Feathers in the Nest's Giveaway

Pop on over to Jennifer's blog and check out the very patriotic pattern she's giving away tonight.  She's giving away, Blackbird Designs, America the Beautiful. 

3 chances to win...be her follower, post about someone you love who's served in our military and just comment on the post. 

http://feathersinthenest.blogspot.com/2011/05/blackbird-design-americana-giveaway-is.html

I'll be back shortly with some pictures of my stitching, so stay tuned!

Memorial Day

This weekend, we remember everyone who's served or is serving in our Military.  As a proud Mom of a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to every serviceman or servicewoman who answered the call to defend and protect us and our country by putting their lives on the line daily and for the sacrifices they've made to honor their commitment to the United States.  And for their families too.

These folks are the true heroes of our country.

I am proud to say that many men in my family have served.  I am honored by them and I thank them.

In June, Mike will deploy to Afghanistan.  He will be there for 5 months.  Although he tells me where he's going is safe, well, it's AFGHANISTAN.  And in my mind, nowhere in Afghanistan is safe.  As his Mom, I will worry and each day that he's there, I will put him and the men and women serving along side of him in God's hands for safety and protection. 

Please join me if you would, to pray for them and for all who are serving in the military.

Blogger is being a pain again and won't let me upload pictures from my hard drive.  So you will have to wait to see what's been cookin' on my needle.

Wishing all of you in the USA a wonderful holiday weekend. 

THANK A SOLDIER!

I'm Still Here - I'm Surprised!

Sorry for the lack of stitching posts and the lack of pictures.  I'm still coming to terms with my recent "life change" and it's been a bit rocky.  Yesterday, I got out for a bit and that seemed to cheer me up.  I bought some quilting fabric to back some ornaments and I had breakfast and lunch with a  couple of friends.  It was a good day over all. 

On Monday, I wanted to throw in the towel.  I spent over an hour reading on how to sign up for unemployment, only to find out at the very end when I submitted my claim that I was placed in the wrong category.  45 minutes later and listening to eleventy dozen recordings, I finally got a real live person who proceeded to tell me that my name was not removed from a particular database from years ago when the company I worked for put us all on Shared Work.  Because I was in their system, I was automatically placed there.  I was given another phone number to call and another 45 minutes later, listening to another gazzillion recordings, I got a real live person who corrected the error but told me that it would take 24 hours to take effect because the system had to re-gen.  Ok.  THAT started my first morning, when I was in a panic because I don't have a job and I am so stressed out, crying every few minutes. 

Adding insult to injury, all the plumbing under my sink came loose and I didn't know it.  When I started to wash dishes, I felt water splashing on my feet.  I thought, the dog is pee-ing on me!  No wait, she's not even in the kitchen, she's watching Livy. (Daisy guards our cat, Livy, like she's her prized possession).  Apparently, when our contractor hired out to complete the plumbing, he hired someone who didn't know what he was doing.  In the process of putting the plumbing together, this person stripped all the pipe connections and just used plumbing tape to hold the joints together.  5 years later, tape failure!  When I opened up the cupboard doors, I found an inch & 1/2 of dirty, stinky water in the bottom of the cabinet. Everything was wet.  You could have sailed a boat under there.  I just sat down on the floor and sobbed. 

6 hours and $500 dollars later, my plumbing was put back together and 3 shutoff valves in the basement were replaced.  The plumber did some preventative maintenance, we knew one of the valves was leaking but he replaced 2 more because they were in bad shape.  He also told us our water heater (that's 25 years old) is dying.  CHA-CHING!!!

I am finding that I run a whole range of emotions and they change constantly without warning. The weekend was just tears. Monday was raw emotion. Yesterday, I was pretty happy.  Today, I have feelings of doubt that I will find a job.  I face the task of writing a resume and searching for something that "fits".  I have a lot of support but I have to keep myself positive. Sometimes that's hard for me. I miss the routine of work. Even though my job was stressful and I worried constantly about retaining it, I find myself rattling around here, going from one thing to the next.  I can't concentrate for long periods of time and looking at the process of finding work seems like a tall mountain.  I know that it gets better with time.  I'll establish a routine and things will fall into place. 

Everyone I've talked to told me to take my time and not rush into anything. Regroup, detox.  Find myself because after working for so long, you lose "you".  I feel conflicted about it because I am so used to taking action. That was my job, when I had a job.  Fixing things.  Finding solutions.  Taking control. Taking corrective actions.  I feel like this is totally beyond my control. And for someone who has a desire to control, this is very difficult.  I keep praying for guidance.  For help to find my way through this "out of control" (in my mind's eye) time.

