Six months down, six to go!

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

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

"Noel Stamp" ornament finish for June

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

Look how adorable that tiny chickadee is!

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

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

I'm going to be busy with framing!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catherine

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mister B feeding the baby goat at a local farm market

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

Happy Flag Day!

Gosh... has it really been three weeks since I last posted? Where does the time go? We experienced 21 days without rain here in the southwest portion of Pennsylvania--a streak that was finally broken on Sunday with some light showers. We need more rain badly and it looks like we'll be getting some off and on for the next few days. Our lawn is starting to turn brown already and it's only mid-June! Usually, that doesn't happen until late August. Add to that a few hazy, sunless days due to the wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada and it's been an odd month so far. Very cool too--in fact I've been wearing my winter bathrobe in the mornings it's so chilly! So, how have you all been? I'm feeling much better although my energy level is still not back to normal. I really appreciate all of your get-well wishes after my last post--thank you! That was one mean virus and it seems to be hitting a lot of folks. 

So, it's Flag Day here in the United States and I finished up the cutest patriotic piece just in time! This is called "Fourth of July Picnic" and is a design from Samplers Not Forgotten. I've had this chart for quite a few years and am so glad I finally made the time to stitch it.

"Fourth of July Picnic" finish

It is stitched on 40 ct. "Stormy Night" Newcastle using all of the suggested colors except for two: I substituted CC Bamboo for the charted Gentle Arts Picket Fence and used DMC 950 for the face and hands. I just love that sweet girl in her straw hat and the little brown puppy and saved them to stitch last. Do you do that, too--save your favorite motifs for last? I used Smyrna stitches for the stars on the flag, the dots on her dress, and her eyes--I simply like the rounded look it gives to those spots.

Such a sweet little pup!

And, I suppose I have to mention the one part of the chart I didn't enjoy stitching, don't I? Can you guess? Yep--it was the "July 4, 1776" all stitched 'over one' on 40 ct. linen. I was about to tear my hair out by the time I got to the "6!" But, I persevered and got it done... The white button "flowers" were shown on the finish on the chart and I think they add so much to the final look. 

Love the button "flowers!"

This piece is a bit too large for a pillow finish so I'll be framing it. I'm thinking a rustic black frame would look nice. Or perhaps a chippy red frame? I'll have to think about it for a bit... I've now moved on to a much larger patriotic piece which I'll be lucky to finish by summer's end!

Giveaway time... In keeping with the Flag Day theme, I found this lovely chart in an old Just Cross Stitch Magazine (July/August 2009) that I thought would be perfect for this month's giveaway. It is by Brooke's Books, is called "Spirit of America Angel," and is meant to be stitched on 14 ct. perforated paper. Would anyone like to stitch this beautiful angel? If you'd like to win the chart (the three pages are removed from the magazine and I will be folding them to fit in a legal sized envelope to save on mailing costs), please follow the guidelines below. I'll announce the winner in my next blog post--good luck to all!

I'm having a drawing for this patriotic angel chart. If you would like to enter, please follow the guidelines below:

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 if I don't already have it

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

Getting to Know You... For this week's question, I'm wondering what your three favorite foods are? I have absolutely no problem in answering this one: bread, chocolate, and nuts. I just can't refuse any of them. I absolutely adore a nice warm slice of freshly baked bread slathered with butter any time of day! And I can't resist chocolate-covered nuts of any kind. I've developed a real addiction to those tubs of chocolate-covered almonds that are sold at Trader Joe's--I really have to watch and limit myself to a few a day (well, I try to anyway!). How about you? What three foods top your list of favorites? 

I'm so excited that my little grandson will be arriving later today for a visit! Yes, he was just here two weeks ago, but his mom will be at a conference so my oldest son decided to drive up from Maryland with Mister B and spend Father's Day weekend with us. He is so, so busy and seems to be at the "giving up the nap" stage which is exhausting--for him and us! Last time he was here he had a grand, old time feeding the koi in our pond, building Lego sets with his grandpa and uncle, racing all of us to the birdhouse and back over and over again, "shopping" for food in my pantry with his little basket, and playing with the wonderful old Tonka trucks that had belonged to my boys when they were little. He truly enjoys his time at "Camp Nonna and Pompaw!" 

This was the first time in over 30 years those Tonka trucks were used. I've been storing them up in the attic for my hoped-for grandchildren for three decades and, at last, I have one! Mister B  absolutely loved playing with them under the shade of the pine trees while picking up sticks and pine cones. Some kids like dinosaurs or superheroes--he just adores trucks and cars!

