Whew...better times are on the horizon!

Thanks for the thoughts, prayers and well wishes for my mom, my sisters and me. My mom has finally moved to the in-patient therapy floor last Wednesday. She is doing okay...definitely needs therapy and we are hoping she will be able to go home as she longs to do. I did get my stitching out last weekend for about an hour. I have spent lots of time reading while at the hospital - first two books of the Hunger Games trilogy read...and a couple other books from the pile.

Hope all is going well with my blog buddies!! Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts - it sure helps.

Stitch happy, stitch lots...hugs,

Sherry :0)

No Fun...just PRAYERS!

My mom had some routine surgery on the 2nd of March. On the 3rd she developed pneumonia. On the 4th we found several underlying health concerns she didn't know about...and then came ICU. Hopefully she will be moving to a step-down unit today...she's waiting on an open bed in that unit. Between my sisters and myself, she has not been alone 24/7 - not able to really make decisions and speak for herself. She is coming back but it's going to be a long, hard road for her. She is such an independent woman - thank God she is strong again(mentally), not so much physically now. Please keep her in your prayers. And my sisters and me too. I am whipped - physically and mentally and long for a needle to thread - just not in the cards or the mind. I miss my friends - missing out on some get-togethers...I miss my boys - they are holding up the household - again - didn't we just do this a year ago...only a different sickie!!

Hugs and happy stitching to you all!
Sherry

Tiny Progress...

This week I had the cold, cough and yuckies that everyone seemed to be passing around. I didn't do much, Jeopardy comes on at 7:30 each evening and most of last week, I was in bed right after the final!! I did pull out some DMC, a bib that was in my stash from forever ago, located a cutie of a pattern sent to me by Amy of Amy Bruecken Designs this summer when I was down from surgery...and here is what I whipped up by Saturday morning. "Hug Me" is the pattern name - didn't she make a cutie with this one!!Since I lost some of my stitching time early in the week, took it to work with me two days...but I made my deadline. My coworker and hiss wife (coworker that did part of my job while I was on disability last year) are having a baby in May. The baby shower was yesterday. I wanted to put this on the bow...it made a cute package - should have snapped a pic of that...didn't think about it until now.

Woke up to 26* at 7:30 (sleeping in, yes!) and now a mere few hours later it is 41* - but sunny, that's the key for me - SUNNY today!

Hope everyone has a good week! I have only four days of work - my son has his braces removed one morning and that afternoon I am going to stitch with my buddies - Can't wait - boy do I need a friend-fix!

Off to finish up the laundry, check out the Daytona 500 - kick off to the NASCAR season and catch up on a story or two I watch during the week and I missed being sick...oh yeah, and to bake a cake for dessert with my friends...and last STITCH!!

Hi to the regular followers and a BIG welcome to my new followers...Happy week, happy stitching...

Sherry :o)

An Update - Picture Heavy...stitching, quilting, my puppy dog...life!

So I have stash enhanced with a couple things, finished a couple things, made progress...so buckle in - here is what I have been doing.

I took a class with Edyta Sitar this past fall. And fall I did - in love with her batiks. I am kind of a batik-freak anyway...she showed us tons of her quilts - all stunning, I must say. She had this line of fabric called Dreaming in Color and had a pattern that was absolutely something I really, really wanted to make called Dreaming. Unfortunately, it was from a few years ago and very difficult to locate. I searched the Internet and found some of the line and then made up with others that would match. Here are my lights and mediums:
This is the quilt I am going to make with these - these are my darks:

Aren't just to die for? Well if you're still living and breathing after those luscious fabrics, do you like French General? How about this, all kitted up in it's greatness! Lumiere de Noel just waiting for some attention.

And if that wasn't enough - French General - Rouenneries Deux. The pattern is by Its Sew Emma. My friend Peg told me they had released this obsession fabric of mine - already had this in mind, bookmarked and just had to click to order the kit. Wait 'til you see it, Peg - scrumptious!! Now which to start???

Or should I finish what I have started...now what fun would that be - yes, I believe this obsession is a disease!!

Started my house for my moon box Patrick's Woods. Isn't it sweet? I know the smalls are hard to see in the picture, but I will post as I get them done - may just be a bit.

Remember in the last post I mentioned my husband's Aunt; well we went to take her out to dinner yesterday. She is doing well and getting things done. She is such a thoughtful person. Her husband was a staunch - mass every day - Catholic prior to his Alzheimer's. Her boys were raised Catholic (my husband's family are die-hard Lutheran, as was Aunt). Well my husband married a Catholic. I tell you this because since his Aunt's sons are not practicing and my son does (as much as most 18 year old boys do) she wanted him to have the uncle's Rosary. It is so pretty, I just had to give you this picture. The beads are ruby colored and so pretty with the filigree over top each. I love family heirlooms, don't you? My son seemed quite thrilled by the gift.
Okay, after that short break - here is some stitching updates...

Progress being made on BBD Wild Lilies. This is my "go to" piece for easier stitching.

LaDDa's Margaret Cottam progress: Loving this one; the colors, the stitching, the linen. LOVE IT!!

Took the pic of the birthday puppy - he's 8. And boy is he getting grey! We were outside taking snaps of a truck my husband is hoping to sell and he looked like he needed some attention - so, smile pretty Cody!

