Good Bye 2020

 

It's Coming!

 A New Year is right around the corner! A brand new clean calendar! It is up to each one of us what we do with it. Each year I take the same basic goals with a possible extra or two tossed in for good measure. I prefer to use "goals" instead of "resolutions" because I feel that I am taking already important things in my life and putting my focus on strengthening them.

 

1. To make an effort to learn something new everyday. The joy of knowledge is indeed a blessing no matter what you choose to learn.

 

2. To make time for myself. It is amazing what 15 minutes sitting on the deck with a hot cup of coffee and watching the birds can do for my soul. A little time each day to refresh my spirit is all it takes.

 

3. To take time to appreciate each day. Too often we forget to see the beauty around us and take the simple things for granted. My continued goal is to look with my eyes but to see with my heart.

 

4. To enjoy my family and friends. I am lucky to have each one of them in my life.

 

5. To remember. So many people have come and gone from my life over the years and I want to keep their memories alive.

 

6. To keep my faith alive and growing stronger each day.

 

7. Organize and Simplify! Organize does not mean that I have to go on a cleaning spree each day. It just means that I need to get my life in some sort of manageable order so that I am not constantly feeling overwhelmed. Simplify. Just what it says. Stop making a mountain out of a mole hill and take life one day at a time.

 

8.  A Random Act of Kindness. Like so many others, I was raised to do them. Only back then, they were called "manners". I challenge myself to make RAKs a regular part of my days. Whether it be opening a door for someone. Taking a grocery cart back into the store. Buying someone a cup of coffee or just a smile to make someone's day a little brighter.

 

9. To Forgive. Things happen and often we are left with feelings of anger and hurt. Too often the people who cause these feelings don't even know or just don't care. We are the ones left feeling bitter. I will let the past remain in the past and let go of those feelings so that I can move on.

 

10. To use kind words and patience more often. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

 

And of course, I always add some personal goals just for me.

 

1. To keep the joy in my hobbies.

 

2. To journal more often.

 

3. To spend more time with my stitching

 

4. Keep my blog up to date.

 

5. Take more trips. Even a day trip can refresh the soul.

 

6. Enjoy each day!

 

7. Work on my Stitching Bucket List

 

8. Catch up some of my WIPs

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

What a Year!

 I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. It was quite around here which is the way I like it! The boys are grown now so that early morning excitement has been replaced with sleeping in a little longer. It's just amazing how much better I feel when the Grumpy Ol Gazer is home instead of the hospital!

 

I was asked to show the inside of my journals by Journal Junky over at Etsy. When I have hand cramps, I type out my journal entry and paste it on the page. My journaling drawer got too full so I switched it over to a tote bag (with journals, stickers, adhesives and more) until I can find a bigger drawer!

 

I also wanted to show the covers. You can leave them plain or you can have a quote (or anything else) put on the cover. You can get the inside pages plain or with lines. I like the lined pages.

While catching up some Flosstube programs at YouTube, I watched the most recent one by Hands Across the Sea. One of her recent releases, Cicely Margaret Ingram is such a sweet little design but I knew it was a must have when I saw that Cicely's birthday was the same as mine!

 

One of my birthday deliveries was this stitching frame that I have had my eye on for more than several years. It was too expensive in the past but I found a sale that was just right!

 

I also got a new boom box. My old one was really OLD and just did not work very good. This one is small enough I can leave it by the computer and wear my headphones to listen to some music while I surf the web or bring it out to sit by stitching chair.

 

One of my journaling prompts was "What time of day do you enjoy the most?". I would have to say early mornings. Usually everyone is still asleep and I can enjoy my coffee in peace and quite while catching up online. Even if someone else is awake, they are usually too tired to even acknowledge my early rising so it is still like being the only one up and stirring around.

 

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

From Our Family To Your Family

 

He's On His Way

 

He's Home. Again.

 Thank you to everyone who sent sweet birthday wishes!

 Well, I had my birthday all planned out. I was going to to go down to my LNS with my birthday coupon and go crazy. Then we were going to go out to eat at my favorite place and on the way home, we would stop and I would get my free holiday birthday coffee. None of that happened.