It's going to be a busy weekend as my youngest son and his girlfriend arrive on Friday and my daughter-in-law flies in from her conference that evening so we'll have a full house. Thank goodness, my middle son and his girlfriend live locally so they aren't sleeping here. But, there is so much food to prepare and cooking is not my favorite thing! I've already made lasagna with ground beef, lasagna roll-ups (with spinach) for our two vegetarians, macaroni, ham, and cheese casserole, and pulled chicken barbecue! Phew! I hope to make a couple of desserts today or tomorrow and then let everyone else help with sides and clean-up duty. I know I'll be exhausted come Sunday night, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And my husband is thrilled that all three of our sons will be here for Father's Day. Do you have a busy Father's Day weekend planned? 

I'll leave you with this pretty photo from our yard...

Such a beautiful peony with the barest hint of burgundy in the center

Well, I'm off to the dentist now--time to get a new crown in an upper molar. Not my favorite thing in the world. I hope he can get the fit just right so I don't have future problems... Thank you so much for stopping by today! I love reading your comments and emails and truly appreciate you taking the time to say "hello." Wishing each of you a relaxing day filled with lots of stitching time. Bye for now...

Wishing all of my U.S. friends a happy Flag Day! This photo was taken from my front porch in 2021 and is one of my favorites.

Slowly getting back to normal

I think (notice, I said "think") this will be a short post for me as I'm still not feeling well after getting sick on Mother's Day 12 days ago! For months we've been working with my little grandson on sharing and, unfortunately, what he so generously "shared" with all of us that weekend, was his cold. And it was a bad one for some of us (raising my hand here!). Three days of a 101+° fever, ear pain, stomach issues, congestion, coughing, night sweats--ugh! I hadn't been sick since well before Covid started in early 2020 so I'd forgotten how yukky feeling sick really is. (Both my husband and I tested for Covid, too, but the tests came back negative). So... it was just one terrible cold/flu or something or other. I'm at the point now where I'm just coughing a bit and feeling very blah--absolutely no energy. I'd better find some soon, though, as my grandson is coming to visit next week for a few days! How are all of you doing? Spring allergies getting anyone down? I got lucky in that department and don't suffer from them, but everyone else in my family does.  

Stitching has been minimal, but I do have a couple of things to share with  you today. Thankfully, these were both finished before we went away for that (forgettable) Mother's Day weekend! My ornament for May is by Tralala and is called simply "Christmas Day." It had the prettiest border in the design, but I had to leave it off because I started the piece in the wrong place and I would have run out of room on the fabric. Luckily, it looks just fine without the border, don't you agree?

Tralala's "Christmas Day"

This is stitched "over one" on 25 ct. black Lugana with a mixture of overdyed and DMC threads. I did have to change some colors because of stitching on black. For the finish, I glued a mini pompom to Santa's cap and used some burgundy and white gingham fabric and tiny white rick rack to finish it into a pillow ornament. 

Don't you love the little bunny?

I then cut out a pair of holly leaves from sage green felt and added three button "berries" on the side for a little embellishment. Isn't it sweet? Here's a close-up for you:

A close-up of the holly I added

 

And, after at least 15 years, but possibly longer, comes this finish! I can't exactly say for sure when this was stitched, but I know it had to be between 2003 when I returned to stitching after a 10 year hiatus and 2009 when I began my blog. Who else stitched one of these sweet Valerie Pfeiffer bird designs? They were very popular in the early 2000s and they've retained their charm. This one is "Story Time" and features a trio of baby Golden-Crowned Kinglets (I believe!) perched on a branch. It is stitched on 28 ct. antique white Monaco and I'm sure I used the suggested colors because, way back then, I wouldn't have dared to vary from what was on the chart. How times have changed!

"Story Time" by Valerie Pfeiffer--finally framed after at least 15 years!

Anyway, I was looking through my boxes of thrifted frames when this one caught my eye. There are subtle shades of sage green in it and I thought that it just might work for the birds. It was a bit too narrow, but I actually like the effect. I wish you could see the colors in real life--the soft browns, yellows, and greens all play so nicely together and there is even a hint of pale purple! I have other Valerie Pfeiffer bird trios charts so expect to see more feathered fellows appearing in the future. 

Giveaway winner... I truly enjoyed reading your responses to my "Getting to Know You" question in my previous post about advice that your mothers had passed on to you. There were several folks who wanted the Sue Hillis chart "Home is Where Your Mom Is" and the name I pulled from the hat is...

Gabi in Germany!

Congratulations, Gabi--you are the winner!

Congratulations, Gabi! I will get this chart off to you sometime next week and I hope you'll keep the kindness going and pass it on to another stitcher after you are finished. And for those of you who didn't win... please check this space for future giveaways!