A Finish!! A Finish!! With Thy Needle's Mystery Sampler - Birds of a Feather. I still can't believe how much I love the flowers in the border. And the sheep, they are so, so cute! I love their little ears. So now on to my next big sampler.
I have Ann Dale (Shakespeare Peddler) all ready to go, silks labeled and bagged, pattern ready but I don't have the line yet - calls for a fat 1/2. Don't have that cut laying around - just a couple 1/2 yards, not fat. Gosh, something skinny!!! But not quite the size I need, no margins. Just waiting!! Checked with my LNS and it's still on back order. Maybe soon??!!

I have another finish - not all my doing...it's the friendship sampler with the 12 friends who stitched - most of the group I mention here frequently - they are my buddies and really the best a gal can wish to have around her. Here are some pics...Mine is the top row with the hearts, just barely visible in this shot.

More - sorry for the shadow. Honest, took this pic with full sun shining in the window today.

Won't this look super awesome in my lilac painted and carpeted sewing studio!! Thanks buddies of mine for all your creativity on this one!And remember the traveling sampler from last post - well here it is, paired up with this super awesomeness...they will love hanging around together on the wall. Now to watch for a framing sale!

Whew - I am tired. And I am so ready to stitch a bit before going to bed. On to another week - starting to catch up on things from 2011. I finally have 2010 archived and put away in storage. I think I am about done with April of 2011. Busy few weeks with lots going on home and work, but that's okay...it keeps me young, right! Starting to fight that cold and cough that seems to be darkening doors around here lately. Hope it goes through me fast! Have a good week all - and stitch lots!

Smiles!

Sherry

Weird, Busy, Restoration, Prayers...

Weird weather - Michigan usually is pretty cold, we rarely have no snow before and during the holidays; it's usually frosty, white, cold. It was in the 50's some days...we had rain, we had people running around in shorts, we had a weird December. January started the same way...then we got the bitter cold I like, not the damp high 20's, low 30's. I was in Heaven, I loved this past Thursday when it was sunny, really bright. I walked out of work and the cold took my breath away. We got about 1.5 inches of snow Thursday. Friday it snowed more, glazed over roads (that part I don't like). It was cold yesterday. The really weird - it was in the mid-20's today but the weather people are saying may be 50* tomorrow. Weird, just plain weird.

Busy...the next word. I have worked a couple of busy weeks. This time of year is always busy for me; wrapping up the year, printing W-2's, shuffling files from years past to make room for the new year. Busy at home - putting away the Christmas decorations and holiday festivity "left arounds", getting our household tax info ready for our appointment. Busy organizing all the piles that end up in the sewing studio during Christmas.

Restoration...I have stitched a bit though, had my "fix" to restore my sanity. Relaxed to restore my ability to shut down the mind at night and sleep...restore my peace and balancing my soul. I have realized through the past year that we all have something, something that restores us to what we need to be, how we need to be. We all need some thing. Isn't it amazing how things as simple as thread, a needle and some linen can bring that peace of mind, peace of heart? Books do the same thing for me, on a different level. Lately I have turned to the fibers instead of the books...have to find one in my pile that captures my attention.

So what have I been stitching to restore peace and balance? It's the Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler from With Thy Needle & Thread. I am doing it in silks and love the process - I haven't done tons with silks in the past. The border is done. The letters are supposed to be in the color of the two border rows and I really think it may be too light for my taste, especially when it hangs on the wall. I am trying Belle Soie "Angel Blush" and have the "Y" in...I will put in a couple more letters tonight and decide. It's almost done.

Sorry for that shadow in the right c0rner.

This awesome flower is why I just had, HAD to do this sampler.

Isn't it beautiful? I saw a version substituting the blue bird with a cardinal (somewhere on blogs this summer - sorry, I can't remember where and the note is upstairs in the sewing studio). I have thought of putting in cardinals but am not sure - perhaps I need this touch of blue. Maybe once the letters are in, I will make up my mind. I also have to get another skein of the green for the leaves - only a dozen left and I am out. I am hoping if the dye lot is different, it won't be too different and as they are not right next to one another, it should be fine.

Been working on BBD Wild Lilies when I need something with a little "easier" stitch to see...this is on 32 count versus the 40 0n the couple samplers I have going. Aren't these colors just absolutely stunning?! Didn't change a thing and am doing it just as it is on the pattern.

And finally, I loved the "Merry Be" pin cushion and finishing style so much that I had to have "Creepy Pin Cushion" by Shepherd's Bush. This was one of my finishes late in 2011...now to finish-finish.

A completely finished project will have to wait just a bit more time...back to that "busy" word. Busy, sometimes a bad, four letter word in this house.

I also have to ask for thoughts and prayers for my husband's Aunt. In May, she has lost her sister (my mil). This was while I was in the hospital for over five weeks and Aunt M had surgery for her second bought with breast cancer. Then two weeks ago, her brother's wife (another Aunt - her sister-in-law). This last week, her own husband passed away; he's been sick with Alzheimer's for years but even that doesn't make it any easier. It's been a tough year. She's a strong woman, but that is really quite a bit. Keep her (and us) in your prayers please. I have always had faith, but this past year has taught me that prayers can be a powerful source of peace, for the prayer and prayee...yes, I can make up words - it comes from work - employer/employee...

Have a great week...thanks for stopping by my bit of the blog. Hi to the new readers, hi to the return readers. I appreciate all your comments and appreciate you checking in with what is happening in my world. Funny, it's such a fun world even though we have not yet met all those followers.

Hugs and stitches,

Sherry :o)