Tons of Pics ... and even more words!!

I tried to post last night...horrible thunder storms blew through here and hovered for awhile. I gave up the computer, lit some candles - just in case, listened to the hail hit the windows & deck - watched the lightening - felt the thunder shake the house...and stitched.

Well get your fanny in a comfortable chair and hang on - this is picture heavy. Gotta squeeze every last bit out of my final weeks of disability so I have been busy shopping, stitching hanging with friends and family. I will tell you more on my continued recovery at the end, just in case the stitching/quilting people want to bail before I blather on and on.

I had a finish-finish...I showed In The Sweet by La-D-Da in my last post finished but not quite done, as I wanted to add the ribbon that was attached to the kit...TA-DA...here it is hanging above the book shelf at the top of my stairs.

This is the back. Ribbon attached with cute, little buttons. Thanks to Peg for tying the ribbon so perfectly and suggesting the buttons.

Here is a close-up, hanging on the wall.

The bookshelf was part of my LONG Saturday a couple weekends ago. I moved the little bookshelf previously located there into my closet (when cleaning it out) and replaced it with the more spacious shelf in the first picture above. Then I had to organize my books and bears and pictures. This shelf was one of the things we acquired when my M-I-L passed away earlier this spring. And the closet - it had to be cleaned...I had clothing items there and downstairs in bins that I've had since before I was married (20 years this past April)...and I lost some weight while going through my illness, surgery and recovery - took several bags and boxes of clothing to Salvation Army this week. Went "back-to-work" shopping with my Mom last week and hung that stuff in my now empty closet. Anyway - I digress...onward with stitching!

I finally made it to a Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild meeting. I hadn't been since December or January and I really missed seeing everyone - this group of gals is SO creative and inspiring. It was our annual picnic held at a member's home. There is usually a small class - this year was no different. I actually finish-finished mine...yes, if you're counting, that's two! This is the Strawberry Pincushion Scissor Fob designed and taught by Deb Schoenek. I love it with my big eyed, black scissors! I have a small strawberry collection (small because there aren't 100 pieces, right?!). This is the perfect addition, I think.

Remember the challenge pieces for the KSSG - I had the BBD My Missouri Home (aka My Michigan Home) done in time. I couldn't decide between MMH and this one, but because of being sick, I didn't finish the second one (the challenge was for one, but I really loved both). So here is my progress - it's been snowing here at my house, despite the warm & humid weather.

Merry Christmas Ella Vaugh is going to be Winter Wonderland with my name(BBD too). I didn't want "Christmas" as I want to display it on the bench much longer than the Christmas season. It's almost done! Then I can put it in the pillow making pile with all the rest of the pillow fronts! Big sigh ... some day!

Remember months ago I started posting my band on the samplers that myself and about 12 other friends are doing? Well I missed getting a pic of some when I first started back to stitching, but here's what I have done lately...this is a close-up of my band on Paulette's.

A far away snap to get the whole thing - still Paulette's.

And this one is Tina's:

I haven't seen mine in quite a bit. They are all so different, even with the same bands. And all STUNNING!

Started this the other day. It's May Flowers Pinkeep by Island Cottage NeedleArts. I have done a stocking with the snowman (couple posts ago - still needs to be finish-finished). It, too, is part of their wool series. The petals on this pincushion are wool. I did it with the DMC conversion and some linen I had in my stash - not sure what color. It's gonna be close to the edge on the linen but I can make it work w.h.e.n. I finish it.

Now that I am feeling better and working on building up stamina and endurance for my return to work, what better way than to shop a bit (although my wallet is not agreeing with this portion of my recovery/disability). I picked up these fat quarters - aren't they so cute. The batik is just Halloween colors so I put it with the other Halloween fabrics for this shot. I think the pictures are clickable - the ghosts have "boo" written in different colors and so very, very cute!

And this - I saw this book on Nicole's blog...actually the "kitchen sink" quilt and it was awesome. Checked out the book and loved it! The batiks are for a bag - pattern acquired too - pictured in another shot. The dark is for the outside and light for lining.

Next - yep, that's the bag I will attempt to make. I also picked up this book - again, Nicole had done "rummy" and there you go, had to check it out and loved it too! The Pops-A-Lot pattern looked simple and fun for a future (hopefully easy) quilt.

And more...my friend Peg picked up some French General fabrics for me...I supplemented with a couple more - these are from several of their lines but don't you just LOVE them! I can't wait to figure out what I am going to do with it.

