I Am Back For a New Year

Remember me? It has been a long time since my last post and I wish I had some exciting reasons to give for my absence. I have been trying to keep up with the blogs I like to read. I have had several more stays in the hospital not to mention a handful of other things that have gone haywire in the health department for me.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that 2015 will be a much better year!

I noticed that I have a few new followers. Welcome! I just love the fact that people actually are interested in what I say and stitch.

I feel like my stitching has suffered horribly this summer with all the hospital trips and just feeling rotten in general. The Apostle's Creed by MBT had started out as my project to take to infusion treatments last year and it is making progress. The women there just love to ohhh and ahhh over my work. I even met one nurse there who told me about her cross stitch projects. It should be finished before the end of the year and I have already chosen Our Father by MBT as my next infusion project.

While sorting out my stash, I have posted some I no longer need or just don't see myself getting around to. They are listed on my Wishlist page (link in the side right column). 

I certainly did not get my 2014 stitching list completed. Well, there is always this year! I have made my tentative list which includes samplers, some winter themes and of course a Christmas stitch or two. I have joined several SAL groups. Maybe these will get my mojo fired back up. As for my 2014 SFS challenge, I did great!  I will post some pictures next post. My camera is in my closet for now and I don't really feel like entering no man's land just yet.

Thanks for stopping by and for not forgetting me! Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart. 

April SFS Report

I haven't gotten much stitching done the past several weeks what with feeling crummy from allergies, working on catching up around the house and more. I did take some finished pieces in for framing over the weekend and while I was there I just could not resist picking up the new My Big Toe design, Our Father.

 

It's the end of April and time to make my SFS report. I don't count money spent on framing in this since I only have it done once or twice a year. My SFS includes charts, threads and fabrics. I bought the chart, Our Father by MBT and the March Loose Feather chart by BBD for a total of $25! I barely squeezed by this month but it was worth it and I even would have been ok with going over a few dollars this time if it had happened.

 

I am still working on The Apostle's Creed and am half way down on page 2 so I will nearing the finish line soon. I have kitted up around 6 other designs I have on my priority list and they are waiting in their own project bags.

 

Several people have emailed me to ask how I am doing since all that stuff began last September. I am happy to report that my Vasculitis is in remission now. I take maintenance meds to help keep it from coming back and there is always plenty of lab work to be done but I am ok with that. One of the best things I have noticed is that after months and months of feeling three times my age and so blah, I am finally beginning to feel like myself again. Not all at once but a little more each day! I still get tired and out of breath very easily but I have noticed that I occasionally I have a sudden burst of energy. It doesn't last long and I do get tired from it but I try to take advantage of them when possible. It's nice to feel like a person again!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stitch from Stash report

My charts by Heartstring Samplery arrived and I am having a hard time not starting one of them immediately! For now I have my monthly Stitch from Stash spending report. As the rules state, we are allowed a spending budget of $25 a month. I spent $18 in March on the charts mentioned above so once again I stayed within my limit. I have spent a total of $45 to date out of an allowable $75. Luckily, I have a good stash of threads and fabrics to last for awhile. The only WIP I worked on this month was The Apostle's Creed. I hope to have a finish and a new start to report next month!

Spring One Day. Winter the Next.

We had lovely warm weather last week and I have birds nesting in several of birdhouses out back! The chickadees are back and in the same house they choose each year! I just love watching them flit around! Several bluebird couples have been checking out houses. I am keeping my fingers crossed they decide to move in and raise a family! I was forgetful about putting out some birdseed in the feeders but after the rain stopped, I did just that in hopes it might lure some more possible tenants to my houses!

Once again, Beth of Heartstring Samplery has outdone herself! I bought two of her newest charts. Forever Young and Lasting as Eternity. There was no debating about it. I knew as soon as I saw them that I had to add them to my stash! Even though I am trying to work from my stash as much as possible I was not going to kid myself into thinking that I would not get any new charts! That's just absurd! *wink*

Yes, I am still working on The Apostle's Creed and I am beginning to wonder if and when I will ever have my first finish for 2014! I am getting closer though. I keep saying that I am going to pull out a new start for a rotation but then I end up stitching on TAC some more! Either way is fine by me.

There has not been a lot going on around here lately. Thanks so much for stopping by! Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart!

Good Eating!

Our dishwasher died back in December. The repair man told us it would cost more to fix than a new one would cost so we decided to save and wait. The wait was finally over and I have a new dishwasher! In celebration I fixed this for dinner and it was big hit with everyone!

I have fixed Boston Butt roasts before but this one an immediate success and even though I was a little intimidated by the directions, it was not hard at all! I did make several changes. I used Fuji apples because that is what I had on hand and they are so flavorful. I cooked it several hours longer (5 in all) because the dishwasher men were coming out and I was not certain how long it would take them and I wanted everything to be ready in time. The extra cooking time made the meat fall off the bone, it was so tender! I was told by my family NOT to change a thing and continue to fix it this way. It is hard to find meals to cook that everyone will be happy with but this one did just that! It will definitely be fixed again! I was even able to cut the roast in half and it was enough to feed my group and I still have another half in the freezer to fix another night!

