tusal, an ornament and a gift

I almost forgot...again!! It's ORT day and I have a few this time.  Hubby found this little container for me and it's just perfect.  need or want info on the tusal and what it's all abut just click the link in my sidebar and it will take you over to Daffy Cat. She knows everything :)

Behind the orts on the left is the beautiful valentine exchange ornament stitched by stitching buddy Diane Hammond in England. The chocolate disappeared out of the picture for some reason...prolly because hubby loves UK candy.
 Ornament on the right is my ornament for January. It's Snow Cold by Little house neeedleworks using dmc's and one GAST. I posted my finish on a now defunct year long ornament sal. The pretty ornament sal link in my sidebar is the correct one. Why don't you click on it and join the fun?
 The blue rick rack is from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler shoppe and does match the blue of the ornament even though it doesn't look like it.  Nancy hand dyes her threads and the trim like this rick rack.
Go check her out. Almost always a giveaway going on over there too.
Happy Stitching every buddy,

Babs

first post of the new year, I cannot tell a lie TUSAL

I haven't kicked off the new year yet. How can that be? It's only the 23rd, new moon (not FULL moon as I called it all last year. Right date, wrong name. oh well.
Herman's official retirement date is February 1st and we're babies at this and learning as we go. I'm so used to him coming and going I'm still in "he's just home for a visit" phase and not doing anything productive. But I'm trying to get there. The lie I can't tell? Would you show these orts for a whole month of stitching?

Whatcha" think about all these orts? I'm so ashamed :(

I've been unable to go through ufo's or decide what to choose to sal along with everyone in the "crazy" things. So rather than get in a hurry like last year, I've been thinking a lot about it and taking my time.

Without saying specifics, I will say that I'd love to finish a few of the beautiful pieces I started last year like "Apple Tree Sampler" by Hawkins House; "Jane Atkinson" by The Scarlet letter; maybe PS ABC piece which I started with many and just fell by the wayside.

New for this year, hence all those many orts, I did start three. This first is a sal with my stitching buddy group.

Quaker Christmas II

ByGone Stitches

32 ct. lambswool

threadworx overdyed floss

Red Finch's Winter Song

Tempting Tangles Designs

friendship blue 30 ct

dinky dyes

Elizabeth Hancock Sampler

Little House Needleworks

30 ct weeks straw

cc cottons and silks

upside down

And so the only other thing I know for sure I want to work on is Anniversaries of the Heart by Blackbird. Started once in 2010, once in 2011 and hate the fabric so the third start should be the charm, huh?

Also want to do Country Couttage monthly cottages.  Don't even have the first one so behind I will be. I know no other way. Someone's got to bring up the rear.

This little chart by Little by Little is dated 2003 so not new. I wonder if any of you stitched this? It calls for dmc but wondered if anyone changed that if you stitched it. I saw it a long time ago and have been looking for it diligently until now I own it. Couldn't remember the designer. I love the little rose added to the simple quaker.
bye for now!
Babs



Tusal, Polly wolly doodle all day, serial starter, etc.

I will start with my orts for you, Daffy Cat, I guess since this is the day for that ...look real close and you can see that not much happened in May. It seemed I had a book or needle in my hand every day, but it doesn't seem as though I was doing anything with them, lol. The little doily and the homemade flag thingie we found at a little roadside flea market.

We spent a day at the hospital last week; Herman is going through a lot more tests and I just wish they'd stop cause they find something different every time they look. DD Tami was with me and gdd Sarah and they ran over to the lns to get me some threads.  They also picked me up a Shepherd's Bush pin cushion, the next LHN ornament; and the Peaceful Garden by The Stitching Parlor which happens to be something I've wanted but couldn't remember the name or designer came in the mail cause Lizzy has it stitched on her blog and I FOUND it just blog hopping one day.

Remember Polly Wolly by La D Da? It's almost there and hope it will be a Friday finish this week. I LOVE this little piece...the song goes round and round and....It will be a challenge finish on the "new" side with Minna.

I've been putting a few stitches in Strawberry Garden, one of Blackbird's Loose Feathers designs. I saw it done on someone's blog and of course I had the chart and just had to start it. I'll remember who it was :)

Then I fell in love with the Funky Flower Gardners over at By the Bay with Donna and wanted to have my own gardens. I opted to split my flowers on two pieces of fabric and this first one is Victoria started on Queen Anne's lace and could Not get a realistic look but you got the idea.

And then, Brenda Gervais over at With Thy Needle and Thread went and started a mystery sampler that promises birds. No way could I pass this up, but got to get going on it before next installment.