I do know I want to make a quilt out of these (someday in my future) and I loved the tan fabric in the back of this photo...so I picked up enough of that for the backing of a quilt. Let's face it, it could be months or year(s) before I make and finish it, so gotta get it now while I can. I searched for some of this fabric and know it's hard to come by...but as I said LOVE IT!

Amy Bruecken (of Amy Bruecken Designs) is such a sweetie! I am proud to call her a friend. She sent me a care package to help my recovery...aren't they cute. Thanks, Amy!!! And the linen she sent is delicious! I started one of the piggy but I don't have a pic of that one yet. It is a quick stitch and it makes me smile - with a capital S! The Christmas ones are next - maybe I will have them finish-finished to hang on the tree this year!

While putting away things from my M-I-L, I decided to show you a cool dishes that are currently sitting next to my sewing machine. The top one, with the violets (remember I have a lilac colored sewing room with varying shades of purple) is perfect for my room. It is hand painted by my Great Grandma. The other dish is from the items my husband picked out of my m-i-l's. I thought it was sweet and wanted it in my sewing room too. Won't it look nice with some buttons resting within it?!

This month, my baby turned 18. Sometimes I ask "how the hell did that happen" and other times I say "thank God!" but I am proud of the man he is becoming. My sisters and their families were here for cake and ice cream...this pic is from that evening:

Brennen, my nephew also has an August birthday (a few days before Jordan's) - so here they both have a cake with candles! As you can guess, Brennen is a few years younger than 18!

We had our own family celebration, complete with a DQ ice cream cake - one of the son's favorite cakes!

And a family dinner - just us three this year - kind of sad. Usually John's mom was visiting with us in August so she and my mom would go out for Jordan's birthday. This year was the first year without her; and my mom had other plans when it worked for the three of us; you know how hard it is to get a block of time scheduled with any teen who is having a great summer and fun with friends - who wants to hang with Mom & Dad! But we did it, so I had to catch it with the camera!

My latest read : Vicodin & Chocolate by Jeannette Fulda. It's about her suffering from a headache for seven months and her search for treatment and relief. Although sad at times due to her pain, she writes in a humorous manner. It's a quick read. Before that, I was reading The Shack which was a much more serious read, a discussion about God. I thought it was light summer reading when I packed it to take to Minnesota for my M-I-L's memorial. I recommend it and am planning on rereading it when I borrow it again from Mary, but definitely have to be in the mood. It's by William Paul Young. To see what else I read this summer, check back a few posts.

Okay - so that was long...but to add a little bit if you're interested on the recovery - I am feeling much, much better. I will be returning to work next month. This month I have only physical therapy, occupational was done as of July. I am working at my endurance and balance. I still am frustrated with how slow that part of recovery is, but then again I am so blessed to be walking and have use of my body the way it should be. I still have a bit of pain, mostly at night, in my hips. My legs will not be back to normal (if ever) for quite awhile (up to 1-1/2 to 2 years) with the nerve damage. The doctor said he won't say "this is as good as it will be" until that point. It is a weird feeling and irritating at times, but again - I am walking, now driving...it takes me longer to do lots of things, I get tired a bit quicker than I should, but... enough said! Thanks for the wonderful, well wishes you have all been sending me! I can tell you, thoughts and prayers help me!

Thanks for hanging with me for this post - I am going to wrap it up, send out a couple emails and then stitch for a bit and then to stand and stretch after I walk a bit, I have to draw some lines on quilt blocks and prepare them for the next step. Thanks for the comments...I appreciate each and every one! And thanks for following me. It's so cool to see the number of followers!!

Until next time - take time to put needle to thread, read a bit or do what makes you smile!

Hugs and :0)

Sherry

Stuff...sweets, a finish or two!! Some progress & other new stuff!

Hey everyone!

Boy - I just put a new picture for my banner and it is HUGE, I tried and tried to make it smaller but I can't figure out how to do that particular thing, so it will remain HUGE. Don't you just love these pin cushions though - I have drooled over this fabric long before the pin cushions came to live with me; not just drooled, but coveted and lusted over this luscious fabric. It's by French General - Rouenniers (Moda) and I am now the proud owner of several 1/2 yard pieces - thanks to my friend, Peg (who also made the pin cushions for me for Christmas)!! She and a bunch of my other buddies were on a shop hop and she was kind enough to pick some up for me... What am I going to do with this glorious fabric, you may ask; I have no idea yet, but something that is absolutely stunning, I am certain.


