I am returning from MIA and ACTION is the key word. Since my last post we have graduated my son from high school, moved him to an apartment for college, and he is about half way finished with his first semester. Next up we sold our home and moved to the lake with my mom while finishing remodeling the place to make it comfortable. My Mother in Law has also moved in with us making in the middle of all of the chaos. Thursday completed my 25 years of service from the hospital I have worked at I am officially retired today. I am unemployed for the first time since I was 16. The drive from the lake was brutal for the last few months,71 miles each way. It really takes a toil on the mind and body. I have a new respect for people who commute. I plan to take off until the first of the year and start looking for a new job in January. My computer email is not updating the photos I sent from my phone. I can see them on the phone email but not the computer. Taking suggestions on how to fix this issue... So although I have finished a few projects I cannot post any photos. I'll post another update when I can get the photos working.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Spring is finally here!
First up is a finish from the LHN 2012 Market release. A Stitcher's Heart. I was able to get this done last month but an just now posting a pic. Thinking about turning it into a set for retreats. You finish this as a pillow so it would be like a pin pillow for my retreat stitching station. There was another piece in the release called Gentle Stitches. This was from Shakespeare' s Peddler. I am thinking about turning it into the mat for my station with some quilted stitches and trims. I added the button from my old button jar. They come from my great aunt's buttons and my step-dad's mom. She was always known as Miss Evelyn to me. A very sweet lady who raised a good son.I miss them both.
We have finally made it to Spring. It has been a cold winter for the South. We are normally just a few cold days in January and then very mild temperatures. I am sure the rest of the country is much colder and had many more harsh days but it was cold here for me and I am not usually bothered by it. The Japanese cherry blossom trees and the Bradford pears are blooming like crazy all around. The daffodils and forsythia are going strong as well. All of this creates a wash of pale yellow on everything. We call it the yellow river after rain from all the pollen. I knew it was starting
Monday when I pulled out of the garage and my car was covered in the pale yellow haze. My eyes will be gummy soon and sinuses fight the annual battle against infection caused by the full explosion of Spring.
We have been busy getting our house ready to sell. As soon as my son graduates in May we hope to move to the lake full time. Below is my stitching nest last weekend. It makes for quite a nice view to work with needle and thread. It was a bit overcast but still warm enough to sit outside and sew the day away. We put together new deck sets that are a bit higher so the rail in not in your line of vision first so there was a bit of work in the day.
Happy Spring and thanks for stopping by,
Pam
We have finally made it to Spring. It has been a cold winter for the South. We are normally just a few cold days in January and then very mild temperatures. I am sure the rest of the country is much colder and had many more harsh days but it was cold here for me and I am not usually bothered by it. The Japanese cherry blossom trees and the Bradford pears are blooming like crazy all around. The daffodils and forsythia are going strong as well. All of this creates a wash of pale yellow on everything. We call it the yellow river after rain from all the pollen. I knew it was starting
Monday when I pulled out of the garage and my car was covered in the pale yellow haze. My eyes will be gummy soon and sinuses fight the annual battle against infection caused by the full explosion of Spring.
We have been busy getting our house ready to sell. As soon as my son graduates in May we hope to move to the lake full time. Below is my stitching nest last weekend. It makes for quite a nice view to work with needle and thread. It was a bit overcast but still warm enough to sit outside and sew the day away. We put together new deck sets that are a bit higher so the rail in not in your line of vision first so there was a bit of work in the day.
Pam
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Eye on the Sparrow
This is a piece I got back from the framer the day before my husband lost his job. Just a little heads up from someone up above I would say. It had been stitched for months and away a the framers for a while. It was a fresh surprise when I got it from the framer. It is under glass so it had a bit of glare in on my camera unless I placed it at an angle. Things are still going amazingly well with my husbands new business. Matthew 7:25-34 is always one of my favorite passages.My husband would rock our son and sing Eye on the Sparrow when he was a baby at night.
This is my fourth quilt attempt. I practiced free motion quilting on it. The pattern in the fabric was very forgiving to my learning and so I just relaxed and enjoyed it. I am sure in a few years I will not be happy with the work but the little girl it is for will have enjoyed it still and I will have learned something new.
