Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sweetness and Joy

More pics for Auntie Parsley!!!

I think she is permanently attached to me now. I need some velcro.
We took her into Walmart to get a pooper pan because evidently she is used to that and it's working well. The potty papers just line the inside.
She ate good and then she is into the eat, poop, cuddle, sleep, and then play. Repeat.


Hey Auntie Parsley.......look at my pink ears and my sweetness.......
She likes classical music too. We played that on the radio and she just tilted her head back and forth listening.
Ren is literally pissed off. We introduced them slowly. She likes Ren. Ren can't really see her. But after their greeting, he turned around and let me know how he likes her. LOL
She's sleeping on my lap. Trying to catch up on blogging.
The first store she went to was the LNS! I had to show Terrie at The Dogwood Patch our bundle of happiness. I also got some Raspberry Jobelan linen for a couple of Christmas ornies.
Everyone at Walmart had to stop and OO and Ah over her. We were the center of Walmart there. Now she's sleeping and I have to clean house now and do some laundry. I hope to work on stitching later this evening as I catch up on the news.
Till later,
Jennifer

Precious Miss Abbie

My friend Connie and her friend were there too to see the puppies.......I tried hard to get her to get one of them.....they loved her too! She sent me this picture. Pardon the bags under my eyes but notice the tail......moving so fast, it's a blur. She really is a happy puppy!

sleepy now......on the ride home......I'm typing with one hand. LOL I've held her in her blanket since we picked her up. She did nestle in my hair and thought my earlobe was her mommy but I think she will be fine.

One more trip now to Walmart after her nap...........


so sleeeeepy

I'm just resting my eyes.............


Already on order, awaiting puppy

I ordered this last week but it will be another week, slow shipping before it's here. Yes, it's big but will be somewhere she can play while I"m at work. Do you like the little doggie toys that hang from the top????? It's waterproof. That's the good part. It folds easy for trips.

And this is going to Miss Abbie's Christmas dress.

Can't wait! Gotta run, hubbie is already ready, dressed and acting like an expectant father. We will bring her home after lunch and get good pictures for Aunt Parsley!!! LOL LOL
Anybody want to be the Godmother now? Uncle? LOL just joking.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Premonitions

This young, stubborn man is my son. A picture from cold weather training in Vermont last winter, preparing for his Afghanistan tour. Or I'm not sure you can really prepare for such a mess but anyway, I do miss him alot. My Christmas wish is that he will call me or write me a letter. That's really all I want for Christmas.

Yesterday, I was off and reading alot but didn't watch the news until 6pm when I heard about the Fort Hood shootings. You can see in my twitter from yesterday about the time this horrible shooting occurred, I had a strong feeling that something was wrong and I was worried even more extra. I felt kinda strange when I heard that this had happened. Even though he is not at Fort Hood now, I know it has them on higher alert and I know he has to be worried.

This is not the first time I have these feelings, call them crazy or what.

This afternoon at work, all of sudden my neck started hurting abruptly and thought, wow, I've been doing good with this cervical hernia in my neck but oh it hurts! Well, needless to say, when I came home my hubbie had a whiplash at about the time I felt the pain. He didn't want to tell me on the phone that he had a rear end collision wreck. He is ok. Wasn't a bad wreck but he said his neck started hurting.

So, I"m really feeling like I could possible by psychic or something. Strange. Ever have these feelings? My hubbie is trying to get me to predict lottery numbers now......LOL

I do know it's getting cold at night in Afghanistan and I'm hoping his cold weather training has helped prepare him. Why do mamas always worry? LOL
Like right now I feel like flying over there and taking him some extra blankets and socks and stuff. Crazy I know. I wish he weren't so stubborn.


After reading all the news and tonight hearing the details of the horrible Fort Hood events yesterday, I know we are definitely in the end times. Now, I know I can't be right on that because no one will know but it can't be any more plainer that our world is in the last years with so many issues that are predictible in the Bible.
Seems that office shootings and shootings, killings, etc are happening more and more.
Unemployment is now 10.2%
But this Fort Hood incident should show America that no matter what we do over in Afghanistan, it's all integrated over here too. I vote now to bring all our guys home. Build up our own country with these men. Cut down on the mental health issues that will be overflowing in our country. We've already demonstrated with our illustrious President now that we have no leadership, or I should say we do over there but he isn't listening to them. But that's just me and my own world of thinking...........

nite nite
Jennifer

My Fancywork Friday---wee hours--almost finished

I almost finished this piece, A freebie from The Sampler Girl Blog. Zoom on over and get your copy. I have the perfect fabbie to back it with . Can't wait to finish that leaf and then it's done.
I used an old scrap of 28 ct Vintage Exemplar Lakeside linen which is so soft to stitch with and the recommended DMC flosses. I did sub out the vase color to Brandied Pears-Crescent Colors.


