A Finished finish and a mail surprise!

First, I debated on how to get the heart fabric in this frame and finish appropriately, so I

decided to just frame it in this black oval frame with glass, without fabric. There was

adequate space between the glass and the fabric backing for buttons, so I sewed on some of

my favorite small red buttons where the black was stitched.

I haven't decided where it will reside. This is a freebie at Primitive Betty's website/blog.

Either in this bedroom with a tulip quilt.

On the dining room table.

Or on this black shelf.






It was hard to get a closeup without a glare on this glass.

Then I opened the mail and got this today!!! What a wonderful surprise from Parsley!

How clever of you to remember I like Sweet Pea from Bath and Bodyworks!!!!

Love it!

And you are so welcome about cross stitching. I hope you find it a great source of happiness!

Thanks so much for the sweet gift and you can bet I will be using this tomorrow!!!!!!!

Right now I have the hand cream and its got shea butter in it which really helps my hands and

has the Sweet Pea fragrance. I love the fragrance so much but haven't got any, so now I do!!!

Cool!

I still need to pick a name for the DMC bag. I will be doing that soon.

It stopped snowing about as quick as it started here. But we have a dangerous coating of ice on everything.

After 5 days of staying in, I start to get Cabin Fever, but I'd rather stay in than drive in the icey roads.

Well, Miss Abbie has been barking alot tonight and howling if you can only imagine from a 2 pound dog. This may, just may, have to do with a drink of Dr. Pepper I had in a cup and put on the floor by my stitching chair.

She runs in front of the sliding glass door and barks at her reflection thinking it's another dog just like her! LOL Her growl sounds like a cat purring loud.

She must love Dr. Pepper because I use Dr. Pepper Lipsmacker and she loves it.

Till later....

Jennifer

Progress and then staying home in ice

Last night I continued to fret over the blues.......the blues, that is, in this sampler. You see, evidently I started the blue flowers in the waiting room Wed., and had to frog the first two twice, maybe 3 times because I kept getting the wrong blue from my thread card.


Lesson learned, take a monochromatic project to a hospital waiting room.


Too many distractions.


But this is my progress. I'm almost finished with outlining the last blue flower.

While I love the colors, I ended up making the inner part of the flowers two different shades.
One on each end. So, that's my mixed up version but somewhat blends.


Today I will work on the words.

Good news is that yesterday I won the DMC card on EBAY!!!! The one with the actual thread swatches. YIPPEE for me!


This is a pic of my morning, after sleeping till 9:30, which is late for me.


It rained and sleeted last night. No snow. Just ice on the heavy branches swinging over our house.

I see all the clear bulbs of ice and icicles on the house. We are praying the branches don't fall on our house. Tonight it is supposed to snow on top of all this ice.

I should be stitching, Little House in the Big Woods.

I prepared for this "can't go nowhere weekend". I made a big pan of chicken goulosh last night and sealed it up to put in oven for 1 hour.

Ren made it over to the oven as he obviously has at least his smell senses, a little, still left! He whines and paces the whole time it's cooking. And dogfood won't do for him for an appetizer either.

I cooked at 1 hour then took off the foil and cooked for 15 minutes. It's nice and juicy.

I took a before pic, but no after because we had already started eating when I thought about it.

So, basically, I took 4 large frozen chicken breasts and put on a well greased pan. (I live in the South, remember).

Then I took Celery salt and put all over the chicken on both sides, with some coarse black pepper.

Then I washed and threw all over the pan a bunch of baby carrots.

Then I looked in frig and got a half bottle of Bacon Ranch dressing and poured it all over the pile.

Then I sprinkled on lots of Oregano, Chives, Paprika and more Pepper.

And I put in the oven at 375 for an hour, uncovered then and 15 minutes more.

I wish I could have remembered to take a post-cook pic. It was good. The dressing completely disolves like juice and keeps the chicken juicy but healthy.

I also made some Cranberry Stove Top stuffing to go with it.

The herbs were for "root medicine" for the Body Guard to keep getting better......no, just joking....LOL

I made alot because I also cooked baby lima beans on the stove for an hour and 1/2 at the same time.