There are so many stories of faith and good will toward man here. People from all over the country have come to help and then there are those who headed for Missouri. My heart cried when I saw that devastation. and then the flooding in Mississippi, my home state; the flooding in Louisiana where I moved from to come to Alabama. I know people in all these places, but they're all bouncing back.  I heard a man on local news yesterday who was working with men to build a church which was totally destroyed here...he said "Working with a bunch of Christian men is just different than your regular construction crew". 
Love you all....DJ, you need NOT to come to Alabama or anywhere else; You have worked so hard to recover and with the heat and mosquitos and other critters, and standing water, etc. etc. please don't take a chance with your health at this stage of recovery. You said you could "only pray", but prayer is job 1 and many forget that.
hugs,
Babs  Do you see why I said serial starter in title?

TUSAL and 1st 2011 New Challenge finish!

Happy dancing going on in Alabama today! The sun is shining; I wore capris and flip-flops out today, and I got the buttons sewed on my big finish. A word here first, though. When I signed up for both Minna's new challenge and Jayne's wip challenge I listed this one on the wip side. Truth is, I had to start over (why I never got past the few stitches in 2008 was because of the mistake in it) DJ invited me to join her in a Monday stitch-along on it so that's what I did. DJ has been sick as most of us know and my prayer time for her was always special on Mondays. Then this last week she had so much medical stuff facing her and decisions and fearful news and I couldn't seem to put it down. I just kept stitching and thinking of her and praying for her and waiting for her to share how the week went. Until this morning I found myself sewing the buttons on.

But, first, here is my TUSAL for tomorrow in case I forget since it's on Sunday. A lot of frogging going on in March.

And here it is! Little House Needleworks Heart of America complete with a few changes. America replaced one date. "1776" replaced another date, and 2011 is at the bottom. It is stitched on 30 ct. Creek Bed Brown, using Crescent Colors floss. Buttons are from Just Another Button company...lamb, acorn, blackbird and three stars at bottom.

I saw a wall hanging the other day that I'm thinking about doing, or I might take the easy way and let the framer do her magic.

Well, that's my big

finish!

Happy Stitching!

Babs

Busy Week & Friday Finishes

I've had such a busy week, but oh, it's been fun, and did I say busy? Monday was rest day after Sunday worship day. (Most of you know I have a lung disease that has rendered me unable to do all the things I used to do in a day. Sometimes I feel like I need to explain why I'm so lazy)

On Tuesday my grown son took me to a surprise place for lunch called Curry's downtown. We do not get to see each other much these days since he's in another job that requires a lot of his time and his sweet wife and children need the time that's left over :) But he's been off two weeks and promised to spend a little time with me.

I got the chicken salad on croissant, a sweet broccoli salad and topped it off with strawberry pretzel. The broccoli & pretzel I shared with Jeff.

Then it was to the Friends of the Library book store where everything in there was 50c all week. Then out to Priceville Bookmark, my most favorite used book store. We love James the owner and he's always on the lookout for what we like. He looked really hard in the long while since our last visit..gulp! I found some different stuff i.e. Withering Heights by Dorothy Cannell;

Poisoned Pins by Joan Hess. And then, this little gem by Poppy Adams called The Sister, I found for a dollar at BAM.

Wednesday was stitch-in at LNS. My friends, who have I've missed for a long time now...Vickie, Patti, Gail, Jo and of course, Marlene were there and it was a day full of laughter and fun and just a little bit stitching. We all started "Spring" the first part of LHN's monochromatic seasons. this one is stitched in Belle soie Weathered Vine which is a beautiful dark green...I did say a little bit stitching :)

Yesterday my dd Tami spent a lot of the day here with me at home. I stayed on oxygen and stitched while she played on the computer trying to catch up with all her stuff as they are without internet right now.

And today? Can you believe to the Booklegger in Huntsville with grown grandson Andrew to look for some "antique" books, his favorite thing to do.

My finishes this week are LHN's Strawberry House complete with unfrogged mistakes...had to make it my own :) Stitched with called for thread and fabric plus buttons, no beads. It's my first Up for a challenge finish.

And last is my part 4 on French spring sal. I'm loving this little cutie very much and will make it into a pillow when done to go with spring/Easter display.

Happy Friday!

Babs

Something about Tuesdays and Rain

It used to be March winds; April Showers; May flowers...but not anymore.
Thank you for every little comment I get! I may not get that many yet, but they mean everything to me!
I pray that none of you have friends and loved ones in the area of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Many of us know missionaries over there and as of Sunday some were unaccounted for. My husband being a nuclear engineer for GE knows many of the people who are at the power plant as they were over there for an outage, a.k.a. regularly scheduled shut down.