Happy Eating!

February's Report

The sun is shining again and temperatures have been reaching the 70's since the last snow! It has been wonderful! So many trees are beginning to bud and show off some colors. The birds are loving the Spring like days and are singing their sweet songs but now another cold snap is upon us and I am wearing my sweatshirts again. Hopefully it will be the last one for this season!

Since my last post, I worked some more on The Apostle's Creed. I have about 12 lines left to stitch. I work on it as often as possible now. I realize that I said it was a weekend only stitch but I would love to get it finished and take it in for framing very soon!

Other than the Apostle's Creed, there are a handful of others I am determined to see finished this year. Oh, who am I kidding? Each time I walk past my stash boxes, I hear muffled cries of "Pick me" "Stitch me" "Don't listen to them. I've been waiting longer!" Several of them are not currently in my stash but I HAVE to get them so what the heck! I won't let this happen every month besides I was prepared for there to be a few new designs I would just have to get!

My SFS spending update for this month is $9. I went to my LNS and picked up the February BBD Loose Feather's chart that I signed up for last year.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to have some progress pictures to share with you soon! Have a great weekend!

Snow and Stitching

We got snow. We also got ice and sleet. We are on day 3 of the storm. I made sure to refill the bird feeders before the storm hit so my backyard friends wouldn't have to worry about finding food under the frozen white stuff.

Day 1 was a wet but pretty snow with big fat flakes falling to the ground that hung around almost all day. See all the cardinals waiting for their turn at the bird feeder!

Day 2 was a dry snow that would blow around like powder, sleet and freezing rain. Messy and very dangerous. It was best to stay inside except for stepping out to take a few pictures now and then. Notice my Japanese Red Maple is full of red buds from the warm weather we had been having before the storm!

We are on Day 3 now and it is still snowing. It looks pretty falling but the roads are still horrible so everyone is staying put today. Remember, a tiny snowflake can send panic through the hearts of southerners! lol. 

While stuck in the house (literally! Because I'm not risking slipping and sliding at my age), I pulled my Group #1 stack and decided on my new start. I have been wanting to do Guarding Eden by Examplars of the Heart and it has been in my stash for several years begging to be pulled. I haven't done enough on it to take a progress picture yet. It is a large piece but is not very heavily detailed so.......

And I am still working on The Apostle's Creed on weekends. I love the original colors but I ended up changing most of them because I needed some extra pop and zing!

I have been working Mary's Sampler by PSS also. Since I set aside the weekends for The Apostle's Creed, I need to make a schedule for this piece also.

We are hoping to be thawed out by the weekend but until then I will stitch! Thanks so much for stopping by! May you have simple days and uncluttered heart! Stay safe and warm.

The Calm Before the Storm!

Since my last post, we had snow! Not much. Not even enough to cover the grass completely. It wasn't one of the prettiest snows I remember having around here. It wasn't even worth taking a picture of but it snowed, none the less. The next morning the roads were a solid sheet of ice that involved some dangerous driving conditions and several days later, our temperatures were back in the mid 60's. That's the south!

With the warmer days upon us (even if only temporarily), the birds are singing sweeter and flitting around the yard checking out birdhouses for a place to nest and raise a family this Spring! My Japanese Red Maple and Forsythia have buds on them from the recent bouts of warmer weather. When the weather man began to talk about a possible winter storm coming our way around this week, I just put my hands over my ears and began to sing really loud. Maybe if I don't hear it, it won't happen! lol. I guess we will find out soon enough!

I spent some time going through my current stash for my Blast from the Past year. I was able to divide it all up into four groups. 1. Really want to stitch this! 2. Like it but it but not as much as the #1 group. 3. Not interested at this time but want to hang on to it. 4. Giveaways. Did I get your attention with Group 4? lol. Keep watching for some giveaways to begin sometime soon.

Now for the big news! No, I don't have my first finish of 2014 yet but I am finished with page one of The Apostle's Creed. Only 1.5 pages to go and since it is a piece I stitch only on weekends, it may take a while but I know I will be thrilled when it is finished.

My thoughts are wandering off to a new start! It would be my first new start of 2014 and would have to come out of my stash. After going through my boxes, I came across a stack of designs I would love to see finished and hanging on the walls! This Blast from the Past project may have to last longer than one year but hey, I've got nothing but time! lol.

Sorry for no pictures this time around but I wanted to post before my busy begins with errands and doctors to get out of the way in case that winter storm decides to move our way! I hope to have plenty to share next time. Thanks so much for stopping by and welcome to all my new followers!