I plan to make a Chicken Pot Pie today with all the leftovers.

That's the way we have to plan in the country, especially in icey weather. The first grocery store is about a 10 mile roundtrip.

I also have a beef roast thawing for the Crock Pot tonight and that will get us through Monday.

Well, I have a few things to get back too here, like needy puppies, housework and stitching and a hot bubble bath to soak.

BG is getting much much better. He really is doing more than he should be doing but he is stubborn so........I guess that's the determination I like about him.

Till later,

Jennifer

Hi, it's me......Abbie again......

Hi everybody!
This week my mommie has been trying to stitch on this frame-like thingie and I like to try and climb into her lap alot. I know how to dodge needles well!

I mean, my daddy is sick and my brother, Ren, is ignoring me even if I bark and try to play with him. When my mommie does get to sit in her stitching chair, that's my clue to sneak a few kissies from her.

When she's not looking, I like to try to turn on the computer and listen to the music. One time, I saw another Chi just like me!

I try to be good and if she stitches and I get tired of playing alone......I will give her the sad eyes.

She always caves for sad eyes.

Then, she'll talk sweetly to me and I just know I have her heart again. See my tail wagging?

I'm happy my mommie is going to hold me again.

Shhhhhhh.........don't wake Ren. Cause then she will go hold him instead.

This frame-like thingie would make a good hammock for me if she would let me just lay there......but.......

Bye now.

Love,

Abbie

DMC stitching bag give-away ends at midnight tonight......a gentle reminder...

Just a gentle reminder that when the clock strikes midnight tonight EST in the US, I will write all the names down and cut /put in a hat to draw for this used stitching bag. See Jan 24th posting to place your name in if you seriously want it, or want to use the Stitchbow system. I only used this very briefly so it's in excellent condition.
It is navy blue with DMC on the outside of the bag. Followers may leave a comment in the Jan 24th posting, one comment per person please. International is accepted.
Even though I will draw a name tomorrow, please note that shipping could be anytime next week as we have an ice storm coming and I work full-time, and taking care of sick family right now.
Can't wait to see who gets this bag!!!!

Many many stitchbows, empty will go along with the bag.

The floss in this picture will not be included.

Scroll rods and other stitchy stuff

Now, there are many dreams a girl can dream....this is one of them.

A Needlework 4 system.

I think Santa should know about this one quite a bit early...................cause I would love to be able to flip my work over without tugging at lug bolts and adjusting my herniated neck! It looks simple and light too. The price for everything for this frame is over the top for me right now. So, I will just move along to get the parts I need for my present frame.

oh, I know........I should just suggest it to Body guard while he is on Hydrocodone after surgery and he will just wink and say, OK, that's fine.........LOL Then after he gets the credit card bill he will have a coronary from the cost of all the parts and thingies you need with it.........
No, I won't do that......promise.





It all started yesterday when I was trying to order some of these which are very reasonable in cost of 1.85 each..........especially if you think about how many callouses you'll save on your fingers from turning metal bolts! I wish you could order straight through Paypal but not at this site. Deb told me about this site last year http://www.threadneedlestreet.com/

I need 8 of these.


Now this pair of glasses I found at a completely different site and with my senile mind I can't remember exactly but I think I saw them on Nordic Needle website?

Anyhoo, these magnify 2 x and have LED lights with batteries, they look travel friendly. The lights shine down on your work +magnification----yep, this looks good, anybody ever seen these in real life???? Are they really functional on travel trips?

Ok, I've had questions on the type of frame ihave. I use Q snaps with a wooden floor stand, sometimes, and then just stitch in hand sometimes, and then last year I got this K's frame on Ebay for a great deal and this is what I use for larger projects. I have only one size of dowel rods at the present time. I hope to add more sizes that will fit my frame, smaller sizes. Another measuring today while I get those knobs.

These scroll rods in various sizes here. Notice the black knobs. Those you buy separately but I can tell why this is worth the 1.85 each. This system is also basting, where you stitch the material onto the cloth on the top and bottom of the scroll rod. There are some no -basting systems that use a velcro type material but I just use the basting method.