 

Two days before my birthday, the Grumpy Ol Gazer landed back in the hospital.This time it was pneumonia and he was on a ventilator again. Luckily he got home about a week  before Christmas. I did not go the first several days because of freezing rain and I did not want to risk  another fall plus the hospital wanted me to wait for some of his test results to come back. So for my birthday, I ate left overs and just hung out by myself. Life happens. I am glad he is home and well.

 

Several nice books for keeping track of my cross stitch arrived from Amazon and now I get to work on filling them out.

 

I also have some PDF printable stitching record sheets from BlackCrowDigital over at Etsy to help me keep up with my stitching.

 

My journals arrived  this week (Journal Junky at Etsy) and I am over the moon happy with them! I was going to save them to start on for the New Year but I am so thrilled with them, I just couldn't wait! I will probably go ahead and order several more after the first of the year to have on hand!! LOL While letting my old bones heal some more, I set up my journaling drawer so I would have everything at my finger tips when needed!

 

My arms are starting to feel a little better. I have been exercising them about 30 minutes a day to loosen them up. I may just pull out a new start now that the Grumpy Ol Gazer is home.I just don't have stitching concentration while he is in the hospital!

 

I had a list of threads and charts I wanted to get at the LNS on my birthday. Instead, I just ordered them. Not as much fun but I still got what I had wanted except for a few items that were out of stock and I can get later. Several other goodies arrived that I will show off later. Plus there is more to come. Double the fun when your birthday is so close to Christmas!

 

Right now I am SO SO ready for some dull days! LOL

 

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

TODAY!

 

December Rolls On

 I have been having a blast looking up ideas for my 2021 creative journal! It may just be the best one yet! I am looking forward to working on both of them. Writing and creativity has always been a big part of my life. I grew up surrounded by people who were talented in both areas.

 

The bursitis in my shoulders is so much better after the shots but my lower arms are still tight and hard to move. I have been wearing an ace bandage to help out some and switching from a heating pad to ice packs. If it does not get better within several weeks, he told me to come back. But I have been sleeping like a baby thanks to those numbing bandages he gave me for that giant bruise on my back (from that nasty fall).

 

I tried a new recipe the other night. The Grumpy Ol Gazer is on a heart healthy diet now that calls for one day a week with NO meat.  I absolutely loved it and he was surprised at how much he liked it since he did not get too excited about the ingredients. I took two similar recipes and used the ingredients that I liked from both.I call it Greek Pasta.

 

(I seldom measure. I just add until it looks like the right amount)

1. start your angel hair pasta

2. saute onions, green peppers and mushrooms

3. Put #2 in a pot

4. add sundried tomatoes, artichokes (cut up),  black olives, black beans (rinsed and drained) and anything else that makes your mouth water.

5. Drain pasta and toss with olive oil. Serve with toppings and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve with garlic bread

 

Because of my arms and the fall, I am taking a break from stitching (and housework) for a while but I am getting everything ready for the first of the year! I have two charts that are up for grabs for the first 2021 stitch!

 

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

Still moving around

 I have had back to back bursitis flares since August and I am really tired of them! I had an appointment for my dr. to give me his magic shot and make this nasty stuff go away. Hopefully I will have full use of my arms in several days! Same rules as last time though. Don't over do too quickly. Do a little, rest, do a little......

 

All of my dr. appointments are taken care of until the end of the month. I don't want to go anywhere else until I am healed and not so stiff and sore from that fall!

 

I had several Happy Mail days since my last post. I got Isabella Fox by Gigi R. and Mahala Barber by Fox and Rabbit Designs. I am not going to buy the fabrics until I see what I have in my stash. I plan to make a birthday trip to my LNS later this month and will pick up the threads then.

 

I really like the Mahala Barber sampler but only the top half. I doubt I stitch the bottom half. If we can switch out colors for ones we like, why can't we stitch only parts of the pattern that we like?

 

Since I have not been able to stitch (or anything else) I have been making my stitching plans for next year. I have more than one WIP but only one that I am determined to get finished in 2021. This piece has been on going for 15 years!!!

