Pumpkins For Cathey

 

Good morning and welcome to a very special post! Today the cross stitching community is honoring a very brave & inspirational fellow cross-stitching blogger and someone I'm proud to call my friend... Cathey, also known to many of us, as "Pumpkin."

When Sharon/Daffycat came up with the idea of a  "Pumpkins For Cathey" day, I thought it was brilliant. After all, what other blogging community is as supportive of each other as our cross-stitching family? If you aren't familiar with Cathey (better known as Pumpkin) she blogs at Pumpkin Patch & Co. and today is her blog's 7th anniversary. When you visit her blog, you'll notice her beautiful stitching, her addiction to Cadbury Cream eggs, and her love of bunnies and dachshunds. You'll see many darling photos of her 17-month-old little son--the little sweetheart she has nicknamed "Junior." However, you can't help but also notice her more recent posts on her serious health problems. Cathey is battling cancer and her bravery and desire to live each day to the fullest for herself, her husband and  their adorable little son have left all of us humbled and inspired (and many times in tears wishing we could do more).

Sharon, who blogs at It's Daffycat, sent out an email suggesting that we each post something "pumpkin themed" today, September 27, 2013, in support of dear Cathey. So, I immediately set to work in stitching a fun Halloween finish with three of the cutest pumpkin heads I've seen. What makes this such a delightful piece to stitch? Well...

Simply combine one grinning pumpkin

with one frightened pumpkin

and one tiny, baby pumpkin.

Add in a couple of black crows

sitting on a candy corn tree.

Mix in a full moon

and finish it off with a few
 sage words of Halloween advice!

And what do you end up with?

HALLOWEEN IS IN THE AIR! 

I can't remember when I've enjoyed stitching a piece as much as this one. And knowing I was stitching it in honor of Cathey/Pumpkin makes it all the more special. The designer of this chart, All Through the Night, is fast becoming one of my favorites. I used most of the suggested overdyeds (although I did make a couple of minor substitutions when I didn't have the correct colors in my stash) and stitched it on some unknown 40 ct. R&R Reproductions fabric. I bought a lot of 40ct. fabrics on Ebay last year and they weren't labeled with names, but I thought this antiquey-looking fabric was perfect for a Halloween piece. I thought this had a very vintage look to it with the colors and the expressions on both the moon and the little pumpkins. And the candy corn "tree" is just too cute!

All Through the Night's "Halloween Is In the Air" 

Speaking of candy corn (and pumpkins!)... here is a simple pumpkin craft for any of you planning a Halloween party or just looking for a quick and easy project to do with your little ones. I love Martha Stewart's ideas, but many of them are simply too time-consuming or take too many materials to make them doable for the average person. When I stumbled upon these little Jack-O'-Lantern Party Favors I just loved them and thought to myself, "Oh, I wish I had a little one around to make these with!" Well, that didn't stop me--I just made some for myself to hold the contents of the bag of candy corn I recently purchased! They took about five minutes each to put together and this way, perhaps, I'll ration my candy consumption. And, if you want something healthier--they would look almost as cute with nuts or trail mix in the little bags...

Jack-O'-Lantern Party Favors

To download the pumpkin faces simply go here. I used thick card stock, plastic lunch bags that I cut the tops off, and floral wire (wound around a pencil) to make the curly stems. Martha, of course, covered her wires with brown cloth of some sort to make them look more realistic--I just used the plain dark green floral wire and it looks perfectly fine to me... I think this trio of pumpkins would brighten up any party, don't you? (And I'll bet Junior would love creating these with you, wouldn't he, Cathey?).

MORE PUMPKIN GOODNESS... I  was in a pumpkin mood all day yesterday while preparing this post and thinking of Cathey so I made some of my favorite Pumpkin-Raisin Muffins. I've been making this recipe for over 30 years--I think it came from the back of a can of Libby's Pumpkin. They are so moist and delicious--a wonderful autumn treat. I've included the recipe below--hope you enjoy them!

 Pumpkin-Raisin Muffins

Pumpkin-Raisin Muffin Recipe

1 ¼ cups sugar

¼ cup canola oil

1 egg

½ cup Libby's pumpkin

1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

Combine first four ingredients and beat well.

Combine remaining ingredients.

Add to first mixture.

Stir in ½ cup raisins until smooth.

Fill muffin tins lined with paper cups.

