Brandon's Homecoming Celebration---Give-A-Way!!!!!!!! now through April 5th

Waxing Moon Designs

Stitching Mends the Soul

28 count Country French Antique Gold

Gentle Art Threads

The 28 count Country French Antique Gold linen 13 x 18 for the design

Gentle Art Sampler Threads in colors below:

Strawbonnet

Sable

Woodrose

Oatmeal

Old Blue Paint

Old Red Paint

Uniform Blue

I'm so dearly excited that I must share with you an order just for someone special who holds stitching dear to their soul as much as I have over the past years and especially through trying times this past year when my faith and spirits have been tested to the core.

I want to celebrate by giving. Giving something to a stitcher who knows how stitching mends souls. This give away includes the whole kit and kaboodle so you won't have to worry one bit at finding the threads or the special linen to finish it.

This give-away is appropriately named  Brandon's Homecoming Give-away.

Here it goes:

1/  please post here on this posting only if you are a follower of this blog. If you are not, you are welcome to join so I can get to know you better and connect with friends around the world.

2/ For a second chance, please post a second post if you have a blog that you have announced it or put on your blog to share the celebration!

3/ International accepted

4/ For a third chance, please post a third entry and put in your greetings to Brandon as if you were there when the bus rolls up and he and his unit are walking out to greet!  He will read these responses I'm sure so all encouragement is appreciated for a job well-done for our country.

5/ This starts today through midnight April 5th, Easter.  I will use the Computer Random Generator for name draw.

6/ A great big thanks to you for being supportive, for saying prayers, for listening to my ups and downs through the year and accepting me as I am. Also I love you all for your comments, constructive criticism that I sorely needed, and I so look forward to meeting more people around the world.

Remember the war is still ongoing and we should all be saying prayers for all NATO countries involved, who still have sons and daughters, spouses and good friends who are serving for the purpose of abolishing terrorism.

Back to Easter stitching this afternoon. The sun is shining outside and it's 74 degrees. Great for Easter stitching!

Jennifer

Nervous Nelly and Daffodils

I've often been called Nervous Nelly, especially when it comes to my kids and my furbabies. But, I try not to let them know I sweat about it. It's just that Type A personality that came ingrained in myself long ago.

This morning Miss Abbie went to the hospital to be boarded for surgery early, early on Monday morning.

Oh, how I packed her bag with lots of goodies and gave explicit directions for care and favorites-- treats, toys, including her new "Boy Toy" which is blue "chicken toy" and oh my lands, the vet probably thinks I'm the worse Nervous Nelly ever. I hope getting her spayed won't change her sweet little personality.

You know me, in the Gynecology field, I'm ever calling and asking if her uterus AND her ovaries would be removed!  Only I would do that probably.  Hey, I think ovaries are a good thing!  ;)

And for alot of questions about the exact time of Brandon's arrival back on US soil, this has to remain flexible due to scheduling issues over the pond and over here and also for security reasons we were told not to release exact dates and times. But all in all, the Nervous Nelly is biting her nails hoping he touches USA soil soon and I can't tell you how happy I am that he will be on US soil.  Any soil but Afghanistan combat dessert right now would be fine with me!

So, this is a day already starting full of anticipations for the week ahead and I'm like a deer struck by headlights again, with phases of spinning and running, and trying not to worry too much because like the chaplain said at our last FRG meeting........we are now at 3rd base. It's almost over.

Thank you, Jesus!  I imagine Brandon's guardian angel was quite busy over there this year and he had more prayers of support including my "porch prayers" every night/morning at about 12-1am. Some serious prayer with God about keeping him safe.

We have daffodils in various stages in the forest around our house. The ones closest to the house do not get much sun so they are just now peeking through the soil. On the other hand, the ones down closer to the edge of the property have already peaked.

Last year at this time I wrote about Daffodils because they have a special meaning for me. See the next post to reread my thoughts on Daffodils which are so special to me.

