A Different kind of piece for me

Something about this piece just struck me.   It's accutally the bottom part of a larger piece.  I just thought I would do the two parts separately.   The colors are much bolder than I typically would pick.   I do have a major problem though....the pattern is hard to match the color key to the codes in the chart so I just had to guess and use the cover as my guide.   I know I missed a little but I'm not sure what I'm doing with this piece anyway.   It may go in the "my nieces will deal with it after I'm gone" box.   I have several other pieces in the box already.  This piece is going fairly quickly so that's good.

I think I'll like the way we upload images now .   It just took a little bit to get use to it.   I am noticing however it goes in middle of the post instead of at top like it use to.  
I know this is short but there isn't much happening that I want to write about anyway  so until next time.....Happy Stitching.

Another Finish

I just loved doing this piece.     It went smooth and no problems at all.   It was a pleasant piece to do.
I have picked out an autumn piece to start next rather be this afternoon or tomorrow I don't know.  It'll be kitted up today for sure.

I have figured out how to upload pictures now.   It took a little while the other day but I finally figured out how to do it from my hard drive.

I am still fighting this cold so probably will not be going to church tomorrow.  I feel better than I did but just feel really tight in the chest.   Also I was suppose to go to my brother's to celebrate my nephew's 23rd birthday.   But with my dad and the little kids no one really wants me around them and take a chance on them getting colds.   My dad has a couple of serious conditions and if eh caught a cold and got pneumonia it would probably kill him as his lungs wouldn't handle it.

I am in the mood for fall.   I love stitching fall items.   It also is a very busy time of the year at church from now until Christmas.  

Well...until next time Happy Stitching!

Hmmmm Blogger changed things

I'm not sure I'll like that. The only way you can post a picture is by doing it with a link? That would be fine but usually I take off my WIP pictures from Picture trail once they are finished. I'm not going to like this at all....it may work out maybe the picture won't disappear from here but past experience it has.It's a couple hours later and I may have figured it out you see a double picture for now but one will be gone in a day or two.

Since last year the words "I AM" in the Bible have said a lot to me. God calls Himself the Great I AM and many times He says I AM the Lord, I am the God of Israel, etc. anyways to me the words I AM are very powerful and says it all when it comes to God. So when I found this pattern I got it. I may do it again with bolder colors as this isn't bold but I'm either going to do it for Love Quilts or frame it and give it to someone for Christmas. So I followed the color code. I know I got out a UFO and posted it earlier this week, but I just couldn't get into it and made little progress so laid it back down and got this out this afternoon. For only working on it a couple hours I got a long ways. It is going fast.

I seem to have caught a cold and the coughing is just driving me nuts! Tomorrow I'm going to make Chicken Noodle Soup. Anyone have a good recipe? I seem to make it different each time, however I feel like it at the time. I would rather use fresh vegetables but I don't have any so will have to make the canned ones do.

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and for your comments, I so appreciate them and like everyone need the encouragement. Well.... Until next time Happy Stitching

An UFO

I want to say thank you to everyone who reads and follows my blog. I am surprised by the growing amount of followers I'm getting. Especially since I don't find my blogging nearly as exciting as others. A lot of you have a gift for words and writing. I love visiting everyone's blogs and am thankful so many read mine.

I had started the logos to Phonenix Suns for Cross Stitch Addicts and was almost half done when I discovered a bad mistake. Now why didn't it click when I started doing the sun purple instead of orange! Yea what should have been purple was orange what should have been orange was purple I misread the color code. So a frogging I went.....big mistake when I had that much to undo. I ended up cutting the material by mistake and had to ask CSA to send another piece. I would have used my own material but they sent the material wanting it all to match perfectly.
After pouting over the disaster I got out a piece I started about 3 years ago for Love Quilts farm quilt and never finished. It's a good piece to finish up in the fall. This will be 3rd UFO I dug out and completed this year. After a couple of years of not looking at the UFO's even.

BSF started up last Wed. It's goiong to be a good year an interestesting study, Isaiah. Since there is so much prophey in the book and with so many different religions it will be interesting to hear the different views and beliefs.

Not much has happened since Friday so until next time Happy Stitching!

Happy Dance! The Jeep is Done!

