A Santa, a ghost, and a spider

Hello, everyone! I fully intended on posting last week, but then my grandsons arrived for four days and I was busy getting ready for their visit. And, of course, nothing stitching related got done while they were here--such busy, busy boys! So, how is everyone doing? Before I get to my stitching, I simply want to thank the many folks from around the world who left comments last time! I had no idea so many stitchers visited my blog and it truly warmed my heart to know I have "friends" all over the world who enjoy reading "Stitching Dreams!" Thank you, one and all! 

If you've been following my stitching this year, you know I've fallen in love with Teresa Kogut's Santas! And a new one has joined the group... May I present "Green Coat Santa" from her "Hello, Santa" booklet (a truly wonderful collection of Christmas/Santa themed designs that I highly recommend). For me, her pieces offer pure comfort stitching just like my beloved Prairie Schooler designs. I used the suggested DMC threads with only a few changes (I used DMC 420 for the hat's pom-pom, changed the little snowman on the right to DMC 712, and stitched his stick arms in 612). I also satin-stitched the snowman's nose in DMC 921 and used Smyrna stitches for the eyes on Santa, the snowmen, and the reindeer. Finally, the main change I made was to leave off the black border.

"Green Coat Santa" finish

He (along with the other two Santas I've finished), is stitched on 40 ct. vintage country mocha linen.  I actually call him my "Jolly Green Giant Santa" because of the way the little deer are staring up at him as if in wonder. He sure is one big guy!

That tiny deer seems to be amazed at the size of "Green Coat Santa!"

 

Joy, indeed! Stitching Teresa Kogut's designs always fills me with joy!

 

The gold, the red, or the green? Which Santa do you like best? For me, it's the big gold guy with the tiny snowman in his bag.

I purchased black rustic frames for each of them and fully intend on framing these before Christmas arrives. Hopefully, by putting that statement into words, I'll actually get it done :) 

A few days before my grandsons arrived last Friday, I suddenly got it into my head that I wanted to stitch them each a little Halloween ornament! Luckily, the talented Melisa over at Pinker 'n Punkin Quilting has generously designed some quick-to-stitch Halloween freebies for us so I had no trouble stitching and finishing both of these cuties in three days.  

A pair of not-too-scary Halloween ornaments for my grandsons. The orange and black polka-dot woolies flannel is what I used for the backing fabric.

For five-year-old Mister B, I stitched "Eek! A Spider!" on 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle. I used DMC white, black, 3826, and 3347 for the colors and added a stitch of orange to the tips of each of the spider's legs. My grandson is already learning how to read so well in Kindergarten and proudly read "EEK" with no problem!

The cording is done in DMC 3826.

And, for five-month-old Baby N, I stitched the sweetest baby ghost! I used DMC white, black, 3826, 353 (for the cheeks) and 469 on 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle. I also added three "doo-dads" to the background to fill in some of the empty space. 

 

I just love this sweet baby ghost!

 

So, what will they do with their little ornaments? Well, I also gifted them a wrought iron "tree" that I'd bought years ago fully intending to make myself a Halloween tree. That never came to fruition, so I thought it best to get it out of the attic and pass it on. I planned on making an ornament each year for them to fill it up... But, after counting the remaining hooks, I realize that I'll be stitching these until I'm 93 years old as there are 46 open hooks! Um... not going to happen. So, maybe I'll try to make them each two a year? Of course, the boys can always make little decorations of their own to add to the tree--I hope they do!  

I'm going to have to step up my Halloween stitching in order to fill up this tree for my grandsons!

Giveaway time... I came across this charming autumn chart the other day that I'd always intended to stitch, but never found the time (too many charts, not enough hours in the day as you know!). Would any of you be interested in stitching it? I've removed the pages of this sweet scene (a black kitty gazing at a wooden wheelbarrow full of autumn harvest) from an old Just Cross Stitch magazine (October 1999).  The chart will be folded and mailed in a legal sized envelope to save on postage...  I'll draw a name on my next post and all you have to do to enter is: 

1) Specifically mention in your comment that you want to win the chart

2) Tell me your favorite places to purchase your cross stitching charts and supplies

3) Be sure to leave your email address if I don't already have it

To enter the giveaway for this chart, please follow the guidelines above. I'll draw the winner's name and announce it on my next post.