Bake at 370° for 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

That winds up my "Pumpkins For Cathey" post. I hope it made you smile, Cathey--I think of you so often and I'm sure after reading all of the special posts written in your honor from all over the world today, you'll realize just how very special you are to all of us. Sending a warm hug your way, my friend... And thanks to Sharon for organizing this special event! If you want to see the links to all of the other bloggers participating in "Pumpkins For Cathey" day, please visit her blog.

I hope each of you is enjoying the lovely autumn weather that we've been having here in western Pennsylvania--what a delight! And remember to take time to really look around and appreciate the simple things in your life this weekend. Bye for now...

Life's Hiccups...

Good morning, my stitching friends! Has it really been six weeks since I last posted? Such a lot has happened since then that I hardly know where to begin... But, since this is primarily a stitching blog, I guess I'll begin with the good stuff--the stitching! In spite of my crazy month in August, I was able to get a bit of stitching done--primarily for family and friends, but I also managed to finish my ornament for the month. 

My dear friend in Northern Ireland, Lois (Of Needles, Pins, & Stitching Things blog ), celebrated her birthday in mid-August. To help make her day even more special, I decided to stitch something  for her so I created this little pillow from a chart by Merrily Beams called "Trifles." I just love everything about this design from the checkerboard roof to the two friends all dressed in blue. I added our first initials so when she sees it she'll always remember our friendship.

Merrily Beams design: "Trifles"

I stitched Lois's gift on 32 ct. antique ivory Belfast linen with a variety of overdyed and DMC threads--I just chose the colors randomly based on whatever I thought looked nice together.  I gave the two friends different colored hair--Lois has the lighter shade and me the darker brown--just like in real life. To finish it off, I backed it with this wonderful blue alphabet sampler fabric and added some handmade blue cording. I was so happy that Lois liked my little gift and I hope the joy she felt on her birthday continues throughout the coming year!

Finished "Trifles" pillow for Lois

My next finish was a gift for my youngest sister who celebrated a very special birthday this month--she turned 50! Ah, to be 50 again--when you're only a year and a few months away from 60, 50 sounds very, very young, indeed!! She recently spent a wonderful few weeks in France with her husband and sons so I thought this Blackbird Designs freebie would be perfect for her. "Souvenir de France" is stitched on 40 ct. pearl gray Newcastle linen with WDW's thread in Gunmetal.

BBD's Souvenir de France freebie

I added her initials in the upper left and moved the motifs underneath so that they were more symmetrical than shown in the original chart. To finish up the pillow, I backed it with the black and white fabric shown and edged it with a ruched gauzy black ribbon. And the smell--perfect for a souvenir of France--I filled it with a combination of dried lavender and ground walnut shells. I hope she enjoys it and will think of her delightful French sojourn (and her big sister) each time she sees it!

Birthday pillow for my sister

My final bit of stitching is a bit of much-needed "comfort stitching" which I stitched at the beach last month. It features two of my favorite things--sunflowers and Prairie Schooler Santas! This PS 1994 Santa is stitched "over one" on 27 ct. clay Linda cloth with the suggested DMC threads. Isn't he jolly with his parcel of sunflowers and those hitchhiking blackbirds? A perfect piece to stitch at the end of summer...

Prairie Schooler 1994 Santa

The finish is quite simple--just some handmade cording in DMC 729 and a backing made of the burgundy checked fabric shown on the right. I always believe that when there is a lot going on in a piece like there is in this one, it is better to keep things simple in your final finish. I was so pleased when my young 24-year-old nephew, who was visiting for the weekend, told me how professional it looked! He has an art background so the compliment meant even more...

 Finished 1994 Prairie Schooler Santa

THANKS TO... my friend, Vickie (at A Stitcher's Story blog), who sent me a sweet prize package for guessing the color of her purse in a contest she had a while ago. I knew Vickie loved pink so I took it a step further and guessed that her purse was fuschia. I was right! Now, the most unusual gift I've ever received in my mailbox arrived in the form of bulbs--yes, you read that right--two iris bulbs! I have to admit, I just about screamed with fright when I first felt the damp newspaper that they were wrapped in. But, upon seeing the bulbs I knew right away they were two of Vickie's brown iris bulbs that she says smell just like chocolate. I had my husband plant them while I was in the hospital (more about that below) and I can hardly wait until next spring to sniff them myself. She also included another first--her first ever needle threader made into the shape of a little angel. I know I'll be putting this to good use, Vickie, as the older I get, the harder it is to thread my needle. I think she did a great job on it and I'm sure she'll be making more of them for friends in the future. Thank you so much, Vickie--little did you know how much I would need an angel on my shoulder watching over me on that very day I received your gifts...