I didn't enjoy this piece too much so I'm happy it is done! Now I just got out a piece I did years ago for my parents with the names of their grandchildren. Well... since I made it we found out there was one we didn't know about back then so Tabi's name is going on it tomorrow. It'll be real quick Then I'll do Phoenix Suns Logo for a quilt we are doing at Cross Stitch Addict

Someone on my last post asked about my problem with vertigo. I am happy to say I am much better. I might have an episode each day but it passes quickly. I've been doing exercises for it and they have helped a lot. It is no longer with me 24-7 I
Thank God for that.

Square 1 (our Wed. night kids club) at church started up this last
Wed. We only had 15 kids which was disappointing to me. At one time Adventure Club had 100 kids. Although I think we are in competition with another church in our neighborhood that also has kids club on Wed. nights whereas we didn't have that before. The two churches were passing out flyers the same night and they had a lot more people than what we did unfortunately.

Well--until next time Happy Stitching.

Lots of prgoress

The only good thing I can say about this piece is it's moving fast now. I spent 3 days and I don't know how many hours on that stupid big tire on the right side and it's still not right. What's worse, I don't even care at this point. Improvising is name of the game! Confession, Cars, and trucks are not my thing. I don't even drive except everyone crazy, and I hate the color red. And it looks like I am going to run out of 347 and 350 Grrrrr! Fortunately it's not due until Jan. 1 and I'll get to Joanne's by that time, hopefully sooner than later! Why am I doing this piece, truth is I have no idea what I was thinking when I signed up for it except it was different and out of my comfort zone. Now that the tire is in it's not so bad and like I said it's moving fast so I don't regret it and won't go down as the worst piece I've ever done, I've done worse. Okay enough of my whining and rambling!

Tomorrow Bibe Study Fellowship starts up again. I can't wait. I can't wait to see my friends from last year. This year will be a whole different group of ladies in the smaller groups as they like to mix up every year to know more people. I am told by others that my group leader is one of the better ones. We are studying Isaiah this year. Should be very interesting as there is so much prophesy in that book, with all the different religions involved it'll be interesting to hear the different views.

Today I went to Farmers Market with my dad and I spent money! I love fresh vegetables and am so tired of the same food all the time.

I got my hair cut the other day. A friend of mine did it, and restyled it for me. My family likes it a lot, and I'm getting to like it. My problem is the bangs, I have such a low forehead and my hair grows so fast, my bangs need trimmed again!

Well---Until next time Happy Stitching!

Start on Jeep

I started this on Wed. and it's moving pretty fast. It will go to Cross Stitching for Charity for a teenage boy quilt with theme of Cars and Trucks. This is one of those pieces if it wasn't for Love Quilts, or Charity for Stitching I would not do, it really isn't my typical piece. But it is moving fast....I should be done with it by middle of next week.

I was reading on someone's blog how they felt people only made comments because they wanted comments. And I thought how sad to think that of people who make comments to your posts. I make comments on blogs because I like what they are doing or have finished. No way do I want them to feel obligated to comment on my posts, as I want to feel they are genuine, not obligated.

I finally saw the ENT earlier this week. It did not go well at all. They put these goggles on you and then have you twist and turn your neck different ways and ask if you are dizzy. I didn't get dizzy too much but just felt wierd. Finally called a halt to it because of nausea. It got to me first. Come to find out one of my brothers was talking to our parents and brothers and sisters and said I wouldn't do well, and described the test to them. Our parents thought I would do fine, my brothers and sister did not. Well my brothers and sister were right. I will admit it did help though I don't feel so lightheaded any more. They gave me some exercises to do but can't start until later today as I had to wait 48 hours. We'll see how things go.

Well, until next time Happy Stitching.

Recipe Box Finished

How was everyone's Labor Day Weekend? Mine was nice and quiet. I did quite a big of stitching which was nice.

I finished this earlier today. It really was a fun stitch. The hamburg and chips made me hungry whenever I stitched on them. The deserts were very unappetizing but fun to stitch. I'm not big on ice cream, or moose to be honest so they were not tempting. I think if I ever do this again I will make all the icecream vanilla and have chocolate on top and down the sdies, and the cherry on top. Now on a hot summer day that may be tempting.

