Home of the Free sampler Freebie and Nesting!

 

Home of the Free

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2012

I hope you enjoy this one. It's a little sampler I designed in 2012, can't remember if I posted this one or not. 

Between Memorial Day and Independence Day, our thoughts of patriotism really are more highlighted around the homestead.

I designed this one with the 2 and 5 being 25 years of service my dearest husband served in the military and his initials. 

You can customize this to fit a special year, person, or number of years served, a tour date, or anything to personalize it. The message is the same. We know as Americans, we have much more freedom and when you think about it, we must thank a soldier, remembering what they did for us to keep our freedom. Veterans go through quite a bit to ensure our freedom in this country and sometimes when all is said and done, they do not get the services or thankfulness they deserve.

I hope you find this little sampler fun to stitch and pay it forward to your favorite serviceman/woman with a thankful heart.

The colors suggested are:

Gentle Art

Old Red Paint

Old Blue Paint

Straw bonnet

Dark Chocolate

The finished design is 88 x 53

linen of choice

The above colors give it a more worn vintage look, however, you can change to your own liking.

Today, looks like more work at the homestead, getting ready for the flooring to be put down soon.

I went shopping yesterday for the first time in a very long time. Michael's on Thursday and Friday ONLY had all their hat boxes and decorative boxes 60% off!!!  I got several for my closet shelves. The prices were very low and I'll get much use of them.

When I get them all stacked and fixed, I'll take a pic for you!

These kinds of boxes also make a great storage system for cross stitching items too but my use will be in storing some jewelry in the small ones, scarfs and ties in bigger ones and socks.

We have to put a move on and get going with the house soon because in June we will have guests.

Mr. Darcy has already got the meal planned for barbeque on the grill!!

I hope this finds you at peace and healthy!

Jennifer

Starting Summertime, Fabric, and Colonial picture

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

 

I've got lots of designs and ideas for samplers on paper but my computer is not working right of which I work on them. I hope to have that fixed by next week!

I would recommend Gentle Art's shades of blue for this design.

Stitched 1 over 1 on linen could make a nice tag insert for luggage and the colors could be changed to blend in with browns and tans for our troops.

Peace to all.

My Memorial Day weekend is junkin' it at thrift stores just for fun and to replace some things. This Colonial picture of Mother and Child was just beautiful I thought. It is on canvas as well not print paper.

This red ticking fabric, with cute girl and puppy scenes, was too hard to resist for little of nothing I found this in a pile and is 4 yards of it.

Looks like a good way to freshen up the house for Spring. I could even make a shower curtain with this.

I love the little pics on the red ticking.

I think she looks prescious.

speaking of that...............

yup, pretty red ticking for Summer.

I have made some more progress on the sampler, My Everything, by the Sampler Girl.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

We are definitely welcoming Summertime.

Stay cool and till later,

Jennifer

Happy Independence Day!

Just want to check in and say I hope that each and every one that reads this blog, is having a great 4th! ;)

This weekend has been full of fun, relaxation and meditation, TV watching on the Anthony trial, cozy time with hubbie, cooking for our holiday meal, and at opening day of Larry Crowne Friday night, excited to see the first showing local. I have looked forward to this movie for a long time. I love both Julia and Tom and when they are in a movie together...........wonderful! If you haven't seen it, it's a must-see. Julia is soooooo good in this movie.

We waited in line and with my free spirit, ready for popcorn and the movie! We went after a long day of work Friday night. Got pulled over by the cops for having my bright lights on too much after the movie......that was new one for me. Anyway, I guess I've resigned to driving at night unless it's an emergency as it's very hard to see at night for me.

Ann Hill progess. Right at the round border at the right.

Borders.

I always feel better when borders are done. ;)

Kind of like boundaries. We all have them. Hopefully.

I'm so enjoying my Gingher scissors with this piece.

As with alot of people in America, just waiting on the verdict from the Anthony trial.

We had an invite to watch fireworks tonight at a local Jewish camp for boys; however, it's thundering and pouring rain right now, so much as the electricity is going off and on.

Bodyguard and I cooked a DELISH meal for the two of us tonight.

Grilled filet mignon, marinaded in his famous, secret marinade,

Fresh potato salad I made with some red potatoes.