Gifts from Vickie

Life's Hiccups... Are you wondering about the title of today's blog post? Well, we've all had them, right...those little bumps in the road, those curve balls that you didn't see coming and just turn your life upside down for a bit? A month ago today I experienced one of the bigger hiccups in my life when I ended up in the hospital for five days with something I had never even heard of...

My day had progressed in a perfectly ordinary manner--getting my hair cut, doing the grocery shopping, reading, and finally settling down for a quiet evening of stitching since my husband was at a dinner with his former co-workers. Ahh...there is nothing like a bit of stitching to totally relax you, is there? But, that night something went horribly wrong...WHAM! I was instantly hit with nearly unbearable pains in my lower belly which in turn led to vomiting and diarrhea. After a couple hours of this, I was just about ready to call my husband and ask him to come home when he walked in the door. Seeing me in the pain I was in, he suggested we leave for the hospital right then, but I kept thinking it was "just something I ate" so I convinced him to go to bed. Feeling a bit better myself, I retired to bed, only to be awoken at 2:00 in the morning with severe bloody diarrhea (which continued for the next 48 hours--ugh!!). Of course, we immediately rushed to the hospital's emergency room. 

 My "home away from home" for five days

After a plethora of tests (EKG, CT scan, colonoscopy, ultrasound) I was diagnosed with a new to me condition: Ischemic Colitis. Have any of you ever heard of it? To put it simply, the doctor said it is almost like a stroke of the colon--the blood supply is cut off or greatly diminished which causes the symptoms I described above. I don't actually fit into any of the groups of people who normally have an attack of ischemic colits: cocaine users (nope!), long-distance runners (nope!), and people who use a lot of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (nope!). So, what did cause it in my case? Possibly a blood clot which can be a side effect of the medicine I was taking for my osteoporosis, but the doctors couldn't say for sure. Needless to say, I'm no longer taking that particular medication. The idea of a blood clot is so very scary and I'm incredibly grateful it didn't end up traveling to my heart, brain, or lungs. Thankfully, the doctors think this was a one-time attack; it is not a chronic condition or something I, hopefully, will ever have to deal with again...

Five days later, I was released from the hospital, tired and weak, but just so happy to be going home! No more IV lines with fluids and antibiotics flowing into my veins non-stop, no more noisy hospital surroundings, no more bland liquid diet. But, I brought home a certain sense of vulnerability which I have never felt before. I feel like my body really let me down--I work so hard to eat right and exercise, but, obviously that is no guarantee of good health, is it? I am, to be honest with you, struggling a bit to return to "normal." I'll get there--it's just taking longer than I thought it would to get my energy back and to feel like the old me...

 Flowers from my sons 

brightened up my hospital room!

I am so grateful to all of you who wondered where I was and who sent emails and get well cards my way. What a wonderfully supportive blogging/stitching community we have here!! I feel very blessed to be part of it--thank you all so very much for your kind words and support. And to my dear husband and three wonderful sons--I know how scared you all were when I was in the hospital. "Mom" never gets sick, right? I mean I hadn't called off sick from work in 15 years! But, the flowers you sent and your love and encouragement sure made my hospital stay a bit easier. I love you guys so very much...

BEACH TIME... Three days after I was released from the hospital, we traveled to North Carolina's Outer Banks for our annual reunion with my husband's family. There were 21 of us in this giant house in Corolla called "Poseidon." This is the 29th year we have traveled down to the beach for our family get together and I think this was the nicest house ever! With 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms there was plenty of room for all. I simply sat most of the week under a tent on the beach and snoozed and read. I highly recommend two of the books--both really make you think about what you would do if faced with the situations encountered by the books' characters. "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes and "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty are both well worth reading!

Our 2013 beach house rental

Can you imagine a better medicine

than relaxing on this beautiful beach?

Do you see the rainbow? 

A gorgeous sunset on our first night...

Even on a cloudy day, the beaches have a certain beauty.

These little crabs were so entertaining. My 9-year-old 

triplet nieces loved feeding them "goldfish crackers."