We went to Jamaica last week for a vacation and had a wonderful time until the after vacation in the airport in Charlotte. We were snowed/iced in for 3 days. But once again we were blessed! We got one of the last rooms in the city that night. It was not one but two bedroom suite. God gives more than we ask for! We had a friend call looking for a hotel and had been told there were no rooms by 18 different hotels. My husband called from his phone and the second one said they had the suite. We booked it and then were told no taxi's were running. We went outside the airport to find a skinny string of taxi's running ( of 800 in the city only 50 were still active per the cab driver) We got in line and I stood in line praying for them to keep coming as they were being taken faster than they were coming. We were in the middle of the line when a driver stopped right in front of me. They took the person from the front of the line and then the driver spoke and said I want to take another fare at the same time and asked where we were going. It was the hotel next door. I laughed as I got in the car. You see, anyone could tell by her accent she was from Russia. I was quite nervous about driving in the ice, sleet and snow with someone unskilled so God sent a driver who could drive in the frozen mess better than most! She became our taxi driver back and forth to the airport and hotel for the 3 days. The second day we took this poor young girl, barely out of her teens, who had been trapped there for 2 days before us. She was from our town and had a break down in front of us in line when they said again all flights were cancelled. She had not had a change of clothes or bathed in 4 days and had been sleeping in the airport for days with strangers all around. She got to the hotel, took the spare room, bathed and slept to wake up and eat and then go back to sleep. We were able to get clothes washed and everything at the hotel. The next day we were all able to fly out after lunch when the temperatures went above freezing. It was so fun to realize all the little ways we were blessed to bless someone else in the middle of a difficult situation.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Upside Down
I've been quilting! This is the third finished quilt top. It is not big enough to be a twin but larger than most throws. I used up the scraps from another project. I just loved the colors and when I pulled out my fabric to start something else I decided I still wanted to play with these fabrics. This is what I ended up making.The best part is the only money spent was for the backing fabric.
This is the second quilt I have been working on, I have tried two new techniques on it. I bought some templates a while back and used them for the circles on the green blocks. There was just too much green when the top was pieced so I added the circles for a little whimsy. The fabric is very fun and the circles and squares worked well together. I tried by hand a free motion quilting on this one too. The fabric has lots of fun scrolls so I was able to try scrolls on the quilt top. It is not as nice as I would have liked but not too bad for a first attempt. I am down to the binding at this point and if I make it home from the current snow/ice storm I'll work on finishing that tonight and quilt number four will be complete.
One last update on the goodness of God. Just to remind us all things are not always as they appear. My husband was fired from his job on Thanksgiving eve on his way out the door. He had never been fired and was very upset but I was at perfect peace and assured him God had always provided a better situation when he changed jobs and this would be no different. There was no real reason. He had been in the job about 9 months and done everything that was expected of him but the owner just struggled with him. Before the weekend was up he had 4 job offers. (over the Thanksgiving Holiday) We decided to partner with one of the offers and moved forward with his new venture. Within the first week unexpected money started flowing into our savings account. I say unexplained but his job change did not take God buy surprise. Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Will Provide, had a the deposits all mapped out. We have had money is savings to carry us through 3 months of bills to see if this job route was right for us. More than we have had in 18 years of marriage. Just so you understand how much God provided in this gloom and doom economy, when we started we were on dead empty. Over the years we have tried to save but there always seemed to me an emergency that kept us a ground zero for savings. We would take care of some thing that broke for ourselves or others or take a vacation when we probably should have stayed home. We really stink at storing up for that rainy day. Well God has blessed and each month as the bills have been paid more money has come in for the self employment venture. So a reminder to myself and anyone thinking things are upside down in their life to hold on to some of those worn out verses for guidance.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to ME, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I had a friend who used to say our God is and upside down God. The principles of His word are upside down to the worlds way of thinking. When you find yourself upside down in life know He is up to something.....
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
This is the second quilt I have been working on, I have tried two new techniques on it. I bought some templates a while back and used them for the circles on the green blocks. There was just too much green when the top was pieced so I added the circles for a little whimsy. The fabric is very fun and the circles and squares worked well together. I tried by hand a free motion quilting on this one too. The fabric has lots of fun scrolls so I was able to try scrolls on the quilt top. It is not as nice as I would have liked but not too bad for a first attempt. I am down to the binding at this point and if I make it home from the current snow/ice storm I'll work on finishing that tonight and quilt number four will be complete.
