Good Bye August! I Won't Miss You!

This says it all!

 

Shame on me. Shame on me. Shame on me. But I really just don't care!!

 

I have always tried to keep my stitching manageable (whether it be one piece at a time or maybe two) so that I don't get overwhelmed. This has been a horrible year so far with all the bad news happening and August was an extremely bad month for me personally and last week was a plain and simple nightmare! Because of this I gave myself permission to go outside of the box!

 

While playing in my stash, I saw so many designs I wanted to start on but I would tell myself NOT to have too many at once. POOH! I started designs that probably would not have been started for another year or longer. I will stitch on them as I feel like. This is my hobby and it is supposed to help me relax -- not stress me out. If I start to feel stressed, I can always put one or two in the WIP pile (which I intend to give regular attention to). I will introduce them as I start them!

 

I finally started on the Jane Tindall 1864 SAL. I have a good size list of others to start too! I am hoping to start a few more in September.

 

I am still working on Bee Skep but I am not stressing out over it! I will give it one or two days a week. I should be able to finish it off by the end of the year! LOL

 

Some Happy Mail arrived which always makes my day a little better. Quaker Bees by From the Heart and My Heart Can Rest by BBD along with threads and some threads for other designs so I complete kitting them up. A couple of blouses I had ordered showed up as well.

 

My new stitching rule is No Promises, No Timelines, No Stress.

 

We re-ordered the refrigerator (same one) but this time we made sure that the warehouse will deliver it to the store and the store delivery will bring it out. The manager told us to do this. Even she was really mad at the people at that warehouse! They did NOT want to do any work AND they did not want to give us a refund! Boy, the store manager really lit into that warehouse supervisor! Because of the appliance shortage, we will not get it until sometime in October which is fine with me as long as I don't have to deal with that warehouse again! We started to just update the old fridge with new shelves and drawers but then we realized it was getting on up in years and would probably die soon after spending that money on it! It will look like this.

 

Well, there were only several days left to August but I should have known that was enough for some more bad coming our way! The counter tops arrived and every single one had been cut to the WRONG size so back they went! I had another bursitis flare that made me miserable for more than several days! Hurry up September but only if you plan to behave yourself! LOL

 

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

Thank Goodness August is Almost Over!

Good Morning! I am sitting here with my coffee and little heater humming away. That's right, I have my space heater running. The men in my family love a cold cold house. I can deal with it most of the time but not when I first get up in the mornings so I run my little heater for a short while to knock the chill off the air!

 

The kitchen is almost finished! The refrigerator should have been installed by now but..... I don't even want to go into detail about the headaches these delivery people caused me! We ordered it at the store (and the people there were great) but it was coming from one of their warehouses. This is where the nightmare began. These warehouse people did not want to do anything they were supposed to! They kept telling us that we had to haul away the old fridge (even though we paid for haul away). It got totally out of hand so we got a refund. The store manager was great and told us to wait a week, come back and she would help us get the fridge WITHOUT dealing with that warehouse!  I was so stressed out for two days I felt sick! Word of advice when you buy a major appliance. Make sure it is delivered by the store and NOT the warehouse! 

 

The new counter tops will arrive next week and then my son and the Grumpy Ol Gazer will get to put them in. I like laminate counter tops. I like the price. They are easy to care for and you can pick styles that look like expensive granite, stone or even butcher block. I kept the floor. I love my splashes of red in each room and my floor does that for the kitchen. The new sink and faucets arrived.  We still need to paint and get new blinds.

 

I am still working on Bee Skep by BBD. This piece really is getting on my bad side! I love the design. I just hate everything that is getting in the way of my stitching time on it! I did not get much stitching done this past week because of bad infusion loaded with several days of side effects. I hope to finish it up by the last day of August.

 

I even put the fabric for the Jane Tindall 1864 SAL over at IG in a hoop. I have made a few stitches on her already but like I said before -- no promises, no time lines! LOL. For all I know, this could be a year long stitch!

 

I have decided to make Saturday and Sunday my WIP Weekends. I really need to give these WIPs some attention and finish them up. I decided to pick up Mother's Tree to work on. The tree was driving me nuts. Just like the house on Bee Skep but it coming close to the end and then I can begin the fun part -- family names!

 

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

Middle of the Month

I am up super early so that I can get some things done around here before my last infusion on Monday. The days are so long on infusion days! But I do get some stitching in and I always get take out for dinner.