Thursday, November 5, 2009

Always put your best asset forward......LOL


Ren is sleeping with an afghan blanket today, and insists on keeping only his ear and nose out. I guess he will be alert to when dinner is ready this evening......hehehehehehehehee


Anniversary Celebration Give-a-way!

In celebration to our 8th wedding anniversary this month on November 24th, this pattern could be yours! I love the verse in it and will have to reorder me one, one day but for right now, by entering on this post (and this post only), and if you are a follower of this blog, you have a chance at winning this beautiful piece. For a second entry, you may post a separate comment that you posted on your blog. Simple and easy!!!
Deadline for this entry is midnight on November 14th. Drawing will be sometime on November 15th.
Designer~~Tanya Marie Anderson, The Sampler Girl
Sense and Sensibility Sampler






Now, I will say that I am not giving away the hubbie even though he is the best the world could ever find! LOL And there is nothing better than being married to your best friend. We married 2 days after Thanksgiving and the meaning will always carry over into our anniversary every year as we are so very thankful we have each other.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Rought Draft of Be Still

Here's my rough draft of Be Still and Know by The Sampler Girl. The fabric behind it is the fat quarter I saw yesterday and thought would look good made up as a pillow keep. I'm not sure yet if I will use the fabric as a backing only or use side strips. I'll sleep on it. I'm a bit yucky feeling now from the injection. Nothing major, but going to bed early. I thought I'd post my progress.
Now I have 2 to finish with the sewing machine that is still new to me ;0


This is just finished, not ironed yet. Rough draft.

Wordless Wednesday


Got the Oink, Oink vaccine!

Alrighty then! ;) another couple of days of blah feeling probably but I just got the H1N1 injection. Took me awhile to make sure it was latex free. Had to call the company. I have a severe latex allergy so I have to always clear that.

It was quite sore but I would rather be vaccinated than die of pneumonia this year.
Hey, I"ve got too many patterns I want to stitch to die quite yet! LOL

Gotta run, craving pork chops now.....or bacon......LOL

Bump-bump-bump goes the cars

Goooooood Morning!

It's Wednesday, we are getting through the week. On the way to work, I passed 3 pour souls that had a 3 car crash, bumper to bumper....like bam, bam, bam. I felt sorry for them so bad. They were waiting patiently for the cops and couldn't move their cars. They seem to be ok, just waiting on that dreaded insurance documentation.....been there, done that.

I'm loving this new time change. I would much rather Fall back than Spring forward.
Last night, I did get a little bit more of the Be Still piece worked on. I've picked out 2 fat quarters, decided to make a pillowkeep of it.

I'm fluctuating in the moods of yes, I will decorate a tree this year to no, I won't put a tree up this year. While I have never not put a tree up, I'm really so not in the spirit this year.
Then again, I may if I have a community Christmas party at our house which I did last year and it was fun. I know this is early and we seem to skip over Thanksgiving looking forward to the holidays. In years past, I always bought large amounts of gifts for my kids. But this year, things have changed. They are adults. But, playing Santa was fun while it lasted.

Maybe Abbie will change my mind and encourage a community open house party in December. I loved having that open house at night last year. Actually I had it on Christmas Eve last year. Alot of folks in my community are elderly and they either have no family or place to go, so that is my intention to offer a warm holiday because even if family aren't around, everyone needs not to be lonely at Christmas. I had to beg my family to show up for the party.....no more of that either.....letting that go. Whoever wants to join our journey, will be there. Life ain't about beggin'
folks to love ya! LOL

I'm already every day getting more excited about our trip to Chicago!
Well, onward through the work day......
till later.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

For Richer, For Poorer, in good times and bad.......

Yep, right when I typed about our anniversary, I guess you could say that the Little House Needleworks Heart of America may have been grounds for divorce as we were definitely trying to get this piece straight with those black lines. He cut a very thin piece of wood. I skipped making it look puffy part and then we straightened and tightened as much we could before putting brads in the edges. I thought he was going to duct tape it for a minute there because he thinks duct tape is the answer for everything......LOL anyway, my wrinkles did not come out with ironing and stretching tight, so I'm ok, if I don't turn on the light in the foyer........
After that fiasco, I'm whining that it's still got the wrinkles and he says.......please, just let it sit until tomorrow and then we will look again............and so we are staying married now and will sleep on it.......LOL. But you better bet I will be checking it out again tomorrow evening....... ;)
This is my new start, This Too Shall Pass, by My Big Toe. I have to laugh now, because I really didn't put my pics in here to blend so well after a painful framing project together..........but it fits.