 

I have never cooked on Christmas. When the boys were little, I wanted to see every minute of them opening presents and playing with them so I would usually get a big tray of BBQ with all the fixings to snack on all day. The Thanksgiving dinner that I ordered was so good, I decided that I will be ordering our Christmas dinner from Cracker Barrel also. Only this time, it will be my favorite. Chicken and Dumplings with sides.

 

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

Hello December

 They say that bad things happen in three's. The Grumpy Ol Gazer's hospital adventure can easily count as two. The other day I took a nasty tumble on the front porch and have been stiff and sore ever since. Hopefully our bad luck is over for a while now!

 

I made a stitching schedule for 2021. I love to make list but have a bad habit of not sticking to them or changing them around. Hopefully I will do better next year!

 

What are several of your very favorite stitching threads that you keep on hand just in case you want to switch out some colors? I always have a good supply of Gentle Arts Mulberry thread. It just screams the perfect red! A close runner up is Weeks Dye Works Teal Frost. I fell in love with this last one while I was stitching Feliz Navidad by BBD.

 

We had both been craving some Oyster Stew so I made a pot last week. I think I will have to double the recipe from now on! It was definitely GOOD! I found the recipe and picture at Addapinch.com Here is what I used to make it.

 

3 T butter melted

1 cup half and half

3 cups milk

2 cans of oysters (drained)

several splashes of Worcestershire sauce

Cook on low or med. low so the milk does not curdle.

 

With a new year right around the corner, it is time to get a new journal. I found this one over at Etsy in the Journal Junky shop. I bought 2. I keep a basic journal, a creative journal and my blog is my hobby journal.  I am anxious to get them and be ready!

 

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

It's December!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

Here we go again!

 AGAIN????  I. Hate. Bursitis. I had another flare in my right shoulder and when it began to get better, the left shoulder flared. If that's not enough, the right shoulder flared again! No stitching for a while. It is just too painful to use my arms in certain ways. At least this one is not quite as bad as the 2 month round I had back in August but any bursitis flare is not welcome in this house!

It has been such a hectic and stressful month so far, I decided to just order Thanksgiving dinner for us from Cracker Barrel. No dirty dishes to clean up! Plus they have really good food! We love to have brunch there and have had many of their dinners and have never been disappointed!

 

This whole catastrophe with him sent me on a buying spree for my own therapy! After I ordered the items mentioned in my last post, I ordered a sticker book for my Book of Days 2021.

 

I also ordered some magnetic ties for those big pieces to keep the excess fabric controlled.

 

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

He's Home!

 I have not stitched in so long, I was afraid I had forgotten how to thread the needle. I will get to more of that on down the post.

For the past month, The Grumpy Ol Gazer was steadily getting worse to the point he could barely take one step. He had an appointment with his heart doctor (at the hospital) earlier this month and it was a really big challenge to get him there. They were going to do a heart cath but while they were prepping him, he went into congestive heart failure! Talk about being scared! My nerves have felt like they were hit by a train!

 

He was in the hospital for 12 days and I  lost complete track of what day it is, what date it is and sometimes my own name!.He was in CCU for 5 days and 4 of those days, he was unconscious with breathing and feeding tubes.  It was a heart stopping moment for me every time I walked in to see him like this but he is so much better now and a lot of the old problems were being caused by this so they are gone now too!  They wanted to do the heart cath while he was up there but other issues popped up to stop it. They released him on the condition he would have the heart cath done as soon as the dr. for these other problems gave the thumbs up. We still have a lot of work ahead of us to get him feeling like himself again but it will happen. One step at a time, one day at a time.

 

I started to take my stitching a few times on my daily visit to the hospital but I my hands just would not stop shaking from being so upset. After he got home, I decided to go ahead and try to pick up a new start. Hannah Jenkinson by Stacy Nash. I think she will be a joy to work on and  so relaxing. But I have other things to take care of before I can totally relax!

 

I also got my Book of Days by Needlework Press! Now I want to get some pretty stickers to help dress it up along with my daily stitching notes starting next year!