We had an earthquake last week! It was a 5.1 and felt over most the state! Of course the Grumpy Ol Gazer slept right through it and so did my oldest son! The Grumpy Ol Gazer grew up across the street from train tracks so it takes a LOT to wake him up! My oldest thought I was kidding when I mentioned it to him. But he looked it up on the internet and came back out all wide eyed and said "Wow, mom! That was a big one!" LOL. Luckily there was no damage and no one was hurt. Of course my cross stitch wall got a good shaking up!

Believe it or not, the quake did some good for us. We have a crack in the foundation of our house that we knew needed fixing and we also knew if was going to cost a good bit! The quake shifted the ground enough to close up that crack! It is still there but it not a wide crack anymore. Just a sliver of a crack that can probably wait a few years before fixing! LOL. Thank you Mother Nature!

I managed to get some stitching done on Bee Skep at my last infusion and some more on my days in between. When I started this piece, I thought it would be a simple, quick and fun stitch! It probably would have been if life had not thrown so many curves my way! Instead, it has taken what seems like forever and that house is becoming a thorn in my side! I absolutely refuse to let it win and become a WIP though!

Happy World Cross Stitch Day!  I was able to play in my stash a little. That is always fun. Admiring my fabrics and day dreaming about how to finish off patterns help relieve some of that stress too!

Have you ever just said "Oh, what the heck" and thrown caution to the wind? That is what I did this week. Some things I have wanted to do but knew I probably did not have time for and were put on hold suddenly came into being a reality! There is a SAL on IG for Jane Tindall 1864. I have had this pattern for what seems like forever. The threads too. With a little prodding I caved and joined in!  No promises or time lines. I will start on it once I get the Bee Skep finished up.While I was ordering a few threads, I threw a few patterns into the basket that I had been eyeing for a while! Oh, what the heck! LOL

The new range arrived. Better late than never. I am thrilled with it. It feels good to have a stove and oven that heats up properly! The old oven was on it's last legs. A 20 minute frozen pizza took 45 minutes to cook! I tried to get a picture of the range and microwave but my kitchen is so small, I could not back up far enough to get it all in!

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

We Just Had An Earthquake!

What A Week!

 August is a rough month for me. My moma died on August 12 and my dad passed away 40 years later on August 13. I usually hope that these two days will pass without my realizing it. I think of them every day anyway. These days just make the sadness more intense.

The last Sunday in July is always Decoration up in the mountains (where my moma's family is from). All of the cemeteries are decorated with flowers galore! It is a beautiful sight. I have only been up there several times to see it in person but I have heard about it and have seen yearly pictures all my life. This was my Grandma's headstone this year.

I will have another update on Bee Skep soon. I have been working on it some. It is almost like my mojo just flew out the window!  I decided to stop working on the house for a bit so that hopefully it will renew my mojo when I come back to it! I want to at least be near a finish on it before I post another update. Soon, I promise.

I have been making all kinds of stitching plans in my Needlework Press calender/planner book  along with playing in my stash! I will wait a while to share so that I don't jinx any of these good plans!

The microwave arrived. The first of the new appliances. The new range was delayed but will arrive soon. I really do like it and am looking forward to getting every thing else in place to complete the picture!

We measured the counter top area in the kitchen and placed the order for the new counter tops. I think they will help make the kitchen a little brighter and bigger. Especially after we paint. The Grumpy Ol Gazer opted to put them in with some help from our son instead of hiring someone to do it. The installation cost more than the counter tops! He has put in counter tops before and they were wonderful. They will be delivered later this month.

I have two more infusions this month and I will be finished until 2021. I hope the mask thing is over by then! It was really hard to wear that mask through the entire infusion. Other people that come in for an infusion may stay 30 minutes to an hour. I am there for 4-5 hours depending on how long it takes for them to hook me up and get my meds together.

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

A Busy Week

Two infusions down. Two left to go. Several days after infusion I feel like I was in a big fight and got the **** beat out of me because I am so sore! Yea, a new side effect! LOL.

Summer has definitely hit the South! We had a mild beginning and it was quite comfortable but now the heat and humidity have cranked up to make going outside for long periods, unbearable! Luckily, we have been having some monster thunderstorms each evening to cool things off a bit.

What a busy, busy week!

