I can never think of a title!! SO - LIFE LATELY...

Isn't this one beautiful...I can't wait to start this one.  My linen is on back order...no worries though, I have plenty to keep me busy until it arrives...It's The Coverlet House by The Scarlett House.  I am planning on doing the top version.  It's different, not the ordinary with using the linen for the background. 

 This was such a fun and QUICK stitch.  Summer, Needlework Press freebie...from The Attic with a recent order.  Used Belle Soie "tulip" and a random piece of linen I found in a deep, deep dresser drawer in my sewing studio...tried to just use up some stash with this one.  I will do this one again.

Although a little muggy for my taste, it was a beautiful weekend here in Michigan.  I made some sun tea and also tried my hand (with a more concentrated tea) at hand dying some linen from that aforementioned bottomless drawer.  I am going to give it a day...think on it, but they may need a bit more or maybe coffee.  I have plans for that big piece.  The freebie above came with Hands To Work's I Wait for the Lord.  I am waiting until I get the fabric color just right and then  I will pick out some fiber.

While outside snapping some pics, I took this of a very out-of-control rose bush.  Wow, do I need to get the clippers out and hack trim away, nicely.

Think I need to cut some rhubarb and make something delicious!  I really don't have a green thumb and do not like to garden...but this rosebush and rhubarb love to live here; they make it easy.

Picked this luscious fabric up last week when shopping for a birthday "yard".  My friends and I are exchanging one yard of fabric on our birthdays...of course this one had to come home with me.  Dang, it's beautiful!  I also picked up the batik fabric that is in my new header picture...prompting a background change - I am such a non-techie kinda gal...took me much longer than planned!  Hope the bright sherbet orange doesn't blind anyone - may want to get your sunglasses out.  I thought it looked very summery.

Once I figure out how to get this big a** piece of linen on the scroll rods, I will begin Ann Dale.  This could be a lifetime project.

I received a "charlie brown" tree for Christmas this year...it was missing the Linus blanket tree skirt.  I stumbled upon this fabric yesterday.  So I will do a two sided skirt...blue like the blanket but I couldn't resist the characters for the other side.  (It really is a CB tree - has Snoopy on the box, criss-cross board and one red ball ornament.)

 And this - isn't it hilarious!!  My boys (hubby and son) love peeps.  I will use this on an Easter themed pillow - stitched.  Funny and sweet - pun intended!  It was the last fat quarter in the shop - wish they had more and in yellow.

I am taking a quilt class in June.  I can't remember who created it, but the pattern is Marmalade & Jam.  I'll check the pattern later for the name.  This is my selection of fabrics.  Some from stash, some from store.  Did a bit of cutting tonight.  It will be fun and is filled with several different squares - some old to me, some new. 

Had a great Mother's Day - my son made me french toast for breakfast.  He even cleaned the kitchen.  We then spend the rest of the day at my Mom's.  We missed doing our annual Easter egg hunt this year, as my Mom was just getting home from the hospital at that point, so we did that.  My sisters and their families were also there.  After the egg hunt, we had a  simple cookout...hot dogs and hamburgers, corn on the cob, etc.  Made my son happy - first corn since braces...it's always better off the cob with your teeth than with a knife.  Don't loose any of the juicy goodness!  And my day didn't end when we came home; my son and I went to the movies - just the two of us!  We saw Dark Shadows which was pretty good.  It was funny in spots in a campy sort of way.  Both of us love Johnny Depp, but I still love him as Captain Jack Sparrow best.  It was really great to spend time with him - just him and me.  My husband work week starts on Sunday, so it was just us. 

This picture is at my Mom's.  I am thinking maybe I needed to do something more with my hair and some makeup...but it was a casual dinner.  Pretty good looking guy, I think.

Thanks for checking in with me...thanks for reading!  I am so amazed I keep getting followers.  Welcome to the new followers, thanks for coming back to the (dare I say) old followers!  Have a great week - hope you have some time off for Memorial Day next weekend.  I have Monday off - yippee - long weekend!!

Stitches and smiles,
Sherry :o)

Happy Mom's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all my blogging mom's, grandma's, women/men who mother others!!! 

I miss my both my Grandmas more than usual in May, both their birthdays were in May -one Grandma's fell on Mother's Day often. 

I miss my Mother-In-Law's presence in our lives more this year than probably will in the future.  The first anniversary of her death is looming. 

And this year I am so GRATEFUL that my Mom is well, here on Earth with us kiddos.  After her medical scare this spring and some days/nights not knowing how she was going to come out of Intensive Care or when...I am feeling quite blessed.  Today we will gather - us sisters and our families - to do the egg hunt my mom (and dad when he was alive) does for our kids each year.  Even the older kids love it - candy and money in eggs, what's not to love?   We will also be doing a hot dog/burger bbq and hang for awhile.  And another "best part" of that - I will be spending the day with my son!  It's be awhile since he and I hung out for more than 10 minutes :0) and I am looking forward to him waking soon - he is making breakfast.