When the news media runs with the "nuclear" scare, I call him to get the real story. I've woke him up the last two nights because I hadn't changed my clocks yet and he's an hour later than me anyway, he's been real patient with me though.

Where does time go? The older I get, the faster it flies and the less I can account for.

I did not check in last week with my Heart of America progress, but here it is today. Being in a hurry, the picture didn't turn out too good, but I'll really work on it when the piece is done :)

I am so sorry about the frogs that landed on DJ's HoA, but even with that she still manages to show off :)

DJ also started this little Easter sal going on over at http://novalee02.over-blog.com/g.com/ . She has closed it for new participants, but I'm thinking there will be others. This is part 1 & 2 and I have part 3 to finish by Saturday. Surprise DJ! No more enabling please!

I got a few stitches in my Apple Tree Sampler by Hawkins House, but only a few unless you count that I had to frog the first motif and have stitched it twice now.

A Joanne's opened in Huntsville and my dd and I had a fun time in there Saturday. I've only been in one and that was in St. Louis years ago. Also went in Michaels there. DD was doing the scrapbooking/cards thing and I was looking for fabric and trims for finishing things.

Well, I better see what's going on outside with the weather. We've had so much rain, trees are going to start falling if there's much more before the winds begin.

Bye for now,

Babs

TUSAL little orts and ends and a froggie

On the left is a picture of "little orts" before becoming a part of the "big orts" on the right. I didn't stitch much in February, but the frogging going on was never ending it seemed. That's why the froggie is in the picture...maybe if I'm nice to him, he'll be nice to me ...you think?

Hubby was home for a week with all the doctor appointments, but every thing checked out ok. He left last Sunday, but I haven't gotten it in gear yet. Lazy I am!

DJ, this next one is for you so you can see I at least put a few stitches in since my last show and tell of Heart of America by LHN. (did I mention how lazy I am?) I love this piece and want to see it finished soon, but your enabling has caused me to stop everything and do the little Easter sal you posted on your blog, assuming I can find the threads in my stash...cause I'm not going anywhere. (goodness, that was a long sentence) If ya'll aren't familiar with DJ's blog, do go over there and check out how she's getting so far ahead of me on this sal.

And I did put a few tiny stitches in Jane Atkinson, but not so's you'd notice very much :( The spirit has been willing but my body has been weak, today being the worst day. But I just had to see what my blogging friends have been up to. I decided the more blogs I comment on, the less chance of getting my orts posted on time.

I'll catch up the rest of you tomorrow if I didn't today.

Til then, just going to say bye for now.

Babs

Blogs are enablers in disguise

Anyone ever seen this? It is Jane Atkinson, a

reproduction sampler by The Scarlet Letter. I saw it on

one blog, then in trying to find out more about it, it somehow

ended up in my hands (hence the enabling part)
The verse says

"What though my sins are of a Crimson stain

My saviours blood can wash me white again

Though numerous the twinkling stars they be

or sands along the margin of the sea Or as

smooth pebbles on some beachy shore

The mercies of Almighty still are more.

Is that beautiful or what? Most use silk; I'm using dmc on 40 ct, but I think it's going to look good none the less.

I do have something to show and tell. Remember Winter
Cardinals on my last post? Well I finished it my way, but the picture is somewhat washed out in an effort to get the fabric trim remotely close to its color.

It is from Little House Needleworks done on Flax Fields by R&R, using crescent colors and dmc.

My hubby called to say he was having a little trouble and driving home yesterday from Philly...which he did. He sees his doctor tomorrow, but we think it's related to his port. Something's causing his right arm to swell and numb more than chemo related neuropothy he's been experiencing all along.

So I kept busy off and on all day picking, choosing, deciding how I wanted to finish the ornament and I put the last stitch in just as he was turning in the driveway. I'm not making that up. I walked in to hug him hello with the ornie in my hand. He can see that I do not "use my time for naught" as so many samplers say :)

I may be busy this week, but will try to get back to reading all the blogs I've missed the last couple of days. I leave you with my little start on Jane Atkinson...

Hugs,

Babs.

No hearts for valentine!

But, if you look real close on my ornie you will see two little hearts at the bottom and one on the top. So! Those are my valentine hearts to all of you, my blogging friends.

This is Little House Needleworks first ornament for 2011. It's stitched on 30 ct. flax fields. I'm having a hard time finding the fabric I want to finish it. Hope to get out today...I know it's waiting for me somewhere, but definitely NOT in my stash. My first 2011 finish!

I stitched along with DJ on Heart of America by LHN, but not yet today. Wanted to post the pic so she can see my progress from last Monday.

I've worked on La-D-La's Polly Wolly Doodle All Day just a little.