Two days after we returned home, my middle son had surgery and moved home for a while so we could help him recuperate. And four days after that I drove up to my parents in New York to celebrate my youngest sister's birthday over Labor Day weekend. Whew... I am so glad to finally just relax at home again and to resume my normal routine of work, etc. You all know me--I love a simple life and things just got a bit too crazy in August! Hopefully, things will calm down and I have to say, I'm honestly looking forward to the cozy, quiet days of winter that lie ahead.

I'm so very far behind on blog reading and commenting--just had neither the energy nor the time last month, but I promise, I'll be visiting your blogs very soon. I miss all of you and miss seeing the inspirational creations that you tempt me with each time I stop by... Again, thank you all for your caring words during my illness--they helped more than you can imagine. Thanks for stopping by today--I'll really do my best not to be away so long again! Bye for now...

Ornaments and Organizing

Well, well, well, here we are at the very end of July! Can you believe it? It has been a very up and down month here in western Pennsylvania. The first half was filled with hot, almost unbearably humid days and lately, it has been cooler and rainier--almost autumn-like weather. Which do you prefer? I honestly don't mind the heat--it's the humidity that does me in and it seems to get worse the older I get.

Before I show you a couple of new finishes, I want to offer my thanks and appreciation for all of your comments and emails on my last post about my parents' 60th wedding anniversary. I was so touched and my dear mother, who read each and every one of your caring comments, was as well. Dementia has touched so many families and it helps to know we are not alone in the struggle. I honestly think it is harder on the family than on the patient. My dad is in no pain and is, physically, very healthy. But, for us, his family members, it causes us great heartbreak and sorrow to watch his mental decline.  Anyway, I thank each one of you for taking the time to read that long post and for offering hugs, support, and your own stories of  family members struggling with dementia...

I've finally caught up on my ornament-a-month finishes for the year and I have two to share with you today. For the month of June, I stitched Homespun Elegance's 2009 Sampler Ornament called "Santa Arrives Tonight."  I fell in love with the little sheep climbing that steep hill in an effort to reach shelter before Santa arrives. And I even managed to suffer through making the French knot wreath on the front door (will I ever feel comfortable stitching French knots?!?). This one is stitched on 35 ct. natural Northern Cross linen with both DMC and overdyeds.

"Santa Arrives Tonight" by Homespun Elegance

I really wasn't sure how I would finish it, but ended up going with a flat, mounted ornament. (Vonna gives wonderful instructions on this type of finishing right here). It turned out a bit large for my tastes (the finish is 4 ½ inches wide by 5 ½ inches high), but I'm pleased with the final look. I know some of you struggle with sewing little pillow ornaments, but for me it's this type of finish which causes anxiety. I have the worst time getting the design centered!! Does anyone have any hints? I'll have to say it turned out better than most of my previous attempts, though, so I'm happy! I used an old flannel shirt for the backing and trimmed it with a gold cord in the same shade as the house. What do you think?

"Santa Arrives Tonight" finish

My July ornament is from an old Stoney Creek magazine (July/August 1994) and is called "Bird & Berries." This piece is stitched entirely in DMC on 40 ct. pearl gray Newcastle linen. A red berry bead was added in the four corners of the holly and also in the bird's beak.

"Bird & Berries"

For the finish, I backed the ornament with a soft black and white checked flannel (again, from one of my husband's old shirts) and ruched some red satin ribbon to apply on the sides. Chickadees are one of my favorite winter birds--I'm always in awe at the way these tiny things survive our sometimes harsh northern winters. So, this will make a perfect addition to our Christmas tree in December.

Finished "Bird & Berries"

The final bit of stitching that I can share with you (I've also been working on a couple of gifts which I can't show you today) is a piece I started back in June. My intention was to have it finished by the 4th of July. HA! Obviously, that didn't happen--maybe by July 4, 2014?  Many of you have already stitched "Betsy" by Sheepish Designs so you'll recognize my wee start on this one. I'm really enjoying stitching it, but I just can't seem to stick with one larger piece without getting my "smalls fix." I love the instant gratification I get from finishing a little pillow or ornament, don't you? 