Q & A: I was asked by someone in a comment last time where I purchase my stitching items. Sadly, for me, everything (except DMC floss) has to be purchased online. We have no local cross stitch shops at all. The nearest is 1 1/2 hours away! So, online it is... My go-to shop is 123 Stitch although I occasionally buy from other online shops if I can't find what I want there. I also purchase charts from Etsy now and then, especially from foreign designers who offer only pdf charts. My frames are usually thrifted or I get them from Franken Frames online. I imagine it must be magical to have a wonderful local cross stitch shop nearby--I hope those of you who do know how lucky you are! 

We so enjoyed our visit from our grandsons! Such busy little fellows... Mister B is so into reading and writing these days and loved the blank notebook that I gave him. He immediately began writing his own "chapter book" in it, complete with illustrations. So cute! And Baby N is just a charming, smiley bundle of love. He's rolling over, almost sitting on his own, and just a joy to be around. They'll be back for Christmas and I can hardly wait! Time to finish their ornaments... 

I hope your October is going well and that you're finding more stitching time now that the days are growing colder and shorter. I do love fall and winter stitching because I don't feel guilty about the outside chores that I should be attending to! As long as the sun shines and I can stay inside, I really don't mind the cold, do you? Thank you, as always, for taking time out of your busy day to visit my little old blog. Enjoy your week, everyone! 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.

Santas and Spring

Greetings on what has been a glorious spring day! The temperature reached the mid-80s today and I loved every minute! Isn't it wonderful to have the windows open after a long winter and hear the birds chirping, the bees humming, and the lawnmowers droning on and on (okay--well, maybe not that last one so much!). Amazing how a nice, sunny day can lift one's mood...

It's been a quiet couple of weeks since I last posted and I've managed to stitch and finish both my ornament for April and another for May. It always feels good to be a bit ahead of the game! On Instagram, the #12in24ornamentstitchalong that I host is going swimmingly. It's wonderful to see so many international stitchers participating this year, too. It's a lot of fun getting to know stitchers from so many countries!

For April, I stitched a Homespun Elegance chart that was so generously passed on to me by Catherine over at "I Love to Stitch." (And, as always, I like to keep the kindness going with charts that have been passed on to me so I'm having a giveaway for this particular chart below). Isn't this guy the most whimsical Santa? There he is, just relaxing on his bike as he pedals through the falling snow. "Avery's Cycling Santa" is stitched on 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle with a mix of DMC and Weeks Dye Works threads. I added burgundy colored beads to the Christmas tree in his sack and a small bell to the end of the stick that he is carrying. 

A Homespun Elegance finish for April

To finish it off, I sewed on two pieces of Woolies flannel with a bit of ecru rick-rack peeking out, topped by a polka dot bow. My husband is a big bicyclist (in fact he's away on a bike trip right now so you know what I'm going to be doing this week--stitching each and every day away!) so he thought this one was pretty cute (even though Santa is not dressed quite properly for biking!). I ended up switching out the silver bell that is shown in the above photo for a tinier gold one--just thought the scale was better.

Doesn't he just make you smile?

 

And for my May ornament, I stitched the 2024 annual Prairie Schooler Santa. Isn't he a handsome fellow? Once again, I used 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle with most of the suggested DMC threads. I did change the belt buckle to gold (used Gentle Arts toffee) and changed all the green to DMC 520. Don't ask me why, but I have  always used 520 on all of the PS Santas along with that signature Prairie Schooler red: DMC 221. I accidentally made his pants one stitch too long so all of the lower tree trunks are a bit elongated as a result. No problem, though--I bet you wouldn't even have noticed if I hadn't pointed it out!

2024 Prairie Schooler Santa finish

I finished the 2024 Santa in the same way that I've finished other PS Santas over the years with a simple cording in DMC 221 and a gingham checked bow. Easy and classic... I really love the back stitching on this one--it's very different and those trees were a lot of fun to stitch! This one is definitely one of my favorite of the PS annual Santas.

My May 2024 ornament

 

Two more for my tree!

Giveaway time... It's been a while since I've offered a giveaway and I thought the "Cycling Santa" chart might be perfect for this time of year when everyone is getting outside and, perhaps--riding a bike. Would any of you like to enter this giveaway? If so, please follow the guidelines below and I'll announce the winner in my next post.

I'm having a giveaway for this chart. Please follow the guidelines below if you want to be included.

To be included in the drawing for the Homespun Elegance chart shown above, please...

1) Specifically mention that you would like to win it in your comment 

2) Be a follower of Stitching Dreams (in my blog's sidebar on the right)

3) Make sure to leave your email address in your comment if I don't already have it

4) Answer the "Getting to Know You" question below.

