thanksgiving in late November, it puts me way behind. And when you factor in a required appearance at jury duty last week, I feel like I'm playing catch up. But, that's okay... I am definitely not decorating as much this year, baking as many goodies, or even sending out as many cards. This is my "off year" as my oldest and youngest sons will be spending the holiday with the families of their respective wife and girlfriend. And, yes, that include my grandson which, I have to admit, makes me a bit sad. Sigh... I totally understand and accept this though. We did the same alternating holidays schedule when my sons were little, too. 

So, what was the first bit of decorating to go up? Why my Pottery Barn cubby, of course! This year I decided to showcase some of my ornaments stitched on black and I just love how the display turned out. I tucked in a few vintage figurines and also added a sprig of holly here and there. Would you like to see a few photos? 

The December 2022 Pottery Barn cubby filled with some of my favorite ornaments--all stitched on black

I'll give you some close-ups of each section as it is hard to see the details of the finishes in the overall picture above. 

So, do you have a favorite? I love the Five Golden Rings in #9, but all of them are very special to me. As you can see, I placed Prairie Schooler Angels on each side of my mom's special place of honor (in the center cubby) to watch over her.

My Pottery Barn cubby is hung on the wall just inside my family room--right next to my kitchen, so I walk by it many, many times a day. I can even see it sitting right here at my desk as I write this post. Below is one more photo that shows it on the wall above my dear maternal grandmother's pine table. Right before I was to be married in 1977, Gram had me come to her apartment (she lived almost directly behind my parents on the next street over) and asked me to pick out "anything I wanted" as a wedding present. I chose this sweet table as I loved the spool legs and arms. I still remember stripping and refinishing it out on the driveway under the guidance of my father (who had refinished many a piece of furniture before he married my mom!). It's held up very well and I still think of my sweet Gram B whenever I look at it. How she would have loved knowing I made all those little Christmas ornaments in the cubby above! She could work wonders with a needle and thread! The open door beyond leads to our sunroom where my naked tree is lit, but not decorated--hopefully, I'll get to it very soon!

Looking into the sunroom where my Christmas tree is waiting patiently to be decorated

I'm often asked what the designer is or what fabric I used for the ornaments in the numbered cubbies so I put together this helpful list for you. If you click on the link for the number of the ornament you are interested in, you will be taken to my original post describing my corresponding finish. Hope this provides a bit of inspiration to all of you ornament stitchers out there!

#1 Prairie Schooler "Happy Christmas" (Book No. 190)

#2 Prairie Schooler "Santa's Night" (Book No. 175)

#3 Twin Peak Primitives "Snowman Joy"

#4 Sue Hillis "Candy Canes"

#5  Prairie Schooler  "St. Nicholas II" (Book No. 36)

#6 Prairie Schooler "Christmas Past (Book No. 51)

#7 Little House Needleworks "Grandma's Quilt"

#8 The Cricket Collection "Woolen Mittens"

#9 Cottage Garden Samplings "Five Golden Rings"

#10 Prairie Schooler "Santa & Friends" (Book No. 110)

#11 With Thy Needle and Thread "Merry Wishes"

#12 Prairie Schooler "Angels" (Book No. 42)

#13 My dear mother's silhouette--always the center of the cubby

#14 Prairie Schooler "Angels" (Book No. 42)

#15 Plum Street Samplers "Merry Friends"

#16 Country Cottage Needleworks "Snowmen Trio"

#17 Schoolroom Samplers "Nutmeg Santa" from the 1997 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

#18 With Thy Needle and Thread "Merry Mouse"

#19 Prairie Schooler "Saint Nicholas II" (Book No. 36)

#20 Prairie Schooler "Santa Moon"  (Book No. 53)

#21 Hands on Design "A Year in Chalk: January"

#22 Luminous Fiber Arts "Joy"

#23 Plum Pudding Needleart "Let It Snow" (in 2013 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue)

#24 Prairie Schooler "Santa Moon" (Book No. 53)

#25 Hands On Design "Silver Bells" (in Part 3 of the Chalkboard Ornaments Christmas Collection)

Thanksgiving 2022... Well, another Thanksgiving is in the books and I have to say I feel like I'm still recovering. But, we had a delicious feast and it was so good to see extended family again. No Covid cases sprang from our gathering--and for that I'm extremely grateful as there were 19 of us (one guest couldn't make it at the last minute).  Here is a small collage of our day showing the table and some decor. It always amazes me that you prepare for the feast for weeks and it is over and done with in a couple of hours! But, it's a wonderful holiday to just eat and chat and enjoy others company without the pressure of gift-giving. Plus, who doesn't love Thanksgiving dinner leftovers?

Scenes from Thanksgiving 2022

Jury Duty... Okay--is there anyone out there who actually enjoys being called for Jury Duty? And how is it handled in your state or country? Here in Pennsylvania, we are called in for possible jury selection, but if we are not picked, we don't have to return the following day. I know in some states you have to serve over a two-week period and can be selected for multiple juries! This is the third summons to Jury Duty I've had over the past 30 years and I have never been selected for a jury. This time, I wasn't even interviewed by the lawyers as I was seated at the back of the room (for 8 grueling hours on VERY uncomfortable slat-back wooden chairs) and they were questioning possible jurors from front to back. The case to be tried was going to last 7 to 10 days, but I heard one lawyer say it might last through Christmas. Please, no! Thankfully, I managed to avoid being selected as I can't think of a worse time of year to be stuck in a courtroom day in and day out. And, as I said--those chairs! My osteoporosis is mainly in my spine and I know that my poor back couldn't have stood much more of that hard, very uncomfortable chair.

Gingerbread goodies... One nice thing about being called down to the city for Jury Duty was getting to see the amazing gingerbread house competition which was in the lobby of the building. There were over 200 entries and what fun it was examining each one. Below are some of my favorites...

Over 200 entries were in the city's annual Gingerbread House Competition. I wonder how many hours (and how much flour and sugar!) went into making these beauties?

There were all sorts of entries from simple to elaborate in every age group from young children to adults. Each one was so sweet! I especially loved the gingerbread sewing machine that is in the center of the above collage. Here is a better look...

This prize winning gingerbread sewing machine was made by a teen in the 14-17 year age group! Don't you love the string licorice thread and all of the buttons and dials made of candy--so cute!

We had a wonderful time during my grandson's visit! It just makes me shake my head in awe as he continues to absorb new words (both in Spanish and English as he is being raised bilingually) like a sponge. He and his mom and dad stayed for a few days after Thanksgiving so we got to relax with them (and they got to help us clean up!). We also visited my middle son and his girlfriend in their apartment a couple of times and below is one of my favorite photos of my grandson, "Mister B," with my grandkitty, Spike. I will miss him so much at Christmas, but thank goodness for FaceTime!

Mister B (almost 2 1/2 years old) adores his uncle's cat, Spike

So, what's up next? I'm in the middle of finishing my final monthly ornament(s) for 2022, a few gifts are being stitched, and I still need to get the tree decorated. Christmas cards haven't even been started yet, but I'm fine with that. I'll do what I can, but I really want to relax and just enjoy the spirit of the season over these next 2 1/2 weeks. I hope you can, too! Take care now, my friends! Thank you for visiting me today and for all of your wonderful comments--I love to read them! Bye for now...