I have stitched a bit on Bee Man and the exchanges that are so late now.  Sorry kids, they will come.  It's just gonna take a bit of time.  I'm trying to stick to some sort of routine, walking, horses, cleaning, stitching.  My tangerine room is almost done.  I have to make curtains which I think will begin to happen on Friday.  I am sorting through things and putting stuff away. 

Anyway, I won't have pictures to post until next week.  The DH is visiting his family in PA and he's got the camera.  I'm hoping to have a picture heavy couple of posts for you soon.  I thank you for allowing me to pour out my heart to you.

It's good to have all of you.

Friday the 13th and I've got a Lot of Time on my Hands

Friday the 13th certainly lived up to its reputation.

I got downsized today, laid off, fired, use whatever euphenism that you choose.  I've joined the ranks of the unemployed. 

Perfect.

On a bright note, I have all the time to stitch, right?

Check out the Prim Giveaway at...

Jeanne at Hamilton House, http://greyhousesamplers.blogspot.com/, is having a great giveaway if you are into prims...beautiful treen ware, buttermolds and candles...

Hello!

Well, another week has gone by and I don't have a lot to show for it on the stitchy front.  I've been struggling a bit at work which make it hard to concentrate on stitching in the evening because I am so spent mentally when I get home.  All I want to do is be a cucumber.

I do have a finish to show you.  Alphabets is done!  Here it is in all her color corrected glory! 

Alphabets

Merrily Beams

AVAS 946

32ct Antique White Belfast Linen

She is a beauty!  I am saving my shekels to get her framed!

I also am getting impatient to finish up my craft room.  I have been bugging the DH to hang a curtain rod and put up my shelf for the last 3 weeks.  It will get done in his good time, I guess.  If I wasn't such a chicken and could take the heat from the DH, I'd finish it up myself.  But it's not worth the aggravation and the grief.  My hallway and balcony areas are still clogged up with my stuff.  I really want it put back in the room cause I WANT to use it!

Anyway...I'm leaving you with 2 pics of the real heads of our household,  Sweetie and Livy.

 Sweetie

Livy

Oh and before I leave, I want to wish all the Moms a blessed and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  Enjoy your family!  Hugs to everyone!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! 

My Lord and Savior is risen!  He lives!!!

Another Newsy Post

Another post without pictures.  It's raining.  AGAIN.  It's rained almost daily for 2 weeks now.  I am water logged and vitamin D deficient because there's no sun.  I posted on facebook this morning that I was going to Lowes and buy materials to build an ark because that's how much rain we've gotten.  And you know, it's not even a warm Spring rain.  It's a cold, bone-chilling, windy rain.  The kind that gets into you and no matter what you do, you just can't get warm.  For goodness sake, last night my friend and I went out for dinner and when we left Panera we could see our breath!  People it's APRIL 23rd!  Umm-mm...a little warmth, please??

On the stitching front, I finished Alphabets!!!! YAY me!  It came out wonderfully! I'm so happy to cross another Wip off the list.  That makes 4 for the year.  A record.  Now, I'm working on ISNFB and This Is the Day.  I originally was going to stitch This Is the Day for our main bathroom because I painted it Lemon yellow and I thought the colors would look nice in there.  Well, the yellow just about burned the retinas out of your eyes so I toned it down to a Butter yellow.  Now TITD is going in my Tangerine room.

Oh, I'm giving Alphabets away now that I've stitched it.  If you want the pattern, just say so in this post's comment section.  If I have more than one person interested, I'll draw a name. 

Oh, and I've discovered I like Adam and Eve Samplers.  I never did before but seeing everyone's A&E samplers made me look a little closer at them.  And you know what?  I kinda like the guy and gal and that sneaky snake.  I came across a couple of nice patterns in my SANQ magazines so I put them aside to maybe sneak in one after I get another WIP done.  There's a really nice one that Ruth Ann Russell charted that I found in an issue of SANQ.  That's short listed now.  And have you seen the latest sampler from Brenda at With My Needle and Thread?  Oh, Ann Sandles-1846 is just beautiful! 

I love the border and I especially love that Adam and Eve are clothed!!