I'll leave you with some of the pretty flowers appearing in our yard this month. There is something so reassuring about spring flowers returning year after year, isn't there? In this uncertain world, they offer a sense of normalcy and continuity. 

May blooms in my garden (clockwise from top left): purple clematis, rhododendron, purple columbine and ferns, and Korean lilac

And this pretty scene is in front of the gate to our patio. My husband and I dug up several of these ferns to pass on to my son and daughter-in-law for their new home. The pink coral bells came from my mom and dad's garden many years ago and it will be nice to give them some of those, too, for their garden. I know they'll find a special spot for them! I have such fond memories of sitting on my parents' patio watching as wee hummingbirds darted to and fro gathering nectar from these delicate pink flowers...

Love the combination of ferns, blue salvia, and pink coral bells!

I hope everyone here in the U.S. has a relaxing Memorial Day weekend! We have no special plans although I'm sure my middle son and his girlfriend will come over for a cookout at some point. Hopefully, next time I post I'll be back to my old self. This illness sure took a lot out of me for some reason--I think it takes longer to recover when you are older. Do take care now and I thank you for stopping in today! Bye for now...

Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing Memorial Day!

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. ♥

A rollercoaster of a month...

Good day, all! It's a gloomy, chilly Friday here in southwestern Pennsylvania so I thought I'd finally sit down and write a new post. It's been over three weeks since I last checked in--have you missed me? I haven't been in much of a blogging mood--or even a stitching mood--lately. I just can't seem to settle and focus for some reason. Is it because it's spring? Who knows... Anyway, I hope you've all had a good month and are looking forward to May's arrival on Monday.

I did manage to stitch and finish one sweet Spring piece this month. I seem to be on a bird kick lately and am finding myself more and more drawn to charts that feature our feathered friends. This charming little design is by Homestitchness on Etsy. Unfortunately, Jenny's shop seems to be on a break right now, but you can sign up to be notified when it returns by clicking here.  "Springtime Greetings" is such a perfect design for the season, don't you think?  I mean what says spring more than the arrival of robins and daffodils? I stitched it on 40 ct. platinum Newcastle linen using all of the suggested threads (except for one of the colors in the urn which I changed from DMC 3776 to DMC 976).

"Spring Greetings" by Homestitchness on Etsy

 

I found a frame in my stash (99 cents from Goodwill!) that fit perfectly. This is such an easy finish... Simply cover a piece of sticky board with fabric for the background. Gather your stitched piece into a round shape (I just use a glass or a bowl to trace a round shape onto the backing board to get the desired size) using this tutorial. Then, glue the round ornament on to the fabric-covered piece of sticky board, add cording around the perimeter (I use Aleene's Tacky Glue applied lightly with a toothpick), and top with a pretty bow to hide where the ends of the cording meet. Doesn't it look darling on the bookshelf in my family room?

A bright pop of yellow on my bookshelf!

 

My ornament for April is from the Prairie Schooler booklet called "Old World Santas" (book no. 80).  I've stitched three of the Santas from that booklet so far and am finishing them all the same way. They're stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen with DMC threads. I did change a few of the colors and am using what I consider the classic Prairie Schooler Santa color, DMC 221, for the robe. The green I'm using for these is DMC 501. I left off the bottom border as I wanted an oval finish and added Smyrna stitched snowflakes in the background. Love the final effect. A lot of folks think that the fabric is printed that way--nope! It's all stitched... It takes a while, but is totally worth it in the end!

April 2023 ornament finish

And here are the three Santas I've finished so far... I think my favorite is the one on the right with the walking stick and the bird. How about you? 

Three down, five to go!

I do have a problem, though--I am almost out of the ribbon I've been using to finish these ornaments and I still have five left to stitch! Does anyone have this particular ribbon on hand? I don't need much--maybe a couple of feet. I believe it was sold at Michael's (here in the United States) last year or the year before. Please let me know if you have any to spare--I'd be happy to pay you for it! Here is a close-up:

Does anyone have to have any extra ribbon like this?

 

Pouch fever! I seem to be finding myself more and more drawn to making simple zipper pouches. This month I made two of them using the tutorial from Erica Arndt on YouTube which you can find right here. Now, I am not a confident sewer (or sewist, if you prefer--there is an interesting discussion in this Threads Magazine article on whether to call yourself a "sewer" or "sewist"), but I find this to be a very straightforward tutorial. I love the added zipper tabs--not only do they look cute with the contrasting fabric, but they finish off the top so nicely. The final size of these pouches is approximately 4" high by 9" long. Next, I'd like to try sewing a larger one with boxed corners to help it stand up easily. Wish me luck!

