Saturday, November 12, 2011

Simple Saturdays


I am beginning to learn it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones afterall.

~~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Fleetwood Mac - Landslide (Video)

Friday Flashback---the missing sampler





yep, remember the Sheepish Design sampler I worked almost a year on off and on back about 3 or 4 years ago?  It was taken from my kitchen and hopefully the person who just had to have it will send it back one day.
I'll never forget the places where I stitched this in hand. No hoop for this one. Part of it was completed while I was recovering from surgery in 2007.
I feel certain and am hopeful it was not destroyed and will one day be again where it is here.
I worked very hard on it and framed it myself. Took a long time to find a frame that fit perfectly.
The name of the man stitched very tiny in the sampler I dedicated it to, as I held his hand while he passed this life in 2003.
Through the years, I've had several personal emails on this Sheepish Design, Dutch Alphabet.
Samplers are personal to me as many of you as well.
Let's hope it's returned in good condition and will find it's home again.

Onward to the weekend~
going with a friend on a girl's day out and so excited!!!!!
Till later,
Jennifer

Thursday, November 10, 2011

There's No Place Like Home--sampler for Christmas



There's No Place Like Home

copyright 2011
designed by Jennifer A Dalenberg
Feathers in the Nest
christmas ornie 2011

colors suggested:

DMC 355
936
680 dark old gold
640 very dark beige gray
420 dark hazelnut brown
801 Dark coffee brown
3865 Winter White
3078 Very light golden yellow
355 Dark Terra Cotto
936 Very dark Advocado Green

size 85 x 86


 I'm so dreaming of a white Christmas, are you?  It's soooo much closer than I realized. As I came into town and saw the Christmas decor already up yesterday, it was an eye-opener and a soothing reminder of Christ's birthday soon to be celebrated.

The old fireplace is cozy and warm while North Georgia is getting a cooler front today.
Brrrr......
There are still quite a few gold and orange leaves on trees and the window view is awesome!

On another more somber note, I just ask that if you can, to keep my father in your prayers. Without going into details, he just needs to be lifted up for healing. He is scheduled to have a major procedure and hospitalized for 10 days, and long recovery. Please pray for him.
Sometimes I don't understand why just when we get our lives reconnected, things happen like this, but I do believe and know that God is in charge of all of us and knows what we don't and will take us THROUGH these times. It's these times that help us grow stronger I'm sure and whatever happens is made by the greatest Designer in the world.

He knows our design call life before we ever do.

My father and I have had times where we didn't see eye to eye but the past is past and this year we have reconnected. I can remember some very pivotal points in my life where he was always there.

One was when I was ever sick or had surgery. No matter what. When I woke from anesthesia he was there.

I remember once he came over years ago after my son died and read a plague I had on the wall, a wooden one and said to always remember that and he really, really liked it.
And boy, oh boy have I had to go reread it through the years when things sometimes made no sense to me.

The Weaver

My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily

Offtimes He weaveth sorrow
And I in foolish pride.
Forget He sees the upper
And I, the underside.

Not till the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
in the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
in the pattern he has planned.

~~~~Grant Collfax Tullar

Onward to the day now, making some new threads.

Jennifer

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Wordless Wednesday


Abbie~~"how long do I hold this yoga pose with you?"

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Margaret and Margaret, Inc. freebie and site

Thank you to all who recognized who the designer of this piece could be. I found their website and wrote the owner of the story and how she had touched my life. YES, it's a Margeret and Margeret, Inc. designed sampler!!!! I fell in love with her samplers. She has over 60 or more. She has been designing for 26 years and still maintains the tradional Colonial/ Shaker type samplers throughout. Window shop her site by clicking below:



here are the links to her gorgeous Colonial/Shaker patterns, which include all kinds of samplers.

I found out she started designing in 1985 and this one in fact was designed that year.
1985 is also the year my firstborn son went to Heaven so even extra meaningful to me.

This morning I went to her site and she has a GREAT freebie.
She also has other samplers including a Jane Austen sampler, Adam and Eve, marriage, birth, samplers etc. Her prices are very reasonable. Very reasonable!


Click above for this site to browse


It will definitely be one for me to celebrate this Holiday. It is in PDF format and just print and get your needles ready for a VERY pretty Christmas ornie. The way the wreath on the door of the house is designed is just too cute! She put this in the Just Cross stitch magazine in 2010.

I hope this finds you cozy and warm in your heart and soul,
Jennifer

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Sundays are for samplers

A couple of months ago I happened upon a spontaneous trip with a good friend for lunch and thrifting. This sampler caught my eye in a flash because of several reasons.


I was taken away with the fact that the initials of the stitcher were the same as my mentor in public health nursing and in 1991, she gifted me with part of her knowledge-base of midwifery and women's health.



The colors are absolutely gorgeous, as well as the frame. Unfortunately, no glass on this one but what a find!!!!!


appears to be stitched on even-weave, praire cloth.



And when I saw this, I instantly thought of MN, Masters in Nursing and in 1991 my preceptorship for a career change began with Diane. Diane made the start of my graduate degree so special and I will never forget her.
Unfortunately, she fought a battle of breast cancer a couple of years after our mentorship and did not win. I can still remember our rides together to many rural clinics in our district in public health.

Many pearls of wisdom I still have are from her.



There is some serious filling of grass at the bottom in a lovely shade of moss green.



The verse spoke to my heart immediately.

I have no idea who designed this sampler. If you know or have seen it before please let me know.





It was just too ironic for the initials, date, and center piece with the birds bringing olive branches.




Every time I pass it, I'm gently reminded of God's promise to never leave us or forsake us, for He has a special place and is preparing a place for us.
Diane didn't stitch but this piece with the verse, the initials, the year and the middle portion, matches her memory that I hold in my heart.
If there is someone that makes a positive change in your life, you are blessed!

Hope your Sunday was a restful one.

Till later,
Jennifer