Mostly stitching update!!

Well, I promised I would show some status on a couple of the WIP projects that are in the front of the line. I couldn't get any good pictures of my BBD houses, it's been pretty cloudy here the past couple days - and cold! I love snow and winter, but yesterday I couldn't warm up for nothing! Anyway, I have worked on my La-D-Da Pumpkins Three quite a bit, when stitching with my friends the couple Mondays recently...it's easy, no color changes...loving this one - doing Crescent Colors Balsam Fir on a brown linen. Sorry for the shadow on the bottom of the first picture. Here's my progress! I did cut it a little close to the edge, good thing I am making a pillow out of this one.

I also received this great recipe book. The Attic (needlework shop out of Arizona I want to visit someday - long way from Michigan) does a breast cancer fund raiser...this book was part of it. They had an auction a couple weekends ago and I think I read they raised over $17,000. This cookbook was part of it - they took recipes from designers and customers - of which I have two that were selected! There's also some patterns in the front. Taking it to work with me tomorrow for lunchtime reading.

I put the binding on the UofM quilt for my nephew about a week ago - now I have to fold it to the back and hand stitch the binding. I have until Christmas but I sure would like to knock it out this week.

The other quilt is one I did for my husband. I bought the fabric about three or four years ago. I cut it out this summer and blogged about it earlier this year. Then pieced it off and on, got it quilted a couple months ago...sewed the binding on it this evening - want to knock this one out this week too! He will be really happy to have it now that cold has set in; it's flannel.

Last but not least, this is the latest of the friendship samplers I have been working on - did post on 9/15 (mine), post on 10/3 (Roz's)...this is Ginger's. I neglected (a.k.a. forgot) to get a pic of Sally's - I worked on and passed it on while my back issues were still in the forefront. I have added a bit since mine and Roz's...My part is the rhodes hearts, and three rows under the hearts.

So it's almost the first of December...so much to do and it always seems, not much time. Cards, presents, decorating, cookies...and then there's the things I want to do - stitching, reading, relaxing... Isn't it funny, it always gets done.

One thing I am looking very forward to is the dinner with my buddies - I will have more to post after that. We draw names each year, I think mine is a surprise and I don't know if she reads my blog, so I have to keep it a secret!

I did get one area of decorating done - my blog template. The banner picture is my tree last year. I wasn't really in the holiday mood, so we put up only one tree and our (my) favorite ornaments are on it. I usually only put handmade (stitched or painted - my mom is an artist) on this small tree and then all the ornaments on the bigger tree. The tiny tree to the left was crafted, decorated and trimmed by my Dad while he was recovering from surgery the year before he died. It's always my special tree, I think of him every single time I look at it and wish he was still here. I think that was part of the funk I was in last year (it had been a few years without Dad). Gotta keep that feeling away this year! This is the last year my son is still my responsibility and a "child" (lots of laughing now as I know just because he's 18 next year, he will not be an adult - although talk with him about that an it's a much different story). Anyway...

Here's to making your last two days of November productive, happy and hope you find something each day to make you smile! I know I will!!

Sherry

Whoo Hoo - I won a giveaway

So here I sit in my chair this a.m., catching up on blogs, emails, etc. and reading along I clicked on Susan's "Afford your Passion" blog as I went up my blogroll (yes, I always go in order) and there is my name. I won her giveaway - I selected the red bag!

Thanks Susan....will update on stitching, as promised, later this weekend!

Again, whoo hoo...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone - I am so thankful for my family, my dear friends, my health (and my loved one's health), my job and my new found friends in blogworld! Take time out of today to do what you enjoy, with whom you like to hang with!

Stitch updates, birthday goodies and turkey wishes!!

Hey everyone! Hope you are doing well and smiling lots! I am doing better with my back/sciatic issues - therapy is working thus far.

Well I guess I will give you a stitching update first, so that you can "check out" of this post if you don't want to "listen" to the blah, blah, blah part...

Back when I began writing this blog, I had done a quilt for my niece for Christmas and posted a pic. This is the pillow I made to match - her birthday is coming up and I will give her this with a little cash. I think she'll like it!

