midnight progress---almost done

Well I have one word left to stitch and it's done! My eyes are crossing instead of the thread so I better go to bed.

It fits snuggley, cozey, just right.

I do believe it was 28 or 30 count though looking at the pic.

I think I like it even better this way.

A Good Book Just released--The Cross Gardener

This is a must buy and read, here's the preview. I know the author is the best.

Take a quick look into the book.

I'm guilty to the first degree---I slept with my sampler last night

Can you tell it's pretty wrinkled and on top of my unmade bed right now. Cause I had a dream that I had failed at something else last night. It's a trend throughout my life.
Cross stitching is one thing I usually get half-right so I got up took my arthritis meds and got busy till I reached the furthest point of stitching to see if I could breathe through the rest and relax....I mean it is a hobby, right? LOL

It fit by the skin of my teeth!!!!!!!!

YEAH! I thought I used 32 count but it just may be 28, right now in my life it could 490, if my head wasn't attached I'd probably forget what it looked like too but I thought (thought) I reached into my 32 count pile.

And you know what? I have 2 (not 1) but 2 lovely gauges that tell you the size of your fabric and I can't find not one of them. So, I'm just glad it fit cause I love, love this frame for it!!!!!!!

I'll check back later when I've put that teapot in the middle on the bottom and finished the bottom row.

Well, better run, cause I think Ren is stuck in a corner of the bedroom between the dresser and the wall in a 2 foot space, poor soul. It doesn't bother him but it bothers me to hear his head banging.....maybe I should try it with him!! LOL

Squeezing in the frame may be a problem

I've stitched till my already nerve ridden left hand is now about completely unable to type but I'm determined to get this piece done.

I took it out again of the Qsnap, wrinkles and all (like me) and oh, I have another bottom border to do. I'm crossing my fingers really really hard that it will fit. I can't figure it out. I thought I used 32 count and the pattern calls for 28, so if anything it would have more border, oops.

I'm stitching straight downwards so I'll know. Like this will matter that I have only 4 lines of words left? LOL
But I will adjust it because I love this frame. We'll see how this goes and if I can stitch tomorrow, I will try to get alot more done as I have loads of time on my hands right now. (no pun intended)

I like the water in the birdbath and how it turned out.

I guess it's about midnight and I'm still awake, as usual, my mind could keep going but my hand says I have to quit right now, but then again, I may just keep going until I have all five fingers shooting tingling nerve endings. Whatever, makes me feel alive! LOL

Jennifer

P.S. Deb, remember what I told you about that Needlework 4 system. It's looking like it might be something to order this week...........

Time to catch up

A bit wrinkled after getting out of my Qsnap frame but "IT IS WHAT IT IS!" I got through the 2nd section mostly sitting in a parking lot during lunch time because after work as demanded more attention than usual. I also injured the top of my left hand accidentally at work and have needles and pins feelings running across the top of my left hand. This is the arm that was affected in an accident already and I'm hoping and praying this heals and goes away soon. Not a good time to deal with physical issues too. I'm sure I just aggravated that nerve again but it has put a slow down on my stitching progress.

I filled in the number 3 with the Old Purple Paint CC color I got.

I do apologize for not writing daily as I usually do but I needed the time to reflect on critical issues that needed my attention. The week has been filled with good and bad, and actually I reminded myself that Maslow's hierachy of needs is really truthful and without being a psychology professor right now, I'm just saying that this week I was stuck on the first level this week, coping in ways which may or may not be acceptable to other people. Just reminding myself to eat and sleep was a challenge.

I had 1980 email messages saved in Yahoo and this definitely needed cleaning out along with purging what's important now and what's not important, to pull my own self through the last year of losses I can't even begin to list.

Probably the dumbest thing I heard this week was that a pill could be a substitute. NOT.

In my profession, I see more problems related to side effects of pills than I do the original problem and will not get caught up in that one-sided way of thinking. However, we do live in a society where loss and feelings of grief is not normal and that Prozac will take it all away make us perfect people again. Wrong. This is nothing against SSRI medications but I can just tell you that the side effects are overwhelmingly brutal to women. I don't know if they have a more sensitive system or what but I spend probably about 60 % of my work day trying to put a Bandaid on the side effects caused by pills when the real answer is true compassion and time/relationships. Believe me, silence is not golden.

When did it not become acceptable to be loved for who we were, to not have to meet certain conditions under tremendous strains of loss in order to bump up to level 2 or 3 in the hierachy here. And in swaying back and forth from daggers about my comments on my blog, my simple answer is if you don't like it, don't keep reading it.

There's always something good in ourselves even if others we love don't see it, and I just had to put some situations into perspective. This is a pic of Afghanistan women in a drug rehab center for themselves and their children/babies and the therapeutic classes on needlework.

I thought this to be striking and shows how needlework is sometimes the only thing that get us to the next level on the hierachy of needs. It's something to show we accomplished something, something beautiful, and that we as women are worth something.

I've been exchanging and changing on Ebay. I sold a nice leather belt that had hung in my closet for 4 years unworn for a couple of good things I know I would like including this sign for my sampler wall:

And a sampler by Beth Twist called Anna's Prayer. This I may stitch in rememberance of Elizabeth. The words are hard to see in the picture but if you click on the pic you can read them.

And most of all this week in my mail goodies, I received this package of goodies I exchanged on ebay for a bracelet I had (I know we needleworkers are desperate in our addiction), for this package of 30 colors of overdyes from Gentle Art. It include a stitching bag which I didn't really need but was glad to have when it arrived. There are special addition Gentle Art colors that I love and couldn't have gotten at a needlework shop for 1/4 of the price. My motivation for the inquiry was needing Old Purple Paint thread by Gentle Art.
This pic is from the EBay site and not the actual products that arrived because today I'm lazy and didn't take a picture ! LOL

I got part of the giveaway goodies in the mail yesterday and I was elated. I just received an email that I should be getting the other part in the mail next week. The last day is tomorrow at midnight for entry. See FEB28th posting if you are interested in this.