One last update on the goodness of God. Just to remind us all things are not always as they appear. My husband was fired from his job on Thanksgiving eve on his way out the door. He had never been fired and was very upset but I was at perfect peace and assured him God had always provided a better situation when he changed jobs and this would be no different. There was no real reason. He had been in the job about 9 months and done everything that was expected of him but the owner just struggled with him. Before the weekend was up he had 4 job offers. (over the Thanksgiving Holiday) We decided to partner with one of the offers and moved forward with his new venture. Within the first week unexpected money started flowing into our savings account. I say unexplained but his job change did not take God buy surprise. Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Will Provide, had a the deposits all mapped out. We have had money is savings to carry us through 3 months of bills to see if this job route was right for us. More than we have had in 18 years of marriage. Just so you understand how much God provided in this gloom and doom economy, when we started we were on dead empty. Over the years we have tried to save but there always seemed to me an emergency that kept us a ground zero for savings. We would take care of some thing that broke for ourselves or others or take a vacation when we probably should have stayed home. We really stink at storing up for that rainy day. Well God has blessed and each month as the bills have been paid more money has come in for the self employment venture. So a reminder to myself and anyone thinking things are upside down in their life to hold on to some of those worn out verses for guidance.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to ME, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I had a friend who used to say our God is and upside down God. The principles of His word are upside down to the worlds way of thinking. When you find yourself upside down in life know He is up to something.....
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Monday, November 25, 2013
all I got
I know it is a small finish but it is still a finish! I was able to finish up this 2012 SB fob last week. I picked the kit up when I went to the shop a in 2012. The ribbon is a bit of a battle bit it is on there.
I managed to loose the bead back that came with so I substituted a button from my tiny stash. I was just lucky that I had one that matched the style of the piece.
And just how cute are these boys? They are so handsome standing looking out on the lake. Both of them have had a surgery this year to remove mysterious growths. The small one had a fatty tissue under his front arm and the larger one had a tumor removed from his front leg. They are 2 years apart and the bigger one is actually the baby of the pair.
What to stitch next? Suggestions?
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving state side. We are going to have the traditional beef brisket. I have never cooked one so we shall see. My peeps don't love turkey so we are always trying something a bit different for the holidays.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Small Ta-Da
I know it isn't a big finish but they all count! Right? This past weekend was so lovely at the lake I was able to get this small finish complete. I only modified it a tiny bit to calm it down a bit. It was just such a fun stitch to me with the patterns. Who knew I could be so amazed by blocks of color. I am not sure if I am going to finish it into a needle book as I originally thought or do a framed piece for my son. You know teenage boys are not really into moms needlework but I think he would like this piece.
Look at these lovely thread I ordered from Nancy. The ladies at the Pals retreat we sat next to really seemed to love them. I ask her to send me 10 and I love all of the colors she pulled for me. Can't wait to work them into a chart or two. I have a small SB fob I am trying to finish this week and then maybe I can pull a chart that will work with these yummy colors.
The wind was so strong today driving home I about blew off the road. It is going to drop into the 20's tonight. This weekend it was in the 70's. Gotta love the weather in the South.
Saying prayers for the people and now rescue workers in the Philippines. How difficult their lives are after the storm that blew through. The pictures are almost too much to believe.It brought back memories of when my husband and I were stuck in hurricane Wilma a few years back in Cancun. It was like a military zone with all the destruction and the marshal law.We were able to return to normal after a few days trying to figure out how to get home. I held it together until we got on the plane and took off. I started crying when we were in the air. I remember my husband asking why I was crying when we were on our way home. I told him I could not break down while we were in the middle of it all, only when we were on safe on our way home. How difficult to face that as life for the next few years... Pray for them to have strength that only God can provide in that type of crisis.
thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Monday, November 4, 2013
Fabulous Fall
This photo does not do the amazing fall colors now showing off on my back deck justice. I am sure I will blink and they will be in dire need of raking, but for now they are just lovely. I looked and there was yellow, red and orange all showing. Couple that with the crisp air and oh so pleasant temperature and you have a very nice fall season. There was just a slight amount of wind today when I walked for lunch. Such a welcome change from the thick, hot, humid air of late August and September which respiratory distress syndrome when you exit the air conditioned comfort of home. Just walking outside leaves you with a total body sweat wave.