Fresh, shucked corn on the cob, boiled with butter and salt

cooked carrots

and

deviled eggs.

I've gotten alot more work done in the basement (an ever ending task) with donating piles, and to do piles

and plan on several things to do this week on my staycation.

Well, ready for the fireworks....whether through this lightening storm or the official ones in town.

Hope you had a great holiday. It's a great week for meditating on the positive.

And one of those positives is freedom, which is a true blessing but comes at a cost to so many families.

Happy Birthday, America.

My home, sweet, home.

Stay safe on this holiday,

Jennifer

Taking a little break---Have a happy 4th!

Designer Bent Creek

stitched by me 2011

Taking a break from blogging this week. Vacay starts tomorrow at 5pm!  Then many things lined up to do spontaneously, my favorite thing to do. So I hope you all have a great 4th.

God bless you and your families.

See ya after the 4th sometime.....

Jennifer

911 sampler

September 11th sampler, 2010

by Feathers in the Nest

9/11 touched everyone's life in some way. Even if we didn't know personally the people that gave their life that day, the ripple effect is tremendous.

Ten years later we are still fighting for our freedom from terrorism because Americans are strong and committed, laying all partisanship aside, we united through this crisis to try to prevent such tragedy again. Our country was founded on the principles of liberty and freedom and I'm proud to be an American today and still hold those principles to heart.

We can't always prevent all tragedies and they certainly leave a blueprint in our hearts.

Freedom is something, I think, we all sometimes take for granted. We are free here to speak, to write, to live life mostly as free as possible, to vote, to embrace, to choose. Unfortunately, not all countries have this freedom.

I think about this famous quote:

We cannot defend freedom abroad if we dessert it at home........by Edward R. Murrow

This is so true. Unfortunately, we live in a climate of mixed emotions and anger and hatred from certain terrorist's groups that still prevails not only in their countries but in ours too. I think it's time we focus our energies on the homeland. We can't change the minds of evil people. We can only try to grow stronger within ourselves starting at the personal level, then extending to community, then to country to resist and protect against any such horrific events.

I watched the movie a couple of times but with sorrow in my heart of the plane that went down, heading for the White House on 911. Those folks fought hard for our freedom as much as our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq today.  I cry every time I see that on TV. The last phone call to family, helplessness on what to do.

911 should bring remembrance that freedom is not free. Maintaining freedom has cost many lives, suffering, and pain.

I could only process the thought of my son, Brandon, being in the military by telling myself two things. First, he is happy with it and good at it. And second, I've never felt prouder than when he came off the bus in formation in the night with his buddies on US soil after serving from home from a year in Afghanistan. I was and am proud of him as a mother and a fellow citizen for fighting even years later from the ripple effect of this tragedy. It's scary for me but I'm proud.

 It changed my life. It changed yours too, I'm sure, if not directly, indirectly.

I'm the first to admit that I complain about what I don't have and should count my blessings more. 911 should be a day of remembrance, reflection, and counting our blessing of freedom in this country.  Freedom is not a given and there are many that are trying hard to abolish that for the US but a united front, not a political view point, but united purpose to nurture what we have been given in this country is something we all here at home can do every day.

My heart aches for the families of the 911 victims/heroes. The firefighters, the police officers that fought so hard to rescue Americans from this tragedy is overwhelmingly touching.

I hope that you treasure and nurture your freedom on this day and all the days after, this gift, but at the price of great pain. 

If anything is learned from this on a personal level, ask yourself "what would I do if I knew that I had very little time to survive?"  Would you call your best friend to say goodbye, your family?  your pastor?  your mom? your dad? sister?  Would you just peacefully say prayers and be silent?  Just something to think about. And if you answer differently than you are living your day today, then why? 

 Life is not a guarantee. Freedom will always be challenged.

 I know I think about it because I try to make sure everyone I love...... knows it and knows my heart even if they don't know mine.

So, with a day of remembrance, I say to readers today to reach out to at least one person and tell them how much you care, as it may be the last time you see them.

Remember that freedom is what our country is based on. It's our duty to make sure we remain free. All of us. United.

Nurture What we Have for it can be taken away at any moment.