I'm so hoping this arrives next week so I can get out to the winner I will pick!!!

I love giving hope to others, I really do. It probably makes me more happy than the recipient. I wish I had loads of money and could do more but right now, this is all I can do, and include being here as a friend if anyone ever needs anything, such as a shoulder to cry on, a friend to talk to, etc. when all in life sometimes is not roses and finding true companions is a rare event.

Here's hoping you have a great early Springey Saturday and that you are in the company of the ones you love.

Jennifer

Footprints and friendship

Last Thursday as I was going to work in a satelite clinic, I took a small framed print of the poem, Footprints. I had originally picked it up in a thrift store the week before, thinking at the price, I could use the frame and remove the poem, and replace with a sampler.

It was heavy on my heart to put in the clinic instead in memory of Elizabeth.

So, I took it and gave it to them.

About 5 minutes later, I was actually sitting at the desk she used to use and pulled the drawer out to get a pen to write down something and on my feet something metal fell out the back of the drawer.

I thought it was a heavy quarter.

I rolled the chair back, bent down and picked it up and it was the phrase from the poem that I had just taken in her memory. I had cold chills along with many questions.

There are so many things that happen, especially recently that could not be just coincidence. I've had this with me since then and when times get rough,I look and reread it.

God has been extra special into my life today because answers to prayers are coming like you wouldn't believe.

Believe me, that God will answer your prayer if you leave it in His hands.

The hardest part is leaving it there and trusting that He will take care of it.

Today has been a miraculous beautiful, snowey day and I just wanted to share it with you because there are times when things seem hopeless but this reminds me that we are never alone even if we feel like it.

I read today this: "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart"

I hope this brings some inspiration to your day as it did mine this week.

The weatherman said rain predicted today. Wrong.

This morning I woke up at usual 6am after going to bed at 2am, knew I was off today, started thinking about Elizabeth and the whole mess of that situation, started thinking about Brandon and Meghan, thinking of how excited I was he was coming home, but my emotions were swinging and until recently, I was told that was not normal but now I know it is now.

I covered my head with the blanket and went back into deep sleep until 10am expecting to get up, take medicine, fix hot tea (still out of coffee), eat something just for the process of it, and clean up all the poopapers. I should have known a storm of some sort was on the way, because even as old as Ren is, he used to always head for the bathroom during a storm. He was always more agitated and last night he was determined to bop his head into the walls until he reached the bathroom to sleep.

When I reached back the curtains and saw what appeared to be a blizzard with about 5 inches of snow I was shocked. Rain? This is rain today?

I don't think I will be running those errands today as planned.

My neighbor called to check on me and she never calls me. Very pleasant but unexpected.

Body Guard is in heaven now since it's a disaster. That just gets his adrenaline going.

He gets to save the world.

So, me and Ren and Abbie are going to watch the snowflakes and be thankful that we aren't driving in it today.

I wish the pics could pick up the actually flakes falling but for some reason I don't know how to get the camera to do that yet.

I want to let Abbie go experience snow but I'm afraid she would get hypothermia in minute and then that would be my fault. So, stuck inside now.

Drinking hot tea and praying our electricity stays on for heat. If not, the fireplace will be started.

Cause for sure during times like this, I'm alone while my husband is out saving everyone else, so plan B for sure is in place.

Later on this evening, I'll take some update pics cause it's coming down pretty fast.

In a way, I'm happy. I can stay in my PJs all day and maybe get some stitching done in the middle of 2 barking Chi's.

Hope your neck of the woods is warm!

Jennifer

Fabric sorting and stashing

The kitchen island is clean now. All my collected fabrics are in a pile to be created into something, I don't know what. But I wish I could sew well because they would make great projects. Mainly I use them for backing material.


I snuck this pic in of my Irish candy, Chocolate kisses with creme menth in them.

Well, I got this old wide lace for a wreath to make for Spring. Got it at a thrift store.

These fabrics are eye candy to me.

Maybe something for the dogs......

my favorite tuilip fab.

This old wool plaid is large and 2 yards for 1.00, couldn't resist.

A summery fab

Found this at a quilt shop, would make pretty little pillows or hanging, there are 3 parts to it.

Called Angel houses.

with a matching fatquarter.

2 Jane Austen fabs I love and the blue in the pick looks navey but it's bright blue.

Another Jane Austen one, true to color.

A mini stack of frames for future projects.

yep, it's 1am and I'm up going through fabrics. I love fabric. I just have to develop better sewing skills to make cutsie little things with them.

A definite stash enhancement.

Ren's confusion tonight

Here's where I found Ren tonight.

He thought he would go ramble into the bathroom and pull up a washcloth and snooze a while on it. I had been working on cleaning out the cabinets and closets and had this basket and box leftover. I kept putting him back in his bed but he did the usual, left a little wee in front of Abbie and moseyed back to the bathroom to get a washcloth out to lay for the night.

Dogs sense things for sure. He is so comfortable that I may just let him sleep there tonight. I'm surprised he didn't get into the basket.


His arthritis medicine is working good......too good because now he walks all over the house again, sometimes in circles but then ends up in closets not being able to see how to get out or under tables. I know he needs a helmet if we keep this up!
Sleep tight, don't let the washcloth bite, Ren!

The last month

March 1st.

Brandon's last month in Afghanistan.

I put my yellow ribbon up today.