Happy 2023! Thoughts on crafting!

 Happy New Year to my blogging friends! I hope 2023 will be wonderful for you!

I finished the Santa embroidery a few weeks before Christmas and enjoyed seeing him on my wall. (No one else seemed to notice, so I guess that’s why it’s best to craft for ourselves— Lol)

Along that same thought, I tend to see donated cross stitch in thrift stores quite often. Unless someone requests a specific cross stitch, I don’t think I would gift my x stitch pieces to anyone. (Even though I have done so in the past) Christmas ornaments, yes— but not something they’d be expected to display year round. Your thoughts?

I embroidered eight tiny reindeer, plus Rudolph.

This has been my hand stitching project while sitting with the needy little girl you see in the background. We spend a lot of time in the bedroom these days.

I’ve also joined a challenge on Instagram this year. It’s called #12in23ornamentstitchalong. (Hosted by Caroling55) We hope to stitch a Christmas ornament each month. There are so many free cute patterns available on the internet. I think this will be fun. It’s not too late to join us. 

I leave you with this funny pic of my Daddy. We stopped by his friend’s house this week to see his new “man cave.” I’m not a fan of animal trophies , but I couldn’t resist taking this pic of my daddy next to this big bear. 😝 

Linking up to Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Sunday progress report

 I put these blocks together, but totally left the original pattern behind. (Pattern has a cute whale appliqués on) I was ready to make a finish. 

And the strawberry x stitch is coming along.

I should have it finished, as I’ve been on self isolation this week for Covid exposure. Instead, I fell down the Gabby Petito rabbit hole. I pray they find her soon.

Finished !

Yes, I did.... I completed something, once again.

 I struggled with how to fix the large black patch in the upper left corner and ended up adding an applique patch over it.  It does help break up the large area, but I'm not sure I like it. (see below)  I wish I had added another embroidery to that side, but alas, it's done and I'm over it.

It was a fun piece to make, but I'm ready to move on to something else.

Slow Stitching

My fingers have been itching to get some stitching done by hand.  I love the feel of a sewing needle  in my hand.

I started this new project Friday night.  It will be a small wall hanging, and hopefully, something I can get done before winter.

I bought this pattern from ebay and couldn't wait to get started.  I'm not going to use the buffalo plain in the corners, but I plan to follow the rest of the design. I am enjoying stitching on a linen type fabric.  (even though tracing the design was a little more difficult on the linen)

The prep work (tracing patterns) is my least favorite part of the process.  But it's so nice to get it all prepared at once, so the relaxing part of stitching can then be done.  I've had this little light box from Hobby Lobby for years... it has truly been faithful.

I've got a little sewing kit made up and am leaving it by my spot on the couch.  Hopefully, I'll be inspired to work on it in the evenings, during our tv watching. 

I'm one of those people who gets real excited about a project and then soon pushes it aside for something else that catches my eye.  I really really need to get some things completed.

I'm linking up with Kathy at Sunday Slow Stitching.  Hop on over and see what others are working on with needle and thread.  I  always look forward to  visiting Kathy's "show and tell" posts on Sundays. 

Also, go to my previous post here for a chance to win my give away.  I will be drawing a winner's name on July 31.  **Ignore the "whoa is me" post.... I'm better now.**

July is here!

I keep seeing people post that Christmas will be here  in less than six months.  As fast as this year as gone by so far, that makes me a little nervous.  But, thankfully, we don't have to shop and spend as much as we used to when the kids were at home.  Who's started shopping already?

My sister in law called me this week and asked for a little quilted something to put on her nightstand.  I already had this block from an exchange I participated in a few years ago.  (I don't remember who sent it, but if it was you, thank you again!!)  This block has her bedroom colors of gray, yellow, white and teal; so it seemed a perfect match to me.  I quickly sandwiched it together, did a little colorful big stitch quilting, and brought the backing up to the front to make binding.  It was an enjoyable afternoon project.

Do you ever get tired of sitting at the sewing machine or do you  sometimes feel overwhelmed with a big project?  That's kind of where I am right now.  I'm plugging away, making quilt blocks for a large quilt, for my son and his wife.  But my heart wants to do some hand stitching. The project above was a nice break.

This is a terrible picture, but it's the completed embroidery I was working on in my last post.  It's a Kathy Schmitz design and the first time I have used crayons to color my fabric.  I hope to trace out another one of her designs this week.  

SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING :

SCRIBD

Click here for more:

 Scribd Digital Subscription Service

I received a free two month subscription by invitation from Laura over at Harvest Lane Cottage.  

After two months trial, it will cost me $8.95 a month for unlimited reading of ebooks, magazines, and available documents.   There are also audiobooks, which are great for listening while sewing or cleaning  or whatever.