A small start on "Betsy" by Sheepish Designs

Gifts arrived in my mailbox from "Jolly Old England" this month... I won a chart (CCN's "Party Cakes") from Mii's blog and when it arrived I found that the generous Mii had also included a packet of English tea and a bit of chocolate. Some confusion ensued as I thought the chocolate was liquid chocolate that you drank! When I wrote to Mii to thank her, I mentioned that we didn't have that here in the States. She replied that it must have melted as it was meant to be a thin bar of chocolate. Ha ha! Yes, as soon as I popped it into the fridge it hardened up into a delectable treat! Thank you so very much, Mii--I love the chart and, as you mentioned, those stitched cakes represent the best kind of baking--non-caloric!

Giveaway win from Mii!

Another treat arrived from my friend, Julie, also in England. Julie was raving about her recently acquired Turkish Delight candy on her blog and I happened to mention in my comment that I had never tasted it. I don't believe it is widely available here in the U.S. Anyway, sweet Julie decided it was an experience I shouldn't miss so she popped a bar into the mail and it arrived in fine shape. The piece she sent me was chocolate covered and was most delicious! I was surprised that it has a gel-like consistency inside--I was expecting a mixture of nuts and cookie. Thank you, my friend--you were so sweet to treat me to one of your favorite goodies!

A bar of Turkish Delight all the way from England!

I actually told Julie I was going to save the treat to eat while watching one of my favorite British shows--either "Downton Abbey" (I've been saving the last episode of Season Three to watch for a special treat--or a big cry as I've heard mention!) or "Call the Midwife."  Well, the Season Two DVD of "Call the Midwife" arrived at the library for me, so I promptly sat down to watch that and enjoy my very own bar of Turkish Delight. The Christmas special was so wonderful. I am thoroughly in love with this show--it makes me laugh and makes me cry with each and every episode. Some of the birthing scenes are a bit tough to watch, but the delightful characters, touching stories, and grim realities of life during the 1950s in the east-end of London are not to be missed.

In between stitching and reading and watching those wonderful British television programs, I've been doing a bit of organizing. I got so tired of searching through piles of charts for a certain one, that I spent all day Friday organizing them into notebooks. They are now placed in plastic sleeves alphabetically. Of course I have a giant notebook--the blue one in the photo below--just for my Prairie Schooler Collection! I may need two very soon as that is bursting at the seams. It was such a good feeling to get everything all tidied up...on to my freebies next! Here they are in resting comfortably in a cupboard right next to my stitching chair in the family room...

I don't have a ton of sewing threads, but, again, I got tired of hunting for the perfect color so I arranged them by shade in a drawer right next to my sewing machine. Pretty, eh?

Finally, my overdyed threads have been placed on a white pegboard attached to the inside of a closet door in my middle son's old bedroom (where I keep my sewing machine). The poor guy--every time he comes to visit, more and more of his room has been taken over by my stitching and sewing "stuff!" Here, I keep the WDW and GAST threads... Still have to make room for the Crescent Colours and other miscellaneous overdyeds. I would imagine more pegboard is in order for the other door!

I also need to tackle my ribbon and fabric collections, but I feel that I'm off to a great start. I suppose you would guess that since I am a librarian, I crave order--and you would be correct! When my house is cluttered or things are out of place, I just can't relax. For me, cleaning and organizing are very restful activities. Is anyone else like me, or am I just weird?!

Speaking of cleaning, the time had come for us to get a new washer and dryer. Although they were only 13 years old, you can just imagine the beating they took with doing laundry for three growing boys all those years. The dryer was stopping on it's own after only five minutes of drying and also leaving brown marks on the clothing. And the washing machine was rusting inside and making a burning smell. Definitely, past time for a new pair! So, look what arrived at our house last week...A spanking new washer and dryer--aren't they pretty? It's so funny to be excited by a pair of laundry appliances, but they really are a treat! There is just one "tiny" problem, however. The new washer lid won't fully open due to the cupboards above! I have to hold it open myself while loading or unloading the machine. You'll notice the new lid extends way out to the edge of the washer making it a good four or five inches wider than the old one! So, my husband and sons are trying to work out a system to hold the dryer up for me--either a pole of some sorts or a system of magnets... I guess nothing is easy, is it? But, I'm still thrilled with my new set-up!

 

I'll leave you with this pretty vase of flowers picked from our garden. Cosmos are some of my favorite summer flowers with their shades of pink, mauve, and white... My husband nicely shares his fenced in vegetable garden with me for growing my flowers, otherwise, our deer population would be mowing them down as soon as they appear! I'm so envious of those of you who have beautiful open gardens full of flowers--that just would never happen here with our hungry deer!