This is my progress on Soil and Sand. I am working it in Sampler Thread Midnight rather than black. It is really a fun stitch. I am loving the positive and negative space effect from the pattern. Beth Ann really came up with a nice idea in this piece. I can so see stitching it in a nice red or tropical ocean colors. My son has been really into drawing lately so I may make it into a gift for him.I think he would appreciate the patterns in the piece.
While at the Pals Retreat I sat next to Anne from Iowa. She has just started her blog so hop on over and give her a nice welcome into blogland. She promises to be an interesting read and really does some lovely stitching.Click on link for Anne's blog .
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
This is my progress on Soil and Sand. I am working it in Sampler Thread Midnight rather than black. It is really a fun stitch. I am loving the positive and negative space effect from the pattern. Beth Ann really came up with a nice idea in this piece. I can so see stitching it in a nice red or tropical ocean colors. My son has been really into drawing lately so I may make it into a gift for him.I think he would appreciate the patterns in the piece.
While at the Pals Retreat I sat next to Anne from Iowa. She has just started her blog so hop on over and give her a nice welcome into blogland. She promises to be an interesting read and really does some lovely stitching.Click on link for Anne's blog .
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Bad to Good
Every seem to be having one of those days? You know the one where you should have stayed in the safety of your home, possibly the safety of your bed and had a gown day. I had one of those days Monday. It was not pretty. I spend most of my day in my office with the door shut and fighting back tears. Then I came home and found the most wonderful stitching pick me up. It as from April who loves fall and Halloween. I had been planning to stitch her a little something Halloween but due to the departure of stitching mojo in May I had not gotten my act together enough to do so.After feeling even more guilty for not getting it done, I opened my prize of squirrel pin cushion, floss tags and pumpkin card. Stitchers make the sweetest friends. Really.
And now back to our regularly scheduled blog post.... STASH! There were several vendors at the retreat. I got 3 charts from Hands on Design. Cathy was fun to meet and had some get models to enjoy.
Beth Anne with Summer House stitche workes was so very nice and I enjoyed her historic/primitive pieces.
The ladies from Praiseworthy Stiches were also there. 3 more charts to collect! I will not insult any of you fine readers by implying they will ever be stitched by me.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Friday, October 25, 2013
Pampered with Progress
My trip to Myrtle Beach for the pals retreat began with pampering.I drove 2 hours east to Atlanta to pick up Teresa. After driving another 2 hours and stopping to eat at Cracker Barrel we stopped for the night. On my bed I found to belated birthday gifts with my favorite fall them. Squirrels and acorns. How cute are these little goodies. A mug rug and cup wrap, pin cushion and pattern or recipe holder, dish towel and clings for the window. My vacation had began with spoiling.The next morning we got up and after breakfast headed out. We only found one shop to pit stop at along the way and it didn't have needlework. It was an Antique/junk store.It was at least very interesting.
This place was huge and had it all.There were 2 parrots squawking when you pull into the parking lot that alert the shop owner of fresh targets arriving. I don't think I have seen such a wide variety of stuff in a shop in a very long time. From a disco ball to a bear skin rug, every decade of glassware and dishes to collect. There was a stack of golf balls 3 layers high in egg trays and furniture from really bad thrift to great pieces. It was a fun little stop to stretch the legs the on the 4 hour frive from Augusta to Myrtle Beach.
More pampering awaited as we got to the retreat Teresa made this cute beach themed table set complete with mermaid needle minder and By the Bay stitch and inch scissor fob. How nice is that? Drink holder for hot or cold beverage and snack plate to offer chocolates for visitors who stop by our stitching nest. Notice none of the chocolates made it to the picture:)
This is my one lone finish from the weekend and it was already started. How sad is that? It is a freebie from the City Stitcher from 1997. I stitched it for an exchange a while back. Hope you are still liking it Catherine... and had to have it too.
Good progress was made on the Fred's I added some color and a bit of the filling in has begun. The boarder may break me but hopefully I can fill in as I add color.
This is a silk gauze piece I finally started. Gail introduced me to silk gauze a couple of years ago at the New England Stitchers Retreat and I have collected a few charts but failed to start them. I am really enjoying it and glad I finally built up my courage to start on them.I fear this post is so long I may have lost some of you. Next post promises to be filled with .....stash! You didn't think I would be that good as to not buy on this retreat!