No finish on Bee Skep yet but I was able to work on it more and the nurse put my IV in a better spot so it did not hinder my stitching. I do not have an update this week but I am getting close to a finish if I can ever get past THAT house! Unfortunately I haven't been able to stitch much while at home due to all the busy-ness going on!

In my last post, I showed a sample picture of the walk in shower we want to get. We are still looking for someone to do that job.There are a few smaller things to do in our bathroom like new faucets for the sink, light fixtures and paint.

I also mentioned that the kitchen has a lot of work to be done. My range died on me last week so we made a trip to the appliance store to put our order in. Did you know that there is an appliance shortage? What I used to get delivered in just two days at the most, now takes a month! There is also a shortage of electrical items (wiring, switches, ect) and pressure treated wood (not to mention change). That figures! We also ordered our counter tops, kitchen sink, new faucets for our bath and the kitchen plus I bought some new glass globes for several ceiling fans.

While we were out looking at appliances, I picked up new light fixtures for the master bath vanity and a new pendant light for the dining area.

We have discussed the outside improvements. We would like to put in a walk way leading from the drive way around the back of house to the deck. When it rains, there are so many puddles to jump over and it would make it much easier when we have groceries to bring in. I would like to have several raised planting beds for veggies, herbs and a few flowers! So we had a guy come out and give us an estimate for these jobs.The walk way was a lot more expensive than we had planned so it looks like we will be puddle jumping a while longer until we find someone with a better price or a DIY project!

We decided that we did not want a big remodel or anything fancy. We just want to make what we have comfortable, convenient and livable.

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

A Long Week

My infusions have started. One down, three to go. The doctor is spacing them out further each year. I started at every 6 months but it was not helping so we started doing them every 5 months which made a big difference! My Vasculitis went quite and I have not had a flare since November 2016. We went back to every 6 months during 2020 and so far there have been no problems. If all goes well, we will change them to every 7 months next year.

After my coffee that the infusion nurse always has for me, getting hooked up and my Benedryl nap, I began to stitch some. No updates pictures of the Bee Skep this week because I wasn't able to stitch much due to location of the IV.  I hope to have a big update next week!

I am not a fast stitcher. I admit it. I take breaks. Sometimes the breaks are because of hand cramps and other times they are just because. Period. I see other stitchers who get two or three pieces completed a month. I could probably do that if I decided to but I am happy to just putter along. LOL.

While window shopping over at Etsy, I ran across this wonderful PDF file called Feed Your Soul. I know, I know. I don't need another piece to add to my stash but my heart just wasn't going to listen to logic! I will finish up Bee Skep before starting on this. I have seen several other "soon to be released" pieces that I know will just have to become a part of my stash family!

Last week, we mozied on down to our home improvement store for some ideas. We have been getting estimates on some of the things we want to do around the house. I am so excited that these are going to finally become a reality instead of just  wishes in my mind! Everything is picked out and we know exactly what we want but we are prepared to change if needed after we start getting quotes. Now to get prices and start!

First things first. We have both been wanting a walk in shower for a good while. Since my hip went bad and I had the hip replacement, climbing in and out of that tub has become as tiring as climbing a mountain plus my balance isn't quite the same as it was before. I looked and looked at pictures and finally found what I want (with a few changes).

Our tub and toilet are located like the one in this picture. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shower. The changes I have made are 1. just a sheet of shower glass (no fancy cut outs), 2. nice clean white subway tile all around,  3. several safety bars and 4. an extra shelf or two for soaps and shampoos. This is just a sample picture so I can show the contractor what I basically want after we find the right person to do it.

My kitchen is a big "must do" on our list. For such a small room in the house, it probably has the most to be done!

There are a few other improvements we are still checking on for outside. It's amazing how fast a "to do" list will grow over the years if left unattended!  I will be sure to share as we get started!

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

No Update

What a dreary, dark, cloudy day! It is a good day to stay inside and stitch! For dinner, I am planning on making spaghetti. I use my moma's recipe for the sauce. I also use her recipe for my stuffed green peppers. These were two of my favorites that she made when I was younger so it always brings back such sweet memories as I fix them.

I tried a few new recipes over the past several weeks. I have my tried and true basics that I fix on a regular basis but a new recipe here and there can even perk up the old ones!  I had to pull out the crock pot for several of them but it was worth it. I fixed some slow cooker beef stew one night with a salad and some crusty bread. This is usually a meal for a cold Winter evening but with the crock pot, it was Summer do-able! Talk about good and filling!

