TREES. TREES. AND A SALE.

Before I begin my weekly post, I want to let you know that I have listed my charts for sale over at my sale blog. Please read the directions carefully and if you have any questions, you can email me with them.

 

I was able to get a little more stitching time in on AAFG. I have been working on this piece on weekends when I have time and on Wednesdays. I remember now why it has taken me this long to get this far on AAFG. Hand Cramps. Usually I can shake out a hand cramp and continue stitching but on this piece, I get some really whoppers that don't want to go away.

I have a new start. And Heaven and Nature Sing by Kathy Barrick. I did not get any Christmas pieces stitched last year. This is such a beautiful design and I am looking forward to working on it.  

After much thought I finally decided that I am going to take on another series of designs! I want to do A Most Suitable Name series by Jeanette Douglas! I just love these little ladies and it should be no problem to do one or two each month!

We are finally getting over that last cold blast that came with a generous helping of snow and ice! It is still cold in the mornings but by mid day it warms up. I am just hoping that we don't see anymore snow or ice this season. Maybe I am just getting old and grumpy but one time a year is my limit now. I am already making my list of things to do and get for nesting season! Seeds, feeders, specialty foods and maybe a new woodpecker house that I have been wanting!

Thanks so stopping by and until next time, may you simple days and an uncluttered heart!

Snow Days are for Stitching

Is it Monday again already? Time certainly does fly!  We have had some extra cold weather lately considering the mild temperatures we were having.  We even had a little bit of snow around the mid part of last week. Nothing to get panicky about. There was no accumulation but it was pretty coming down. Then we got hit hard by a bigger storm several days later! A lot of ice and snow! Very pretty if you could stay indoors and watch it but a real mess to get out in! In anticipation of the storm, I filled up my bird feeders the day before.  

While we were stuck in the house because of the storm (did I mention that I was not going to try to go out in that mess?) I got a little bit done on AAFG. I am almost finished with the last part of the top section then I will move on to the bottom half. Half way finished on this monster! I can honestly say that I will think MORE than twice before taking on another BAP again! lol.

 

Speaking of AAFG. This was one of the charts that had mysteriously disappeared and I had searched for it everywhere I could think of. I finally reordered it. The day before the new chart arrived, I found the original one in my closet!!!! If I had not re-ordered it though I would probably still be looking for the original! 

 I joined the Joyful World SAL at The Snowflower Diaries blog (link in my sidebar). I had seen this little fox and blackbird floating around the internet on various blogs  that I follow. I thought he was adorable but I kept telling myself that I had enough to work on. And I do. But I finally caved. I have the fabric, some of the threads and I still need to print out the chart. If and when I decide to pick it up, I can. It might be nice to have a smaller project to work on so I can see a finish more often while working on these larger ones.

 This will probably be the last picture of the Our Father by My Big Toe that I post until after I have it framed this Spring! I finished it up this past week! It is not finished in this picture but close enough. I really did not want to work on other projects until I got this one finished up and set aside! Now I can start working on some of these others!

I am working on gathering some of my charts that I am either finished with or know I will never get around to stitching. I will be putting them on my Sale and Trade blog soon. I will let you know when they are up and ready!

Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart!

My Favorite Things

Even though it is still Winter, the Bluebirds are already shopping for a suitable place to raise a family! I always keep my fingers crossed that at least one couple will choose one of the birdhouses in our yard!  

I decided that it was time to pull some of those WIPs  out and work on them some even if each one only gets several hours a month. I do this every year then I get tired of working on them but this year I am going to do my very best to stay strong! I really don't like to use the term WIP. I prefer to refer to them as "in my hoop". Some of these have sat around so long because the charts mysteriously disappeared! I got tired of looking for them and just reordered the ones that were still available!  Among the ones I pulled out was And A Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor. This is my oldest WIP. There a few others that I will share as I work on them.

I was able to get some more stitched on the Our Father by My Big Toe. I am pleased with my progress on it and how it is turning out. The Our Father and the Apostle's Creed are basically the same design so I wanted to make them look alike by using similar colors but I also wanted each to be different in it's way so I used different fabrics. Who knows, I may finish this one up before my next round of infusions!  

I noticed that I have some new followers! Fun! I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy posting on it. Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

It's Stitching Time!

I finally have some stitching news to report!  

I was able to finish up The Apostle's Creed by My Big Toe which was an infusion project that I did during my Vasculitis treatments.  

I started on The Our Father by My Big Toe as my current infusion project. I am working on Our Father more often because I don't want it to take 1.5 years to finish like the first infusion project. I am so sorry for all the wrinkles. I did not lay them out very well.

On both of these I changed the colors around. The colors the designs called for were beautiful but I just needed some ZING! Also, I have not used all of the bottom borders because of fabric space and because of the excitement to finish them!

 

I have already picked out my next infusion project and have it kitted and ready to go!

 

I am trying to continue stitching from my stash as much as possible. I bought these because I fell in love with them and letting them sit in boxes unstitched just doesn't do them justice! I buy a few here and there but not as often.

 

My doctor and I decided to re-adjust the time frame on my treatments and since then I am finally feeling more like myself again after battling all of my health issues over the past several years.  I am looking forward to Spring and catching up on some gardening, tending to my roses, growing some tomatoes and herbs, watching my nesting birds, stitching and just "gently" enjoying life again.

 

Thank you all for not giving up on me and patiently waiting for my return. I love my blog and I love my followers! You guys are the best. Until next time, may you have simple days and uncluttered heart.

Life Really DOES Go On!

As many of you know I was diagnosed with a life threatening form of Vasculitis in September 2013. Vasculitis is inflammation of the veins and arteries and can invade your vital organs, depending on what type of Vasculitis you have and the severity.

I still remember the day I was told of the diagnosis and told I should get my affairs in order. My husband and I drove home in a state of shock. I turned to him and said "What did she say that I have? All I heard was life threatening." I had never heard of this auto immune disorder before.

The past several years have been a period of learning for me. Learning that I can't do everything I once did anymore. Even on my good days I have to limit what I do or my body will pay dearly for it. I have learned to listen to my body and know when I need to rest.

 I learned to change my priorities. Knowing that you have a life threatening illness can change everything. You can either live in denial or accept it and move on as best you can. I chose to move on. I have learned to balance my emotions by remaining as positive as I can.

I have learned that things I never thought would happen to me, can and very possibly will because of the Vasculitis. So far this past year I have had cataract surgery on both eyes and a total hip replacement. Both because of the Vasculitis.

I have also learned that the good days are precious and I appreciate each one of them more than I ever did before. I have learned to find joy in the little things that I never noticed before. Each day is blessing for me. It is what I choose instead of feeling grief over the life I left behind.

I am not perfect. I am only human. I still have my bad days when breathing is a challenge or one of my many other symptoms (or other auto immune disorders) rears it's ugly head. Occasionally, I have a pity party where I cry for hours and wonder "why me?".  But when all is said and done, I realize how lucky I am that it is not worse and how grateful I am to still be here.

I still have my stitching to comfort me and keep me calm. I still have my backyard birds to serenade me and I still have my blog that waits patiently for those good days when I can post updates! I still have my faith which only grows stronger every day now. I still have my friends and family who stand by me (even if they don't totally understand it all) because they care. Most of all I have my wonderful husband who helps me, sits with me during treatments and is always there to support me in silence and I couldn't do it without him.

I know this is a lot about me and something that many of you have never heard of before now but if I can touch one person who has it or make one person who has never heard of it aware of it then I have succeeded.

I realize that this is was started as a blog for my hobbies and I promise to keep it that way. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read about my life. You are all very special to me which is why I wanted to share this with you. 

Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.