Making these little pouches is rather addicting!

I bet you can't guess who that yellow pouch is for, can you?! Oh, my oldest son absolutely loved Curious George when he was young and his own son does, too. I was so excited to find a little vintage scrap of Curious George fabric on Ebay and thought it would make a perfect pouch for my grandson to hide his little treasures in. The interior and the zipper tabs are made from a dotted brown cotton from my stash.

I hope "Mister B" likes his new treasure pouch.

And I knew this blue and white fabric would be perfect for a new pouch in which to keep my stitching necessities. The fabric was a gift from a fellow stitcher (many years ago) and I absolutely love the scissors and strawberries that are featured on it. For the interior and the zipper tabs, I used one of my husband's old dress shirts (I have plenty of them to cut up and use now that he's retired!).

Those old dress shirts of my husband's sure come in handy for the linings and backs of projects!

So what do I consider my necessities for my stitching pouch? Well, I am a real minimalist when it comes to my stitching. I don't use hoops or frames to hold my stitching and I don't use needleminders. So... this is it: needles, a pen (thanks Vickie!), scissors (thanks, April!), a seam ripper, and a corner measuring ruler (thanks, Robin!). How about you? Do you stitch with lots of extras or are you more of a minimalist like me?

I just love my new stitching pouch!

Giveaway winner... I was pleased to see so many entries for the "John 3:16 Sampler" that I offered in my last post. I think this is one of those pieces that will be much prettier stitched up than it appears in the photo, don't you? The winner's name pulled from the hat is...

JustPam

JustPam--you are the winner of this pretty chart!

Congratulations JustPam, please send me your mailing address (my email is in the right sidebar--just click on "A Bit About Me" and you will find it). I'll get this chart out to you next week--hope you enjoy stitching it! And for those of you who didn't win... keep an eye on this space for future giveaways! 

 

So, about the title of today's post... Yes, April has been a month of ups and downs. Nothing unbearably sad, thank goodness. Just the normal twists and turns of life. Let's start with the downs:

* My husband now has tennis elbow in his "good" arm (the one that didn't have the shoulder replacement surgery). He overused it and is suffering for it. Does anyone have any experience with helping "tennis elbow" heal faster? 

* My son and his girlfriend who were both here for Easter, came down with Covid two days later. They have no idea where they got it as they hadn't even been at any gatherings. They had gone to the grocery store and a thrift store, but that's it! Both are recovering, but it was a rough go for a while. Fortunately, neither my husband nor I came down with it. I am now the last member of my immediate family not to have contracted Covid. I'm sure I will at some point, but I hope not...

* I just came back from the dentist yesterday--need a new crown. Honestly, it's always something with my poor teeth. I try and try to take good care of them, but...

* I haven't seen my little grandson in over two months now. What can I say :( We didn't dare have him around my husband after his shoulder replacement surgery as he is so active. Boy, do we miss that little fellow!

* The weather... So many ups and downs, but it's been an awfully cold and gloomy second half of April. We've had frosts on several nights, but have managed to cover our plants and vegetables up so they are safe (for now!). 

On the flip side, there were some nice moments happening in April as well...

* I've been enjoying the most beautiful cut flowers from my husband's garden. He planted tulip and daffodil bulbs last fall and these are the stunning results.

Love the peachy/rosy color of the tulips!

Blue, yellow, and white--one of my favorite color trios!

* My oldest son, daughter-in-law, and grandson have bought a house! They were thrilled to find one in the Potomac, Maryland neighborhood (where they are currently renting) and will move in September. I'm having a lot of fun looking for decorating/remodeling ideas for them.

* We have a little visitor each morning peering into my husband's den window. Such a cutie--he's not doing any harm, just seems very interested in what may be going on inside! 

"Well, hello there, Mr. Robin!"

* We have high hopes that we'll see our grandson in mid-May for Mother's Day! Hopefully, my husband's shoulder and elbow will both be feeling better by then. Right now, "Mister B" is enjoying a long weekend in Naples, Florida with his mom and dad. Looks like he's really having a wonderful time capturing who-knows-what in that net!

Mister B in Naples, Florida. I wonder what he's caught in his little net!

So, April comes to an end... I love the month of May and the warmer weather that (usually) accompanies it. I want to welcome my new followers and thank my regulars for your sweet comments and emails. I can't always respond to each of you, but I hope you know how much I appreciate you taking the time to say "hello!" Enjoy your weekend everyone and I'll see you again in the merry, merry month of May! Bye for now...