I already listened to "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.  It was such a good book.... about a young girl who practically raised herself in the marshlands of NC.  It was a 12 hour book and I finished it in 24 hours... lol.  I even listened in the grocery store! 

But for you quilters.... look what else is there..... included in your free trial: (and subscription)

Beautiful quilting and craft books.  This is like receiving lots of beautiful patterns and instructions free for two months.  Then you can decide if you want to continue. There are so many great books in their collection.  I invite you to go here

here and look around.  If you sign up with my link, I'll get an extra free month and you should get two free months.  

I also want to thank Sluggy at DON'T READ THIS  blog  for the items I received from her monthly giveaway.  She has a frugal living type blog and hosts a give away regularly.  Check her out and maybe you'll get lucky to win, too.

I received a box packed full of goodies:

Zoom in for a look at all these goodies.  It was truly a treat, as these are things I don't normally buy for myself.  I used the nail polish this afternoon!  (and hubby ate the fig newtons)

I leave you with this sweet picture of my daddy, my brother, brother's son, and now his little son, Levi.  Four sweet generations of men in my family.  

June 2019

*** I, too, am getting attacked by SPAM, so I am changing my comment section to owner approval before posting ***


I'm telling you folks, TIME IS A'Flying!!

I can't believe June is almost over; yikes!

I had all three of my girls for a couple weeks... it was so much fun!  The little girls played so well together and I was amazed at how grown up they have become.  

They asked for matching night gowns early during the visit.  They wore these gowns almost 24/7; I had to make them give them up from time to time for laundry services.

I think these girls could be BFF's if they lived closer together.  I do hope that they will grow up to know each other and be able to spend more time together.

They gave Grandma dancing lessons.

They helped Papa wash the little car.  

Kathy Schmitz design

There hasn't been much sewing go on these days.  I have picked up a little hand stitching and am enjoying a few stitches here and there.   

It's hot here in NC, so I am definitely spending most of my time indoors.  I can't believe I ever used to lay out to tan, in the hot backyard in the eastern NC humidity, back when I was a teenager! I can hardly stand to walk to the mailbox  these days!  

Sunday Slow Stitching

It's been a slow stitching week, with very little time at the sewing machine. 

I made the tassels for a pop of Halloween color

This is an old stitchery that I had completed from a Kathy Schmitz pattern a few years ago.  I had never done anything with it, so this week I decided to make it into a little pillow.

I've had this vintage Halloween fabric for years and used it for the backing.  I think the fabric is so cute.

Here it sits with a few other Kathy Schmitz designs.  I have a container full of little pumpkins that I need to get out from the garage.  This display needs more color, for sure. 

I also taught myself to crochet this week, using a you tube video.  I did a blog post below on these dish cloths. 

I am linking to Kathy's Quilt: Slow Sunday Stitching to share what I've been working on this week.  If you enjoy slow stitching, go over to see what others are working on.... there are  lots of pretty things there!

Apples and Freezers

So, I decided to get smart and start filling up the freezer again.  I bought a few pork and beef roasts and then decided I wanted to freeze some apples.

When hubby and I moved to western NC in 1997, his supervisor and wife invited us to breakfast our first morning there.  I remember she pulled apple slices from her freezer and cooked them up with our breakfast and they were so good with our big country breakfast ! I've made fried apples a few times since then, but I usually buy them in the can and doctor them up a little.

I cooked a small batch with our supper the other night.  I left the peelings on, as an experiment, as I didn't want to peel all my apples before freezing.  Well, I decided I didn't like them as much with the peeling left on, but we ate every bite of them.   (hubby and daddy didn't seem to mind the peelings)

So I peeled apples yesterday.  I really didn't have that many, so it was no big deal.  I used this method of soaking them to keep them from turning brown. (using only salt and water)  It's a great article.

I was so happy that this method worked and my apples didn't turn brown .  Look at those pretty white apples! I took all the peelings and scraps and packed them up to take to my daddy's goats.  After about an hour, to my surprise,  those peelings and scraps had not browned either!  They had had no salt treatment! ha! Maybe it was just my apple .... they were McIntosh.  I will definitely try this method again with a different apple to see if it really works.

Now about my freezer:  I went to pull a pork roast from the freezer yesterday and guess what?  My food was thawing!!!!  It seems the temperature wants to be around 36 degrees, not enough to keep my food frozen.  I brought in my new meats and crammed them into my refrigerator freezer.  I hope we can figure how to fix the freezer and I'm glad I didn't have it full!!!

And here's my little embroidered children all framed up!  I am planning to hang them in the hallway, mainly for my own viewing pleasure.  I can't believe I waited over 35 years to frame them.  :-))

September Busy-ness; Daring to Hope

So far September has been a very busy month.  I got smart and decided to schedule a lot of my yearly doctor's appointments, which sounds simple enough, right?