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Pumpkins, Sand-pails and Blog Meetings
What is in the pumpkin? Inside was hidden the exchange from me to an unknown stitcher. This was a dirty santa style exchange at the pals retreat last week but so much more than a basic dirty santa. It went on for hours -really- I could hardly hold my head up at the end of the night to open the piece I finally ended up with after 7 or 8 trips around the exchange table. Everyone turned a bag in with a hidden package inside. This was placed on a table by a couple of judges and non participants. You were given a raffle ticket and the drawing for picking order was started. No opening of exchanges until everyone had a package. Mystery packages could be taken as many times by anyone with as their turn came up.
This is what was hidden inside. I found a pumpkin with a hole in the bottom and stuffed it with the goodies above. Fat quarters, fall pearl cottons, scissors, fall colored linen and some candy.
And this is the fun sand bucket I got in the exchange. Ocean colors of threads, candles with a beach theme, scissors, sandcastle fabric and a cute crochet octopus. a sparkle cup and some candle from Iowa where the sand bucket originated. The strangest thing was that of the 100'ish exchange packages. Lorna and I got each others exchange. How funny is that?
It was such fun to meet fellow bloggers. Above is Teresa and Faye. And we also meet Karen
It was such a blast to stitch with these southern belles. We laughed so hard I was worried the tears would run down my legs.... They are a fun as they seem in their blogs and it was just a blast. There was also a fun group of stitchers who were said to be in the stitcher protection program. They were from the same group but had to travel under guise of different events so know one knew they were there. I can't tell you what a fun group they were. Hopefully they will not get in too much trouble if I share their pic.
This is what was hidden inside. I found a pumpkin with a hole in the bottom and stuffed it with the goodies above. Fat quarters, fall pearl cottons, scissors, fall colored linen and some candy.
And this is the fun sand bucket I got in the exchange. Ocean colors of threads, candles with a beach theme, scissors, sandcastle fabric and a cute crochet octopus. a sparkle cup and some candle from Iowa where the sand bucket originated. The strangest thing was that of the 100'ish exchange packages. Lorna and I got each others exchange. How funny is that?
It was such fun to meet fellow bloggers. Above is Teresa and Faye. And we also meet Karen
It was such a blast to stitch with these southern belles. We laughed so hard I was worried the tears would run down my legs.... They are a fun as they seem in their blogs and it was just a blast. There was also a fun group of stitchers who were said to be in the stitcher protection program. They were from the same group but had to travel under guise of different events so know one knew they were there. I can't tell you what a fun group they were. Hopefully they will not get in too much trouble if I share their pic.
Sadly I did not get a pic of all the other fun ladies meet at the retreat. Anne was kind enough to sit beside me and enjoy all of my off the wall thoughts through the weekend. She was new to the group as well and misbehaved in the newbie corner. Evidence of Anne is the jacket on stitching supplies on the chair next to mine. I think Teresa actually got a pic of her for her blog so hop over and meet Anne who is working on a blog. Fun title is already created I believe....
I did manage to finish one small piece and start some silk gauze which I will show picture of in my next post. Along with the many ways I was spoiled by my sweet roommate for the week.
Thanks for stopping by
Thursday, October 10, 2013
I'm still here
Isn't this a lovely sunset? This is the view we had from our condo this past week. We rode our bikes down to Panama City Beach for Thunder on the Beach last week. It was a great week. Tropical Storm Karen threatened us the whole time but we managed to side step her and have a great few days riding the coast with 3 other couples.
This is the view where we rode Thursday to The Blue Parrot. I just love to ride over and eat crab claws for lunch there. It is only about 60 miles from PCB but it manages to take us almost and entire day with the stops along the way at Mexico Beach, Apalachicola and Indian Pass Raw Bar slap in the middle of no where. It is marketed as the Forgotten Coast of Florida and remains peaceful and slow paced like a vacation should be.I wish I could say their was stitching in my free time but no such luck. I think my stitching bug is taking a vacation. Life is just taking up all the focus I have for stitching these days. I have started 3 pieces trying to get it back and still it is evading me. Never fear, I have a stitching retreat in view and I am sure it will return when the distractions of life are moved out of my field of vision. This is a really bright move on my part. I don't follow the pals boards or communicate with them but plan to attend the retreat next week at Myrtle Beach.It was priced right and there are always good times when groups of stitchers gather. Hopefully there will be some fellow bloggers there and Teresa and I will not be total strangers. Of course holding up in a condo stitching for a days will make me just as pleased as punch.I am certain I'll bring no less than 20 kits to work on while I am there. Very realistic for someone who hasn't had time to stitch in months don't you think?