I was fortunate enough to be able to get together with my pals this past week - Mary hosted...I took some cookies I wanted to try. I lost quite a bit of weight while sick/surgery/recovery and am determined to keep it (and more) off so that I can live to be 100, healthy and happy. Normally if I make these kinds of things and they are around, I will eat them all. So I decided to leave a couple at home for my boys and take them to share with my friends. I saw the recipe on a link I stumbled upon through Edgar's blog. It's for Rhondi at Big Mama's Home Kitchen. I thought how can you go wrong with two cookies in one - an oreo encased in a chocolate chip cookie...yum. And they are delicious!!

Well let me tell you - even as tasty as they were, they were a pain in the rear to make. I didn't open the oven door all the way to switch trays at one point - dumped four cookies on the oven door and the bottom of the oven...even without that minor blip in my baking skills, they were not as easy to make as I thought they would be and my chocolate chip dough really spread out past the oreo quite a bit. Who needs a pretty cookie anyway? Especially when it contains chocolate!

Since the oven was hot again; after I let it cool down and cleaned the door, floor below where it fell between and the bottom of the oven, I did a chocolate chip bundt cake. I am not a huge cake fan, I usually like the frosting - but I do love bundt cakes, they are so moist and simple. I took this with me to Mary's too. I mixed it up while the cookies were baking since I wasn't sure they would turn out okay.

On to a finish - remember the cute little kit (La-D-Da) In The Sweet I was working on last post or two ago? Well it is finished; and I mean it is finish-finished! Whoo Hoo for me - that is a record from the time stitched to being done. I am going to attach the ribbon (which tied together the top of the kit) with a couple little, cute mother-of-pearl type buttons on the back so that I can hang it on a door. And with no pun intended - isn't she sweet!!

I had another finish that should have been a finish before I started this blogging business (I think I started in at least 2009). It is another La-D-Da (must be in that kind of mood, I guess). I was searching for something else and came across this little ditty, Blooming Alphabet. I bought this kit a couple years ago. I changed the colors (it was mostly blues) and had all but the eleven done after the 2-0. What's up with that? It took me just about 15 minutes or less to put in the 1 - 1 (which probably would have been 0-9). Finish! Another sweet sampler!

Remember my progress as this:

Well look at my progress now: This is the mystery sampler by With My Needle & Thread Birds of a Feather. It wasn't much of a mystery to me since I had parts one and two when I began. I am doing it in silks and really enjoying this. It's actually further, but I don't have a photo of the progress from stitching with my friends earlier this week.

Welcome & hello to my new followers, hi to my regulars! I never thought I would like this blogging, but it is fun to see what everyone else out there in blogworld is working on and boy has my "check it out" list grown by leaps and bounds! It never ceases to amaze me at the talent of the designers and then the interpretation of the stitchers.

Health wise, I continue to improve each day with my ability to do just a little more, some days are better than others but I think when I return to work next month, I will be ready. It will be a little over four months since my surgery...and more than than for absence. I will miss the stitching time, but I will again have to prioritize the things that have to be done, want to get done and let go of the rest (something I am working on) so I can fit in my fun stuff. If I have learned one thing through my illness and surgery (or maybe I already knew but it's been reinforced) it is the need to have less control over so many things and not worry about the things I can't change. Do you ever wonder if that's why God has things happen? Sometimes I have to be reminded over and over; like letting go of trying to control homework, worrying about work when I can't be there due to illness, making people agree with me and making sure everyone is happy. I have to make sure I am doing what is right for me. Until just a few years ago, I think I was really a "pleaser" with so many things and people. Blah, Blah, Blah...enough of this deep subject?!

Well that's about all the news I have for now...do you like the new background, font, etc.? I always wonder if people find it easy/hard to read, like the colors, backgrounds and all the rest...
We are finally without high heat and humidity here in Michigan - it's the kind of summer days I like and summer nights to sleep well.

Hope you take some time to make you happy - stitch often and with much enjoyment,

Sherry :o)

Welcome!!

Welcome to my new follower! I am thrilled when people want to see what's happening in my world. I certainly enjoy reading other blogs and seeing all the stitching, quilting, etc. and being inspired by so many projects! I like learning about their lives, seeing the grandbabies (or their babies), hearing about kids, what books they are reading or recipes they have made.

So thanks to new followers - and big THANKS to the ones who stick with me!!

Stitches and Hugs!
Sherry