We have had a cool down. Sat, Sun., and today I had the air conditioner tunred off and opened the windows. Oh nice outside air especially with the wind it creates a nice breeze. Only problem maitanance just cut the grass and I can't handle freshly cut grass so I may have to close the windows.

I am still having a problem with vertigo. In fact my dad took me up to the store and when I took the groceries up the steps he noticed I had problems. Because of his age he is unable to help me. He told me just to leave one case of pop in the car I'll get it tomorrow, and just hang on to the rail this time, so since he was watching me I did that. While the virtigo is nothing compared to how it was I wish it would just leave me. Also for some reason the last 4 or 5 weeks my right thigh has really been hurting and now my right shoulder is hurting. I think the shoulder is from stitching and being at the computer so much. Face it I am getting old. I am beginning to feel like my mom and I vowed I would never do that.

Whiskers is sleeping a whole lot these days. He'll be 18 in October. So hard to believe I've had him for so long. He know longer hides under the bed like he use to but lays either in the corner of the room by my bed, or jumps on my bed or will lay on the floor at foot of bed. I'm also noticing he's getting more mats in his hair which he never had that problem before. I do brush him every night rather he likes it or not. Believe me he doesn't like it.

Friday Update

I try to blog on Fridays so I just called this Friday update. I have started a new piece called Recipe Box for a quilt at Love Quilts/Charlotte's Kids Food Fabulous Food quilt. This is such a fun stitch. I really am enjoying it. Only problem I drastically miscalculated the center. I am hoping by the time it's cut down it will look a little more centered. I seem to be center challenge anyway but I didn't think about that Ice Cream Sundae that will be going in taking the piece a few squares higher than where the word recipe is.

I really want to thank everyone that follows my blog. I see I picked up 4 followers in the past two weeks. Thank you. Also thank you to everyone for reading my blog and those who leave comments. I love blogging about stitching and love reading everyone else's blog. There are a lot of talented people out there.

Not much has happened between now and I last blogged. Life has been pretty quiet. Seems really nice after the last few weeks.

I am still waiting to hear from the ENT on an appointment for my Vertigo. It is doing somewhat better the last couple of days though. I did fill out the paperwork Monday and sent it out. So they wouldn't have received it until Tues. I figure if I don't hear anything by Tues. or Wed. then I'll call them.
Anyone have special Labor Day Plans? Mine I plan to stitch a lot. It's going to be a cooler weekend than what it's been. Seems nice. We had a good hard rain which cooled things off for us. I hope those of you in the path of the hurricanes remain safe. Hopefully you will be as lucky as the areas were last night and it more or less pass you by.

Untill next time Happy Stitching.

Finish #15

This was a quick stitch. I did it for a Charlotte's Kids quilt at Love Quilts. The theme was Inspirational Words. It's one I had my eyes on for a long time and was just waiting for the opportunity to do it. Like I said a few posts ago I am redoing the 10-25-50 challenge and chose to do 50. Why when I never made it to 25 in several attempts? Mostly because I'm more motivated. I have over 1,000 books and have done pieces from less then 300 of them, I need to stitch from what I have. Plus I really need to get my Credit Card balance down. That's a big motivator and so far this year I have been really good. I think I bought 7 books all to do pieces for Love Quilts, and that was early this year.

The weekend was fantastic! We had a great time together. Friday we decorated the church for the Open House, then later we went to my nieces house outside of Grand Rapids. The 4 little ones were as cute as ever. The older 3 had a great time playing on Addie's slide and Addie and Johnny enjoyed the pool too.

Saturday was our parents 60th Anniversary Open House. We had a very good turnout. We were surprised by how many relatives came in from out of town, not just our immediate family. Nick, Addie and Johnny, had a great time at the church trying to climb all the steps run up and down the wheel chair ramp etc. Sadly all together too soon the weekend was over and everyone had to return to their homes. It was so good to see Kenn, Denise, Caleb again, and so good to see Michelle and baby Nick. Nick will be a year old in a couple of weeks and just starting to walk really good. Nick, Johnny, and Addie all seem to have a good time together.

Well, until next time Happy Stitching!