 

I couldn't help but order Apostle's Creed by Heartstring Samplery with threads and fabric. I have already stitched an Apostle's Creed by My Big Toe but I love Beth's design! So what if I have 2! I doubt anyone will notice or care!

 

While I was at it, I pulled And They Sinned by Examplar Dames since I had seen the one being stitched on IG! I deserve a treat! LOL. I still have to order the threads but I am thinking this will be my 2021 year long stitch - like I don't have enough already! 

Several things all of this has taught me is to appreciate each day, the ones you love and don't feel guilty if your goals get a little behind schedule. Just do what you enjoy as you want to do it!

 

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

Short and Sweet

 What a week! Too many doctor appointments, too many errands and the week was topped off with another ambulance visit for the Grumpy Ol Gazer. Luckily this time, they were able to treat him without taking him to the hospital!

I needed something different to work on after all this!  I looked through my WIPs but I am keeping them for weekends. Then I went through my other stash. Plenty to choose from but nothing grabbed my attention right this moment. I wanted something sweet, simple and not too big so I started hunting through online stores. Bingo! Hannah Jenkinson Sampler by Stacy Nash was absolutely perfect! I ordered it and can't wait for it to come in so I can start on her.

 

I still hope to get at least 6 pieces stitched and ready to take to the next framing sale. I have a few ideas but I always change my mind. Soooo.........

 

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

Boy, I Am Late!

What a busy week. Thank goodness that is behind me. Every time I tried to stitch, I had to put it down to do something or go somewhere! At least I got my flu shot in the midst of all that running around.

I am loving these cooler days! Just enough of a chill for a sweater in the mornings! And the morning chill makes that first cup of coffee taste more comforting! Life has not gotten Dull yet but it does seem like things have settled down a bit and back to normal. We celebrated the cooler days with a big pot of beef stew!

 

The Book of Days 2021 by Needlework Press will be sent out soon so I called my LNS to reserve my copy!

 

I was able to take some time to clean and straighten out my project basket. It won't look this neat for very long! LOL

 

Harriat Brown by Stacy Nash was put on the back burner during our busy week but now is moving right along! I have several more lines stitched up. I have several ideas for that empty space. I just need to decide.  I am still debating on whether I want to add a border around her. I have time to decide that.

 

Quilts and Samplers are two of my very favorite things so I had to include them! The number 5 is repeated about five times on one line. This is because many important things in my life have been associated with that number. I went to Catholic school for 5 years. I was 5 years old when I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I married the youngest of 5 boys. I got married on the 5th day of the month. I was the middle grandchild of 5.

 

Right now I am working on the crowning piece of this sampler. It is a very special prayer. I will post a picture and more about it after I have finished stitching it.

 

I have a few more little fill ins to take care of and then on to make sure Harriat gets her moment to shine (one way or another)!  Fingers crossed I have enough fabric to stitch her. I will definitely be doing some rearranging on my walls!

 

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

So Far, So Good!

 Finally! A new fresh month and hopefully a stress free month! The new fridge was delivered but had to be sent back AGAIN because of damage during loading! How could they NOT see things like that? But the store called us immediately and another one will be delivered in about 2 weeks! At least I had no headaches with the delivery guys!

I have been working on Harriat Brown by Stacy Nash a little more. She is definitely going to be a big girl when I finish her up! I made a list of items that I wanted to include in Harriat. So far I have just been "winging it" and putting things in that I want to add and where I want them.  I haven't changed a sampler around like this in a while so I am still getting my bearings but it is fun and I am hoping it will be an extra special piece!

 

I have noticed that there isn't much of Harriat's design in what I have stitched so far. Mostly it seems to be used as a template. I have also noticed that I might be short on fabric so I may have to finish this up and then give Harriat her due with her very own piece!  I will be able to decide as I stitch more.  Most of it is self explanatory. The phrase "stronger than I look" has a special meaning for me. I grew up with epilepsy and  I can remember someone always telling me "You're going to be fine. You're stronger than you look" after I would have a seizure.

 

I got so involved with this piece and our daily routine that my WIPs were ignored this time around.

 

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

A New Month

 

COFFEE!!!

