Saturday thoughts, answers, and a Winner!

Today I'm:

• eating left-over hot, fresh Krispy Creme Doughnuts with a pot of decaf perked coffee and chatting morning-chat with my hubby. Miss Abbie is warming up by curling on my lap and has surpassed the meaning of a "lap dog" by at least a mile. She loves me moren'herchicken1toy.
• thinking about last night when I took a spontaneous trip to the Mall of Georgia which is like any mall on steroids to me.  We have a love/hate relationship...LOL. I love the mall!  and I .....LOVE the mall. Can't go without spending so it's just one of those things. ::::Sigh::::
• Came home and realized 2 items I had purchased still had the large plastic things screwed in them from the store and then I realized now why every store was buzzing when I entered and left . Lovely, another LONG trip to the mall to get those large things off so I can wear the clothing. Got me some new flannel PJS and robe, with sensors still on them.........makes for uncomfortable sleep. LOL
• am awed by a dog that loves sweets. Abbie is giving me the saddest eyes over the doughnuts as I will not give her one. If I cave, she will not eat her other food. This is sounding too much like toddlers.
• looking through the sunny windows at the definite Fall picture in the mountains of North Georgia. The leaves are still hanging on, at least some of them, through all the wind and rain intermittently throughout the week. But it's quite nippy out right now.  ::::::Boots, sweater and skinny jeans day:::::::
• has resisted Walmart and Target all week. I'm in a 12 step program. LOL  just joking. I'm going to break that today by going grocery shopping......and will try to maintain far distance from other household items, clothing, seasonal and home section at the store.   But we ARE out of trash bags which is not so good with a poo-poo dog. Trash bags and poo pads are staple grocery items at our house.
• reading through blogs and wondering in amazement at how many unique stitching blogs there are in blogland. I could spend days reading them!  Love them all and awed by the work of many who also are passionate about stitching~!
• am conflicted about what to focus on next because I have designed more than my stitchy fingers will go. I so wanted to finish the sampler I'm on, but then Thanksgiving is only 2-3 weeks away. And then Christmas shortly after. Do I skip the Thanksgiving one and zoom over to Christmas one???  Decisions decisions!
• is now enjoying the total quiet in the house and the sounds are the old corner clock, tick=tocking, and tapping keys on the computer. Love quiet! Wait...........Abbie is growling a little in her deep sleep. I wonder what she is dreaming about?  Funny, her feet are twitching too. She must be dreaming of running as well.
• is still holding my left jaw after it cracks and grates bone to bone in the joint, nervously waiting on the surgeon appt for evaluation. Seems I have no "disc space" at all in the TMJ. The dentist that there should be some disc space for movement.  Previous injuries to the left side of my head long ago probably didn't heal quite right per dentist and arthritis and degeneration is setting in this area. I digress on how this happened but I will tell you both men were right-handed.  I plan to definitely explore ALL nonsurgical options first but in the meantime, there are times I know my head is going to explode or birth something out of the left ear canal. Bone pain is painful. Period. I can't stay on muscle relaxers and mash my food to little bits forever......well...I could but the pain forever has to go somehow. Someway.
• is thanking the Lord that I can still type my words even if talking is harder.
• is way too cozy right now on the quilt and the sofa to get up and do stuff like housework. Do I have too?????
• is so looking forward to our Thanksgiving plans that we've had for awhile and they are so special to me.
• wants to give credit where credit is due for the excellent sellers of stitching and framing products that I've experienced. Someone asked about where the black rustic frame came from and here is the link from Homecraft Framing and Gifts:

http://www.homecraftframing.com/

Yes, I was more than pleased with the communication, concern, and careful making of this rustic frame. Just ask for Donna or visit her on Facebook or her website here for any framing needs. Her prices are very reasonable, shipping is fast and she makes frames to meet all your needs. I love mine!!!!!  And working on finishing my sampler to put into it. She's a very nice seller so pop over there on her site and look around. I chose rustic black with the white to emphasize and compliment this particular sampler but she has many other styles to choose from. She also has other items besides frames that are very pretty.

I like nice people.  Ok that was random. LOl


Also, I had a question on the material I used for the Getting Away with Jane Austen by The Sampler Girl.