Farm Baby Pig is finished

I finished him earlier this morning.
This little pig is a happy pig because he will be able to live out his life on a special quilt made by Cross Stitching for Charity stitchers, featuring him and his other friends. Some lucky child will enjoy them on his/her quilt. This pig was so much fun to stitch.
Well, today is the last fairly quiet day for the next few, but they are going to be fun. We've been looking forward to this weekend for a long time now. In fact it's all dad has talked about the last two years, their 60'th anniversary.
Well...until next time Happy Stitching!

Progress on pig

I have stitched some on the pig. He's an excited and happy guy. I'll tell you my version of why on the next post when this is done, (Wed. or Thurs. I think). I think that is realistic to expect to have it done.

Yesterday was our church picnic. It was a beautiful day for it. We had it at the same park we always do. The food was good as always.

This vertigo is no fun. I think I'm licking it and then I have a bad day. I'm beginning to wonder if this will ever end and if I'm going to be walking on air all the time. I'm okay if I sit still or am laying down, but try standing up and man I feel so weak and faint, I feel like I'm going to pass out. At least I'm not dizzy like I was but still.....anyone have any suggestions? People are teasing me by asking me what I've been drinking...nothing stronger than pepsi I promise. I recalled the dr. today asking for exercises they said they'd call back so far they haven't, so I'm assuming they did put some exercises in the mail for me to do. They usually call back.

This weekend is our big weekend. Our parents 60th anniversary is Sept. 2 but we are having an Open House for them at our church this Sat. Quite a few family members are coming in from out of state for it. It'll be a fun but busy time. Friday, my sister is coming to town, and her and our sister in law and I will decorate the church in the morning and get the tables ready. Then in the afternoon my sister and I will head to her daughter's in Rockford and get ready for the rest of the family to join us. At least those that can, a couple of the kids have to work. Then Sat. will be the open house. So much excitement so much planning, so much hoopla and Sunday everyone will be returning to their homes and some we won't see again for another year or so. It's great they are coming in for their grandparents.

Just out of curiosity is anyone else doing the 50 challenge? This time I am really being serious about it after several failied attempts over the past 2 or 3 years. That's another thing coming up my 3rd year anniversary of blogging or is it 4th? I don't know. Thank you. everyone for reading my blog and making comments. And special thank you to those that follow my blog, I appreciate everyone!

A New Start

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my blog and to those who have left comments. I have really appreciated them and they encourage me. I love reading everhyone's blogs and I know mine doesn't compare to a lot of them out there. There are some talented stitchers out there and talented writers Some people have the gift of gab.

I thought I would do the second barn baby I signed up for at Cross Stitching for Charity. It's a pig. I thought he was cute so signed up to do him

Unity Music Festival was great last Saturnday. It endended with Wayne West and then Jeremy Camp. There were a lot of people from our church that went but I sat with my brother and his family. It was so much fun. The first 2 or 3 hours were hot but had a nice breeze from the Lake so wasn't bad. Then later it cooled down considerably. I tried to convince my 3 year old great nephew, Johnny and his cousin, Maddy age 7 that it was my birthday party to myself I just invited a few friends but neither one of them bought that. It was my birthday but not my party.
Johnny was so cute and he really had fun, especially in the end.

Today I went to dentist and had a root canal done. It didn't go too badly. I'm just not a fan of going to the dentist. The thing is this tooth never gave me a tooth ache or anything. I only went to dentist to get my teeth cleaned and found out this tooth was really bad. I did know it needed filling as I could see that and had planned on having it filled. Oh well, just is going to cost me more than planned. I have another tooth that isn't bad yet but I think I'll have it filled before it goes bad.

I think I am finally getting out of this vertigo episode. Hope I don't have too many of them. Today is best day so far. I even managed to finally do my dishes first time in 3 days! And I swept my kitchen floor this morning. Hopefully tomorrow I can mop the floor and vaccuum the floors. For some reason if I don't do the housework it doesn't get done. Haven't trained Whiskers to do it. Whiskers is in his favorite spot laying in front of the window! I can't believe he will be 18 in Oct. It sort of makes me sad too as I know I don't have too many more years with him. Yet I'm happy to have him this long and consider myself very fortunate.

Well, until next time Happy Stitching!

Treble Clef is finished

I finished this a few minutes ago. It will go to Love Quilts for a future music quilt.