Yesterday, I cleaned the carpets in my Tangerine room in anticipation of putting back the furniture today but the carpets are still a little damp.  So instead, I continued to rip out patterns from my magazine collection.  I reduced 10 years worth of Antique Needlework & Sampler down to a 1" binder.  And I've been ruthlessly tearing up my JCS too.  It's actually liberating to do this!  I am feeling like I can breath again.  I never really thought of how suffocating my stuff was until I decided that I needed to actually use that room instead of making it another place to store stuff.  I think I'm going to be able to ditch one of the pantry units I had in that room.  I've got plans to buy 2 bookselves and ditch a couple of drawer units too.  Then I hope to put an upolstered chair in there so I can actually be comfy to stitch in there when the DH decides to watch another hour of Fox News or the Military channel. 

So,  I guess until the sun comes from behind the clouds, you all are just going to have to be patient with me for pictures. 

I want to wish all of you a very Happy Easter and Passover too.  I hope tomorrow, the buns brings you a ton of chocolate and jelly beans.  Or a ham.  LOL.

Thanks for coming by, I really enjoy your company!

Random Thoughts on a Dreary Monday Afternoon

Random thoughts as I count down the minutes until I can go home....

I ate an entire bag of Dove chocolate eggs. Yes, the ENTIRE bag and now I feel ick. My bad. Tasted good while I shoveled them in my mouth. Now? Not so much. And I'm waiting for the eventual sugar crash. I have a doctor's appointment next week too. He'll just be thrilled when I get on the scale and am up 7 pounds from last year. I can't wait for the lecture and the threat of dire diseases because I can't resist chocolate-y goodness.  (Oh my, I just figured out the number of WW points in that bag of chocolate- 42!!!!  I'm screwed...lol!).

Wishing I was home stitching. I am almost done with Alphabets. Only one more bird, a cherry and the bottom border to stitch. If I put my mind to it, I could finish it up tonight but I need to stitch on something else so that will have to wait. Hey, it's only been a Wip for almost 3 years so what's a few more days or a week?

I Sigh Not for Beauty is making me sigh....actually, the sampler is making me curse. A really nasty frog has attached itself to this sampler and won't let go. I messed up those pomegrante flowers and had to rip out 2 of them and I misplaced one of the vines coming off the border. It's been a struggle, but I shall overcome! I love the sampler too so that helps.

I got Lucy Minton and Her Sampler back from Michaels. Her Sampler looks ok but I can't help but think of the crooked hacked off fabric stuffed behind the frame. Lucy Minton has "issues". Michaels left out the spacers. I got that fixed. And she's stretched a little wonky. The woman who stretched her pulled the linen to the right so the linen weave slants. It bothers me a little because if you come up close to the piece you can see it. Is it something I should have redone? Maybe. But I've learned a lesson, I will stretch my pieces from now on. Or maybe insist that Heidi (the framer that I like) frames my pieces exclusively.

Check out Woolwoman's blog for a pic of what she won for my "I'm Sick of Winter Giveaway"....the piece I made her came out sweet...

I painted my craft room tangerine. Yes, tangerine. It's the coolest shade of orange. My DH thinks I'm nuts. But I love that the room glows. You should have seen me moving all the goods out of the room. It was like a clown car. things just kept pouring out of it, filing up the hallway and the balcony. It was embarrassing and my DH was astonished at all MY STUFF. It's been sorta suffocating but I vowed, as God is my witness, that when I reassemble the room, I will be able to stitch there, paint there and not feel like it's crushing me.

I started to disassemble all my magazines, keeping only what appealed to me, mainly the sampler patterns. I felt like I was committing a crime ripping up Samplers and Antique Quarterly magazines, but people, I've been collecting them for at least 10 years and I think I can reduce that 10 year collection to a binder or 2. Please don't be hatin' me for defacing those magazines. Oh, and I threw out about 10 years worth of Martha Stewart Living too. And I have Country Sampler magazines, Country Home, Mary Englebriet, oh my...can I qualify as a hoarder? I am looking forward to getting the room back together, organized and calm. The sheer amount of stuff in there actually made me nervous. I am having the DH put up a shelf close to theceiling so that I can put my "toys"on. Looking forward to having them up off the tops of the cabinets and desk.

So, if the weather would cooperate, I may be able to snap a few pictures. I don't know when I will be able to though, it's cold and rainy here....there was SNOW in the air yesterday. I don't think Winter wants to unclutch us yet.

Oh, how I want warm weather....

And one last thing....a question about storage of linen and WIPs.
 
How do you store your excess fabric and WIPs?  I was storing my linen in a dresser but when we moved it we noticed that 2 of the 3 drawers were falling apart.  My DH isn't sure he can fix them so I may have to find an alternative method of storage.   What do you do?
 