Basting my new project is helpful during mornings like this, or evenings, where I just heard on the news of a blast and shoot out in Afghanistan and holding our breaths, there are no casualties........so the more I have to sew, the better I deal with it............

So, I'm going to pop over to the Threadneedle Street site and see how I can call and order those knobs. Just one recommendation though: click on the above link to the right one. There are 2 cross stitch Threadneedle sites and this one above is the good one that has all the accessories.

Now, I'm going to wash some more doggie blankets and fold laundry----my most favorite thing to do....NOT! :O

Then, I'm going to sneak in some stitchy time today, hopefully, as yesterday I was quite busy with tendering care. When I did get to sit and watch TV, I had to soothe chihauahaus quite a while. They can detect changes......and poor Ren, is high, high mainenance right now and that's driving Abbie nuts.

Fiddle-D-Dee

So right now I'm enjoying.........

my three favorite TV shows that are all in one night!


They come on exactly one after another........Private Practice lastly.......

The new one is The Deep End........
I never thought I would like a legal show better than Law and Order! ;)

I love legal stuff too. I am also a certified Legal Nurse Consultant, and even though I haven't expanded on this part of my life lately, it's still a part of who I am. I love the analytical part of legal analysis. I got my certification last year and have only accepted a couple of consults on the sidelines. I just don't have enough time in the day for everything I would love to do!


My favorite of favorites is Grey's Anatomy.

Of course, some episodes are better than others. Tonight's Grey's is pretty good. It's keeping me on the edge of my seat. It shows that sometimes just one minute, or one split decision makes the difference in life or death and the responsibility of being human is huge in this field. I've been there on both sides, as the patient and as the provider.

Private Practice flows right after Grey's.........and tonight's episode is like part 2 of Grey's.

I'm usually not a TV person at all. But Thursday nights, if I watch anything besides news channel, it's this time of week I relax and watch these shows.

So, what's your fave TV shows?

Great New TV show on Thursdays--The Deep End

In need of a DMC floss card....picture one or swatch one?

Here's is my progress on Jane Austen and Me, The Emma Project, by the Sampler Girl, so far.
I actually stitched the heart on the right during the surgery, the rest afterward in waiting.
I know I'm talking to experts on stitching so I thought I would gather your thoughts about DMC swatches. I frogged the blue color out twice because I had pulled out 2 blues on my thread card and forgot which one went where during the waiting room changes and all yesterday. And, my thread jar could be smaller if I could identify what number DMC it is.

you can see that it's a beautiful card, but I'm having trouble with frequent color changes and keeping them nice and neat....to say the least.

Which leads me to the question to stitchers.......have you ever used a DMC Thread Card, Swatch card? If you have, do you use the actual thread swatch card (which is not made anymore) or the picture one which is only a laminated picture?

I'm looking at getting one so I can best identify and substitute threads or subb some overdyed threads sometimes.

There is a great difference in price from the actual swatch threads on a large card to a picture of each color on a swatch card. Any experience with those?

Jennifer

In Recovery now and the day went well!

Thank you to all for the prayers, thoughts and encouraging messages for us. Even though I was alone, I didn't feel alone during at all this today and we couldn't have asked for a more smooth process through surgery today.

The surgeon spoke with me afterward and evidently his condition was worse than he initially thought so it was a good thing he went in this week.
He really recovered well, no nausea, just groggy.
After he got his first dose of truth serum (sedative) in his IV, he started talking all silly to me and kept winking at me. Then he started telling me all about some proposal he wrote at work and he thought it was there and he was quite humerous. The surgeon spoke with us while he got his IV sedation and BG asked for a belly ring once. I didn't know what was going to be coming out of his mouth next...... :0

Boy, that sedation really acts differently with people.

Then, they put me back out in the waiting room and I stitched, completely with my scroll frame and got a little done while waiting. It definitely got alot of conversation starters with strangers. Like "what is that?" The nurse said, "I've never seen one of those before (looking at my scroll frame, what is it called?" I said "Oh, that is a scroll frame". She said, "it's called a Girlfriend?"
I don't know how she heard that but I said, no a scroll-frame. But here in and after I will now called my frame, The Girlfriend.