Enjoy your day, Moms!

Come back for stitching updates and whatnot soon!

I am still here - thanks for hanging in there - waiting.

What a mess...what a long time since I have been able to sit in my sewing studio:  uninterrupted, guilt-free, stress-free...some of you know what I'm saying.  The piles on the left of the table - that's for a quilt - my first quilt class ever.  A couple years ago I took a class from my friend, Tina.  It's called Nancy's Fancy.  I love it, still, but need to carve out some time to do this! 

This pile to the right - actually two piles, finished   --    just not finish/finished.  And the bagin the back - it's my son's quilt all kitted up and ready to go.  This past fall, bought the flannel to supplement some I had in my stash and hit a good sale for the backing. 

 It's finished - adding to the basket of finished items awaiting a finish-finish (not shown on the table shot above - it is actually under the table and full) Wild Lilies by BBD.  This was a fun, fast and pretty easy stitch and the colors - too awesome for words.  Didn't change a thing - something I find hard not to do.

 Yes, I opened it before showing you all, I ordered a couple items from The Attic.  Always a pleasure to get a package from them...pretty tissue, nicely wrapped just like a little 'ole present - for me!  What was in the tissue?  A freebie, the one with the strawberries, below (center) by Needlework Press Summer.  I also picked up I Wait for the Lord by Hands To Work.  I have the fabric picked out for that one but need to tea or coffee dye it and then settle on fibers.  The Summer freebie fabric and a couple of choices for the silk are gathered...can't wait to start.  Maybe tonight?

 The newest issue of Sampler & Antique Needlework  hit my mailbox - always a welcome sight!  And I picked up the newest Loose Feather Mary Ann Blackburn from Blackbird Designs.  What's under the strawberries, you may be wondering - well, you are going to have to wait.  It's a Christmas gift I had ordered and need to start soon - maybe tonight?

Bent Creek's Snowmen - Photobooth sits in my basket near my chair.  I pulled it out to work on something quick the other night after my BBD finish.  I haven't done much on this one but the second snowbuddy was stitched a scarf and a nose...maybe some snow tonight?

 I continue to  plug away at Elizabeth Mary Gandey and have finally started on the church.  I absolutely love the trees along the steps up to the church.  

The carnations are awesome - the border is beautiful.  I am so in love with this sampler.  The colors, the fabric, the pace, everything.  So in love, so in love.  This is one I will be sad to have finished - but glad to have finished.  La-D-Da's Mary Cottam; although I am not putting in her name, obviously, as I put my name in instead.  I have to figure out what to put to the right and left of my name. 

I have had several people ask, sending me emails and whatnot - my mom is recovering well.  She came home Easter weekend and she is slowly building up her stamina.  She was able to move to the soft collar from the neck surgery last week and is able to now drive.   She is working on following up on the heart and lung issues.  Lots of work and care to go, but she is getting better.

I am gaining back some of what I lost while helping mom.  It will be one year from my surgery tomorrow.  What a long way I have come, what a gift it is to be well, to walk, to have recovered as far as I have.   I have a bit further to go, but the doctors indicated it could be up to 18 months before I was as good as it will get.

I have been reading up a storm.  I have read Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Game series - awesome,all three!  Also quite good Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo.  Rhonda Janzen's Mennonite In A Little Black Dress a quick, fun read.  I also read a series by Marie Bostwick:  A Thread of Truth, A Single Thread, A Thread So Thin and  Threading the Needle.  The next one has come out this week - on request from the library.  All quite good; I recommend any and all of them.

Well, if I want to stitch, I better get to it.  I had a couple of "maybe tonights" above and need to get cracking.  Hi to my new followers, hello to the rest!  I appreciate seeing you there, reading your blogs.  I finally caught up on that this morning...sure was a nice way to start my Sunday!  What a wonderful group we are, us stitchers.

Stitch lots, needle to thread...do what makes you happy!

Sherry

Happy Easter, Happy Passover - Mom Update!!

Happy Easter, for those who celebrate Easter. Hope you find lots of chocolate filled eggs!! Happy Passover for those blogging buddies who celebrate Passover.

Mom is home - she is weak, but we are so glad to have her out of the hospital. Now it's on to specialist appointments and follow-up care.

I have done just a bit of stitching and will post progress pictures soon. I have done quite a bit of reading - have some good books to recommend. I will try to get my thoughts and notes of authors, titles, stitching pic in sunlight together and post soon.

Stitch and do something fun - hugs,

Sherry :0)

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)