 

Getting to Know You... For today's getting to know you question, I'd love to know what favorite book(s) you've read recently that you would recommend. I've been doing a lot of reading (well, even more listening to audiobooks) this year. I tend to listen more and more while I stitch as there is just nothing on television these days. That way I can enjoy two of my favorite hobbies at once! Win-win! 

 

Two of my favorite reads so far this year.

Two favorite books that I've read recently just happen to be by the same author, Tracy Chevalier. I so enjoy historical fiction and these both fit the bill. The Last Runaway, (published in 2013) centers around a young Quaker woman who, in 1850, moves to Ohio from England. It portrays her trials and tribulations as she adjusts to a very different culture and way of living. She soon finds herself caught up in helping runaway slaves escape North through the Underground Railroad. The story line and characters are so well done and the scenes centering around the importance of quilts and quilting are especially endearing.

A Single Thread (published in 2019) is set in the early 1930's in Winchester, England. Violet Speedwell is one of the "surplus women"--those women who lost husbands or  fiancés in WWI and are considered "old maids." She moves to Winchester and soon becomes involved with a society of broderers who embroider kneelers for Winchester Cathedral even though she's had no experience with stitching. Both books invoke the feeling of  peace and satisfaction that comes from doing handwork of any kind which is one reason I think I enjoyed reading them so much.

So, now it's your turn... what is a favorite book that you'd like others to know about? I'd love to add some new titles to my "must read" list.

Signs of spring continue to abound now  that it's finally warmed up...

Such brilliant color in front of our home.

This beautiful crabapple tree (hybridized by my husband's grandfather) is something we look forward to each Spring. I only wish the blooms lasted a bit longer!

This little fox was photographed by my oldest son after chasing a squirrel up a tree in my son's yard. The squirrel escaped, but that sly fox appears to still be looking for him!

How can the year be one-third over already? I saw this very relatable Snoopy cartoon (always my dad's favorite Peanuts character) the other day and it is so very true. How I wish time would slow down... 

Can anyone relate?

On to May! It is a month filled with doctor's appointments for me and I'm not looking forward to it at all. (Does anyone ever truly enjoy going to the doctor)? I have my annual physical, dentist, endocrinologist, colonoscopy, and mammogram appointments scattered throughout my May calendar. UGH! I'll sure be glad when they are over. How about you? I hope you have something fun waiting for you in May?  Thank you so much for popping in today and leaving such nice comments. I really look forward to hearing from you... Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead! Bye for now...

May moments

Hello there! Hope May is off to a wonderful start for everyone... Things are definitely improving (weather-wise) here and we are finally getting some sunny, warm days again. Oh, how I love them! As I've gotten older, I've begun to realize just how much my mood is affected when we have no sun--and sadly, I live in one of the least sunny parts of the U.S. Yes, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area is one of the worst for lack of sunshine according to this article in USA Today. Is your city on the list? I think we've had only three sunny days over the past two weeks! Am I ready to move? Let's just say I'm definitely keeping my options open!

I'm finishing up the larger summer piece that I hinted about in an earlier post so I really don't have any new stitching to share with you today. But, I do have a finally framed finish! After 12 years, I can proudly hang this Hillside Samplings piece, "Seasonal Samplings," on my wall! There is no excuse... I've even had the frame for at least a decade. Yes, really!

"Seasonal Samplings" stitched in 2011

Isn't it pretty? I have no excuse for not framing this one earlier except sheer laziness on my part. Well, that and the fear of trying to frame something with such a straight border. But, I'm very pleased with the final outcome--and you know what? It probably didn't take me longer than an hour to get it done! As always, I use this tutorial by "With Thy Needle and Thread's" Brenda Gervais to do my framing.

Finally framed 12 years later!

This sampler was stitched on 28 ct. natural brown linen and I remember loving the specialty stitches and "over one" stitching in each little block. If you'd like to read a more detailed post about this particular finish, you can find it right here. I thought you might enjoy seeing some close-ups of each season. Notice the alphabet, year, and my initials are all stitched "over one" as are the bunny and birds.

Spring--aren't those flowers interesting?

Summer--such a sweet baby bunny.

Fall--some cute Rhodes stitched apples.

Winter--love the lone red cardinal perched at the top of the pine tree.

Such a pretty timeless piece! I'm still auditioning spots in my home to hang it--the long thin frame presents a bit of a challenge in finding just the right place. Right now, I have it propped up on a bookshelf (where it just may stay permanently!). Who else is with me in procrastinating on your framing? I'm pretty good with finishing the smalls as I stitch them, but... I'm embarrassed to think about the number of larger pieces in my "to be framed" drawer. Some day, I'll show you the contents of the that drawer! But, I know that many of you follow the same philosophy that I do: "The joy is in the stitching."