I can't believe the media is telling people to stock up again because the hoarding is starting all over! Things were just starting to get back to normal a bit at the grocery store! I really don't want to deal with this nonsense again!

What an awful week I had this past week! I was feeling really sick for several days but it was my own fault. Those yummy nutty buddy ice cream cones were the culprit. It happened to me last summer but I forgot and did it again! For some reason, they just don't agree with me anymore! Seriously! Of all the things to make me sick! I eat chocolate and am fine. I eat nuts and am fine. I eat ice cream and am fine but put it all together in a cone and I explode!

I have come full circle and am once again grocery shopping all by my little lonesome! I did it by myself when we first got married. Then the kids came along and I had company PLUS a larger grocery bill because they just loved to sneak things into the cart when I wasn't looking! After the boys got older I was shopping alone again until The Grumpy Ol Gazer retired and he started to go with me which was sort of like taking the boys when they were little cause he would stop to look at all the candy and cookies and sneak a few things into the cart. But since his return from the hospital I have been shopping alone again. All that walking in combination with the heat just doesn't help his breathing. Hopefully when the hot days turn into cooler days, he can join me again. I miss the company!

Big News! I am a Great Great Aunt for the second time around! Isn't he adorable?

I really wanted to finish up my current stitch before my infusions start next week so I have been doing as much as my hands will let me.That house has been a bear to stitch! Otherwise, it has been an enjoyable piece to work on. I almost set it aside several times because of tedious brick laying but I am staying with it and am glad I did!

I have a change in my infusion project for next week. Since I felt bad and did not get much stitching in, I have my doubts about finishing up Bee Skep before it starts so I may just take this in to stitch on. I should be able to finish up before my infusions are over then I can resume on This is the Day for the remaining infusions as planned.

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

And the summer goes on.......

I made a big mistake this year and waited too long to go buy my chocolate mints and other herbs. By the time I went, the ones I wanted were totally sold out. So I promised myself to go much earlier next Spring.

Another thing I fussed at myself about was my yearly pots of petunias I put out on the deck each Spring. I love the yellow petunias (I put out at least 2 pots of these) and I always put out a pot of red ones in memory of my moma. I got lazy this year and decided I just didn't feel like watering them every morning and pinching them back each day! Bad decision. I have really missed them and next Spring, the deck will once again be graced by these gorgeous blooms!

I may just go one step further and put out some potted tomato plants again! I used to put out at least 3 each year (2 better boys and 1 heirloom)  and we always had some delicious tomatoes for sandwiches and salads! Not to mention fried green tomatoes!  I always put a few marigolds in with the tomato plant and that keeps away any bugs that may want to nibble on my fruits without pesticides!

The threads arrived for Mary Ann Hutton and the order from my LNS with Vintage Animals and threads also arrived. They are tucked safely in my project basket (which is flowing over) awaiting their turn with the needle! My project basket is a nice big basket by Everlove Creations over at Etsy! Lots of room for plenty of future projects.

I have another update on The Bee Skep by BBD. I am almost finished with page one! Once I can finish up this house, I am pretty sure it will sail along smoothly. I am staying away from designs with houses like this for a while! LOL

The Grumpy Ol Gazer has been on oxygen since he came home from the hospital. It is not the first time but I have my doubts about him getting off of it this time. So does he. It is so hard to haul around a tank when we go out. They can be loud, hard to handle and you usually have a time limit. We discussed those portable concentrators that you carry like a shoulder bag. We liked what we heard and he now has one. So far he been very happy with it and it is so much easier when we want to go out for the day or just a quick trip to the store!

Right now we are in the talking/planning stage but hopefully this Fall, we will begin on some home improvements! We have our list and have picked out certain items we want! Now to start looking up contractors! I can't wait to share them with you!

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

After the 4th

I am slowly getting more done on my current stitch! The Bee Skep by BBD (in the Agnes Platt Strawberry Sampler book). The bees in this chart were not Aida friendly so I will use some bees from a different design. I am using 18 count Aida in Caramel Creme by My Vintage Needlearts over at Etsy and most of the colors are from the called for list. A few changes here and there out of necessity.

For such a small piece, it is really taking me a long time to stitch it. What with the Grumpy Ol Gazer being in the hospital. Then getting him back home and settled in with home health care. A few personal issues that caught me off guard and that house! Beautiful but very painstakingly tedious! Plus I have had a few ehhhhhh days. You know, the ones where you feel ok but just don't feel like tackling any projects. I am hoping I can finish it up before my infusions begin.