And my WIPs are stored in hugh ziplock bags, with the fabric, pattern and fibers.  I have "ahem" many and they are stuffed in a few baskets.  I'd like to store them in one place neatly.  How do you store your Wips so they are accessible but "out of sight?
 
Anyway, enough rambling....thanks for coming by!

Pictures...as promised

Here are the pictures that I promised. I am annoyed at the color, it's so off.  Even trying to mess with the contrast and the brightness didn't help.  Today was the perfect day to take pictures too, the light was flat so I thought that the colors would be more true.  But the color is off.  Nuts.

First is Alphabets:

Alphabets

Merrily Beams

32ct Cream Belfast

946 AVAS

 I've got 2 more birds and then the personalization.  I hope that the personalization doesn't make me shove the sampler down into the depths of the WIP basket.  I'll have to get out the graph paper and figure this out.  And this sampler is not going to Michaels for framing. It deserves special handling. I'm going to take it to the the framer that my LNS recommends and  I hope that when they stretch it, the wrinkles will get stretched out.  I did iron this piece before I took it's picture but there's still a lot of wrinkles. Because it's stitched in red AVAS, it's certainly not colorfast so a warm bath is out of the question.

Next is a piece from With Thy Needle and Thread:

Needle and Pins Heart Pinkeep

With Thy Needle and Thread

DMC

35ct Flax linen

I bought an antique copper oil can to mount it on.  I'm hoping it comes out nice.

And there's In the Bee Man's Garden and I Sigh Not For Beauty:

 

The Goode Huswife

In the Bee Man's Garden

DMC

32ct Vintage Country Mocha



I Sigh Not For Beauty

C Street Samplings

DMC

36ct Dirty Linen

I'm not really far along on either of these samplers but I thought I 'd post them just to document their progress.  I'm enjoying I Sigh Not For Beauty.  I thought I'd hate that arcaded border but it's moving very fast and isn't tedious.  The Bee Man is a fun stitch.  It's my "go to" piece for the times I want to stitch something that's not going to require a lot of mindful stitching. 

And one other thing that I've noticed.  I'm stitching a lot with DMC again.  For the longest time, I'd stitch only with overdyes.  And of course, I LOVE silk but I'm finding myself reaching for those little baggies of DMC more and more. I'm liking how conveniently accessible they are (a quick trip to Michaels, ACMoore or JoAnn Fabrics and I love the colorfastness cause I'm not exactly the cleanest stitcher with 3 cats and a dog to deal with.  Things certainly go around full circle.  What about you? What's your "go to" fiber?

So tomorrow starts another week.  I always wonder what happened to the weekend.  They just go by so fast.  But the new week stretches out before us and I wish all of you a great one!  Take care and thanks for coming by my little corner of the world.  Have a great week, everyone!

Apologies all around

I'm sorry that I haven't posted more recently and I apologize to my give-away winners because I haven't mailed your goodies yet.  There was a bit of sadness here in the last 2 weeks and I've been working long hours.  I'm a bit behind, exhausted and wondering when we are going to turn the bend to happier, less stressed times.  It will be well.  Eventually.

I will be back with pictures shortly.  My stitching has been a life preserver (again!) and I've made progress on my Alphabet sampler and I've started The Goode Huswife's, In The Bee Man's Garden and I Sigh Not For Beauty by Fran Russell of C Street Samplings. 

In the Bee Man's Garden

The Goode Huswife

I Sigh Not For Beauty

C Street Samplings

I know, I know, I told myself NO NEW STARTS but I want a summer piece (the Bee Man) and I fell hard for I Sigh Not For Beauty.  There is a SAL for that sampler on Ellen Chester's, With My Needle and Pen group and it's not a lot of stitching during the month (even though I am a little behind) so I thought I'd be part of it.  I stitched my beloved John Foster with that group too.  It's manageable.

Oh! And as a treat to myself (and because I had an awesome 70% off coupon for framing at Michaels) I took Her Sampler and Lucy Minton to be framed.  I am a little apprehensive though, with this framing job this time around.  The lady who waited on me sorta scared me when she hacked off about 3 inches of excess linen on Her Sampler with a very dull scissors.  She asked if she could and I thought, "Well, yeah, go ahead, there's a lot of excess fabric to stuff under that frame" never thinking that she would cut the fabric so unevenly.  She saw the look of horror on my face and calmly stated that "no one would see it anyway".  Yikes!  I hope that she stretches the pieces straight...usually I do that honor just to be sure but I decided to let them do it before she took the scissors to the sampler.  Crossing my fingers..that the framing will be OK.