I wish each of you a happy last day of July and a wonderful month of August. I want to welcome my newest followers, too--so glad you're here! Thank you, as always, for stopping by today--I am so touched that you give up your valuable time to read and comment on my posts... Bye for now...

JULY 11, 1953

Yes, July 11, 1953--sixty years ago. Back then a loaf of bread cost a mere 13¢, a gallon of gas would set you back only 29¢, and the minimum wage here in the U.S. was 75¢ an hour. This was the post World-War II era, a time of prosperity and hope for many; a time of rapid change and growing families. And on this day sixty years ago, a lovely, young journalist married a handsome, young medical school student. That couple would become my dear parents.

Unfortunately, today, their 60th wedding anniversary, is a difficult day--especially for my mother. I haven't mentioned this on my blog before, but many of my closest blogging friends already know--my dad has dementia, Lewy Body Dementia to be exact, and no longer knows any of us.  So, on what should be a day of joyful celebration--reaching that 60-year milestone, my dad is unaware of its significance...

I'll be visiting my mom this week and we'll make every effort to recall the good memories made during my parents' marriage. One of the best was a family trip to northern New Hampshire which we all took to celebrate their 50th anniversary ten years ago. They didn't want a party--just wanted to celebrate with their four children and our spouses and their nine grandchildren. But, we wanted to include well-wishes from their other family members and friends so we came up with the idea of a memory book which I, as the only non-full-time worker was tasked with putting together. Oh, my, what a project this turned out to be--I had no idea just how many hours I would spend putting together the memory book. A true labor of love!

50th Wedding Anniversary scrapbook for my parents

I sent a letter to each of their friends--past and present--requesting any old photos or special memories they shared with my mom and dad. In the letter, I included a simple sheet of cardstock which I printed with a border and a single word: "Remember" on which each friend could reply. The response was overwhelming--childhood and college friends and long ago co-workers, as well as current friends and family, sent back not only their memories, but wonderful  cards and old photos of my parents, many of which I had never seen before. What a treasure trove!

Remember...

After the scrapbook was assembled, I had to figure out what to put in the blank area on the front of it. I think it was originally meant for a photograph, but I decided to stitch something instead. Simple, right? Well, not exactly--you see, I hadn't cross stitched at all in almost ten years! Yes, I had given it up totally when I was at my busiest--raising three boys who were going in all different directions, working part-time at the library, and overseeing our whole-house remodeling project. I had totally abandoned my needle and thread. Until 2003, that is, when I decided that my parents' memory book needed a bit of cross stitch to dress it up! And that is why I'm showing this to you. If it hadn't been for me stitching this single piece for my parents' anniversary book and rediscovering my love of cross stitching, I wouldn't "know" a single one of you! There would have been no blog, no stitched gifts given and received from around the world, no new wonderful friendships like the ones I've made through blogging over the past 4 ½ years... This little pastel-colored finish started it all!

The stitched heart was from an old issue of a needlework magazine (I'm sorry, I can't remember the exact one) and is stitched on simple white Aida. That is the only fabric I had back then; I hadn't discovered the wonderful world of evenweaves and linens at that time. I changed  the design a bit and added my parents' names at the top (covered for privacy) along with their wedding and 50th anniversary dates. Some little pearly heart buttons adorn each corner and tiny beads are added on the side columns. The piece was a perfect fit for the insert on the front of the album.

I can't even begin to describe all the laughter and tears that filled the room as my parents looked through the album for the first time. Oh, my--I can still picture my dad laughing to the point of crying as he read some of the old stories his friends had sent in. And, of course, that set off everyone else--what a great night that was! Each of us kids and each of the grandchildren made a page, too--so very special...

Believe me, the hours and hours I spent putting this huge book together for mom and dad were worth every second. They've taken so much pleasure looking through it over the past ten years. Today my dad can no longer recall most of the names of the faces who stare back at him, but I think the old photos still bring him comfort in some way.

 Fifty years of memories

Of all the photos my parents have from their wedding day, this is my favorite. They are just so full of joy, so full of hope! Off in that wonderful, big, blue car to their honeymoon in Maine and on to a new life filled with love and laughter, tears and sorrow, compromises and understandings. And they did have a great life together--for so, so many years. I told my mother just last week that we've been very blessed as a family. Up until the past few years when my dad's memory problems worsened, we were blessed in almost every way. 

July 11, 1953--off on their honeymoon!