I have been working on some items I received for Christmas last year. I am in an gift exchange with my friends (a.k.a. my stitching friends - that's what the guys I live with call them -- and that would be my husband and son...but I am off subject)! Anyway - last year Pam had my name. Her husband is a very talented woodworker - I received a stitching chest - two drawers and four of the plastic bobbin holder/project holder boxes. In the drawers were thread holders (also made by her husband), chocolate and a BBD pin cushion - stitched. In the plastic project holders were some fat quarters and three different projects. Pictured here are two of the projects I have finished in the last couple weeks.

Fright Night is a Lizzie & Kate, JBW Designs (I think) is A Very Merry Autumn.

I started Pumpkins Three two weeks ago when I was hanging with my buds - I love this pattern and it's great for when chatting it up - all one color. It's a La-D-Da pattern.

I worked on it today - when stitching with the group again...I have this pumpkin finished; I stitched the one next to it three different times (not the whole way, mind you) but one section THREE times...not a good counting day - gonna put some time into it again tonight. So check back in the next few days - I hope to give you updated pictures on this, the two houses from BBD Remember Me series and pics of the friendship samplers I've had in my hands (there are 13 of us stitching on each other's )...

Okay - on to the birthday goodies I received from my friends. I even got another today - love those birthdays that keep on going!

Received these cute pumpkin salt & pepper shakers, quilting patterns. Vera Bradley pencils - with sharpener...the pencils fit in the pad of paper. How cleaver!

This layer cake is what I received today - sooo cute! Halloween colors are some of my very favs!

Isn't this box so pretty! (This is the top in the right of the pic) I am using it as a catch-all for threads, ribbons, etc. which need to be put away; instead of having them laying all around the sewing studio!

The little bag on the far left, a beautiful fabric "basket" - now sitting next to the sewing machine, holding strips for the next gadget bag I have ready to make. I received some body butter, a scrunchie wash thingy for the shower, "S" stickers - for SHERRY, of course, note books, journals, chocolate

More Halloween goodies - a tray, a pin (to die for cute, feathery witchie pin, cool bucket (now holding all my new little notebooks and journals). I also received cool dish towels and wash rags - already on the sink and counter when I took the pictures - Halloween towels and a gift certificate for my LNS. Awesome!!! Birthday cake was really, really yummy too - chocolate with a mocha type frosting!

Son's school conferences went well. These were the final of two left to do. It has been a huge struggle for him and we both will be glad when he can move on to what he really wants to do!

In case my update post doesn't come before Thursday - Happy Turkey Day to all my U.S.A. readers!! I have to work the day after, but am looking most forward to having Thanksgiving off - pumpkin pie, turkey, dressing. Enjoy!

Stitch, sew, read, do something that makes you happy!

Sherry

Time To Catch Up (long and pic heavy)!!

Hey everyone! I'm back, up and about with the living... I had such good intentions, had pictures waiting on the camera to be transferred to the computer to WOW you all with my 'inspired by other blogs' endless Halloween decorations - so better late than never, I guess. Here are just a few of my autumn-Halloween decorations. Here is a bench with different items - stitched, sewn, bought. I love the ghost bear - he's a Ty bear I think my son found last year and we just had to have it for our Halloween party on the bench.

The annual pumpkin carving happened the Friday before Halloween - my mom, my sisters and their husbands, plus the seven kids (6 nieces & nephews plus my son) were together - we eat chili, candy corn and doughnuts (after we tie them to a string and have the kids get a bite without their hands - quite interesting now that most the kids are older - and of course, powdered sugar is a must), drink cider and carve pumpkins. It just wouldn't be Halloween without that party! We know that time is limited with ALL being there - the oldest of the kiddos is turning 18 this month, mine close behind just turing 17 this summer. One missing in the photo - not sure how that happened...

The pumpkin with the big hole in it is my son's from that party...he was doing a "DC" logo as that is the company where he is coveting stereo equipment...My son decided to go begging this year and the rule in our large sub (I usually get well over 400 beggars) is that you have to have a costume - age not really an issue. He and his friends (pictured in an earlier blog at homecoming - those five pal around often) decided to go out - so out went a chicken, a pumpkin, a cow girl, a bunny and my son - pictured above, as a fairy princess - hence the tiara and wings. They had a blast and I am glad he has such good friends - they are all seniors or just graduated last year (one) and are having the such a good year.