Does anyone have Vertigo? The past two weeks I have had a hard time with it. Especially this week, it's been almost continual since Sunday. The only relief I get is when I sleep, Although this afternoon I'm doing better than what I have. I was miserable this morning got home from the Food Pantry (which no one came today) and slept for a couple of hours so doing a little better now. But man I feel like I'm drunk or walking on air. My gait is so off and I am so off balanced it's not funny. It is no fun....woe is me!

We are in the midst of a heat wave right now. Tonight starts the Unity Festival (Contemparary Gospel Festival) This is 10 th year of it. I have never gone before but this Sat. is my birthday and my brother and sister in law are taking me as my birthday present. Under two conditions, the heat lessons and I can walk straight. I'm looking forward to it.

Well I have my next piece the pig for the CSFC quilt featuring Stoney Creek's Barn babies all kitted up. I did the bunny earlier for it.

Scott and update on Treble Cleff

I haven't had a lot of time to work on Treble Clef this past week, but I am pleased with the progress I made on it. It's so pretty and fun to stitch on. It's detailed but not overwhelming.

This past week my niece, Amanda, her husband, Luke, their baby, Scott and their dog Bella were all up here visiting. Later today they are heading for WI to visit his family. Scott is so cute and such a happy baby. I never heard him really cry much. We had a nice time with them. It was the first time in 4 or 5 years they had been here as they were stationed in England for 3 years years. It may be awhile before they come up again and I don't blame them as next year Scott will be a toddler and the new baby will be about 4 months (yes she's expecting again). It's too hard to travel with young children from AL to MI or WI. So we may have to go down there to see them.

We are finalizing plans for our parents 60th Anniversary Open House at the end of the month. It's actually Sept. 2 but for our family for as many as possible to come we had to do it the weekend before Labor Day. As it is Amanda and Luke came early as they couldn't come then and her two brothers and a couple of other of the grandkids can't make it up then either. Face it we will never have every member of our family together, we never did. It won't even happen for any of our funerals we're just too spread out and too many of us. Lol! Oh well....That's the American Family today!

I am certifiable. Our Pastor just says he unleashed a monster! We are having a Mystery Dinner at church in Oct. and I am a little too excited about it. I've come up with a few ideas for the "Who Done It? skit we are doing. And I'm one of the characters but what I'll be doing I don't know. I'll tell more as the time comes. Right now it's 78 days away and I feel like going to my Facebook and startubg the countdown but it's a little too soon, just to add mystery to the event. I am so bad but I love to have fun with mischieviousness and that's what I'm doing!

Well....until next time Happy Stitching!

Another UFO

I got out this piece to finish up. I've been itching to get back to it for a little while. Me being a seasonal stitcher just felt this was a good piece to get out. It will go to Love Quilts. What child I don't know but it'll be done in advance for a music quilt or I'll send it to any child quilt. We'll see.
My sister just called me to see if she could pick me up now. Since I have clothes in the dryer she'll wait until 3 and go see mom at the Nursing home. As far as mom goes, she will probably be there at least through next week. We had hoped she'd be home by time Amanda, Luke, and Baby Scott got here from AL but it doesn't look like she'll be ready. And it's too hard on dad if she gets out too early. We are concearned about dad as we can see him going down hill. He has CHF and a bronchial condition and both are taking their toll on him. Even people at church are telling us they are concearned and he's been so instrumental at church. People say the church would fall apart without him...I don't think it will, they will have to rely on themselves more is all. But it's so hard to see him go down hill. He is 81 now. Anyway we are looking forward to seeing Amanda and Luke again and meeting baby Scott. I love Facebook and getting to see pictures of my great nieces and nephews. They live all over USA so at least we can get to know them through pictures and videos. It is great!
My sister and I are going to go order our parents anniversary cake for their celebration Aug. 28. We are having an Open House to celebrate their 60th anniversary. It'll be held at our church. One of the men from our church said he would cater it for free. We do plan on giving him money to pay for the cost of the food as we don't feel it's fair for him to pay that.
Well I'll get off the computer now, go do my dishes and that. Until next time.....Happy Stitching!

Splashing Fun finished

I didn't think I would finish this tonight but I did. So first thing tomorrow I'll start on the Lighthouse bookmark. This was a fun piece to do and really didn't take all that long. Until next time Happy Stitching!