Be Still and Know by The Sampler Girl. Old WIP, new snowflakes today. My lunch work.



Ok, it's about CNN time and time to work on some of this stitching.
Finishing pieces definitely lends to some sense of accomplishment.

Some angels and other stuff

Just a few things from today. This is a very old picture of me when I was about 18 years old. One of my doggies that I loved and so you can see where it all started! LOL


Today, I stopped by a few thrift stores. Didn't really intend to get these items but.....you know how it is.....no explaining. Anyway, I had to run in the quilt shop to get some DMC 610 and that was all. Yeah, right......well after a couple fat quarters later and floss, I want to show you this pretty blue color of Williamsburg material. Got a 1/2 yard of it. I love it so.



A thrift store had this pillow and it was begging to go home with me. I need to see it daily.


I see this man daily too....LOL. This month is our anniversary, 8th one. These are are engraved glasses that we drank champagne in. Pink Champagne. The Walmart version. LOL I love pink champagne and I love this man too. He decided at 44 that he needed a wife. He always told all his friends he would never get married...........until he met me.......

I also stopped at another thrift store close to home. I'm telling you my car is turning in every one and breaking hard. This angel was definitely going home with me. I collect angels and every year at Christmas I usually get one for the tree in memory of Aaron, my son that passed away.
This old quilted angel was perfect!
Pictures can't show you enough how cute it is. She is holding a small grapevine wreath and a string of heart buttons and tiny bells. Her shrug is made of an antique hankie. Her wings are feathers. I love her!


her quilting is a little tattered but it makes it so much prettier






Mail goody today included this 1910 old, very old, tattered Dutch magazine. I won this on Ebay.





The advertisements in their were quite intriguing to read. Did you know that in 1910, a full time seamstress could make 5 thousand a year?



45 pages of articles and advertisements and fancywork.



I definitely need some of this Scott's Emulsion. Read this......it's good nerve food.

Its says, Are Weak Nerves Inherited?



Well, this little man was calming my nerves after supper. He was so appreciative of ham slices and mushrooms, brown-eyed peas............so that he could get held by his brown-eyed girl!!!



I believe he would let me hold him and he would start his loud snoring but my arm was getting tired
And that lovely, handsome Dutchman of a husband is now asking that I come look at his latest board for LHN frame. SO, I must go and check it out......
Talk later tonight about my project updates......
Jennifer

Monday, November 2, 2009

Monday thoughts

Well it was a late night last night. We worry about Brandon. With no return calls, it's getting very hard to say the least. With no family support we have each other only. I don't know how they sleep at night but one day they will have to answer for themselves.

This morning is a slow start at work and a quick note to say that I finally found the pattern for the Be Still design and I rekitted it, almost finished the snowflakes in the darker blue and it's looking good. The brown I was looking for was 611.
I need to see this. I'm not sure if I'm going to frame or make into a pillowkeep yet.

Body guard and I tried to frame the LHN Heart of America last night and with the piece of board we had, it simply would not work. So, tonight he is going to get something different to try and frame it. I may if this fails, have to get a professional to frame it but I"m really trying to avoid that due to cost. Although on the other hand, I have the frame already, just need to have it put in there. I did sew the buttons on and only had a # 10 beading needle. I almost went blind trying to thread it. My other issue is that I have some wrinkles in the Creek Bed Brown linen I can't get out. I'm wondering if that was already in there for a vintagey appearance. I just noticed them and ironed the heck out of it but I can still seem them at an angle.
But all in all, I'm hoping to get that done tonight.

Well, back to work......

Jennifer

Sunday, November 1, 2009

U.S. sees increase in combat injuries in Afghanistan  - Nation and World - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports -

U.S. sees increase in combat injuries in Afghanistan  - Nation and World - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports -

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Picking up a WIP tonight

Have you ever had a WIP where it's been so long you forgot what threads you were using?
I pulled this out to finish it. And still can't figure out the brownish lettering color I used. I'm going to change those snow flakes to a darker blue because you can't see them on the linen.
This is a freebie from the Sampler Girl called Be Still and Know. I started this a long while back. I've got to figure out what brown color I used so that the lettering is the same. That's the puzzle for tonight!