In other stitching related news--I got my newest bound blog book back from the printer! It's a biggie--383 pages! I always combine two years worth of my posts into one book to save money. It is still expensive, but every now and then Blog to Print (where I order the books) has a very nice 50% off coupon. I would suggest signing up for their emails as that is how they deliver the best coupons. 

For the front of my latest book, I chose--what else--my Christmas tree! After all, that is how I first began blogging way back in January of 2009--by stitching an ornament each week. 

My 2021-2022 blog book

I dedicated this newest book to my dear grandmother. Past books have been dedicated to my husband, my sons, my mother, my grandson, and even to you--my sweet stitching and blogging friends!

It makes me so proud and happy to leaf through the pages and see all of my finishes in print form! My only complaint about these books is that the captions don't end up appearing right under the photos. But, otherwise, I can highly recommend this company. Here are some sample pages to give you an idea of how they print out. (Please note that the pages are white even though they appear blue in some of my photos).

So many memories from 2021 and 2022... the good, the bad, and the ugly!

The good: Mother's Day 2022

The bad: the flooding of our family home in Naples, Florida in September 2022

The ugly: the horrid powder post beetle found in one of my professionally framed finishes!

And let's not forget my favorite images of all--my sweet grandson, "Mister B."

Love having my grandson included in my blog book!

For the back cover, I chose one of my favorite finishes of 2022

And here is the whole stack of books from 2009-2022--eight inches tall! 

Hard to believe I've been blogging for 14 years now!

Giveaway time... I found a cute chart that is so appropriate for this time of year with Mother's Day falling on Sunday for those of us in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and parts of Europe. This chart was sent to me from the very generous Janet B. in Texas to use as a giveaway and I appreciate it so much! Who would like to win this Sue Hillis chart, complete with tiny charm? The charm is a little door with a wee key to be stitched onto the house where the front door should be--adorable! You could also change the word "mom" to something else, too (dad, dog, cat, etc.), if you desired. If you'd like to win this, please follow the guidelines below. I'll announce the winner on my next blog post--good luck to all!

I'm giving away this sweet chart and charm... Please follow the guidelines below to enter!

To be included in the drawing for this chart, please...

1) Specifically mention that you would like to win the chart in your comment 

2) Be a follower of Stitching Dreams (in my blog's sidebar on the right)

3) Make sure to leave your email address in your comment

4) Answer the "Getting to Know You" question below. 

Getting to know you... Since the chart is a mom themed one, here is my question for today: I am wondering if you have one piece of advice that your mom gave you that you really value or learned from? My mom drummed into me just how important it is to look a person in his or her eye and say "thank you" after receiving a compliment. I was a very shy child (which honestly hasn't changed even as an adult), and I had a very hard time accepting compliments. I would always brush them off and look down at the ground. But, over time, I learned to look directly at the person, thank them, and simply accept their kind words. I still have a difficult time with praise, but I try my best to be gracious and simply accept it! How about you? Do you have any wise advice from your mom that has stuck with you over time?

Life update... Sadly, the pain from my husband's "tennis elbow" hasn't lessened at all. It has now been 5 weeks and nothing has helped. It's so hard for him, especially since his left arm (where the shoulder was replaced) is healing so well. He went from being unable to use one arm to being unable to use the other. But, the good news is we will be seeing our grandson for Mother's Day weekend which will surely bring a smile to our faces. To be honest, this will be a difficult Mother's Day for me because May 14th will also mark, what would have been, my dear mother's 96th birthday. And then my mother-in-law would have turned 95 the following day. So, yes... we very much need the diversion a toddler can offer to help with the inevitable sad moments. We're counting the days as you can imagine--it's been almost three months since we last saw the little fellow!

I want to thank all of you who looked for the burgundy checked ribbon I mentioned needing in my previous post. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find it. A couple of you said they might have it, but didn't leave email addresses so I have no way of getting in touch with you. That's okay... there are certainly more pressing problems in this world, right? Thank you for visiting today--I'm so happy you're here and I hope you know how much I appreciate your kind words and emails. I wish all of you who are celebrating Mother's Day a beautiful weekend. It's a time of mixed emotions for those of us who have lost our moms, but I'm going to try to remember the happy times we once shared. I hope you can, too. Bye for now...

♥ This post was written in memory of my dear mother who would have celebrated her 96th birthday on May 14th, 2023. This photo of her  was taken with 4-month-old baby Carol on her 28th birthday in 1955. ♥