Simple enough, until they start calling me back for followups and repeat tests, etc.   Everything is ok so far, but I'm tired of running back and forth. One doctor wants to do a little surgery for me, but I'm hesitant to say yes, but afraid to say no.   Decisions, decisions!

I had a hummingbird fly into my house, not once, but twice in the past few weeks.  I lock my storm door open in the mornings and late afternoons, so the doggies can run in and out of the house.  My hummingbird feeder is near the back door, and lo and behold, one of the birds has entered my livingroom doorway twice.  Thankfully, it didn't go far, and buzzed its way back outside without incident.  It was pretty cool to see and made me happy.

I've been trying to decide what to do with these 30+ year old embroidery pieces I did from a magazine back in the 80's.  I used my brother's art paints, (he took art in high school) to color the blocks and then added embroidery.  I remember how much fun these were to make way back then.  I can't decide if I want to frame them and hang them in my guest room or if I should make pillows out of them and just throw them on the bed.  They aren't special to anyone except me, but I have always liked them.  :-)

I've been trying to put my livingroom back together after finally painting the walls! The former owners had painted the room a flat mossy color that was so dreary to me.  I'm so happy to have more light and a little semi gloss in the room.  I've had this pie safe forever, also bought back in the 80-90's.  It currently holds our blankets for tv watching and the covers I use to protect the furniture from the dogs.  I have since added an artificial tree to the planter stand, everything besides the pie safe are thrift store treasures.  I love the angel architectural piece.

I received this book free for participating in the launch team for Katie's new book.  Katie's first book, Kisses From Katie, was a life changing book for me.  Katie graduated from high school and instead of going to college, she talked her parents into letting her take a year off to go to Uganda, and then start college later.  Guess what?  She never came back! (yes, to visit) Katie has made such a difference to the people there and has adopted several of the children as her own.

Like many others in the group, I feel that this new book must have been written just for me.  This book speaks of God meeting us in the dark places in our lives and how it's all about HIM, and His goodness.  Katie grieved the loss of a  dear friend in this book, and it resonated with me so well, as I could feel myself grieving the loss of my own mother throughout her writing.   Just like Katie's friend, my mom is now looking into the face of Jesus, and has no more pain or worries.  This book offered much comfort to me.

This book will be released for purchase in October.  If you are looking for a good read, one that will truly change your life, I highly recommend Katie's book.   This book helps put life in perspective and  I pray that God gives me a heart like Katie.

I hope everyone is having a great month and enjoying the slightly cooler temps. (it's been hot in NC)

My week in pictures

Monday was this:

I received more corn and froze two dozen ears.  This little brush was given to my by my daughter; one she had received as a wedding gift and had no idea what to do with it.  I looked it up and I think the original plan was to use the straw as cake testers to make sure a cake was finished baking.   I have always used it to scrub the silks off my corn... works perfectly.

a trip to Sam's. Peanut butter is on sale this month.

Silver Queen corn from Mr. Donald C.

Tuesday was a day spent on the couch with a stomach bug.  Nothing got marked off my list that day.

On Wednesday I went to Michael's and found a summer wreath for my door.  I spent a little time cleaning the doors and entry way, added a couple flags to my wreath, and Happy 4th of July!  I used to make my wreaths and still hope to get back to that one day.  However, with Michael's 60% off sale, I have learned that I cannot buy all the flowers, ribbon, etc to make a wreath for those prices.  Granted I would have had leftover material to make another, but I tend to rarely use up my scrap ribbons.

I also stopped and bought a fresh geranium and a few perennials

On Thursday I spent most of my day cleaning house.  It was so nice to sit back yesterday afternoon and work on this without feeling guilty because the house was dirty.

Remember in a recent post, I said something about making pretties to use?  Well here I go, embroidering a pretty dish towel for myself.  I stopped by Hobby Lobby on Monday and used my 40% coupon to buy two dish towels.  I had not seen this particular towel design there before.  It feels loosely woven, but oh so soft, so I used a stabilizer on the back.  I'm curious to see how this will wash up and dry in the dryer.

I have plenty of housework that still needs doing, but I tend to ignore my sewing room and my unfinished guest room, that also doubles as hubby's closet for work clothes.  I usually run in there and straighten the room when I know that guests are coming.  This is definitely a near future project, as I am getting serious about wanting a 'put together' room.

my sweet Mama

I have a small collection of Willow Tree angels that always seem to get lost in the shuffle of decorating.  I think I have finally found their home.  The pretty box contains letters from my Sweet Mama and that's her high school picture in the frame.  I scattered the angels around and now I'm ready to collect more!  I sure do miss my Mama.

Happy 4th of July to everyone and stay safe!