I found this old WIP one day while sorting through some drawers. I can't even remember the year I started it. It had to be after 2005. I did start it with the intention of dedicating it to my FIL who had recently passed in 2005. There isn't much left to do on it so I may just take this in as my infusion project if I can gather everything I will need to work on it.  I have most of the threads except for remainder of the border so I may leave that off. I will see how it works out. If I should happen to finish this up before my infusions are over, I will probably take in Never Enough Thyme by the Goode Huswife to finish. As a matter of fact, I am thinking that I may just take my WIPs for my infusion projects for a while!

A few trips to the grocery store. I found some clementines! Be still my heart! They are very seasonal and not available year round so when I find them, I am in heaven! A few trips to the doctor and pharmacy. Pretty ordinary for us. Once in a while we may venture out to get some ice cream at the drive thru and eat it in the parking lot. A haircut every other month. Once or twice a year we may venture out to our favorite steak house for an eat in meal and go to the home center to pick up plants or other needed items that can not be ordered.

A lot of people are working on Jolly July aka Christmas in July stitches this month. I usually do at least one Christmas stitch a year but I did not get any holiday pieces done last year. This year, I only have one I want to do so I have pulled it, ordered the threads and I plan to work on it. It may not get finished for several months but I will have a good start! Her name is Mary Ann Hutton and she is by The Scarlett Letter. I doubt I start her this month but she on my Top 20 list.

My list of TOP 20 to stitch in 2020 just may roll over into next year. I doubt seriously I will be able to finish them all this year but they are among my favorites and definitely a priority! I really wonder where I will put them all!

I wear my mask like a good girl when we go out in public but I prefer to go out early in the day before the heat gets too bad. Otherwise, I do have difficulty breathing good with the mask on. I haven't said anything about the events here in the US with the monuments being destroyed and so much more. Destroying these statues will not change history or make it go away. History is there for a reason. To help us learn and grow stronger. It is not be ignored. Enough said. This is a happy blog and this is how it will stay!

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

Have a Happy

Welcome July!

Hot Summer Days

This has been our rainiest season to date! So far,we have had 16 inches this Spring and it just keeps coming!

We had a day long power outage over the weekend. The power went out at 8:50 AM and did not come back on until 11 PM. It was tolerable until about 2 in the afternoon and onward. It was terribly hot by then!

When my Sewing Club book by BBD arrived, I promptly stitched Willing Hands then put the book aside for a while. The other night I picked it back up and found at least five more "must do" designs! Uh oh!

I decided to share a sneak peek with you of my current stitch.  It has been a slow stitch but mainly because I did not work on it while the Grumpy Ol Gazer was in the hospital. I miscounted in a few areas but did not notice until I was so far along, I just decided to work around it instead of ripping stitches out. It has basically been an enjoyable stitch except for that house! Once I developed my rhythm on it, I started sailing right along! I will give you one hint. It is a BBD design!

When I had my framing appointment several weeks ago, I ordered a few items I had been looking for. Vintage Animals by Jeanette Douglas and the threads. I have Vintage Birds but needed the threads for it so the owner took care of this for me!

I have had several other happy mail days this month. One day, a new BBD design arrived and I was thrilled to see The Song They Sang by Carriage House Samplings in my mailbox!

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

Happy Father's Day!

I am starting to have second thoughts about my infusion project! I still want to stitch The Fall by Barbara Anna Designs but I am just not sure if I want to take such a big piece of fabric to infusion each week but I WILL get to it! For now,I will have go through my stash and see what I can find.

We had a nice weekend and treated ourselves to some ice cream at the local ice cream shop here. A lemon shake for the Grumpy Ol Gazer and a hot fudge nut sundae for me! We also made another grocery trip. Lots and lots of fresh fruit this time of year! Peaches, sweet black plums, cherries, blueberries, strawberries and of course,watermelons! I always pick up a watermelon when they are in season.

Did you know that there are male and female watermelons? The males are the big oblong melon and are extra juicy. The female is round, has a sweeter taste but is still juicy enough. I usually buy the female. They are in the stores earlier plus they are a little bit easier to carry!