So stay tuned, I'll be adding pictures in my next post.  I am glad for all of you who stop by and HI to my new followers!

Just STOP!

We're in for another one....7-10". 

PLEASE....If you are praying for snow...

Please STOP!

Spring??? And the Winners

when I woke up this morning to 3 inches of snow, I thought NO!!!! Didn't Mother Nature get the message? It's SPRING!!!  Well...it's been said that if you want the weather to change in Upstate NY, just wait 5 minutes.

I was going to let Miss Daisy choose the winners of my "I'm Sick of Winter" Giveaway but I decided to let the random generator do the honors.  Here's the results!

Here is your sequence:

3  - Woolwoman!  The big winner!
20 - Blu Stitcher
14 - Ohiofarm Girl

So kids, email me at J24D29@stny.rr.com  with your address and I'll get your goodies out by the week's end. 
 
Thanks for playing everyone! I really wish I could give all of you a little "sumthin'...

Spring!!!

SPRING HAS ARRIVED!!!

Today's the day! It's glorious in Upstate NY, sunny and a little chilly but I'm not complaining.

Today's the day to announce the "I'm Sick of Winter" Giveaway too!  SO if you haven't put your name in the hat, go down to that post and put it in.  I'm drawing the winner(s) later today.

Enjoy your day and celebrate SPRING!

Some Finishes and Progress Pictures

Hi everyone!  Today is a snow day!  We woke up to 18+ inches of blowing and drifting white stuff this morning. Because the county has issued a state of emergency and they haven't plowed the roads and my driveway has at least 2 feet of snow (and it's a long driveway) effectively, I am home for the day!  Woo Hoo!  Guess what I'm doing ALL DAY today!  Yep.  Spending the day with my needle and thread. 

I wanted to post a few pictures of my latest Wip finishes and a progress picture. I apologize that the colors aren't true.  No matter what I did, I couldn't get the linen color right.  The pics are grey but not by choice...

 Below is Her Sampler from Carriagehouse Samplings.  I ADORE this sampler and I can't wait until I can frame it. 

I just love this center panel.  

Her Sampler

Barrick Samplers/Carriagehouse Samplings

32ct Vintage Mocha Linen

DMC

Next is With Thy Needle and Thread's, Miss Snow Fairy.  I want to make her into a pillow but I am nervous about finishing her. 

Miss Snow Fairy

With Thy Needle and Thread

28ct Mushroom Lugana

DMC

Last is my current Wip.  Honestly, I don't know why I put it away, I am loving stitching these alphabets.  It's Merrily Beams Alphabets.  This is the first piece for my red sampler wall.  I love redwork and alphabets so what could be better?  I have so many more red samplers waiting in the wings.  I want to stitch them all right now.



Alphabets

Merrily Beams

32ct cream linen

AVAS 946

Don't you just love those red birds with the cherries?

Today, I'll be stitching on my give-away piece.  I love what I am working on and I hope the lucky winner will too!  Don't forget to add a comment on this post to enter.  No strings, just fun!

Well, I should go out and help the DH shovel...but......
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

This Little Piggy Went to Ebay

And listed a ton of OOP patterns. Because I am a piggy.

I've listed OOP patterns from Carriagehouse Samplings (including Her Sampler), The Goode Huswife and The Prairie Schooler.

Go check 'em out.  My ebay seller id is JDML3.

I'm Loving the Crazy Challenge!

Hi everyone!  I hope you are having a good week so far.  We had an interesting weekend, the hot water heater refused to heat water so for 2 days, the DH and I went "pioneer", heating water on the stove and washing up using my hugh canning pot.  I really hated washing my hair this way cause I felt I didn't get all the shampoo out of it. It wasn't fun and I have to tell you that I will never take my instantaneous hot water for granted ever again.  We were bracing ourselves for a hugh bill but fortunately, the only thing wrong with the heater was a plugged nozzle.  That was the good news.
The bad news is that we owe MEGABUCKS on our taxes this year.  Oh my, I went into shock when the CPA's receptionist pulled out the bill...we've never had a tax bill this big before.  :(

Anyway, this is not why I am posting. 
First of all, I've got 102 followers!  Oh my!  That calls for a celebration!  So, I will be picking another name on March 20th for my Sick of Winter GiveAway.  And maybe, I'll pick another!  So, pass the word.