This is an excerpt by Williams Woodsworth poem, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"

I wandered lonely as a cloud



That floats on high o'er vales and hills,


When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.......................
 
 

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye


Which is the bliss of solitude


And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Feathers in the Nest: The Daffodils are Peaking Through#links#links#links

Feathers in the Nest: The Daffodils are Peaking Through#links#links#links

Time for the porch Daffodils to make their late reach to sunshine and grace our front yard......
I wrote about the meaning of Daffodils last year. Click on the link above and read my thoughts.

Jennifer

Received Inspirational Blog Award tonight

My first blog award!!!!!!!

I received this award from the Crazy Purple Mama blog.  Thank you so much!
I am told this award is for bloggers who inspire others with positivity and creativity. The rules for accepting the award are:
1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.


2. Pass the award to 12 bloggers.


3. Link the nominees within your post.


4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So here are the twelve who inspire me.  It's really hard to choose because I could name all of you as the 100 that I follow are all inspiring to my life!!! Some I would like to nominate don't accept blog rewards so the choice is hard but here goes:

 

1~The Sampler Girl Blog--Tanya

 

2~Carolina Stitcher-Faye

 

3~Primitive Betty's--Betty

 

4~The Olive Cottege--Suzanne

 

5~The Twist Family--Beth

 

6~The Cranberry Chronicle--Heidi

 

7~Exemplars from the Heart--Vilma

 

9~Dip Diddley Designs--Jolene

 

10~The Thread Gatherer--Deb

11~ Words and Blooms--Melissa

12~~ Needleprint blog

 

There are many many others I could list so I hope you understand that really all of you readers are just as important and inspiring to me.

 

I truly love writing and sharing my joys. Thanks again for this award and I will leave you with an inpsirational verse I like to read and try to apply (sometimes hard):

 

"When we act as gardeners of meaning, we actively select the values that will serve as our guides, planting them in our hearts, so they may influence our decision-making process every day. As we do this, we begin to define ourselves as individuals and establish that we have Real value......."

 

From The Velveteen Principles for Women book in discussing the childrens' classic, The Velveteen Rabbit.

Signs of Spring and an Easter stitch started

Spring time is:

Time for occasional pedicures and manicures. Today I got a flower, handpainted freely by a free spirit. I can't wait till it's warm enough to wear sandals! I go barefoot almost all the time. Shoes are the first thing that comes off when I hit the front door, any season.

Color~~~Opi---Field of Tulips

A fun after work event today even if it is just 60 degrees (I think) the sun came out for a brief while and now it's cloudy again.

Pardon the mud leftover from the hot towel mud treatment.....yep, I was bad today......got the works  :o

Had 20 minutes for stitching lunchtime. Had fun the other 45 minutes eating Pizza Hut pizza with BodyGuard. A pleasant lunch surprise.

Started the Shepherd's Bush Easter Joy that Sandy sent me. It was a great start in the car while waiting for the afternoon to begin. I love the colors!!!  LOVE THEM! Thank you Sandy! Working with these colors make me want to dye eggs again for Easter!

Had to go up on my reading glasses strength to 1.75+

Glasses---Dollar store

They will do until I get an eye exam which I desperately need. My last one was 2 years ago and..... uh-hum.......aging maturing has worsened my vision.

I put the card Liberty Primitives sent me in my little bitty frame until I stitch something. Aren't the bunnies cute?

I don't know though, if you look close, the boy one is quite serious looking.

Got a feeling he is whispering something.......ok, I digress on that note.

Tonight is Grey's Anatomy!!!!!   YEAH!

So definite stitching time indeed.

New charts and mail goodies

This frame is a timy one from Wallie World with my Green Kelmscott scissors. It's begging for me to stitch a small right now and I'm relenting to it's calling. Why is it that I get started on a larger project and then get tempted to do a small one? It's like the small ones are adrenaline boosts for the big ones!

Anna's Prayer from Beth Twist, The Heartstring Samplery came in yesterday. It's a pretty!

