Happy Dance in Purple Passion

Finished tweaking my sampler for Domestic Violence Awareness month. You are going to like it...love it......if you like 1800 verses and simple motifs in vintage purples and golds. I ordered Empress in CC silk for a splurge but the color was just TOO tempting.
WOW! The Crescent color silks have gone up in price!

So, the ones I need are now ordered and will be patiently waiting for their arrival from a-b-c-company online.

Well, out of the studio at 1am and into the bed for some ZZZZZZZZZ's.

A long day ahead tomorrow.

Looking towards October

October is almost here and I can't believe how September has flown by so fast!  Fall is officially here as of 7:09pm last night,  and I've been looking at all the beautiful stitchy pieces by Blogger friends and they are all soooooo pretty!!!! I love Fall colors.

I should be stitching instead of designing today, but hasn't happened that way yet. Instead, I've taken several hours today to design a sampler for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

October is the month for remembrance and promise hope for Breast Cancer Awareness and Domestic Violence Awareness. Both are critical components to support as a women's health advocate.

I  had to explore the violet colors for a sampler with the verse from George Eliot born in 1819, that I thought was appropriate for DV awareness.

The verse is an excerpt from this quote:

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

~~ George Eliot, English Victorian Novelist, pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans, 1819-1880


I used sampler threads, including names such as Love, Vintage Violet, Independence, Lavender Louise, Old Oak Tree, Blacksmith Blue, and several others for this piece............waiting to be stitched on Vintage Cream Belfast linen.

Vintage motifs that symbolize healthy love and safety are also in the sampler.

I hope your week is going well.

On the homefront, Miss Abigail, lost her first babytooth last night and she didn't swallow it but it just fell out of her mouth while she was chewing her dingie-wingie.  That's what we call her rawhide chewies.  ;)

The sight of blood in Abbie's little mouth was a bit scarey for us but then we realized one of her big back baby teeth came out and it was lying on the floor.
She still has all her baby teeth AND permanent teeth. The vet made mention a couple of months ago to put her to sleep and remove the baby teeth as they were not coming out but I didn't want to do that and maybe now she will lose her other baby ones and not need any other intervention. 

She didn't like her "treat" the tooth fairy left her this morning and so here I go spoiling her with a bit of people food for a snack. Instead she tinkled at the bedroom doorway, so I guess she was a bit pissed off, so to speak.

These "dog treats" came from Walmart in the Diva pet section and they smell like real cookies!  (No, I haven't yielded to tasting them)

I don't know why she is picky but she doesn't like them. She will either not take it or hide it under the furniture or rug somewhere so as not to hurt my feelings I guess????

Dogs are strange sometimes, just like us.

So, she snacked on cheese crackers instead, with me this afternoon.

I mean......how can you NOT feed this face something good????

She will give me the stare if I'm eating and she is not.

I think "Maybelline" is her nickname. She definitely has the smokey eye down pat. LOL

She's happiest on the couch. She is a couch potato------SPUD, yep, that's what she is, a SPUD!

can you tell her "bib" is growing longer???  That's what the front hair is called, according to Chihauhau language.

Ok, these are making me want to bake some cookies.

Till later,

Jennifer

Twisted Tuesday

Another fun-filled, full day of catch-up!   Don't say that 3 times fast or you might not like what you hear.

When will stitching begin again???? I had a stitching slump since I came back from Chicago.  I plan to get the needle going again tonight. After I finish a couple of things in the laundry like lab coats for work.  Germs, and I hope no "love bugs"!
Yep, that glorious pile waiting on us no matter what....

I'm about as bizarre as it comes tonight. Seeing the world on graph paper while using the Shout bottle and thinking of stress management, I held this thought till I could put to graph tonight.

I'm stitching this up for a pinkeep for my laundry/sewing room which is really all one big area.....a messy area now.  Fabric from here and there and rolls of ribbons, mixed with the ironing board, and lovely dirty laundry. I think it would be cute backed with some homespun fabric and hanging next to my sewing machine for days like today.

The positive note is that there is a clean laundry pile.....but it's big.  : O

Here are some encouraging thoughts as you fly through the week. I love reading quotes like this!

Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time. Then your time on Earth will be filled with glory.
~~ Betty Smith


When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on so long in the first place.
~~author unknown

I hope next posting I can show some progress.......on at least ONE of the many projects I've started!!!!
Till later,
{{{{HUGS}}}

When Insomnia Strikes.......play again.