I did forget to mention that and I want to tell you that this is one of my Favorite linens to stitch on. The color is like antique ivory but splotchy enough, very subtle, white to ecru blotching. I got this at 1-2-3 stitch store online and was very pleased with it.
The name of the linen is 32 count  Belfast Vintage Country Cream. You can get a fat quarter for 18.50 there. I did get a fat quarter and so glad I did because I will use it again and again.

Also, the winner (late announcement, sorry) of the items below is randomly computer drawn ..........

CARISSA from Wisconsin!!!


Yes, these will be coming your way this week. Please email me at jennifer.dalenberg@yahoo.com your snail mail address so I can get this out some time this week!

Enjoy!

A pair of Kelmscott Pink Snips, new

and the pattern for the Jane Baxter 1824 sampler by Primitive Traditions

"Lord, Grant me courage to proceed in what I have begun. All my desire and delight is in thy ways to run. My God, permit me not to be a stranger to my-self and Thee, may I obey Thy voice Divine and all Inferior Joys Resign."

 Model stitched on 40 ct Vintage Luna with DMC floss.

 Stitch count: 259W x 397H.

I would like to leave the post on this thought above as I go through my day and hope so very much for you to have a great Saturday.

 "Lord, Grant me courage to proceed in what I have begun".

Some days are best taken one at a time, hour by hour, minute by minute, even knowing that things around us may change, but we are the same person, and no one will ever change our creative spirit which is a gift to the world.

Jennifer

Finished the Jane Austen sampler, Getting Away with Jane Austen

The past week has been quite challenging with several issues; however, today I picked up the needle and finished this pretty sampler with beautiful teal, blues and brown tones called Getting Away with Jane Austen. Design is by The Sampler Girl. Stitched and finished into a pillowkeep. I used some Regency gold buttons and remnant of cotton ecru lace I had in my stash.

The sampler blends beautifully in this bedroom. My prim doll is a souvenier from Pigeon Forge trip last year. Her name is Josephine.

I backed the pillowkeep with Jane Austen cut fabric from The Sampler Girl webshop.

This is a muted teal color that is very pretty.

Right now, it will hang in this bedroom near the old settee.

The buttons, just so happened to have in my stash already but compliment the cotton lace.

Other good news is the frame that was made special for Forever Hope sampler came in the mail!

I do not plan to use glass with this piece. It's a rustic black finish.

Tonight I finished the lower band while watching Grey's Anatomy.

Very ironic to be working on this one while watching Private Practice tonight. That episode was really violent and rape was the central theme, of a doctor. I picked this one up instead of the Thanksgiving one because the colors were already pulled.

I stopped here at midnight, starting on the old colonial candlestick holder.

The frame is 8 x 16. I think it will be perfect for this finish. I have a ways to go on this one.

Next, tomorrow I need to 1) pick a random winner of the Breast Cancer awareness giveaway and 2) pull threads for the Thanksgiving Sampler 1871.

Onward to Friday now. TGIF!

Have a GREAT FRIDAY!

It's turned really, really windy and cold tonight. Now, it feels like November!

Finished designing The Thanksgiving Sampler 1817

I hope you had a great Halloween yesterday. I've been having some health problems with my jaw. Seems I have TMJ and next step is a dental appt. For some reason, mornings are the worst and at night but I have some medication to help with until the appt on Thursday.

I enjoyed looking at all the Haloween costumes of friends on Facebook. Reminds me of times when Brandon and Meghan went Trick or Treating and I miss those days. After we moved to this remote area of Ga., we haven't had even one trick or treater. I remember giving bags and bags of candy out to the little ones and loved it.

Now onward to the next holiday, Thanksgiving.

Just finished the touches on a Thanksgiving sampler. A quote by William Nesbit inspired this one and I can't wait to start on it using 36 count Edinburgh Days Gone By linen.

The colors are various Autumn colors that will complement the meaning of the sampler.

This pretty pink monogrammed pin is placed on my largest stitching bag.

The variations in this vintage linen I think will complement it well.

Forever on Thanksgiving Day,

The heart will find the pathway home.

by William Nesbit, an 18th century quote that holds such true meaning for anyone.

This will be the first for me stitching 36 count. I usually end of tweaking the colors as I go but I hope you will like it and also hope it's done by Thanksgiving.

Well till later,

Jennifer

Sunday Reflections

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost



Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Words of wisdom given to me from a co-worker physician in 1995 and has stuck in my heart forever.