I was going to share my current stitch but decided I wanted to wait until I was a little farther along on it before doing that. I did not finish it up in time to take in for framing but it will go to the next sale in October! The Grumpy Ol Gazer had a follow up dr. appointment and I wanted to ride along (no one other than  patients allowed in dr. offices right now) so I took it along to stitch on while I waited in the car.

I took 6 pieces in to the framing sale this week. I am thrilled with the frames we picked out and can't wait to get them back! I have an empty wall in my dining area. After painting I never put anything back up on that wall so I have a blank canvas to work with! I am thinking I would like a nature wall (birds and other critters that wander into my backyard). I may have to intermingle a few other designs with it for the sake of space. It will be fun to work on pieces and watch that wall grow!

Thanks to everyone who sent get well wishes for the Grumpy Ol Gazer. He is actually doing better than before he went in the hospital! It's good to have him back home!

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

Getting Back to Normal

What a terrible wonky week it was around here! Last Wednesday the Grumpy Ol Gazer was not feeling his best. He just got worse as the day went on. Around midnight he woke me up because he felt he needed to go to the hospital. I jumped out of bed and into action, getting dressed and calling an ambulance. We followed the ambulance to the hospital and the nurses proceeded to chase me out and told me no visitors! He finally was able to come home yesterday. It was scary for me but also for him because he has ditched a few bad habits so this hopefully doesn't happen again!

We still do the majority of our shopping as pick up but the walk in store usually has the best supply of ice cream and this is an ice cream junkie household! Ice cream for milkshakes, ice cream in a bowl, ice cream sundaes, ice cream with cobblers!

Speaking of cobblers.....  I made another blueberry cobbler last week. They get eaten up as soon as they come out of the oven! I am taking full advantage of fresh blueberry season with this delicious cobbler! Next on my list is a strawberry cobbler. This one uses frozen strawberries but the brand I buy taste like they were just picked!

We have had too much rain lately! Along with some mighty loud storms! Those rainy days do make for good stitching days but I am ready for the sun to come out for a while!

I ordered this cute design as my reward for having so many dr. appointments over the next few months. I have at least one appt. a week through the middle of August. Sometimes more than one. So I decided to spoil myself a little with this sweet design by Heart in Hand Designs.

I have my appointment for the framing sale next week! I can't wait! I have several new starts. One small that I hope to finish before the framing appointment and a larger one that I work on during the weekends. I will save them for show at a later date. I just know if I show them now, I will jinx them and set them aside!

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

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Life is Good!

Life is Good! I finally got my hair trimmed up. The threads for Lizzie Kate's Things Unseen sampler finally arrived. The baby bluebirds have hatched!

Our hair salons are still closed but  we live almost on the state line and the hair salons in our neighboring state were allowed to open (with restrictions) so we hopped in the car to go get our hair cut! I feel like a person again!

It's that time of year again and daisies are in the store which means they are also on my table! I usually get them in time for Mother's Day but they were late coming in this year. As long as I get them, I am happy!

I have (almost) definitely decided on The Fall by Barbara Ana as my infusion project! I usually start on them about a week before infusions begin to get everything set up and started so I can just continue at infusion!

I spent a day sorting out my pattern stash. The ones I am interested in stitching were put in a special place that is easily accessible for me while the others that will probably not get stitched any time soon were put away where I can get to them but they don't clutter up the rest of the stash.

I ordered some more fabrics from My Vintage Needlearts over at Etsy. She had been out of the Beige (which I loved) and she got more in so I had to get some more of it! I would describe it as a light to medium pecan color.

I made my appointment at my LNS for their framing sale. I hope to have one or two more finished to take in by then. I will probably have between 6-9 to frame. I am looking to have at least 4 finishes for the Fall framing sale so I had better get busy! Whatever doesn't finished for this sale will be rolled over to the Fall framing sale! A lot better than last year when I only got 1 finish the entire year! LOL.

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

Just Words

I have good news and I have bad news this post.

I have been waiting on my threads so that I can start on Lizzie Kate's Things Unseen Mystery Sampler. Bad News - it is taking forever for them arrive! So I am going to start on another piece for now. The threads will probably show up as soon as I get started on a different piece! UPDATE - the threads arrived the day after I started the new stitch!

Good News. I have a new weekend stitch to work on.  Never Enough Thyme by The Goode Huswife! I have loved this design since I first saw it but it has been OOP and impossible to find! A sweet friend shared her pattern with me so that I could finally work on this! I used 18 count Aida in Khaki by My Vintage Needlearts and I used DMC threads from my stash. And no hand cramps yet with this one! I will share a picture next post!