They didn't keep him overnight but told me not to leave his side for 24 hours. He is doing well with pain managment and no nausea at all. I've unloaded the car of all the stuff we took and got a few pics (with his consent). I know he is getting better. He is asking for Chex mix until I get some grits cooked.

He says to tell everybody "HEY"

He is giggly after his pain med again and said "I like this position, this position is nice". LOL

Between short naps, he snacks on Chex mix.

Then back out again.

I have some heart candles on for ambience........LOL

This is a pic, by the way, of me when I was about 5 years old. My grandmother on the right, who passed away when I was only 7 and was an influential woman in my life for my 7 short years. She also believed in grits for comfort food. :)

Grits from the granary is Body Guards request for supper. Yes, I'm a Southern girl and I love grits. As he is from Illinois, he learned to like grits over the years and now he also likes them for comfort food with a soft scrambled egg.

These grits are the real thing too. I usually go the granary and get a bag which lasts a long time. This bag I got from someone at work at Christmas, 'cause they know I'm a grits girl.

Yellow grits. You gotta try 'em.

Well, back to tending and chores so I can sit down and watch the President's State of the Union Address.

Till later and again, thanks for all your prayers.

Jennifer

Abbie, me and a big big surprise day

Just a hey and a hi from me and Abbie after work. She had to run around the house at least 53 times before we could hold her still enough for a picture. Isn't she sweeeeet?

I got this as a huge surprise at work today.....HUGE surprise! Guess who sent these to work today?

Yeppers, Bodyguard.....uh huh.......yep, he knows who will be taking care of him for the next week or two......LOL ;) I seriously love these flowers. They are a beautiful mixture of pinks and purples, Iris's, roses, all kinds in a pretty white basket and they smell sooooo good!

Ok, so I better run now and finish up some errands before the night is too late, and dinner time too.

Till later,

Jennifer

midnight progress on Emma

Monday morning thoughts~~~~~

On the drive to work this morning my mind starts running like a video without a stop button.

I started thinking about numerous things that are hard to understand.

I'm trying instead to count my blessings.

The Serenity Prayer came to mind.

Right after an episode of mild road rage.

And just before I saw blinking blue lights who caught the person before me and not me.

Which led to thinking about how BG was going to be able to climb stairs when he comes home.

And he's not. So, I have to prepare the family room for a patient.

My stitching and me may have to move upstairs for awhile.

I'm sure I would get on his nerves post-op.

But Emma project awaits me and that brings a smile!

And I have a new laptop so I can chat with all my world-wide friends!

I can catch up on finishing the unfinished finishes.

This is a 2 day work week now.

My son is coming home from Afghanistan on March 29th.

My daughter is finishing up her Bachelor's degree and very smart, independent--exactly what I wished for her.

I love to write and blogging has stimulated me to think about writing a book one day.

Even if some people don't want our help, there are so many others that need and want it.

The sun just came out as I watch through the window, a first in many days.

Thinking of all the friends I've met all over the world in the past 2 years from one common love---stitching.

Have a Blessed Monday!

Emma officially started

My pal while watching Emma on PBS.
First, I want to give this to a new home. Anybody use Stitchbow systems to organize floss?

I used it maybe a couple of times but just didn't organize for me like I wanted. I prefer stitchbags instead.

It is a navy blue carrier case with straps for easy portability. I started to Ebay this item but I really would like someone here to use it first. If no one is interested, then I will Ebay it.

It opens out into a binder type book where you slide your stitchbows in and organize threads this way.

I have even included many stitchbows for you to start with.

So, if you are interested in using this, and are a follower of this blog, put a comment here in this posting and I will draw a name Saturday. Most likely will be busy on Wed-Fri at the hospital.

Please only leave one comment for this giveaway on this posting to make it a simple drawing.

I got a little done starting the Emma project. Did you get to see the PBS episode of Emma part 1? It was really good!

I'm enjoying the color pallette on this sampler alot.

Well, I think sleep will come alot easier tonight after a busy weekend. Off to bed now.

Again, if you seriously would like to put your name in for a drawing for this DMC stitchbow organizer, one comment on this posting........with a tentative drawing this Saturday.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit with me today.