Thanks for stopping by and spending time in my land without stitches,
Pam
This is the view where we rode Thursday to The Blue Parrot. I just love to ride over and eat crab claws for lunch there. It is only about 60 miles from PCB but it manages to take us almost and entire day with the stops along the way at Mexico Beach, Apalachicola and Indian Pass Raw Bar slap in the middle of no where. It is marketed as the Forgotten Coast of Florida and remains peaceful and slow paced like a vacation should be.I wish I could say their was stitching in my free time but no such luck. I think my stitching bug is taking a vacation. Life is just taking up all the focus I have for stitching these days. I have started 3 pieces trying to get it back and still it is evading me. Never fear, I have a stitching retreat in view and I am sure it will return when the distractions of life are moved out of my field of vision. This is a really bright move on my part. I don't follow the pals boards or communicate with them but plan to attend the retreat next week at Myrtle Beach.It was priced right and there are always good times when groups of stitchers gather. Hopefully there will be some fellow bloggers there and Teresa and I will not be total strangers. Of course holding up in a condo stitching for a days will make me just as pleased as punch.I am certain I'll bring no less than 20 kits to work on while I am there. Very realistic for someone who hasn't had time to stitch in months don't you think?
Thanks for stopping by and spending time in my land without stitches,
Pam
Sunday, July 21, 2013
It is hard to stitch when...
you can't see. I have been struggling with an eye infection for over a month. My right eye has got a virus and the cornea was very slow healing. It is finally better and I have been able to work on the With Thy Needle and Thread Birds of a Feather piece some. I changed the linen to a 32CT Vintage smokey pearl. It really brightens up the piece a bit. I recall when the chart came out originally several people struggling with the chart. I am now aware that it because you simply can see the symbols. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING when she picked those dark colors on those symbols??? Okay I've said it and now I will move on. It is going to be a lovely piece now that I can see to work on it again.
I also began Dorthy Walpole in the middle of the eye infection. Progress is not so forth coming on the 35ct fabric. At lease she is started... all 20 stitches I have in her. Maybe I will trade out the BOF piece when I get the first chart finished on it and pick up Dorthy again.
This morning my son left for running camp in North Carolina with his team mates. Tomorrow he turns 17 and for some reason I cried all the way home. I have missed his last 3 birthday with school or church events. All good causes but somehow I feel robbed of his time. I am sure the next year will have many struggles as he is in the senior year and then come college.
We have enjoyed some wonderful times on the water this summer so far. Something about looking out one the lake that just relaxes and lifts your spirit. I'm not sure if you can see the skinny waterfall we went swimming under last weekend. It is a little cave section you can swim under and the views around you are amazing. The water was very cold as well where it was running into the lake.
This was a sunset off the dock a couple of weeks ago. It had been a rainy day and the sun came out at the end of the day and gave us an amazing sunset.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
I also began Dorthy Walpole in the middle of the eye infection. Progress is not so forth coming on the 35ct fabric. At lease she is started... all 20 stitches I have in her. Maybe I will trade out the BOF piece when I get the first chart finished on it and pick up Dorthy again.
This morning my son left for running camp in North Carolina with his team mates. Tomorrow he turns 17 and for some reason I cried all the way home. I have missed his last 3 birthday with school or church events. All good causes but somehow I feel robbed of his time. I am sure the next year will have many struggles as he is in the senior year and then come college.
We have enjoyed some wonderful times on the water this summer so far. Something about looking out one the lake that just relaxes and lifts your spirit. I'm not sure if you can see the skinny waterfall we went swimming under last weekend. It is a little cave section you can swim under and the views around you are amazing. The water was very cold as well where it was running into the lake.