Nextly (thanks Jan, I love that word) I am loving the Flippin' Crazy Challenge.  So far, I've finished 2 WIPs and I am well on my way to finishing a 3rd.  I've finished Snow Fairy and Her Sampler.  Now, I am over 3/4 of the way done with Merrily Beams, Alphabets.  I stitched a good chunk of it over the weekend.  So thanks for the brilliant idea, Jayne! 

I just want to take a minute and thank everyone who comes by Joanie's World.  You will never know how much your visits make me smile.  I can always count on you to lift my spirits and share my ups and downs.  Thanks again!

The Snowman Giveaway

Kathy posted pics of the Snowman Giveaway...so I snagged them from her blog.

I sent her a ton of things...yeah, I got carried away with the snowmen....but I love them so I wanted to spread the joy...  :-)  Go check out her blog to see...I so enjoyed painting the snowman and stitching the little pillow.

So...gear up for the I'm Sick of Wintert Giveaway...it's gonna be good...

I Have a Few Pictures

but because I am brain-dead, I accidently deleted all the pics of the give-away that Kathy won.  Just suffice it to say that she was quite happy with the contents of my give-away and I hope she'll post a picture of what she received.  Damn.  I was hoping to whet your appetite for the "I AM SICK OF WINTER" give-away.  I'll post at tease for the Sick of Winter giveaway, I'm just starting to stitch something totally adorable!

Anyway, by some miracle, the blurry pics of Her Sampler survived the Great Picture Purge.  Here they are:

These pictures were taken 2 weeks ago and now, the sampler is almost done.  I only have the acorn on the lower right side to stitch and then, STRIKE UP THE BAND for a happy dance.  Can you hear the orchestra tuning up and the angels warming up their voices to sing the Halleluia Chorus?  And finishing this sampler will be #2 of my 2011 Wip Bust.  I finished Snow Fairy too.

Now it'll be on to another WIP, BOAF's Friendship Sampler and Merrily Beams, Alphabets.  Friendship Sampler has just the top border finished but I really screwed up the colors because I misread the color chart and I hate the coverage with the Charcoal WDW floss.  But I'm not frogging it out because at that point, I'd just have to start over.  I will frog out the Charcoal and sub in a GAST color that's very close to the Charcoal thread.  I think I can manage that but to rip out all that Tropical Blue border to replace it with Cornflower, NO THANK YOU! 

I have to tell you that I've been in a funk recently too.  I hate February,  It's the longest month of the year for me because by this time, I am very tired of the cold and snow.  We had a bit of a thaw here in Upstate NY this week. Spring-like temps and SUN!! I was very encouraged to see Daffodil shoots coming up in my garden.  That's encouraging.  Today, we are under a wind advisory, it's snowing and cold again!

In other news...
My kids are in Japan and I believe settling in nicely.  Mike will be very busy the next couple of weeks spinning up to speed on his job supporting Search and Rescue.  There are a number of training exercises comng up and then....he deploys to Afghanistan this Summer.  I know that's what he signed up to do but I can't help but be worried and scared for him.  I guess he's just not playing War but is in one.

I am also struggling with a few health issues (I am at that age, high cholesterol, high BP and pre-diabetes) and some other personal things and I am very thankful for my stitching because it calms my mind and I don't think about the things that bother me when I have a needle in my hand.  And, I am trying to be positive, focusing on my many, many blessings.  That alone lifts my spirits, as do all of you who come by my blog.  I am so grateful for the internet and the stitching community.  But if you would and are so inclined, keep me in prayer.

So, I am off to start my Saturday.  My coffee is finished, the load of laundry is done and needs to go into the dryer and the vacuum is calling my name.  Have a great weekend!  And thanks for stopping.  Come back soon!

I'M TIRED OF WINTER GIVEAWAY!!!!!

I AM SICK OF WINTER!!!!!

Ok, who's with me on this! Are you sick of Winter yet? I KNOW I am! So in order to drive away the WInter doldrums and to offset the intense desire for retail therapy, I've decided to hold another GIVE-AWAY!

This Give-away will be a celebration of Spring. So, if you are game and are sick of Winter, come join the fun.  Rest assured the give-away will be packed with goodies sure to drive Ol' Man Winter away!

All are welcome if you want to play along but once again, it would be nice if you were a follower but it's not required.  Please leave a message on this post ONLY stating how tired you are of Ol' Man Winter and I'll draw the lucky winner on the first day of Spring, March 20th.

Come play!