Examplars from the Heart  designer, The Rose Sampler

Some birdie fabric, fat quarter from the Sampler Girl Webshop. My favorite one is the one that looks like he is exercising!

And a book-- Jane Austen, A life

This was a beautiful package, with an Easter Card where the 2 above patterns came from

The Bay of Evil---couldn't resist their prices. Liberty Primitives. They are fast, friendly, and very reasonable prices. Their blogspot is full of beautiful freebie samplers. Check it out!

They also put in 3 free patterns in addition. One called:

It's from Examplars of the Heart and it's a very pretty sampler.

Today was quite busy and flew by so fast I didn't even have much time to eat. I can't even describe how the day went online but hopefully I will soon adjust to this Spring ahead time and get to bed early.........for me that would be about midnight. This is something I have to really work on because it's drains me not to sleep much and I fight falling to sleep......crazy I know but I think when the rain and cold leave and the days are longer, walking again every evening is a must.

Helps the mind and the body.

Here's hoping you had a sunshiney St. Patrick's day and  didn't drink too many green beers  drinks today! LOL

Have many patterns and stash, too little time!

It's now down to stich, sleep or do laundry.......well, I pick stitch.  Just a dab of extra concealer tomorrow in the morning for no sleep!  :)

gainesvilletimes.com - Coming home: Soldiers arrive from Afghanistan beginning Sunday

gainesvilletimes.com - Coming home: Soldiers arrive from Afghanistan beginning Sunday

Ever read horoscopes? sometimes they are funny....

So this is today's at the bottom of my Yahoo home page.......kinda made me smile laugh and think about the serious decision I finally made to get the Needlework 4 stand!  I'm excited that they just sent an email it's been picked up by UPS already today and will be here in 1 week!!!

Ok, ok, I know horoscopes are "from the devil"  or so I heard here in the South at least once. I don't live by them, just read for fun......


Virgo (8/23-9/22)---for today's



A productive kind of energy will bring money and possessions to the very front of your mind today. You may need to make a serious decision as a result, but it's one you've seen coming for a while, so not to worry. If you need extra cash, you might also consider taking on a part-time job, maybe even something that involves a hobby. It might actually be fun.


After all the bills come in from this decision and the latest market releases and sales, I may need a part time job with my regular one!   :0

The Many Faces of Abigail Renee--AKA Abbie

Abigail Renee (named after Ren)

her many faces of laughter and joy

so many requests for more pics

so here are a few in review

She is not spoiled at all

Just being so small

Ok, confess, she is rotten!

Abbie brings enjoyment and peace as well as laughter to our home.

One of her first toys above.

She can be sweet and soft, naughty and nice, loveable and more loveable, and wear many roles.

Her recent one above is that just borrowed her brother, Ren's, Homeland Security, T-shirt and now carries her treats and her wild hair about as if she is holding a cigar in her mouth.

Ok, the boyish side is funny but she is truly a Miss Priss most of the time and gets her way most all of the time.

Enjoy those pics!

Arlette in Costa Rica is her Godmother and

Auntie Parsley in Oklahoma is her Auntie

Many, many friends!

Bostonian needleworkers---need good shop, have good plans!

Hi

Trying out a new option on Blogger with this post. Inserting and playing with pics. I think I will show you some St. Patrick's pics I accumulated this week. Here's my green for the day.

 I do have a trip to Boston in April for a conference, partly for business and partly also for 2-3 days of taking a look-see of the city. I've only been there once in my whole life so I want to see what I can in the little bit of time I have.

Please post any good needlework shops near the city of Boston!!!!!  I will make a note of them and have to find them. And while I listen to the latest gynecology updates on women's health I will be stitching away during the conference silently. I did this last year and was amazed at the other knitters who brought their stash too.  Let's see.....3 days of listening 9 hours, that's a good project finish maybe!

Right now Ren needs a good green helmet headgear/protector with back-up and forward bells for warning signs beeps. His head is banging around the room even if I have him a spot to rest. He is not with complaint but my goodness!  Maybe he needs a seeing-eye dog............