This was a sunset off the dock a couple of weeks ago. It had been a rainy day and the sun came out at the end of the day and gave us an amazing sunset.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Friday, May 31, 2013
Funky Finish
This is my funky finish! It has been finished a while (since the retreat) but I found a minute to iron it this morning so I thought I would post it. I believe it will fit in a 8X10 frame after measuring it this morning so it may get framed a bit faster than most. My plan is for my bedroom at the lake. The wall are painted a bright golden yellow and calling for more fun colors. I keep saying this is the last weekend to work but I really mean it this time. We need to pull the upstairs bathroom together and then I am plan to take a break up there, enjoy the water and relax, until fall when the grueling labor begins again.
Also completed is the small daffodil wall pocket. Hopefully I can finish it completely in the next couple of weeks and give that ever so tardy Mother's day gift. Dorthy Walpole has been started but I must get a few more stitches in before posting her. The 40 ct feels fantastic to stitch on but is a real challenge for these old eyes.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend. I plan to spend mine in relaxing a bit on the water after putting the hardware up in the bathroom and settling a bit more of the valued treasures of life(junktiques) at the lake. This is the really bad picture I took last weekend from the new deck we had pt in. There was a nice grass patch by the water and then a mud pile between it and the house so we have a nice deck put in for visitors to hang out on. Better pictures to follow. My DH just got me a tablet to use at the lake house and I will see if I can do better about photos between his new phone and it. Yes the water is really that wonderfully blue and clear. The heat landed this week and cooling off in the water will be in order. We had such a nice cool May I am sad to see it go. June is promising to be muggy and hot if today is a for telling.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Ta-no Da
This is my gift to my mom for Mother's Day. As you can see it isn't finished, hence Ta -no Da. I am down to the back stitching on this one and I think it will be lovely. I got some lovely beads at the needlework hideaway retreat to finish it as a wall pocket for her glasses. It was in the JCS a couple of months back and she saw it and fell in love with the daffodils.She has always planted them in her yard and loves all varieties of them. There were some unusual ones blooming at the post office where she takes her mail now and she kept saying she was going to thin them a bit for the post office. That translates dig them up and replant them at her place! She is becoming more of a mess as she ages. I guess we all do.
I don't believe I ever posted the stash from the last retreat. Fabrics that called my name. I actually managed to buy a piece of 40 count I needed to start Dorthy Walpole. I thought I had a large enough piece but they we always a bit small when I pulled them out. I have the thread already to go so now I can begin the lovely lady.
One of the ladies at the retreat was working on the Blue Ribbon Design piece called Blue Jeans and Daisies. It didn't do much for me until I saw her progress! Then it was a must stitch! I fell in love with the fabric, fibers and design. Belinda is such a fun person and the happy memories of her class at New England Stitchers Retreat will make it a fun stitch.
One of the 6 shops we ventured to had these great older charts. I have always loved BrightNeedle and they are getting harder to find so I grabbed them up. I also found some Ewe & Eye & Friends charts I have always loved.
I also found these 4 Prairie Schooler charts to add to my seasonal themes collection. This might be interpreted as hoarding charts by some but I prefer to think of it as collecting. I might even stitch them one day when I retire if I can still see by then!
I don't believe I ever posted the stash from the last retreat. Fabrics that called my name. I actually managed to buy a piece of 40 count I needed to start Dorthy Walpole. I thought I had a large enough piece but they we always a bit small when I pulled them out. I have the thread already to go so now I can begin the lovely lady.
One of the ladies at the retreat was working on the Blue Ribbon Design piece called Blue Jeans and Daisies. It didn't do much for me until I saw her progress! Then it was a must stitch! I fell in love with the fabric, fibers and design. Belinda is such a fun person and the happy memories of her class at New England Stitchers Retreat will make it a fun stitch.
One of the 6 shops we ventured to had these great older charts. I have always loved BrightNeedle and they are getting harder to find so I grabbed them up. I also found some Ewe & Eye & Friends charts I have always loved.
I also found these 4 Prairie Schooler charts to add to my seasonal themes collection. This might be interpreted as hoarding charts by some but I prefer to think of it as collecting. I might even stitch them one day when I retire if I can still see by then!