These are some of the other decorations I put around the chateau for Halloween - I have quite a bit of stitching around - and then there's the candles in houses that spin little ghosts at the top. My good friend Paulette stitched me a table topper a couple years ago for Christmas - doesn't it look fantastic with the Halloween candle centered among the bats?!

Okay - Halloween is over - time to move on...so the weekend my sciatic nerve and back issues began, I was supposed to go away to a stitching camp that my LNS sponsors. I actually contemplated dragging my sorry butt there - but I was miserable, couldn't sit more than about 15 seconds without pain. I was to spend the weekend with Mary (I've written about her before)
well she went on without me (as I really wanted her to do). There are people who go year after year; this is one of the two times a year we get together. There's always lots of laughs, food, stitching, sleeplessness and it truly is a relaxing weekend that I count the days down when it's close. Needless to say, I was seriously bummed, but slept most of the three days I was away from work and then the weekend I was to be gone. But Mary, bless her heart, brought me my goodie bag and picked up the couple items I just had to have my LNS had set aside for me. This box and fibers were part of the goodie bag - the fibers are named for the weekend and are really nice browns and coordinating colors. The box has a breast cancer pattern with it, it is pinkish in color and very cool.

The next photo is what my buddy picked up for me (and what my LNS sent later). Thanks Mary, for getting my stuff and visiting me on your way home...still seriously bummed. But there's always the spring!

Early in October the sampler guild I belong to celebrated 10 years! So for the 10 year anniversary, we had a party and gifts.

This was in a goodie bag...pictured below. The item in the top (with "samplers" on it) is really cool - in the same color as the fabric, eyelet letters spell out A-B-C, so it's kind of shadowed.

This cool sunflower bag held the box (and all the stuff inside) plus the first picture of gifties! This box is made to hold all these items - as featured in the picture of the example (with the scissors and things all tucked away) and the stitched piece (not done, to be done by each of us) is for the top of the box. I will personalize it and change a bit, I imagine; but what a cool anniversary item.

I had a couple more bags ready for two more friends birthday - Heather and Ginger received these...a bit late, but I look at it that just spreads the birthday out a little and makes it last a little longer. The color scheme on the right is perfect for me and I really had a hard time giving it up.

Well, if I want to stitch at all tonight, I should get on with it. I have probably bored you all to tears. It has been great to catch up (although it's take a bit of time) with the blogs I read regularly. Thanks for those who sent well wishes on my feeling better. And did you notice - I have over 50 followers now! How cool - could there be a giveaway in the future - me thinks so!

Next post will show some stitching progress as I've had needle to thread for just a couple short nights planted in the chair and last Monday with my friends. I also will share with you what those wonderful, fabulous friends gave me for the birthday that passed earlier this month too. I am getting closer and closer to that five-O mark and with each passing year am so glad for my health, my family and my friends. The gals I pal around with (aka - stitching friends) go way beyond our common love of stitching and are with me through good and bad, thick and thin...they are responsible for some of my favorite "down-time" laughs. Isn't it wonderful to have awesome, talented friends who love you just for you, no expectations, no issues - different from family since there is the "have to do" things with family and household...now don't get me wrong, I love my family and my house...but to spend time with the women I hang with, is truly a necessity as much as it is a blessing.

Okay, wrapping up! Have a great week - I will post more pics and progress next time (hopefully soon). School conferences this week - last one of two for me! Yippee.

Stitch smiling, sew happy and laugh!!

Sherry :0)

Whew!!

So I didn't fall off the face of the earth, just landed my butt on the couch/bed for a couple weeks. I don't have any updates in the stitching world - haven't had a needle in my hand for that couple weeks. I had a sciatic nerve problem about a year and a half ago - it flaired up almost two weeks ago and this was worse than the original problem. Bummer - not only could I not sit or drive, I missed three days of work, had to post-pone a lunch with my friend, Pam and didn't get to go away for my stitching get-away (and I had my choice of two to attend that weekend)! But I am on the mend and not quite 100% yet - hence the short post. I am glad it wasn't something major and I know I'm lucky to be relatively healthy, but this was a pain in more ways than one!

Hope everyone had a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Those kiddies were so cute - and the older kids were so clever!

Hopefully there will be some great progress soon! I hope to catch up with everyone's blog in the next week or two...