Splashing Fun

This week I decided to try to stitch a couple of bookmarks. I started this one last week and hopefully will be finished Wed. This is an AOY (All our Yesterdays) by Faye Whittaker piece. When this one is done I found a Lighthouse Bookmark I want to do for the Carebaskets. I love doing lighthouses.

My mom and brother are still doing okay. Mom seems to be doing somewhat better. She wants to be home by the weekend as Amanda, Luke, and baby Scott will be here from AL the middle of next week, then a couple weeks later several family members will be coming in for mom and dad's 60th anniversary celebration. Amanda and Scott can't come in then because they are taking college classes and will be in class then. That's okay as it's been 5 years since we've seen them, and we can just enjoy them without so many others being around.

How many of you watch Design Star on HGTV? I love that show, but it seems like this year the designers are not as good as in the past. Just my opinion though. Usually someone really stands out as really wanting to win and really excel, but this year there seems to be no clear cut winner. Although I am rooting for one of the girls or Alex to win as they do seem to be pretty good.

Well, I better go do my dishes before I forget about them. Until next time Happy Stitching!

A week's progress on The Caretaker

Because it is dark and dreary outside and not a whole lot of light inside I decided just to scan the area I was working on rather than take a picture of the whole piece.
I've made quite a bit of progress on it. I would have liked to of had this page done but it will be early next week I think.

Neither my mom or brother seem to be progressing from their surgeries the way they should. I don't know why. It just seems like both are still in a lot of pain and neither seem to be healing quite as fast as in the past

LOL My cat is so funny. He wanted me off the computer so he put his back paws on one side of the keyboard and his front paws on the other side stretching across it so I couldn't type! He's not dumb! I can't believe he'll be 18 in 3 months!

In less then 2 weeks my niece and her husband and baby boy will be up here from Alabama. I can't wait to see them. It's been about 5 years as she was stationed in England with the Air Force for 3 years. She now has a 3 month old baby boy and is expecting another one. They are all excited! Can't wait to meet the baby, by his pictures he is so cute he has big blue eyes and blond hair.

Well----until next time Happy Stitching!

Remember The Caretaker

I've been working of it off and on for about 3 years now. And at the rate I'm going I will be for the next 10 years! Anyway, for the first time in 14 months I got it out to work on. It's going pretty well for now. The body of the elk is coming in nicely. I really enjoy working on it from time to time. When I get tired of it, it goes back into my UFO pile until next time. I told my brother he'd have it anywhere between 2012 and 2020. Seriously 2015 is my goal. It's a large piece and lots of confetti stitching. It has 25 pages...20 full solid pages, 5 half pages all solid.

Thursday afternoon my sister came to town for a quick one day trip then was going to her daughter's house to do some work for our parents 60th anniversary celebration we are having end of Aug. We went up to see mom and played Push Rummy. Then yesterday morning she came and got me and we went down to Lake Michigan. The white caps were so pretty. I can so understand the people of the Gulf Coast being so upset about the oil spill as if it happened here, we would be devasted. The shorelines of the Gulf Coast and Lake Michigan are so pretty. After going to the lake she took me to our brother's as she wanted to see his new house. Then I stayed there as Kevin and Beth were taking me with them to Melissa and John's Cottage about an hour in a half south east of here.

Once we got there it seemed like there was a thousand steps to climb and all were steep with railing only going 3/4 of the way. But once I got up there it was worth it. The cottage is so cute. It's almost like a tree house as it's high up among the trees and you look across over the lake and area. It's a very secluded and wooded area but so nice. Some of the people live there year round and have to plow themselves out in the winter. I can't image being there in the winter although it would be beautiful. Johnny and Kate were as cute as ever. Kate is 4 months now and growing and doing more and more. She's a happy baby for the most part. We went down to the lake and had a lot of fun with Johnny, who is 3 1/2 now and thinks he's 10. Although in a lot of ways very much a 3 year old. We had a nice chicken dinner and then went home.

Thank you for reading my blog and leaving comments. I really appreciate them and it means a lot to me. I will sign off as in a few minutes I have to leave for an 80th birthday celebration for a lady at church.

Until next time.....Happy Stitching!