I'm Back And Ready To Do My Best

I recently got this back from being framed. This design was the first one that drew me to Little House Needleworks. I made some changes and added some things on the bottom line, but the frame was my favorite frame with this piece. I love the way it looks together

I haven't stitched for some time now. I've been going through my SIL's stash and adding it into mine, but the big surprise is that she had quite a few pieces finished, or nearly finished that I'm soaking and getting ready to have framed. I also want to finish the unfinished ones, but first things first.

It snowed again today, so my blog is still in order by leaving the winter snowing scene. Not that I'm loving the snow... enough is enough! However, I love to eat fresh snow and haven't yet done so this year. I try to leave the yellow stuff alone, but I've really got to get my hands on some fresh stuff.

Tomorrow I'm jumping back into my stitching. I borrowed a lap stand from my LNS, and couldn't even get the thing put together. How disgusting! I'm returning it tomorrow and I don't know which of the girls will be there, but there will be some laughter, I'm sure. I'm looking for a stand that I can use these scroll rods with, and I don' t know if they're universal or not. They're called E-Z Stitch No Baste System. Maybe I should Google it and see if I can get something to accomodate the scroll rods. Otherwise, I've spent money for nothing because it's too awkward without something holding the rods, and it hurts my hand. I need to learn to stitch with both hands and can't do so without something holding the scroll rods.

I can't tell you how much it means to hear from all of you here and on my Yahoo Groups, reaching out with kind words of sympathy and encouragement, and honestly, it has been like a healing balm. I don't know that I could have gotten my husband and my brother through it all without all the prayers. I keep wanting to call my husband's sister to ask things about her cat that we took in and also about the XS she did, but she's no longer there. It's hard to believe. Then my brother's wife, who was only 58 and soooo full of life and humor (right up my alley), I still get weepy thinking of my brother without her and her two precious little baby grandchildren, one of whom is old enough to keep asking about her. It just breaks my heart that I'll never see her again.

Well, with over 1000 messages on my computer, I think I need to throw myself into catching up with that now, don't you? Oh great! I just had a friend call and  say it was blizzard-like conditions in a city 45 miles from here. Just what we needed!

Frickin' Friday

What drives a woman of a decent class to talk so crudely? Well, I'm up to here with sad, bad news. I found out today that I lost another SIL, only 58 yrs. old, my brother's wife. She was in good shape and didn't look her age at all. She got the flu and simply died. My brother, a doctor, could see that she was not doing well and called the paramedics. He knew on the way to the hospital that her heart was not performing well. When they got to the hospital,  he told her he loved her, and she told him she wasnted to go back home and be with him. That was the last thime she said anything. I just lost another SIL on Dec. 27, and I only have one left. I haven't been so sad in a very long time. I'm devastated.

Another frickin' mess is on the stitching front, as you can see above. I've lost my pattern to "The Library" by Little House Needleworks, a large design that I was having trouble dealing with all the extra fabric on a Q-Snap, so I settled for my trusty old 8" hoop, got a dab done, then lost my pattern. I think I threw it out, so I have to replace it at my LNS' Super Bowl Sale. In the meantime, I spent $55.25 on a starter package of scroll rods and put an ornament on one to try it. The design is "Pear Tree" by LHN also. I sat down with it last night and got an even smaller dab done - a pear with a big bite out of it. I fought with the scroll rods until my stomach was in knots, and I hate them! I'm tempted to take this piece out and put it in a Q-Snap, cut off the Velcro stuff at top and bottom and get it done! It's going to be pretty if I can just get moving on it.

It's snowing today today too. I got the news of my dear SIL right after it started snowing and we were on our way up north to my other deceased SIL to work on her house, getting it ready to sell. My mother called me on my cell to tell me of the latest death, and I said, "I have a real bad feeling about this trip with it snowing and all. I want to go home to grief and try to get my brother on the phone." They live in Richmond VA.

It's still snowing, and I'm crying, and it's just a frickin' Friday. I can't reach my brother. He's too busy on the phone. I don't think I feel like straightening out my stitching at all. What a horrible winter this has been.

And the Winner Is....

After drawing in a container with 25 contestants, my husband eneded up with the name of Lynda! Congratulations Lynda, and thank you for entering my giveaway!

Comment Here For Giveaway

This is "Fa La La" by Little House Needleworks, the first in a monthly series for a year. Since it has the pattern on one side and the necessities (uses only DMC) on the other side, I never had it out of the bag, so it's like brand new. I included a little plastic bag of the beads it calls for, and there are plenty for more than one ornament if you drop any. I hope you win!

Just leave a comment, and I will have DH draw a name next Sunday. This little jewel can be yours.

First Finish of 2010!

Finally... a first finish for the new year. Last year was a horrible, unproductive year for me, so maybe getting back into the swing of the Internet again after an absence and illness, I'll do better this year.

This was a fun little stitch - Fa La La by Little House Needleworks. It works into an ornament, which, of course with all the extra work we're doing in my late SIL's house and getting her affairs in order, I have not done. Before pressing this little ditty, it looked adorable. Now, the French knots look cattywampus, and the sweet little girls look as though they have goiters and other forms of illnesses, none of which are flattering. I fluffed them up after pressing, and they turned out normal again.

Be sure not to miss this giveaway in my next post. It's a good one, and if you've never tried LHN designs, stitching this will give you an idea of the fun they are.

Gingerbread Cottage Back From the Framer

I need to learn to use my camera better. This design by Country Cottage Needleworks was finished before Christmas, and I recently got it back from being framed, which you can tell little about because of my crappy photography. I love this piece and you can take my word for it; the frame is really pretty with it.

WIP Progress

Here is my 2nd progress pic on "Winter Sampler" by Little House Needleworks. It's going to have to be put away while I finish "Fa La La," "Pear Tree" ornaments for January and February, and I'm still waiting for "The Library" fibers and fabric, all for SAL's with the Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage Needleworks Yahoo Group

Books I Bought Before Christmas

The two books on each end are older books I bought from half.com, though they are brand new, and the one in the middle was a book I just love. It came through the mail when I sent in a post card with a yes in the correct box. One of those deals that you get a free gift whether you decide to keep it or not. Yeah, I'm a sucker, LOL!

Fa La La Progress

This is my latest WIP, "Fa La La" by Little House Needleworks. I'm a slow stitcher, and this is deceivingly short and simple at first glance. It seems I've put an awful lot of time in on this one, but it's sooo worth it, and I'm nearly done. I need to pick up my other WIP, then pick up another to keep me inspired. I'll post pix when I get to them.

I was up till the wee hours last night because I tried using another template (not this one) and ended up losing all my blinkies, blogroll, etc. I started over and still working on it, but I've knocked off because of bleary, tired eyes. A blog wasn't built in a day, but I was horrified. Can you imagine?

Ornament Made Before Christmas

I belong to a local stither's group which meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Since I'm catching up my stitching from over the last 6 months (which is nothing to brag about so have to remember every little piece), here is a little ditty I did for our special occasion before Christmas. We did it party style, with goodies from home to eat. There was no stitching done at that meeting. Next Tuesday is our next meeting. We meet at a local restaurant to eat (changes monthly), and we spend the evening shopping at the LNS that hosts it, stitching, and talk, talk, talking. It makes for a fun evening.