Oh, I have to show you from our "grocery" shopping, what we picked up to get ready for Abbie. The shampoo is for puppies and smells heavenly like Jasmine. It's tearless. She will probably fluff up like a cotton ball with all that hair when I give her a bath. We'll see.......

I definitely have to get my stitching area, puppy-proof this week so she won't be running through the room with one of my WIP's, heralding her new home. LOL


I'm frustrated with myself for not remembering that brownish color of the project so I can finish it. Arghhhh!

Sunday Sunsets

The sunset tonight is beautiful. This is the view off of my back porch this evening.


Domestic Violence Awareness Month--October







I did not mention last month but wanted to let you know that one of the GOOD things Barak Obama did was to declare October Domestic Violence Awareness month, again. I think this had already been raised in the past and he is reaafirming it.

You can read it from the White House here:



It's one thing to raise awareness, and another to make it go away. Violence has been here since the beginning of time and the perpetrators have refined their techniques in the power and control cycle. It's all about power and control.
The power and control wheel is very informative. Alot of people display amazement at how a thing could happen in their relationship, or if it does how did they get there? Well, this wheel will explain to you what are some usual things characteristic of an abusive relationship.
I've been there personally many years ago. I was beat, slapped, spit on, shoved, pushed down stairs, held down in a tub of water until I almost drowned, feared my perp would burn our house down, and watched him hurt my kids. This is just starters. I've also been a women's advocate for many years, wrote a grant for one DV center 10 years ago, and participated in ceremonies in October for Domestic Violence. I donate to shelters. I donate all my cell phones to shelters. I believe in community. See, no one is immune from domestic violence. When it does happen, you need support from lawyers, counselors, and medical personel. Friends and family unfortunately are usually not helpful. They "don't want to get in the middle of it".
Statistics show that it takes a woman 7 times to leave before she leaves permanently because she is drawn into the relationship with her own part. Usually, it's learned helplessness. This frustrates cops to no end.
That's why you raise your daughters to be strong, independent, not rude or power queens but just strong, feminine, independent women. That's why you stand up with your sons and let them know at an early age that beating a woman is not normal. That's why if you are in one of these relationships and you say you are staying for your children's sake that you seek a shelter and counseling because even if you act like everything is normal (and it's not normal to be abused, emotionally or physically) your children will be, if they haven't already been abused. Stats show 50% of male abusers will eventually, if not already, abuse their children.
Children need role models. Not perfect parents, just parents who care if they get spit on, slapped, beat with baseball bats, get mind-warped about stuff. They need someone to stand up for them. This sounds like no-brainers but I'm here to tell you that there are folks who deny these things.
I'm glad that our President is continuing and reaffirming awareness that DV needs to be given attention. It is a national public health problem.
Stats show 1 of 4 women will or have been abused in their lifetime. That's across states, races, financial status, everywhere. These do not matter.
Think of that 1 of 4.
Also, abuse doesn't have to be physical. Emotional abuse usually accompanies physical abuse and the results are for a lifetime. Post traumatic Stress Disorder is a reality as much as war survivors. And if your core family doesn't realize the participation they had in creating such, then they won't understand you.
PTSD destroys relationships, jobs, and eventually if no coping skills are in place, destroys yourself. Luckily in this day and time, medications help. Counseling helps, medical, professional counseling and those of us who are lucky to find someone who understands PTSD are blessed, extremely blessed.
And for the record, when I speak of women in abuse, it's not because men aren't abused. It's because 99% are female. I am not trying to exclude gender here.
So, if you see purple ribbons near your courthouse, it's probably for the victims and survivors of domestic violence.
As a survivor, I know firsthand, what ropes you have to go through to get away from it.
It's a very hard situation and it's one of my goals in life to keep awareness and support those that need supporting in this situation.
Domestic violence is such a topic to me of importance that I will donate most of all my needlework to a particular shelter if I die. I've already discussed this with hubbie and he knows. I want each woman going to a shelter to have a piece of truth to hang onto in such an awful time in life.
Every woman should know they are more valuable than what their perpetrator has been telling them. You know, every time, I turn on the TV, I hear of perps who kill their wives or children. It's a real thing and it can happen in your community or to you.
So, this morning I wanted you to know that I didn't forget that October was also Domestic Violence Awareness month. The best thing you can do if a friend tells you about an abusive situation is to not ask her what did she did to cause it. Please, get her to a shelter where they have trained staff to handle it. You can still be her friend and pray for her.
And if you know you are in this relationship and "staying for the children's sake" I beg you to think again.