My last thought for today are with Moore, OK. My prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones and all their worldly treasures.My area of the country has been hit many times in the last few hears with the destruction of tornadoes. I spend way too much time in the basement in spring riding out tornadoes so here in Alabama we have a strange kindred spirit with OK right now. We are sending relief and workers to help the recovery. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that God causes all things to work together to those who love God, to call that according to His purpose." It is difficult to see how this disaster in man's eyes could be a part of "all things" but I believe it can, anything that causes us to return to God becomes good.That may be sickness for some or difficulty in marriage or with children or one the job or natural disaster, whatever it is, if makes you call out the the living God then it is good. So as I hear teacher talk about praying for God's protection though this storm and teaching children about that in the mist of it. I believe it can be used for His good. So I pray His Divine good will come from yet another disaster in our land.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Retreat Review
They days before Teresa arrive for our retreat I prayed for my Azaleas to be in bloom. I know it may seem silly but I wanted her to be able to enjoy the bright pink flowers while she was visiting from her bedroom window. We had the typical spring weather of 80 one day and 45 the next so I was a bit worried they had been damaged by the sudden weather changes. As you can see they bloomed in full glory. This is one section, there are just as many on either side of the center section.
We began our journey in town with a visit to a tea shop and a bit of no stash shopping. The next morning we set out for day one of what could have been a 6 hour road trip.We went to 3 shops the first day. One was new to me, the other I had not seen in at least 10 years and the third I go to from time to time. We shared the wealth and bought a little at each place! I was able to pick up several charts I had wanted for a while and some yummy fabrics as well. We stopped at a tea shop for lunch before the third place and had a nice rest there. After the 3rd shop we drove a few hours to Memphis and spent the night. Just about an hour outside of Memphis we found a great quilt shop. I really could have spent some cash in that shop. The best quilt shop I have been to so far a wonderful selection and the nicest owner. There was a shop in Memphis we hit on the way out of town the next morning. It was a great place and nicest ladies running it. I could have shopped there for the day but we felt shops around Little Rock calling our name. After a bit more time one the road we navigated around Little Rock and found a great antique mall. Teresa was able to get some vintage clothes pieces for her daughter and I was on the look out for a creel basket and old fishing gear to decorate the lake house. Off we went to another stitch shop that had the nerve to be closed an hour before their scheduled time. What were they thinking? Oh well, I was able to spend more in a shop where they wanted it! We arrived at the Red Apple Inn. It was just perfect! nice but not stuffy and comfortable tables and chairs for a weekend of stitching.
Gloria and Donna were our table mates! They made lovely progress on their pieces and were good company to stitch along beside.
We began our journey in town with a visit to a tea shop and a bit of no stash shopping. The next morning we set out for day one of what could have been a 6 hour road trip.We went to 3 shops the first day. One was new to me, the other I had not seen in at least 10 years and the third I go to from time to time. We shared the wealth and bought a little at each place! I was able to pick up several charts I had wanted for a while and some yummy fabrics as well. We stopped at a tea shop for lunch before the third place and had a nice rest there. After the 3rd shop we drove a few hours to Memphis and spent the night. Just about an hour outside of Memphis we found a great quilt shop. I really could have spent some cash in that shop. The best quilt shop I have been to so far a wonderful selection and the nicest owner. There was a shop in Memphis we hit on the way out of town the next morning. It was a great place and nicest ladies running it. I could have shopped there for the day but we felt shops around Little Rock calling our name. After a bit more time one the road we navigated around Little Rock and found a great antique mall. Teresa was able to get some vintage clothes pieces for her daughter and I was on the look out for a creel basket and old fishing gear to decorate the lake house. Off we went to another stitch shop that had the nerve to be closed an hour before their scheduled time. What were they thinking? Oh well, I was able to spend more in a shop where they wanted it! We arrived at the Red Apple Inn. It was just perfect! nice but not stuffy and comfortable tables and chairs for a weekend of stitching.
Gloria and Donna were our table mates! They made lovely progress on their pieces and were good company to stitch along beside.
This is Pat Dugan the host shop owner and Tracey Schultz who does some really amazing bead designs at the Make it/Take it table that they had set up. It is a great idea for beadwork and you can give yourself a break from stitching to work on some lovely pieces.
Additional shopping in the center of the room to paw over when your back or eyes needed a break.
Or you could enjoy the views from the lovely patio.
These nice ladies were table mates on the other side. We had such a nice group of stitchers present. They were very welcoming and great stash enablers! I'll have to post the stash another time. This post is so very long winded and picture laden.
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
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