 

I Need Dull

 September is almost over?? It feels like it just started!! Like I said before, once Labor Day rolls around the rest of the year flies by! I have not accomplished as much as I had hoped for this month but October is still open and waiting! The last week of September will be spent running around to dr. appointments and getting tests done. The past two months have been so busy and extremely stressful so I am ready for a nice long month of DULL.

 

I was able to get some more stitching done on AAFG. I should switch out my WIP weekends between AAFG and Mother's Tree.

 

I have started on one sampler that I had pulled. I saw a finished piece that another person had done and I fell in love. I have had the pattern, fabric and threads. I just needed the inspiration! I have several simple ideas on how to "make her my own" which I will share as I work on Harriat Brown by Stacy Nash. She is being stitched on 18 count Aida in Beige by My Vintage Needlearts from Etsy and I am using GAST Mulberry threads. I have not been this excited about a sampler in a very long time! I plan to take my time and make sure I am happy with everything I stitch into her!

 

I have another sampler ready to start on after I finish this one. I have changed the colors around to suit my personal taste and I may change one or two more things in it. Maybe I will be able to share a picture before the end of the year!.

 

I have made my grocery list and considering the Fall weather that is upon us, there are a lot of homemade soups, stews and other comfort foods. Of course Monday is our pizza night, The local market has all their pizzas half price on Monday and they are GOOD!

 

Good News #1 (it's about time!). I have mentioned that I shop at two stores mainly because one carries some items I need or like that the other store does not carry. Lately it has become too much for me to walk that store so I was going to change completely over to the store with pick up but (big surprise) the walk in store is getting ready to to do pick up service so I will be able to get those items after all!

 

Good News #2. Our new refrigerator is scheduled to be delivered next week! About a month a head of time. I just hope I don't end up with another headache after that last bad delivery experience!

 

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

Cooler Days and Samplers

 Thanks to my dr and his magic injections, the bursitis flares have finally stopped! Of course, I am following his orders about "doing a little then rest". I don't want to get the flares mad and start up again!

 

While doing some much needed grocery shopping, I noticed the bakery section of the store had started to put out their holiday pies. I am not big on many pies but they do make a mean apple pie! Heat it up, use a sprinkling of cinnamon and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM! Luckily, no one else here has discovered the secret to making this pie so delicious

 

We may actually get a Fall season this year! The weather has already started to turn cooler and sweaters are being pulled out for morning and evening wear! We still get a few days with warmer temps but nothing hot enough to knock your socks off! It may get chilly enough later this week to turn the heat on at night! My kind of weather!

 

Too many SALs and WIPs for me to wrap my brain around right now. The WIPs are really no problem since they are weekend designated only.  I used this past weekend to finally pick up my stitching again. And since I was waiting on some threads to arrive, I made it a long WIP weekend! I decided to work on And A Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor. I did not get as much stitched as I hoped to before the hand cramps started. Put it away but tomorrow is another day!

 

After having several really crummy months I decided to treat myself to a new start. I pulled 5 that I have had my eye on. No, I won't do them all at once but I don't plan to tell or show what I am working on until I get a good start so as not to jinx them!

 

Most of my framed pieces hang on the walls in no order. I decided earlier this year that I wanted a theme wall of outdoor pieces. You know - birds, other backyard critters, plants, trees, ect. In my mind, it will be stunning! I already have two pieces up on it and working on more. Guess what wall AAFG will hang on and why I am so anxious to finish it!

 

I am still pretty tired and slow from so many bursitis flares all at once. I have been taking it nice and slow for now and probably will through the end of this month.

 

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

Happy Fall

 

What Happened to September

 I had hoped that September would be less hectic and less awful than August but so far it has been running a close second! Three bursitis flares so far this month! Four since June! Number 2 (right shoulder) and number 4 (right hip) cleared up by themselves in about 8-9 days. Number 1 (right hip again) was dr. assisted but number 3 (left shoulder) has been handing tight for over two weeks! I go to the dr. about it today.