One of the very last pages I created for their 50th wedding anniversary scrapbook contained a lovely thought on the love a long-time older couple shares:

                                                              

THE BEAUTY OF LOVE

"The question is asked, “Is there anything more
beautiful in life than a young couple clasping hands
and pure hearts in the path of marriage? Can there be
anything more beautiful than young love?"
And the answer is given. “Yes, there is a more
beautiful thing. It is the spectacle of an old man and an
old woman finishing their journey together on that path.
Their hands are gnarled, but still clasped; their faces are
seamed, but still radiant; their hearts are physically
bowed and tired, but still strong with love and devotion for
one another. Yes, there is a more beautiful thing than
young love. Old love."   --Unknown

Yes, old love is a beautiful thing and on the rare occasion when my dad does recognize my mom, it is so sweet and tender.  Every now and then, when she visits him at the memory care facility where he has lived since mid-February, he will hug her as she prepares to leave and say "I love you so much, you little sweetheart, you." Watching them, my eyes fill with tears and I have to look away. For I remember not only what was, but what should have been...

When I'm with my mom this week and go to the memory care center to visit my dad, I won't be saying "Happy Anniversary." That's just too hard on my mom. But, I will be saying... Thank You. Thank you for meeting each other and falling in love and having me and my three wonderful siblings. Thank you for raising us in the safety of a small town where we knew our neighbors and walked down the street to church and up the hill to school. Thank you for teaching us the importance of kindness and respect. Thank you for loving each other and your precious family--always and unconditionally.  I feel very lucky and blessed to have you for parents--I truly do...

July 11, 1953

A bit of the red, white, and blue

Hello, hello! And how are my stitching friends today? I know I don't usually post on Sunday evening, but I promised myself at the beginning of the year that I would try to post at least twice a month, so it's now or never. The month of June is over--on to one of the busiest months of the year for my family. July includes several birthdays and anniversaries. Before I go any further, I want to thank you all for your wonderful comments on my last post--I'm so glad you enjoyed the up-close-and-personal visit with the baby animals at the zoo.

I've noticed that many of you have been stitching patriotic pieces this time of year and I'm joining the crowd. I think that after Christmas ornament stitching, patriotic is my favorite theme. I only had time to add a couple of new things to my ever-growing collection of red, white, and blue stitching, but I'm really happy with how they both turned out.  First up, is this little scene from an old issue (Summer 2002) of Fine Lines magazine. I couldn't seem to get a good photo of the stitching itself, so you'll have to trust me on just how cute this one stitched up. The flag, grass, and fireworks are stitched over two on a 32 ct. mystery linen. The people and animals are stitched over one--so tiny and detailed! I didn't have any of the suggested colors so I simply substituted them with similar overdyeds. The ribbon/kite-like thing that the girl is waving was made by twisting some red, white, and blue DMC into cording and  simply tacking it down with some gold floss.

"Americana" by Dames of the Needle

The type of finish for this one is a first for me--a box finish! I was going to simply make one of my little pillows, but then I remembered a collection of small craft boxes that I'd purchased last year and wondered if one of them would be a good fit. As you can see, the largest size was perfect for a round finish! I painted the outside with three coats of navy blue (DecoArt American in Prussian Blue)--not sure if I should have primed it first, but I didn't.  And what about coating the paint with a finisher of some sort? Is that something I should do?

Americana Box finish

The inside of the box was also painted with three coats of Prussian Blue and a star-studded fabric cushion was applied to the bottom along with some red cording in DMC 221.

I'm not sure what (if anything) I'll store in it. Any ideas? Overall, I'm very pleased with this considering it was the first time I had done a box-finish!

 "Americana Box" design by Dames of the Needle

(Chart from Fine Lines Magazine: Summer 2002)

My other patriotic finish is from one of my favorite designers: Chessie & Me and is called "True Blue Chessie. This piece includes a satin and smyrna stitched border and is done on 32 ct. antique ivory Belfast with overdyed and DMC threads. The words are stitched "over one" while the rest of the piece is done over two. The stars on the grass were charted to be stitched into the hill, but I couldn't get them to show up well, so I just hand stitched two rows of stars on top of the green.

"True Blue Chessie"

For the finish, I chose some red, white, and blue fabric and ric rac and made a simple pillow for my bowl of patriotic finishes. The backing is the red and gold fabric shown on the left.