Good News. My LNS is having their Spring framing sale between May 23 and June 16. It is by appointment only. I am hoping I can get one or two more pieces finished up to take in. They usually have a framing sale in the Fall too so any leftovers can be saved for that one.

Good News. My next round of infusions come up in late July through early August. I have been thinking about what my infusion project should be. I have The Fall by Barbara Ana Designs kitted and ready. I also have Faith by Heartstring Samplery kitted up. Or I have several other Adam and Eve designs kitted up and ready to stitch. I like the idea of The Fall. I know I would not finish it by the end of infusions but I would get a good start.

I hope everyone had a nice Mothers Day. We are still not able to go to dine in restaurants but the guys got some good take out so I would not have to cook and I got several charts and some threads.

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

A New Start

Our stay at home order for the state has been extended but all is good. My grocery bill is definitely higher! Part of my higher grocery bill could be my fault because I tend to get a little more of certain items because I don't know if they will be in stock next time or not but I never buy beyond my limited amount. And we definitely eat plenty of snack foods during this! I only go out to pick up groceries and prescriptions or if I run out of ice cream!! Ice cream is an essential, isn't it?!!

We have had several rainy days in a row this past week which is fine by me because the grocery pickup is done and nothing else to go out for. Rainy days are good for two things. Stitching and naps! And I take advantage of both!

I mentioned that I had several designs to choose from for my next stitch. The top three are Sampler Hill by Brenda Gervais, Wonderfully Made by Erica Michaels and All Joys are Thine by BBD. There is a problem with having a big stash. You tend to forget what you actually have. I did that with Sampler Hill and ordered it again. I don't mind having extra threads. Those can and will always be used but now I have an extra chart too! Oh well.

UPDATE -- I decided on my next new start and here is a picture Sampler Hill in progress. So far, it is an enjoyable stitch and I really do love the design! I am using the called for colors (although I am debating on changing several) and I am using 18count Aida in Carmel Creme by My Vintage Needlearts.

I ordered my very first Hands Across the Sea pattern in PDF file form. It is Mary Eliza McMillan 1869. I just LOVE the simplicity of it and the happy colors! I also like the bottom dedication to COVID-19. We need a new printer because our current one is broken but I as soon as we get one, I will print out the file and start stitching. No hurry right now though since I am working on Sampler Hill!!

These are not all my fabrics. I have a drawer filled with others from various places. These are just Aida fabrics from My Vintage Needlearts over at Etsy. Can you tell that I love her stuff!! I just placed another order too for some of my favorites!

While rummaging through my stash one day I noticed that several items were missing! An OOP Adam and Eve and some threads for another sampler. I am pretty sure I had ordered the threads but I could be wrong. I have several other places to look and if I don't find them there, then I will freak out!!! UPDATE -- I found the A&E chart (thank goodness!!)  but not the threads for the other sampler. I guess I will have to order them.

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

The Finish Line

I wake up in the mornings to the sound of birds singing outside my window and I think "what a weird dream I had" only to realize seconds later that it was not a dream! All of the stuff is real and still going on! I probably have that dream at least once a week.

It's finished!! A big happy dance is in order! I have been stitching away in between wiping down counters,door knobs, phones and more. I have made some more progress on Willing Hands by BBD. I had to entertain some frogs (don't they know about social distancing? LOL) and I took a day off from stitching because my eyes were beginning to cross! I made another little boo boo but after examining it, I decided to leave it. I have read that some people purposely put a mistake in their hand crafts (woodworking, quilting, ect) to help keep them humble and remind them that they are not perfect. I'll go with that! LOL. The picture just does not do justice to these vibrant colors!

I am going to put the BBD Sewing Club book aside for a while but I am not finished it by any means! This book has so many wonderful designs!

I never thought I would get excited about toilet paper or other everyday items but when I am able to find them my heart beats a little faster as I walk (not run) very quickly to claim my limited amount! LOL. If I ever see those shelves fully stocked again I may pass out from shock! LOL

What is the first thing you are going to do when life goes back to whatever our new normal will be? I am going to get my hair trimmed (I feel like the shaggy dog) and then we are going to the steak house for a nice sit down dinner! At least those are the plans in my mind! LOL

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