I stitched hours on Long Dog's Scarlet Ribands and this is all I've got to show for it. I love stitching with Threadgatherers silk n' color, but this piece is slow.

And just look what I found in my lost and found UFO's! This is Moira Blackburn's Time and Seasons, started a long time and many seasons ago. The alphabet is complete and more stitching here and there but scanned what I could in one swipe.

I put it up to do a sal with my stitching buddies group on Moira's Three Things which I finished in 2007. What does that tell you?

Gotta' get ready to go find that fabric.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Babs

I Get Behinder and hinder!

I am as mixed up as our weather forcast. I live on the cusp of most reports...might rain, probably freeze, maybe snow, cloudy all day or the sun might shine. To be safe, wear short sleeves under your jacket; take your galoshes or your raincoat or your sunglasses just in case we get it all wrong. I really do love the south...really!
Before I forget, I want to tell ya'll that Belinda at Blue Ribbon Designs is having a giveaway with drawing on Feb. 5, so get over there and sign up for the beautiful pouch with sewing tools. A great gift! She's got some beautiful new designs coming soon too.

First, I want to share a picture my dd Tami sent via phone yesterday. She just decided to whip this up for me since the last time I saw her. If I have a life verse, this would be it; it is my daily prayer. the pic's not that clear, but you can see she made a couple changes just because she always does :) the design is by La D Da.

Second I wanted to show my itty bitty progress on Heart of America so DJ can see what a few stitches really mean, lol.

Lynda, I got four new letters of the alphabet done Sunday on Apple Tree Sampler :( too few to show.
Monday I got Little House Needlework's first monthly ornament for 2011 and yesterday I found myself throwing everything else aside and working on it. Cardinals, evergreens, bunnies and snow, the perfect winter scene, don't you think?

And last but not least, I want to give you a heads up on a book I just read. I read it in one day because I simply couldn't put it down. It is Left Neglected by Lisa Genova.
That's about it for now. Just staying in and staying warm in my pj's.
bye for now,
Babs

No Time for "Blah" days!

But that's what yesterday was, just plain old BLAH! The longer the day got, the more I wanted to go to bed and start over.

I did work on my Heart of America sal with DJ just a bit. I was giving her time to catch up and she did, waving at me as she went by, lol.

Here's what last week's looked like:

And here's what a few minutes rendered last night.

I got so burned out with the 15 day stitching thing I just sat and read for a few days finishing two books and starting a third.

Today is one of those dark rainy days, a prelude to snow tonight and we don't know exactly how much or serious it will be. Everyone I love drives quite a distance to their jobs with country roads, then big bridges and overpasses, and ya'll know how we are in the south.

Today is going to be a stitch day for sure...I can pray while I stitch.

Thanks for tagging along with me. Gillie, it was fun to see your comment :) and I agree with you; I think these challenges are just another great big way of enabling all of us. I've seen several in my stash that I've pulled so I won't forget about them again, and then there's those that are not in my stash. Oh woe is me!

Hugs,

Babs

snowed in, January challenges, heads up on a blog

I have 52 blog readers! 52! I am humbled and amazed and am trying to check out anyone I don't follow so I can. Hello to all of you!
The picture at top is Herman and me Christmas at dd Karen's house. I show it off so you can see how healthy he is getting after the year of cancer, surgeries and chemo. It started off at the bottom, I hit the wrong button so now it's back on at top. Oh well. Blogger in training..that's me!

My daughter Tami started a new blog that any of you who want to renew yourself physically and spiritually during this new year should check out. She doesn't always have internet at this time and has to post sporadically, but catches all her days up when she does post.

Yes, North Alabama and even farther south is shut down. Because we don't experience this often, the expense of winter machinery (snow plows, etc.) is not cost effective so our streets and roads become impassable quickly. This causes chain reaction of school and business closings so here we are.

Here's the snowman my grandkids created yesterday. He's tall and 20; she's 16.

I am behind on challenges, but to be anything else would not be me :( A couple days found me not stitching at all except for what you're going to see in these pics coming up.

First up is Apple Tree Sampler by Hawkins House worked on 36 ct. with Belle Soie silks.

Second is Quaker Harmony by My Big Toe done on 32 ct with Weeks dye works.

Third is His Flowers by Rosewood Manor, a personal favorite and so little to show for it. It's on 32 ct. Autumn Blush using dmc.
I did put a few stitches in border of Heart of America but not enough to scan :( But, here is the work done on Battle Hymn of Republic; what it looked like when I picked it back up and what it looks like now. The skipping at the bottom was done in fear that I cut the fabric too short...false alarm.

hugs & happy stitching,

Babs