 

September is half over and I have done NOTHING because of these continuous bursitis flares! No stitching, no cleaning, no pictures! I am on light duty starting today. The dr. gave me a schedule. I can do a little today then rest and so on. Tomorrow I can add a little more but still keep the rest. After some well needed grocery shopping (and I have been limited to pickup or delivery only), I plan to STITCH! As my own get well gift, I purchased this PDF from Bluebird Designs at Etsy. I love it for my outdoors wall.

 

It took me several days but I pulled everything I want to stitch on starting this month. Some of you know my September Sampler list (or even a few of them). I have added several more to the list. Shame on me but I can honestly say I probably won't need another new start until after the New Year (unless my fingers get itchy)!  I used to have such a strong will power and would only stitch one at a time! Look what happens when you gather with other stitchers! LOL. A little more than I would usually take on but I have to remember that 3 of the designs are WIPS and will only be stitched on the weekends. I plan to keep the weekend as my WIP stitching time until I finish up what I left!

 

While I was on light duty because of my shoulder, the Grumpy Ol Gazer helped me hang my newly framed pieces. Here are the rest of the bunch. I had 6 this time. I am hoping to aim for 7 or 8 next Spring's framing sale! I had better get busy!

 

We gave up years ago trying to surprise each other with anniversary gifts. We each pick out what we want. I bought 2 Hardwicke Manor square embroidery hoops. I love a good wooden hoop and these are tops in my book!

 

I have been trying to catch up on some doctor appointments and vaccines for the kidney transplant program. I have several more appointments with them this month. I am also changing my eating habits some because I know they will tell me to lose some pounds.When I went to the dr. I found out I have lost pounds without even trying! I did sneak a piece of the Grumpy Ol Gazer's birthday cake though! Just a small piece. German Chocolate is just too sweet for me these days!

 

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

From Us to You!

Welcome September! Long Post

The first part of September is usually a busy time for us. We celebrated our 44th anniversary! I remember when I was in first grade we had a class on promises. Promises we made to other people, to God and even to ourselves. I was very moved by this lesson and  I made some promises to myself about my life. Over the years I have honored these promises and tried to live my life based on them. I have even added a few over the years. So far, I have not broken one promise. Pretty good for a first grader, huh? One of them was about marriage. We had a nice day and went out for a special dinner.

 

I recently got a phone call about the kidney transplant program!  There are 3-5 steps to be fully accepted. I have passed step 1. I answered the phone! LOL. Talk about being surprised and overwhelmed at the same time. I attended my first class. Very strict rules. I don't know how long I would have to wait for the organ ( or if I will ever get one) but for now I am not worried about it. I am just really honored to be considered. I will probably find out around the end of this month if I have been accepted.

 

Several days later, the Grumpy Ol Gazer will have a birthday (it falls on Labor Day this year). I used to always make him two German Chocolate cakes for his special day. One for home and one to take to work. I stopped making his cakes for several years (because of health reason and life in general)  but I redeemed myself by making one for him this year and it turned out good! He will still get two GC cakes though. He finally quit smoking while he was in the hospital several months ago. I promised him I would make a GC cake for him on his quit anniversary each year if he stuck with it!

 

It has always seemed as though once Labor Day makes it's appearance on the calendar, the rest of the year just flies by! That is fine with me this year!

 

I did not get much stitching done this week because of everything I mentioned above! We have several more appointments this month but nothing back to back. I did go through my stash again. I had fewer WIPs than I thought. That is always a nice surprise!  I decided to work on another WIP as well. I had to dig it out of the WIP pile then I wanted to order some threads. What piece am I talking about? And A Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor. I have been working on this piece for OVER ten years! Time to finish it up!

 

While going through my WIP drawer, I found so many suprises! Fabrics, threads, patterns and other stitching supplies, all unopened! It was better than a Happy Mail day because I was not expecting it! 

 

I also picked up my framing! I had taken it all in on June 16th which was the last day of the sale. Her sale was such a big success this year with everyone staying home due to the Covid virus and stitching more. I will share a few this post and some more next time!

 

It has been hard for me to do much the past few weeks (stitching, cooking, taking out trash) because of my shoulder. I don't know if it is just a persistent case of bursitis or a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder. I am rooting for bursitis so I can just get an injection instead of out patient surgery. I could not get an appointment with him until the 15th of this month!

 

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