 "True Blue Chessie" pillow finish

I'm getting quite a nice collection of stitched patriotic pieces, don't you think? These were all stitched within the past few years and they're so cute I wish I could leave them out on display longer than a month. Do any of you keep your patriotic stitching out all year long? I had a friend years ago who had a bathroom all done in red, white, and blue Americana decor--a real conversation starter that's for sure!

True to the red, white, and blue!

My mail man was kept busy this past week with deliveries arriving from England, Portugal, and Connecticut. My package from England came from my dear friend, June. I had won her giveaway way, way back in April  and we both feared the package had been lost at sea or something! She mailed it on May 2nd and it took seven long weeks to arrive. Can you believe it? June was thrilled to hear it finally got here and, believe me, it was well worth the wait. Just look at all the blue and white goodies June sent--fabrics, ribbons, thread, pins, beads! Lovely... There was also some chocolate which had melted into a gooey mess, but did that stop me from eating it? Heavens, no!! I just popped it into the refrigerator until it solidified and then popped it right into my mouth--delicious! Thanks you so much, June--everything is so lovely!

 Thank you so much, June--such lovely goodies!

From my young friend in Portugal, sweet Nia, came a Random Act of Kindness in the form of this cute Lizzie Kate snowman chart and some pretty stitching themed fabric. What a nice surprise, Nia! I am so happy to have met you through blogging and thoroughly enjoy seeing your latest creations on your blog. Your gifts definitely put a smile on my face--thank you so very much!

Thank you so much, Nia--your RAK was wonderful!

And last, but not least, I received this darling LHN chart called "Heart of America" from my generous friend, Melanie. She offered the chart as a giveaway/traveling pattern type of thing and I will definitely be passing this along after I've stitched it. Knowing me, I'll just stitch a few of the little motifs as smalls rather than doing it as one large piece. So, keep an eye on my blog for a chance at winning this chart in the future... Thanks so much, Melanie--and I love the sentiment on the card you sent, also. It is, indeed, the small things in life that make it so sweet!

Thank you, Melanie--the chart is just lovely!

I just finished a thoroughly enjoyable book which I wanted to share with you. It's not a new book, in fact, many of you probably read it when it was published in 2009. As a librarian, you would think I would read all of the best-sellers when they first come out, right? No--I am such a slow reader that I tend to wait a few years after a book is published to actually read it, so I'm always a bit behind the times. This book truly was both bitter and sweet--a sweet love story between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl and a look at a bitter part of U.S. history that has so often been glossed over: the internment of over 100,000 Japanese-Americans during WWII. I learned so much about that time period in Seattle and the northwest U.S. and think this would make a delightful movie.

And look what else I came across, when I was working on book selection the other day at the library. I don't select fiction (I am in charge of psychology, Large Print non-fiction, weddings, etiquette, interior decorating, and crafts--yay!!), but this book popped up when I did a keyword search for "cross stitch." Do you think this will be on your summer reading list? It isn't being published until August 2013, but here is a bit about it on Amazon if you'd like to get an idea of what it's like. Frankly, I think that's something everyone should do: cross stitch before dying!!

It's hydrangea time here in the east and oh, they are so lovely this year. Just look at these fat, full blooms on the bush right outside my kitchen window... Stunning! And I love how a bush can sometimes have blue, pink, and purple hydrangea blooms on it at the same time.  

One of my favorite flowers

When I was photographing this hydrangea, I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye and froze. I was so scared to turn my head to see what it was because our neighbor had just told us he had seen a bobcat, yes a bobcat, in the woods behind his house. Now, that is a first around here--I won't be walking back into the woods alone as long as he may be lurking! But, I didn't need to worry;  as I turned my head, this sweet, brown bunny was all that I found. He was just looking for a little snack for dinner amidst our flowers. Our patio garden looks so pretty this year, although the deer have been nibbling on the small Japanese maple that we planted last year. And just last week I noticed two more deer mouths to feed--yes, little twin fawns were romping back by the pond with their mother!

"What's for supper tonight?"

Whew--I'd say that is about enough for this post. I'm so glad I managed to squeeze in this final post for the month of June! Thanks for stopping by to visit me and a special thank you to those of you who take the time to comment. I so appreciate hearing from you. I hope each of my U.S. friends has a fabulous 4th of July with your families and I want to wish my Canadian friends a most happy Canada Day! Let's hope for good weather for all of the picnics and fireworks that are planned!  Bye for now...