Couldn't sleep, so dabbled with a Halloweenie!  I know there are tons out there and if there are any exactly like this please let me know as I couldn't find one and wouldn't mean to replicate but otherwise.......just my thoughts I need to put to needle.

I called it Jack The Lantern.

Just click on it.

Jack The Lantern

by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2010

Recommend:

CC Copper Penny

GA Gold Leaf

GA Evergreen

DMC 310  Black

DMC3371 Black-brown

stitched on any vintage linen for an aged effect.

I think I will go to sleep now. Hopefully.  ;)

Work and Play

Monday is almost closing to an end........hopping right on into Tuesday!

How was your Monday?

Things that inspire me

A solid silver skeleton key necklace given to me by my hubbie from this trip.

Keys are many times designed in samplers and I love the meaning of them. I'm in love with this necklace. It's long, but not too long, It makes a statement and I will always cherish it.

Tonight as I end this wonderful 2 weeks of leave from the work pace, I reflect on the many blessings that always counteract the confusion. I need to write this to you because you are one of those blessings. I've never met so many pleasant, compassionate, and loving folks as the readers of this blog and every comment and personal email is dear to my heart more than you will ever know.

So, due time to count my blessings because I have so many and many times undeserving of them.

• the close-knit stitching/blogging community who share the love of stitching. To reach out to people all over the world is surreal to me when I stop to really think about it. From where I came from, I never dreamed I would one day be able to connect to so many people. And I thank you with all my heart.
• my husband. He is the catalyst who helps me in many times and is overdue for a big thank you. There are times when I know I totally get on his nerves and he still loves me, unconditionally and it's a blessing in this day and time of detachment in our environment.
• my healthy children who seek goals on their own and strive to make a life for themselves, even if I don't know all the details and closeness. They are always in my heart.
• my relationship with God, the Father, who I admittedly know fail at many things but by His Amazing Grace, He still loves me. Who could ask for more than that?
• Beautiful music that inspires my spirit, I mean really inspires, that reaches into the crevices of my heart as if I'm the only one that is hearing it. Josh Groban and I spent many hours today with ear plugs and his music is absolutely the most inspirational. It calms my spirit.
• A job. Even though I jokingly talk about Monday madness, I have a job. Many do not. I am blessed in this economy and should be more thankful.
• Friends that I've never met but feel like I've known them forever.
• Abbie. She is a comfort that I can't describe but if she wasn't here, I don't know what I would do with Ren's passing. She looks at me with her loving eyes and is happy only snuggling in my lap. Her warmth and complete trust are blessings to me.
• The environment in which I live is nature's beauty that touches my soul. Always has. The mountains remind me of closeness to God and that He is there even when I don't feel Him.
• So blessed with having stitching in my life. Something I cherish so deeply as I pick out the colors and design motifs and feel as if I accomplished something that day.
• My friend, Dot, who I sincerely believe was placed in my life as a strong rock of wisdom.
• My piano. To have a baby grand to sit and play when my soul is low is a blessing because music is therapy for me.
• For hearing from my dad tonight, even if it was only small talk. It was from him I developed a love for animals.
• For in-laws that always treat me with love and respect and their company is missed many days.
• For a soft bed to lie in at night, and ability to write down my worries before.
• For my son, Aaron, who taught me so many lessons, and helped me be more compassionate to parents who have lost children.

These are most important to me and as I list them, I realize I have so many. It's my hope that you are able to find special people, places and things that inspire you through difficult times, because there always will be.

I hope your week goes without blemishes and God holds you in His Hands and tender loving care. Each of us have issues to work on as we are human and need His help. Isn't it wonderful that He won't change or leave us?

From the key of my heart,
Jennifer

South Holland Sampler

The Village of South Holland sampler

copyright 2010

Feathers in the Nest

This morning had the designing bug and wanted to share with you a portion of a bigger sampler I hope to design for South Holland. 

Please remember this is a freebie at this time and not designed for copy and selling. Reproduce by needle and for personal use only. Please give credit to Feathers in the Nest. Thanks!

The colors suggested are:

GA Apple Cider

GA Presidential Blue

GA Cornflower Blue

GA Buttercrunch

GA Midnight

GA Tarnished Gold

Vintage Cream Belfast linen or Antique White linen

At the entrance to the village, is the motto, Faith, Family, Future on the water tower. I thought this would make a good design and will expand this Dutch sampler with spot motifs in the future for a larger sampler.

Enjoy!